I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 95

“Duchess, I’m glad you’re safe.”

The Second Prince was the one who greeted us when we rushed to the imperial palace.

Through the man who had come to deliver news to us, he had already received a brief report that we’d won the battle but the First Prince had committed suicide. Probably unable to contain his curiosity despite assuming there were no major safety concerns, he had rushed out of the palace.

I felt irritated by the Second Prince’s somewhat careless behavior, coming out without even his guard escorts, considering the safety and crown prince position that Cassion and I had fought so hard to secure. Well, I’m not someone who’s loyal to the imperial family anyway.

“Cassion. He wouldn’t… come alone. This way, with his wife.”

I reflexively looked at the unnamed man clinging to the prince, unlike me. But the prince didn’t acknowledge him, perhaps because he was more of a spy than an official knight, and led us to a secluded room.

It made me think about many things anew.

About those who stake their lives on things I don’t care about, like status and loyalty.

And I wondered what exactly the Empress had staked her life on when she fled.

“Though urgent, I should first thank you for your hard work. I’m grateful. I also apologize to the Duchess for my inadequate handling of things.”

“….”

“I rather like your honesty. If those looks aren’t meant to cut me down, shall we move on to the next topic?”

The expected “Not at all, Your Highness” didn’t come out. But I thought Cassion, who had wanted to make the Second Prince the crown prince, would say something.

We’d unintentionally ended up being disrespectful by ignoring the crown prince’s words, but he didn’t seem to mind at all.

I should have noticed from how he laughed off our messy wedding ceremony.

“About my brother’s suicide… Hah. Everything’s problematic. However, solving current issues comes before dwelling on the past. You received the letter, right?”

When Cassion nodded, the Second Prince glanced at me once more. I wondered if he wanted me to leave since the letter was meant for him ‘alone’, but the prince quickly gave up and turned away.

Well, he’s strict about protecting himself and his position, but he acknowledges our relationship and contributions, so I can’t completely dislike him.

“The Empress escaped during the commotion caused by my brother, I hear. He diverted some of the castle’s manpower, anticipating the Duchess might flee here. Of course, most were caught before reaching the Empress’s tower, but it seems one slipped through.”

“Are you saying it’s Asilia’s fault?”

“I misspoke. The Empress took advantage of the weakened imperial security to escape.”

The Second Prince quickly changed his words in response to Cassion’s glaring attitude. At this rate, getting a good duchy after everything’s over would be no trouble at all.

“I have nothing more to say. We’ll discuss the rest before His Majesty. What’s the situation on your end?”

“There’s not much to explain on my side either. The First Prince committed suicide during the battle, and we captured the soldiers who lost their will after witnessing it.”

“…Thanks to the Duchess’s wise and swift actions, I presume. Once again, thank you, Duchess.”

“Not at all.”

This time, I maintained decorum in response to the prince’s words.

However, the Second Prince seemed largely unconcerned about the Empress’s escape or the battle’s outcome. Instead, he appeared to have something else to say, uncharacteristically opening and closing his mouth, swallowing his words.

“…Should I leave the room?”

“No. No. I’ll just say it.”

Feeling impatient as he hesitated to speak, I asked, and with a sigh, the prince finally spoke, subtly averting his gaze.

“When you go to see His Majesty the Emperor, bring the body of my brother… the traitor.”

“Pardon?”

“He said to bring the coffin as light as possible. He just wants to confirm the death, he said. He’ll speak about Her Majesty the Empress later.”

My jaw dropped at the Emperor’s behavior. Even if it was revealed that he wasn’t his own child, he had raised him as a prince, as a son, for over twenty years. And now he’s saying to just drag the body over to check if he’s really dead.

“We couldn’t properly prepare the body as we just transported it from the battlefield.”

“…He just said to bring it as is.”

Cassion’s words meant that the First Prince’s body was brought in its horrific state, with the abdomen split open, without proper care. But the Emperor, whether he knew this or not, seemed to only want a quick confirmation.

“I’m not asking you two to move it. I’ll bring about two knights from my side to carry the coffin.”

