Chapter 4. A Woman Who Won’t Live Long (2021.07.11)
Frida’s violet eyes grew even wider, trembling in confusion. They were so innocent—she truly didn’t realize she’d been the victim of a fraudulent marriage, not Daniel. She talked about the Harkbourne family’s women and their “problem.” Daniel wasn’t sure if it was really a problem. He’d heard of it, but compared to the messes in the infamous Richard ducal family, it was nothing.
Four years ago, the Duke of Nottingen, backed by the northern lords, started a rebellion—another exhausting war for the imperial throne. Daniel had to travel all across the Svergengen Empire, constantly fighting. Long ago, Emperor Karl I, the founder of the empire, had ten wives and eighteen children. He used his children to expand his land and power, making the blue Svergengen flag fly everywhere. When he died, the throne went to his oldest son, Bolstak I, who had twelve children and gave each a dukedom—the start of the “Twelve Dukes.”
But Bolstak I made a strange announcement:
“The next emperor will not be chosen by birth order, but by who is the wisest and most excellent of my twelve sons.”
That led to endless fighting, betrayals, and even whole noble families being wiped out. Now, only four of the Twelve Dukes remain: Richard, Weitzen, Leininggen, and Vonheim. The wars and struggles never stopped, and Daniel knew he, too, could die at any time. Frida was married into this terrible family, not by her own will, but because the Empress Dowager pushed her. If anyone had been tricked, it was her, not him.
“I might not be able to give you a child. What husband would want a wife like that?”
Daniel only realized why the Empress Dowager wanted this marriage after overhearing the Harkbourne Countess at the wedding. No wonder they dragged him out of the war for this. He had left the wedding without seeing his bride’s face, honestly because he didn’t want to see the face of someone forced into his chaotic life.
He looked at Frida, who was so open with her feelings. How could someone survive in this world being so honest? He felt exhausted just looking at her.
“Let’s end our talk for today. As you know, I still need to rest.”
“Ah!”
Frida rushed over and grabbed his arm, then helped him back to bed, worried.
“You seemed so healthy, I forgot you’re still a patient! Please lie down. Lean on me if you feel weak.”
Daniel pulled his arm away, and just that made Frida stagger. He caught her shoulder and climbed into bed himself. But then he noticed—there were flowers everywhere. On the sheets, on the curtains, all over the room. No matter how tired he was, he just couldn’t get comfortable in such a place. Sighing, Daniel sat on the edge of the bed and covered his face with his hand.
“Please call the servants and ask them to prepare another room for me. If you like this room, you can keep it.”
He didn’t even want to know how his room had ended up like this.
He heard Frida’s hesitant voice again. Daniel lifted his heavy head.
“Can we talk after the servants come? I’m very tired.”
“Well… Actually, there isn’t another room for you in Munheim Castle.”
Daniel thought for a moment. Surely, there were plenty of empty rooms—so what did she mean? He watched as Frida nervously gripped her sky-blue dress.
“I-I sold them all.”
“…You mean the rooms?”
“No, no!”
She shook her head so fast it looked like it might break.
“The furniture. I needed money to hire workers to make farmland, so now this is the only bed left that you could sleep on.”
She pointed to the very bed Daniel was sitting on. For once, he was really surprised. She sold the furniture? To make farmland? And now there was only one bed left? What about her—where did she sleep?
“Then… where have you been sleeping all this time?”
Her white eyebrows fluttered again.
“I slept next to you.”
“Ha!”
He couldn’t believe it. Daniel almost swore right then and there, forgetting his mother’s lessons about being polite.
Thankfully, Daniel’s office was still intact, even though the rest of the castle’s furniture had been sold. Daniel collapsed into a chair, covering his face with one hand. The Molly father and son came in, casting long shadows.
“Speak.”
Dominic scratched his chin.
“Where should I start? The part where you jumped in front of a flying spear and hit your head? Or where I cried, holding your bloody head—”
“Want me to make you really cry, Dominic?”
Ricardo laughed and hit his son’s head.
“Didn’t I say you’d recover in half a day? You’re made of tougher stuff than any noble. No surprise you bounced right back.”
Dominic rubbed his head, glaring at his father.
“You called him weaker than the Duchess just yesterday!”
“I only said that because I felt bad for how much the Lady suffered. Didn’t you say if the Duke didn’t wake up soon, we should just marry her off to someone stronger?”
Bang!
Daniel slammed his fist on the desk.
“Speak.”
He added coldly,
“Before I make you shut those noisy mouths for good.”
The Molly father and son weren’t scared at all, just a little less playful. Ricardo nudged Dominic, who cleared his throat and began seriously.
“While you were unconscious, you stayed at the Harkbourne estate for a month. Their doctor couldn’t do anything more, so we brought you home. The Lady came with us without complaint, even though it would’ve been easier for her to stay at her family’s house.”
Ricardo added, remembering,
“She’s truly brave. She didn’t complain once about the hard journey. She could’ve stayed home, but she chose the hard road.”
Dominic agreed:
“The real hardship started when we got back. There was no proper room, no villagers to tax—just a mercenary camp, really.”
“Exactly! She’s so frail, I was worried every day she’d collapse.”
The two kept talking, telling stories of the past three years. Most of their praise was about Frida. She started a big lumber project to clear land for new villagers, sold anything they could to pay the workers, and now there were five times as many people in the duchy. Last year, they even collected a little tax for the first time.
“We started planting herbs this year on the new land. They sell for a good price.”
“Our Lady knows everything. A merchant from Weimar tried to trick her, but she outsmarted him and made a great profit.”
“Ricardo Molly.”
Daniel’s voice was cold. Ricardo quickly turned.
“What did you say to me, exactly?”
“What do you mean?”
Daniel’s eyes were now completely red.
“Didn’t you tell me not to touch a woman who won’t live long? That if I didn’t want to have a funeral at my wedding, I shouldn’t lay a hand on her?”
