As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

Lensia, whose lips had been moving silently, imagined a different future for a brief moment. If she deserted with him now, could she live happily ever after?

Perhaps his friend, the emperor, would cover up the serious crime of desertion and not pursue her. He might even build a secret mansion in a scenic place for her and Allen to live happily together. Though they had quarreled, their friendship could easily return to the way it was, as is often the case with friends. The soft-hearted Edin probably already regretted sending her away.

However, Lensia wasn’t romantic enough to entrust her entire life to another’s emotions. If Edin’s goodwill faded or Allen’s love cooled, she would be left with nothing, simply because their feelings had changed. How long could such a special moment last? She didn’t want to live her life anxiously, fearing such changes.

“…I do find you somewhat interesting.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

No matter what, Lensia wanted to stand alongside Edin and Allen. Despite living with anxious feelings, she genuinely considered Edin a friend. She also wanted to reciprocate Allen’s love as an equal, simply as one person to another.

Even after leaving this world, she wanted to be a hero and stand on the same level as them. She didn’t want to be a common woman leeching off their power but someone who genuinely shared her heart with them. Thus, she decided to become a dragon slayer.

If she became a hero, she could be truly recognized as a close friend of the emperor and the beloved woman of the head of the Servenia family. She preferred to die as an equal rather than live a lifetime of anxiety under their shadow. After all, she had no family to mourn her death, and Edin and Allen would live on just fine without her. So, she didn’t mind risking her life… She had to think that way.

“Sometimes I wish I were as simple as you.”

“Why?”

“Because if I had, I wouldn’t have joined the expedition.”

If she had been born a slightly special noble lady, fallen in love with Allen, and become friends with Edin, would things have been different? If she could have ignored others’ opinions and their power?

“I know, it’s just an excuse. An excuse for my insecurities and inferiority complex.”

Lensia turned her gaze to the bushes Allen was looking at. The wind strengthened, deepening the wave-like patterns in the bushes.

“Even knowing that, I can’t think of a better answer than this.”

Allen just looked at her quietly as she muttered bitterly.

* * *

The first casualty occurred at the entrance to Perils. It was an accident caused by a horse that reared up after locking eyes with a beast. Half of the expedition died on the outskirts of the forest. Terrified, the injured members fled Perils. Eventually, only Lensia and Allen remained.

Dark clouds gathered in the sky. The air became humid as if it would rain any moment.

“There’s a cave over there. Let’s stay there tonight.”

“Alright.”

They headed to the cave, ignoring the looming shadow of death. The cave’s air was particularly cold.

Lensia took out a magic stone with a heating function. The stone, nearing the end of its life, flickered and soon lost its light. There weren’t many magic stones left.

“It’s cold. We’re about a day or two away from the center where Run is. Once we deal with Run, we can leave the forest without being hindered. But it’ll take some time, so you manage the remaining magic stones.”

“Me?”

“You have a higher chance of survival than I do.”

“If that’s your reason, you should keep them. If you die, there’s no way I’ll survive.”

“…”

Lensia was destined to die after killing the dragon. If she succeeded in slaying the dragon, Allen could escape the forest alive. But she didn’t tell Allen that slaying Run would result in her death. If she died, he would naturally take her bag and leave.

“The heating magic stone is dead. Given the state of mine, yours must be the same, right?”

“Yes.”

“Some of them were damaged during the battle, so this is the last heating magic stone. When it rains, the temperature will drop further. We’ll need to share body heat.”

Allen spread his arms wide, looking at Lensia. “It’s better if you come into my arms. Given our size difference, it makes more sense.”

“…Alright.”

For once, Lensia didn’t argue and nestled into his arms, wrapped in a blanket. Allen, surprised but pleased, held her tightly.

“Sometimes I think…”

“…”

“Was my life before meeting you a dream?”

“People usually say life after falling in love feels like a dream.”

“Now I feel like I’m really living. Like I’m truly alive.”

“…You’re weird, really.”

Lensia turned her head to look at Allen. Their eyes met up close, and soon, their lips touched. Breath and saliva intertwined deeply. The air in the cave warmed slowly. As they traced each other’s skin and listened to each other’s heartbeats, Lensia suddenly stopped as if something had come to mind.

“Are you using contraception?”

“Ever since you said you prefer a man who’s careful, I’ve been taking contraceptive pills regularly. I’m ready anytime you want.” Allen breathed warmly into her ear as he pressed close to her.

Feeling his firm presence against her, she tightened her grip on the blanket. “…Allen.”

“Yes?”

“I want you.”

“…I’ve always wanted you too.”

