I Married a Sick Husband

Chapter 8 : I Married a Sick HusbandTranslated by TamEdited by Kat-9

The Emperor and Meredith moved into a new room.

 

As expected, there was no one there. 

 

He offered a seat to her. 

 

“Sit.”

 

She sat across from the Emperor and asked carefully,

 

“Who exactly knows about your condition, Your Majesty?”

 

“Lord Felix, someone in the palace, and myself.”

 

The Emperor stretched out three fingers, and then a fourth.

 

“And as of today, you, so now four people know.”

 

“That’s only a few.”

 

“The less people who know about it, the less likely the secret will be revealed.”

 

“Is the courtier from the palace someone you can trust?”

 

Meredith asked with a rather serious tone.

 

But the Emperor simply responded with a small smile, causing Meredith to narrow her eyes.

 

“Why are you smiling?”

 

“Well, it’s kind of funny to hear that question from someone I suspect right now.”

 

“Do you still doubt me?”

 

“Don’t be mistaken, Empress—”

 

The Emperor spoke with a hardened voice.

 

“—Keeping you alive does not mean I believe you.”

 

“…”

 

“Anyway, you don’t have to worry about the courtier’s presence.”

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

“His sister died at the hands of the Queen.”

 

“Ah, I see.”

 

A shared enemy. 

 

“So all you have to do is watch your mouth.”

 

“…I didn’t lose my mother in the hands of the Duke of Schwartz for nothing.” 

 

Meredith slowly opened her mouth.

 

“I have a similar grudge against the Duke, so you don’t have to worry.”

 

“Grudge?”

 

“You’ve never seen my face before the wedding, have you?”

 

“I’ve heard it’s been difficult for you to enter society due to your weak body.”

 

“That’s what the Duchess decided to say.”

 

A bitter smile passed by Meredith’s expression.

 

“It’s all a lie. Actually, I’m an illegitimate child.”

 

“…an illegitimate child.”

 

“I’ve told you everything you need to know.”

 

Meredith looked relieved, as if she had said everything she wanted to say.

 

“…”

 

“Then, will you resolve your doubts about me sooner?”

 

“Who knows? I still don’t believe you completely.”

 

Meredith laughed when she heard his response.

 

“So who do you believe in, Your Majesty? Sir Felix?”

 

“I don’t trust anyone.”

 

“Even Your Majesty?”

 

“Yes, not even myself.”

 

The Emperor answered coldly.

 

“Because I am a human being, after all; an imperfect existence.”

 

“It’s perfect.”

 

“It’s a life cursed by the Queen, how can it be perfect?” (Tn : I changed Empress Mother to Queen. 태후 : can be meaning as Empress Mother, Empress Dowager and Queen ) 

 

“Is that so…?”

 

“That’s enough for small talk.”

 

The Emperor suddenly reached out to Meredith, who stared back at him with curious eyes.

 

“Treat it, my curse.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“You said you could cure it.”

 

“Your Majesty, I’m a magician, not a doctor.”

 

“Does it matter? Isn’t that more valuable than a doctor?”

 

“We need to know exactly what your curse is.”

 

“Then you should figure it out. Now.”

 

“I’m sorry, but that’s not my specialty.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“Well, a healing magician can’t treat an injury or curse without first knowing exactly what the problem is, so I can’t do anything. That’s why black magic is especially difficult to treat.”

 

After saying that, Meredith looked at the Emperor’s face carefully.

 

He looked like he had been deceived. 

 

It’s not like she didn’t understand such a reaction, but it was a little unfair.

 

Meredith quickly opened her mouth again.

 

“Give me some time.”

 

“What? To run away?”

 

“We need time to identify your curse and understand what you’re suffering from.”

 

“That’s tricky.”

 

“I told you it’s difficult.”

 

“What happens after all that understanding?”

 

The Emperor stared at Meredith and asked.

 

“Can you be sure you can resolve this issue?”

 

“You guaranteed my life, so I should be able to.”

 

“Fine.”

 

He nodded slowly.

 

“How many days do you need?”

 

“At least a week—”

 

“—That’s too long.”

 

“I need to see all the relevant books. That kind of information is restricted.”

 

Meredith quickly added.

 

“In addition, please allow me to see the forbidden books.”

 

“Forbidden books?”

 

“There are not many magic books left since 200 years ago, and any writing of black magic is strictly prohibited.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

“It’s possible the relevant information can be obtained through these books.”

 

“Okay, I’ll let you have whatever you need.”

 

The Emperor continued with a voice tinged with fatigue.

 

“But keep in mind, you must cure this ridiculous curse I have.”

 

“I’ll be sure to remember.”

 

“And everything we’ve talked about must stay between us.”

 

“You see me as a fool, Your Majesty. I know that much myself.”

 

“…It’s better to be sure.”

 

The Emperor muttered with a slightly awkward expression, then Meredith stood from her seat.

 

“Then I shall be leaving now.”

 

She had gone through many unexpected events that she was now exhausted.

 

Meredith politely uttered her goodbye and turned to leave the room, but unexpected words came from behind her.

 

“You should sleep here.”

 

Meredith doubted her ears for a moment.

 

It was a shock, similar to when she was first told by the Duke of Schwartz to marry the Emperor.

 

Meredith turned to face him, frowning slightly.

 

She could see the Emperor looking at her with a calm expression.

 

Only then did Meredith realize that what he had just said did not contain any sexual intent.

 

The Emperor spoke again, with a voice as dry as his expression.

 

“That is, if you don’t intend to let the Queen question our relationship.”

 

“…Ah.”

 

Of course.

 

‘The Queen must know by now that her assassins were disposed of by His Majesty.’

 

If the person who went to the Central Palace for the wedding night returns, she would be suspicious.

 

‘Come to think of it…’

 

The Duke of Schwartz must have known what was going to happen at the palace tonight. He intended for her to die along with the Emperor. 

 

‘You planned for my death after the wedding: killing two birds with one stone.’

 

Of course, Meredith already knew he didn’t think of her as his daughter, but at that moment, a hot fire soared in her heart.

 

‘…What should I do?’

 

Meredith couldn’t overcome her anger and squeezed the hem of her dress.

 

“You can’t go to sleep like that.”

 

She heard the voice of the Emperor. 

 

As she lowered her head, she could see the red-stained hem of her dress.

 

“Ah…”

 

Despite trying to avoid it, the dress seemed to have touched the blood on the floor from earlier.

 

‘It’s not nearly enough to notice…’

 

However, under the current circumstances, nothing should be handled poorly.

 

“The bed’s big, so let’s share it. It won’t be uncomfortable.”

 

“I’ll just sleep on the couch,”

 

Meredith responded.

 

“I think it would be better to just listen.”

 

He sounded strangely threatening.

 

“…”

 

Meredith hesitated, but eventually nodded.

 

******

 

Meredith laid down on the bed, silently regretting agreeing with the Emperor.

 

‘…Why did I say I would go to sleep?’

 

‘It’s so awkward that I’m going crazy.’

 

No matter how unfamiliar they were with each other, to lie in bed together on the first night was not a big problem.

 

The real problem was that as soon as Meredith lay in bed, her accumulated fatigue completely disappeared.

 

‘I can’t sleep…’

 

She was too awake. 

 

Meredith closed her eyes tightly with a troubled look.

 

She wanted to toss and turn around, but she couldn’t do it carelessly in case he would be disturbed.

 

‘Do I have to count sheep?’

 

It was while she was thinking this that she heard a voice from behind.

 

“Are you asleep?”

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