Please Kill My Husband - Chapter 35

The castle was busy from early morning. The noise outside the room was loud enough to wake Ludmila, who had slept late after reading the letter and being unable to sleep at dawn.

As soon as she opened her eyes, Ludmila let out a deep sigh and immediately got up to wash and left the room.

In her hand were Emma’s letter and documents related to timber to show Aden.

“…Aden?”

Ludmila discovered Aden just as she was passing through the central entrance.

Feeling puzzled by his hurried appearance to leave through the main gate, Ludmila cautiously approached him.

“Ah, Marchioness… no, Lady Ludmila.”

Benjamin, who noticed her before Aden did, greeted her with an easy smile.

Ludmila returned his greeting with a short nod, and her eyes immediately shifted to Aden.

“Where are you going?”

At Ludmila’s question, as she tightly gripped the documents in her hand, Aden rolled his eyes to look at Benjamin.

Benjamin nodded briefly and turned to leave first, and in the space left with just the two of them, Aden turned to face Ludmila.

“I think I need to go to the capital.”

“The capital…?”

Ludmila’s eyes trembled finely at Aden’s sudden mention of the capital.

It seemed like the contents of the letter she had been reading until dawn were coming back to her. As Ludmila bit her lip waiting for Aden’s answer, Aden reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.

“I’ve been summoned by the council.”

“The council? Surely not that financial issue…”

“No.”

Aden rolled his eyes, paused for a moment, and then calmly opened his mouth.

“This happens every time at this period. They regularly call to order audits and reports on changes. It’s a childish procedure to check the loyalty and betrayal of the Khan people. But…”

Aden, who was continuing to speak, narrowed his eyes and reached out to poke Ludmila’s forehead.

“Why are you sweating so much? You still don’t seem well, go and rest. I’ve instructed to call a doctor for an examination.”

His tone was businesslike, not seeming concerned. But the way he placed the handkerchief he had been using to wipe her forehead on her hand, and the slight curl of his lips when their eyes met, was enough to make her feel a subtlety in him that she hadn’t noticed before.

“I’ll be back in a week. I’ve said not to receive a single outside guest during that time, so there won’t be any useless people coming in like before. Even if they try to come in, the soldiers will try to drive them out, so don’t worry.”

The man who knew what she was worried about continued speaking in an unkind voice, but his eyes never left Ludmila.

Whenever his brow furrowed gently as he spoke, it was invariably when her expression was not good.

“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. I’ll properly review the timber-related documents as soon as I return, so until then, rest comfortably. I’ve told Salom, so just say if you need anything.”

Ludmila couldn’t bring herself to tell the man about the contents of the letter as he comforted and reassured her while being summoned unwillingly to the Imperial Palace.

Even if she recited the contents here, it wouldn’t prevent him from leaving. It could rather ruin things due to needless anxiety.

“Take care on your journey.”

“I’ll be back.”

A gentle smile seemed to draw across his coldly set face, and then he turned away.

Ludmila’s red eyes, watching his retreating back, quietly wavered as they captured the morning sunlight streaming long through the just-opened door.

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“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

Benjamin casually threw the question at Aden, who was sitting across from him.

Aden, who had been staring out the window, slowly rolled his eyes to examine Benjamin before throwing them back out the window.

“Do you know the name of that flower?”

“…Flower?”

Benjamin’s head tilted at the sudden talk of flowers. Nevertheless, he dutifully turned his eyes to look out the window and let out a short exclamation.

“Why? Want to give it as a gift to the Marchioness? Ah, come to think of it, it was this time of year, wasn’t it?”

Aden, who had been slightly frowning, knitted his brows. What time of year? As he tilted his head, Benjamin burst into laughter with an incredulous face.

“You didn’t know? It’s almost the Marchioness’s birthday. I’ve attended the birthday banquet at the Marquis’s residence a few times, and it’s right around this time. It should be in a few days.”

Benjamin looked at Aden, who had frozen his expression like a water-soaked wall, and pushed up the corners of his mouth. Don’t tell me, he didn’t know? He was about to burst into a sneer at the absurdity, but suddenly remembering that he had made the same mistake in the past, he swallowed it.

“White plum blossom.”

Benjamin, adjusting his posture, leaned his head against the carriage wall and closed his eyes gently.

“It’s originally a flower that blooms in spring, but this area is mild, so it usually blooms around this time.”

“You know quite well, unlike your appearance.”

“You… Your way of speaking to someone who answered you is completely messed up.”

Aden gave a thin smile at the sight of Benjamin glaring at him.

Lightly ignoring him as he continued all sorts of grumbling from behind, Aden silently looked at the white plum blossoms blooming profusely in the distance.

…So that was the flower I was looking at closely on the way to the territory.

Aden closed his eyes as he closed the curtain.

“I guess I’ll have to pick some on the way back.”

