Marriage with a Suspiciously Demure Husband - Chapter 106.2

Schedule: Wed and Sat. Nana's ko-fi, Nabi's kofi.

Chapter 106.2

“Oh, I see. So she’s still working in Ferrarium.”

“Yes, she knows the guild operations as well as I do.”

It felt bittersweet to mention Nigella after so long.

“Madam.”

“Yes?”

“In a year, no, in a few months, when you leave, will you take the guild with you?”

“No, I gave the guild to my husband.”

“Ugh, what a waste. But Madam, where will you go then?”

Ginger asked quietly, as if only I could hear, even though we were alone in the study.

“In a year?”

“Yes, more accurately, about ten months from now?”

Until recently, I was certain of my answer to this question.

“…Well. I’m still…thinking about it. I’ll tell you later.”

“Okay, it’s still a long way off.”

She smiled brightly. Only my mind felt increasingly complicated.

Several hectic days passed after Edmond and Ginger’s arrival. Every time I planned to go down and organize the purification stones, something came up, delaying me until today, when I could finally inspect the warehouse.

“Madam, these five boxes all contain purification stones. I’ve transferred them into new boxes.”

“Thank you, Hizan. You’ve taken care of everything beforehand, leaving me with nothing to do.”

“Not at all. I placed a hundred stones in each box, and the count was accurate when I sorted them.”

“Then it must be correct. You said there’s another door inside?”

“Ah, yes. I asked Mrs. Tene about it, and she said it’s a storage space for unused furniture. It’s full, but she said she’d clear it out if needed.”

I turned towards the spot Hizan indicated, and there it was: a door with a pattern that blended seamlessly with the wall. Judging by the worn handle, it hadn’t been opened in a long time.

“Then the inside is out of the question. We can’t just drag the furniture out and leave it here. It’s best to keep the purification stones where they are, in the empty space, and manage them regularly. We should also start keeping track of who comes and goes from the warehouse, starting today. Actually, let’s do it now. Could you bring me some paper to make a list?”

“Yes, Madam. I’ll be right back.”

After Hizan left, I opened the purification stone boxes to check their condition, then looked up again.

“.…”

I approached the closed door.

Unused furniture stored inside? It wasn’t unusual for a mansion, but… I looked at the bottom of the door. Something felt off. Moving closer, I could sense it clearly. There was definitely dark magic emanating from within. Why?

Kairos was resistant to dark magic, but he couldn’t use it. In fact, no one in the ducal castle used dark magic. I was the only one. So why could I sense faint traces of it coming from inside?

Mrs. Tene had offered to clear out the furniture and open it if necessary so they weren’t hiding anything. I couldn’t bring myself to suspect Kairos of deceiving me again, not when he was clearly making an effort to earn my forgiveness. What was it?

I tried to open the door, but it seemed to require a key.

Hearing Hizan returning, I quickly stepped away from the door. I’d have to check it out later.

“Madam, I’ve brought it. Shall I hang it here?”

“Please.”

“Also, the head butler was looking for you.”

“Why?”

“He said to inform you that a letter arrived from the Imperial Palace. He also said he’d leave it in your study.”

“Really? From the Imperial Palace? I’ll go after I finish this.”

What was going on at the Imperial Palace?

I instructed Hizan to have everyone entering the warehouse sign their names on the list and head straight to the study.

“What is this about?”

I picked up the neatly placed letter from my desk. The Imperial seal meant it was an official communication. It was strange that it was addressed to me, not Kairos. I tore open the letter without even sitting down.

“What could it be……”

My eyebrows shot up the moment I saw the contents.

“The Founding Festival…?”

I hurriedly rummaged through my desk drawer for a calendar.

“.…”

I knew the Founding Festival was around the end of January. It was already well past mid-December.

That meant it was only a month away…

“Are they insane? At a time like this, they want to proceed with the Founding Festival?”

I knew the Founding Festival was the Empire’s most important event.

But with monsters appearing almost daily, did it really need to be held now? A massive number of people would flock to the capital. That would increase the risk of the Cultists acting openly or causing trouble. Why take such a risk?