Wicked Husband-Chapter 127 - 126

Eileen fiddled with the glasses she hadn’t worn in a while. The knights, tall and striking, drew attention wherever they went. Even if Eileen could blend into a crowd on her own, escaping notice would be impossible with them by her side.

Following Rotan’s suggestion, the knights decided that only one of them would escort Madam Eileen while the others remained in line.

"You don’t have to stand in line; I can give you the medicine as a gift."

"No, Madam. It’s important that we buy it ourselves; it makes it meaningful and memorable."

Michele, filled with determination, clung closely to Eileen as she spoke.

"So, you understand, right, brothers? You should buy mine too."

"Aren’t we supposed to draw straws for this?" Diego protested, but Michele hunched her tall frame and pretended to hide behind Eileen.

"I need to score points with Madam today, so let it slide. Or you could go ahead and curse in front of her like a jerk too."

Her logic was irrefutable, leaving no room for argument. In the end, it was decided that Michele would escort Eileen. Smiling broadly, Michele led Eileen away, leaving the knights behind in line.

"Let’s get out of here first."

As Michele guided her away, Eileen glanced back several times, still unable to believe the line of people waiting to buy the medicine she had made. It was a sight she could never have imagined back when she was crafting her remedies in a small corner room on the second floor of the inn.

Eileen pinched her arm lightly to confirm it was real, only to be caught by Michele, who grinned as if she found it unbearably adorable.

"Madam, I always knew a day like this would come."

While everything still felt like a dream to Eileen, Michele acted as though this moment was only natural.

As they moved away from the crowded pharmacy into a quieter area, small groups of people who had purchased the medicine gathered, holding their paper bags and chatting. Among them were some soldiers, who immediately saluted Michele upon seeing her. With a big smile, she greeted them back.

"Ah, yes, you’re doing well. Take a break and relax, will you?"

The soldiers, briefly confused by her friendly tone, quickly spotted Eileen peeking out from behind Michele. Their expressions shifted to one of recognition.

Even though Eileen wore her glasses, which she hadn’t used in a long time, the soldiers recognized her immediately. They had seen her like this for years, while Eileen now felt awkward in her glasses, fiddling nervously with her bangs.

"Shall we grab a coffee at a café?" Michele hummed a tune as she led Eileen, walking side by side.

"...Ah."

Suddenly, Michele let out a short sound. Her face turned blank for a moment as she stared at something, her nose wrinkling in irritation.

"Ah, really."

She muttered in frustration, sounding as if she was cursing under her breath, then glanced around. Spotting a nearby group of soldiers, she waved her hand irritably.

The soldiers, alarmed by her annoyed expression, rushed over and saluted again, each carrying paper bags from the pharmacy.

Michele tapped one of the soldiers on the arm and made a series of hand signals. Eileen, unfamiliar with this form of communication, guessed it must be some kind of military code.

After issuing her orders, Michele quickly wiped the irritation from her face and turned back to Eileen with a calm expression.

"Madam, would you mind waiting here with these guys for just a moment?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Haha, no, nothing to worry about."

Michele reassured the anxious Eileen before stepping away. At first, she walked calmly, but once she was out of Eileen’s sight, she broke into a sprint.

Dashing through the alleyways, Michele drew her gun from her waist. She swiftly disabled the safety, her finger poised on the trigger, and leapt over a fence, using one hand for balance. Her eyes gleamed with focus and determination.

"You punks! Stop while I’m still being nice! I’m really busy today!"

Though Michele didn’t know who these guys were, they clearly had some skills. Apparently, they had been trailing Grand Duchess Erzet after hearing about her outing, and Michele was ready to teach them a serious lesson—quick and harsh.

Running like a wild horse, she came to an abrupt stop when she spotted a group of black-robed figures standing in the middle of the alley.

"You should’ve stopped sooner. Now, time to get a beating..."

"Michele."

The man at the front of the group pulled down his hood and called her name.

"...Huh."

Michele almost dropped her gun. She quickly lowered her weapon as the man with dirty-blond hair smiled awkwardly. Heart pounding in her chest, Michele stammered, her voice trembling.

