I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 145
145 Encounter
It was rare for the people of this kingdom to ever see a Hero in their lifetime. This wasn’t simply because they were commoners or of low status, but because the intervals between a Hero’s appearance in this world spanned a hundred or even several hundred years. A Hero was an existence as rare and elusive as the unicorns of legend.
That was likely why, despite seeing his appearance—so different from the people of this land—no one thought of Juhwan as a Hero, or even as someone from the same country or world as a Hero.
It was said that among the mercenaries from distant lands across the sea, there were rare individuals with features like Juhwan’s. Everyone simply assumed Juhwan was one of them.
Riji had never seen such a mercenary herself. However, hearing others speak of it, she had assumed that was the case.
But even those who spoke such things, if asked if they had truly seen a mercenary who looked like Juhwan, would likely all admit they hadn’t. They were merely repeating what they had heard from others. Perhaps Juhwan was, in fact, the first person of his kind they had ever laid eyes on.
“….”
Riji’s heart hammered with an ominous rhythm. A Hero was someone from the same country as Juhwan. It felt as though a story that had been circling aimlessly had finally found its connection.
She had heard that the Hero wanted to meet Juhwan. That she claimed to know him. Juhwan had said she was a woman he didn’t know at all, but that could simply be his own misunderstanding. Perhaps that woman really was….
Her heart leaped. What if it were true? Juhwan was a man of deep affection. If she were someone he knew, or perhaps a woman he had once loved, Juhwan would certainly not be able to turn a blind eye to her.
The image of Juhwan weeping before his parents’ grave flashed through her mind.
At that time, Juhwan must have believed he was the only one of his kind in this world. That there was no one else.
If someone from the same place—a woman—suddenly appeared, wouldn’t Juhwan’s heart lean toward her?
What should I do? What do I do? Riji’s heart wavered like a leaf tossing upon the water.
The sound of the crowd murmuring reached her ears.
“Is that woman the Hero?”
“There was a rumor that His Majesty had her confined within the royal palace.”
It seemed rare even for nobles to have seen the Hero. Most appeared startled. However, the crowd’s reaction quickly shifted to something else.
“But, she looks a bit…”
“Doesn’t that woman look similar to the Santa-grade adventurer?”
“It’s like they’re from the same country.”
“Surely, that can’t be. Heroes are summoned from another world.”
“No way.”
“Could it be that the Santa-grade adventurer is also a summoned person…?”
“There’s no way.”
As she thought, everyone else saw the resemblance too. Juhwan and that woman looked like they belonged to the same nation. It wasn’t just her imagination.
Dorothy moved closer to Riji’s side and waved her hand.
“Mom, that person’s hair and eyes are exactly like Dad’s.”
Yes, yes, they truly were. Riji tightly gripped Dorothy’s hand.
Perhaps that woman will shake our entire lives to their foundations. It might have been an overreaction, but for some reason, she found that woman terrifying.
Involuntarily, her grip on Dorothy’s hand tightened.
Upon stepping down from the carriage, the Hero was looking around in every direction. It was as if she were searching for someone.
Her dark brown hair was beautifully gathered to one side, cascading down in a long sweep. Colorful jeweled ornaments were pinned in her hair, and her dress featured a deeply plunging neckline.
If Riji was like a wild flower blooming by the roadside, that woman was like a brilliant blossom cultivated in the palace gardens. Thinking that made her feel as though even her humble wild flower self had begun to wither.
The Duke stole a glance at Riji and Dorothy. Seeing Oz cradled in Dorothy’s arms, the Duke whispered something to the Hero.
Suddenly, the Hero’s eyes sparkled. Her expression changed rapidly. In that brief moment, her face shifted more frequently and brilliantly than anyone else’s at the party. She was like a bright, bouncing firework. Riji found her expressions beautiful, not just her features.
While listening to the Duke’s whisper, the Hero turned her gaze toward Riji.
She scrutinized Riji from head to toe, as if evaluating her. Then, she let out a small smirk. A look of relief seemed to flash in the Hero’s eyes.
Ah, I see. It was the same look other women gave Riji. She was checking to see if Riji was a worthy match for Juhwan.
