My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 98

‘Why is he reacting like that?’

As expected, there must be some hidden circumstances. Before I even realized it, my expression grew slightly serious.

“Ah, yes. That is correct. His Grace is highly ambitious and always seeks duels with skilled opponents. Sir Vincent is one of the most talented knights I know personally, so I recommended him.”

“I see. Did Sir Vincent bring it up first by any chance?”

At my question, Mael looked puzzled. “No. I was the one who suggested it first.”

“I see. Has Sir Vincent ever expressed a desire to spar with Ethan before? Or mentioned anything similar?”

“Pardon? No, not that I can recall.”

Judging by his reaction, he seemed to be telling the truth.

‘So Girard wasn’t the one who initiated contact with Ethan first?’

“May I ask why you’re curious about this?” Mael asked cautiously.

“Ah, I just wanted to check in advance. A duel inherently carries risks since both parties cross swords. Usually, Ethan only spars with knights from the Dumont order, but since an outsider has been invited this time, I was a bit concerned.”

I gave the answer I had prepared beforehand. Mael nodded in understanding.

“I see. I understand your concern, Duchess. But rest assured, the duel will be conducted with strict safety measures in place. Not only will they be using wooden swords instead of real blades, but Sir Vincent is also someone I know well and trust.”

Just as in the original story, Mael had no idea that Vincent was entangled with Girard.

‘But if Marlon learns of this, he might plan something.’

From Marlon’s perspective, this would be an unexpected but golden opportunity. Since it was an event initiated by Mael himself, Ethan would have no reason to suspect foul play.

‘And considering this is a duel, where they will physically clash, it’s the perfect chance to target Ethan directly. For Marlon, it must feel like a prize falling right into his lap.’

For now, my priority was to find out whether Vincent had already fallen into Girard’s trap and accumulated gambling debts.

“You seem quite close to Sir Vincent. Do you meet often?”

“No. Since we serve in different orders, we don’t see each other as frequently as before. But we still stay in touch regularly through letters. This time, we met in person to discuss the duel.”

“I see. So it had been a while since you last saw him?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

For a brief moment, Mael’s expression seemed somewhat uncertain.

“Why? Did he seem different from before?”

“…Pardon?”

Mael looked at me in surprise, as if he wanted to ask, ‘How did you know that…?’

I smiled calmly and said, “It’s something that often happens when meeting an old friend after a long time. That unfamiliar feeling can sometimes lead to growing apart.”

“No, it wasn’t anything like that. He was just as good a person as before, and we had a pleasant time together. However… he did seem a bit exhausted.”

“…Exhausted, you say?”

“Yes. As far as I know, they had a large-scale training exercise last month… I assume that’s the reason.”

“How exactly did he seem exhausted? Did he look thinner? Was his skin rougher? Did it seem like he wasn’t sleeping well?”

“…How did you know?”

Mael looked genuinely shocked.

‘As I thought…’

The words I had just spoken were exactly the descriptions given in the original story—what Mael had said when he met Vincent after a long time.

Vincent had always maintained a clean and polished appearance for a knight, so the sudden change had been notable.

Unfortunately, this meant that Girard had likely already ensnared Vincent.

“I was just making a guess. In any case, if that’s his current condition, it could affect his health. I wonder if proceeding with the duel as planned is truly the best choice.”

“I mentioned that as well, but he insisted he was fine. He said his condition wasn’t an issue. And honestly, he didn’t seem to be lying.”

“How did Sir Vincent react when you suggested the duel with Ethan? Did he welcome it? Or did he seem reluctant but agreed because it was your request?”

“He accepted willingly. In fact, I expected him to. Sir Vincent has a strong passion for swordsmanship and enjoys competing against skilled opponents.”

“Hmm, I see.”

So, at the time Mael first proposed the duel, Vincent hadn’t yet received any orders from Girard.

