She Became The Devil’s Stepmother Who’s About To Be Killed - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – My Husband’s Mistress? It’s The Worst

“I will report this to the Grand Duke!”

“What–!”

‘How dare you mention the Grand Duke in front of me? Is a nanny’s status that high? Or is she in some kind of special relationship with him?’

Of course, considering the depth and length of their relationship, the newly married wife—me—would be pushed back.

Because we met at the wedding and that was all…

‘Wa- wait… That wasn’t all though?’

The Archduke and I watched each other’s naked bodies for quite some time… There was also a little touching… But it wasn’t a romantic relationship where we engaged in some R-19 business…

‘Is she trying to warn me that she has a closer relationship with him?’

Suddenly my hands, holding the tomatoes, gained strength and became lumpy and sticky from my grip on the fruit.

‘Ah… this dampness… I won’t stake it.’

It was irrelevant whether he and the nanny rolled in the same bed or not.

Nevertheless, it was the worst. On the first night, no, on the first day after waking up was I already arguing with my husband’s lover?

‘Okay, you go tell the Grand Duke, and I’ll do my job.’

‘Unclear relationships aside, let’s examine each element individually to see if I’m doing something crazy or if you’re an incompetent who couldn’t put a little food in a child’s mouth because you managed poorly.’

I left the mushy tomato and shook off Molli’s nervous soft palms covering my hands.

Then, wiping my hands on the towel next to me, I began my inquiry.

“If you grind fruit and put it in a cup, and then you get poisoned, shouldn’t you suspect the servant and the maid who brought the fruit?”

Everyone’s eyes followed mine and focused on the servant and the maid who had run the errands.

“Of course it could be the case, or it could be the people who managed the ingredients. Otherwise, it would be either a servant or a maid who went in and out of the warehouse.”

“That’s right.”

At Molli’s cold reply, the temperature inside the kitchen dropped at once, instantly becoming as cold as ice.

‘Huh, does that mean it’s okay to turn all the kitchen staff into enemies?’

“Right? However… If they’re innocent, can you doubt me?”

I asked, showing my hand where the tomatoes remained.

“Yes… Yes?”

While answering meekly, Molli looked at me with a baffled expression.

“I see. I got married just a few days ago, and I should be questioned.”

“If an accident happens, well, it could be.”

The faces of the servants in the kitchen turned white, but Molli was calm.

“By the way, seeing such a fuss like this means there are gaps in food management and purchasing, right? Chef! How do I manage the ingredients of this kitchen?”

The chef rushed out and answered.

“It can’t be! I take care of it thoroughly.”

I frowned.

“That is your opinion. Isn’t it an unspoken affirmation that the nanny, who works in the same space, doesn’t trust this place, so she manages and cooks the ingredients separately?”

“That…”

The chef stopped halfway trying to say something.

“This means that neither the Archduke’s nor my safety can be guaranteed. I’ll have to call both the butler and the head-maid.”

The chef glanced at Molli, but she blatantly ignored him.

As a matter of fact, in ancient times, to ensure food safety, there was a specialized department in charge of the Emperor’s three meals, namely the Imperial Palace Saongbang*.

Every day, the Saongbang prepared the Emperor’s Seonsig,* by thorough regulation and a strict process.

Before the Emperor could eat, there was a special procedure to check for toxicity.

In addition, two or three eunuchs* monitored the entire process of cooking and transporting food. If a problem occurred in even one part, everyone was responsible for it.

In ancient China, arsenic* was a common poison. When it touches silver(銀), a chemical reaction turns the tines dark(黑色). Arsenic poison in food was found by this probing method(探針).

Although, the method of using silver was not universal. This was because, if the poison infused in the dish was not arsenic, the silver needle* might not react.

After each dish departed from the Saongbang, the eunuchs closest to the Emperor proceeded with the tasting(試食). If there were no adverse reactions and its safety was confirmed, the Emperor ate the dish.

Of course, the royal family of the Joseon Dynasty also had a chief eunuch who managed every meal in search of poison, so it was safe.

But, again, there were a plethora of people trying to assassinate Theodor, so it was necessary to seize this opportunity to develop an ironclad security protocol comparable to that of the Chinese Emperor and superior to the King of Joseon.

‘I’ll have to add my chemistry analysis here.’

“Have you taken care of Theodor since birth?”

“Of course, because Theodor’s mother, Jenia, and I were close friends. We were almost like sisters.”

‘Why are you giving me that information in this situation?’

I thought it was necessary to gather information about the nanny, but I had to drop my fact-finding for now.

‘Now, the issue is whether or not you have been faithful to your current position.’

“What was Theodor’s height and weight when he was born?”

“It was average.”

“Right, I guessed that much. How about now?”

“…!”

Molli grimaced rudely at my words and shut her mouth firmly.

“Even if it’s for his safety, you shouldn’t compromise the Grand Prince’s health like this. Isn’t that right, Nanny?”

“…”

“It all happened because there was no hostess in this place. I’ll start with my inspection, so you can leave first.”

Molli opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn’t seem to think of the right words.

“Take her out, I must finish the food for Theo.”

As if waiting for my order, the chef glanced at two servants who looked like they could knock out a pig, and when they tried to put their hands in Molli’s armpits, she shook them off.

“You will regret this!”

Molli shook her skirt rudely with the palm of her hand and then turned around and marched out.

‘Hmph!’

I picked up a new tomato and grated it. I could see the servants’ eyes were still on me.

“Everyone, do your job!”

Like children who came out to watch a local fight, the servants returned to their seats at my command.

“Salt?”

The maid next to me quickly brought a small jar of salt. It was thick and black salt.

