As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover Chapter 70

* * *

At the same time, Lorein walked through the sunlit corridor towards the master’s room. Kasel greeted her, leaning against the headboard with the help of a healer.

 

“It seems you’ve made up your mind. Do you not regret it?”

 

“Mother feels the same, don’t you? I believe you know best how futile our resentment has been.”

 

“…”

 

“We must return before we drift further apart. Servenia is walking the wrong path.”

 

Lorein could not deny it. They had been cowardly fleeing until now. Edward had not sought them out, perhaps to overlook their avoidance. That was all he could do for them, to blame them as much as they wished until their hearts were content.

 

Edward was such a person. The crown prince was generous to the weak but sharply rational against anything that defied justice. Lorein had never seen anyone who suited the throne as well as he did. From the moment of his birth, he was raised to be an emperor, naturally commanding attention and asserting dominance wherever he appeared. Even after being dethroned, he seemed to have lived quietly so as not to catch the emperor’s eye, but even covered in rags, his distinctive presence could not be hidden. Edward was a man who would never be lowly, no matter how much he was being humbled.

 

“After hearing about <The Method of Hearing the Departed>, I thought about what father would say to us now. Mother probably knows better. That’s why you’ve been suffering, even after running away.”

 

Lorein’s gaze wavered.

 

“I heard His Excellency will visit my room later. I plan to tell him then.”

 

“I didn’t want to lose you as well.”

 

“…I know. That’s why I haven’t said anything until now.”

 

Lorein clasped her hands together. “You’re right. Yes, I’ve lost. The choice I made back then was wrong.”

 

She reflected on the distant past. In truth, she knew better than anyone. If her late husband and her long-time rival and friend, Allen de Servenia, were alive, no one would have blamed Edward.

 

“…Healing is about saving lives.”

 

“To heal the rotting empire, His Excellency is needed.”

 

Lorein nodded with determination on her face.

 

* * *

The atmosphere at the breakfast table was subtly different from yesterday. Edward spoke with an ordinary face as if nothing had happened. “Thank you for everything during this time.”

 

“We should be thanking you for solving a major problem in our territory. Vice-captain Kalliod is really in good health. It’s as if he had a status-maintaining spell on him, not getting worse even after not moving for three days.”

 

“…I have a good physical condition.”  Maxion looked at Edward, who smiled wryly upon making eye contact with the perpetrator of the status-maintaining magic.

 

Lorein’s gaze shifted to Luize. “Speaking of which, Luize.”

 

“Yes, yes?” She looked at Lorein, startled, her face flushed as if she was in front of her first love.

 

Suspicious. Lorein gave Edward a sharp look, and he responded with a pleased smile. She sighed deeply and continued. “You’re leaving today?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Write a letter for us. Come back whenever you wish. Servenia is always open to you.”

 

“Thank you, Aunt.”

 

“And this,” Lorein handed Edward a white envelope sealed with the leaf emblem of Servenia. “Kasel asked me to deliver this. It’s an official document from him as the head of the family. The Silver Hawk Knights will receive the highest honor in all associated institutions of Servenia without any cost.”

 

Edward accepted the envelope. His playful eyes became serious. “I will consider this letter and our conversation before breakfast separately from Miss Luize.”

 

“Yes.”

 

While the curious conversation unfolded, Luize listened intently without further exchange. Maxion playfully kicked Luize under the table, a prank they often played in their youth.

 

‘Why?’ Luize silently mouthed to Maxion.

 

“You look strange. Did something happen last night…?”

 

“There’s nothing!”

 

Everyone’s attention turned to Luize in an instant. Meeting Edward’s gaze, she startled and blushed, standing up. “Sorry, I just remembered some unfinished packing! I’ll go ahead.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

After Luize left, Lorein and Maxion’s gaze turned to Edward. He smiled and calmly sliced the turkey. “Hmm, is there something on my face?”

 

“…It seems you had a good night’s sleep.”

 

“Yes. Madam said sleep is the best for recovery, and you were right.”

 

Edward looked unusually bright, perhaps due to a good night’s sleep. Lorein and Maxion exchanged glances. Surely, it wasn’t just because of sleep.

 

* * *

The weather was clear as knights in uniforms decorated with white threads on a gray background lined up. Lorein came to the castle gate to see off the knight order. She bowed in front of Edward. “I apologize for not visiting you sooner, Your Excellency.”

 

“Please do not dwell on the past. I appreciate Servenia’s heart.”

 

“We’ll meet again in the capital then.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I wish you a safe return. And don’t get hurt.”

 

“I will do so.” Edward smiled.

 

The knight order, led by Edward, left the Servenia castle and crossed the streets of Airen. Luize followed a short distance behind on a white horse, with Hendrik closely beside her.

 

“Miss Luize, is something wrong?”

 

“No, nothing at all.”

 

“Haha, I see. The weather is nice. His Excellency seems to be in good spirits today. Or maybe he’s just feeling good.”

 

“Maybe…”

 

Luize glanced at Edward’s back. How could he act as if nothing had happened? She couldn’t help but blush at the thought of his strong arms around her.

 

“Yes. It’s good that the vice-captain woke up early. It seems the cause was the loss, and rumors say black magic specializes in mental magic. We need to be careful.”

 

“But Hendrik and I are fine though. We’ve all lost family before. Doesn’t that count as a loss?”

 

Luize had even gone through a divorce recently. If anyone should feel the loss, it wasn’t Maxion but her.

 

“I think loss is like a deep wound.”

 

“Wound?”

 

“Yes. Normally, new flesh grows over a deep cut, even if it leaves a scar. After losing something, something else fills its place over time.” Hendrik smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “And now, the knight order is like new flesh to me. They’re like family. I think everyone feels the same.”

 

Luize quietly watched the backs of Maxion and Edward. “…I think you’re right, Hendrik.”

 

“As I live, I think it’s true that the greatest gift from God is the ability to forget. It was painful not to forget, whether good or bad memories, but now we can live ordinary lives. Good memories with those who’ve left sometimes give us strength. I wish I had more good memories.”

 

Luize suddenly remembered a saying from long ago.

 

“The past makes the path, and the future draws the direction. We walk on the memory to live towards tomorrow.”

 

At the time, she couldn’t understand, but now it seemed to make a bit more sense.

 

The knight order left the village and entered the vast plains. Chirp, chirp. Tweet- chirp.  As they started to speed up, the chirping of wild canaries came from a nearby forest. Luize glanced at the forest and then focused ahead. The chirping quickly faded as they rode fast.

 

* * *

Tweet-. Chirp! Chirp, chirp. Inside a golden cage studded with blue gems, a yellow canary chirped its song. A man with neatly combed blond hair pressed his forehead with his hand as if suffering from a headache.

 

“All I got from drinking all night was the spice that the deposed crown prince hates. Cinnamon? Ha! It’s not even funny.”

 

Since the last banquet where he had met Luize, the princess had clearly taken a liking to him. Then what? Whenever the topic of the deposed crown prince came up, she skillfully changed the subject.

 

At first, he thought it was a coincidence. When he brought up topics related to the deposed crown prince, the princess, like a seasoned merchant, skillfully changed the topic. Even when they returned to related topics, she didn’t easily reveal what he wanted to know. After repeating several times, Reiad realized she was intentionally avoiding topics related to the deposed crown prince.

 

“It’s fortunate that there’s no need to rush.”