Chapter 55 - It's you
Translator: Yonnee
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It's not just with her guiding-everything about her kept saying that she was his wife. Should he believe her whenever she'd say it's not her just because she looked different?
If he were to be honest, he also wanted to take her word for it. He would rather believe her words than to acknowledge that his wife had pushed him away, that an inflexible hatred against him had borne out of his wife's heart.
He knew it all, but he couldn't admit it.
Every single cell in his body, all of his senses, and each memory that had been engraved in his mind... Everything screamed at him that Lady Closch was Seohyun. And apart from that, he was constantly being compelled by the urge to throw caution to the wind, to forget about everything in the world-to take her far, far away.
All of his senses and instincts, which were far superior to that of ordinary people, roared, Do you not recognize that the woman in front of you is your wife?
Staring at the direction in which she disappeared, Ciel let out a slow, deep exhale while relaxing his tense shoulders.
"Huu..."
His unfocused blue eyes gradually regained their light once more. Ciel believed that the god who sent him back must have given him another blessing.
He did not know how his actions would affect causality later on.
All he knew right now was that he had no choice but to move forward with full confidence in his instincts.
It felt similar to when he had fallen alone in Korea, which was an entirely different world. During that time, he could trust no one at all, and so he relied only on his senses and wiped out monsters like a bulldozer.
Recalling this, the corners of his lips slowly tugged up.
Showing a darker smile than he had before, he cleared up his tangled thoughts.
Motionless as if his feet had been rooted to the ground until now, Ciel moved lithely and instantly climbed to the mansion's roof.
And, he pinpointed her location. A small grin found its way to his lips as he watched her evidently purposeful stride, even as it was slightly obscured by her flowing dress.
"It's you, Seohyun."
There was once a time when Seohyun said this: If you're up against the strongest enemy, keep yourself down and act as if you're dead if you must. Hold your breath and endure until the very end.
Recalling this, Ciel laughed out loud.
In the past, there was one particular time when he finally broke down.
Before that, even when he was forced to follow the saintess's orders, he hadn't felt so discouraged by anything else.
He had no doubt that he could go back to the empire, and he did everything to find a path. He did not get discouraged even when, day after day, he needed to face the superiors and executives above him who deliberately made remarks to trample on his pride.
The one thing that made him lose hope was when he heard that he could never return to the empire ever again.
Seoyoon, the saintess who had dragged him with her through dimensions, the bane of his existence.
One day, unknowingly, she confessed the truth.
[ Ciel! It's already been ten years since you came to Korea. By the way, have you forgotten the Empire yet? You can just settle down and live here permanently! Honestly, isn't this place so much better than the Empire? ]
[ Lee Seoyoon. I've already fulfilled all the conditions you've required me to do. You better keep your word. ]
[ Hah... You think my head doesn't hurt because of you, too? I can't even travel to other dimensions anymore, so what can I do?! Even if I got my phone fixed- Ah... ]
He found out at this moment that, all this time, the saintess did not have the inherent ability to travel between dimensions-it was all through her phone. By this time, it had already been far too long since he had come to Korea through the dimensional gate.
Ciel believed that he could eventually return to the Empire, but in the end, he found out the truth from the saintess who spewed nothing but lies through her mouth. He lost his direction and locked himself out of despair and frustration.
That was also the time that his wife said those comforting words, pulling him into her arms.
The contents of her words sounded so dismal, but nonetheless, her embrace was so warm.
"You're my wife. I know it."
The living legend of the special forces, who could cut off her enemy's breath with one fluid motion.
His one and only spouse-his better half.
Seohyun.
Then...
"A good husband should listen to his wife. Isn't that right?"
* * *
From that day on, Ciel secretly followed Irene's movements. Whenever he found other habits of hers that were the same as his wife's, he was filled with such unbearable joy. And eventually, he even lost track of time and forgot the alleged reason why he had come to this estate.
Then, the baron approached him. Ciel couldn't understand why he was suddenly feeling timid. Still, though he was strangely anxious, he welcomed the baron as if everything was normal.
"It's been a while, Baron."
"Yes, I haven't been able to come back home much because of night watch duty."
"You personally oversee that?"
"The members of the garrison are assigned an equal amount of work, regardless of rank. Besides, with me there, the guards will remain disciplined, and I can teach them a little here and there about our work."
Hearing the baron's pure enthusiasm, Ciel shook his head lightheartedly.
"That's right. The ones usually assigned to night watch duty are squires. It never occurred to me that it's an important task."
"You never know when monsters will attack, after all. We also need to stay vigilant about every little thing, whether it be wind fluctuations, or minute vibrations in the ground. Things like that are taught to squires as well."
"That sounds like a splendid idea. Once I return to the Duchy, I should implement the same practice."
Hearing Ciel's words, the baron's face lit up. And, as if he had been waiting for the opportunity, he quickly said,
"Come to think of it, it's already been half a month since you first came here, Duke. Have you been able to show the Young Duke around our estate thus far?"
Ciel couldn't help but be shocked.
Firstly, he hadn't pegged the baron as the type to be able to speak in a roundabout way-the aristocratic manner of veiled words.
And secondly, he was surprised to realize the underlying meaning of his question.
He couldn't answer immediately.
After all, what the baron just said was no different than the polite version of, 'So, when are you leaving my house?'
