Chapter 35

The seemingly endless opening speech of the emperor finally concluded, and all the nobles participating in the hunting competition, led by Cain, aimed their bows towards the Witch’s Forest.

In front of the crimson sunset, Cain appeared remarkably exquisite. The red hues were reflected off his silver armor, and his armor seemed to gleam even more than others, as if it held an otherworldly radiance.

With the backdrop of the divine evening, he exhibited a graceful posture as he drew the bowstring. With each of his movements, numerous noble ladies and young nobles erupted in cheers.

With his arrow leading the way, a multitude of arrows poured forth like rain towards the Witch’s Forest. The cries of the beasts spread eerily and somberly throughout the entire square.

Amidst her restlessness and unease, Lariana’s gaze was fixed solely on Cain.

No one else noticed any change in Cain, but Lariana alone could perceive it. She could sense his discomfort from the wounds.

Amidst the solitude that enveloped her like a lone island, Cain feigned ignorance and walked past. Unable to remain alone in the square, Lariana hurriedly followed her husband.

“Ah!”

Exiting the square and entering the mansion’s territory, Lariana stumbled over an unnoticed stone. Cain merely glanced briefly over his shoulder, then decisively entered the mansion.

Tears that Lariana had suppressed all day finally burst forth. Perhaps due to the revelries that had unfolded in the square, there was no one near the castle. Thankfully, not a single soul, even a servant, was in sight due to their masters’ absence.

The fall had left a considerable gash near her ankle, and despite knowing it was a ridiculous scene, she found herself sitting on the dirt, sobbing like a child.

“Lari! Are you alright? Did you fall? There’s blood!”

‘Why is this jobless Prince here…’

Seeing Lejandro suddenly emerge from somewhere, a sudden pang of pain struck in her head. He caught Lariana’s exposed ankle beyond her skirt and trembled with an inexplicable emotion. Lariana roughly swatted away Lejandro’s hand.

“Your Highness, please lower your voice. It’s alright,” she implored.

“What’s alright about this? Where on earth is Cain? Is this the married life you desired? Becoming a subject of disdain from your mother-in-law and husband, being ridiculed in society?”

‘You are the one who turned me into an object of disregard and mockery!’ 

Lariana felt an immediate urge to slap Lejandro’s cheek and voice her frustration. If only he was at least a nobleman of similar status, not a prince, things might have been different. However, that wasn’t the case.

“Let’s go to my mansion. I’ll summon the royal physician.”

Summoning a royal physician and bringing her to his mansion… the foolishness of her former lover has left her momentarily speechless. During the time when she was Lejandro’s lover, she was blinded by infatuation and couldn’t perceive his foolishness.

“How could you call for the royal physician over a minor injury to my skin? It’s alright. I can call for the duke’s physician. Your Highness, just go. Your actions will only make things harder for me.”

Lejandro’s demeanor almost seemed as if he would embrace Lariana any moment now.

“I cannot bear to see even a slight wound on your beautiful body…”

“Please, stop tormenting me! I simply can’t fathom why you’re acting like this now.”

“Tormenting? Everything I do is for you.”

“Your Highness has Princess Julia.”

“Julia doesn’t love me.”

“I don’t love you either.”

“No, you love me.”

Lejandro spoke with unwavering certainty. Lariana felt resentment towards the Goddess Vuerin. She had needlessly bestowed upon Lejandro an ego so high that he could act presumptuously. How could she wake Lejandro from this delusion?

“If you don’t come with me, I’ll have no choice but to tell everyone about Cain’s madness.”

“What are you talking about?”

“This is the best way I can lessen your humiliation.” 

Lariana, who was pushing Lejandro away, halted her actions. An icy chill emanated from Lejandro’s countenance as his words lingered.

Cain’s madness was a torment akin to hell for Lariana, yet upon closer examination, it wasn’t a significant flaw or a profoundly distressing matter. Aside from the issues between spouses, Cain didn’t possess any particular problems. The notion of lessening this embarrassment in such circumstances was perplexing.

Instead, it would fuel the mockery and humiliation she already faced. Everyone would ponder just how much she despised her husband to drive him to madness. As he went as far as losing his mind.

Whether an ally or an enemy, Lejandro’s uncontrollable nature left her wondering if he was simply foolish. Revealing Cain’s concealed secret to the world was a terrifying notion, even in imagination.

“Lari, will you follow me?”

As Lariana was about to respond, in the midst of her hesitation…

“Your Highness Lejandro, continue. I won’t take offense.”

Emerging from the crimson mansion at a leisurely pace, Cain’s voice was as composed as ever. His resonant baritone was consistently mellifluous. Unnecessarily, it seemed, given the circumstances.

As Lariana, seizing the opportunity to escape with her husband’s appearance approached her husband, the gazes of the two men, Cain and Lejandro, intersected.

With Lariana standing behind him, grasping at his clothes, Cain’s smile of triumph appeared at his lips, satisfied with this situation.

“Lari, go inside.”

Lariana, who had been ready to protest, halted her words. Cain hadn’t addressed her with endearments during his fits of madness.

