I Think My Husband Might Be a Murderer - Chapter 4

***

The commotion in the city over the public execution was brief.

In the meantime, many things had happened, both big and small. For example, the sudden disappearance of the Young Duke of Schultz.

I stared blankly at the newspaper headline delivered to my doorstep.

「Young Duke of Schultz Suddenly Vanishes—Where Is He?」

Johannes Schultz…

I unconsciously frowned. That man, who had seemed unaffected, was also not free from the weight of his father’s death.

Of course, it could have been for another reason.

“Ha…”

I crumpled the newspaper and set it on the table, then slumped into a chair.

Defeat, war reparations, a public execution, and now the disappearance of the Young Duke.

A once peaceful Müssen had been hit with one hardship after another, too much to bear all at once.

The first few days were chaotic. But reality is not generous enough to allow people to dwell on the past forever.

Before long, people returned to their daily routines, and though Müssen was not as vibrant as before, it had regained some of its former liveliness.

I, too, had to pull myself together.

***

How much would I have left after paying the overdue taxes?

As I counted the death benefit the government had provided for my father, I realized it wasn’t even enough to last a month.

‘I won’t be able to continue my studies for now.’

I had been studying pharmacology, which required a considerable amount of money. Even under normal circumstances, my finances had always been tight.

Until now, I had been able to continue my studies thanks to my father’s support…

‘I need to find a job.’

There was no time left to grieve. My father hadn’t raised me to be weak.

My mother had passed away shortly after giving birth to me, but I had never felt the lack of her presence. I grew up without envy, never knowing what I was missing.

We had never been wealthy, but the love I received was enough to rival that of any noble.

I just hadn’t realized that same love would become a shackle.

‘There aren’t many jobs I can do.’

My skills were limited to some basic pharmacological knowledge and household chores. I had no relatives to rely on for help.

In the end, I sought out Mrs. Pensler, my friendly next-door neighbor, for assistance.

“Do you know of any job openings?”

“Why do you suddenly need a job?”

“Ah… I just need to earn some money.”

As I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, Mrs. Pensler widened her eyes in concern.

“Edith, I haven’t seen you around lately, and now you look so down. What do you mean, money? Hasn’t your father been sending you any? He’ll be back home soon, so what are you worrying about?”

“Well…”

“Oh, don’t even start. My friend’s husband just returned from the military only for them to tell her he died in battle. Can you believe such a bolt from the blue?”

Instead of answering, I gave a bitter smile. It didn’t take long for Mrs. Pensler to realize something was wrong.

Her lighthearted expression froze. As if trying to dismiss her own thoughts, she forced a smile, but the corners of her lips trembled slightly.

“Edith, no… that’s not true, right?”

Her voice quivered. When I neither denied nor confirmed her words, her expression turned to certainty.

“Oh, my dear… what should we do…”

“It’s okay.”

“I—I’m so sorry. I had no idea… I should have noticed when you seemed down…”

Her gaze wavered before finally dropping to the floor.

“It’s really okay now. It was painful at first, but I’ve started to come to terms with it.”

“Oh, Edith…”

“This was something I had to face eventually. My father couldn’t have lived forever. I just had to go through it a little earlier than expected.”

I smiled at her, trying to reassure her.

“Let’s just go on as usual, like when my father was away at war.”

“……”

“Eat meals, go shopping, chat like we always do. The only difference is that now I have to earn money too—”

Before I could finish, she suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

I really was okay.

Forcing a smile, I buried my face against her shoulder and gently patted her back. It felt like the right thing to do.

Foolishly, absurdly, it did.

And only when I felt her shoulder grow damp did I realize it.

“Ah…”

I was crying.

“Oh, dear… the heavens are so cruel.”

“……”

“Edith, be strong.”

Her sigh-laden voice melted into the air, pressing the weight of reality onto me.

I wasn’t okay yet.

***

In Dochilia, the general perception of Müssen is as follows:

Compared to other cities, it is wealthy and peaceful. It is always bustling, has relatively abundant job opportunities, and the people are relaxed and kind.

