The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 147
Count Braumhill’s manor.
Before the day’s business had even ended, Count Braumhill rushed out in a panic at the unexpected arrival of the guards at his estate.
“Y-Your Grace, Duke! Oh my, Duchess!”
Count Braumhill and his wife were anxiously worried, afraid they might have offended the Duke and Duchess of Bayern.
“I will make sure to discipline those men properly. How could they show such disrespect to such esteemed guests! Don’t you people have any sense of discretion?”
Count Braumhill shouted angrily, shooting sharp glances at the guards.
Nina, seeing this, stopped the Count.
“Count, that’s enough. We’re fine. In fact, I think you should be praising and commending them for a job well done.”
“Th-that is…”
“Isn’t it because you think so as well, that you’re making such a show of scolding them?”
He was worried Ash or Nina might retaliate against the guards.
“…Haha, you caught me.”
“You should be praising them. Isn’t it proof that they’re doing their job thoroughly and not carelessly ignoring the lord’s orders?”
They’d even brought them—not just anyone—to the manor like this.
“Isn’t that so, Honey?”
Nina smiled softly and linked arms with Ash, who nodded in agreement.
The guards had not been rude, and had clearly stated the lord’s orders.
Anyone else would have hesitated in front of nobles, but they had done their job properly and deserved praise for it.
Ash, seeing the Count scratching his head awkwardly, spoke up.
“Since things turned out this way, I must apologize for visiting your house without warning.”
“Not at all. I should thank you for your cooperation. Have you eaten yet?”
Nina and Ash shook their heads.
“Then please, come inside. I’ll see to it you are treated with the utmost hospitality.”
“But before that, may my knights come in as well?”
Because the guards had strictly forbidden the Bayern Duchy’s knights from entering, they were waiting outside at the main gate.
“…I am truly sorry.”
“No, with an unannounced visit like this, I couldn’t exactly bring my knights in without the lord’s permission.”
It wasn’t as if they’d come to threaten anyone.
“Haha, I see…”
Count Braumhill, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, invited Nina and Ash into his abode.
It hadn’t been long since lunatics started appearing in Braumhill County.
“…At first, everyone thought it was just rabies, nothing serious. That’s why it took some time before it was reported to me.”
But it turned out the real cause of the madness was a narcotic called ‘Angel’.
“I’m not sure exactly when it started circulating, but the real trouble began about two months ago.”
“So it hasn’t been that long.”
“No, so we tried to crack down on it early, but it hasn’t been easy. The distributors operate in such tight cells that it’s impossible to catch them.”
Whenever they thought they’d found a lead, it disappeared like a lizard’s tail, and even trying to get information from the addicts led nowhere.
Supposedly, when the drug ran out, the addicts would seek it out themselves…
But the dealers were so cautious that if they even suspected an investigator was nearby, they’d never show up.
And anyone who became a subject of investigation was never visited by them again.
“Your Grace, you might want to check your own domain as well. These things might be circulating at the very bottom.”
Ash nodded.
If what the Count said was true, this was no laughing matter.
‘A narcotic…’
Was the drug Count Azelot tried to use on him also ‘Angel’?
While Ash furrowed his brow in thought—
“Ah, please wait just a moment.”
After a short absence, the Count returned about ten minutes later.
He held out a small wooden box.
“This is the so-called ‘Angel’.”
“……”
Ash opened the box.
Inside was a deep dark green herb that looked like moss, with a strangely fragrant yet acrid scent.
“They grind this into powder and brew it like tea. The truly deranged just snort it straight up their nose.”
“This scent is a bit like—mph.”
As Nina leaned in to sniff the box, Ash reflexively covered her nose and mouth.
“It’s dangerous.”
Ash pushed Nina’s face back with a tense gaze.
Nina grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away from her face, looking up at him with a slightly sulky expression.
Malgivo
Why are you so angry, Nina? He’s trying to protect you and he cares about you and your health, hhhhhh, but you have the right not to let him touch you