Wicked Husband-Chapter 33 - 32

The revelation drained the life from Eileen. Stunned and flustered, she blurted out a desperate denial. "No, never! Absolutely not! The thought wouldn’t even dare cross my mind. As a loyal citizen of the Empire, I only ever wish for Traon’s glory..."

"Of course not, right?"

Leon watched Eileen’s panicked babbling, a furrow etching itself between his brows. A thoughtful hum escaped his lips as he rubbed his chin, his gaze locked on her face. After a long, tense moment, a faint smile played on his lips.

"Well, the Lady Elrod I know wouldn’t do that."

’Then why did you ask...?’

Eileen choked back the retort she longed to unleash at the Emperor. Tears welled in her eyes as she met Leon’s gaze. His words echoed in her mind, a tangled mess of accusations: resentment towards the Empire, a massacre, and a desperate plea for Cesare’s help.

When putting these significant pieces together, it seemed like Cesare had told Leon some strange story. As Eileen barely managed to process this, Leon offered her tea.

Eileen’s hands trembled as she reached for the cup. Her nerves were so raw she could barely distinguish the tea from the air, downing the bitter liquid without milk or sugar.

Having delivered his initial blow, Leon unhurriedly added sugar to his own cup. His voice, when he spoke, was deceptively casual. "You’ve changed a great deal, Lady Elrod. It’s been... four years, hasn’t it? Since we last met?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Four years."

When Eileen quickly answered, Leon smiled again, amused by something. With a gentle voice, he delivered a sharp remark.

"You must have resented me a lot during that time."

"...No."

Eileen’s denial stumbled out, delayed and weak. The truth, a heavy weight in her chest, contradicted her hesitant reply. Shame burned in her cheeks under Leon’s unwavering gaze.

Her resentment towards Leon stemmed from Cesare. Even though Leon had ascended to the throne of the nation, he had dispatched his brother, who had made the greatest contributions to the throne, to the battlefield.

Three years ago, when Cesare’s deployment was decided. Eileen had read the news in the newspaper.

Upon reading the article announcing the Grand Duke’s deployment, Eileen desperately wanted to meet Cesare. However, there was no way to do so. She anxiously waited for Cesare to summon her or visit her.

As time passed, her anxiety grew. She checked the calendar dozens of times each day, and at night, she lay awake for hours, hoping she might see him the next day.

And the day before departure...

The moment she saw the military vehicle stop in front of the garden, Eileen dropped everything and ran out immediately. But it wasn’t Cesare who stepped out of the vehicle; it was Lotan.

"Where is His Excellency the Grand Duke...?"

"I’m sorry. He is too busy with the preparations for the deployment to spare any time."

Hearing that Lotan had come to greet her on Cesare’s behalf made her heart break. Crying, Eileen clung to Lotan, begging him to let her see Cesare, just once, just for a moment.

Feeling awkward but sympathetic, Lotan finally agreed to her plea and took Eileen to where Cesare was.

It wasn’t the Imperial palace, nor was it the Grand Duke’s residence. It was an unfamiliar house. Eileen had no idea where she was. She just sobbed uncontrollably and pounded on the door of the house where Cesare was.

"Your Excellency! It’s Eileen. Please open the door."

But Cesare didn’t open the door. No matter how much Eileen cried and pleaded, not a single word came from inside.

She couldn’t let him go like this.

Every newspaper was abuzz with the news. They detailed how dangerous and disadvantageous this war was and how powerful the army of the Kingdom of Kalpen was.

They reported that the Imperial Army, weakened by the civil war, could no longer be expected to achieve the glory of the past, and that hoping for a miracle was the only option left.

The tabloids mocked the arrogant Grand Duke, predicting that this time he would suffer a crushing defeat, and some even suggested that preparations for a royal funeral should begin in advance.

Everyone spoke of his impending death.

"No... Please don’t go..."

