I Married a Sick Husband

After Meredith permitted, Felix moved closer and whispered to her, as if he were telling her a great secret.

 

After a moment, Meredith’s frown narrowed.

 

“… It hasn’t been a long time, yet it feels like that.”

 

“But it was truly just one time.”

 

“Anyway, that’s a bit…”

 

“You two, what is it that you are talking about so seriously?”

 

At that moment, an unexpected voice interrupted Meredith and Felix.

 

Meredith turned her head with a puzzled look on her face.

 

“… Your majesty.”

 

There he was, Theodore, with a not-so-scary face.

 

“Your Majesty, when did you get here…?”

 

Meredith asked with a confused look on her face.

 

“Weren’t you sleeping?”

 

“I just woke up.”

 

With a still expression on his face, Theodore answered briefly and then asked.

 

“What were you talking about?”

 

“Oh, that’s…”

 

“I was telling Sir Felix about what had happened today.”

 

Before Felix could tell the truth, Meredith had quickly intervened.

 

Felix looked at Meredith with a puzzled look on his face, but Meredith silenced him by giving him a look as if telling him to remain quiet.

 

“Princess Schwartz broke into the tea party today.”

 

“The tea party?”

 

“Yes. I’ll tell you the details inside.”

 

Meredith smiled awkwardly and approached Theodore.

 

Theodore looked at Meredith and Felix in turn, then casually walked inside with Meredith.

 

Then, Meredith slowly turned around and looked at Felix, putting her index finger on her lips.

 

‘Please keep it a secret from His Majesty.’

 

Felix looked at Meredith with a slightly shocked face, but eventually gave her an affirmative nod.

 

Meredith chuckled and then turned forward once again.

 

***

 

In Theodore’s room, Meredith told him about everything that had happened that day.

 

Theodore nodded his head with an unsurprised expression.

 

“But you handled it well.”

 

“I’m worried, in hindsight, whether what I had done was a bit too much.”

 

“Too much? Not at all.”

 

Theodore snorted.

 

“If you are too merciful, you won’t know what will happen next.” 

 

“Merciful?”

 

“Yes. If it were me, I would have put Princess Schwartz in prison for insulting the Empress.”

 

“… That’s a bit excessive.”

 

‘Our Majesty has no middle ground.’

 

“I think you are being too merciless.” 

 

Theodore refuted immediately.

 

“How dare she break into the Empress’s tea party and cause trouble in your face? Even if she is executed, it’s worth it.”

 

She didn’t know if it was really the case, but, the death penalty felt like a very harsh punishment to Meredith.

 

Well, but wasn’t it better than having a cruel personality around you?

 

That was what she thought.

 

“Still, I’m proud that you handled it well.”

 

“Of course, I’m not that soft.”

 

Meredith responded in an exaggerated bossy voice.

 

“Anyway, this incident has put her on edge, so she will definitely try to seek revenge on me.”

 

“Do you have any plans in mind?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Meredith nodded her head with a confident look on her face.

 

Eventually, Theodore’s expression changed as he heard of Meredith’s plan.

 

“It’s a good plan. But, I’m not sure if she’ll get caught or not.”

 

“She will get caught. There is no doubt about it.”

 

Meredith said confidently.

 

“As long as you throw the bait, over time, the fish will definitely bite it.”

 

“Actually, I agree that’s the case.”

 

“So, is there anything you want to receive as a birthday present?”

 

Theodore laughed as if the sudden change of topic was an absurd thing.

 

“I thought we ended that conversation last time.”

 

“Is there anything you like?”

 

“I don’t like anything in particular.”

 

“No way. Everyone has at least one thing that they like.”

 

“I’ve never really thought about that.”

 

Theodore responded harshly.

 

“What I said last time was a joke, and actually, you don’t need to worry too much about my birthday gift.”

 

“… yes?”

 

“Just prepare one as a formality. Because it’s always been that way.”

 

“…”

 

As his words fell, what Meredith had heard from Felix naturally came to her mind.

 

‘In fact, His Majesty has rarely received gifts of that kind.’

 

‘Since that’s the case, I want to let you receive a present this time.’

 

Because it was his first birthday since their marriage.

 

Thus, Meredith didn’t respond to Theodore’s words.

 

***

 

When she returned to the Empress’ palace, Meredith told Yulia about what she was planning for Theodore as a birthday present.

 

Yulia looked embarrassed after hearing Meredith’s idea.

 

“But it won’t be easy. It seems like it will take a long time…”

 

“I know. But I really wanted to make ‘that’ and give it as a gift.”

