A Change of Husband - Chapter 99

“This is a declaration of war.”

 

Count Bonaparte muttered through clenched teeth.
He simply couldn’t believe the situation. Joseph had gone to kill a woman of low birth—just some insignificant girl. Strictly speaking, she couldn’t even be considered a true noble.

 

How could his son come back in such a ruined state over someone like her?

 

“The king personally moved just to save some unimportant wench? That’s bullshit.”

 

“Then how do you see this situation, Father?”

 

“I’d say it’s meant to be an example—to punish anyone who dares go against him. That little brat dares…”

 

He had expected the young king, full of hot blood, might act rashly.
But he had never imagined that he would destroy the unofficial heir of the prestigious Bonaparte family like this.

 

This was as good as the new king showing he had no intention of respecting the conservative nobles.
To be attacked like this and do nothing about it—unthinkable.

 

“He must be so full of himself now that he’s managed to grab the throne. Thinks he’s something special, doesn’t he?”

 

“What will you do?”

 

“If he’s sharpening his blade toward us, we can’t just sit and take it.”

 

“But isn’t opposing the king too dangerous?”

 

“The one in danger will be him, Geoffrey. That fool running wild, blind to his limits just because he’s got a crown on his head. What can he even do with an empty treasury and pitiful weapons?”

 

And it was true.
Unlike the conservative nobles who had been preparing for years to place Count Mirk on the throne, the other nobles—Esperad included—had made no such preparations.

 

Especially when it came to weapons.
The conservative nobles had invested early in the inventor of firearms and secured a large share of the profits, allowing them to arm their knights with the latest weaponry.

 

The king should never have revealed his hand to them.

 

“He’ll regret this, that I’ll make sure of.”

 

“Father, where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to see Count Mirk. Will you come with me?”

 

“With my brother like this, I should stay here and keep watch, Father.”

 

“…Alright, then.”

 

As soon as Count Bonaparte left, Geoffrey rose and gestured for the family doctor.

 

“A word, if you please.”

 

“Yes, young master.”

 

Monica looked at them briefly but then turned her attention back to the Countess.
The Countess seemed too shocked by Joseph’s state to notice Geoffrey and the doctor speaking.

 

When Monica gave a small nod, Geoffrey walked out into the hallway with the doctor.

 

“What is it, young master?”

 

“How is my brother’s condition?”

 

“He was shot, but fortunately the bullet missed any vital areas, and the surgery to remove it was a success. He should recover in time.”

 

“He’ll be fine?”

 

“Yes.”

 

At the doctor’s confident reply, a chilling smile crept across Geoffrey’s face.

 

“But Johns, I don’t want him to get better.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“Of course, I don’t mean to kill him. He’s still my family—my own brother by blood. I couldn’t possibly.”

 

Geoffrey pulled out a small pouch and placed it in the doctor’s hand.
The doctor accepted it instinctively, then looked up at Geoffrey, startled.

 

“Y-Young master?”

 

“Mix it into his medicine. You won’t suffer any consequences from this. However…”

 

Geoffrey gently placed a hand on the doctor’s shoulder and whispered into his ear.

 

“If this task goes wrong… I can’t guarantee what will happen to you—or to your family.”

 

“B-But, young master, I’m the Bonaparte family’s physician. How could I dare threaten the life of the heir?”

 

“Oh, don’t be so scared. It won’t kill him.”

 

“Then… what is it?”

 

The matter of who would inherit the Bonaparte name wasn’t something the doctor could decide, but public opinion heavily favored the calm and composed Geoffrey over the violent Joseph.
The doctor shared that sentiment himself, but if the medicine endangered Joseph’s life, his own head would roll.

 

In that case, it might be safer to report Geoffrey’s actions to Count Bonaparte.

 

“It’s a drug that will render him sexually impotent. Permanently.”

 

“T-Then…”

 

“I once saw a man with a sword wound to the waist who ended up limping for life. Make it seem like something like that.”

 

“……”

 

“If you handle this well, once I become the head of the family, there will be much in it for you. Choose wisely. I’d rather not get rid of someone I value.”

 

With that, Geoffrey smiled warmly, as if he hadn’t just threatened the man’s entire family, and stood up.

 

 

“Enough… don’t say more. I’m okay. I’ll listen later. So please, just…”

 

“Don’t… cry, huu… To die as your wife…”

 

“You’re not dying. You’ll be okay, so please don’t say that. Please…”

 

“I just… dying as… your woman… is enough…”

 

“Asilie no. No…”

 

To die as his woman—she thought that would be enough.
To breathe her last in his arms, feeling his love and giving her own, didn’t seem like such a tragic end.

 

But when she opened her eyes again, Asilie realized it.
How dull and grey the world became without him.

 

“No!”

 

Her back felt damp, and her hair clung to her neck.
It was unpleasant. But wiping away the cold sweat wasn’t the most important thing.

 

“Esperad?”

 

It seemed to be daytime—the world outside was bright.
The room was familiar, but not the one she had been using lately.
This wasn’t the Bonaparte estate. Nor the Grandier estate.

 

“…The Medici Mansion?”

 

“Ah, you’re awake.”

 

It was a maid she’d never seen before.
Just as Asilie found that odd, she realized something else—the Medici Mansion wasn’t quite as she remembered it.

 

Six and a half years had passed since then. Of course the staff would have changed.

 

“Him…?”

 

“His Majesty has gone briefly to the palace, but he’ll be back soon. He ordered us to prepare a meal for you when you woke up.”

 

“How long have I been asleep?”

