Villainous Husband, the One You’re Obsessed With Is Over There - Chapter 126

Chapter 63.2

She had become a little bolder, and whenever the other maids weren’t present, she would address me in this friendly manner.

I answered her briefly.

“Route.”

“The path… it’s on the way toward Sombinia. It’ll take about three weeks to get to that point, assuming the weather is good.”

Saying that, she stared blankly at the spot where my fingertips were pointing at and opened her mouth again.

“Why are you looking at this?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

…I guess I was just not destined to be a good liar. As soon as I heard Sylvia’s words, my eyelashes fluttered.

“Then, what do you think?”

Sylvia couldn’t answer.

It was because footsteps were heard.

As she immediately closed her mouth and stood up, Raniero, who had come to see me again today, stopped in the doorway. Then, he tilted his head, glancing at the chair Sylvia hadn’t gotten around to putting away.

“You two are friendly.”

It was a very simple tone, as if dryly telling the truth.

When Sylvia bowed deeply and then withdrew, Raniero sat in the seat she vacated and looked at the map I had laid out.

“What were you talking about?”

“We didn’t talk much, I was just looking at the map.”

“Why the map?”

“I just want to check the situation.”

Raniero’s hair cast a shadow over the map. It was an attitude for me to explain something.

I whispered in a slightly trembling voice.

“Winter isn’t a good season for armed conflict.”

“That’s right.”

“This side of Sombinia, at the foot of the mountain, is the only real connection to Actilus, so it’s usually heavily guarded. Since they know that if Actilus is able to establish a foothold here, that’ll be driving the soldiers right into the arms of Sombinia.”

Raniero nodded.

“But in the winter, it becomes difficult to station many soldiers here, far from the capital. Common sense dictates that there’s no war that would be going on at this time of year, so their vigilance will be looser than usual.”

“You know it well.”

“If we take this opportunity to break through this wall… and carve the mountain to make a wider path, Actilus will be able to break through Sombinia one by one, starting from its edges.”

As if there was no mistake in my interpretation, Raniero leisurely rested his chin on the back of his hand and tapped the map.

“The people of Actilus are strong by nature and can withstand harsh environments. If anything, in winter, if we push forward with the characteristics of our soldiers, there’s a high possibility of a great victory.”

A faint smile spread across his lips.

“Yes. I’ve been waiting for years… If this winter is anything like in the last ten years, then this land still belongs to Actilus.”

It seemed that the winter expedition wasn’t planned out of the blue, seeing that he had been documenting climate change for a decade and picking this time for ten years.

I bit my lip hard.

‘Although the weather this year isn’t the same as in previous years, and it’s going to snow like crazy.’

Raniero looked down at the map.

As the candlelight reflected in his eyes and they shimmered, he soon tore his gaze away from the map and looked at me.

“I never taught you anything like this. How else did you know we were preparing for a battle with Sombinia?”

“Because I wanted to know.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes… I wanted to know what Your Majesty was thinking.”

“So, after thinking about it, did you find out?”

“Something like that.”

At my word, Raniero took my hand and placed it on the map.

“First through this way, proceed like this. Then, this way.”

Not knowing what I was thinking, he unwittingly exposed the entirety of his planned route to me. It was almost naive. I focused my gaze, taking in all the information he was giving me.

Cisen would then deliver this route to Eden, where it would be attached to the wall of his room.

“When are you leaving?”

I asked. Although my voice trembled, I hoped it sounded like I was afraid of being alone.

“Early December.”

“That’s still some time, but I’m sure you’ll be busy soon.”

“You don’t like it?”

I laughed helplessly. If he went on an expedition, it meant that the original story was beginning.

“Yes.”

Raniero didn’t say anything for a while.

“Should I not go?”

“No.”

Regardless, he would meet Seraphina one day and cling onto her. If that were going to happen in the end, I’d rather it happen in a way that I could predict. I had no intention of making a foolish choice just to delay the sweetness of this moment a little longer.

I gazed at him and smiled.

“Just go quickly.”

“I was going to take you with me.”

I shook my head.

“I don’t think it’d be a good idea…”

“Yes.”

Raniero was easily convinced. It was as if he had recalled what had happened in the subjugation. Seeing him like that, I stroked the cheek of the gentle tyrant without saying anything.

All that was left for him was to be swept away by fate.

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