As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

“…Edward.”

Edward was not at fault. But if the former emperor had known everything and still sent his mother to her death…

“What do you mean by all that?”

Could she still love him despite that?

* * *

Noticing the heavy atmosphere, Ren told Edward that it was okay to tell Luize the truth but warned not to use it to bind her. Then, Ren dashed back to the camp.

Edward confessed everything he knew to Luize.

“…So, that’s why I was told not to leave Perils until I was around twenty-five.”

“It seems so.”

After a moment of silence, Luize spoke. “Maybe my mother knew everything and made her choice. I respect her decision…”

“Do you think your mother knew all that and still joined the expedition?”

“…”

She couldn’t answer.

Edward must have considered that possibility, as there was no other way out of this situation. But Luize knew her mother wasn’t the type to sacrifice herself for the greater good.

“So, there’s only one conclusion.”

“… That the former emperor hid the truth and caused my mother’s death. And my father got caught up in it.”

“…Yes.”

Luize dropped her empty gaze to the ground. “I… I need time to think. I’ll go back to the tent.

, the tent…”

“I’ll switch tents with Maxion. If you want, you can tell him everything.”

“…Thank you.”

Luize returned to the camp first. Watching her back, Edward clenched his fist, the veins standing out.

What would their relationship have been like if he hadn’t known this? He might have kissed Luize with a clear mind instead of being lost in passion. He would have done everything to make her happy, whispering love to her. He would have been desperate to hear her say she loved the whole him, not just the man who had lost his memory.

“…you.”

Whether before losing his memory, after losing it, or now that he regained it, it was a confession he had longed to make but was now too late.

* * *

Maxion sat on the edge of the tent bed, looking at Luize with a hardened face.  Edward had pushed Maxion into the bed, saying there was no need to move it, and then left the tent.

Before going to bed, Edward had come to Maxion, asking to switch tents. Maxion wanted to ask why but kept his mouth shut. It was because Edward’s face was so cold and sunken that it showed how exhausted he was.

Edward usually hid his emotions well to avoid showing weakness. The fact that he couldn’t control his expression now was proof of how serious it was. Knowing this, Maxion couldn’t easily say anything.

When Maxion entered the tent, he found Luize sitting on the bed, half out of her mind. In this incomprehensible situation where there was a hurting person but no one was angry, Maxion had no choice but to wait until Luize started speaking.

Luize told Maxion everything she had heard from Edward. Hearing her story, Maxion found it hard to respond.

Finally, all the pieces fit together. Lensia, who was particularly negative about the capital and the imperial family, and Allen, who never questioned her opinions. And the reason they raised Luize in that dangerous Perils and their mysterious deaths.

“Maxion, have you ever been in love?”

“…Maybe.”

“Is your first feeling the same now?”

“No.”

“Me neither.” Luize looked at the tent entrance as she spoke. “Love is strange. It definitely starts with excitement and happiness, but depending on a single word or action from another person, your feelings change constantly. In fairy tales and novels, love is consistent, so I thought love was another word for eternal happiness. But reality is different.”

“…”

“Yesterday’s love is different from today’s. Sometimes it fades, and sometimes it deepens over time. Sadness and anger often accompany affection and happiness. Looking back, every day, every moment, my feelings were the same yet different.”

Luize shifted her gaze to Maxion with a serene face. “After breaking up with Reiad, I made one decision. I won’t love anyone who makes me unhappy.”

“…”

“I love Edward. But when I see him, I’ll be reminded of my parents’ deaths. So, I don’t have the confidence to be happy by his side.”

Luize took a deep breath.

“I know it’s not Edward’s fault. And I understand why he had to tell me. It’s something I needed to know.”

Tears welled up in Luize’s eyes.

“Still, there’s a part of me that wishes I hadn’t known. If he had hidden the truth and I had found out later, I would have felt betrayed and angry, but if I had never known for the rest of my life… What would that have been like?”

Her voice trembled.

“Just like back then when I wanted to live as a happy fool with Reiad. Even though it was hard, I vowed never to live like that again. But here I am, thinking like that again.”

Maxion, who had been silently listening, finally spoke. “… You’ve decided to leave.”

“Yes, I have to. But Maxion.”

Tears streamed down Luize’s cheeks as her expression crumbled.

“It hurts so much.”

Luize clutched her chest. “It feels like I’ve been thrown from a shining world into an endless abyss.”

Maxion approached and patted Luize’s back.

“…Would it have been better not to know that world at all? Maxion, I wish someone would pull me out of this mire.”

He knew it wasn’t a question that needed an answer. Maxion could only hold the sobbing Luize. Sadly, he couldn’t save her.

Late at night, Luize, unable to sleep, went to Edward, who was sitting by the campfire.

“…Edward,” Luize spoke with a serene face. “I don’t think I can go to the capital with you.”

“…”

“I’m leaving.”

“…Yes.”

The warming magic of the magic stone had been working fine since the weather turned cold. Maybe that’s why they only now realized how cold this winter was.

* * *

The dawn-lit sky was still dim, as the sun had not fully risen.

“Ren, stay and help Edward.”

“

…” Ren looked at Luize with a worried face, tugging at the hem of her pants.

“I heard it will be okay for up to five hundred days. As long as I visit Perils every year, I can live outside. If the period gradually shortens and my condition worsens, I’ll visit Perils more often or return to the forest entirely. I may not be able to live far away for long, but I want to live freely, even if just for a little.”

“

.” Ren still clung to her clothes, shaking its head vigorously.

“Ren still wants to go with you.”

Hearing the low voice from nearby, Luize looked up at Edward. Dressed in his uniform, he was composed as ever, even early in the morning.

“This is not the best look I wanted to show last. My eyes are probably really swollen.”

“They look like marshmallows.”

“How can you be so flawless even early in the morning, Edward?”

“I wanted to leave you with the best possible memory.”

“… You’d still be perfect even with a few flaws.”

Luize smiled bitterly. Her gaze dropped to the cufflink on Edward’s wrist.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been curious. Why did you make the magic stone into cufflinks? There are necklaces, bracelets, and other buttons too.”

“Do you remember the day we first met at Kavan, when I gave you a cufflink?”

“I remember.”

“Since that day, I tried to track down the person with that cufflink but never found her. So, I made cufflinks with my magic stone to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. Next time, I’ll be sure to find her.”

“…I see. I was really sad about losing that cufflink. This will probably be our last meeting, right? It would be nice to have a way to stay in touch.”

“I’ll keep you updated through newspapers or newsletters. I’ll soon be the most famous person in the Empire. Even now, I’m quite well-known, so you’ll easily hear about me no matter where you are.”

“

, right. Then I’ll take the necklace you gave me. As long as I wear it, you’ll know I’m doing okay… I plan to wear it for a while.”

“For a while.”

Although they didn’t specify, both knew how long that ‘while’ would last.