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Published at 4th of December 2022 08:17:20 PM


Chapter 72

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Chapter 72

‘…I’m glad that they think it’s just an extreme weather event.’

She sighed deeply. Unlike the northern region, the southern part had dismissed the power of the Duchy and the Imperial Family as legends. While the northerners used to witness Zachary’s power, the southerners did not.

‘Because of Asha’s blessing, which is rarely inherited in the Imperial Family, is not this kind of power…’

Iellie frowned heavily at the thought before folding her arms as she placed the newspaper down loudly.

‘By the way, Zachary, after I was sick, I can’t see even a strand of his hair?’

After Iellie regained consciousness, he hadn’t been seen. It was unknown why he kept avoiding her as soon as she woke up, as he allegedly stayed by her side the whole time she was ill.

“You can’t get up yet, Lady.”

“….”

The maid stopped her, who pulled her shawl while raising her body. Iellie narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth.

“Then, go and tell Zachary immediately.”

The maid, who had seen her for nearly a month, looked perplexed and replied.

“Should the wife, lying in her sick bed, go to find her husband herself?”

“That, that…”

“Ask him if he wants me to take this ailing body and wander through the office and the training ground.”

Iellie gazed at the maid as she tilted her head. Then, she declared with a grumpy look.

“I will wait just thirty minutes, and after that, I’ll go see him myself.”

“I’ll tell him, Lady.”

The maid, who nodded her head, walked out of her door.

At that, Iellie looked sullen and waited for Zachary. And, surely thirty minutes later. Zachary, drooping like a puppy in the rain, opened the door and peered in.

“Iellie, you were looking for me…”

“Yeah, of course, I’m looking for you.”

He flinched at her resolute answer. Iellie waved her hand and called out to Zachary. He walked into the room and stood there like a sinner.

She narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth.

“The wife is sick, and she can’t even see her husband’s shadow.”

He shrank his neck inside. Iellie, who was staring at him, spoke again, “I was waiting till my neck fell out because I want to see your face, what are you saying?”

“….”

“I was looking for you, you say? I really am!”

Iellie furrowed her eyebrows. If she could, she wanted to grab Zachary’s neck and shake it.

“Of course, I am looking for you! You are my husband!”

“Still…”

“What still, huh?!”

The next moment, she raised her voice. Hearing the rebuke, Zachary’s shoulders drooped. He glanced into her eyes and spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

“…What?”

She looked puzzled at his sudden answer. He spoke as he raised his hand and rubbed his face.

“That’s why I couldn’t come to you.”

How far did his thoughts go to come up with such an answer…? Iellie stared blankly at Zachary and asked.

“Hey, do you really not know that it’s worse not to come to visit me?”

“It’s not like that. This…”

Zachary bit his lips hard. It was because he didn’t know how to explain this guilt.

“…It’s as if you’ve suffered because of me.”

He felt at a loss. Even though he swore that he would keep Iellie by his side and make her happy for the rest of her life, rather, it felt like she was suffering because of him.

“If I hadn’t married you, you wouldn’t have been seen by the Emperor in the first place.”

“….”

“You wouldn’t have had to go through such an unpleasant experience. And, this time, too…”

Iellie looked at him silently without answering. After taking a deep breath, Zachary opened his mouth again.

“…I ended up running rampant again this time.”

“Zachary.”

“Remember when we were young? When I was overwhelmed with emotions at the Asha Festival.”

Of course, I remember.

Instead of answering that, she nodded her head gently. Seeing that, Zachary continued, “After that, I vowed never to do anything that would hurt you.”

“Actually, I wasn’t hurt. And it wasn’t you who drugged me, it was the Emperor…”

“I know. But, that’s not the case.”

He firmly shook his head. His face, as he was chewing his lips, looked so unsteady.

“What if my powers stretched out and attacked you?”

“Zachary.”

“Did you see it this time? My power is stronger than before. It will always be.”

Zachary quietly raised his hands and looked down. His hands were shaking in fear as he added, “It’s okay for now, but I wanted to kill the Emperor…”

A voice full of anger and fear. He then asked Iellie with a low, growling voice.

“…What if I couldn’t control my power because of that feeling and attacked you beyond that guy?”

“That’s not true, you…!”

“Will I be able to maintain my current reason to the end?”

He muttered blankly. As if he had been abandoned by everything in the world, Zachary’s expression was only stunned.

“I thought it was fine until now.”

“….”

“I believed that I could use this power in the right place, and I could control it.”

Zachary clasped his hands tightly. His nails pierce his palms painfully.

He smiled bitterly at her.

“…It was all my arrogance.”

“That…”

“I understand this time that I’m still a dangerous molecule who never knows when I’m going to explode.”

The blue eyes rolled over and turned towards Iellie. The gaze that contained her was painfully distorted.

“Because of this cursed power of mine… What if you hate me? What if you give up on me?”

His pale blue eyes staring at her eagerly were as empty as colored glass. His lips stuttered.

“…Like my parents?”

‘…No, wait. Why was the story going weird?’

Iellie, unable to listen to it any longer, waved her hand to him, “Zachary, wait a minute. First of all, listen to me…”

However, Zachary didn’t seem to be in a state to listen to her. The guilt and fear that he had struggled to suppress throughout her illness weighed heavily on Zachary.

