As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover Chapter 194

Aiven nodded.

 

“…‘Liam’. My gaze stopped on that name. It matched the name and occupation of someone who used to be from my village. He was the only person who had left the village within the last 50 years. He sent a letter to the village just once.”

 

[I’ve settled temporarily and am working as a gardener for a noble family. I’ve met someone close to me. I’ll visit with them soon.]

 

“…That was the content. The postmark on the envelope indicated it was from Baron Dayelon’s estate.”

 

“No way…” Robin covered his mouth in shock.

 

Everything seemed to fit together perfectly.

 

Maxion spoke up. “Given the circumstances, it’s likely that the person who taught the empress dowager dark magic is that person. And it’s possible that the person she wants to resurrect is the same individual.”

 

“What? Why?” Robin asked with a puzzled expression, and Aiven answered.

 

“They were close enough for him to teach her dark magic. Dark wizards don’t reveal their true identity easily.”

 

“Hmm, they might have been lovers,” Hendrik, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.

 

Aiven nodded.

 

“Why? Am I the only one who doesn’t understand?” Robin tilted his head in confusion.

 

Hendrik explained, “He must have encountered all kinds of situations during his travels. He would’ve had to settle down briefly in various places to earn money. But if he suddenly mentioned that he had met someone close and was planning to visit the village together, it’s likely they were lovers.”

 

“They could have just been close friends. If he finally made a really close friend, wouldn’t he want to share that?” Robin still couldn’t quite grasp it and was puzzled.

 

Hendrik ruffled Robin’s hair playfully. “Haha, if it were just a close friend, he would have said so plainly. There’s no reason to be vague and refer to them as ‘someone close.’ The brevity of the letter suggests he was a bit embarrassed.”

 

“Oh my… Wait, I still don’t understand. So why did the empress dowager spend the night with the late emperor and have a child? And didn’t she end up killing all the villagers just to save the one she loved?”

 

Edward slowly stroked his chin. “It’s likely she thought that becoming part of the imperial family would make it easier to sacrifice countless lives for her purposes. That might also be why she allied with the temple—so she could use such power more freely.”

 

“But I still can’t understand why she would massacre that person’s family in the process of trying to save him.”

 

“She probably killed all the villagers because she didn’t know what they might have known. She would have wanted to eliminate any potential threats if she planned to become empress. At the same time, she used them as materials and experiments for dark magic.”

 

“That explanation does tie everything together. It explains why all the people in Aiven’s village were killed and the magic that brought the dead back to life.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

Robin nodded with a complex expression as he finally understood the situation.

 

The empress dowager’s actions seemed increasingly selfish and horrific.

 

“I don’t think god created dark magic for it to be used like that.”

 

Edward smiled intriguingly at Robin’s words. “Then why do you think it was created?”

 

“To give people a chance… I mean, for a reason.” Robin awkwardly corrected himself, but Edward pretended not to notice and asked again.

 

“A chance?”

 

“Dark magic isn’t a power that opposes the god’s power. It’s a new force, separate from both divine power and magic. Suppose divine power and magic are blessings granted by the god at birth. In that case, dark magic is an opportunity for humans. Anyone can use it as long as they’re willing to pay the price to achieve what they desire.”

 

“That’s an interesting perspective.”

 

In truth, this was Gabriel’s response to a question Robin had once asked him. But Robin hadn’t stopped thinking after receiving that answer.

 

“It’s like a test of sorts, to see how far humans can go on their own and how much they’re willing to corrupt themselves to achieve their goals…”

 

The meeting ended on that note. Given the weight of the topic, the atmosphere was heavy as the meeting adjourned.

 

After the meeting, Edward stepped into the garden and met Luize, who had fully recovered after a good night’s sleep. Beside her was Ren, nibbling on some snacks from a picnic basket.

 

“Ppii!” [It’s Human Edward!] Ren exclaimed, biting into a marshmallow with chocolate-covered hands.

