Marriage with a Suspiciously Demure Husband — Chapter 7

HAVE I BEEN TOO TENSE LATELY?

OF ALL THINGS, I DREAMED NOAH WAS STRANGLING ME...

HAZEL, WHY ARE YOU AWAKE?

NOAH...?!

TODAY,

DID YOU...

HAVE A NIGHTMARE AGAIN?

...YOU CAME HOME VERY LATE TONIGHT.

I'M SORRY. I WILL COME HOME EARLIER FROM NOW ON.

There, there.

IT'S STILL DAWN, SO GO BACK TO SLEEP FOR NOW, HAZEL.

YOU HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN WE AGREED TO GO OUT TOGETHER IN THE MORNING, HAVE YOU?

U-UM!

ABOUT THAT, NOAH.

C-COULD WE GO ANOTHER TIME?

ANOTHER TIME?

THE TRUTH IS, I'M REALLY TIRED FROM WORK TODAY...

I THINK I'LL FEEL BETTER IF I REST ONE MORE DAY.

WHAT IS THIS?

THE "USUAL" NOAH WOULD HAVE AGREED RIGHT AWAY.

WHY IS HE THINKING IT OVER?

And he looks strangely troubled...

TOMORROW MUST BE MY JUDGMENT DAY.

ON DATE: TOMORROW

EXPIRATI

ON THE WEEKEND BEFORE OUR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY,

WHETHER I END UP BURIED IN THE GROUND

OR LEFT DANGLING SOMEWHERE,

WOULD JUST BE A THRILLING SNACK FOR KAILUS TO ENJOY WITH HIS WINE.

HE WON'T HAVE TO PRETEND TO LOVE ME ANYMORE,

AND HE GETS HIS REVENGE. HOW NICE FOR HIM.

What a Perfect day to get rid of me. Heh..

FIRST, I HAVE TO AVOID GOING OUT TOMORROW NO MATTER WHAT!

SURVIVAL TACTIC: FAKE ILLNESS

OH DEAR. YOU DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T PUSH YOURSELF ANYMORE.

THEN SHALL WE LET YOU REST TODAY AND GO TOMORROW?

T-TOMORROW?

RIGHT... A WEEKEND IS TWO DAYS.

I should've said I needed a whole week off..!

Y-YEAH. SURE. I WILL REST WELL TODAY, AND WE CAN GO TOMORROW. TOMORROW!

WHAT EXCUSE AM I SUPPOSED TO USE TOMORROW?!

WITH RAIN LIKE THIS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GO OUT TOMORROW EITHER.

I SUPPOSE SO. IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CARRIAGE TO MOVE...

THE HEAVENS ARE ON MY SIDE~~!

WHAT A SHAME, NOAH.

IT IS ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF DAYS ANYWAY.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, PLENTY OF DAYS? YOU JERK, DO YOU REALLY NEED TO PUT THIS MUCH EFFORT INTO KILLING ONE PERSON? DAMN IT, CAN'T YOU JUST LET ME GO? OR SUE ME FOR DAMAGES OR SOMETHING? IT IS YOU COMMITTED A CAPITAL DON'T YOU KNOW PRIVATE REVENGE IS ILLEGAL? JUST ACT LIKE A PRINCIPAL AND LEAVE, YOU BASTARD.

HAA. WHEN I SAID I WAS SICK, HE EVEN WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF MAKING PINE NUT PORRIDGE,

SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN THIS WORLD, BASED ONLY ON MY DESCRIPTION. JUST WHAT KIND OF GRAND REVENGE IS HE PLANNING?

BUT WHERE WERE WE REALLY GOING?

YOU KEPT WAITING FOR THE WEEKEND, NOAH.

LET'S HEAR WHAT THOSE SMUG LIPS HAVE TO SAY.

IT IS SOMEWHERE MY DEAR WIFE SHOULD SEE FOR HERSELF.

It is a secret.

IT'S PROBABLY SOMEWHERE HAZEL HAS NEVER BEEN BEFORE.

SO HE MEANS HE'S SENDING ME TO HEAVEN...

ANYWAY, I SOMEHOW MADE IT THROUGH THIS WEEKEND,

BUT NEXT TIME, HE MIGHT USE A METHOD THAT'S NOT AFFECTED BY THE WEATHER.

BEFORE THAT, I HAVE TO SOMEHOW GET A CLEAN DIVORCE FROM NOAH AND RUN AWAY,

OR SEEK ASYLUM SOMEWHERE,

AND FIND A WAY TO ESCAPE.

WHICH MEANS I NEED HELP FROM SOMEONE I CAN TRUST...

HAZEL.

