I am Being Chased by My Husband

Disclaimer: Some words or phrases may be lost in translation. The word might not have a literal translation in English or there may be sayings in Korean culture that I am not familiar with.

(athanasiafrost)

Eloise remained Eloise, but even Johannes found himself unsure about what decision to make. He contemplated the possibility of asking for a divorce or perhaps ordering her to leave for the capital.

‘What decision will the Duke ultimately reach…’

As a long-time teacher to Johannes, Braeden was intimately familiar with him, but even he couldn’t fathom the conclusions Johannes might draw. There was always an unwavering resolve in Johannes’ golden eyes, as if he staunchly guarded his emotions.

Originally, the heir to the Dukedom was Johannes’ older sister, Reina. As a result, Johannes was excluded from the responsibility of being educated as a successor and spent most of his childhood in the capital. During that time, Braeden had come to know Johannes well.


“They say the highest-level evil spirits appear near the capital.”


Johannes was just eight years old when he first arrived in the capital. At that time, he seemed like any other lively boy his age. Given the prolonged war in the North, he hadn’t received much attention from the previous Duke of Noavik or the Duchess who was guarding the territory. Nevertheless, his sister Reina had raised him well.


“I’m excited to see how Noavik’s bloodline, renowned for its ability to detect the highest-level evil spirits, will fare.”

“Prince, dealing with a demon of the highest rank is no easy task. Even the most skilled priests struggle against them, so do not assume victory too easily.”

“Huh, Braeden is the one who claimed I was the most gifted child from the Noavik family.”


Indeed, at the tender age of eight, Johannes was already recognized as a master swordsman by all who knew him. From a young age, he wielded a sword with remarkable skill and, at the age of six, he had vanquished a formidable evil spirit, becoming the idol of all children.


“The higher-level demons and a strong demon are entirely different entities. Killing the highest-level evil spirit is no easy feat, and there’s no guarantee it will drop the ‘Time Stone.’ They are exceedingly challenging to deal with, and they exist for only a brief moment before vanishing.”


Braeden had to halt the carriage on its way to the capital to calm down the excited Johannes. In reality, unlike other evil spirits, the highest-level ones appeared only briefly before disappearing, making extermination a rarity.

It was a well-known fact that the highest-level evil spirits dropped the ‘Time Stone,’ and indeed, one such stone was preserved in the treasure room of the Duchy of Noavik. It had been obtained by the first head of the Noavik family after defeating a highest-level evil spirit, and it was said that the stone could transport the holder ten minutes into the future.

The people of the Duke’s family chose to display the usesless ‘Time Stone’ in the treasurry room rather than use it. There was even a testament stating that using power derived from evil spirits contradicted the values upheld by a Noavik spirit.


“Promise me. You must never, under any circumstance, even consider confronting a highest-ranking demon.”


Observing Braeden’s solemn expression, Johannes pouted his lips. Braeden sighed softly as he gazed upon Johannes’ innocent face.

A special power related to evil spirits ran through the veins of the Noavik family, and the Elders responsible for assessing that power had declared that Johannes possessed this ability to a far greater extent than his sister, Reina. However, the age gap between Reina and Johannes was substantial, and their parents were deeply involved in the ongoing war

The Duchy of Noavik belonged to the Empire and bordered the kingdoms above it. Among them, the Kingdom of Leto had been invading after a long preparation, and the so-called ‘Northern War’ had been going on fiercely for several years.


“You know how worried Princess Reina is, right? Promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”


At the mention of Reina, Johannes finally nodded sullenly. If not for the war, Johannes might have grown up in the North and competed with Reina for the role of successor.

However, Reina was now handling everything in the duchy. Consequently, the former ducal couple had already designated Reina as the successor in the event they were killed in battle.

Reina took excellent care of Johannes, but it didn’t alter the tradition that, in such circumstances, other direct heirs who could pose a threat to the successor’s position should stay away from the North to prevent the formation of factions. Of course, eight years old was still rather young for such considerations.

While Johannes was currently growing up as a bright and cheerful child, he would eventually realize that his situation was complex as he got older. That’s why both Braeden and Reina were determined to preserve his innocence.

Maybe that’s why Braeden was more lenient to Johannes.
 

Eventually, shortly after arriving in the capital, Johannes made a secret venture to capture the highest-ranking evil spirits. He slipped away from his mansion without notifying anyone, disregarding Braeden’s strict advice to never leave. And it worked.

