I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 53
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Chapter 53
7. Master of Asha Flower Branch (1)
It was early in the morning, close to dawn, when the unwelcome guest came. A messenger with a black flag engraved with the imperial family crest hurriedly rushed into the castle.
The messenger reported the shocking news.
“His Majesty has passed away!”
The Emperor, who had been ill for a long time, finally passed away.
The Duke, Zachary, and Iellie were all on their nerves. No matter how much the Crown Prince was in charge of state affairs instead of the Emperor. It was another matter for the Crown Prince to ascend to the throne.
A big political change was coming.
‘Besides, the Crown Prince has a much more aggressive attitude towards the Duchy than the Emperor.’
Iellie was also so nervous, how would Zachary and the Duke feel?
Since there was a distance between the Capital and the Duchy, the funeral was already over. Eventually, the messenger left again, leaving the news that the coronation was taking place.
“What are you going to do, Zachary?”
“I should talk to my father first.”
Saying so, he patted her on the head. Seeing her with a fresh face, he smiles.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“…But.”
“It won’t be a problem for you.”
‘No, that’s not the problem.’
As Iellie pouted her lips, Zachary raised his body and opened his mouth, “Then, I will visit my father for a while.”
“Yes, have a good conversation.”
She struggled to smile at him and nodded her head. He then left the room with a heavy heart.
The Duke was in his office. Zachary took a deep breath and knocked.
Knock, knock.
A gentle answer came.
“Come in.”
At the Duke’s words, he entered the office. The Duke, who was sitting at an angle in the chair, glanced up at Zachary.
“Father, are you planning to attend the coronation, too?”
“No. I am not attending.”
As the Duke answered firmly, Zachary stared at his face without saying a word. After all, it would be unreasonable to endure a long trip with such a body. Even though the cough had subsided a bit, his complex still wasn’t good.
“Then, I will send a reply that the Duchy will not attend the coronation.”
“Why?”
The Duke tilted his head and asked. That calm voice of a tone of which the answer was decided from the beginning.
“If you attend as my representative, wouldn’t it be resolved?”
Zachary paused for a moment. The meaning of the Duke sending him on his behalf was simple. By sending him as acting Duke of Hessenweitz, he intended to secure his successor position. However, that’s…
“No, that is impossible.”
“Zachary?”
“Because I know that father is not well.”
He firmly shook his head.
At that, instead of answering right away, the Duke stared intently at his son.
“How do I leave my father, and how do I empty the Duchy and attend the coronation?”
“….”
Zachary spat out in reply. He had dark blue eyes that couldn’t understand it. What was his father thinking?
“Don’t worry.”
After being silent for a moment, the Duke opened his mouth. Zachary stared at him as he continued.
“Since when have we been so close?”
In the past, those words would have hurt him, though now, he could recognize the faint warmth in his voice. The time spent with Iellie had softened the relationship between the two.
“But…”
“This talk is over. It’s up to you to attend the coronation.”
“Father!”
Zachary raised his voice.
However, the Duke was still stubborn and only persuaded him, “If you and I both do not attend the coronation, the Imperial Family will doubt the Duchy.”
“That…!”
“They are going to try to find out what’s going on with the Duchy. That is definitely a no.”
The enraged Zachary tried to protest, although the Duke kept his mouth shut by telling the reality.
“However, it is difficult for me, who is not in good health, to go directly to the capital.”
“….”
“It was rather a relief. In many ways, I think it’s the right time to reveal that you are my successor in front of people.”
His father rarely gave a lengthy explanation. The attitude of trying to make his opinion understandable rather than pressurize it. The attitude itself was unfamiliar, so Zachary was silent for a moment.
The Duke, who picked his words, persisted.
“The fact that you attend the coronation instead of the Duke…”
Saying so, his eyes glared at him. The warmth in his gaze made him speechless.
“…Because you’re solidifying that you’re the rightful heir to Hessenweitz.”
“Either way, I can’t. Does father not know more about your physical condition? How could I be vacant in a situation like this?”
Zachary shook his head. In front of the silent Duke, he began to protest again.
“I don’t want to go up to the capital, leaving my father alone.”
His son was worried about him. The Duke was drenched in emotion. It was a relationship built on hatred from the beginning. It was also clearly a relationship that started with his fault. Because of that, he didn’t expect the relationship to improve.
‘It’s probably thanks to that child.’
A young girl as bright as an asha flower changed the atmosphere of the Duke castle…
The Duke smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry about my body, and attend the coronation.”
“Father!”
“And, take Iellie as well.”
“….”
Zachary bit his lips tightly. Of course, if he was going to the Capital, he would also go with Iellie. Even so, it was strange to see the Duke, who was not interested in other people at all, taking care of her directly.
“The child must be… treated like the next mistress of Hessenweitz.”
“Still, father!”
“I don’t want to haggle with you anymore.”
The Duke said so with a firm voice. Perhaps, it seemed that he wouldn’t break his stubbornness.
Seeing that, Zachary eventually realized that he had to bend over first.
“…All right.”
“Then, go away. I’m tired.”
In the end, the Duke replied as he waved his hand.
Zachary sighed. His mouth rumbled as if he was biting sand into his mouth.
