If You Wish For A Married Couple’s Duties - Episode 108

The grand imperial hunting contest was hastily concluded.

It was because of the inglorious incident where the first princess was attacked by a group of assassins.

In the meantime, the hunting contest’s victory fell to the fourth prince, Justin, who’d even forfeited in the middle, because the strongest candidate for victory, the Duchess of Esbaden, had lost the cart containing her hunted prey.

Baron located the gamekeeper that was supposed to guard the cart and questioned him, but the gamekeeper just argued that someone had stolen it while he was doing business for a while.

Nevertheless, the biggest beneficiary of this hunting contest was definitely the Duchess of Esbaden.

It was because she protected the princess from those unidentified hitmen.

The emperor awarded the duchess for saving his only daughter, while ordering that all the nobles that attended the hunting contest to be confined in their houses.

This decision was made based on the judgement that the criminal that dared to assassinate the princess was amongst them.

As a result, the imperial banquets that were scheduled to be held after the hunting contest were cancelled.

It was an exercise in futility for the nobles, who’d planned to ingratiate themselves with the emperor and the successors of the throne somehow, as they could only return to their territories and keep a low profile.

With a single exception, the Duke of Esbaden.

“So you couldn’t find out the identity of the group that tried to harm the princess?”

Leonhart bowed to the emperor, whose upper body was leaning against the head of the bed.

“As ordered by Your Majesty, I’ve searched through the hunting grounds but was unable to find a clue.”

“They managed to break through the imperial hunting grounds’ tight security and brazenly tried to kill the princess. But how can you fail to find a single trace that’ll reveal their identity?”

Instead of answering, Leonhart bowed even lower.

Truthfully, he thought that there were more than one or two things that were odd.

The imperial hunting ground was usually heavily guarded, and external security was further strengthened on the day of the hunting contest.

It was natural, as it was a gathering of not only the imperial family, but also all the distinguished aristocrats of the empire.

It was almost impossible for a group of not just one or two, but nearly ten hitmen to enter and exit the hunting grounds without leaving any traces.

‘The arrows used were arrows that are commonly seen in the empire. The horses that the hitmen rode on were a common breed, not just throughout the empire but also throughout the continent.’

Leonhart sighed as he recalled the horse that his wife’s arrow had incapacitated.

There wasn’t any clue that could be used to identify the group of assassins.

On the surface, that is.

“According to the knights, those who tried to kill the princess used strange tricks. Could they be wizards?”

Leonhart answered the emperor’s question unhesitatingly.

“The mana inhibiting device that’s installed within the hunting grounds were operating normally. Her Highness the Princess had also mentioned that it wasn’t an attack with magic, so they probably aren’t wizards.”

“…This is giving me a headache.”

“This is because I’m lacking. Please grant me your forgiveness.”

“There’s no need to blame yourself, Duke. It’s all because I’m lacking in virtue.”

The emperor placed fingers on his temple and let out a sigh.

“I only have two children left, and I’d almost lost one of them again. The reason they dare to make an attempt on the princess is because We seemed too easy.”

The emperor’s eyes, which always had a kindly gleam, shook with anger.

“This is an order, Duke.”

He declared in a small but clear voice as he clutched the blanket with his thin hand.

“You must find the group that dared to harm the imperial family. We will never forgive them, with Our authority at stake.”

“I’ve received your orders, Your Majesty.”

Leonhart bowed politely.

However, unlike his unhesitating response, his gaze was blurred from some point onwards.

* * *

Leonhart did not return to his private residence until late at night.

He’d combed through the hunting ground for the entire day, but he didn’t gain anything in the end.

He sighed and opened the bedroom door.

The duchess, who had yet to fall asleep, was sitting by the fireplace.

The shadows made by the flames wavered across her face.

“……”

Leonhart didn’t say anything when he saw his wife was still dressed in a hunting suit.

He unbuttoned his coat quietly.

A heavy silence lingered in the bedroom.

“Why aren’t you asking?”

Finally, Dooha opened her mouth first.

She was still staring at the fireplace.

“About what?”

“You’re aware of it. That I’d seen the face of one of the hitmen that attacked Her Highness.”

Leonhart’s expression hardened as Dooha turned her head.

‘As expected, I wasn’t mistaken at that time.’

He remembered Dooha’s face that he was met with at the hunting ground.

When he first heard that she was chasing the hitmen that attacked the princess alone, he thought his heart would fall out.

He could only feel relieved after personally confirming Dooha’s safety.

Does she even know how his blood would curdle whenever he watches Dooha, who’d always dive headfirst into danger?

Although he was angry and wanted to grab onto her and hold her accountable immediately, he couldn’t do so.

