I Thought You Were A Time-Limited Husband - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

That was Alice Podoori – that woman. He wasn’t sure if she was one of Madam Quillian’s people or not because of her attitude.

It was true that she didn’t poison him, but that wasn’t enough. According to the butler, she was extremely a faithful daughter-in-law to Madam Quillian on the outside. He had thought of revealing to her that he was awake, but Alice was a mysterious woman. If she could deceive Madam Quillian, then she could as well cheat and backstab him.

She was a much smarter woman than Helkin. Just thinking of Alice, Kaillus’ head was throbbing. I am going to be swayed by that woman at this rate. 

Kaillus gave up on his deep thoughts about Alice. The more he thought of her, the more he felt like his head was being twisted. I think it will take some time to decide what I will do with her. 

“Please save me, I will do my best, Your Excellency.”

It was then that Kaillus let out a sigh, the Helkin who misunderstood that those cold words were directed to him, was pleading with him while grabbing the crotch of his pants.

Kaillus wrinkled his face when he thought about it.

“If you don’t want to die right now, get rid of it.”

Kaillus was extremely reluctant to be touched by other people’s hands.

Helkin immediately let go of his hand with his cold voice.

“Please forgive me.”

Helkin bowed his face with a groveling face.

Thinking about his acting earlier, Kaillus wanted to kill him but he still needed Helkin. Tch, Kaillus clicked his tongue and sat down on the sofa.

“… I will hide it thoroughly so that the Little Madam will never know.”

“That’s right, that’s what you should do. If anything goes wrong because of you, I will throw you out as food for the wild dogs.”

It was just for a moment, but he thought that Kaillus’ eyes looking at him were sincere in killing him. Helkin shut his mouth like a clam.

“So, have you finished making the antidote?”

Kaillus sighed and swept his hair back.

“…I was almost finished with it. It will probably be finished by the next day or so.”

“Molera… if I take that medicine, the poison remaining on my body will definitely go away, right?”

“Yes, but… that medicine is a bit too potent, Your Excellency.”

“Potent? Are you saying I will die if I eat it?”

“No, I will never make a medicine that could put Your Excellency in danger. It’s just that the medicine was too potent and you might be in severe pain….”

“It doesn’t matter, so just focus on making the antidote quickly.”

He had just passed his death so that pain will be nothing. It didn’t matter to Kaillus.

“Yes, Your Excellency. Then I will go and make the antidote.”

As soon as Helkin left the room, the butler came in.

“Your Excellency.”

Kaillus asked the butler who greeted him, “Did the Young Lady Meltain arrive safely?”

“Yes.”

“How is she?”

He was the one who called Sienna to come, but he last saw Sienna 10 years ago in fact when he returned from the battlefield. He wouldn’t have to worry about anything if Sienna had grown up with the same spirit as when she was young, but he was a little worried so he can’t just disregard those 10 years.

“She looked strong and reliable. She showed no signs of being intimidated even with the presence of Madam Quillian.”

But seeing the satisfaction in the butler’s eyes, he thinks there was any need for him to be worried.

“I’m glad she grew up the same way.”

Recalling the confident young Sienna, Kaillus spoke to the butler again.

“Bring the Young Lady Meltain around dawn.”

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Silence fell in the Diorat Duchy at midnight. There was a woman walking in the empty hallway. Clad in black robe and hiding her face, the woman stopped in front of the Duke’s bedroom. She tapped on the doorknob and the door opened from the inside.

“Welcome, Sienna.”

Entering the bedroom with the butler’s greetings, Meltain Sienna took off her robe and hood. She looked at the man standing by the window with her hair flowing behind her ears.

Black hair and black eyes, the beautiful face she had admired when she was young – Kaillus Diorat. He was Diorat Duchy’s Head, whom her family was serving and her admirable cousin. Seeing him alive whom everyone said he would die, her emotions were stirred from the bottom of her heart.

Sienna lowered her head, holding back her tears that were about to burst.

“Sienna Meltain. It is an honor to greet you, Duke.”

“What Duke? You can call me however you like, Sienna.”

Kaillus’ low voice echoed. Sienna raised her head at him and faintly smiled.

“Brother.”

“Yeah, that’s a lot more comfortable to hear.”

“I’m so glad you’ve regained consciousness.”

“They say it was a miracle. However, I only had regained my consciousness and there was still a lot of work to do.  So, you will have to help me in the future.”

“What can I do?”

