My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 101

“Of course.”

The man sitting across from Vincent replied. He wore his hat low and had a thick, unkempt beard, obscuring most of his facial features. With only a dim lantern lighting the space, it was impossible to make out his face.

“Are you telling me… you want me to kill the Duke of Dumont? And that too, in front of the knights of House Dumont… with Mael watching?”

Vincent trembled as he spoke, his lower lip quivering.

The man shrugged. “You say such frightening things. Anyone overhearing might think I’m ordering an assassination.”

“So you’re saying that’s not the case?”

“Of course not. I merely suggested that you give it your all, as if it were a real fight. Isn’t that what the Duke of Dumont wants as well? From what I hear, he takes swordsmanship quite seriously. If you hold back unnecessarily, it’s bound to offend him.”

The man spoke in a low voice. His tone was light, but there was no trace of amusement.

“Well, considering that a knight of Sir Vincent’s caliber will be going all out… it’s possible that the opponent may suffer some injuries. And if, unfortunately, those injuries happen to be in a critical area…”

At the insinuation, Vincent clenched his teeth.

“So, in the end, you are telling me to kill him! Do you take me for a fool?”

“Perish the thought. I would never.”

The man slowly laced his fingers together and leaned toward Vincent.

“I’m saying this because I know you are not a fool. I trust that you understand exactly what I mean.”

“……”

Vincent’s lips pressed into a firm line. The man leaned back against his chair and smirked.

“As I’ve mentioned before, if you handle this well, all your debts will be erased. Not just what you lost at our gambling den, but also the loans you took from Marco—every last bit of it. I will tear up the promissory note right in front of you. That’s a promise.”

Vincent bit his lip lightly. “…Trying to coerce me with debt is pointless. I am a knight who serves this country. I cannot do such a thing. I never will.”

The man tilted his head slightly. “Well, if you insist, then I have no choice. I’ll have to send the bill to your older brother, Viscount Frenet.”

At those words, Vincent’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t…!”

“Imagine the shock on Viscount Frenet’s face when he learns that his esteemed younger brother has racked up an enormous debt through high-stakes gambling. Not just him—your family, your fellow knights who respect you, they’ll all be devastated. A knight of your renown, gambling away his honor? It’s truly unfortunate, but as a businessman, I can’t afford to let debts slide.”

“……”

Vincent’s complexion turned ashen, as if all the blood had drained from his face.

“Now, how much was the Frenet estate worth again? I wonder if it’s enough to cover the amount. The debt is quite substantial… would selling the viscount’s residence be enough? Let’s see, property prices in that area are…”

“Don’t—!”

Vincent suddenly shouted.

Swallowing hard, he spoke again in a voice cracked with despair.

“…Don’t tell my brother. Please. I beg you.”

“Of course, I have no intention of causing you unnecessary distress. In fact, I’m offering you a way out. If you do this one task, all your debts will disappear. It’s not even that difficult.”

“……”

Vincent shut his eyes tightly.

“…It’s impossible. No matter how I think about it, it’s unrealistic. Killing the Duke of Dumont right in the middle of the ducal estate? There’s no way I’d make it out alive.”

“What are you saying? Didn’t the Dumont side already agree to the use of real swords? That means they acknowledge the risks involved and won’t hold anyone accountable for an accident. Besides, the Dumont family and their knights are known for valuing honor above all else. Do you think they’d execute you over an unfortunate mishap during a duel?”

“……”

Hearing it put that way, it didn’t sound entirely incorrect. Moreover, the commander of the Dumont knights was none other than Mael. Mael would never believe that Vincent had intentionally harmed his own lord.

If anything, Mael would likely take responsibility himself for arranging the duel rather than blaming Vincent.

“And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a fatal wound. While a lethal injury would be ideal, if that proves too difficult, you can always aim for an arm or a leg. Just make sure the wound is severe enough that he’ll never be able to use it again.”

The man’s voice was chilling. Vincent swallowed hard.

“Well then, I believe I’ve said all I needed to say. I trust you’ll handle this well. After all, this is for your own good. Your future depends on the outcome of this task.”

The man adjusted his hat and rose from his seat.

“…Wait.”

At Vincent’s rough voice, the man halted his steps and turned to look back at him.

