HPMC 07

 Chapter 07

“Still, please don’t worry. I can take care of a place for the family to stay.”

“…What?”

For a moment, my mind went blank.

He said he’d handle it? Since when did that man become so confident?

He had always been passive and withdrawn—yet now he was speaking with such certainty. It was hard to believe.

“How are you planning to do that? It’s not that I don’t trust you—I’m just curious. Do you have some kind of plan?”

Did the fall of our family finally knock some sense into him?

I didn’t want to think it was because of that tyrant’s shock therapy, but… could it really have awakened something in him?

After drinking some cold water, my husband stared into space with a serious, resolute gaze.

With eyes and determination I had never seen before, he opened his mouth.

“First, I’ll earn money and buy a house.”

“…?”

* * *

I was dumbfounded.

A house isn’t something you can just pick up like bread on the street—where was he suddenly going to get the money for it?

Still, I couldn’t stop him.

I was too stunned to even move.

‘Please stay here and wait for me, my lady.’

His will had been so firm.

‘He’ll probably come back in just a few hours.’

Believing that, I paced anxiously around the room.

I was worried he might do something reckless and dangerous.

‘But why did he suddenly ask for the tyrant’s name…?’

‘There’s just one thing I’d like to ask.’
‘What is it?’
‘What’s the name of that tyrant emperor?’

“….”

Was he planning to engrave the name of his enemy deep into his heart?

Everything about his words and actions made me uneasy.

Ah…

My fate.

Come to think of it, I’d never heard of someone remaining completely sane after drinking rat poison.

‘Just come back safely, Alec…’

* * *

After leaving the inn, Alec wandered around for a while, observing his surroundings.

Sharp, vivid eyes. A perfectly sculpted nose. Seductive red lips.

And a tall, striking figure that stood out no matter where he went.

People passing by couldn’t help but glance at him.

He, too, subtly scanned their clothing.

Silk hats and canes—rare in his time—glossy dresses and abundant lace.

‘18th century? Or maybe the 19th…?’

Stepping outside into the bustling streets made it feel real—this was truly another world.

In other words, it felt like history.

‘At least it’s not the primitive age.’

But despite the so-called “system reward,” he was currently in an emergency situation—no home, no money.

Would he really have to live here from now on?

For the time being?

Or… for the rest of his life?

As he walked, Alec thought of the ruler of the empire who had brought about his downfall.

‘The emperor’s name? It’s Axen Kaisley. Why do you ask?’

“….”

Axen Kaisley.

It sounded familiar.

Strangely, it felt like he already knew of a tyrant with that exact name.

Furrowing his brow, he searched through his memories—and then realized something.

‘Could it be that book?’

Alec recalled a novel he had received as a system reward in his previous life.

Its title was Distorted Sun.

The protagonist of that novel was none other than Axen Kaisley.

Though born into royalty, Axen had a miserable and insignificant childhood.

Despising his circumstances, he longed for power so no one could ever look down on him again.

In the end, he carved out his destiny in blood and ascended the throne.

He assassinated the emperor and empress—his own uncle and aunt—and imprisoned his young cousin, the rightful heir.

‘Did I enter the world of that book?’

He had debated whether to read it—but who knew it would become useful like this?

It was astonishing.

Of all places, to end up living inside that novel.

But he quickly grew indifferent. This, too, must be part of the system’s arrangement.

He tried to recall what Alexis—the body he now possessed—was like in the story.

Nothing came easily to mind, which meant he probably wasn’t an important character.

Digging through his memory, one detail finally surfaced.

A minor character who died early on.

A duke who had taken rat poison and died—and his wife followed him in death.

‘Don’t tell me… that duke is me?’

After everything he had endured, this was supposed to be his heavenly reward—yet now there was a tyrant involved.

The grand ducal mansion he should have enjoyed—he hadn’t even seen it.

Before he could enjoy his high status and easy life, everything had been taken away.

Even if he wasn’t directly responsible, the duke’s complete downfall irritated him—no, more than that.

Originally, Alexis would have died immediately after drinking the poison.

Just then—

“Wow! It’s that stupid Duke Alexis!”

Thud.

Something sticky flew and struck his forehead.

“….”

A sweet, heavy scent—like overripe fruit—filled the air.

A hard seed hit his smooth forehead sharply before dropping to the ground.

Wiping the juice off his face, Alec lifted his gaze, his eyes flashing coldly.

Who dared to do this?

‘Skill: Killing Intent Gaze.’

With just one look, even brutal beasts would shrink in fear.

He was about to make the culprit pay—

But then something felt off.

‘Ah… it’s gone. The skill.’

There was no system here.

Maybe it just hadn’t appeared yet—but somehow, it felt hollow.

The attacker turned out to be a child.

A well-dressed boy—like the son of a noble family—stood there, while a woman, presumably his mother, hurried over.

“Adam! Even if he’s kind, you mustn’t do that! And he’s not a duke anymore anyway!”

“….”

Without even sparing Alec a glance, she grabbed her son and left.

Alec stared blankly at their retreating figures.

He couldn’t believe it.

‘You lived being treated like this all this time… Alec?’

To be insulted and attacked by a mere child—

It was something he couldn’t comprehend.

His eyes grew as cold as if he had actually used his skill.

* * *

In the end, I stayed awake all night.

My husband didn’t return even by the next morning.

In all the chaos, I hadn’t even properly prepared food for him—where had he slept?

“Could we stay one more day…?”

“How long do you plan to stay?”

The innkeeper snapped irritably.

“Well, I’m not sure yet, but just a few more days… If we stay more than two days, could you perhaps lower the price a bit—”

“What? Now you’re asking for a discount?”

“Pardon?”

“Yesterday, your husband said he’d pay triple if we didn’t kick you out. Why are you changing your story now?”

“….”

What was that supposed to mean?

For a moment, my vision went dark.

If I said it was a lie, we’d probably be thrown out immediately—so I just returned to the room.

‘That man, seriously!’

Maybe I should’ve followed him.

Another anxious day passed.

My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and I sat at a table in the inn’s garden.

There was warm tea, but I was too uneasy to take even a sip.

My sister-in-law, sipping her tea, muttered bluntly:

“I don’t get how my brother thinks he’s going to get a house. Did the rat poison mess up his brain?”

“Elroy.”

I glared at her for insulting my husband.

She didn’t care and pouted even more.

“What? Did I say something wrong? What can he even do? He can’t hunt, can’t ride—he can’t even use a sword. So how is he supposed to earn money for a house?”

“What does that have to do with buying a house? He must have some plan.”

“A plan, my foot. He’s probably out there getting hit with rocks or something.”

“….”

I stared at Elroy with cold eyes.

Sadly, she wasn’t entirely wrong.

Alec didn’t even do basic things like riding or hunting. He never ran.

Even minor physical activity made him extremely sensitive.

Doctors and healers tried to find the cause, but none could.

He took various medicines, hoping to improve, but there was barely any change.

I thought his condition might be some severe obsessive or mental disorder.

The doctors repeatedly asked if there was a specific reason he couldn’t move intensely—but he always remained silent, as if there was none.