Wicked Husband-Chapter 173 - 172

Eileen wondered why Leon had come alone, without Ornella, but she couldn’t ask outright—not when the other party was the emperor. Not wanting to commit the discourtesy of delaying her greeting, she quickly bent her knees in a respectful bow.

Leon watched her greeting with an unreadable expression, while Sonio, assisting nearby, carefully observed the emperor’s mood.

"Have you been well?" Leon asked with a gentle smile. "This is the first time we’ve met since that day outside, isn’t it?"

Eileen recalled the time when Leon had covertly appeared during one of her outings, asking questions about the lion’s feather Cesare had gifted her—questions laced with suspicion.

Yet, the memory that lingered like shards of glass in her mind wasn’t the feather itself, but his cryptic words from that day.

"Does the Grand Duchess know what the term ’Imperator’ originally meant?"

"I believe it meant the supreme commander..."

"Correct. The army’s commander-in-chief was synonymous with the emperor, which is how the term ’Imperator’ came to be. Though that is no longer the case."

Leon had smiled as he spoke of the commander-in-chief, but the weight of his words grew heavier the more Eileen dwelled on them.

She had never shared this conversation with Cesare. It felt too much like sowing discord between the supposedly close brothers.

’And yet, here he is, visiting personally to check on Cesare. Surely they must be close,’ she thought, trying to push away her suspicions about the emperor. Instead, she offered a faint smile to greet him.

Leon allowed Eileen to guide him into the Grand Duke’s residence. He strode confidently through the hall, his pace so brisk that Eileen, the hostess, found herself trailing behind as if struggling to keep up.

Realizing this, Leon muttered, "Ah, my apologies," and slowed his steps. Once they were walking side by side, he turned to her and asked, "Have you been to the temple?"

The question caught her off guard. Leon surely knew that Cesare detested temples. Why was he bringing it up? Her confusion made her hesitate to respond, which prompted Leon to frown slightly as he gently rebuked her.

"I’m asking if you’ve gone to pray for the Grand Duke’s recovery."

Sighing lightly, he elaborated, "It’s well-known that the Grand Duke is an atheist. But customs cannot be ignored. After all, even your wedding ceremony had a high priest officiate, did it not?"

Eileen understood his point. Avoiding the temple brought no benefits, and there might come a time when they would need the temple’s support. Leon was suggesting she mend the strained relationship between the Grand Duke and the temple under the pretext of praying for his recovery.

It was sound advice, but Eileen found it hard to accept.

’Would Cesare want this?’ she wondered.

She could already imagine him frowning at her for wasting her time on something unnecessary. But refusing the emperor’s suggestion outright wasn’t an option either. Eileen racked her brain for a tactful response.

"I hadn’t thought of it... I must have overlooked it due to my inexperience. I’ll make sure to visit the temple and offer prayers soon," she said carefully.

"Soon?" Leon repeated with a smile. "Why not go right now?"

"...Excuse me?"

The suggestion startled her so much that she inadvertently echoed his words. Leon continued speaking with the same calm smile.

"There’s nothing else pressing to attend to, is there? Lady Ornella isn’t here, after all."

It was then that Eileen understood why Leon had come alone. If Ornella were present, Eileen would have stayed at the residence to host her. Leon’s next words confirmed her realization.

"I’d like some quiet time to speak with my brother. That’s why I’m asking, Grand Duchess."

Leon made no effort to hide the fact that he wanted to send her away.

Instinctively, Eileen glanced at Sonio. Following at a respectful distance, the butler’s face had hardened. Even the seasoned steward couldn’t conceal his unease. Eileen recognized how abnormal this situation was, but she couldn’t ignore the emperor’s request.

Recalling how Leon had expressed displeasure toward soldiers who disobeyed the emperor’s commands, Eileen decided it was safer to comply.

"I’ll head there immediately," she said.

"Good. I hope I won’t need to bring this up again," Leon replied curtly before turning his attention to Sonio. When the butler stepped forward to escort him, Leon waved him off.

"This is the Grand Duke’s residence. I hardly need an escort to find my way."

"Your Majesty, I cannot allow you to go unaccompanied. If the Grand Duke were to hear of this..."

"Do you think I don’t know my own twin’s feelings?" Leon interrupted, his tone light but firm.

"I didn’t mean it that way, Your Majesty," Sonio replied quickly.

"Then don’t interrupt. Let me speak with my brother in peace."

And with that, Leon dismissed Sonio and made his way to Cesare’s room alone.

***

Eileen headed straight to the temple. With all the knights occupied elsewhere, she had no escort, and Sonio looked visibly distressed.

The butler had offered to accompany her, but Eileen insisted he stay behind to explain the situation to Cesare. She reassured him before departing, taking a car driven by one of the household soldiers.

The temple, situated in the heart of the capital, wasn’t far from the Grand Duke’s estate. As Eileen stepped out of the car, she looked up at the massive structure, its grandeur overwhelming.

The temple, which predated the founding of the empire, had been destroyed during a war and later rebuilt by the empire’s first emperor. Dedicated to all the gods, its entrance was guarded by statues of winged lions, symbolizing humanity’s prayers reaching the heavens.

Entering the temple itself was restricted. Most visitors simply touched the lion statues, left floral offerings, and departed. Only high-ranking nobles and royalty, who made significant donations, were permitted inside. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The Farbellini family, known for their piety, frequently visited the temple and were generous donors. Eileen, on the other hand, had never been inside. The towering marble columns alone were enough to make her feel small.

To make matters worse, the people offering flowers at the statues all turned to stare at her as she approached. Their collective gaze made her shrink back even further.

As she hesitated, the guards at the entrance fixed their sharp eyes on her. Their stares made her self-conscious enough to touch her cheek with the back of her hand.

’Is the Grand Duchess’s presence here really such a shock?’

The guards were so stunned they simply gaped at her for a moment before hastily regaining their composure and bowing.

"It is an immeasurable honor to have the Grand Duchess of Erzet grace us with her presence," one of them stammered.

Their awkwardness left Eileen equally flustered. "I’m here... to pray," she said, speaking formally yet uncertainly.

At her words, the guards respectfully escorted Eileen inside. The grand interior of the temple unfolded before her, its marble pillars giving way to a magnificent domed ceiling adorned with golden sun motifs. The sheer grandeur of the space made reverence unavoidable.

Unlike the sunlit exterior, the cool stone of the temple’s interior sent a chill through her. As she stepped further inside, she shivered slightly—then froze in place.

A strange sensation swept over her, as if her entire body were being struck by static. Simultaneously, a heat began to emanate from her chest, where the pocket watch lay.

Fumbling, she retrieved the watch from her dress pocket, only to blink in shock.

The hands of the watch had stopped.

She was certain it had been working perfectly earlier—she had wound it herself. Yet, the watch that had burned hot just moments ago now lay cool in her hands.

Before she could investigate further, she noticed someone standing at the altar. A woman, who had been praying, slowly stood and spoke.

"It’s almost laughable, isn’t it? The one who should be here praying first is absent, leaving me to wish for the Grand Duke’s recovery all alone."

Ornella’s measured footsteps echoed as she approached, her shoes clicking against the stone floor. With a radiant smile, she greeted Eileen.

"You’re quite early, aren’t you?"