Wicked Husband-Chapter 145 - 144

While spare cedar and flowers could be used to rebuild the altar, it was clear that the sacred space had already been defiled. The effort to prepare the finest offerings had been in vain.

Though the priests’ frustration was understandable, their resentment toward Cesare seemed misplaced.

Eileen knew that the temple disapproved of him. After returning victorious from Calfen, Cesare had been hailed as the "God of War" by the empire’s citizens, earning both reverence and awe.

But to liken a man to a god was blasphemous to the clergy, making it difficult for them to view Cesare favorably.

’But still...’

The idea of blaming Cesare for a random incident seemed unjust. Irritated, Eileen glared back at the young priest.

Caught staring, the priest flinched and quickly shifted his gaze to Eileen. When their eyes met, he froze for a moment, his face flushing with embarrassment before he hurriedly looked away, dropping his bundle of flowers in the process.

"...?"

Perplexed, Eileen glanced between the priest and Cesare. Cesare, who had been watching the priest retreat, finally met her gaze.

As she blinked in confusion, Cesare casually tapped her cheek with the back of his hand, leaving her even more puzzled.

She tilted her head, trying to make sense of his gesture, when a soft sigh reached her ears.

"This is unbelievable..."

It was Ornella’s voice. She appeared with Leon, her arm looped through his, her face pale, as though she might faint.

The presence of the emperor seemed to bring everyone to attention, and the gathered nobles quickly bowed in respect. Ornella gave them a faint, pale smile in return, a brief flicker of appreciation for their deference.

But moments later, her expression darkened, and she leaned heavily against Leon, catching her breath. Leon held her steady, murmuring soothing words to her.

"Don’t worry, Ornella. It’s all over now."

The tender exchange between the betrothed couple caused murmurs among the nobles. Though engaged, the two rarely appeared together in public, and their lack of affection for each other was an open secret. Thus, the sudden display of intimacy caught everyone by surprise.

Amidst the quiet stir of the crowd, only Cesare remained unaffected. He moved toward the pair, Eileen following behind him.

"Greetings, Imperator," Cesare said formally, addressing Leon.

Leon, still focused on Ornella, looked up at Cesare with concern.

"Grand Duke. Are you unhurt?"

Leon’s voice was filled with worry as he scanned Cesare for any sign of injury. Cesare’s crimson eyes shifted briefly before focusing back on Ornella.

"More importantly..."

His gaze landed on Ornella. She was still clutching her forehead, managing a faint, weary smile.

"The concern should be for Lady Parvellini, shouldn’t it?"

She shook her head weakly.

"It’s merely a headache from the shock. A little rest, and I’ll be fine."

Her smile was tinged with sorrow. Cesare chuckled softly in response.

"Shall I fetch you some medicine, then?"

Ornella’s eyes widened slightly, and she began to respond with a grateful smile. But her expression stiffened at his next words.

"Perhaps the remedy you’ve always longed for..."

Cesare tilted his head, his sharp eyes curving into a teasing arc.

"Surely, there must still be some Aspiria left."

The sudden mention of Aspiria startled not only Eileen but also Ornella. For Eileen, it was particularly surprising because she no longer had any left.

Due to the shortage, even the House of Erzet had run out of Aspiria. While Eileen still had a few pills in her laboratory, those had been specially set aside for Luca, the clockmaker on Venue Street.

Cesare, however, knowing full well that their supply of Aspiria had been depleted, calmly claimed that he could provide the medicine without so much as a flicker of expression.

Eileen regarded him with a new wariness. Seeing him lie so smoothly unsettled her—because Cesare had never lied to her before.

’He usually prefers silence to lies...’

She had never seen him lie to knights or soldiers either. For Eileen, this was the first time witnessing such behavior from him.

While Eileen was processing this unfamiliar side of Cesare, Ornella lowered the hand she had pressed to her forehead and spoke.

"Thank you for your concern, but unfortunately, the medicine has no effect on me. It’s only natural—not all medicines work for everyone."

Ornella exhaled softly, her chest rising and falling gently. For a moment, her expression turned wistful, but she soon lifted the corners of her lips into a smile.

"But I hear Aspiria is extremely popular in the capital. Whose idea was it to inscribe the ducal crest on the bottles? Everyone seems desperate to get their hands on it."

Although her voice overflowed with praise, her words were not entirely sincere. She skillfully dismissed the medicine’s reputation, suggesting that its popularity was more about its attractive packaging than its actual effectiveness.

Cesare’s lips twisted into a faint, cynical smile, his gaze growing colder as he looked at Ornella with undisguised disdain. Ornella, however, merely returned his look with an innocent smile, as if unaware of any malice in the air.

Eileen, oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, was lost in her own thoughts. Her eyes widened suddenly, and she asked:

"Have you taken Aspiria before?"

The composed Ornella’s expression faltered slightly at the question, and she answered with an almost reluctant tone:

"...Yes. Since it’s a medicine made by the Grand Duchess, I, of course, bought some as a member of the family. I suffer from chronic headaches."

Eileen’s face grew serious, her concern deepening as she pressed her with another question:

"Did the pain persist even two hours after taking it?"

"Hmm... Perhaps..." Ornella trailed off, clearly eager to end the conversation. But Eileen, her mind already racing through all the headache remedies she knew, wasn’t about to let it go.

"In that case, a different analgesic would definitely be more effective. While Aspiria has anti-inflammatory properties, it’s unnecessary if there’s no inflammation. Especially if it hasn’t relieved the pain. What kind of headache medicine have you used before? If the previous medication was also ineffective, it’s likely that it shares similar components with Aspiria. You see, Aspiria is derived from salicylic acid extracted from willow bark, which has been used for centuries..."

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