My Villainous Husband

39

It was the archbishop who came to the Empire. The description that the external affairs were handled by the archbishop and the internal affairs were mainly resolved by the saint seemed to be true to some extent.

The archbishop was an old gentleman who looked kind and upright.

But now, that did not matter.

Thump, thump.

‘I can’t believe he’s here.’

My heart began to beat faster.

Behind the archbishop were several priests and paladins. I was not sure if all of them were here, but it seemed like a few were. Still, I recognized him at a glance.

…Seraphina’s first love.

A young man born with a miserable fate to have his head cut off at the hands of a tyrant for the sin of gaining her love.

Eden.

An upright young man with dark blue hair neatly cut stood in the third row with his head slightly bowed.

‘Right… Of course, Eden would come.’

It was because he is a paladin.

Perhaps, I was staring too intently, and when Eden raised his head slightly, our eyes met. His black eyes stared intently at me. I quickly turned my gaze to the archbishop. At the same time, Eden also lowered his eyes when I avoided his gaze.

Then, I heard a sweet yet eerie voice next to me.

“Welcome to the realm of Actilla, believers of Tunia.”

I flinched.

Since I was distracted by Eden for a moment, I was overwhelmed by the presence of my husband sitting to my right. His reclining upper body slowly tilted forward.

“Those who ask for help, you must’ve brought me the sincerity to offer.”

‘…He looks like a real villain.’

The circumstances of the Temple of Tunia are all well-known facts, and it should be understandable… Well, Raniero was the villain, though.

The benevolent archbishop opened his mouth with a stiff smile on his face.

“Of course, great son of the God Actilla. It’s small, but…”

“No.”

Raniero interrupted him and smiled lightly.

It was a rude attitude.

“You don’t have to extort material things you have for that, don’t you?”

Oh, but what he was saying is correct.

I slowly turned my eyes to look at Raniero’s side face. Opening his eyes a little wide, his long eyelashes fluttered. He was like an angel in disguise. He seemed innocent even though he was making an awkward joke.

“I’ll have mercy on you, and I won’t accept any offerings you bring.”

Something feels a little ominous…
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Even though I was not the type of person to say this—

“Instead, everyone kneel down, look up to me and beg for your life.”

—I thought it would be like this.

“Beg and plead for the mercy of the blood and flesh of the God of War to show you the mercy of slaughter.”

Raniero Actilus said in a gentle voice.

The audience became quiet as if water had been poured on them. Only Raniero, who was on my right, was smiling.

I glanced down at them with a complicated mind.