Sienna looked at Kaillus with burning eyes. Her confident expression was the same as when she was young, when she looked up at him confidently.

Watching Sienna like that who had grown up, nothing had changed about her so Kaillus slightly smiled. But it was only a momentary appreciation of the past.

He opened his mouth with a frightening face.

“As you know, it has been quite some time since I fell into a coma. And during that time, Madam Quillian has taken full control of the Duke’s house.”

Sienna’s expression also became serious in an instant.

“Not only had my aide been dismissed but the Knights Order had also been disbanded, so it was impossible to reveal that I had regained consciousness when I woke up. Since I wouldn’t be able to kill Madam Quillian with my ”limbs .”

“… I know.”

“That’s why you have to avoid getting Madam Quillian’s attention instead of me.”

“Instead of you…. So you want me to find your limbs again.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“I will definitely love to take action. Since I visited the capital under the pretext of my social debut, I have a justification for visiting the Duke’s family and I can safely and secretly move through magic. So that’s why you called me.”

Sienna calmly and quickly grasped Kaillus’ intentions. Kaillus was a little surprised with that.

He already thought that she was exceptionally smart when he met her when she was young, but she was able to judge this situation at once.

The future is quite promising. Kaillus put down his teacup and continued.

“Use me as an excuse to get out of the Duke’s mansion. Even Madam Quillian wouldn’t be able to stop you if you say you’re going to the temple to pray for my recovery with concern for your cousin.”

“Alright. Before that, can I leave and find someone first?”

“If you go to Roiste Street, the place of commoners, you will find an inn called Dawn Star. Give this to the owner named James and tell him that you’re looking for a guy named Tessiri. Tell him that and James will show you where Tessiri is.”

Kaillus gave his knight’s card to Sienna. It will be easier to gather the knights but first find his aide, Tessiri. Sienna nodded and took his knight’s card.

“All right.”

“And be careful not to get caught by Madam Quillian. Also… the Duchess too.”

“The Duchess…. It looks like you don’t have to worry too much about her. She was a very immature and gullible woman.”

“… The Duchess?”

The tip of Kaillus’ eyebrows rose. Immature and gullible…. That was a questionable assessment if it was the same Alice Podoori he knew.

“We talked for a bit…. She was an immature woman who was very self-conscious about Madam Quillian. She was like a slow-witted puppy.” Sienna said as she recalled Alice whom she had a conversation with at the garden.

Pink hair and golden eyes – unlike her gorgeous appearance, she was a woman who didn’t show anything special. But somehow, Kaillus’ brow narrowed. The Duke was conscious so he must have also heard of Alice.

“Does brother think of her differently? Is there something I don’t know about her?”

Sienna asked the silent Kaillus.

“No, nothing.”

Kaillus replied reflexively at Young Lady Meltain’s doubts – with a lie instead of a truth.

Alice was never an immature woman contrary to what Sienna saw. Rather, she was an extraordinary woman – because she had managed to deceive Madam Quillian and have Helkin, one of Madam Quillian’s people. And it seemed like she had hidden her true colors in front of Siena.

Kaillus remembered the words Alice had said during the day.

[‘Young Lady Meltain… she’s rather very straightforward with her words….’

‘Ah, Meltain Sienna. I wish she could just leave me alone….’]

Did she deliberately act foolish so that Young Lady Meltain wouldn’t take interest in her? Kaillus thought that he should probably re-evaluate Alice. Maybe, she was a much more meticulous woman than he expected.

He was apparently right at telling Sienna to be careful, but he lied before he knew it. What was wrong with me? Are you worried that Alice might be in trouble? That was a ridiculous thought, but he couldn’t even laugh. Because he, himself, couldn’t understand his own behavior. However, even now, he couldn’t speak.

A strange and mysterious woman. Whenever Kaillus thought of Alice, he couldn’t seem to make a rational decision.

Swallowing his sigh with his messy thoughts about Alice, Kaillus moved his mouth slowly.

“… Even if she’s foolish, be careful – just in case.”

“I will not make a mistake.”

“I trust in you. Since it’s late now, you can go back.”

Sienna said goodbye and left the bedroom. After the butler also left, Kaillus turned his head out the window.

“… Alice Podoori.”

What kind of person are you? What are you thinking while hiding from everyone? Kaillus’ eyes deepened as he quietly whispered her name.

(T/N: They say, the more you think of a person, the more you fall for them.

And also, thank you for the ko-fi for this series! Additional chapters would be uploaded by next week. Thank you for your patience and support! Love you all!)