MSDH CH 06

Chapter – 06

Well, that’s how it ended up.

It was a bit of a problem that I’d “cashed out a few more rounds” because it was profitable, but even that was a pretty modest amount.

It was bitter, but there was nothing I could do.

I’d just convert what I could into cash and slowly prepare.

I figured this much could be left as repayment for a marriage where he had never killed me and instead treated me so happily.

With a slightly restless heart, I couldn’t bring myself to go inside and just wandered outside for a while.

I never thought a date I had been waiting for would become something I feared. I had even decided earlier that I would just act normal today.

After returning home and soaking in a warm bath, my mind finally felt a bit clearer.

In the room, Noah had already finished bathing and was waiting for me.

“……”

Should I use illusion magic when no one is around?

“Come here, Hazel.”

Noah, as if he had been waiting, patted the bed.

On days he came home early, he already knew I liked taking naps in the afternoon.

It was a bit strange lying there in a loosened robe in broad daylight, but somehow it still suited him too well to be a problem.

I had promised I wouldn’t use it on Noah.

Illusion magic usually invades the target’s mind, so even if what they see is beautiful, it still causes some mental impact.

If I didn’t intend harm, it would be so small a child wouldn’t even notice—but I still didn’t want to do even that to Noah.

Because I loved him that much.

But…

If it was Noah, he wouldn’t resist me at all, so even a low-level illusion should work…

And if he was really Kyleus Hadid, then no matter what I did, he wouldn’t see anything anyway.

I already believed he was Kyleus Hadid, but still—just in case.

I steadied my breathing.

Then I met Noah’s eyes and slowly walked forward while letting my energy spread around him.

I didn’t want to show anything unpleasant, so I carefully made flowers bloom around us.

The room quickly filled with blossoms.

But Noah didn’t even flinch.

He simply patted the bed again, calling me over.

“Noah.”

“Yes, Hazel.”

From Noah’s left side, a woman who looked exactly like me quietly climbed onto the bed.

She reached out, touching his cheek as if telling him to look at her.

Look. Please look. Just look at me.

In panic, I created fire right in front of Noah.

At that moment, the previously unmoving Noah suddenly stood up.

Did he see it? Did he finally see it?

A surge of hope rose in me—

But Noah walked over and hugged me tightly instead.

“I wonder when my wife learned to be so clingy.”

He didn’t see anything?

I barely regained my senses and pulled away from him.

“Noah.”

“Yes, Hazel.”

“Did you… see nothing?”

“What do you mean? I can see my wife very clearly.”

“No, not me…”

He tilted his head, clearly not understanding.

No matter what illusion I cast, he saw nothing.

So that meant he really wasn’t Noah Edisi…

I let go of his arm and stepped back.

Noah, who had been about to carry me to bed, frowned slightly.

“Afternoon nap… I don’t think I can sleep. I suddenly remembered something urgent—I’ll go to the office for a bit.”

Then I turned and left the room.

He really is Kyleus Hadid. Not Noah Edisi.

If he isn’t Kyleus Hadid, then that means he’s the final boss who swallowed all evil—and that made no sense.

Even though I had confirmed it on paper, seeing it with my own eyes drained all my strength.

My husband was the man who had come to kill me.

And all that love… had it all been fake?

Did I really offend him that much?

He hadn’t killed me yet, but the reason was obvious.

He was trying to give me the most painful ending possible.

To push me off the cliff right when I was happiest.

Still, wasn’t this a bit too cruel?

Compared to his wealth, what I did was smaller than dust on a glove.

Even the bounty on me felt excessive. It was probably because he couldn’t tolerate being deceived.

“…cruel.”

There was only one option left.

But my heart kept delaying it, refusing to move.

I left the office at dawn.

Noah—no, Kyleus Hadid wearing Noah’s face—came to my office several times, but I sent him away.

He brought food anyway, because he couldn’t stand me skipping meals, but I didn’t leave the room.

This was the first night since marriage that we hadn’t shared a bed.

I felt empty and uneasy.

But I couldn’t go back inside.

At 4 a.m., I finally stepped out.

Outside the office door, I saw Noah standing in the moonlit hallway.

