129 - The Evil Husband (15th Anniversary Edition) Chapter 129
129
====
The culprit who shot Archduke Erzeht at the Hunting Festival was arrested on the spot by the Archduke's soldiers.
The culprit denied his crime, but there was no way out as the gun with traces of two shots fired was found with him.
Furthermore, the fact that he was a contractor who made a living from illegal requests was revealed, so there was no longer any debate about the culprit's innocence.
The remaining question was the mastermind behind the assassination request. Who on earth tried to assassinate Archduke Erzeht?
Assassination attempts against the Grand Duke had been steadily present. He was even attacked at the banquet celebrating the Grand Duke's victory at Kalpen.
However, this was the first time for such a blatant and radical attempt. The shooting in front of everyone was also a rebellion against the Traon Imperial Family.
The soldiers surrounded the forest where the Hunting Festival was held and investigated every aristocrat in detail. They rummaged through the barracks and checked personal belongings, but no aristocrat dared to resist easily in the face of this unprecedented situation.
After the investigation, Count Bonepar was named as the mastermind behind the assassination.
The Count appealed his innocence, but to no avail. He was surrounded by the Grand Duke's knights along with the shooter and dragged to the interrogation room.
But there was no one to help Count Bonepar. If it had been a moderate incident, other aristocrats would have actively supported the Count's innocence.
Even if he was guilty, they would have reduced the size of the crime or made it disappear.
But Archduke Erzeht was shot. Since the bullet pierced the Grand Duke's skin, someone had to be beheaded to take responsibility. The aristocrats sacrificed Count Bonepar and prayed that this whole situation would end.
While a storm was raging in the empire's political situation, Archduke Erzeht, the center of it all, was focusing on recovering from his injuries at the Grand Duke's Residence in The Capital.
The Grand Duke announced his safety through <La Verita>. The people of the empire were furious at Count Bonepar, who tried to assassinate the hero of the nation, while also expressing their support and encouragement for the Grand Duke by offering flowers in front of the Grand Duke's Residence's gate.
Count Bonepar insisted on his innocence, but as the investigation progressed, evidence that he had plotted the assassination was revealed one after another.
In the midst of the chaotic situation, the ridiculous rumor that Aileen was giving away Aspilia for free at the Hunting Festival was also neatly swept away.
Everything was happening as Cesare wanted.
The fact that Aileen still didn't know the truth was also what Cesare wanted.
"……."
Aileen silently wrung out a towel soaked in water. She wrung the soaked cloth with all her might until only the right amount of moisture remained, then gently placed it on Cesare's skin.
While carefully wiping his shoulders and forearms, avoiding the wound that had already begun to heal, a steady gaze touched her cheek. But Aileen kept her mouth shut and never looked back.
Aileen was in charge of Cesare's nursing. It was because others could not be brought in to nurse him because of the secrets intertwined with his body.
The knights knew that Cesare's body was immortal, but they had no time to spare to clean up the aftermath of the incident.
Aileen was the best person to nurse him. She knew the secret and also had simple medical knowledge.
As Cesare said, the gunshot wound that pierced his shoulder healed quickly. It was a recovery speed that was beyond the realm of humans, so in fact, no treatment was needed.
But Aileen steadily disinfected the wound every day, put on a clean bandage, and fed Cesare the medicine she made herself.
However, she never spoke first in the process. She only did what she had to do quietly, and when Cesare asked a question first, she would answer briefly.
In the end, it was the same this time.
No matter how hard she struggled, Cesare only told her the truth that was allowed. Aileen had to wait beyond the line he had drawn.
So Aileen kept her mouth shut. It was the only rebellion Aileen could do to Cesare.
"You're not going to say anything today either."
Cesare, who was leaning against the bed, spoke languidly. He took off his upper body and let the hand he had entrusted to Aileen droop, while holding documents in the other hand.
