Chapter – 24
I felt a deep sense of unease in a situation so unlike the Sideron I knew.
“Are you just going to stand there like that?”
At his blunt invitation to come over, I hesitated but finally walked over and carefully sat down opposite him.
Even as I took my seat, his gaze remained firmly fixed on me.
What…? Is something on my face?
His stare was so obvious that I actually considered it for a moment.
Ah, maybe this is it.
I did get a lot prettier, after all.
Surely, no one could call me a pumpkin anymore!
So, how’s this? Even you can’t help but be floored by my appearance—
“You’re still ugly.”
“…W-what?”
I nearly dropped the cup I was holding.
“You haven’t changed a bit.”
No! I’ve changed a lot! The maids all praised me endlessly!
In response to his teasing, which didn’t even quite feel like a proper tease, I completely forgot to use formal speech and spoke as I usually would.
“You’ve changed a lot, though.”
“No. I’m the same.”
Such keen ears…
Yet somehow, he didn’t look angry. In fact, he even seemed somewhat pleased.
Was that… fortunate?
Feeling an unexpected anxiety, I took a sip of my tea.
I carefully observed him.
Considering he had just returned from the battlefield after a long time, his expression looked surprisingly good.
He even seemed somewhat relieved.
Is this it?
Instinctively, I knew this was the moment to bring up the divorce.
Not wanting to miss this rare opportunity, I pulled out the divorce papers I had carefully kept and handed them to him.
“What’s this?”
“The words you promised me seven years ago—you haven’t forgotten, right?”
…Yes.
When I awkwardly added formal speech, he glanced at me as if I were doing something absurd.
Then he snatched the divorce papers from my hand and began reading them slowly.
Flap.
The pages of the divorce papers turned slowly in his hands.
The tiny sound in the silence made me swallow nervously.
Glancing sideways, I quickly realized I had chosen the wrong moment.
The lower his gaze fell on the papers, the deeper the furrows in his brow grew.
The air around him became heavy, following the lines of his crumpled forehead.
I forced my mind to spin hopeful scenarios.
He promised to divorce me before…!
And I was going to take a huge alimony and live lavishly…
That future wouldn’t be far off, right?
“Huh.”
But when he finally let out a dry laugh, I instantly realized the future I had envisioned had cracked.
“Is this really what you say to a husband who has returned from the battlefield after seven years?”
His face crumpled along with the papers in his hand.
“Uh…?”
“Divorce, huh…”
Why…? Why does he look so displeased?
Had I done something wrong?
As I scrambled for an explanation, a sudden roar of flame and the smell of burning filled the air.
The papers in his hand were burning—they were unmistakably the divorce documents I had just given him.
I instinctively knew I was doomed. My words even faltered in panic.
“You, you… ah, no! You said you would divorce me!”
Ah! Should I use formal speech, or casual?
My mind went completely blank.
“Wife, what did you just say?”
The divorce papers, which had been burning furiously in his hands, fell to the floor as ashes.
Seeing them, I instinctively knew.
I’m screwed…
No, I can’t just die like this!
“W-wait a moment!”
I raised my hand urgently to stop him.
As if to see what I wanted, the fierce flames in his hands died down.
Without even the chance to breathe a sigh of relief, I spoke frantically.
“Th-There’s been some kind of misunderstanding…”
“Misunderstanding?”
His voice was slightly calmer than before.
I nodded quickly.
“Yes! A misunderstanding!”
“What kind of misunderstanding could there be with a wife thrusting divorce papers at her husband right after he returns from the battlefield?”
Sideron muttered as if chewing over my actions.
Indeed.
Even I couldn’t find any excuse for myself.
No, wait—there is an excuse. If I give up now, I’ll die. I had to say something.
“I—I admit I was a bit hasty. But we promised back then…”
“Promise?”
“Yes, a promise!”
He furrowed his brow slightly, as if recalling something.
Oh, maybe not? His expression is always serious; it’s hard to tell.
Then Sideron responded with a shamelessly confident expression.
“I don’t remember.”
So bluntly said, I was momentarily speechless.
“…Excuse me?”
I honestly had nothing to say in response to that.
“Lilia.”
Sideron smiled brightly.
If someone saw it for the first time, they might fall for him at first glance.
But knowing who he really was, I couldn’t stop shivering.
