The Blackened Second Male Lead’s Wife - Chapter 52

“All of you who were dilly-dallying here won’t know this, but the battle in the disputed area was intense. Every day was gruesome, but that day was especially gruesome. The enemy, who had more men, attacked in the middle of the night.”

URAHGHHH-

The enemy flooded in with a beastly roar. Our men, who were tired from the long battle earlier, could not fight back properly.

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

Painful screams were heard from all around.

Our allies, who were not properly equipped, were helplessly running around with empty hands.

It was Lucian who changed our fate that night.

“Grab a sword and reunite with our allies! We will not lose!”

Lucian also was not in his best condition.

He was wearing a thin shirt with no armor. Several of the buttons on his shirt were loosened.

Lucian, who looked disorganized, held a sword in his hand.

Nevertheless, Lucian bravely rushed toward the enemy.

He swung at and cut the enemy at random. That alone made the enemy’s momentum waver.

“It had been a while since I’ve been in a war zone, but it was my first time seeing such a scene. I can’t believe how one human being can kill so many humans.”

The ladies and father who listened to Kuhn’s story swallowed their saliva. It was a sensational story for those who had never experienced war themselves.

My father nodded with excitement.

“Well, Lord Kardien is the strongest knight of this empire.”

The ladies next to their father nodded in agreement.

Kuhn burst into laughter, laughing at who-knows-what.

“That wasn’t the end. What’s surprising is what happened after.”

The enemy panicked at Lucian’s counterattack. Taking advantage of their bewilderment, the allies reorganized their ranks to continue the battle.

The hellish night passed and the morning came.

The bright sun rose. Only then did the enemy retreat.

However, the battle had cost us.

Bodies scattered on the floor.

Soldiers groaning with deep wounds.

A man stood in the middle of such sight.

Covered in blood, Lucian exhales ruggedly.

“I was the first one to run to Kardien. I thought I would have to find his wounds and treat him. But…”

Lucian had no wounds on his body. As if he had not just been in a bloody battle.

Father said with sparkling eyes.

“Isn’t that what makes Lord Kardien so great? The strongest knight who never suffers any wounds! No one has ever seen Lord Kardien hurt.”

Kuhn snorted as if he was at a loss for words.

“Ha, you believe that? That’s why nobles who never went to war are so… Even if he is a genius, it’s impossible. Not even one small wound on his body, he who has been fighting wars for three years. Do you think that’s normal?”

In fact, there were talks circulating secretly about Lucian having no visible scars.

How can there be no scars on a knight’s body?

The only explanation would be that he is cursed. He signed a contract with the devil. That theory was denied by everyone.

But no one could say anything back.

Lucian was the greatest hero of the Empire.

However, Kuhn brought up this sensitive topic without hesitation.

“Kardien is a monster.”

Kuhn continued to talk.

“I’m not talking about the superstition that those with red eyes are demonic. I’m saying he’s a literal monster with transcendent power.”

A cold silence lingered in the banquet hall.

Some agreed with Kuhn, others were confused.

And someone else…

“Take back what you said right now.”

I felt a great deal of anger.

I approached Kuhn and glared at him. Kuhn looked at me and squinted his eyes.

“Who are you? Ah, you’re Kardien’s fiancee. You actually came here with that ugy face of yours.”

His sarcastic remarks didn’t even reach my ears. All that mattered is that he disparaged Lucian as a monster.

“Nevermind that. Take it back. That Lucian is a monster.”

“Why should I?”

“You made people uncomfortable with your false words. Don’t you think that’s rude?”

Kuhn said, with a tiny snort.

“Not at all. Weird people are called monsters, and Lucian’s ability is bizarre. I think what I said is accurate based on facts.”

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve felt this rage.

He’s just like the haughty Carlix who has the mindset of “I’ve only said facts so I didn’t do anything wrong.”

I knew how to deal with those kinds of guys well.

“So saying something based on facts is not rude at all?”

“Right.”

Kuhn crossed his arms and nodded.

He’s quite shameless for someone who just called someone else’s fiance a monster.

Having a bad feeling about this situation, my father dragged me away.

“S-stop it, Pernia. Lord Kuhn didn’t mean anything bad.”

Some of the young ladies also looked at me with worried faces. In the distance, I also saw the Empress Dowager looking my way with a pale complexion.

I know.

That provoking Kuhn here will also affect the emperor and the empress.

But I have to say something.

‘How dare he call my boyfriend a monster?’

