I Married a Sick Husband

“I think I’m still sick.”

 

“… Yes?”

 

“So don’t leave.”

 

When he continued speaking, giving strength to his voice.

 

“Stay next to me…”

 

Suddenly, Theodore’s face distorted.

 

Meredith called out to him with a bewildered face at the unexpected change in expression.

 

“Your Majesty?”

 

“… Ugh.”

 

As a groan burst from Theodore’s mouth, he clutched his chest hard.

 

Seeing him complain of chest pain, Meredith was startled and asked urgently.

 

“Your Majesty, where does it hurt? Your Majesty!”

 

“Don-”

 

“Your chest feels uncomfortable?”

 

Theodore was panting for breath, but he seemed to have something to say.

 

Without taking his eyes off Meredith, who was hurriedly supporting him, he tried to say something.

 

“-eave.”

 

“Yes? Wait a moment, Your Majesty. I’ll…!”

 

But before Meredith could finish speaking, Theodore collapsed on the spot.

 

Meredith looked stunned and forgot to even breathe for a moment.

 

“Ah-ah…”

 

As if she had forgotten how to speak, only a cry of surprise escaped Meredith’s stiff lips.

 

But that moment was fleeting.

 

“Sir Felix, Sir Felix!”

 

Meredith called frantically for Felix.

 

Felix quickly appeared after hearing her shrill scream.

 

“Your Majesty, what is happening… – gasp!”

 

“Call the court physician, now!”

 

Meredith held Theodore’s hand tightly as he fell, and spoke in a trembling voice.

 

“His Majesty has fallen.”

 

***

 Chapter 18. Realize  

It was an emergency.

 

All the physicians of the palace gathered in the central palace.

 

Of course, Jerome Bowner was there too.

 

“Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”

 

While the other physicians examined him, Jerome tried to calm Meredith, whose hands were shaking.

 

“It seems that his life is not in danger right now.”

 

“Yes. Fortunately, it seems that he is…”

 

Nevertheless, Meredith was not at ease at all.

 

Her heart kept beating rapidly, and her mouth felt parched as if a drought had hit it.

 

It seemed that she would never be able to calm down until she knew exactly what was going on.

 

Meredith waited anxiously for the results.

 

“You said that His Majesty the Emperor suddenly collapsed with chest pain?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Meredith barely opened her lips to answer.

 

“It happened very suddenly.”

 

“According to the diagnosis, there doesn’t seem to be a major cause. In fact, the cause has been unknown before…”

 

The court physician who examined Theodore continued with a slight frown.

 

“This is the first time you have collapsed like this, so I am confused. It is unprecedented…”

 

“Please have the other court physicians examine as well. His Majesty would not have collapsed out of nowhere, right?”

 

In a voice that sounded impatient, all the court physicians in the palace eventually took turns examining Theodore.

 

However, the only answer they received was that they still could not find the cause.

 

“We have no idea what the cause is, Your Majesty.”

 

Even Sir Jerome.

 

“However, since the symptoms do not show any signs of being life-threatening, let’s wait for now. It could simply be that he has fainted.”

 

“… I understand.”

 

At that moment, in contrast to her previous anxious state, Meredith nodded calmly.

 

“His Majesty has been working harder than before. But I didn’t know that he would collapse like this…”

 

“His Majesty’s health is not so good, so it could easily be due to simple overwork.”

 

One of the palace physicians hurriedly stepped forward at Meredith’s words.

 

“I’m sure he will wake up safely after resting well. Don’t worry too much.”

 

“Understood. For now, everyone should step aside. And today’s work must be kept secret.”

 

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

 

After a while, only Meredith and Felix were left in the bedroom.

 

Felix spoke first in a serious voice.

 

“This is serious.”

 

“It seems that the black magic has been activated again.”

 

“It has been activated again?”

 

Felix asked in surprise at the conclusion that had been quickly reached.

 

“Is that possible?”

 

“Your Majesty’s case was so special that I couldn’t have guessed…”

 

Meredith opened her mouth with a troubled expression.

 

“It seems that the curse that was not completely removed from His Majesty’s body has once again taken effect.”

 

“Then… His Majesty will never wake up like this?”