“Why would someone like you, just a gambling den operator, want to take the Duke of Dumont’s life? Were you hired by someone else?”

“Well, that’s a difficult question to answer. Let’s just say that there are more people displeased with the Duke of Dumont than you might think… That shouldn’t come as a surprise, should it?”

“……”

Leaving Vincent behind, the man exited the cabin.

A few moments later, Vincent also stepped outside. The man, hiding behind a tree, watched him closely before turning to his subordinate standing nearby.

“Follow him. Make sure he doesn’t do anything unnecessary.”

“Yes, sir.”

The subordinate, clad in black, responded curtly before disappearing into the darkness.

After briefly scanning his surroundings, the man began walking away in a different direction.

***

A few days later, on Saturday.

Finally, the day of Ethan and Vincent’s duel arrived.

The knights’ training grounds were already packed with spectators before the duel even began. The knights, eager with anticipation, were energetically discussing how the match would unfold and who would emerge victorious.

Vincent, having completed his preparations, sat inside the barracks. He clutched his hands together, his expression stiff with tension.

Soon, Ethan and Mael entered the barracks. Vincent quickly stood up.

“Duke Dumont.”

“Sir Vincent. I trust you’ll give it your all today.”

Ethan extended his hand toward Vincent. As they shook hands, Vincent’s gaze quickly scanned Ethan from head to toe.

As agreed beforehand, Ethan was wearing leather armor. While it offered less protection than metal, it was significantly lighter. Additionally, it had been oiled and polished, making it effective at deflecting attacks.

However, a strong, precise thrust could still penetrate its thickness. Areas like the neck and underarms, which were left exposed, remained vulnerable to fatal strikes.

“You seem tense.”

At Ethan’s words, Vincent quickly raised his head to look at him.

“There’s no need to be. If your nerves get the better of you and you can’t fight at your full potential, that would be the real shame.”

“……”

“Don’t hold back and fight with everything you have. Show me all the skill you possess, just as we discussed. Understood?”

Ethan spoke while looking at Vincent with calm yet piercing eyes. Vincent swallowed hard and nodded.

“…Yes. Understood, Your Grace.”

“Good. Then let’s have a fair match.”

With those words, Ethan turned and left the barracks. Mael silently observed Vincent for a moment before nodding to him and following Ethan outside.

Vincent gripped his sword tightly and stepped forward.

As he exited the barracks, an overwhelming cheer erupted, loud enough to make his ears ring. The excitement was so intense that even a seasoned knight like Vincent felt intimidated.

In the prime viewing section beside the training grounds, the Duchess was seated as well.

Thinking about what was about to happen—and how these people would react—made Vincent’s mind reel.

He clenched his grip on his sword handle, steeling his resolve.

There was no turning back now. He had no other choice.

“Ready.”

Mael’s deep and powerful voice rang out. Ethan and Vincent stood poised, gripping their swords as they faced each other.

“Begin!”

The moment the signal was given, Ethan made the first move, charging forward.

With a sharp battle cry, Ethan unleashed a series of powerful strikes in rapid succession. His attacks were far stronger and faster than Vincent had anticipated. For the time being, all Vincent could do was focus entirely on blocking Ethan’s strikes.

“Hup!”

Taking a deep breath, Vincent braced himself and forcefully deflected Ethan’s sword. Ethan immediately leaped back, adjusting his stance.

A faint, exhilarated smile formed on Ethan’s handsome face. In contrast, Vincent’s expression remained grim.

The exchange of blows continued. With each clash of swords, the spectators’ cheers grew louder and louder.

The crowd was chanting Ethan’s name in unison. In reality, Ethan was clearly overpowering Vincent. If things continued this way, it seemed inevitable that Vincent would be defeated.

After being pushed back repeatedly, Vincent finally lost his balance while blocking one of Ethan’s powerful strikes. Ethan didn’t miss the opening and swiftly raised his sword to strike.

In that instant, Ethan’s lightly armored abdomen entered Vincent’s attack range.

Now was the moment.

A cold shiver ran down Vincent’s spine. Clenching his teeth, he swung his sword in a sweeping counterattack against Ethan’s incoming strike.

A heavy impact was felt—followed by the sight of crimson blood gushing from Ethan’s abdomen.