 

Luize stood up and welcomed Edward. “Edward, how was the meeting? You don’t look so good. Why don’t you rest here for a while?”

 

“…Yes.” He flashed a beautiful smile on his handsome face.

 

As Luize was caught off guard by his unusually calm demeanor, he wrapped his arms around her head and shoulders, pulling her into an embrace.

 

“Ppik!” Ren covered its eyes with its paws but peeked through its toes to watch the two, chocolate smeared all over its face.

 

“Edward, Ren is watching,” Luize murmured.

 

“I’ve sent another guardian to him,” Edward replied, and at that moment, Ren was lifted into the air.

 

“Ren, it’s not polite to peek over,” said Maxion as he carried Ren away.

 

“Ppi, ppiii!” [But they’re doing it right out in the open!] Ren protested.

 

“Come on, they’ve set up a proper tea party inside,” Maxion said, taking Ren to the main building.

 

“Did something happen?” Luize asked.

 

“…No. I was just thinking how fortunate I am.”

 

“Fortunate…?”

 

Edward thought that if Run had died first or if the current Luize had lost her life, he might have made the same choices as the empress dowager. But he couldn’t share such thoughts with Luize.

 

“I’m glad you’re here with me.”

 

“…I feel the same way,” Luize replied with a soft smile.

 

* * *

Preparations for the coronation were going smoothly. The temple matters were resolved peacefully, and spies were planted to prevent any unforeseen issues.

 

“Jjik!”

 

“Are you saying you’ll leave behind this wicked… I mean, this dark squirrel?”

 

“Yes. I’ve received the owner’s permission.”

 

Surprisingly, Ren granted permission without much fuss.

 

“Ppik. Ppi!” [Human lives are short. If you find a human you like, you can play with them for a hundred years and then come back!]

 

During the day, Edward was busier than anyone, and at night, he trusted his subordinates and slept even amidst the threat of assassins. Of course, someone else was there to guard him as well.

 

“Sleep well. I’ll protect you through the night,” Luize said, holding a sword while dressed in her nightgown. As she prepared to step outside to change, Edward wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back.

 

“The knights are all highly skilled. No one will get past them into this room.”

 

“But you never know. You’ve had insomnia before…” Luize trailed off as Edward pulled her back into bed.

 

He skillfully used magic to take the sword from her and place it by the bedside, then gently laid her down on the bed. His lips moved toward Luize’s face.

 

“Wait a minute. Everyone’s busy outside. Is it really okay for us to be doing this here?”

 

“I’ve set up a barrier. They won’t hear a thing outside.”

 

“That’s not the issue… Wait, Edward?”

 

“Miss Luize made me unable to sleep without your scent, so you have to take responsibility.”

 

“But outside…! Come to think of it, it’s been peaceful for the past few days?”

 

“I’ve placed barriers outside too. Officially, we’ve recruited a capable wizard who lived under a pseudonym. There aren’t many who can get past my knights.”

 

With his past life memories restored, Edward had become far more adept at using large-scale magic. Although his current human body had more limitations than his previous one, he could still handle most situations with ease. The magical traps he had set up around the estate quickly took care of the assassins sent by the emperor.

 

Clang! Clang! Thud.

 

“Just when we start to relax, one or two of them always show up. It’s like their timing is impeccable.”

 

“It’s starting to feel like training.”

 

In fact, Edward was deliberately allowing one or two assassins to slip through to ensure his knights didn’t lose their edge.

 

Meanwhile, their plans outside the estate were also progressing smoothly. The nobles whose families had been held hostage by the emperor under the guise of sleeping sickness—caused by dark magic—had all awakened, just as Edward had said. This strengthened their trust in him. Their gratitude wasn’t just for saving their families.

 

“It’s time we chose a side. I believe everyone here feels the same.”

 

“Those in the know are aware of how much of a mess the empire is. Honestly, is there anyone here who doesn’t have grievances against the emperor’s governance?”