Chapter 32 - Only a speculation

While contemplating alone, I hypothesized about Freya’s poisoning attempt.

1. It was done by some madman who had nothing to do with me or my family.

A man who was dissatisfied with the Furiana family and the temple.

But then, how did he get his hands on the Magic Stone? Maybe from the black market? It was a world of illegal clerical trafficking, as well as holy goods trafficking, so it was possible through the black market routes.

2. My family was behind this scene.

The question was why? Why would they use Magic Stone, which would obviously make people suspicious of us, compared to other poison?

3. To make everyone suspicious of me for what Freya had gone through.

That is; animosity against me. Maybe someone who wanted to get rid of me?

4. My family wanted me to become a suspect and deliberately used Magic Stones to do that.

Maybe Cesare? He didn’t want me to get attached to this place, or…He wanted things to get worse between me and Izek?

Cesare could handle Magic Stones at will and he definitely hoped that I would have a bad relationship with my husband more than anyone else. But, why would he do something that he didn’t do in the original… Was he bothered by what I had done, informed by someone inside the Elendale Temple? Didn’t I just walk in and out of the temple like Rudbeckia in the original book? Was he annoyed to hear that I went to the temple with Izek not too long ago?

Ah, that day I was hugged by Izek, and even kissed him on the cheek in front of the archbishop and other priests. He might have been irritated to hear about that.

He was told that we seemed to get along surprisingly well, and he got pissed off because of that… Ugh, if it’s true, you’re the king of psychos, Cesare!

It was only a speculation, but quite plausible.

I unconsciously overlooked that psycho’s craziness and obsession while dealing with my psycho husband.

No, but why would that b*stard do such a crazy thing? He was putting so many people in danger by using Magic Stone, hoping that I’d be beaten to death by my husband!

If something went wrong with Freyag, what would have happened to me by now? It was scary just to imagine. I thought all I needed to do was stop Ellenia’s poisoning, but this was a bolt from the blue!

I had expected that after I had my first night with Izek and everything went as planned, once it’d reach Cesare’s ears, I would have to suffer alone during the match season.

But this ambush… or maybe this whole thing could be Freya’s play… no, this was too much. It didn’t make sense to risk her life just because she was a little offended.

Hah, I don’t know. All I know is I’m going to die.

I wonder what he’s thinking by now. I felt more anxious because I couldn’t see his face all this time. Of course, I didn’t have lunch with him, and he didn’t leave any words behind, so the stress was killing me. It would have been much better if he had just talked to me like his father or hit me.

I hated this thin ice-like floor.

I couldn’t stop thinking about the last look I saw.

He had pushed me away… of course, it would be dangerous if the blood had splattered all over me. Now, I knew how close he and Freya were.

He was probably regretting being so kind to me by now…

“Ugh……”

My mind was in such turmoil that my body felt weird. A burning pain along with a needle-like stinging sensation spread over my body. The symptoms of the annual illness had hit again. This year, both of the usual times had passed, so I was relieved, but unexpected twists continued one after another.

Did it regret ending earlier than usual because of the fever the other day?

“Cough! Haa!” I was in bed all day and groaned all night. I got up with a burning thirst and felt nauseous as something got stuck in my throat while drinking water on the table.

When I stumbled to the bathroom and threw up, bitter gastric fluid, blood, and grains of sand flowed out.

Who put sand in my water bottle? Did they want me to suffer the pain Freya must have felt?

Damn it, Freya’s good, because everyone down there’s on her side. Ha, it’s okay, at least I’m on my side. Damn it. My family is my dark side, what can I do? Tomorrow, I’ll have to find a chance to have a private talk with my cold-blooded husband.

It was just a moment later from when I left the bathroom, half-asleep.

“Ah!”

Oh, I thought something fell. It was Ellenia who appeared suddenly and stood in front of the entrance of the bathroom.

I was seeing her after some days. Ellenia just came back, and went to the bathroom because she saw that the bedroom was empty.

But…

Ellenia, standing there with an expressionless face and gazing at me, felt somewhat more eerie than usual.

Her silent gaze made me really nervous. I swallowed my dry saliva ignoring my sore throat.

“Ellen, what’s going on…”

Boom!

I hit hard against the closed bathroom door. My eyes were wide, literally about to pop out. Ellenia was pushing me back, almost twisting my neck.

Her usual elegance became such a terrifying force that one couldn’t recognise it.

No, come on, pretty sister-in-law, even you!

Her cold, dangerous voice almost growled into my numb, deaf ears, “Why, why are you doing this?”

“…what?”

“I was wondering if you’d do it right from the start, but you’re really!”

Hands? Why are you looking at my hand? Don’t tell me you’re an assassin too.

She shook my numb body violently. It was hard to breathe.

“Tell me. Why the hell are you doing this? Because you want attention? Is it because the food makes you feel dirty, or is your goal to starve and die? What the hell are you sorry for? If you want to die like that, stop protesting and die quietly!”

What in the world are you talking about?

I looked up at Elenia blankly.

To be exact, I looked into her eyes blazing like a flame. Strangely enough, it occurred to me that I wasn’t the one she was angry with. I barely opened my mouth. An unexpected answer popped out.

“Because all I can control is my body.”

Her burning red eyes shook, followed by silence. After a short but long silence, Ellenia slowly blinked her eyes and lowered her gaze. Then she took her hands off as if she hadn’t done anything.

“What am I…”

“……”

“I’m sorry.”

She seemed to have regained her usual composure, but she seemed somewhat confused. Her eyes were unfamiliar… as if she was suppressing her pain.

Should I say it’s fine? What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?

Ellenia looked at me blankly for the last time, turned, and left at a quick pace. What an unexpected event in the middle of the night.

I looked down at my hand from afar. To be exact, at the joint under the index finger of my right hand, where the fist protrudes when it is clenched.

This was what happened to people who throw up habitually like me. Now that I didn’t use my hands as much as before, it was just a faint scar people wouldn’t generally notice.

A mark that a stranger would regard as just a faint spot.

The fact that she noticed after seeing that meant that she already had a similar experience. Judging from what she said, it didn’t seem to be herself.

Who did she think of? Who was it that made the poker face Elenia so emotional…Was it someone resentful?

—-

Maybe it was because I had so many thoughts in my mind that I stayed up all night. After a long time, I had breakfast with Ellenia alone, but the atmosphere was very awkward. We both nibbled and bit into the food without saying a word.

It was harder to eat than usual because of the pain in my body.

Just before I left, Ellenia told me that the Archbishop had asked me to visit. I was thinking of moving a little today anyway, so I got ready to go out right away.

My face looked weak and ugly because of the illness and lack of sleep, but it was worth watching when I covered it with makeup. I didn’t know why he wanted to see me, but it was probably related to that day.

If Cesare was behind the incident, it was more likely that the Archbishop was a spy. But would he have readily agreed to do such harm to his niece?

I didn’t know. I’d know once I see him.

I arrived at the temple with a half-asleep mind.

After getting off the carriage, walking through the front door, which was as monstrous as a dragon’s wings, I halted.

Suddenly, I want to take a peek at the temple’s training area.

There was no guarantee that my husband would be there today, but it was not bad to check. Well, I wanted to see what he would say anyway.

Tch, you don’t even show up all weekend, you arrogant b*stard. You could’ve left me a word, even if you were out of your mind. At the very least, come by to threaten me.

I was walking through a corridor leading to the area while staring at the statues.

Turning toward the stairs where I could see the granite fountain, I was so surprised that I hid behind the pillar the next moment.

I did it on instinct.

Was I caught? Did he see me?