 

“That’s not true. He will probably wake up in a few days. The curse has already been neutralized by my life force, so even if it were to reactivate, it wouldn’t have a negative effect that would take his life.”

 

The real problem was something else.

 

“But we don’t know when this will happen again.”

 

If there was even a little bit of black magic left in his body, it could activate again at any time.

 

“… After all, the only answer is to remove the root cause.”

 

“If it’s the root cause… … .”

 

“We need to find the magician who cast a curse on His Majesty and kill him. That’s the only way to completely neutralize the curse.”

 

“But it’s not like we didn’t do it because we didn’t know that.”

 

“We have to find a way now. I can’t always be by His Majesty’s side…”

 

“….”

 

“Do you have the key to the secret library?”

 

“I have one for temporary use…”

 

“Please give it to me. I’ll start looking for a solution tonight.”

 

Felix nodded without hesitation.

 

In the end, Meredith was the only one who could save Theodore.

 

“But why do you want to go at night?”

 

“I have to take care of His Majesty during the day and do my job.”

 

Meredith answered as if it was simple.

 

“Even though Her Highness is leaving for the monastery today, her power is still within the palace. We can’t let our guard down.”

 

“I understand what you mean. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.”

 

“Your Majesty, I don’t know when Her Highness will rebel, taking advantage of His Majesty’s sudden collapse.”

 

That was what Meredith was most worried about.

 

However, since she had just been ordered to go to the monastery, the thought that Blair would be cautious for now made Meredith feel somewhat relieved.

 

“Please keep an eye on Her Highness and Prince Fabian.”

 

“Understood. Don’t worry about that.”

 

Felix left with a short greeting.

 

Now, only Meredith and Theodore were left in the room.

 

“Haa….”

 

Meredith let out a long sigh and approached Theodore.

 

He lay there as if he were dead.

 

His bloodless pale face made it look like he had really passed away, so Meredith, suddenly frightened, quickly put her finger under his nose.

 

Fortunately, he was breathing well.

 

“What kind of bad guy could have put such a terrible curse on Your Majesty…”

 

She wanted to stop Blair’s carriage on its way to the monastery and ask who on earth she ordered to do this.

 

‘But even if I ask, I won’t get the right answer.’

 

After all, the only one who could save him was her.

 

At that thought, Meredith suddenly became more desperate.

 

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. No matter what happens, I will definitely lift Your Majesty’s curse.”

 

She couldn’t tell you how perplexed she was when he collapsed in pain right before her eyes.

 

No, it wasn’t a feeling that could be properly expressed with the word ‘perplexed’.

 

As if the world had stopped, the sky turned black and her heart stopped beating.

 

Just thinking about it made her feel like she would suffocate from the eeriness.

 

‘I never want to experience that moment again. Never.’

 

Meredith held Theodore’s hand tightly.

 

It was cold, perhaps because he was unconscious.

 

She remembered the first time she had held his hand at the wedding hall.

 

‘Then at some point, it became warm and I liked it…’

 

She felt sad and disappointed that it had become cold again.

 

“I will give you a lot of my life force. So wake up quickly.”

 

She wanted to hear the soft voice he used to speak in with me again.

 

She wanted to see the smile he used to give her again.

 

She wanted to receive the gaze he used to watch her with again.

 

When she thought about it that far, Meredith realized.

 

“… Ah.”

 

Even if she leaves him, he will remain with her for quite some time.

 

His voice, smile, and eyes were already engraved in her heart.

 

Even if she left this place and lived freely, she would not be able to forget a part of her, all of him, for a while.

 

At that sudden thought, Meredith’s mood became strange.

 

“… How did you come here? You cannot enter now.”

 

“I came here after hearing that His Majesty has collapsed. I must see His Majesty myself. Why are you blocking my entrance?”

 

“His Majesty is currently under the guard of Her Majesty the Empress. You cannot enter.”

 

A commotion was heard from outside.

 

Meredith’s eyebrows quickly narrowed at the unexpected voice.

 

‘… How did you come here?’

 

Meredith stood up from her seat with a hardened face.

 Apologies for the delay in uploading this one. I'll post the ones I've missed over this week and following. The proofread ver. will be updated in the month of March (delayed due to exams) ^^