“That’s all in the past now. Ever since the defeat, the whole country is in turmoil, and Müssen is struggling too. Moreover, since it’s the city of the Duke of Schultz, its reputation isn’t great.”

Mrs. Pensler frowned as she spoke.

She mentioned that most factories were filled with men, leaving few options for women.

“Most of them end up working in taverns or as maids for noble families. Some even become housekeepers for wealthy households. But most of those jobs are already taken, so only the taverns remain. Edith, you must never step foot in such places!”

That left me with only one option.

“About a month ago…? I think they’ve had a job posting since then. The Russell Marquisate in Böhlen is looking for a maid to attend exclusively to the elderly lady of the house, but hardly anyone has applied. Probably because lodging isn’t included as a requirement.”

The Russell Marquisate in Böhlen.

A family whose real head was an elderly lady known for her business acumen, having struck gold in the railway industry.

Not only that, but she was a key figure in finance, holding vast sums of capital and meticulously weighing profit and loss. It was even said that not even the royal family dared to interfere with her affairs.

Given her reputation, she was bound to be a difficult person to serve.

“But… there are a lot of rumors about Lady Russell’s temperament. Many have quit because of her. Are you sure you can handle it?”

Mrs. Pensler asked me multiple times, but I didn’t have the luxury of being picky.

The journey required a full three hours by train, but the wages were excellent, and the Russell Marquisate covered the train fare, so there was no reason to refuse.

I just needed to sleep a little less.

Besides, if her temperament was difficult, I only had to endure it. If I was hired, I would have enough not only for living expenses but also to continue my studies.

By the time I had finished my thoughts and refocused, I had already arrived in front of the post office.

The bustling streets looked no different from before the news of the country’s defeat.

“Tulips in winter! Half price today only!”

“Fresh gossip from the social circles!”

Hearing the noisy vendors, the gloom in my heart seemed to lighten, even if only for a moment.

I pushed through the moving crowd and entered the post office, where an overwhelming number of people were already waiting in line.

After nearly an hour, it was finally my turn. Approaching the counter, I quickly stated my business to the exhausted-looking clerk.

“I need to make a call to the Russell Marquisate in Böhlen.”

“Calls to other regions start at 30 rubles. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“After 10 minutes, you’ll be charged 1 ruble per second. Please keep that in mind.”

After explaining the charges, the clerk connected my call.

The butler of the Russell Marquisate was extremely meticulous. He asked endless questions about my background, whether I had any chronic illnesses, and even what medications I took.

He also warned that if I lied, my employment would be immediately revoked.

After answering all the questions sincerely, I finally secured an interview date.

Before ending the call, the butler repeatedly emphasized that Lady Russell had no patience for tardiness or cancellations and warned me to be punctual.

When the call ended, exhaustion crashed over me as if I had just done heavy labor. It wasn’t just my imagination.

I was beginning to understand why the job posting had remained open for so long.

But I wasn’t afraid. Instead, I felt a surge of determination.

Knowing that I had to handle everything on my own now was daunting, but in a way, it was also a relief. Physical exhaustion would at least help distract me from unwanted thoughts.

‘Come on, Edith. You can’t stay down forever.’

I braced myself once again.

Just as I was about to leave the post office, my eyes caught the front page of today’s newspaper displayed on the wall.

「The Windsor Royal Family Strips the Duke of Schultz Family’s Financial Rights.」

「Missing Young Duke of Schultz—Will He Return the Embezzled Fortune to the Nation?」

People were still fixated on Johannes Schultz.

Everyone blindly believed the royal family’s announcement and vilified him.

Even if the former Duke of Schultz had indeed embezzled vast sums, the Young Duke had been away at war. He had no involvement.

There was no guarantee that the stolen funds were even in his possession.

Frowning at the thoughts swirling in my mind, I lifted my head.

“Huh…?”

I froze as I noticed the large figure standing in front of me.

My mouth opened slightly in surprise.

I glanced between the newspaper headline and the man before me several times.

Golden hair that shimmered like sunlight, deep blue eyes that resembled the sea, and perfectly sculpted features impossible to forget.

“I thought he was missing…?”

It was Johannes Schultz.