But why now? What prompted this return? Was Cain regaining his sanity? Yesterday, a crescent moon as thin as a freshly cut fingernail had appeared, how had this situation transformed?

Lariana raised her gaze to Cain’s face. She scrutinized every expression, every action.

“Please come inside.”

For some inexplicable reason, it was unmistakably the sane Cain. It was him. The one Lariana couldn’t help but love.

With an air of having something to say, Lariana stepped forward, even raising her heels slightly to meet his gaze. Cain inclined his head ever so slightly.

“Cain, you need to finish this conversation quickly, alright?”

As if mindful of Lejandro, she delivered a mundane dialogue filled with affection and placed a kiss on Cain’s cheek. His lips twitched in response to her unexpected gesture.

Lejandro’s fists clenched. Before him stood a woman who had once been his lover and comrade, now whispering of love as if proclaiming it to the world.

“Of course, my wife.”

With light footsteps, Lariana entered the mansion and cradled a vial that had been carelessly placed on the floor. She sat on the bed, her heart brimming with joy. Smile seemed to slip uncontrollably from her lips. For the first time since her marriage, hope blossomed within her.

However, the atmosphere outside the mansion was in stark contrast to her expectations.

? ? ?

Cain leaned closer casually to Lejandro. Due to their difference in height, Lejandro naturally found himself looking up at Cain.

“As you can see, Your Highness Lejandro, it seems that my wife is waiting, so we should conclude our conversation promptly,” Cain’s face was etched with a mocking smile.

“Tell me straight, Lejand. Isn’t it you who abandoned Lariana? Did you think a fiercely independent woman like her would be content with a prince’s affections? She’s a duchess, far superior to a mere prince’s mistress.”

“Cain, do you truly trust Lariana completely?”

Lejandro’s meaningful inquiry earned him a scornful chuckle from Cain. Anger was unmistakably present in his expression.

“Have you ever considered that Lariana might be using you? Have you ever thought that perhaps she was scheming to disgrace me through you, aiming to settle a score? Maybe she did it to outdo her own pride?”

Lejandro’s eyes to meet Cain’s, a mischievous grin appearing on his youthful face.

“Cain, don’t ever fully trust everything about Lariana. With her formidable pride, do you think she’d be content with just a duke’s wife? Even a prince’s mistress wouldn’t suffice.”

Provoked by Lejandro’s words, Cain responded with a firm tone.

“Are you finished?”

Cain lightly poked Lejandro and proceeded to walk toward the mansion. His gauntleted fists remained tightly clenched.

As he entered the mansion, he found Lariana seated on the bed, cradling the vial as if it was a precious treasure. Seeing Cain, she ran to him like a loyal dog, welcoming him with a warm smile.

Over the past few days, she had changed drastically from the disheveled state he had last seen her. He was bewildered by this unfamiliar smile.

“Now openly playing the role of Lejandro’s mistress, I see.”

“Ah… It’s you.”

Her husband’s familiar caustic expression and sharp words shattered her newfound hope. Perhaps it was because this was the first time she had tasted this sense of anticipation since her marriage, but Lariana’s mood turned sour.

In the face of her husband’s continuing madness, Lariana’s mood quickly plummeted. Looking at him, she tossed the vial onto his chest.

“Do you wish that the person entering through that door were Lejandro and not me?”

Cain pointed toward the entrance to the mansion, raising his voice.

The time between her hope shattering into fragments felt like an instant.

“How did it feel to be embraced by an old lover’s arms after so long?”

“Why on earth would you say something like that!”

Lariana’s mood sank to the abyss in an instant.

As she angrily threw the vial onto his chest, Cain reflexively caught it.

Whatever words she uttered now would only sound like excuses to him. Lariana gave up on the conversation. She grabbed a white fur blanket and settled into the comfortable chair beside the bed, closing her eyes.

Cain had intended to call for Lariana to tend to his wounds, but his words faltered. He didn’t want to ask her to do anything in this state.

The mere thought of Lariana, who had been causing accidents and acting recklessly without even explaining herself, made his head throb. He wanted to treat his injuries and rest as soon as possible.

For the past few days, he hadn’t rested properly, only getting injured needlessly. Hunting in this condition, with his wounded hand, would have made winning the competition a near-impossible feat.

Cain cast off his armor, and the clattering sound as it hit the floor was quite cacophonous. Seated now, he began to remove his leather gauntlets. Blood and flesh stuck to the leather as he peeled them off, and when they finally came free, a trickle of blood followed. Pouring powdered medicine into his palm, he treated it, hastily wrapping a strip of cloth around it.

As he was about to lie down, he noticed Lariana, who was sitting awkwardly, seemingly uncomfortable.

As he looked at Lariana, the image of her being embraced by Lejandro just moments ago surfaced in his mind. An instant surge of displeasure caused him to grind his teeth audibly.

“Are you planning on staying up all night like this?”

“Mind your own business.”

Cain winced at Lariana’s irritable voice. Discarding his sweat-drenched tunic, he addressed her.

“Lariana Delacroix, must you be this stubborn? Can’t you just get into the bed?”

Read ahead here.