LATELY, YOU SEEM

TO SPEND MORE TIME LOST IN THOUGHT INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT ME.

I WONDER WHY THAT IS.

I ALWAYS THINK ONLY OF HAZEL,

SO IT HURTS A LITTLE THAT MY WIFE DOESN'T SEEM TO FEEL THE SAME.

N-NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT.

I LOOK AT NOAH EVERY DAY, DON'T I? STRANGE.

NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

NOT SOME OTHER THOUGHT.

PLEASE LOOK ONLY AT ME, HAZEL.

AT LEAST WHILE WE'RE TOGETHER.

HOW CAN HE SAY THAT I SHOULDN'T EVEN DREAM OF ESCAPING HIS GRASP

IN SUCH A WAY...?

THESE PAST FEW DAYS...

HAZEL'S BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN SUSPICIOUS.

SHE WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO SMILED BRIGHTLY,

BUT LATELY, SHE KEEPS FLINCHING.

AND THE GAZE THAT USED TO ONLY LOOK AT ME KEEPS DRIFTING ELSEWHERE WHENEVER IT HAS THE CHANCE.

DID SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAPPEN?

THERE WAS NOTHING ESPECIALLY UNUSUAL IN MY SUBORDINATES' REPORTS.

...DID SHE FIND ANOTHER MAN?

NO. THE FLIES THAT COULD RUIN MY PLAN

HAVE ALL BEEN CLEANED UP, SO THAT CAN'T BE IT.

AH.

COME TO THINK OF IT,

IT'S ALMOST OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

OF COURSE.

WITH THAT AWFUL HABIT OF HERS, MAKING A FUSS OVER EVERY LITTLE ANNIVERSARY,

TA-DA~

NOAH, IT'S A SURPRISE PRESENT~

THERE'S NO WAY SHE WOULD LET A DAY LIKE THIS PASS QUIETLY.

She did the same on my birthday.

THEN I SHOULD PRETEND NOT TO KNOW.

LIKE THE "PERFECT HUSBAND,"

SO I DON'T STRAY FROM THIS FILE.

HAZEL LOVE'S IDEAL TYPE

HERE IS THE REPORT ON HAZEL LOVE, YOUR GRACE.

HAZEL LOVE'S MOVEMENTS

NAME, HAZEL LOVE.

AGE, 23. FEMALE.

APPEARANCE...

THERE IS A PORTRAIT ON THE NEXT PAGE.

HMM.

LARGE GOLDEN EYES...

SHE LOOKS LIKE A SMALL, ROUND HERBIVORE.

HER FACE IS SO PALE,

SHE LOOKS LIKE A RABBIT RUNNING THROUGH A SNOWFIELD.

NO, PERHAPS MORE LIKE A TIMID DEER...

YOUR GRACE...?

AHEM. I KNOW WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE NOW, SO LET'S REVIEW THE REST.

NO FAMILY, CURRENTLY LIVING IN THE CAPITAL...

YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

WITH NO FAMILY, SHE SHOULD BE EASY TO ELIMINATE.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW RATHER TROUBLESOME POINTS.

SHE JOINED THE IMPERIAL KNIGHT ORDER AS THE TOP RECRUIT IMMEDIATELY UPON GRADUATION.

THE ONLY ONE IN BOTH THE IMPERIAL KNIGHT ORDER AND THE WHITE DRAGON KNIGHTS WITH A RECORD OF OVER 100 SUBJUGATIONS.

SHE HAS APPARENTLY NEVER ONCE FAILED AT ILLUSION MAGIC, EITHER.

NO WONDER EVERY SUBORDINATE I SENT CAME BACK HALF OUT OF THEIR MIND.

No, but I swear she married a crow and a wolf!

I saw it with my own eyes!

BUT AFTER GOING TO ALL THE TROUBLE OF STEALING MY SOURCE OF FUNDS,

WHY WOULD SHE CHOOSE A MERCENARY GUILD OF ALL THINGS AND SHOW OFF WITH ILLUSION MAGIC?

IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT, SHE WOULD'VE BEEN HARD FOR ME TO FIND.

Is she trying to get herself killed?

I HEAR SHE WAS LOOKED DOWN ON QUITE A BIT FOR BEING A COMMONER.

IT SEEMS SHE BELIEVES NOTHING SHE ACCOMPLISHES IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL.

THEN SHE SHOULD FALL FOR IT QUICKLY IF I JUST PUT IN A LITTLE EFFORT.

PEOPLE LIKE THAT ARE STARVED FOR ATTENTION.

NOW, THEN,

GIVE ME THE FULL REPORT ON THAT WOMAN'S IDEAL TYPE.

SO I CAN PERSONALLY

APPROACH HER

AND DEAL WITH HER.