I Am Trying To Divorce My Villain Husband, But We Have A Child - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The next day.

“Well, Young Master Richard, when will we start sparring?” After having his lunch, Thompson was waiting in the backyard as ordered by Richard.

But, even though it was almost two and a half o’clock, Richard just stood still. From time to time, he would look up at the second floor of the mansion.

“Wait.”

At Richard’s cold reply, Thompson waited in silence again. After about ten minutes, Elisha appeared by the second-floor window. Only then, Richard turned to Thompson and grabbed the sword. “Let’s get started.”

Thompson stood face to face with Richard. Suddenly, he remembered what his colleagues said.

[Don’t try to use your real skill when you spar with the Young Master. Everyone says that they want a fair game, but losing makes them upset. The higher their status, the more likely they will react like that.]

[If they demand a fair game, it means that you should lose after doing it moderately so that you won’t hurt their pride.]

[Yeah, just do it moderately. Let’s stay here together for a long time because no family in the Empire can offer this much money.]

Thompson had the best skills of his peers. His fellow knights shook their heads, lamenting why Richard chose Thompson as his opponent among the knights. It would be quite difficult for Thompson to pretend to do his best against the opponent with clumsy swordsmanship.

‘Moderately. Let’s do it moderately. My opponent is like my younger brother.’ Thompson watched Richard across him while thinking of his younger brothers running toward him.

At that time, Richard launched a preemptive strike. Thompson nimbly dodged the attack. And this time, he attacked Richard. But as soon as he tried to suppress Richard, Richard dodged him easily and his sword moved swiftly toward Thompson’s neck.

‘He’s fast…!’ Thompson backed away in a hurry and narrowly avoided the attack. His throat nearly being cut off at that moment.

Richard warned Thompson, who was looking at him in astonishment, in a cold voice, “If this isn’t a spar, you could’ve lost your neck just now.”

Not only Thompson, but his fellow knights were also surprised by Richard’s skill. ‘How can a 15-year-old boy have that level of skill…?’

Although Richard was physically smaller than Thompson, who was an adult, he knew how to use the difference in physique to his advantage. Richard didn’t take Thompson’s attack head on.

If he competed solely by using his strength, he would be overpowered by their physical difference. Instead, when the opponent attacked, he dodged nimbly and quickly launched his attack before the shock was delivered. His movement was swift and flexible. He was as good as a well-trained professional assassin.

‘I heard that he infiltrated various guilds until he joined the Dukedom. Don’t tell me…it wasn’t just a rumor?’ Thompson, who had been struggling to keep up with Richard’s speed, finally missed the sword.

“Kukk!” Eventually, a sharp sword was pointed at Thompson’s neck, and the spar ended with Richard’s victory. Thompson raised his hands up in surrender.

Richard, who stared at Thompson, quickly withdrew his sword. “If you haven’t shown your real skill, you can ask for a rematch.”

“No, that’s my real skill.” Thompson clearly admitted his defeat. Then he asked the question that had been on his mind. “But why did Young Master suddenly ask for a spar? By any chance, did I get on Young Master’s nerves in any way…?”

“No. I was just curious about the knights’ level of skill.” Richard answered evasively and looked up at the second floor of the mansion. But, Elisha was not there.

*****

Elisha, who was watching the spar between Richard and Thompson, returned to her room with Ann, who had just come back from an errand. Ann put down a rolled paper in front of Elisha. “This is what Milady asked for.”

Elisha unfolded the paper she received from Ann and laughed in satisfaction. The paper was a map of the entire western continent. “Thank you. You did well. Sit here and eat this.” And she pushed the cookies that she had set aside for Ann.

Ann smiled shyly and started eating the cookies on the table. Elisha spread a huge map, which was about her size, on the bed. Then, she put down a small object at each corner to secure it. At that time, Ann suddenly said as if she had thought of something. “Oh, by the way, Milady, I heard at the square today that the Crown Prince is very ill.”

“Oh, about that? I already heard it a fortnight ago. His Highness still hasn’t recovered?”

“Yes, His Highness seems to be in much worse condition than we thought. Everyone was talking about it at the square.”

Elisha was briefly interested in the Crown Prince’s recent developments, but she didn’t think much about it.

“Well, he’s not going to die yet. He has a long life.”

“Pardon…?”

“Nothing.” Elisha murmured unknowingly to Ann, who was too surprised to ask again.

After finishing the cookies, Ann left the room with an empty tray. Being left alone, Elisha lay down on her bed while looking through a huge map. Her eyes were drawn toward Rubelin, a huge land north of Arencia. “This is Rubelin…”

Rubelin dukedom was wider than any other land, but it was less utilized due to low temperatures and high mountains. Furthermore, it was a dangerous area where monsters frequently appeared as it was bordered by land contaminated with mana northwest of Rubelin. Next, Elisha’s attention was directed toward Akaroa, the state where she was currently staying.