From the beginning, Vincent never realized that it was the Girard family that had set him up. Even Ethan, aside from discovering that the gambling den Vincent frequented was owned by Girard, never found any definitive proof.

Of course, the aftermath of the Vincent incident unexpectedly led to another case, but that was a story for later.

“Excuse me, do you have any suspicions regarding Sir Vincent’s recent changes?”

At Mael’s question, I lightly shook my head. “Of course not. I’ve never even met him.”

Mael observed me for a moment before speaking again, slowly, “Previously, I received great help from you regarding the Bache matter, Your Grace. Not only Jacques and his wife, but also the other potential victims benefited from it. As a result, the prestige of the Dumont family also increased. All of that was thanks to your courage and insight.”

The sudden praise made me give a wry smile.

“Why are you saying this all of a sudden? You’re making me embarrassed.”

“I am only saying this because if you know anything, Your Grace, I hope you will share it. To me, Sir Vincent is a trustworthy person, but that does not mean I know everything about him. As you said, given the nature of this situation, if there is even a slight risk, I would like to eliminate it in advance.”

Mael spoke with a seriousness that left no room for doubt.

As the commander of the Dumont knights, Mael’s most crucial duty was, without question, protecting Ethan and the ducal household. Given that responsibility, it was natural for him to be cautious about the sparring opponent he had recommended.

‘Is this… a side effect of the Marcel Bache incident?’

If that case had not happened, Mael likely would not have given much weight to my questions today. At most, he might have assumed I was merely being overly concerned, as many noblewomen disliked such barbaric activities.

However, since I had unintentionally proven to be exceptionally competent in that situation, Mael now assumed I must have a reason for asking these questions.

‘And honestly, he’s not wrong. But I can’t exactly explain it…’

However, since Mael had already started to suspect something, denying it outright was not the best approach.

‘In any case, I will need Mael’s cooperation to resolve this issue. In that case…’

After organizing my thoughts briefly, I looked at Mael and gave a soft smile.

“I appreciate your high regard for me, but as I said earlier, I do not know Sir Vincent at all. I have only heard of him in passing a few times. However…”

“However, what?”

Mael unconsciously leaned forward slightly, showing his interest.

I hesitated deliberately, pretending to be in thought.

“It’s still too soon to say anything. I need to wait a little longer to be sure.”

“Wait? What exactly are you waiting for?”

“I heard there’s about a week left before the sparring match. Do you have any plans to meet with Sir Vincent before then?”

“Ah, yes. We scheduled a final meeting next Wednesday to go over the details.”

“Then let’s talk again after you meet with him. If my concerns are valid, Sir Vincent might bring up a proposal he hasn’t mentioned before.”

Mael narrowed his eyes. “What kind of proposal?”

“It would be something like…”

***

Four days later, on Wednesday.

Mael sat in the back of a pub with a slightly stiff expression.

Originally, he was supposed to meet Vincent at the ducal estate today. They had planned to check the training grounds in preparation for the match.

However, after hearing what the Duchess had said, Mael was hesitant to show Vincent the knights’ facilities.

Of course, as the Duchess herself had stated, this was only an unfounded concern for now. But at the same time, it was also true that any potential risk should not be ignored.

Before long, Vincent appeared.

“Hey, Mael.”

Vincent raised a hand in greeting. He still looked somewhat haggard, but he had shaved and looked tidier than before.

“You’re here.”

“Yeah. No changes to the plan, right?”

“No. Everything is proceeding as scheduled.”

Mael hesitated for a moment before continuing, “And you, Sir Vincent? Are we proceeding as originally agreed?”

“Ah, about that… I know it’s a bit late, but I’d like to change one thing. Would that be alright?”

Hiding his inner turmoil, Mael asked as indifferently as possible, “What change are you referring to?”

“The equipment for the match. I was told we’d be using wooden swords, but… would it be possible to switch to real swords instead? Wooden weapons just don’t feel quite right.”

Mael’s expression hardened instantly.