Of course, I wasn’t worried about having to move it ourselves, but even the Second Prince had an indescribable expression as he said this, so I kept my mouth shut.

***

“Set it down and withdraw.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Thud-

Even though two strong men set it down as carefully as possible, the shabby wooden coffin made a hard sound as it touched the cold floor.

After those who had carried the First Prince’s coffin closed the door and left, only the Emperor seated on the imperial throne, us – the married couple, and the Second Prince remained.

“First of all, you’ve worked hard.”

I thought there would be many ministers present since the First Prince’s disturbance was clearly a rebellion, but the number of people present was strikingly sparse.

Even though it was quickly suppressed, this was right after a rebellion, yet the corridor leading to where the Emperor was had been eerily quiet without a single person. Though they had tried to capture me, the First Prince’s ultimate goal must have been the Emperor’s head, yet the security was this lax.

It seemed a bit strange, but either way, I thought it wasn’t my place to interfere and tried to step back, but the Emperor wanted to see not just Cassion but me as well.

I was planning to secretly treat my knee while Cassion reported to the Emperor and Second Prince, but that plan’s ruined now.

“I wanted to talk before officially commending your achievements. Others are too noisy and talkative, you see.”

I thought he didn’t even have enough affection to personally come see the First Prince’s body, but did he have private matters to discuss? Even so, it seems they’ve cleared out too many guards. Is he planning to cry?

“The battle took longer than usual for you. But fortunately, your wife is clever. Though there’s no need to choose anymore since only one remains, what do you think of my son?”

“…Thank you for your generous praise, Your Majesty.”

Good grief. I was shocked by the Emperor, who criticized Cassion for briefly halting combat out of concern for me, and then asked me, even if jokingly, how I felt about the Second Prince right in front of my husband. Is he a psychopath?

Among all the changes I made to the original story, the only one I question is whether I made the right choice about the Emperor’s fate.

“The traitor…”

“No, I’m not interested in that. I called you here because of the last remaining nuisance. You’ll need to work hard one more time.”

Though Cassion spoke while suppressing his angry voice, having been criticized despite going into battle and not being treated as my husband, even that was cut off.

Whether or not he knew Cassion wanted to finish the conversation quickly and leave, the Emperor once again just tapped the armrest with his fingers, rolling his eyes between looking up and looking at us, dragging out time.

“You must have heard that the Empress escaped. The way she slipped away quietly is exactly like her son.”

“….”

“Setting aside the locked doors, I’m truly curious how she managed to descend that high tower when she’s spent her whole life sitting still in tight corsets and high heels. Do you have any idea?”

“…I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“She wouldn’t head outside the castle where she barely knows her way around.”

Was it my imagination that the Emperor’s eyes were rolling around more than usual? His voice was also slower. He doesn’t seem shocked by the current situation, but there’s a strange sense of discomfort.

It’s the same discomfort I felt in the corridor coming here.

“Your Majesty, my wife is very tired from recent events. As she knows nothing of this matter, I request that you allow her to rest first.”

However, Cassion seemed not to have noticed, too anxious since the moment he heard I would also be meeting the Emperor. It would be really bad if my knee injury was discovered.

“Hmm… No.”

“Father. I also request this.”

“No. The Duchess is needed too.”

Even when the Second Prince stepped in after seeing Cassion’s increasingly heated gaze, the Emperor refused. I stood blankly staring at the throne, listening to the Emperor’s subtle words. Something’s wrong. The Emperor knows something more.

Despite standing straight in my disheveled state and meeting the Emperor’s gaze, no scolding came. Rather, when our eyes met, a smirk appeared for the first time on the Emperor’s previously expressionless face.

“I’m not the only one who’s been watching her closely, along with the Duke.”

“What do you mean…”

“Cassion!”

Though I didn’t understand what it meant, that smirk on the Emperor’s face sent chills down my spine. Without thinking, I shouted and embraced Cassion, pushing him into a corner. The unusually few guards. The slow eyes scanning me and our surroundings. He had been waiting for this moment!

“Father!”

At the edge of my vision, I caught a glimpse of familiar clothing moving toward the throne.

And the Second Prince, reaching out a moment later than the Empress.