Kill This Marriage - Chapter 14

“How old are you?”

“I’m 21 years old now.”

“My daughter died at the age of 20. So I feel weak when I see a child of your age or Isabel’s. My daughter was very pretty, too.”

“…….”

“This year is the fourth year since my daughter died. So maybe that’s why we met today. For me to tell you a story about my daughter.”

Nicole understood. The imperial people believe that the spirit of the dead stays in this world for more than four years then completely leaves the earth.

So on the fourth death anniversary, there was usually a small memorial service. Unless the person didn’t passed away early, an altar is no longer necessary and going to the Temple is only needed.

Fourth anniversary. For 10 days, the deceased is said to be visiting their family for the last time.

‘Is that why she mistook me as her daughter in front of the memorial altar earlier? Because today is within that ten days?’

Nicole spoke quietly.

“Why, is it strange that I went bird hunting when it’s time to commemorate my daughter?”

Grace said quietly.

“No, not really.”

“My daughter loved new cuisine. Tomorrow is the 10th day, so I was going to make her favorite dish. I planned to hunt for a few days, but it was a waste.”

“………I don’t know how to comfort you. I hope your daughter is at peace.”

Nicole was a little moved. Parents seemed to be only worried about feeding their children to both the living and the dead.

“I’m glad you said so. And don’t worry about living in this land. If there was anyone dangerous around here in the first place, I would have gotten rid of it in advance.”

“…….”

Nicole was genuinely curious about her identity.

If she really finds a bad person, will she really shoot them? Somehow she felt like she would.

“Do you really live alone?”

“Of course, there are people here who work for me. They commute from town. I enjoy being alone at night.”

“……I see. But this is quite a big house for someone who’s living alone.”

“The young man who takes care of the garden also takes care of the house. He milks the cows and feeds them.”

“Excuse me, you don’t seem to be in financial need, but why do you even raise livestock?”

Grace said with eyes asking why all of a sudden.

“I like to drink freshly squeezed milk. And I always wanted to live in a small garden and raise livestock after returning to farming. I recklessly built a garden and bought livestock, but all the goats ran away.”

Nicole’s heart began to beat hard.

‘I think I know why Isabel did such a suspicious thing.’

Nicole said calmly.

“What do you do with the leftover milk?

“I’m letting the working young man take it. He seems to make money by selling it to a nearby store. I’m just letting him have some pocket money.”

Milk… Milk of death……. And someone who lives alone.

A hidden mansion

‘It’s weird, I feel like there’s something I’m missing.’

At that moment, Nicole’s body stiffened. Obviously, Nicole has read a story about a woman named Grace.

The ring that Raul gave her. In the document contained there.

‘I read it in passing, but it’s clear. That’s right!’

⟨Record of the witch hunt in the village of Ranford.

The incident occurred on July 12, 232 of the Imperial calendar.

The village of Ranford was underdeveloped due to the long exploitation of a government official.

The lady, who built a mansion alone at the entrance of the village, was falsely accused of “cursing the children’s milk” and was witch-hunted.

The lady was taken to the village and burned at the stake. After that, the villagers flocked to the lady’s mansion and tried to steal things.

But the house was completely empty. A robber has already broken in.

Later, a man named Jen from Belzera was arrested as a suspect. It was stated that he robbed the mansion during the disturbance due to the witch hunt.

This is a wake-up call for the reality of some areas of low education even in the empire…….⟩

The ring was filled with records of Nicole’s family. However, that report was suddenly included in there.

Nicole was out of her mind at the time and didn’t think it was important.

‘I wondered why it was there. There were so many truths that I learned at that time that I didn’t remember them for a long time…….’

But the document in the ring Raul gave her. There was a meaning in all of it.

The milk that was released into the village. The people who drank the milk must have started to get very sick.

‘This lady is the one who was witch hunted.’

But the thing is, there were other people who robbed the mansion.

‘What if someone made this up and robbed the mansion while the owner was taken away?’

Or maybe the causal relationship is the opposite. The culprit may have set up the owner as a witch for the mansion.

‘What’s clear is that Isabel was involved in this.’

The arrested robber, a man named Jen. Is he related to Isabel?

‘Who the hell are you, Isabel?’

The child was born a devil. Why was such a child born to their parents?

“Are you all right? You don’t look well.”

“No, you said it was okay, but……. I was thinking about how I could repay you for allowing my family to live nearby. Well, how about I make some medicine for you?”

“You?”

“……Yes, you seem to be suffering from insomnia, so I can make you tea and medicine that is good for a good night’s sleep. My family harvests herbs and eats them. I learned from herbalists that some herbs are good for sleep.”

“Are you saying you’ll come back tomorrow?”

Nicole was surprised inside, but answered yes.

“I had a dream about my daughter last night. It was a dream that Siena would come to see me. She kept looking at me anxiously and was shouting something to me.”

Nicole felt sorry for her and felt a little restless.

One, she didn’t seem like a weird person.

“Madam, can I say something presumptuous?”

“……tell me.”

“Well, in fact, I saw the cows in the cattle shed a little on the way here. Cows often get sick during this period, too. Drinking the milk of a sick cow can make people sick. You’d better milk the cows for a few days and throw them away. Don’t let your employee take the milk.”

Grace thought for a moment. Giving milk to her employee was always Grace’s favor. She could give it or not.

She was ignorant of rural affairs, and Nicole’s words sounded plausible.

“I see. I will.”

“If you wait, I’ll bring some medicine to treat cows.”

Grace happily said yes.

Nicole thanked her dead daughter for appearing in her dream last night.

That’s because Grace took Nicole’s word for it.

‘Please rest in peace.’

Nicole prayed quietly in her heart for Grace’s deceased daughter.

꧁꧂

‘Isabel is after Grace’s property.’

‘To accuse Grace as a witch, she was feeding the cows at Grace’s house a poisonous weed…….’

Nicole organized her thoughts on her way home.

It’s still speculation, but she’s sure she’s almost right.

‘I’m sure there’s an accomplice. I need to find out who they are.’

Family can be heaven, but they can also be another hell.

This is because, unlike ordinary enemies, you have to cut them off to remove them.

‘What if Mother knew what Isabel was doing?’

After a moment’s thought, Nicole came to a conclusion. Everyone should know about this.

That’s the way Nicole wants it.

Nicole woke up early after a few hours of sleep. Then she changed her clothes lightly and went into the kitchen.

“Are you awake?”

Isabel came in rubbing her eyes. Nicole slowly turned her back.

“You woke up early, Isabel.”

“You told me to help you with the kitchen work…….”

Isabel yawned and clung to Nicole.

“What will you ask me to do for you today?”

Nicole turned her head slowly. Her face hardened before she knew it.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been weird since yesterday.”

Nicole barely smiled. She had to appease Isabel well to achieve what she wanted.

“It’s not like that. I’m proud of you. You woke up early to help your sister.”

“Then, whose sister is Isabel?”

Isabel giggled.

Isabel’s face shining in the morning sun was shockingly beautiful. Even Nicole, who knows her true nature, is confused for a moment.

“By the way, sister—”

Isabel stopped in front of a row of kitchen knives.

“Did something happen last night?”

(t/n: Isabel is seriously giving me the creeps)

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