“What did you say? You have to carve some stone?”

“…”

Ignoring his old friend’s nonsense lightly.

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The long brush, full of red oil paint, freely roamed the canvas and then stopped.

Ludmila, who had been holding the brush handle, stared blankly at the half-painted sunset landscape and then sighed.

Ludmila, who put down the brush, turned her head and silently looked at the letter placed on the table along with the documents.

Ludmila, whose red eyes were even redder than the red paint, captured the letter, then put down the brush on the wooden palette and stood up.

As she approached the table and unfolded the letter again, her eyes fluttered finely like flower petals swaying in the wind.

[I’m sorry, Marchioness. Although you said not to worry about you anymore, this old one’s head just couldn’t shake off the anxiety. You said they were people who knew honor, but I have seen with my own eyes how they lived before being subjugated to the Empire. How cruel, barbaric, and beastly they are.]

Ludmila, who calmly brushed up her hair, sat askew on the table.

Her eyes narrowed as she pressed her forehead with her palm, which smelled of oil paint.

[Although times have changed and they have become members of the Empire and are called nobles at the same time, that base bloodline and nature do not disappear. Knowing this, I couldn’t refuse the Marchioness’s plea, which was spoken so earnestly. And now I regret it. My foolish action that made the Marchioness, who was no different from my granddaughter, walk into that dangerous place.]

“…Emma.”

[I intend to ask the Marquis for help. Even if it happened because of the bad relationship between you two, Marchioness. The Marquis is an excellent noble and cannot be compared to those barbarians. Surely, the Marquis must have felt your preciousness, so please come back now. I earnestly ask that you forgive this momentary indiscretion and return to your daily life. Then, take care of yourself, and I hope to see you again.

– Emma]

There was a subtle force in her hand as she folded the letter. Although she wasn’t the type to blame others, at this moment, she couldn’t help but resent Emma’s inappropriate behavior and her stubborn old memories.

It was clear that if she left without saying a word, Kedilen’s anger would be directed at Emma.

That’s why she had given Emma money and jewels and told her not to look for her and to go far away.

She had added that she should fulfill that dream of spending the rest of her life on a quiet beach where coral bloomed, as she had said she wanted to do in her old age.

She remembered Emma’s voice shouting, “Are you thinking of going with those beasts! Absolutely not!” in front of Aden before she ran away.

She should have brought her along then. It was a thousand-year regret that she had left her behind for fear of ruining her relationship with these people.

Ludmila, who closed the letter, turned her head with a long sigh. Like a painting, the view outside the window was also tinged with a red rose color.

Ludmila, who silently looked at that quiet and desolate scenery, brushed her hair and stood up from her seat.

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“The capital?”

Beressa widened her eyes at Ludmila’s suggestion. Ludmila nodded briefly and pulled out the note she had brought.

“I’d like you to deliver this to a man named Dexter in the capital. As soon as possible.”

The note that came from her fingertips was very small, but the content contained in it was by no means light.

Beressa, who was quite perceptive, could easily tell that the note she was now holding out was not simply asking about well-being.

If it had been an ordinary note or letter, she would have handed it to Salom, not her. She could guess that there must be some important purpose.

“Alright. I’ll send someone quickly.”

“Thank you. And one more thing.”

Ludmila pulled out another letter and held it out.

“I know it’s a difficult request, but I’d like you to deliver this secretly to a person named Emma.”

“Secretly?”

“Yes. Very secretly. Is that possible?”

“…”

Ludmila’s eyes, which had always worn a quiet smile since coming here, were very coldly set.

At that cool and stiff gaze, Beressa judged that this letter must be very important to Ludmila.

Matters related to Ludmila’s safety were also important to them. If it became known that Ludmila was here, ultimately it wouldn’t be just her who would suffer.

“I’ll try. Emma, you said?”

“Yes. I’ve written down the detailed personal information separately.”

“Okay. Don’t worry. I’ll try to deliver it without any problems.”

“Thank you.”

Beressa tilted her head at the sight of her sighing in relief.

Even though Ludmila’s complexion was usually pale white, it looked even worse now. Could it be because of this?

‘What on earth could it be.’

Although she felt the desire to check the contents inside, Beressa shook her head, thinking that it wouldn’t be of much help even if she looked at it.

Ludmila left a smile for Beressa, who kept silent until the end, and turned around.

Now all she had to do was wait. If the letter was delivered, if only that happened, this too could be passed off as a simple happening.

But if that stubborn Emma refused her will and eventually tried to reveal everything…

“Ludmila?”

At that moment, Ludmila turned at the voice calling her name from behind. In that instant, she felt the world spinning.

“Ludmila!”

Before her eyes closed, she saw Beressa running towards her, calling out in desperation.

Ludmila, watching her desperate appearance, soon lost consciousness.