His eyes trembled.

“Still, I can’t give up on you… I’m sorry, I can’t stand it.”

“You don’t have to give up. Why are you saying that?”

“Because I know that I have to let you go to make you safe.”

His voice was as determined as if it was being cut with a knife. Zachary stuttered forward like a child learning to walk for the first time. He stretched out his hand as if adoring a goddess and grabbed her hand.

“You know, Len.”

“….”

“Without you, I… I cannot live.”

Zachary’s breath was choked. Just the thought of Iellie disappearing from his side made him feel like he was going to die at any moment.

“I am afraid that you will give up on me, that you will finally make up your mind to abandon me. Still…”

As he rested his forehead on Iellie’s hand, he knew that expressing this in itself was an effort to win Iellie’s sympathy. It was because he wanted her to promise that she would never leave him, leaning on her kindness.

“…Knowing that to beg you not to leave me is my own selfishness.”

Zachary gasped softly.

…What to do. Every time this happened, he felt lost.

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Zachary!”

At that moment, Iellie called out to him. As if waking up suddenly, Zachary raised his eyes.

“You mean you’ve been avoiding me because you’re worried about such useless problems?”

She stared at his face, avoiding her gaze. In her astonishment, she raised her voice, “First of all, there will be no divorce between you and me because I will not accept it.”

“Len. However…”

Zachary, who was about to say something, bit his lip since he noticed that Iellie had started to get very angry with him.

“Why are you worrying about my heart without considering me at all?”

“That.”

“If you were thinking about that, you should have told me first!”

He blankly met her gaze. The light green eyes, as soft as a bud, always look at him without wavering. As though all kinds of emotions had risen, the corners of Iellie’s eyes were burning red.

“I like you.”

It was the honest truth.

Hearing that, Zachary held his breath. Iellie slowly reached out her hand and stroked his cheek before opening her mouth, “It doesn’t matter whether you are at the risk of a rampage or wield the power of a monster.”

“Le, Len…”

“All I like is you, Zachary.”

Her eyes still didn’t waver.

It was a firm voice… The girl who gave him a place to stay.

“I like all the things that make up you.”

“That, I…”

“Not just your positive qualities, your friendly personality and beautiful appearance, your title and wealth.”

She pinched Zachary’s both cheeks, which she had been caressing gently.

Aack.

He let out a shallow groan.

“Your strength, clumsiness, and awkwardness—all of that are good.”

“….”

“…Because it all comes together to become the Zachary I cherish.”

Zachary looked helpless, like a young beast. Iellie continued to raise her voice.

“Then, why do you think I could leave you like that? That makes me even more angry!”

At those words, he looked bewildered and blinked his eyes. She was genuinely angry, “So, every word you say is ridiculous, though to try to refute it a bit.”

Iellie glared at him narrowly.

At that, Zachary, embarrassed by those eyes, bit his lips tightly.

“Isn’t the Imperial Family the one who put pressure on you and me to get married?”

“Len.”

“It makes me angry that he tries to wield us, but what if you get involved too?”

“….”

Zachary felt choked up. As if trapped in a fog, she was the only one who reached out her hand and showed the way at every dreadful moment. He swallowed his breath and turned his gaze away.

“Oh dear, you’re really something.”

“….”

“Come on.”

Iellie spread her arms wide. After pausing for a while, Zachary cautiously embraced her.

“From now on, ask me anything first. Understand?”

He nodded his head slightly instead of an answer to her question. Seeing that, Iellie let out a soft laugh. She hugged Zachary tightly and patted his back with her small hand. That one warmth was so comforting.

“By the way, how did you know I was there?”

“The Crown Princess informed me.”

“I see, the Princess…”

Iellie opened her eyes and nodded her head. Even in that kind of place, the Princess’s judgment shone brightly.

“I was worried that the Emperor might use Asha’s blessing on you.”

“Right. There was a time when the Princess was worried about me.”

At his coming-of-age ceremony, the Princess during the hunting party told her to be careful. Zachary narrowed his brow.

“Though it’s also a little weird.”

“Huh?”

“Given the way the Emperor treats you, he has no choice but to use Asha’s blessing…”

He looked suspicious.

Iellie, who looked at Zachary’s face, traced her memory, “…Come to think of it, the Emperor said that to me.”

“What did he say?”

“I don’t quite understand.”

She furrowed her eyebrows as she thought back. The Asha flower garden… The Emperor, who gazed at her puzzledly.

“‘Why are you doing fine?’, he said as if I had to see hallucinations.”

“Really?”

As he asked back, Zachary seemed troubled. After a moment’s silence, he opened his mouth carefully.

“Then, maybe… Asha’s blessing doesn’t seem to apply to you.”

“Really? That’s a relief, isn’t it?”

“Of course, it is. Well, there are rare people who are free from Asha’s blessing.”

Such a person would be the only member of Hessenweitz. Zachary made a subtle face. Nevertheless, if Iellie was free from Asha’s blessing, that was also fortunate. Meanwhile, Iellie was immersed in other thoughts.

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Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don’t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ❤︎

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