I Am Trying to Divorce My Villain Husband, But We Had a Child - chapter 9
Episode 9
Having finished speaking, Elisa climbed onto the horse nearby.
Although the only time she had ridden a horse was during a math field trip for experiential learning, it was slow to run on foot to find Richard now.
Fortunately, Elisa seemed to have learned how to ride a horse at some point, as she skillfully mounted and took the reins.
“Let’s go.”
Elisa said as she tapped the horse’s side.
The horse immediately galloped forward as Elisa commanded.
“Mistress!”
The knights, who had been stiffened by Elisa’s momentum, were heard calling out in surprise, but she didn’t look back.
‘Even if they chase after me, it’s for my protection.’
In any case, Elisa considered that the knights wouldn’t let her get hurt.
As Elisa rode into the forest, the knights followed, just as she had anticipated.
‘In the original,Richard should have survived and had Hannes, but…’
During this time, there might have been variables different from the original. After all, the fact that she had possessed Elisa itself could be a variable in this original novel.
No one knew how much the original would change.
While Elisa and the knights were searching the forest for Richard a strong wind blew.
‘Wind?’
The fierce wind from within the forest tousled Elisa’s hair.
‘This is…Richard ‘s wind.’
Elisa kicked the horse again and pulled the reins.
“This way!”
Elisa and the knights followed the wind toward the inside of the forest.
As they went further, the wind intensified. At one point, even Elisa, who was riding the horse, swayed.
‘There’s definitely something wrong with Richard.’
Elisa felt anxious. She urged the horse to go faster.
Approaching the center of the wind, the rough wind obscured Elisa’s vision.
When she moved her head to the side, her obstructed view became clear.
And Elisa stopped in her tracks.
In the center of the forest, a massive whirlwind was raging.
The whirlwind lifted not only the grass and trees around but also men in clothes similar to the suspicious people Elisa had seen earlier, into the air.
And at the center of that whirlwind…
‘Richard…!’
There was Richard.
With an unseen energy radiating from his blood-red eyes.
The villains nearby, unaffected by the wind, shot crossbows at Richard, but all of them veered off course due to the overwhelming wind created by Reinhardt.
As all the attacks missed, the confused villains retreated hesitantly.
At that moment, Richard spoke.
The wind was too loud, and his voice couldn’t be heard, but Elisa understood what he said through the shape of Richard’s lips.
“To die.”
Simultaneously, Richard ‘s wind came to a halt.
As a result, the villains who were floating in the air, swept away by the whirlwind, fell to the ground. Soon, horrifying screams erupted.
“Kraaah!”
Those fortunate had broken arms and legs, while the unlucky ones had their necks snapped.
It was a gruesome outcome.
The villains who witnessed their comrades’ tragic end were terrified and fled in fear.
The knights of Rubelin, who had been momentarily stunned, quickly chased after the villains.
“Stop there!”
As they disappeared, Richard’s wind completely ceased.
Only then did Elisa notice the wounds on Richard’s side and shoulder.
‘Wounds…’
The injuries were quite deep; there was a considerable amount of blood where Richard had stood.
However, Richard’s expression remained stoic. It was as if he didn’t even feel the slightest pain from the wounds on his side and shoulder.
“A monstrous child…”
Christian, who had been watching the scene nearby, muttered with frightened eyes and took a step back.
Behind Christian were other nobles who had come for the hunt. Among them were the Emperor and Albert.
“How… How did this happen?”
“Assassins infiltrating the imperial hunting grounds?”
Like Christian, the nobles stared at Richard with a mixture of astonishment and awe.
The Emperor, too, looked at Richard with astonished eyes before his expression hardened.
Standing alone among the fallen villains, gazing at the nobles and the Emperor, Richard eventually couldn’t bear the wounds and collapsed.
“Richard”
“Your Highness Richard!”
Elisa and the knights of Rubelin rushed forward reflexively and embraced Richard.
Elisa quickly assessed Richard’s condition.
‘His condition is worse than I thought.’
Elisa’s eyes trembled as she examined Richard’s wounds.