 

“Three days. His Majesty has already informed the ducal household as well. He said to tell you to rest without worry.”

 

Though she had panicked for a moment at not seeing him, the maid’s words brought some relief.
Asilie couldn’t remember how she had collapsed.

 

Her last memory was of kissing Esperad.
She must have passed out from the overwhelming emotion—but she couldn’t be certain.

 

‘Still, I’m glad.’

 

When she woke, she feared that her reunion with Esperad might have been a dream.
If that miraculous moment had been only a fantasy born from longing, she wouldn’t have been able to bear it.
But thankfully, it wasn’t.

 

Esperad had truly come here—for her.

 

“Oh, and you have a guest waiting. Should I prepare your meal with them?”

 

Snapped out of her thoughts by the maid’s voice, Asilie blinked.

 

“A guest?”

 

“His Majesty said it’s someone you know.”

 

Someone she knew? There were so many people she and Esperad both knew, she couldn’t guess who it was.
Asilie simply nodded, and the maid bowed deeply before leaving the room.

 

Soon after, the maid returned with someone Asilie knew very well.
Someone she had missed dearly.

 

“…Lydia?”

 

Brown hair, amber eyes just like hers, and pale skin.
The only thing that had changed since the last time she saw her was that she now gave off a much more mature aura.

 

Asilie jumped out of bed and ran toward Lydia. She hugged her tightly.
“Lydia!”
“Sis…”

 

She had known Lydia was alive, but contact had been too difficult, so their reunion had been put off again and again.
Now that she could finally see with her own eyes that Lydia was safe, she was overwhelmed with relief—and tears started pouring down.

 

The string of reunions, the joy and emotion of these meetings, stirred her feelings all over again, just when she had barely managed to calm down.
“That man protected you, didn’t he? He… he…”

 

As Asilie broke down in sobs, unable to finish her sentence, Lydia gently stroked her back and comforted her.
“He showed mercy. I thought it was strange—just experiencing another world didn’t seem like reason enough. But now I see, you two were connected. Even if it wasn’t in this world, you had a bond in another one.”

 

“He came because of me. He took that long journey because of me. Hic…”
“Then that’s something to be happy about. If two people who longed so much for each other finally met, you should be smiling, not crying.”

 

It was only after Lydia said that that Asilie realized the reason behind the anxiety growing in her heart.
Because she had missed him so desperately, she was now even more afraid.
Just like she once had to leave a parallel world because she didn’t belong there, what if Esperad also had to leave this world because he didn’t belong here either?

 

‘And back then, I went through so much pain.’

 

The parallel world had constantly threatened her, trying to reject and erase the impurity that wasn’t part of it.
And Asilie had endured that pain in silence, unable to bring herself to tell Esperad.

 

If he was going through the same thing now—just for her…

 

“He’ll probably have to go back.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t belong in that world. So in the end, I had to say goodbye to him. That’s why… he’ll definitely have to return to his own world too.”

 

It was a heartbreaking conclusion—but it was the truth.
Asilie couldn’t ask Esperad to endure the same pain she had for her sake.
She had experienced it firsthand—how unbearable it was.
She could never make someone she loved go through such suffering.

 

Just moments ago, she had been so overjoyed at being reunited with him. But now, realizing this happiness might be short-lived, she felt like bursting into tears again.

 

Just then—
“It’s okay. That won’t be necessary.”
“…Huh?”
“The reason you had to come back was because your body in this world hadn’t died.
But His Majesty… he came here after living out his full life in that world.
A soul with nowhere to return to doesn’t belong to any world anymore. And…”

 

Lydia smiled.
“When I checked, His Majesty’s soul had completely fused with this world’s soul. So don’t worry. At least, nothing in this world will try to separate you two.”

 

It was truly strange.
Asilie had more worries than just that, and yet those few words brought her so much comfort that the sob she had barely been holding back burst out again.

 

“And since you look like you’re still out of it, I’ll just go ahead and answer something you’d probably ask: I’m doing fine. I did get caught up in some troublesome stuff, but thanks to you, everything turned out okay.
These days, I’m staying in the royal palace.”

 

“Sniff… wow, the royal palace?”
“I’m still technically a criminal, so I have to be under supervision—at least on paper. That’s why I’m living in the palace.
But I’m not uncomfortable at all. Really.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? You…”

 

As Asilie was about to say more, Lydia, who had been sitting across from her, suddenly stood up, pulled out a handkerchief, and began wiping the tears from Asilie’s face.
Surprised by the sudden gesture, Asilie couldn’t hide her confusion and called her sister’s name.
“Lydia?”
“You shouldn’t show such a messy face in front of someone you love.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“Anyway, let’s talk more later. His Majesty has allowed me to stay in this house for a while, so we’ll see each other again.”
“Why are you putting it off till later?”

 

Just then, a knock came at the door.
Knock knock.
Only then did Asilie understand what Lydia had meant.

 

When the door opened and he walked in, Lydia gave a polite curtsy and left the room as if she had been waiting for that moment.
She even closed the door gently behind her, leaving just the two of them in the room.

 

To Asilie, it hadn’t been all that long since their parting. And yet, something felt strange and unfamiliar.
At the same time, it also felt familiar—because this place was…

 

“…Esperad.”

 

Only after saying his name, and looking at him, and seeing the bedroom behind him—
did Asilie finally realize.

 

This was the last bedroom she and Esperad had shared before leaving for the royal palace.

 

She still remembered it clearly—
How they had woken up, how they had fallen asleep, and how they had loved each other.

 

Ah, he had truly come back.
Back to her.