Chapter 13
Damn, this is too much.
Evelyn’s status was commoner, yet her marriage to Zach was nothing more than a political arrangement. Both had been perfectly clear about what they wanted. She had wanted the prestige of noble blood, and he had needed a woman to bear him an heir.
That was why, as expected on their wedding night, they had shared a bed. Because of it, Evelyn had learned exactly how Zach had lived up until that point.
Was she imagining things? Or had something truly shifted in his heart?
Zach had quit drinking.
And he had paid for it with withdrawal symptoms.
Sweet.
Unless he was holding something tight in his fist, his hands shook nonstop. The sleepless nights were relentless, and when the symptoms spiked, he sometimes seemed to hear voices too.
“If it hurts that much, why don’t you just drink?”
Since the day they had officially become husband and wife, Evelyn had stopped holding back her words. She found it strange that Zach would choose to suffer like this. If pain was the issue, why not just drink? Or, if he was into drugs now, she would have tried to stop him. Alcohol was one thing.
“I have to go to the lab.”
“Why?”
“Uncle promised me. I can’t keep showing up like this every time I get pregnant. I know it’s time for me to stop too.”
His answer made Evelyn think he was actually a decent person.
A person.
That was a strange word. The Church had taught that humans and animals were different for countless reasons. A human soul rose upward while an animal’s sank downward. Unlike animals, humans possessed reason.
They sang the praises of humans while mocking them with every absurd distinction they could invent. Evelyn could not find any of it convincing.
Because in this world, the only people who existed were utter bastards. Creatures whose sole purpose was to fill their own desires. If animals were no different, then what was the point of even calling them different?
Zach was the strangest of all. Why would he endure pain out of duty? For what reason?
Evelyn’s doubts rose like bile, yet she nodded.
“All right.”
From Evelyn’s perspective, it was not a bad deal. At least she had a sane man recovering from madness instead of an alcohol-addicted lunatic who still needed her bed.
One year passed. Zach had broken free of alcohol addiction, and Evelyn, without producing an heir, had reached the 6th Circle.
The 6th Circle.
It was the benchmark for high-ranking mages that everyone spoke of. Most tower lords of the magic towers and the strongest professors at magic academies belonged here.
At barely thirty, she had reached the 6th Circle. It was only natural that she would climb to the 7th Circle with age.
An unbelievable rate of growth.
While she had reached the 5th Circle earlier than most people, reaching the 6th Circle was something she had seen happen often. Those who had been called geniuses or prodigies in their youth had managed it easily.
But the 6th Circle was different.
Mages at the 6th Circle and above were treated as irreplaceable. A 5th Circle mage could be substituted with several 4th Circle or even a dozen 3rd Circle mages.
From the 6th Circle onward, however, they carved out their own unique domain.
It had felt wonderful. Happy. Evelyn had truly relished the fact that she was alive.
She gathered her courage and said it.
“Let’s wait a little longer before making a baby.”
She had reached the 6th Circle far faster than anyone expected. Once she sorted out the insights she had gained from forming new circles, she would likely grow even larger still. If she missed this window because of pregnancy or other reasons, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
Yet she knew she was asking too much.
Why had the Jeremiah family arranged her marriage with Zach? Because he was the heir. They needed an heir.
“All right. Let’s wait.”
Zach had accepted without complaint. Evelyn blinked in surprise.
“Still fine?”
“I’m a mage too, so I understand what you’re thinking. That’s why I’ll wait.”
Evelyn bit her lower lip.
Why was he showing her this kindness? Did he love her?
No. If that were true, he would never have agreed to wait so long before she made her own suggestion.
Then what?
Kindness. He was helping her grow as a fellow mage.
“Thank you.”
They returned to their separate sides. Zach took over the research lab in place of his uncle, and Evelyn sorted her newfound insights from the 6th Circle. In the process, Zach reached the 5th Circle. It was not nearly enough for her, but it was enough to present his name anywhere.