While society spoke of Johannes as a once-in-a-lifetime master swordsman, much had changed since that incident

“Can’t you look after an eight-year-old? The competence of a teacher to care for his student is questionable. Bring him back to the North and send the others away.”


Reina held Johannes accountable for venturing out alone in the middle of the night and engaging in dangerous pursuits. Even Braeden considered this a reasonable reaction. Truly, allowing an eight-year-old to confront the highest-level demons would be nothing short of suicidal.

After Braeden returned to the North, he only managed to see Johannes on rare occasions.

(athanasiafrost)

Following that incident, Johannes underwent a subtle transformation. No one knew exactly what transpired during his encounter with the highest-ranking demon, but he ceased boasting to his peers about his achievements. Even when asked about it, he would quietly brush off the inquiries.

Subsequently, a major battle erupted in the “Northern War,” which continued at a sluggish pace until Johannes reached the age of 19. During this period, the Duke and Duchess were killed in action. The imperial family, observing the situation, hurriedly dispatched the imperial army and Crown Prince Obedin to join the war effort.

At that time, Reina summoned Johannes from the capital while attending to Prince Obedin on the enemy front.

With the crown prince actively participating in the war, it seemed only fitting that someone from the Noavik lineage should also join the battle. Reina was faced with the dilemma of either keeping Johannes in the capital while she fought in the war or sending him to participate in the conflict while she maintained the dukedom.

As the 19-year-old rode his horse furiously towards the North, Prince Obedin met his demise, and Reina disappeared. Johannes lost his entire family in a single moment and was subsequently bestowed the title of Duke.

‘After that… After all the wars were over, he came back carrying Leo, bearing the news of Princess Reina’s death.”

Braeden let out a light sigh as he recollected those times. They were truly turbulent times.

The reason why Johannes, who displayed such remarkable combat prowess at the age of eight, chose to remain in the capital despite the massive battle raging in the North, was likely driven by his determination not to be a burden to Reina.

The boy, once filled with excitement about slaying the highest-level evil spirits in the capital, had grown into a young man who knew the importance of perseverance and avoiding any complications that might embarrass Reina with succession issues.

Just in time, one of the wandering tribes from the North, the Emmenta tribe, allied themselves with Leto’s enemies, and Johannes emerged as a war hero who ultimately ended the conflict.

Following this, the Kingdom of Leto fell, and the Kingdom of Emmenta ascended in its place. Moreover, after the Emperor lost Crown Prince Obedin, he appointed Diego, the second prince, as the new crown prince.

‘What was he feeling?’

Braeden remembered the overly serene expression of Johannes as he returned to the duchy holding Leo, a newborn baby.

‘A person capable of ending the war swiftly, yet patiently chose to remain in the capital solely because Princess Reina didn’t summon him.’

After the boy who once boasted about capturing an evil spirit at the tender age of six had seemingly vanished, Braeden found it challenging to comprehend Johannes’ intentions. The same was true for everyone in the Duchy. Even Pagan and Serena, who had been with Johannes since his time in the capital, remained unsure of his true motivations.

And it was the same situation now.

Now, they had no clue as to why Johannes had hurried back or how he intended to handle Eloise.

“really… She is surprisingly strong-willed.”

Pagan scratched his ears and mused to himself.

“If she couldn’t even ride a horse, leaping off one must have taken a great deal of courage.”

Serena, who had been quietly listening, chimed in as well.

“I knew long ago that she was a woman of courage.”

“Huh? How did you know that? You only saw Eloise once when she came to propose.”

“I knew then.”

Serena continued with a serious expression.

“Whether in front of me, you, or even the Duke, she didn’t show the slightest hint of intimidation, even though she barely reached my shoulders.”

“… that … yes.”

As Pagan slowly agreed, Serena raised her eyebrows and said.

“Somehow, I have a feeling she won’t leave the North, even amidst the chaos.”

Her view differed from the majority’s predictions, but no one contested Serena’s words. It was because Leo’s eyes brightened with hope as he cautiously asked her.

“Is it really so? Do you really think so, Serena?”

To Leo’s cautious question, Seyena shrugged her shoulders and answered calmly.

“Of course, Prince. I have a good feeling. As long as the Duke and A-Day are there, I’m confident they will rescue Lady Eloise. She likely fell off the cliff and took that as a swift escape route.”

Serena spoke earnestly, without a trace of amusement.

“And truthfully, those two must be… enjoying themselves now. After all, a man and a woman, alone together in the middle of the night.”

(athanasiafrost)