‘After seeing that look on her face.’

Because Dooha had an ominous look on her face, like she was on the verge of collapse.

He couldn’t say anything when he saw those eyes that were filled with anxiety and fear.

That was precisely why.

Even though Dooha was holding onto a ripped assassin’s mask, he didn’t ask her anything.

“It’s because I thought that you didn’t want to talk.”

“…You didn’t interrogate me for that reason? Aren’t I the only witness that saw the criminal that tried to kill Her Highness?”

Dooha’s hand balled into fists.

The hitman’s mask was still in her grasp.

Leonhart’s eyes narrowed.

He looked at his wife silently, approached her slowly and knelt down beside her.

“I know you very well.”

Leonhart slowly took the mask out of her hand.

“My wife isn’t someone that’s afraid of monsters or kidnappers, but you looked very confused.”

Dooha was always like that.

No matter how difficult things were, she was never afraid or panic-stricken.

Even so, she would always look for a solution to overcome the situation immediately.

Like someone that didn’t know how to slump down with despair.

For such a Dooha, there’s only one instance where she would waver.

“In other words, the hitmen that attacked Her Highness was someone that you knew.”

Dooha’s eyes wavered.

She stared at the mask that was stolen from her grip vacantly.

“It’s because you’re always someone that’ll care more about the people you cherish than yourself.”

Leonhart was very composed, like he’d read her mind beforehand.

“I know that the person you saw was a Bashalian.”

At the Duke’s words, astonishment seeped into Dooha’s eyes.

“How did you…”

“The arrow.”

Leonhart took out the broken arrow shaft and showed it to her.

There was a unique arrowhead at the end of the arrow’s shaft.

“It’s the same kind of arrowhead that you used in Tochern Castle.”

The hitmen shot dozens of arrows at the princess.

Although he’d reported it as an arrow that wasn’t anything special to the emperor, it wasn’t without any peculiarities.

“They must have used Imperial-made arrows purposefully to hide their identity. But one of them was a Bashalian arrow.”

Mistakes would often crop up when things were done hastily.

They might have been unable to remove all the original arrows from the quiver while hastily trying to swap out the original arrows.

“Additionally, aside from Bashalians, who else would be capable of using magic-like power without magic?”

Unlike the Duke, who’d noticed that it was done by Bashalians at once, it was rare for imperial knights to deal with Bashalians on the battlefield, so no one noticed it.

In other words, it once again proved the principle that knowledge without experience was useless.

In any case, it was fortunate for the Duke.

“Wait a minute, aren’t you investigating the hunting grounds under the Emperor’s orders?”

In that case, he naturally should’ve reported it to the emperor, but why was it so quiet?

If the emperor had known that the group of archers that attempted to assassinate his daughter were Bashalians, it would have created a loud fuss long ago.

Dooha’s voice trembled.

“Then…”

“I didn’t inform His Majesty of all the facts.”

“Why did you do that! If you lie to the Emperor……”

“What do you mean, lie? I’ve never lied.”

Leonhart tilted his head.

There was a relaxed look on his face.

“Nothing can be investigated with such trivial evidence.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! You should know better than I do what will happen if you’re caught trying to cover up evidence!”

“Yes, I’m well aware. That’s why I did that.”

“What did you just say?”

Leonhart sighed briefly before sitting down beside Dooha.

“His Majesty is someone that didn’t even bat an eye when his other children died during power struggles. But this time, he said that he’d definitely find and punish the hitmen that attacked Her Highness.”

Dooha’s face paled at his words.

Since the emperor declared that he wouldn’t show mercy, the group of hitmen would be given the death penalty as soon as they were caught.

“…Everything’s wrong.”

Dooha covered her eyes with a hand.

“Don’t worry. We don’t know who exactly is behind it yet, and it wouldn’t put you in trouble just because you’re a Bashalian……”

“No.”

Dooha gritted her teeth.

Her throat closed up as she tried to voice the truth that she wanted to escape from.

“As you’d expected, I know the person that attacked Her Highness.”

Even when she witnessed the group of hitmen using the power of the wind, she’d hoped that it wasn’t the case.

She just hoped that they were poor compatriots that had to move according to the orders of imperial aristocrats.

If that was really the case, she would’ve looked for a way to convince them somehow.

“And you also know them, Leonhart.”

“It’s someone that I know as well?”

Leonhart’s eyes widened slightly.

The only Bashalians that he’d know were Dooha and her handmaiden, Layla.

…No, there was more.

“Don’t tell me.”

“That’s right.”

Dooha muttered in a mournful voice.

“This mask belongs to one of the warriors that followed Brother to the castle.”

* * *