His back overlapped with the image of Kyleus Hadid.

He turned toward me.

The moonlight made his face look dangerously beautiful.

Even his red eyes glowed in the dark.

I should have stayed inside longer.

“Noah.”

He walked quickly toward me.

“Why aren’t you asleep?”

“How could I sleep without Hazel?”

“…So you were waiting here all this time?”

He didn’t answer—just pulled me into his arms and buried his lips against my neck.

He inhaled deeply, as if finally able to breathe.

Then he lifted me without hesitation.

“Noah?”

“Is everything finished?”

“…More or less.”

“Then let’s go to bed, Hazel.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

I blinked.

“…I might be too tired tomorrow if I go now.”

Noah laughed softly.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Because you always say we’ll sleep and then we don’t.”

He laughed again and carried me inside.

Noah’s words were only half true.

Come to think of it, he had never once actually just “slept.”

Maybe lying was built into him.

Half asleep, I was still fighting to stay awake when Noah returned with a tray of omelets.

I glared at him.

“Liar.”

Noah only smiled and set the table.

Watching him hum while cooking for me—

It felt annoyingly peaceful.

But I had decided.

I would accept it.

My husband was Kyleus Hadid.

And I had once exploited him.

That was reality.

If I kissed him now, it wouldn’t taste sweet anymore—it would taste bitter.

Noah smiled at me.

“…No.”

Sweetness is supposed to be unhealthy.

Maybe I could tolerate a little bitterness.

As I smiled foolishly, I suddenly slapped my own cheek.

Snap out of it. That’s poison.

Noah panicked and rushed over.

“Hazel! Why—does it hurt? Did I exhaust you? If you wanted to hit something, hit me instead—”

He looked genuinely distressed.

I sighed.

This acting… no.

I couldn’t keep pretending anymore.

I needed a perfect divorce plan.

I looked up at the guild building I had worked so hard to build.

From a tiny one-room office to a full two-story building.

And now I had to leave it behind?

Sob.

A single month’s income alone was enormous.

But if I stayed here, I would die.

And if I ran away, I would be broke.

Either way… death.

“…Maybe I should start planning properly.”

I muttered.

Then—

A loud shout echoed from outside.

“Representative!”

It was Nizela.

She ran toward me in a panic.

“Monsters… a large monster appeared at the west gate!”

“What?”

A massive beast.

A bull-like monster with horns, red eyes, and drooling jaws was rampaging.

It was real.

Not even a “subspecies”—just a normal large monster.

And the city wasn’t prepared for this at all.

“Representative, please evacuate!”

“No.”

I tied my hair up quickly.

“I’m going.”

I arrived before the monster fully came into view.

A massive beast roared, smashing everything in its path.

A disaster-level creature.

I stared at it.

“…Annoying.”

I used illusion magic.

Vines erupted from the ground, forming a wide area illusion.

The monster struggled violently.

But the vines cut into its body like steel.

I stepped forward, drawing my sword.

If I wanted, I could end this instantly—but I needed witnesses.

People were gathering.

Good.

I jumped.

Using the vines as footholds, I leapt onto the monster’s head.

The beast roared in fury.

And I drove my sword straight into its eye.

“KRAAAAH!”

Its body convulsed.

Magic surged through the blade.

With one final strike—

The monster collapsed.

Silence fell.

Then—

Thunderous applause erupted.

“Representative saved us again!”

“She defeated it alone!”

I smiled awkwardly.

“It was nothing, really.”

People crowded around, relieved.

Then I casually promoted my guild.

“By the way, my guild is just over there—if you ever need monster parts or missions, feel free to visit!”

Nizela quickly pulled me away.

“You need to rest!”

Once we left the crowd, I exhaled.

“See? Easy.”

“But it was dangerous.”

“If it were a Subspecies monster, it would’ve been trouble.”

I muttered.

“…Should’ve taken the heart.”

“REPRESENTATIVE!”

“Alright, alright.”

And I started thinking again.

About the people I saw earlier.

About Kyleus Hadid’s subordinates.

About the Purple district.

About the future that was slowly approaching.

Something was definitely coming.