And so, they became one.

* * *

Throughout the battle, something felt off. Dragons are supposed to be the strongest creatures on earth, almost demigods, yet Run was too easy to wound.

Finally, it was the moment when they brought it down.

[…Lensia.]

Lensia lifted her head to meet the dragon’s eyes. “This voice… I knew something was off. You’re Luna.”

[Yes.]

The true identity of the Black Dragon Run was none other than her teacher.

[Sorry for dragging you into this. Dragons can’t take their own lives.]

“…Why me?”

[It had to be someone who seemed incapable of love. Without the ability to love, you wouldn’t be bound to anything. Those who are bound to value their lives wouldn’t join the subjugation team.]

“I see.”

Through the dying Run, Lensia learned she was carrying a child. She decided to have the child, sharing the curse with Allen, and returned alone to the capital to meet Edin.

* * *

“

…”

“You cried like this before. Was it the day Her Majesty first rejected you?”

“Lensia,

, I’m sorry.

, thank you for coming back alive.”

Lensia shared the news that she and Allen had shared the curse but left out the part about having a child.

“…So you’ll die eventually.”

“Not immediately.”

“Lensia, let’s find a solution in the capital. There must be a way. There’s a reason the imperial family’s symbol is the black dragon. The imperial family…”

“I’m sorry, but no matter what you say, I have no intention of returning to the capital. We’ll live the rest of our lives as we wish. But I have a request.”

“What is it? Just say it.”

“I can get a teaching position at the imperial academy with a recommendation, right?”

“Yes. But you’d need to be at least of noble rank, like duke or marquis.”

“Grant me that right. I don’t need a title, just the rights. Also, I want to establish an academy.”

“An academy… where?”

“In Illisen. There aren’t many people there anymore, so they don’t need two orphanages. Turn the Fioren Orphanage into an academy and expand a few buildings. It won’t take long.”

“Alright. But why an academy all of a sudden?”

“I want kids like me to study comfortably. And let girls learn swordsmanship too. It’s boring being the only female swordsman. Training the next generation? Something like that.”

Edin, tears welling up again, nodded.

Lensia thought as she comforted Edin, pausing briefly.

“…sia.”

“…”

“Lensia.”

“

, yes?”

“Do you need anything else?”

“Just give me a hefty sum of money.”

“Alright.”

Having become a hero, Lensia refused the title Edin offered as a formality, opting instead to take a large reward and return to Perils for a quiet life.

* * *

“Lensia, do you like babies?”

“Not really. They’re noisy and ugly.”

“Our baby will be beautiful.”

“With parents as good-looking as us, it should be.”

A little later, they held a modest wedding on a small hill near their cabin. Following Lensia’s wish, they wore flower crowns made of wildflowers and held lisianthus bouquets. They stood facing each other in the same attire. They made the usual vows of love as others did, but Lensia still didn’t understand what love was.

“Now I see why Run chose me.”

Young Lensia had never learned love, so she grew into an adult who couldn’t understand it. Run had seen right through her. Even now, she doesn’t find her life precious. So the moment Lensia first understood love was not the day they became one, the day they decided to have a child, or the day of their modest wedding.

On the twelfth day of the first month of spring, a girl with Allen’s purple eyes and Lensia’s snowy white hair was born.

“Lensia, you did well.”

“…I want to name her Luize.”

“Let’s do that.”

As she looked at the baby in her arms, Lensia felt something warm surge from her chest. She had seen many babies growing up in the Fioren Orphanage, a place where abandoned babies gathered.

“I thought all babies were the same, but they’re not.” Her voice trembled slightly. “…They’re not the same.”

To someone else, this child might look as ordinary as all the other babies Lensia had seen, but to her, this child felt more special than anyone else in the world. It didn’t matter how extraordinary others were.

“Luize.”

Just being the one irreplaceable and special person in her world.

“I love you.”

Lensia finally understood love.

* * *

[Without the ability to love, you won’t be bound to anything. Those who are bound value their lives and wouldn’t join the subjugation team.]

Run was right. These days, Lensia found her life precious. She wanted to spend more time with Luize. The thought of leaving this beloved child broke her heart.

“Honey.”

“What, Honey?”

“Darling.”

“Why?”

“Can’t you spare some attention for me too?”

Allen brought his face close to Lensia’s. The sudden appearance of his handsome face made her blush.

“You’ve been blushing a lot lately. It doesn’t seem like you have a fever.” Allen immediately placed his hand on her forehead to check. “Should I find another supplement if you’re having trouble regulating your temperature?”

“No. It’s not because I’m sick.”

“Then why?”