Seeing someone bleed so much right in front of her, someone with whom she had just shared a conversation, was much more overwhelming than she had imagined. The fear that the person she had talked to just moments ago might die was much greater than she had envisioned.
“Quickly, we need to provide medical treatment…”
Elisa looked up at Albert, who had approached in haste, with an anxious gaze.
However, he only stared down at Richard with a stern expression, showing no other reaction.
Instead, the knights of Rubelin quickly applied first aid to Richard’s wounds.
“Your Majesty! Your Highness Crown Prince! Are you alright?”
At that moment, the commander of the palace knights, who had arrived last at the scene, assessed the safety of the Emperor and Christian.
The Emperor, with a strained expression, inquired, “How did outsiders intrude into the imperial hunting grounds? What happened here?”
“Ugh, I apologize. The area around the hunting grounds was supposed to be guarded by knights…”
“How did those scoundrels manage to get in here?” he asked.
“…I will quickly investigate the situation and report back as soon as possible.”
The commander, making excuses, quickly bowed after sensing the Emperor’s mood.
When the knights were about to take the nobles present at the scene to gather information and understand the situation in detail, Albert, who had been silent until now, stepped forward.
“I have a request for Your Majesty.”
The Emperor looked at Albert with a puzzled expression.
“I request permission to investigate the mastermind behind this incident.”
“I regret to inform you, but that cannot be allowed. This incident occurred in the imperial hunting grounds. I will personally uncover who the audacious fool that dared to plot such a thing in the imperial hunting grounds.”
“However, that child is the last remaining blood of my lineage. He almost died here. Wouldn’t I be the most desperate and truthful in investigating for the sake of my grandson?”
With that, one of the Emperor’s eyebrows rose.
Albert’s words carried an implication that the Emperor did not trust him to be someone who would advocate for Richard. It also hinted that the Emperor was suspecting him of being the mastermind behind this incident.
“I implore you to allow me to uncover the mastermind, so that they can pay the price for their actions.”
The Emperor lowered his gaze thoughtfully as he considered Albert’s request. Many eyes were watching them.
If he insisted further, the imperial family could be suspected as the instigators behind the assassins.
Finally, the Emperor spoke in a heavy voice.
“I permit it.”
*
In the end, the hunt was canceled.
Members of the Duke of Rubelin’s entourage returned with Richard to the duke’s mansion.
“The bleeding is under control, and the wounds aren’t too deep, so you shouldn’t worry too much. Still, it would be advisable not to overexert yourself for a while.”
The attending physician, having treated Richard, offered this advice before leaving the room.
“If you need anything, please call for me, young mistress.”
Once the servants left, only Richard and Elisa remained in the room.
Elisa sat by the bedside, silently watching Richard.
‘The mastermind… Could it be the royal family after all?’
But targeting Richard so blatantly in the imperial hunting grounds seemed foolish. Anyone familiar with the relationship between Rubelin and the royal family would first suspect the imperial family.
‘Does the duke have some suspicions?’
Albert had only briefly assessed Richard’s condition at the hunting grounds, and as soon as he arrived at the duke’s mansion, he immediately instructed Rubelin’s knights to investigate the mastermind.
‘Is the duke doubting something?’
The physician had barely glimpsed Richard’s state in the hunting grounds. Albert had not bothered to examine Richard’s condition when he arrived at the mansion.
‘Is he really my grandfather? Seeing him use Rubelin’s power, it seems likely, but… Why is he so indifferent?’
As Elisa pondered Albert’s attitude with pursed lips, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
Wondering, she opened the door.
“Anne?”
Anne stood at the door. She seemed out of breath, and her face displayed a worried expression for some reason.
“What’s going on?”
“I-I have something to tell you.”
Anne looked inside the room with desperate eyes.
Perplexed, Elisa let Anne in.
As soon as Anne entered the room, she locked the door. Something seemed unsettling.
“Why are you doing that?”
“I have… something to tell you.”
Elisa was curious, but she allowed Anne to continue.
“What is it?”
“The person who made Duke Rubelin like that.”
Elisa’s gaze, which had been blank, changed.
Anne caught her breath for a moment before continuing.
“The person who made Duke Rubelin like that is…”