I just couldn’t forgive him.

“Lord Kuhn.”

I smiled at Kuhn.

This is one of the skills of aristocratic ladies, the she’s-definitely-smiling-but-she-looks-peculiarly-ominous.

“Why?”

Kuhn made eye contact with me as if he wanted to try him.

I hadn’t intended on pointing this out. But I can’t help it now since he’s challenging me.

I have no choice but to respond back with disrespect.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“You.. your eyeliner…. is uneven.”

“……!”

Kuhn’s eyes grew bigger.

Success!

* * *

My father cried.

“Wahhh. Our family is doomed! I can’t believe that our family with 300 years of history disappeared with the words “your eyeliner is uneven…!” I’m so ashamed to face my ancestors. No. I can’t die now. Pernia, should we pack up and run away?”

I patted my crying father on the back.

“Father, stop crying. Do you really think we would die?”

My father screamed back.

“What else would happen? The moment you said that, Lord Kuhn looked pale and left the banquet hall. The Empress Dowager was also surprised and chased after Kuhn.”

As such, the banquet was suddenly suspended.

Nothing was said by the Empress Dowager who followed Kuhn, but everyone in the banquet hall looked at me and my father with the same thought.

That we both will suffer the death penalty soon.

‘It’s obvious that’s what they were thinking.’

Kuhn, who holds the emperor’s life, was offended.

If Kuhn said he would no longer treat the emperor, this father and daughter pair would become high-level sinners.

Ever since leaving the banquet hall, my father sobbed, thinking this has become an unprecedented crisis for the family.

I felt sorry for my father, who came to the banquet out of simple curiosity and got into a lot of trouble from it.

But I don’t regret it.

Seeing someone call Lucian a monster was heartbreaking.

The word that have plagued him throughout his childhood.

He became a knight with genuine effort, risked his life for the empire, and after he won the war, people still call him that.

Kuhn had no qualms about calling Lucian a monster.

‘I will never forgive him.’

Even if the emperor comes and tells me to kneel down and apologize, I will never do it.

Lucian came to mind.

I wanted to go to Lucian right away and tell him everything. I wanted to tell him to kick Kuhn, who dared tell everyone that story.

On the other hand, I didn’t want him to know what happened today. Because I didn’t want him to be upset about something pointless.

The long night passed.

Eventually, I greeted the morning with a blank face.

Then, the emperor’s servant came to me.

My father, who had become emaciated through the night, blocked the servant with a pale face.

Emaciated- abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food

“T-there are laws and regulations in the world. No one can arrest a person just because they said someone’s eyeliner is uneven. No matter how strict His Majesty is!”

Father shouted at the expressionless servant.

“You can’t take her!”

That moment, I felt my father’s earnest love for me.

Instead of conveying the emperor’s anger, the servant said.

“Lord Kuhn hopes to have a formal conversation with Lady Pernia.”

The servant continued to speak.

“Right now.”

….I think it would’ve been better to be dragged by the emperor.

* * *

‘Should I just ignore it and bail?’

I thought about it, but I shook my head.

Because Kuhn and I exchanged shots with each other, my innocent father and the emperor became involved.

Let’s just end it today.

I followed the servant to the Imperial Palace.

“I heard that he was treated like a VIP, but wow, they did this much just for him?”‘

The Imperial Palace was decorated so glamorously that everything else pales in comparison.

To suit Kuhn’s taste, to the peak of splendor.

One might have thought that this was not for a doctor, but for someone’s beloved pet.

Walking along, I entered the drawing room.

Kuhn was sitting in a room with twinkling jewels hanging from him.

With even more flashy clothes and heavier makeup than yesterday.

Kuhn smiled brightly at me.

“Welcome, Pernia.”

‘What’s up with him?’

This was absolutely not something he would do to the person who made him super embarrassed yesterday.

Kuhn smiled brightly and beckoned to me.

“Come and sit. These are some refreshments prepared by the most skilled patissier in the imperial city.”

Just as he said, the round table had a set of dazzling desserts laid on it.

A slice of cake topped with a huge dollop of whipped cream, tarts topped with candied apples, and also rich chocolates that makes you feel its sweetness just by looking at it.

Normally, I would have rushed in, saying, “My preciousness!” but now I wasn’t in the mood.

I said to Kuhn.

“I might not look like it, but I have a good tongue.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m saying that if there is poison in the cake, I’ll know with just one bite.”

So your scheme will be in vain.