Aileen pursed her lips tightly and only moved her hands silently. Cesare didn't bother to force Aileen to open her mouth. However, during the time of treating the wound, he focused his gaze only on Aileen.
Aileen was using his injury as an excuse to eat and sleep separately. Other than that, she was holed up in the laboratory, so in fact, they had little chance to see each other except for treatment time.
It was the first time that Aileen had avoided Cesare so voluntarily, so Aileen herself was quite unfamiliar with herself. Of course, it wasn't a completely firm heart.
The desire to check on whether he was recovering well surged from time to time. But Aileen suppressed the impulse.
She didn't want to just let it go this time. Since he had sacrificed his body, Aileen couldn't stand it either.
But she didn't know what to do, so she chose to just shut her mouth.
"Aileen."
Aileen didn't immediately raise her head even at the sound of her name being called. She looked at him only after she had finished disinfecting.
She waited for him to speak, but Cesare just stared at Aileen. Red eyes were not good to look at for a long time. If she looked into his eyes, the mental lock she had barely put on would loosen.
Aileen quickly lowered her gaze again and began to bandage him. As she carefully bandaged him, a low voice brushed past her.
"It's been a while since you've nursed me."
When Aileen unknowingly raised her eyes, Cesare reached out and tucked the stray hair behind her ear.
She always tied her hair up tightly when she nursed him, but today the string seemed to be loose, and it seemed to have fallen down a little.
Aileen felt a burning sensation at the end of her ear where he had touched her and replied softly.
"...I've never nursed you, Cesare."
"You sprinkled flowers."
"……."
She seemed to know what he was talking about. It was something that happened when Aileen was 11 years old.
Cesare seemed particularly tired that day. The young Aileen knew very well that The Prince was a very busy person.
However, The Prince had never revealed his fatigue in front of Aileen, but his condition seemed really bad that day. When Aileen asked him what was making him so tired, he simply replied that he had had a blood test.
It was common for the imperial physician to take blood to check the Prince's health, but Cesare's complexion was pale, perhaps because it was done excessively. Cesare struggled a little and then fell asleep at some point.
Aileen looked seriously at The Prince, who had fallen asleep while playing with her, and picked a lot of white jasmine flowers from nearby and piled them up next to him.
As soon as she piled up the flowers, The Prince, who had woken up from a light sleep, looked at her strangely, so she diligently explained that they were flowers that were good for sleep. Jasmine was good, but valerian root was especially good for sleep, so she promised to bring it next time she entered the palace.
Cesare smiled faintly as he looked at the mountain of flowers and Aileen. Then, he said that he was okay now and stroked the head of the young Aileen.
'To say that you nursed me with just that.'
No matter how you looked at it, it was just a child playing with flowers. Of course, it was done out of concern for Cesare, but wasn't it difficult to see it as nursing?
Feeling somehow overwhelmed, Aileen bit down hard on the flesh inside her mouth. But she didn't say anything more and just moved her hands silently.
As she was finishing tying the bandage, Cesare asked casually.
"Was it rosemary?"
"It was orange jasmine."
She answered casually and looked at Cesare. He was slightly bending his eyes. He knew it was a jasmine flower, but he asked anyway.
Aileen slightly parted her lips and inhaled, then tied the bandage tightly. Then, she immediately took her hand away.
"I've put the medicine on the side table, so please take it right away. Then, have a comfortable..."
She was about to say have a comfortable rest and leave the bedroom when Cesare grabbed Aileen's wrist. Aileen's body was pulled towards him, and she hurriedly touched the bed with her hand to avoid accidentally touching the wound.
She almost had a big accident. She glared at him with eyes mixed with surprise, embarrassment, and a little anger. But Aileen's eyes soon lost their strength.
"I can't sleep."
At the low voice and the gaze that reached her, Aileen lowered her head again and answered.
"I'll pick some flowers for you. Orange jasmine..."
"No."
Cesare watched Aileen avoid him and said.
"Stay with me."
