I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 134

“In the past week, only one person has visited the Emperor’s bedchamber.”

Feeling extremely pressured by the nobles’ eyes on her, the maid ultimately chose to protect her own security.

 

The Empress, noticing that the maid’s gaze was on her, quickly retorted.

“As if I, the Empress, am somehow a great blemish on Your Majesty’s character, you insult me here in public!”

 

A heavy silence fell over the room. Kalian looked around the chaos-filled room with a grimace.

 

It was then that the Marquis of Saxony broke the silence.

“I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’ve heard that it’s been well over two years since the two of you joined forces.”

He and the rest of the nobility, with the exception of those who supported the Empress, remained neutral.

 

“That’s right,” he continued, “and the fact that you attempted to join the Alliance at a time when the Empress’s clothing was leaked to the outside world can only mean that your intentions were impure!”

 

The maid’s testimony, which was interrupted by a chirpy voice, drove a wedge into the Empress’s accusations.

“I beg your pardon, but His Majesty the Emperor has been troubled lately by a boil on his buttocks.”

 

The uproar stopped dead in its tracks. The maid spoke up again.

 

“On the day of the Empress’s visit, the boil burst, and the two of them were unable to attend the ceremony.”

 

Kalian glanced at the Empress. 

 

The Empress, who had been so fierce up until this point, was flustered and speechless. But she quickly regained her composure.

“So, do you mean to say that I deliberately touched His Majesty’s illness and stole his blood-stained garments?”

 

After all these years of hiding the Crown Prince’s true father, it seemed that her courage was not going anywhere. 

 

The Empress began to rage, threatening to cut out the lying maid’s tongue at once.

 

In the midst of the chaos, Kalian closed his eyes.

‘Evelyn whispered in her ear, “I want to make him feel… what it’s like to be betrayed by the very thing he fought to protect with his life.”’

 

“I will leave the investigation of this matter entirely to His Highness the Crown Prince,”

 

 Kalian finished, looking around.

 

There were people all around him, stunned. 

 

Most of them were worried that there would be no proper investigation. 

 

But at that moment, the Crown Prince’s eyes shone in a completely different direction than their fears.

 

* * *

 

Kalian’s complexion was uncharacteristically pale as he burst through the doors of the great hall.

“We will return to Johansen immediately. I will leave first and join the vanguard, but hurry as fast as you can.”

 

At the end of the meeting, Benjamin entered the room, looking pensive. 

 

He had brought word that Evelyn, who had traveled to Fairfield, had fallen ill and was heading straight north.

 

The idea of going to see her after receiving a letter from her half-sister did not sit well with him.

 

‘What good can come of meeting a dying woman, unless she is seeking revenge?’

But he didn’t want to bend her will, so he reluctantly agreed.

 

His brow curved in disapproval beneath the golden insignia of the sun and moon.

 

“Your half-sister was pregnant?”

 

“Yes, rumor has it… Viscount Fairfield had her inhale a liver-dissolving poisonous herb.”

 

“A senile old man,” Kalian clicked his tongue, then added lightly, “Find someone worthy of the title in the Fairfield line. I think it’s time for the people of Luidan to have a new lord.”

It was time for the current lord to go. Even if it meant taking his life by force.

 

“Yes, I will see to it,” Benjamin answered shrewdly, then asked a question. “Then what shall we do with the Saint? Shall we leave her in the mansion, or…?”

 

While they removed the Lindbergh women from the processing room, the Saint went along with Kalian’s plan. 

 

Having succeeded in fooling the priests, she returned to the mansion, necklace in hand, majestically.

 

“No,” Kalian ran a hand through his hair in annoyance.

“Now that the oracle is officially recognized, the Saint is coming with me, of course.”

 

* * *

 

Evelyn sat in her rocking chair and stared out the window. It was a perfect day. 

 

She felt as good as she’d felt in days, not even the churning in her stomach that had been bothering her for days.

 

The sunlight was so brilliant it almost brought tears to her eyes, the snow covered the vast northern landscape in all its splendor, and every single cloud was beautiful.

 

Perhaps it was the news of Kalian’s return to the North after his work for the Empire. But despite her outward appearance, her inner life was in turmoil.

 

A week ago, now.

She collapsed in a heap, and instead of Matthias, she called Leon to examine her once more.

“You’re pregnant…”

 

Evelyn took a deep breath as the words hit her like a ton of bricks. Her green eyes, glistening in the sunlight, watered.

‘Baby…’

Evelyn bit her lip hard, then let go. Her red, blood-soaked lips trembled.

 

‘How did this happen? What am I going to do now?’

 

A million thoughts raced through her mind. But the first thing that came to mind was the face of her one and only love, Kalian.

‘What would be your reaction if you knew I was pregnant?’