It felt as though a stone had been placed on her heart. The corset tightly wrapping her body felt like a living snake. It seemed to tighten further, making it difficult to breathe.
The balance between Juhwan and herself was already precarious. If her opponent was a Hero from the same country as Juhwan, hadn’t she lost the battle before it even began?
As the panting Riji stumbled slightly, the Hero’s eyes widened, and she spoke.
[Wait, are you okay?]
Ah, she hit the mark. There was no doubt. She was from the same country as Juhwan. It was the exact same language Juhwan sometimes used when talking to himself.
“She’s speaking the same language as Dad!”
Dorothy shouted in surprise as well.
The Hero stuck her tongue out as if she had made a slip of the tongue, then gave a small smirk.
“That… Magic Beast is very cute.”
The Hero spoke in a somewhat awkward tone before sighing and switching languages again.
[Ah, the pronunciation of this country’s language is too difficult. It’s harder than Tairon. The horned rabbit I saw before wasn’t cute at all and was huge, but that one is so small and cute. It must be Juhwan’s, right?]
The Hero muttered words that no one else could understand as she took a few steps toward Riji.
Because so many people were gathered, the Duke’s carriage had stopped a short distance away. There was a significant space between the Hero and Riji.
But across that space, the name ‘Juhwan’ clearly reached Riji’s ears. Though she couldn’t understand the words, the atmosphere felt strangely intimate. As she feared, this woman knew Juhwan. A sharp pain pierced her chest.
Did you speak kindly to this woman too, just as you do to me? Did you give her those gentle smiles?
Such thoughts drifted through her mind of their own accord. She had no right to say such things to Juhwan. If she spoke them aloud, Juhwan would be appalled. Above all, it was a past she knew nothing about. Yet, she couldn’t stop her thoughts. Just imagining it felt like a hole was being carved into her chest. It hurt. She realized that this must be what jealousy felt like.
“It’s called a Rudolph, right? That? Juhwan’s.”
The Hero looked at Oz in Dorothy’s arms with a curious gaze. Unlike Juhwan, the Hero didn’t seem to speak the language well. Her way of speaking was somewhat awkward.
“It’s really cute.”
The Hero walked toward them with a bright smile.
As if to block her path, Daniel stepped forward in front of Riji. Daniel bowed politely toward the Hero.
“I beg your pardon, but our lady is feeling unwell and was just about to retire. We were on our way to see a physician. If you will excuse us.”
However, Daniel was cut off. The Duke shifted his gaze slightly to look at Daniel.
“Step back, Daniel. A mere servant should not block the path of the Hero.”
“….”
Daniel could say nothing and simply bowed his head.
Ah, this Duke was different from the Margrave. He was a man who saw commoners as nothing more than insects. Riji’s body flinched at the Duke’s fleeting glance.
The Duke turned to the Hero with a soft smile.
“It seems those who went out to hunt have not yet returned. It must be tiring to stand here like this; how about we head into the tent?”
“Oh, I’m fine, Your Excellency. I wanted to see that woman, and I’d like to have a little chat before Juhwan arrives.”
The Hero’s words to the Duke drifted over on the wind. The crowd began to murmur again. Whispers that there might be something between the Hero and Juhwan could be heard here and there.
As if oblivious to the atmosphere, she looked at Riji and beamed.
While Riji’s heart was in turmoil just looking at her, the Hero seemed otherwise. She had an air of tolerance about her. As if she were Juhwan’s true wife. Once again, a sharp pang of pain hit Riji’s chest.
It seemed Leonard from the Miller Merchant House, who had been away for a moment, had arrived. Through her downcast eyes, Riji saw shoes that appeared to be Leonard’s at the edge of her vision.
“I wanted to talk to you about Juhwan.”
The Hero spoke as she drew closer. Talk about what? Riji bit her lip hard without raising her head. She wanted to run away from this place.
Step by step, the Hero approached, and just as she reached the midpoint between the carriage and Riji—
Suddenly, Oz, who had been in Dorothy’s arms, twitched his ears. He moved his head around as if sniffing the air, then suddenly leaped down to the ground.