"I greet the Imperator."

Standing before her was Leon, the Emperor of Traon.

A faint cry echoed through the alley as Diego gently stroked the cat’s head with his large hands. The cat raised its tail high and rubbed against Diego’s leg.

"This one’s the boss cat of Venu Street. Look at its paws and head—huge, aren’t they?"

Diego boasted as if the cat were his own, proudly pointing out its oversized features. Lotan, who was nearby smoking, offered a gruff comment in his monotone voice: "Cute."

As Diego continued to pet the cat, which had rolled over in front of him to expose its belly, he soon found himself covered in fur.

"Ah, damn."

Realizing he couldn’t face Eileen looking like a furball, Diego regretted his enthusiasm and began meticulously picking off the cat hair that clung to his uniform.

The knights, with their striking appearances, were hard to miss even when they weren’t doing anything. To avoid drawing too much attention, it was decided that Senon would stand in line alone to buy the medicine.

Lotan and Diego planned to join Eileen, but for now, they were on standby, waiting for Michele’s signal. Further action might be needed after confirming who was tailing Grand Duchess Erzet.

What Eileen didn’t know was that the Erzet family had been facing various threats. After Cesare’s successful conquest of Kalpen, neighboring countries publicly congratulated him, but privately feared the implications. They were uncertain where the sword of the Traon Empire might strike next.

While Cesare focused on eliminating Traon’s nobles one by one, these neighboring countries sent spies into the empire, causing the Erzet family no end of trouble. They even struggled to hire new staff due to the tense situation.

Naturally, Eileen and Cesare were also targeted by numerous tails, most of which were dealt with by the knights. However, occasional incidents like today still occurred.

"Lotan. My back."

Diego turned to Lotan, showing him his back. Lotan, cigarette between his lips, expertly removed the fur from Diego’s uniform. Diego, now holding his own cigarette, grumbled under his breath.

"If those noble bastards had fired even a single shot in the war, we’d have half as many spies."

It infuriated him to watch the nobles indulge in money, women, and power while cooperating with the enemy instead of offering help.

During the Kalpen campaign, the Traon Imperial Army hadn’t even received proper supplies. It was all due to the nobles’ interference, who refused to waste money on soldiers they deemed doomed and those working as spies for Kalpen. No one wanted to support the imperial army.

Cesare had personally funded the campaign, but even then, the supply lines were so compromised that getting materials to the battlefield was nearly impossible. Only when victory was imminent did the nobles quietly begin to send supplies.

Up until that point, the imperial army had survived purely on their faith in Cesare and their patriotism.

"B@stards, every last one of them," Lotan muttered before falling silent again. Diego, standing next to him, took a puff of his cigarette before suddenly speaking up.

"Not long now. Shall we all go together this time? With Lady Eileen?"

"Lady Eileen is busy. There’s no need to trouble her. I can manage alone."

"We want to go too."

Diego shrugged, mentioning that Eileen had already hinted she’d like to join, leaving Lotan to smoke in silence.

Leaning against the alley wall, Diego turned slightly to face Lotan, blowing smoke into the air. He chuckled at Lotan’s scarred face, half-covered in burn marks, which contorted in response.

"It’s just an excuse to gather, you know? For the anniversary. Lady Eileen, and us too."

Lotan remained silent but didn’t deny it. Confident that everyone would come together on the day, Diego made the decision without waiting for confirmation. Lotan nodded quietly, accepting the unspoken plan.

"Hah, hah, damn... d@mn it..."

Michele burst into the alley, practically rolling in, panting and mixing curses with each breath. Her face was pale and drenched in sweat.

Before Lotan and Diego could ask what had happened, they instinctively drew their guns, loading them quickly and efficiently. Michele frantically waved them off.

"No... put the guns away... d@mn it, no..."

Barely managing to speak through her gasps, Michele squeezed out a few more words.

"It was... the Emperor..."

Hearing that unexpected name, Diego and Lotan’s eyes widened. Michele hastily explained her encounter with Leon.