My Husband Has Changed - Chapter 161



Only Krnovel

#161. Mikhail
2024.03.09.

“… … Your Highness.”

“Let’s go together.”

“That can’t be… … .”

“I thought the bond between us would be deeper than this.”

“… … Are you serious?”

“To some extent.”

He shrugged his shoulders lightly. What kind of relationship do we have that you’re leaving me alone like this?

It was ridiculous. In the past two years, their conversations had been rare.

Adele slowly examined Mikhail with deepened eyes. His entire body was unnaturally covered in a black aura.

“Your corruption has progressed further than last time.”

“Hmm?”

“Well, I guess you don’t have much power left to use. That’s why you’re telling me this now.”

The smile on Mikhail’s face gradually disappeared at her cold assessment. It was just as she said.

Unlike her who could create power, Mikhail’s power that could be useful was decreasing more and more quickly.

At the same time, it also meant that Valentin’s corruption was deepening… … .

“If you continue to exert your power like this, the speed at which your corruption progresses will become uncontrollable. Then, eventually, the body you are using will also… … .”

“Yes.”

He cut off Adele’s words with a nonchalant grin.

“You’re right. I can no longer use the power as I used to. And, well. I admit it. I actually want it so much that I die. How could I not?”

“… … .”

“Even so, I have no intention of touching even one of your fingers. If necessary, I will swear anything. If you don’t trust me, even a deal.”

“… … .”

“I just want to see the end of an old bet.”

Bet. The word brought back an old dream that I had forgotten. Valentin, who had obediently complied with Morrig’s unreasonable demands in order to protect her.

It had been too long since she had seen him. Adele barely swallowed the emotion that had surged up in her.

“… … If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this, it’s that you’re all liars.”

“I can’t deny it.”

“Even if I refuse, you’ll do whatever it takes to follow me. There’s no way to stop you, but please don’t bother me.”

Despite her sharp attitude, Mikhail bowed deeply and playfully greeted her.

“Follow my orders.”

She looked at him with cold eyes and passed him by.

* * *

Dawn. Adele left the barracks carrying the bag she had prepared in advance. Her luggage was simpler than ever.

A thick blanket, Valentin’s dagger, a compass, bandages, and a couple pieces of beef jerky were all she had.

It would have been nice to have a little more rations, but since the knights were short on food and drink right now, this was the best she could do.

Perhaps because they had decided to withdraw tomorrow, the sentries’ watch was looser than usual.

Adele covered herself with a black hood and walked in a dark shadow. Strangely, it was a quiet night even for the monsters.

She headed north without hesitation and walked. As the sun rose, Adele realized that Mikhail was following her. He seemed

to have noticed her like a ghost and followed her, even though she had not been told when or how she would leave.

Adele moved without stopping. During the day, she hid herself in a faint fog around her, and at night, she moved cautiously, relying only on the moonlight.

There were a few moments of heart-stopping danger, but for the most part, it was bearable.

Two full days passed like that. While she was taking a break in a narrow cave to escape the sudden downpour, Mikhail suddenly spoke to her.

“… … It seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile.”

Adele stopped untangling her wet, tangled hair and looked at him.

It seemed a little inappropriate for the first conversation they had in two days. And Mikhail’s gaze… … .

Adele realized that he was reminiscing about a past moment. And that made her feel uncomfortable for some reason.

She replied even more coldly.

“I rarely laugh.”

“Rarely. But it’s not like I never knew you.”

“… … .”

“I remember you laughing out loud sometimes. Even at Count Reichenau’s mansion.”

Adele quickly cut off Mikhail’s attention from the conversation. When she dug into her backpack and pulled out the last piece of jerky, he immediately acknowledged her.

“Isn’t that the last of our food? Should I catch a rabbit for you?”

“No problem.”

“Why?”

“Are you going to keep asking me like that?”

Adel looked at Mikhail with a tired face. He raised both his hands and made a gesture of surrender.

After eating all the tough jerky, she sat down at the entrance of the cave and gathered edible plants.

Even in the black, cracked, and dry land of the monsters, rare herbs grew that could be consumed.

‘I was especially lucky today.’

Adel dried the herbs appropriately with her magic, carefully wrapped them in a handkerchief, and put them in her bag.

She didn’t want to waste magic on drying her clothes or hair, but she couldn’t spare the food. She couldn’t be sure how much longer the road was left.

At times like this, she regretted not bringing Hazel, but it was not wise to make a sound of horse hooves in the land where the monsters swarmed.

Donovan would take good care of her in her stead.

“The rain is starting to let up. Still, I think it would be better to stay here tonight.”

Mikhail looked up at the sky and said. Adele did not reply, but she agreed with him emotionally. It was dangerous because the moonlight was not bright due to the clouds.

She took off her wet outerwear, squeezed out all the moisture, and placed it on a rock.

Then she took out a blanket and wrapped it around her entire body to keep her body temperature from dropping.

Mikhail chuckled at her almost caterpillar-like appearance, and picked up some scattered branches and started a bonfire.

“Oh my god, you… …!”

Starting a fire in the land of monsters was tantamount to suicide. When Adele called him in shock, he calmly replied,

“Call me Morrig. That’s my name.”

Adele blinked, speechless for a moment. She

knew that he was ‘Morig’, but since meeting ‘the first Morrig’ two years ago, it had been difficult for her to call him by that name.

She quickly stood up and tried to put out the fire.

“… … Whatever it is, starting a fire is not a good choice.”

“It’s okay. You won’t be able to see it from outside. I’ve put up a curtain at the entrance to the cave.”

“… … .”

“Please rest comfortably for a moment. I don’t know what your face looks like.”

Adele wrinkled her nose. ‘Miracles’ were almost non-existent in this land anymore.

And ‘Corruption’ was something that even Valentin had a hard time controlling.

Every time Mikhail, or Morrig, brought on the Corruption, it was clear that the body he was in was under enormous strain.

Adele turned her head away, considering whether to point that out.

In any case, it was true that she had warmed up now, and it was none of her business whether he suffered or not.

Adele carefully leaned her back against the wall near the campfire. The warm heat warmed her cold hands and feet. She

felt tired, as if she had soaked herself in a hot bath. She kept yawning, and eventually she began to nod off with her head down.

It was dawn when she came to her senses again.

Someone was groaning in pain.

‘What is it?’

“Ugh, ugh… … Ah… … .”

At first, Adele thought it was just the sound of the wind, but she got up in surprise.

She put on the outer garment she had taken off and stirred the dying campfire to rekindle the embers.

With a whoosh, the revived light illuminated the man crouching on the other side.

He was curled up in a ball and shivering.

Was he having a nightmare? She tried to ignore it, but he looked too painful to do so… … Adele carefully poked him with a branch.

“There… … .” ”

… … Ugh.”

“Morig?”

The moment she carefully called his name, the man’s twitching stopped. He was like a puppet whose strings had suddenly snapped.

It was a more bizarre sight than she had thought.

* * *

The next morning. Morrig woke up with a clean face, as if he had never been in pain.

Adele wondered if he remembered the night before, but he acted as if he had no idea.

It wasn’t long before Adele realized why he had been acting that way.

“… … .”

It was the night she had been napping with her back to a large tree and woke up thirsty.

She pricked up her ears at the strange noise and looked around. A few steps away, Morrig was standing precariously, looking up at the sky.

He looked as if he might fall forward at any moment, barely able to keep his body in check.

“… … You, what the heck… … . What were you doing there… … .”

The man turned his head sharply as she spoke. The moment their empty eyes met, Adele realized who the man was.
　

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