‘Why does everything turn out so well?’
Evelyn found her own life strange. As a commoner with an unrefined personality, interacting with people had always been exhausting. She had never felt satisfied working alongside anyone else.
Her life with Zach was different. There was no love between them, yet it had still felt warm.
“There’s an assistant director position at the research lab. Would you take it?”
That was why she had accepted. His uncle had retired, leaving the seat empty.
Yet it was not a position that suited her.
Though the Magic Crystal Engineering lab was large, assigning a 6th Circle mage to assistant director was a waste of talent.
Zach had known she would likely refuse, but he had only asked formally.
“Magic Crystal Engineering is not my specialty. Would it still be all right?”
Evelyn’s positive reaction made Zach blink.
“Why? You’ll take it? You’ll be taking up a lot of time…”
“You said you’d let me, so that’s what I’m doing. Why are you surprised? Do you think I won’t do it well?”
“Yeah. I think you’ll do great.”
In truth, she had.
A young mage who reached the 6th Circle quickly gained great value. Thanks to that, she had benefited in many ways, and the various magic she had learned had contributed greatly to the lab’s growth.
Evelyn told Zach.
“I’m glad I could help.”
“Thank you. I was nervous because my experience was limited. Really, thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”
“Don’t pat yourself on the back. You don’t need to thank me so much. I’m just grateful to you.”
“Grateful?”
“We’re married because we need to have a baby. We haven’t done that yet.”
Zach laughed softly.
“No, why are you thinking about that? I never said I wasn’t going to. Anyway, we’re married now. That’s what matters…”
“Do you love me?”
Evelyn blinked.
“Do you see me as your wife?”
“I don’t know about love, but I do see you as my wife. This is not about what I think matters. We’re married, after all.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying. You married me to have a baby. What do you mean?”
“Why are you asking so many questions? I know why you’re so bothered, but there’s nothing to worry about. It just happened naturally as we lived together.”
Evelyn had never experienced anything special worth bragging about with Zach.
There had been no grand honeymoon trip, so what memories were there to share?
Moreover, Zach had not even tried to win her heart. Still, among the humans he had met so far, he was the most human. As a husband, perhaps not, but as a person, he was fine.
As a husband she could not love, but as a companion to live life with, he was excellent.
—
Evelyn, still lost in her memories of the past, checked the clock.
21:30.
Zach had long since left work at the lab. Since he had not come home even by this hour, he must have stayed out on purpose.
She had crossed the line, and she had crossed it firmly. She was even jealous in a way. What was he doing with Yuria right now? A ridiculous image came to mind.
There was nothing strange about it.
She was a married woman in her second marriage, after all. The only thing she could do was cheat.
“Damn it… you bastard.”
She had been betrayed by someone she trusted. It was the first time she had ever been betrayed by anyone, and because she had never trusted anyone before, it hurt more than she could stand.
“But… why? For what reason?”
No matter how she thought, it made no sense.
Zach was supposed to be a clever man. How could he act so stupidly in love while ignoring his own personality?
He had only seen a prostitute who looked like his ex-wife, and his head had spun that easily?
If everything was fine just because she resembled his ex-wife, then it was strange that he had become this foolish. When he drank, he should have seen everything clearly, yet now he was avoiding women again?
‘He must be being deceived somehow.’
Something was definitely wrong. So if she fixed the problem, he would come back.
‘Even though he pretends otherwise, he clearly believes she is Yuria.’
If she corrected that misunderstanding, he would return. That much was certain. Still, a small dissatisfaction remained.
Even if it was impossible, what kind of person would return to their ex-wife just because she had been resurrected?
Viewed coldly, they had already remarried. It was only natural that they lived their own lives. She could have accepted minimal support, but this was not it.
‘This is really too much.’
After making sure the current prostitute was not Yuria, she would have to warn him properly.
Let the dead stay dead.
To do that, she would have to meet the prostitute first. She wanted to know what tricks she was using to deceive Zach.