Of course, she knew now that she was a true Transcendent—a Purifier who would awaken him, born with the mark of the Guardian. The only one who could carry on the line of Orpheus.

 

Still, she had never thought it possible to have Kalian’s child, and it puzzled her.

‘The child’s magic is all over him, as if he’s trying to hide his presence. When I heard that, I felt like I was being sliced through the heart with a well-honed blade. It was as if he knew he wasn’t welcome…’

 

At the same time, she vividly remembered the moment when she first signed the contract with Kalian.

“The child in your oracle will be recognized as a worthy heir to the Grand Duchy upon birth.”

“Another way of saying this is that the child that takes up residence in your womb will not be recognized as Orpheus’s rightful heir.”

 

His voice rang in her ears as he suggested that any child that sprouted in her womb would be considered the product of her lust for another.

“No.”

Evelyn shook her head urgently, like a cornered man.

 

‘Things are different now, and I wonder if his thoughts have changed now?’

 

But her foolish mind didn’t stop ruminating on the memory of that day.

 

“There is no precedent for an untrusted woman to bear a Protector’s child. Whatever happens, I will not repeat the tragedy of the past.”

 

A woman whose abilities rivaled those of a saint was bound to be treated as a witch. 

 

Unless the temple acknowledged her existence, she was only a threat to the Saint. 

 

But she didn’t have the confidence to convince them that she was a real Transcendent. 

 

Even Kalian, who had always been kind to her, was horrified at her mention of Babel.

‘To deny the oracle is to defy the fate of the gods…’

 

Her slender fingers gingerly traced her lower belly.

‘He wasn’t sure if he would accept this child so readily, having lost his wife in his previous life by refusing the oracle.’

“I don’t know what to do.”

 

The tears that had been pooling in the corners of her eyes slid down her cheeks in long streams. 

 

Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach just imagining his reaction when he realized the child was here.

 

* * *

 

It was a few days later that Kalian arrived at the Grand Duchy. Surprised at his earlier-than-expected return, Evelyn ran to the gates as he had just crossed the drawbridge.

“Kal…!”

 

When he saw her, he leapt from his horse and came galloping toward her.

“Evelyn!”

 

Kalian scooped Evelyn into his arms and held her tightly. 

 

His heart pounded in his chest as her body heat broke through his clothes and touched his skin.

“You said you were sick. You didn’t have to come out. You should have waited in the castle, and you’re dressed so thin.”

“I’m fine now. Just looking at you makes me feel better, like I’ve been washed.”

 

Evelyn buried her face in his chest and hugged him around the waist, giddy. 

 

Kalian hugged Evelyn without missing a beat, and they rubbed each other’s cheeks to ease the longing.

 

“You didn’t say you’d be back so soon.”

After a long moment, Evelyn tilted her head up to look into his eyes. 

 

His smooth face looked worn, as if he’d been through a lot. 

 

His hair, usually swept back neatly, was disheveled, falling across his forehead.

 

“Surprised?” he asked, touching her cheek. Evelyn wanted to cry a little, to lean into his comfort.

“Just a little. Is the job done?”

“More or less. How are you?”

 

He nodded and held her gaze.

 

“I guess… you did a lot?”

Instead of answering in the negative, Evelyn stared at him. 

 

It wasn’t that she didn’t know what else to say. It’s just that the moment she opened her mouth, tears threatened to fall.

 

Their gazes entwined in the slow passage of time. 

 

Emotions that were hard to put into words were constantly exchanged—uncontrollable fear, confusion, and a kind of expectation and hope that blossomed in the midst of it all.

 

Her head felt like it was going to explode. To clear her mind, Evelyn lifted her heel and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

“Do you think this answers…?”

 

Her attempt to back away with only the child in tow failed miserably. 

 

He grabbed her by the slender waist and rained kisses down on her cheeks, nose, and lips, letting out a gorgeous laugh.

“Ha… you’re turning men into animals again.”

 

Even though she understood what he was saying, Evelyn smirked, feigning ignorance.

“What? I don’t know what you mean…”

 

Her heart pounded even harder at the sight of his spring-like smile. 

 

Heart, hot blood, swirled through her body, wanting him. Kalian couldn’t contain his excitement.

“Why don’t you come back here? Why do you keep trying to run away after provoking me?”

 

Evelyn continued to pull away, oblivious to Kalian’s feelings.

“Because the guards are watching.”

 

“I told you. It’s their job to pretend they don’t know.”

 

With each step she took, he drew closer, and before she knew it, they were in the center of the courtyard. 

 

Evelyn’s back touched a snowy bush. At the same time, white flakes fell hooded over their heads.

 

Evelyn felt a chill touch her shoulder.

“…breathe.”

 

Hot lips pressed against hers. A hard, ravenous, animalistic kiss that plowed into her gaping mouth. 

 

Their saliva mixed in a sticky mess that volatilized her reason.