‘Ah… This place also lacks basic spices and ingredients.’ I let out a sigh.

But next to me Theodor looked at me with his red eyes twinkling and a thoughtful smile.

Recovery and safety. I couldn’t believe that the source of my recovery was that devil.

‘Yeah, it’s not an easy ‘RoFan’ world, but if you want to survive, you must save that child.’

“It’s done.”

I handed the finished tomato to Theodor.

“Son, there is a saying that goes, ‘When the tomatoes ripen red, the doctor’s face will turn blue.’ Shall we be healthy enough to surprise the doctors?”

Taking the cup I held out, Theodore smiled brightly. That alone made my heart ache.

* * * 

Gerard was reading a book about magic circles while in the Shlezen Castle study, but his eyes were not on the text.

He made a moue with his mouth and moved his lips to the left to inflate his right cheek, then right to inflate the left cheek, and finally, he raised his hands to his temples. He sighed deeply.

Eventually, he jumped from his desk, and walking to the study window, opened it wide.

The river breeze carrying the scent of flowers shook the curtains hung on the window making them flutter prettily.

Gerard looked up at the high fortress tower of Shlezen Castle, ignoring the capricious curtains.

In the sunlight, the blue sky above the fortress was as bright as a lie, and his heart sank.

He sighed heavily, expelling all the air in his lungs.

As soon as she regained consciousness, Sinclair distinctly said ‘Devil.’

‘Is it back?’

Gerard had been speechless at the first night’s ritual, witnessing how outrageously Sinclair leaned on his shoulder and pushed her face so close to his, as if she intended to crawl up his nostrils.

With God’s permission and approval from relatives, it was time to return to the bedroom.

The real first night was supposed to take place in the bedroom, but his bride was so relaxed that she fell asleep on his shoulder as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

He thought it must have been tiring. After all, it had been a long day.

He called the servants, and lifting her himself, took her directly to the bedroom.

As he walked down the hallway, she woke up, and clinging to his neck with her eyes half asleep she whispered softly.

“Handsome Oppa? Where are we going?”

‘Oppa?’

When Gerard heard that phrase for the first time in his life, he nearly lost strength and dropped Sinclair to the floor.

She moaned as he held her tightly in his arms so as not to drop her, using a little too much strength.

“Oppa, it hurts!”

‘Oh my God, Oppa again!’

He felt cold sweat running down his back.

During the battle with the Demon Realm, there were times when he had lifted and carried wounded knights, but this was the first time he had ever carried a woman.

‘How do I control my strength?’

His wife was like a long, brittle crystal glass.

While he worried as he watched her, she slept oblivious to the world after swaying his heart with her ‘Oppa.’

She was even drooling all over her face. In addition, she had rubbed into his chest with that face of hers.

‘It’s dirty.’

He couldn’t drop her. It was fortunate that it didn’t sting like a monster’s saliva, but strangely, his chest itched.

‘Is it poison? Why is it so ticklish? Why am I losing strength in my legs?’

His embarrassment over his muscles giving out made Gerard restless. As soon as he entered the bedroom, he tried to lay Sinclair down but it became an exercise like throwing a bowling ball away.

Rolling down to the bed, she groaned and flung her long arms and legs in opposing directions.

‘Did you just wake up?’

Sinclair opened her eyes and cheered as she rolled over the bed like a long pen falling to the floor.

“Wow, a suite room! It’s a suite room!”

‘Suite room?’

‘What does that mean?’

Gerard recalled that Sinclair threw herself in the bathroom and hugged him, and quickly covered his chest with both hands.

She was a dangerous woman.

But, did she read his gesture?

Sinclair looked up at the ceiling, and spreading her body in an X shape, pounded the bed with both palms. Then she opened and closed her arms and legs, flapping her white lace gown like a monarch butterfly’s wings.

The behavior was alluring. She seemed to be actively seducing him. Because every time her arms and legs fluttered, her fine flesh and plump breasts appeared and disappeared repeatedly.

Gerard felt himself swell with heat. As if possessed, his legs led his body to the bed

One leg was firmly planted on the floor under the control of reason, but one leg, following desire, was already on the bed with bent knee.

‘There is no warning.’

He examined her face. He thought she wasn’t sleeping despite her closed eyes. She smiled at him and grabbed his face. Her hands were colder than expected.

It would be enough to warm up her frozen body with the warmth of the fireplace, right?

As he stood up to tell a maid to bring a thick blanket, she held Gerard’s hand lightly.

“Don’t go! I’m scared!”

Seeing Sinclair’s emotions on her bare face, Gerard had no choice but to pause.

——

I need a hug this chapter almost killed me~

1) Saongbang: (御膳支供) is one of the essential facilities and systems for the royal family’s food, clothing, and shelter, along with the palace built for residence and the Sangwon (尙衣院) installed to take care of the clothes of the king and queen.

2) Seonsig: (膳食) a meal, also called monk’s food. Made of seven kinds of grains.

3) 태감: In ancient times the vassals in the Imperial Palace were all men sentenced to castration (mainly criminals). Most of the eunuchs were subjected to castration as a condition of their employment, but others were punished for their sins.

4) Arsenic: (砒霜) White arsenic or arsenic oxide As2O3 has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2000 years. Also called the ‘King of Poisons’ used in manufacturing glass, as a pesticide (rat poison) and weed killer.

5) Silver needle: (銀針) used for acupuncture nowadays. It was used in ancient times to do the ‘probe method’ which consisted basically in putting a silver needle on the food or drink to see if it changed its color.

Lastly, if you guys still don’t know, ‘Rofan’ means ROmance-FANtasy it’s the genre of this series.

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