“Oh, Oz!”
Ignoring Dorothy’s call, Oz darted straight in front of Riji.
“Ppi-it!”
Oz let out a short cry, and his horn immediately began to glow. A red light shimmered from the horn and scattered into the air.
“Wow! So pretty. Are you doing this? Is this what a Rudolph does?”
The Hero spoke to Oz with a bright smile and took a few more steps closer.
At that moment, the leg of a chair near the Hero snapped. One, then two—chairs fell to the ground with a loud clatter.
While the Hero watched them in surprise, chair legs were breaking and falling all around.
Ppii! Oz’s cry rang out sharply. He seemed angry. As if reflecting his mood, objects began to shatter. It wasn’t just the chairs. Spoons, plates—everything in the vicinity was breaking.
Finally, even the tables collapsed with a thunderous noise. Food fell to the ground, and drinks splashed everywhere.
“What is this!”
“Is that horned rabbit doing this?”
“My goodness.”
Amidst the shocked cries of the crowd, Dorothy ran forward. She went to Oz’s side and yelled at him.
“Oz, what’s wrong! Mom’s going to scold you! All of this is money! Do you know how expensive it is?”
But Oz’s behavior remained unchanged. Instead of looking at Dorothy, he glared only at the Hero. It was unlike his usual self.
“Ppiiiiiii.”
Hearing Oz’s piercing cry, Dorothy tilted her head and shouted at the Hero.
“Hey, lady, don’t come any closer. Don’t come near Mom. Oz hates it. He says to go away.”
Almost simultaneously with Dorothy’s voice, the pillars of a circular tent near the Hero and Riji collapsed. Dust rose into the air through the gaps in the fabric. At this rate, every tent in the area looked like it would be destroyed.
“O-Oz, are you really doing this?”
Riji didn’t know what was happening. Was Oz really doing all of this?
The kind Oz who usually just broke pebbles and played with Dorothy, the one who would look dejected when scolded alongside her? It was strange. She couldn’t believe it. Something was wrong.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, the sound of a horse neighing echoed from afar.
Then, it felt as if a wind blew. The dust that had risen from the tent swirled around Riji and was swept away into the distance.
The debris of the tent, which had been precariously piled toward Riji, tilted in the opposite direction and came crashing down.
Women screamed in surprise and scrambled out of the way. No one was hurt, but everyone was startled. The tent had suddenly changed direction and fallen for no apparent reason.
However, the Duke standing nearby remained composed. He didn’t seem surprised. His gaze was fixed steadily on Oz, as if pinned there.
Is this wind Juhwan? she wondered. But she couldn’t look away. Only the Hero’s face directly in front of her caught her eye.
Standing a little ahead of Riji, the Hero’s eyes were wide as she looked toward the source of the neighing.
A look of joy appeared in the Hero’s eyes. Her red lips moved as if she were breaking into a smile. It’s him. She looked as if she were saying those words.
In an instant, the light above her vanished, and a shadow fell. As she looked up, she saw the belly of a white horse. Ah—a small sound escaped her lips involuntarily.
“Juhwan.”
The moment she whispered his name, the unicorn leaped over her and landed in front of the Hero.
Yeonhwa stomped the ground roughly, letting out excited neighs and snorts.
Juhwan, still mounted on Yeonhwa, looked back.
“Riji, are you okay?”
Juhwan’s gaze swept over Riji, Dorothy, and Oz in turn. Seeing that everyone was safe, Juhwan’s sharp expression softened slightly as if in relief.
Only after seeing that face did her anxious heart finally begin to calm. Even after seeing the Hero—that woman—her husband hadn’t changed. He still put her and Dorothy first.
“Thank goodness.”
When she whispered those words to herself, Juhwan’s expression turned a bit strange. Are you okay? he seemed to ask.
I’m okay. Because you asked me that. Because you looked at me and Dorothy first to make sure we were alright.
As relief washed over her, the strength left her legs. She must have been so tense that her whole body had been rigid. Angelica quickly stepped in to support her.
The Hero, with a joyful, smiling face, spoke toward Juhwan.
[Hello, Juhwan. Do you… remember me?]
