I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 62

In a previous life, she had suffered more than a dozen miscarriages, and then conceived again in a debilitating state of physical and mental weakness.

 

She wondered why she kept losing children if she was so good at it.

 

Troubled, she kept her pregnancy a secret until she gave birth. She even stopped going out until she was close to giving birth.

 

In the past, she had survived the Litchev disaster thanks to such efforts.

 

But after giving birth to her child in the devastation, she died of puerperal fever.

 

Evelyn was tormented for a time by the guilt of not being able to save her and her newborn child.

 

“In the past, my healing powers didn’t work on anyone but Kalian.”

 

But not everyone understood her situation.

 

The Marquis of Saxony, whose hands were precious and whose love for his daughter-in-law was unparalleled, lit up and rushed at the grand duke.

 

He was furious that the Parminion had become a pestilence, and that the grand duchess, with her healing powers, had allowed the deaths of her servants.

 

No excuses worked.

 

They cursed Johansen and formed a group against Kalian.

 

Now, however, the future has changed.

 

Litchev has been purified, and Evelyn’s healing powers have been extended to others.

 

“Of course, some things haven’t changed.”

 

That is, the hostility of the Marquis of Saxony, the vice-chief.

 

“He is now a hardliner who insists that trade ships must not be delayed.”

 

And Evelyn knows why. The new medicines on board the ships have the power to reduce labor pains.

 

‘…It will work.’

 

As long as the Marquise of Saxony is able to deliver her child safely.

 

As she was trying to process this flash of memory, she heard the Marquise of Saxony’s exasperated voice.

 

“Nonsense,” she said, “even if you are the grand duke, it is adultery to be in love with a saint, and with your wife by your side, how can you…!”

 

Mrs. McHale quickly retorted.

 

“Well, I beg to differ,” she said, “the two of you are a match made in heaven, and it is a blessing that you are destined to be guardians and transcendent purifiers.”

 

Evelyn knows.

 

That contact with the saint is necessary to awaken his sealed power.

 

But as much as she loves Kalian, her presence is distasteful to her.

 

To Evelyn’s relief, the Saint seems to avoid her as well.

 

As long as she didn’t confront her, she figured she could keep her envy and jealousy to herself. 

 

“…….”

 

“Still, it must be bothering him, so he’ll make sure there’s no trace of it on his bed, and maybe he’ll have an aide make it neat and tidy.”

 

Mrs. McHale’s words shocked Evelyn like someone had hit her over the head with a rock.

 

It had occurred to her that maybe she was telling the truth.

 

Last night, after answering the saint’s call, he never returned to the bedroom.

 

She remembered Benjamin’s behavior, how he had seemed so used to keeping house.

 

‘Yeah, maybe… ugh!’

 

Suddenly, a terrible headache washed over her as her heart pounded.

 

It felt like hundreds of sharp needles were piercing her eyeballs and temples, and she couldn’t breathe.

 

“I need to get out of here.”

 

Evelyn started to walk away frantically. Her steps were heavy, as if someone had grabbed her leg.

 

“Miss! Are you all right? Miss?”

 

Reah kept shouting at her, but her words fell on deaf ears.

 

The tinnitus continued even after she left the room. It was now a pounding in her stomach.

 

Evelyn was about to sit down when she heard a strange noise.

 

“!”

 

It sounded like someone screaming in desperation. A cold sweat ran down Evelyn’s spine as she realized something was wrong.

 

“What is all this commotion?”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Kalian was on his way back to the castle.

 

Throughout their stay in Parminion, they had searched the Empire nightly.

 

The Imperial Guard had requested their assistance in the investigation after discovering the Cabana Forest, where the Mutants had been found, had been burned to the ground.

 

Finally, they discovered that some of the land at the southernmost tip of the continent, where the Bellatra Dungeon is located, was tainted.

 

It took longer than usual to notify the Imperial Palace.

 

Even with the warp gate, traveling from one end of the empire to the other in half a day is exhausting.

 

Dwayne, who had been excited about the prospect of attending the banquet and drinking, spurred his horse to a gallop and swung his stiff shoulders.

 

“We’re not mercenaries, and I’m tired of wandering around in the dew at night.”

 

“When did you say it was better to fight demons day and night than to stand still?”

 

“That’s what they say, and the ones that show up in the Empire are no fun to deal with, as they’re blown to smithereens with a single axe blow!”

 

“Wait a minute. It won’t be long before we’ll be facing off against those who can’t even hold an axe blade in a blizzard.”

 

Max and Dwayne’s gazes, which had been bickering as they rode, turned to their lord, his black cloak flapping as he rode.

 

Normally, the man would have been relentless in his questioning of the day’s events, but he remained silent.

