I Stole the Child of My War-Mad Husband

It was boring.

Michael was also fed up with the ‘good person image’ that only he showed to her.

It was also questionable how long he had to silently watch Marquis Ainel.

He would honestly prefer to make a ‘scar’ that would last a lifetime.

That way, Noel would never forget.

‘Wouldn’t it be much more shocking to hear from me directly than to realize the truth herself?’

It’s an impromptu plan, but he really likes it. Enough to put it into action right away.

“Noel. Do you remember the dream you had last time? About our childhood.”

“Yeah.”

He continued softly, “That’s the truth about me.”

“…what do you mean?” asked Noel as she stared at him.

Michael is smiling as usual, but somehow strange.

“Are you mad that I hid it?”

“Not at all, I’d rather you do as you are now.”

He’s like a completely different person.

‘Why is that?’

He, a friendly, grown-up, older childhood friend, and the only family she depended on.

“In addition, I don’t care about procedures or causes. No, I don’t care at all.”

“Michael.”

“Externally, it worked well, so I just went with the flow. Noel, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”

“Michael.”

“You don’t want those who practice forbidden magic to be put to death. But you decided to understand it considering the procedure, the law, and the bigger sacrifices in the future.”

“…why are you doing this?”

Noel was confused by the changed attitude of her family, Michael.

On the other hand, he was just leisurely fiddling with the magic core in his hand.

“You have always been like that since you were little. I knew you would sacrifice yourself for the cause. I knew you would withhold your own wishes for the sake of others and society.”

As usual, with a relaxed, carefree face, he continued, “But, I really hated it. I wanted you to live only for you. So I changed it little by little.”

“Seriously, why are you doing this all of a sudden…”

Noel closed her eyes. Her head hurts like crazy.

But Michael’s sweet voice kept ringing in her ears.

“Don’t be so shocked. In fact, you’ve been doubting me in a corner of your heart, haven’t you?”

“……”

“Because I am the only person whit the ability to touch memories and suppress power since I was a child.”

Don’t tell me…

Doubts began to emerge little by little.

Ainel’s doctor said she was very smart until she was four years old.

‘I met Michael when I was four years old.’

But he said it was impossible to manipulate the human mind.

‘But my mind is manipulated.’

Hints were everywhere. But I didn’t bother with them and just ignored them.

I had the feeling that I was being manipulated by someone, little by little, in my daily life.

I know very well that he is someone who was capable of that since he was a child.

Still, the reason I didn’t doubt him was that he was a precious and reliable friend.

He was the one I trusted most.

“…why the hell are you suddenly destroying our relationship?” Noel asked, clenching her fists.

“No, quite the opposite.”

Michael smiled gently and added, “Now I’m trying to make a real relationship with you.”

So far, their relationship has been dotted by manipulation and acting.

But from now on, everything is real.

***

Rupert stopped the training after seeing Michael suddenly appear at the gymnasium.

“All of you take a break.”

“There is no need to force the subordinates to withdraw, but thank you for your consideration.”

“I can’t do that unless I know what’s in your hand.”

He has a red marble in his hand.

“You are not very surprised.”

Rupert knows what it is. “From the moment I heard you were coming to my estate, I knew you would use that method. You never intended to help me in the first place, did you?”

There are two ways to break the spell. In this case, he couldn’t find anything stronger than the forbidden magic, so he couldn’t try the second method.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Was it you who blew up the body of the wizard who blew up the wheat warehouse the other day?”

“Ah, it was me. It could be said that it was only for practice.”

“No wonder there was a crude forbidden magic at the moment I touched the wizard.”

Michael grinned. “Actually, I hoped that the Marquis’ true nature would be revealed in front of Noel, but you endured it well.”

He seems to have no intention of hiding his personality anymore.

From the moment I saw him on my wedding day, I guessed he had a twisted personality, so I am not surprised.

I thought he was just a guy whose skills and personality were inversely proportional, but he turned out to be worse than that.

“What is this sudden change? I thought you would always be the kindest and sweetest person in the world to Noel.”

“I was going to do that, but it was so boring to just keep watching.”

Rupert glanced at the red marble in Michael’s hand.

He knows roughly what will happen if it breaks. That’s what he was prepared for.

“If you use this method, all of my twisted personality would be revealed to Noel.”

“I just said everything. I really hate you. It’s unfair to only reveal my secret, so I’m thinking of revealing yours as well, for the sake of fairness.”

Rupert frowned at those words. “Don’t hurt Noel.”

Michael smiled. “I’m sorry, but your wish is different from mine.”

As Rupert was dumbfounded by Michael’s trash-like answer, the red marble was thrown his way.

It would break the moment it came into contact with him.

Rupert didn’t avoid it even though he knew it well.

Michael Beris would break the core in front of him anyway, even by other means.

‘I’m gonna get this over with quickly.’

At the same time, he snatched the dark red marble.

The forbidden magic core shattered in his hand.

***

I managed to pull myself together.

‘Damn Michael.’

Obviously, there were suspicious parts that I was trying to ignore.

If it wasn’t him who I had been with since childhood in the first place, who could make my mind go crazy?

So I don’t want to believe anymore.

‘Why did he manipulate my memory?’

What’s the point of doing that? Just for fun?

‘Michael, what did you think when you saw me confused all this time?’

From the moment I felt strange, I consulted with him first.

‘How funny it must have been.’

I could see him dancing on the stage he made himself.

Betrayal, anger, sadness… So many emotions rushing in at the same time that I couldn’t get my head around it.

I know him for over twenty years.

I was able to endure my family’s abuse thanks to him.

Even at the moment when everyone hated me, I thought he would be on my side.

But he screwed me for such a long time?

‘I’d rather have him pretend to be nice to the end.’

Then I would have continued to believe him like a fool, ignoring all signs of his treachery.

‘But he suddenly hit the back of my head like this.’

It was ridiculous.

I want to hit and curse him.

I can’t wait to do it right now.

“…where did that brat go?”

He even took the forbidden magic’s core with him.

I don’t know what he will do now so I rush out of the room.

I was about to try asking a maid where Michael had gone but I didn’t have to.

Because one of the maids came running up to me with a pale complexion.

“M-madam, hide! In the gymnasium—”

“I’m fine. Protect Leah!”

Gymnasium? So he went to see Rupert?

What Nas said came to mind. Be careful not to break the core or the dead will come.

‘There’s no way Michael doesn’t know that.’

I could bet my entire fortune on the fact that the ghosts are having a party in the gymnasium right now.

I moved fast almost as if I was running.

‘What good is it for Michael to do this?’

I know he wants to hurt Rupert.

The question is, what is the reason?

There was not much contact between the two to say that there was a personal grudge.

‘How can I know the brain structure of a psychopath!’

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. So I came to the gymnasium with an explosive temper.

As expected, the gymnasium is in chaos.