Then, the door opened and Richard came in. It seemed like he came right after a bath since his hair was slightly wet.

“You’re here.”

Richard came up to the bed where Elisha was lying down and sat beside her. Then he asked furtively. “What did you do today?”

“Huh? Well…I just read a book in the library.”

“…and?”

Elisha cast a suspicious glance at Richard, who asked her about her daily routine. ‘Why is he suddenly interested in my daily routine?’ She was puzzled by his sudden interest but she answered obediently.

“And I was looking at the map……oh, right.” Suddenly, she remembered the spar between Richard and Thompson that she had just seen. “I saw you sparring earlier.”

At Elisha’s answer, Richard’s eyes twinkled with expectations. That was the answer he was waiting for. Richard expected Elisha’s admiration to follow.

However, rather than expressing praise or admiration, Elisha’s eyes were full of worries. “How about your injury last time? Is it better now? Is it okay to move like that?”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t get hurt, did you? Let me see.” Elisha grabbed Richard’s arm. She was about to check for any wound.

Richard, who was bewildered by the unexpected response, grumbled as he pulled his hand out of Elisha’s grasp. “I already got better.”

“But you can’t overdo it for a while.”

Despite Richard’s blunt reply, Elisha nagged about her worries. Instead of answering, Richard sighed with his face buried in his hands.

Unaware of his frustration, Elisha focused again on the map. “Richard, how’s life in Akaroa? Things like climate and social culture?”

Richard sighed at Elisha’s question and reluctantly answered while looking at the map. “…This state was chosen as the best place to live since it has high job opportunities due to its administration system. Akaroa isn’t chosen for nothing. It has a large river flowing through a large plain, abundance of fertile land, and the sea route.”

“Oh, the local food is important. Is there a lot of delicious food there?”

“I don’t know. Food is just food.” After skimming through the map, Richard lay in bed and closed his eyes. Then, he suddenly asked in wonder. “But what are you gonna do with this?”

“I’m just surveying a place to live later.”

“Later?”

“When I became an adult. Didn’t I promise that I will leave the Dukedom?”

Richard’s eyes wide opened at Elisha’s words. His heart sank when he recalled their promise for the future. He was too hasty.

He didn’t even hear Elisha say “And it would be better if I know more about the other states for trade exchanges with the Dukedom.”

“Where do you want to live later?” Richard asked Elisha nervously as his eyes scanned the map persistently.

Unaware of his gaze, Elisha looked through the map and pointed to a place near the eastern port. It was an area close to Count Arden’s land, where Elisha’s maternal grandparent’s villa was located. Richard heard that Viscount Lohengrin had sold the villa to pay off his debt when he was alive.

He wanted to go there one day. If he went there, he would be able to know in detail about the traumatic past of Elisha Lohengrin, who is now his wife.

“My first choice is probably here. What do you think of it? I think it’s going to be too hot in the south and too cold in the north.”

“…Sornetti.” Richard engraved the name and location of the area pointed by Elisha’s finger in his memory. As if to make sure that he would never forget about it. A few minutes passed just like that.

Suddenly, Elisha’s head suddenly fell over while looking at the map.

When Richard’s eyes turned to Elisha in surprise, he heard her regular breathing sound. “Ha…” Richard stared at Elisha, who was asleep, and laid her down properly. Then he removed the spread map.

In the meantime, Elisha was sleeping like a log. She didn’t even realize that some of her hair stuck on her lips.

‘…You should sleep a lot to grow faster.’ In Richard’s eyes, Elisha needed to grow a bit more. Back then, during Count Arden’s banquet, Elisha, who stood alone in front of a child taller than her, looked so small and precarious enough to make him feel anxious. ‘She never lost though.’ Rather than absurd, he thought that she was amazing.

Richard extended his hand to remove the hair on Elisha’s lips. At that moment, her small lips flinched. Richard’s fingertips stopped at once. After being stunned for a while, Richard gathered a small wind around his fingertips and used it to remove Elisha’s hair. Then her face, which had been hidden by her hair, was clearly revealed. Richard then lay down at his original position and closed his eyes.

“Eung….” Elisha’s mumbling, as well as her presence, felt closer. The girl, who had been rolling toward him, narrowed the distance in an instant and wrapped her hands around Richard’s waist.

Richard was dumbfounded as he looked at Elisha. Then, he sighed and closed his eyes. The warmth from his left side felt familiar now. He found peace in the warmth although he thought it was a strange feeling.

But the peace didn’t last long.