113 - The Evil Husband (15th Anniversary Edition) Chapter 113
113
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Luca blinked. He was struggling to comprehend the words "my wife" that had just come from the Grand Duke's mouth.
He knew that the Archduchess of Erzeht's name was Aileen. But he had casually dismissed it, thinking, 'Just a coincidence.'
It was perfectly plausible. The name Aileen wasn't so unique that there couldn't be someone else with the same name.
He couldn't possibly connect the poor apothecary who sold medicine on the second floor of a dilapidated inn with the Grand Duchess.
Luca recalled the photograph of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess he had glimpsed in the newspaper. The Grand Duke of Erzeht, famous for his striking looks, was perfectly matched by his Grand Duchess.
Even though he had only seen it in passing, he had thought she was remarkably beautiful. He had casually dismissed the people who praised the Grand Duchess's beauty, calling her an elf or a lily, as if it were none of his business…
And that had been the Aileen he knew.
Seeing the utterly incredulous look on Luca's face, Aileen fidgeted, smoothed her bangs with her hands, and swept them to the sides. Then, she gently removed the glasses that had been covering half of her face.
With her face fully revealed, Luca's eyes, which seemed like they couldn't possibly get any wider, bulged to their limit. He couldn't speak, his lips just moving, before he immediately knelt on the ground.
He didn't care that it was a dirty street that had been crowded with people all day. Luca, not even realizing that his monocle, which he always wore so stylishly, had fallen off, bowed his head.
"I am so sorry. I dared to……."
Aileen's heart dropped at his cowering, trembling figure. But when she thought about it, it was a natural reaction.
He had not only insulted the Grand Duchess in front of Archduke Erzeht, but he had even dared to call her by her name. As just a clock merchant, not even a noble, Luca had committed a sin he couldn't possibly bear.
Cesare looked down at the man bowing at his feet with indifferent eyes. His attitude suggested that such things were too common and tiresome.
Aileen, observing Cesare's expressionless face, thought she should do something and tried to step forward.
But as before, Cesare still had no intention of letting Aileen go. With her waist held firmly in his hand, Aileen couldn't even step forward, becoming someone who had only shuffled her feet.
"Um, Cesare."
Not knowing what to say, she looked up at Cesare with pleading eyes. Cesare, knowing exactly what Aileen was thinking, pretended not to know and simply met her gaze.
Aileen gently touched his arm wrapped around her waist with her hand and asked.
"Could you forgive him?"
To her best question, Cesare countered.
"Why?"
"Well……."
There were many reasons. Luca was her regular customer, he had bravely stood up for her, and he certainly hadn't intended to insult her, and so on.
But Cesare probably already knew all these reasons. There was hardly anything he didn't know about Aileen. Yet, if Cesare was bothering to ask, it must be because there was an answer he wanted to hear.
Aileen racked her brains, trying to guess what he wanted to hear. She thought about the words Cesare had used most frequently recently and carefully recalled when he had been pleased by what she had said.
After deriving a plausible answer, Aileen bravely held his hand around her waist with both of her hands. Then, she looked up at Cesare and said.
"It's a request from your wife."
As if he had heard something completely unexpected, Cesare's eyes widened. Then, he chuckled softly. As everyone watching was horrified by Cesare's laughter, Aileen felt proud that she had given the right answer.
"Since it's my wife's request, I must gladly grant it."
Cesare, still with a hint of a smile on his face, looked at Luca. He generously forgave him, who looked like he had aged ten years in a short time.
"Be careful in the future."
With that, he finally released Aileen. Freed from his arm, Aileen hurriedly approached Luca.
"Luca……!"
She had heard that his knees weren't good, and now he was kneeling on this cold stone floor. Considering Luca's age, it was a big deal. She reached out to help him, but Luca quickly got up on his own.
He picked up his fallen monocle, put it on, and bowed repeatedly. Hearing him thank her for saving him made her feel bitter. It was because she realized that she would never be able to laugh and talk comfortably with him again.
Aileen listened silently. And just as Luca's words gradually stopped, she asked quietly.
"Is your headache… a little better?"
Luca's eyes, which had been glazed over with fear, finally regained focus. He looked at Aileen with a somewhat blank expression. Aileen hesitated and whispered to him.
"I'll keep leaving the medicine with the innkeeper…. You can buy it there. If you have any other pain, let me know. Oh, and thanks to you, I was able to give the Pocket watch as a gift safely. And……."
She wanted to say more, but she couldn't, so she did her best to suppress her feelings in her final farewell.
"Thank you."
Luca's pupils trembled slightly. His wrinkled eyes turned red, and thick tears welled up. From his mouth, which had been busy begging for forgiveness from the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, came words of gratitude.
"I… I am the one who is grateful."
Aileen quickly handed him a handkerchief. Luca took the handkerchief and wiped away his tears, sobbing like a child. She wanted to stay with him until his tears stopped, but too many people were watching.
Aileen got up and reluctantly turned her steps towards Cesare. Cesare waited for Aileen to approach him with hurried steps and naturally took her hand.
Feeling the countless gazes fixed on her, Aileen realized once again. That she had become the Archduchess of Erzeht.
Cesare dispersed the overflowing crowd in front of the pharmacy with a very simple method. He offered Aspilia for free to those who were waiting in line. He ordered that those who did not receive it today could come the next day.
It was all a gift from the Grand Duke of Erzeht, at his own expense, to the people of the empire. The people who saw the rumored Grand Duke and Grand Duchess right in front of them and even received a gift happily dispersed without any complaints.
Finally, the quiet Venue Street was filled with soldiers instead. While they strictly guarded the surroundings, Aileen and Cesare looked around inside the pharmacy.
Aileen looked around the pharmacy with curious eyes. The display shelves were empty because Aspilia was sold out, but she enjoyed just looking around the interior.
'This place is my pharmacy.'
The pharmacy, decorated in bright colors, felt more like a store selling luxury goods than medicine. The large coat of arms of the Erzeht Grand Duke's family attached to the pharmacy seemed to make it look even more so.
However, Aspilia was priced very cheaply so that all the people of the empire could easily access it. Those who bought the medicine would pay a small amount of money and also gain a small pleasure, as if they had acquired a useful medicine along with an expensive luxury item.
'The glass bottles are sturdy, so they can be used for various purposes.'
It was when Aileen was touching the wooden counter made of maple that a small noise, click, was heard. It was the sound of Cesare opening the lid of his Pocket watch.
"This is the merchant who sold this Pocket watch."
Cesare, who had taken out the Pocket watch that Aileen had given him, said in a pleasant voice. Aileen couldn't help but reveal her surprised feelings on her face. He, leaning against the wall, asked mischievously.
"Did you think I would have thrown it away?"
"No, it's not that…. I just didn't expect you to still be carrying it around."
"I said it was a precious gift, Aileen."
At his words, a past conversation came to mind.
"I used to… have the same Pocket watch. It was a memento of a death row inmate."
At the time, it was a story she didn't understand at all. But at this moment, Aileen felt like she understood his words.
Even though it could never be.
Even though it was the most unscientific thing that Cesare hated, Aileen couldn't help but open her lips.
"Perhaps."
Crimson eyes looked at Aileen. The direct gaze was as if he was expecting something.
She didn't know what he was expecting. However, she clearly knew that what she was about to say would be a foolish thing. But Aileen couldn't suppress the impulse. No, she didn't suppress it.
"Have I ever died?"
