Wicked Husband-Chapter 190 - 189

Thanks to her height, her disguise as a man suited her well, giving her the appearance of a dashing young gentleman. Even her voice was unusually deep for a woman. Greeting Eileen briefly, Alessia strode forward with purpose.

"Pardon me."

Without hesitation, she reached out and adjusted Eileen’s outfit. She fixed the clumsily done details, then used cosmetics to paint freckles across Eileen’s nose and cheeks. She also darkened her eyelashes and eyebrows to better match the wig.

She let some of Eileen’s bangs fall messily over her forehead and adjusted her glasses, transforming her into a completely different-looking young man. Since Eileen was already slender and small in stature, the disguise made her look even younger.

Impressed by the seamless transformation, Eileen expressed her admiration. Alessia dismissed it as nothing.

"I sometimes help with Lady Marlena’s makeup when we’re in a hurry."

She had picked up various skills during her time working as Marlena’s bodyguard. She handed Eileen a mirror. Eileen gazed at the unfamiliar man reflected in it.

To her, it looked like a completely different person.

Cesare and his knights would certainly see through the disguise. Even among the soldiers, someone with keen observation might catch on.

As she adjusted her bangs, Alessia murmured,

"What a shame."

Eileen blinked up at her. Alessia hesitated for a moment before explaining.

"It’s just... Your eyes are so beautiful, and now they’re hidden."

At the unexpected compliment, Eileen only smiled slightly. She had never gotten used to receiving praise for her appearance, but compliments about her eyes, in particular, always felt the strangest.

If she didn’t hide them with glasses and bangs, she still found it difficult to even look at her own reflection in the mirror.

But that wasn’t something she could explain to others, so she simply replied with a quiet, "Thank you."

Alessia led Eileen through the back door, where a waiting carriage took them in the opposite direction of Fiore Street. They disembarked at the central train station, then wound their way through a maze of alleys, only then making their way toward Fiore Street.

The dark and narrow alleys were filled with shady figures. They encountered trouble more than once, but Alessia efficiently dealt with any aggressors by throwing a quick punch or two, sending them scurrying away. Eileen stayed close behind her.

As they walked, Alessia continued explaining.

"I will be staying with you. Do you need anything for your time in Fiore?"

"Uh... I need books."

More than just books Eileen needed research materials, old texts, and mythological studies. If Cesare had indeed made a deal with a god, the closest historical parallel was the founding myth of the empire.

Research materials could be found with some effort, but acquiring ancient texts would be difficult. They were rare and incredibly expensive.

I read nearly everything available at the Grand Ducal Estate...

Cesare had never been interested in such subjects, so the estate had little in the way of mythological texts or research books.

She needed to finish her research as quickly as possible and return to Cesare. But if she couldn’t obtain the necessary texts, she would have to find a more efficient way to continue her investigation. While she was deep in thought, Alessia spoke.

"If you need old texts, they can be arranged. Money is not an issue. Lady Marlena has more than enough resources."

Eileen was startled by how accurately Alessia had guessed her thoughts.

Right then, another thug attempted to harass them. Without breaking stride, Alessia delivered a single, well-placed punch, sending him crashing to the ground. She then calmly continued speaking.

"You must not wander Fiore alone. Even if it’s late at night, call for me whenever you need anything."

Eileen, carefully stepping over the unconscious man, nodded.

"I will."

They continued chatting as they walked, and before long, they arrived at Fiore Street. Seeing it in the bright daylight felt strange. She had only ever visited it at night, when it was ablaze with life.

Alessia led her to a familiar location–a tavern where Eileen had once searched for her father with Cesare. It was also where she had first seen Marlena perform.

"This is the largest tavern on Fiore Street. There are many dancers here. You and I will be working here in exchange for food and lodging. Most of the work involves running errands for the performers and assisting around the place, it won’t be difficult. You can do whatever you need during the day and only work as a porter at night."

She reassured Eileen that there was no need to work too hard.

Alessia led her toward a small side entrance.

She held the door open, but Eileen hesitated.

Then, taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

As she followed, Alessia glanced back toward the alleyway before shutting the door.

"..."

She lingered for a moment, scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.

Eileen, puzzled by her behavior, looked up at her. Alessia finally turned away, closing the door as if nothing had happened.

***

The vast pasture stretched endlessly beneath the bright blue sky. A lone tree stood in the middle of the field, its shadow offering the only respite from the sun. The scent of fresh grass filled the air as cows lazily wandered, chewing on wildflowers and leaves.

The only sounds were the occasional lowing of cattle and the rhythmic flick of tails swatting away flies.

The peace was shattered by the sudden roar of an engine.

A massive military vehicle sped across the dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dust. Its aggressive approach made it seem almost menacing.

Hiding in the corner of a barn under the pretense of feeding the cattle, Baron Elrod startled awake.

"Gah...!"

Panicked, he scrambled to his feet, afraid the soldiers assigned to watch him would catch him slacking. He grabbed a handful of straw and rubbed it on his clothes to make it look like he had been working.

It had been months since he had been exiled to this remote ranch. He had tried to escape several times, but each attempt had been swiftly thwarted. His guards were ruthless, treating him not as a noble but as a prisoner.

Each time he tried to flee, they would lock him in a sealed room and leave him without food. He had learned his lesson after a few repetitions.

He rushed out of the barn to meet the approaching soldiers, only to freeze in shock.

A man, dressed in formal attire rather than a military uniform, stepped out of the vehicle. A soldier shut the car door behind him and stepped aside.

Blood-red eyes locked onto Baron Elrod.

"Y-Your Grace...?"

For a moment, the baron thought he was hallucinating.

But then his face brightened.

"You’ve finally come to free me! I’ve been waiting for you to–"

His words died in his throat.

A gun barrel was pointed at his forehead.

Cesare’s cold voice cut through the air.

"Has Eileen been here?"

Baron Elrod’s body went rigid. His tongue felt like lead.

But his survival instincts forced him to speak.

"e-Eileen? N-no, she hasn’t... She’s never been here, Your Grace."

Cesare murmured, "Of course not."

Yet the gun did not lower.

Swallowing hard, Baron Elrod forced himself to plead.

"I-if she has done something wrong, I’ll correct her... Please, spare my life..."

"Eileen has done nothing wrong. You have no reason to ’correct’ her."

Cesare’s voice was indifferent, but his gaze pierced through the baron as if searching for someone else entirely.

After a long silence, Cesare finally spoke again.

"We’re going to Fiore Street, Baron."

***