 

Meredith’s voice felt somewhat solemn, so Yulia couldn’t stop her any further.

 

“Then I will help you prepare the essentials and bring them to you.”

 

After Yulia went out, Meredith muttered to herself.

 

“I hope you like it…”

 

If he smiled even a little after receiving the gift she had made, it was enough for her.

 

 

She hoped that this birthday could remain a pleasant memory for him.

 

Then, as she thought about it, she knew she would be really happy without wanting anything more.

 

As she imagined such a moment, a smile that she couldn’t hide, appeared on Meredith’s lips.

 

***

 

At the same time, the Schwartz mansion.

 

“Catarina, Catarina!”

 

Duke Schwartz, who had slowly returned to the mansion, immediately looked for Catarina.

 

“Where is Catarina? Has she not returned from the imperial palace yet?”

 

“No, your grace. She is resting in her room.”

 

Before the butler could ask if he should go and fetch her, Duke Schwartz had already stomped his foot and started heading towards Catarina’s room.

 

Judging by the sound of his footsteps, he seemed very angry.

 

“Catarina!”

 

He opened the door and went inside without knocking.

 

He was immediately embarrassed.

 

The room was pitch black.

 

Catarina was sitting on the bed without even turning on her lamp.

 

However, after being taken aback for a moment by the unexpected sight, Duke Schwartz strode into the room with an angry look on his face again.

 

“I heard the maids talking about it in the imperial palace. Catarina, what on earth have you done today?!”

 

“….”

 

“You haven’t been able to elevate the family’s name again by successfully holding the tea party… And over that, you suffered such a disgrace? Do you have an idea or do you not?”

 

“….”

 

“Are you really planning to watch our family fall like this? Even the Empress Dowager helped you, but what about you?”

 

“…What on earth are you telling me to do?”

 

Catarina, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth.

 

It was a voice filled with anger.

 

Duke Schwartz flinched and looked at Catarina.

 

“Even I wanted today’s tea party to go well. I wanted to do it better than anyone else!”

 

Catarina’s voice became increasingly sharp with anger.

 

“But that crafty girl, Meredith, stole all my guests! That bitch ruined everything. It’s not my fault!”

 

“So what do you plan to do now? Are you planning on being buried in the social circle like this? Are you just going to watch as everyone takes Meredith’s side?”

 

“Everyone is being fooled by that bitch’s pretense.”

 

Catarina spoke in an eerie voice.

 

“Just wait and see, father. I will definitely expose that woman’s ugliness.”

 

***

 

Time passed helplessly.

 

In the little time left, Meredith lived a hectic life. She was preparing a gift for Theodore, preparing for the birthday party, and even attending to the palace duties she was originally in charge of.

 

Still, thanks to splitting her time and utilising it well, she was progressing smoothly without any shortcomings.

 

Meanwhile, Theodore’s birthday was just around the corner.

 

“Hmm…”

 

As she looked at the almost-finished gift, Meredith had a disappointed look on her face.

 

‘I want to see and decide on the final decoration material myself.’

 

There were limitations to the materials brought by Yulia.

 

‘But if I go looking for it myself inside the imperial palace, my plan might be exposed.’

 

Meredith wanted to keep the secret until the end and then give him the present.

 

Then, there was one way!

 

“I need to go out of the palace for a while.”

 

“Go out? Your Majesty, what are you talking about…”

 

“I have something to do in the city.”

 

“What brings you… I will first relay the message to the Royal Guard.”

 

“No, there is no need to tell the Royal Guard.”

 

Meredith shook her head.

 

“I’m going to sneak out for a bit.”

 

“What?”

 

Yulia’s eyes widened at Meredith’s words.

 

“No, Your Majesty. It’s dangerous.”

 

“If it isn’t known that I am going out, how will it be dangerous?”

 

“That’s true, but….”

 

“That’s why I said I’m going secretly. For the record, I’m taking a nap.”

 

“But without the guards….”

 

“Don’t worry. Because I’m not going alone. I’m taking Diane.”

 

“Then please tell me your estimated return time.”

 

“It won’t take long. One… Around 4 o’clock? But I might be a little late.”

 

“Don’t worry. I will be flexible in my judgment.”

 

“Judgement? What?”

 

“The time to mobilise the entire Royal Guard to find Her Majesty.”

 

“… I will make sure that never happens.”

 

Meredith smiled awkwardly and reassured Yulia.

 

“Don’t worry. Because nothing will happen.”

 

As a result, that statement was proven wrong.

 

Although nothing serious had happened for the entire Royal Guard to be mobilized, it did not mean that ‘nothing happened’.

 

***