 

The reason was simple. Right now, his mind was elsewhere.

 

“Kalian, it’s so, so, so deep…”

 

Evelyn’s pitiful moans echoed through the night, muffled by the sound of the wind against his ears.

 

The image of her clutching his body hotly and refusing to let go, and her double entreaty to him to stop, keeps tumbling through his mind.

 

‘I didn’t mean to go that far.’

 

Only a tenuous hold on his reason remained as he gazed at the soft-faced woman as she slept.

 

The scent of dried roses, her plunging neckline, her skin so transparent he could see her blood, gave him a savage impulse, as if possessed by a demon, but he was no animal.

 

It was she who had ignited the flickering need.

 

“Les, I had an appointment with Leon.”

 

Kalian frowned, remembering what he had witnessed in the harbor not long ago.

 

He’d seen Evelyn’s smile as she’d marveled at Leon’s magic, and he’d felt an unexplained discomfort.

 

He pondered the source of his discomfort for a moment before coming up with an answer.

 

Kalian did not want to share her kindness with anyone.

 

He wanted the favors and kindness she extended to others to be reserved for himself.

 

It was an unfamiliar feeling to him.

 

‘How did it happen?’

 

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he knew she was special.

 

He had been steadfast in the face of countless temptations and obstacles, but Evelyn had neutralized him so easily.

 

Surrendering to his fiery carnal desires, he panted like a starving beast, intoxicated by her erotic scent.

 

There were times when he thought it would be a good thing if his desire for her was only sexual.

 

That it was an emotion that would eventually cool off after being possessed and held to the point of exhaustion.

 

But he was sorely mistaken.

 

The thought of her beautiful naked body in the waning moonlight, their heated bodies pressed together, burned his insides to a crisp.

 

“Ha.”

 

Kalian sighed deeply, then gasped in surprise.

 

The drawbridge of Parminion Castle was almost upon them.

 

“Distracted on the way home.”

 

He scolded himself and made a face, and Dwayne, following close behind, asked in a rare strain of nervousness.

 

“Are you feeling better today? Your eye color looks fine…”

 

It was natural for him to ask.

 

Kalian, who had deliberately avoided contact with Evelyn, had been in the worst shape of his life for days.

 

He’d used only a small amount of his powers each night, but the aftermath was many times greater than before he’d met Evelyn.

 

He could still taste the blood in his throat, but sharing his body with her made it bearable.

 

Though recalling Evelyn’s answer, that she had reluctantly chosen him because she had no other choice, made his stomach turn again.

 

“Never mind. Let’s all go inside and enjoy the feast. We will be very busy preparing for our return tomorrow.”

 

That’s when Kalian picks up the pace, shedding his men’s concerns on the wind.

 

“Kaaaah!”

 

A shrill scream echoed piercingly from within the gates.

 

* * *

 

The source of the sound was the central garden where Evelyn and Reah had been staying a moment ago.

 

The sudden scream drew a crowd of people toward the maze inside the garden.

 

Evelyn pushed her way through the crowd and saw a man with a troubled face. It was the duke’s butler.

 

Recognizing the two of them instantly, the butler craned his neck to greet them.

 

“You’ve come at the right time,” he said, “the little lady of Saxony has suddenly complained of a stomach ache, and I was wondering if you, Reah, could take a look at her.”

 

‘Oh, my God, she’s trying to give birth.’

 

While Evelyn froze in her tracks, Reah spoke up.

 

“I- I’m not experienced enough. Perhaps we should call in the Saxony physician.”

 

Leon, the duke’s physician, happened to be in the neighboring town.

 

“Very well, I’ll send someone to the Marquis of Saxony, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

 

The situation was not favorable for that.

 

Even if they came, they wouldn’t be able to help his wife.

 

Men who were not her husband were not allowed to watch a woman give birth.

 

Nor could she, as a stranger, tell them about Mrs. Saxony’s pregnancy.

 

Evelyn, nervous, interrupted calmly.

 

“Where is the Marquis?”

 

“He’s in a meeting with the Duke. He’s only ten minutes from here, so he’ll be here soon.”

 

Ten minutes, as if ten seconds were ten minutes to a mother in labor.

 

“Gah!”

 

As if in sympathy, Mrs. Saxony screamed as she lay beneath the wisteria-covered pergola.

 

“…Louis, aaaah, Louis, Louis!”

 

Evelyn’s heart raced at the sight of a woman in such excruciating pain that she couldn’t even utter the words that childbirth was imminent.

 

Evelyn looked around.

 

The knights had seen the scene, but not one of them had touched her.

 

Evelyn’s teeth chattered at their inflexibility, knowing that they could not act without their master’s orders.

 

“Bring the holy lady, now!”