Eileen pounded on the door until her hands were bruised and bloody, crying until she fainted. Lotan carried the collapsed Eileen back to her home. Then came the deployment.

Despite Cesare having doted on her so much, he left without showing his face even once. Only Eileen was left behind, living in daily torment as she thought of Cesare, who had gone to the battlefield.

Each morning began with a frantic search for the newspaper. Her eyes scanned the pages, desperately seeking any mention of Cesare or the war. Good news brought a fleeting euphoria, quickly replaced by gnawing anxiety. Any hint of trouble plunged her into a despair that paralyzed her entire day

She often had nightmares of reading an article stating that Cesare had died in battle along with his knights. On such days, she would cry and write letters to Cesare. She discarded several sheets of paper smudged with ink before finally finishing a letter.

She desperately hoped for a reply, even just once. But, just as he had left her so heartlessly, Cesare sent no reply.

At that time, Eileen thought she wanted to give up on her unrequited love. It was too painful; she wanted to rip her heart out and throw it far away.

But her feelings had already taken root in her heart and grown throughout her entire being. Cesare was her foundation and core. To uproot her unrequited love would mean cutting off her own life. Such was the depth of her affection, grown deeply since she was ten years old.

Faced with a relentless tide of despair, Eileen retreated. The letters stopped, their unanswered pleas a constant ache in her heart. Newspapers became a weekly ritual, a single dose of information both dreaded and craved. She restricted her thoughts of Cesare to just before falling asleep. Setting boundaries, she managed to live somehow, waiting for the day Cesare would return to the capital.

To distract herself from thoughts of Cesare, Eileen began researching painkillers. She wanted to become someone useful to Cesare, someone who might receive a response from him. Her desire for recognition drove her to the point of experimenting with op!um.

When news of victory arrived, she cried tears of joy. She thought she would finally meet him, but then she heard that Cesare had set up camp on a nearby plain instead of returning to the capital.

She hoped this time he would come to see her, or at least send a letter. But Cesare made no contact.

Then, suddenly, he came to her research lab, and they met again.

"I tried to dissuade the Grand Duke."

Lost in her memories, Eileen was brought back to the present by the voice. She scolded herself for letting her mind wander in the presence of the Emperor.

Leon pushed a plate of cookies towards her and continued speaking.

"As his older brother, it was natural to try and stop him from going to a place where he might die. Isn’t that right? But despite my efforts, he insisted on going."

As the Emperor, it was a gamble with his life. The civil war had just ended, and now Cesare, a pillar of the Imperial power, led the Imperial Army to battle.

This war had to be more than an ordinary victory; it needed to be a decisive triumph. If they failed to completely subdue and absorb Kalpen, the resources and manpower expended in the war could result in a backlash. The Empire’s nobles were just waiting for an opportunity to seize power from the royal family.

And Cesare returned to the Empire with an unprecedented victory.

"Cesare must have wanted to protect Traon. The Traon where you, Eileen, reside."

Eileen wanted to argue with the Emperor. How could he risk his life just for someone like her?

"Congratulations on your engagement, Lady Elrod."

But what could she say to someone offering such a calm congratulations? She merely offered a small word of thanks. Eileen took another sip of the bitter tea.

"You might have noticed it yourself."

Leon’s blue eyes quietly observed Eileen. Though they were a different color from Cesare’s, the sharp gaze was unmistakably similar between the brothers.

"My brother has seemed a bit... changed lately. I wondered if you might know something about it, which is why I called you here."

Eileen was aware that Cesare had changed, but she had nothing to offer Leon.

At best, she could mention that Cesare seemed a bit more impulsive. But that wasn’t the kind of information Leon was looking for.

Or maybe he used to see me just as a child, but now...

As Eileen tried to avoid blushing at the memories of the night, she was interrupted by a sudden click.

The audience chamber door opened without any knock. After pushing it wide open, the man lightly knocked on it.

"Eileen."

Cesare said with a twisted smile.

"Why are you here? Leaving your husband lonely."

***