To get there for the coronation ceremony, he had to leave for the capital the next day. The carriage was quickly prepared, and the two got up from dawn. Knowing that the Duke wasn’t feeling well, they decided to leave as quietly as possible.
Nonetheless, someone came out of the castle to see them off.
“Duke?”
Early in the morning when it was pitch dark, Zachary and Iellie glanced back with surprised faces.
“I thought you were going to sleep.”
She opened her eyes and looked at the person. It was the Duke who was outside the castle.
“However, you are leaving. Why can’t I go and see your faces?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
The Duke nodded his head slightly. Iellie, who had been hesitating, approached him.
The Duke smiled.
“Take care of yourself.”
“Father, take care of your health. I will be back soon.”
Zachary greeted him. The two father-and-son face each other openly.
Iellie said, who couldn’t see it, “It’s the first time we’ve been away from the castle for such a long time, shouldn’t you even hug each other?”
“L, len.”
“Hurry up.”
She then smiled brightly.
The Duke, who hesitated for a moment, spread his arms wide, pretending he couldn’t win.
“…Come here.”
“….”
And so, he hugged the Duke with a shy face. She gazed at the two father-and-son embracing each other with a happy expression.
Then, Zachary beckoned to her. He told the bewildered Iellie.
“You have to come here, too. What are you doing?”
“Me?”
“Of course.”
The two father-and-son looked at her with an identical expression. Unable to win against the mood, she hesitated and walked towards them.
“Then… See you soon, Duke.”
Iellie, who had a shy face, hugged the Duke and Zachary tightly. The Duke’s arm wrapped around the two of them was so light that her heart ached. She stared at the Duke’s face. He looked expressionless, though his eyes were friendly.
‘…I feel a little weird.’
Even though she hadn’t left the Duke’s Castle yet, she had a strange feeling that she was going to miss this place.
Iellie got into the carriage with a strange feeling.
The Duke who remained behind watched for a long time at the departing carriage.
And, the day before the coronation, the two arrived in the Capital, Lippen.
The appearance of the Capital she saw in a long time was almost the same as her memory. The streets were well-maintained, with neatly dressed people coming and going. Gorgeous shops lined up inside the area where the nobles stayed.
However, Iellie had a sullen face.
‘Still, it doesn’t look much different from the Duchy.’
To be honest, the degree of development of the two cities was similar. She still hasn’t forgotten the culture shock when she first saw the duchy. The pride of the Imperial Family that the Capital was more prosperous than the Duchy was just ridiculous.
“Len. What are you looking so hard at?”
Seeing her like that, Zachary snuck his head out. She looked out the window and turned her head towards him.
“I just thought the Capital was almost the same as before.”
Hearing those words, his eyes narrowed quickly. Zachary asked the question in a questionable voice.
“If you want to live in the Capital…”
“It’s not like that, so don’t worry.”
The startled Iellie pulled his cheek tightly. He had a look like a disgraced puppy as he spoke again.
“How much more is left until the Duke’s residence?”
“Well, soon?”
Zachary glanced out the window. She also stuck out her head. Among the noble townhouses inside the district, there was a mansion that stood out. It was an elegant building built of rosy bricks.
“…Could it be that?”
“Yes. “
Zachary nodded his head proudly. Iellie did not stare blankly at the mansion but muttered a little.
“…It’s huge.”
“What do you do with just this much?”
Was this something you would hear ‘just’? She narrowed her brow. Of course, it was not on a scale to compare to the Duke’s castle, whereas the townhouse of the Duke’s family boasted an overwhelming size compared to the mansions of the surrounding noble families.
“Let’s get off, Len.”
“Oh, yes.”
Zachary took Iellie’s hand as he got off the carriage.
She skimmed around the well-organized garden of the mansion. The employees lined up in front of the mansion bowed 90 degrees and greeted politely.
“I see the Small Duke and Lady Hessenweitz.”
“Yes.”
Zachary replied arrogantly.
She squinted at him. He was always kind to her, but when he treats other people, he felt a little like a wall.
She smiled softly.
“Nice to meet you all.”
“Greetings Lady.”
The employees looked at Iellie with curious eyes. The Small Duke and Duchess stayed in the castle throughout their marriage, so the townhouse people were quite curious about the new Mistress.
‘It’s the first time I’ve seen the Small Duke look so humble.’
‘Is it because the Mistress is there?’
What surprised the employees the most was Zachary’s attitude. Zachary, who had visited the townhouse very rarely, had never greeted the people of the Duke’s Castle. Although now, it was different.
‘And, Lady Hessenweitz…’
The next Mistress, as if holding the leash of a wild beast. Long, fluttering pink hair, light green eyes, and a slender body. With a gentle attitude, she was a beautiful woman like a brightly blooming Asha flower.
“Len, aren’t you tired?”
As the two of them got off the carriage and talked, the employees looked at it curiously.
‘Was the Small Duke the kind of person who could smile like that?’
‘Besides, was he asking about Lady’s well-being?’
The employees could not hide their shock in many ways.
Iellie gazed at Zachary and said sullenly, “Really, His Majesty the Emperor will also participate in the jousting match, right?”
“Jousting match?”
“Yes. Well, maybe he’ll send out a knight on behalf of that.”
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