Tamed Monster - Chapter 90

“What are you holding in your hand?”

“…Nothing.”

“That’s a rock, isn’t it? Were you planning to throw that at me? So you could run back home while I’m distracted and hurt?”

He rattled off the words in rapid-fire succession. To her surprise, he’d seen right through Sylvia’s escape plan.

With a sigh, Sylvia slowly let the stone drop from her hand. It didn’t seem like it would work anyway. Maybe it would be better to pretend to accept him for now, lull him into a false sense of security, and then try to escape later while he slept.

If she could just get to the castle before he caught up… She’d expose his true identity to the family knights, to Rossa, to the Emperor…

She imagined this future in vivid detail—but instead of hope, a wave of dread swept over her. If her plan succeeded, wouldn’t something even worse happen?

Her family could be ruined. The Emperor might drag her ‘husband’ to the palace and do unspeakable things. Rossa would probably blame her and cast her out with nothing.

Her family still hadn’t properly established themselves in the Empire…

And if she left the ducal household, how would she even survive? She could already picture herself starving to death, her young face thin and gaunt, wandering the streets penniless for years until she finally collapsed somewhere and died.

She’d roast in the heat, freeze in the cold.

Lost in these spiraling thoughts, Sylvia’s expression changed constantly. Watching her from up close, Kuinan couldn’t stop snickering.

She seemed so absorbed in her own fantasies she didn’t even realize he was staring at her. It was only when he blew a sharp puff of air that she snapped out of it.

“…!”

Maybe it was because she’d just learned he was a monster, but she recoiled in shock, scooting away from him as fast as she could.

Kuinan was a little annoyed, but he kept his irritation out of his voice and tried to sound as gentle as possible.

“Wife, you shouldn’t react like that to your husband.”

Even after admitting he was an imposter, Kuinan had no intention of ever giving up the role of her husband. He made that clear.

But Sylvia immediately rejected his roundabout advances.

“No.”

“…What do you mean, no?”

“I mean, I don’t accept you as my husband. You said so yourself—the real one is dead, and you’re just pretending. I’m married to Alexander Lancart von Dale, and I want nothing to do with you. Please don’t come near me.”

She tried to be as polite as possible, even to a monster, since the situation was so tense. This was how she’d chosen to survive for now. But the more careful and respectful she was, the more the atmosphere seemed to turn menacing.

“…This is just…”

His muttered words brushed Sylvia’s ear.

“I’ll let it go just this once. But don’t ever treat me like that again. If you do, you’ll regret it—seriously.”

After a couple of deep breaths, her husband returned to his usual cheerful expression. Even knowing he was a monster, his familiar smile still somehow made her lower her guard a little.

Sylvia didn’t nod or shake her head, just maintained a stony silence.

“…”

“Try to get some more sleep. When it’s light, we’ll hunt something quick for breakfast. Then we’ll head home. Doesn’t that sound good?”

His forced smile hung in the air between them almost demanding that she go along and match his cheer. Yielding to the pressure, Sylvia gave him a faint, reluctant smile and lay down as close to the cave wall as possible, occasionally casting wary glances at him.

That severed arm—now just a lifeless chunk of flesh—could come to life and attack her at any moment.

And her ‘husband’ was infinitely more dangerous than any arm. For the first time, Sylvia truly felt like she was on the edge of a cliff. This was more terrifying than being surrounded by monsters in the swamp, watching her knights and servants be slaughtered.

Naturally, Sylvia spent the whole night wide awake.

“Wake up, wife.”

After drifting in and out of a light sleep, spending a miserable night staring at the cave wall, Sylvia finally regained her senses at her husband’s voice.

She eyed both him and the arm warily as they set out for an early morning hunt.