…How much practice at acting has he had?
That smile was all an act. Max level social skills. Max level.
Thinking about it, it wasn’t even that strange.
In the original story, Sideron was always described as someone who smiled often.
Even when killing people, he smiled—which was a problem.
Wait a minute… surely he’s not trying to kill me now, right?
It was a real possibility.
Just then, his mouth opened.
“So my cold-hearted wife, who didn’t write me a single letter in seven years, shows up all dressed up and running here…”
As his words continued, the smile on his lips gradually disappeared.
His expression hardened, and he continued:
“So this is the reason.”
The moment he finished speaking, an indescribable pressure started pressing down on me.
Much stronger and more suffocating than what I experienced seven years ago.
I trembled and barely managed to speak.
“Th-that’s…”
But what should I say…? I had to say something, yet I had no words.
The pressure tightened further as I remained silent.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die!
“…Huh?”
Then, in an instant, the oppressive energy that felt like it would strangle me vanished.
I slowly opened my eyes.
In front of me was Sideron, looking slightly displeased.
So… I’m alive… for now.
I swallowed hard.
To avoid another near-death scenario, I urgently opened my mouth.
“Um—”
“Later.”
Sideron stared at me intently with a firm expression and added forcefully:
“We’ll talk later.”
Then he slammed the door and left the lounge.
As soon as Sideron disappeared, my body went limp on the sofa like a jellyfish drifting in the sea.
A sigh of relief escaped me.
“Ha… I thought I was done for.”
Was it just a scare?
I gently patted my still-beating heart and stared blankly at the ashes of the divorce papers on the floor.
Sigh… I’ll have to get them reissued.
Sweat formed in my eyes.
[So the divorce papers burned completely?]
“…Yes, that’s what happened.”
Blake, who had been silently listening, clicked his tongue.
[Oh dear. That’ll be 10 gold this time.]
“What?!”
I shouted in surprise, and Blake replied nonchalantly:
[Why are you so shocked? I’ve always said there’s no such thing as a free lunch.]
So the guy who had taken 3 gold before now wants 10?
I was so dumbfounded I forgot to reply.
I decided I wouldn’t speak to Blake again from now on.
[By the way, doesn’t that seem strange?]
“….”
[Ma’am?]
“….”
[Why would your husband burn your divorce papers, ma’am?]
The reason Sideron burned the papers?
It’s obvious.
“I must have picked the wrong timing. Or maybe he just wasn’t in a good mood.”
So I had been cautious, but in the end, I had just wasted my precious 3 gold.
I sighed at my lost money, and Blake seemed to understand.
[Ah, I get it now. Looks like you rubbed him the wrong way again, ma’am.]
“What? …Well, maybe you’re right.”
It hurt my pride to admit it, but Blake was usually right.
Except when it came to money.
I laughed bitterly at myself.
Yeah, this is just how things always go with me.
It’s not the first time… why act surprised?
[Ma’am, you’re not sulking, right?]
“Sulking? No… I’m just… taking some time to reflect.”
[Got it. By the way, things are a bit complicated. It’ll take at least three months to get new divorce papers.]
Hearing that, my mind went blank.
I had almost died at the first meeting, and now I have to spend three more months with Sideron.
Will my neck even stay intact until then?
I touched my neck, still miraculously in one piece, and said seriously:
“…What should I do?”
[Hmm. I’ll tell you this because you’re my regular, ma’am. Actually, for someone like a duke, you don’t need all the complicated divorce procedures.]
I opened my eyes wide at Blake’s words.
“What? What do you mean?”
[Submitting divorce papers to the temple is for the divorce trial. But if you get permission directly from the emperor, you can divorce without any procedure. Dukes can speak directly to the emperor.]
Now that I think about it, I think I learned something like this in a previous lesson.
Anyway, that’s a relief!
I said, voice full of emotion.
“Blake…! But wait. Why are you only telling me this now? If you’d told me earlier, I wouldn’t have wasted 3 gold on the divorce papers.”
[Heh. Let’s overlook small things.]
That Blake… he did it on purpose.
Just as I glared into the air, imagining Blake in front of me, he added:
[By the way, about the mine.]
My ears perked up immediately.
The mine!
It was the business I was planning to start for my future carefree happy life.
