IELNDMH - Chapter 10 < Take Care, Cedric >
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
I tried to hide my embarrassment and quickly withdrew my hand from Cedric.
'You tell me to take your hands off in such a subtle way. It just makes people feel strange.'
As the subtle heat seeped into my ears, I curled my lips and asked. It feels like the warmth of his lips is still lingering under my palm. I secretly hid my hands behind my back and turned my head pretending to look at the glass garden. Exhale for a long time several times.
After finally calming down, I glanced up at Cedric again. Cedric was still just looking down at me.
'What... Is there something you want to say?'
As soon as that thought occurred to me, I shook my head. It was clear that the only thing Cedric wanted to say to me now was something harsh. It's obvious even without looking at him that he's someone who hates being touched by my hand more than death.
I can't do it. Let's run away quickly before Cedric gets angry.
"Oh my! We're almost at the glass garden."
I made no fuss and quickly walked out first.
"Let's go now. It will be better for both of us if we take care of it as quickly as possible."
How much did the distance increase?
Fortunately, I didn't hear Cedric's voice criticizing me until then. All I could hear was his footsteps slowly walking behind me, taking his time.
***
Various trees and flowers were in full bloom here and there in the garden, and in the center, a small ivory-colored fountain was spouting water. I sat down first at the table prepared next to the fountain and waited, and soon Cedric sat across from me.
"You've prepared the documents, right?"
In response to my question, Cedric untied the strap on the leather document bag he was carrying and took out a document.
"These are divorce papers. And this is a confidentiality agreement for six months after divorce."
Cedric said as he spread the prepared documents on the table. I started by looking at the confidentiality agreement. There was even a clause stating that I would not reveal the fact of the divorce for six months and that I would stay in the Dark Mansion under conditions similar to those of a Grand Duchess during that time.
The contract was well organized.
"I like it."
"Then let's check the terms of the divorce."
I then carefully looked at the terms of the divorce agreement that Cedric handed me.
"I plan to find you a house of your choice, within the amount suggested in the documents."
The amount offered to purchase the mansion was considerable. How many '0's are there?
At this rate, I thought it would be enough to purchase the mansion I wanted.
"Great. It would be nice to have a mansion near the beach."
"Let's proceed like that."
How much were the living expenses set?
Of course, since I was an ex-wife who was trembling with pride, he would not give me richly.
I expected Cedric to give me at least half of the budget I was receiving so far.
'Actually, even if I get that much, it's a very generous amount to live alone.'
I turned over the documents with a trembling heart. And that was when I confirmed the allocated amount.
"This... Is it true?"
I couldn't believe my eyes. However, no matter how much I rubbed my eyes and checked again, the amount was the same.
"What are you talking about?"
Cedric asked back indifferently. He looked like he had no idea why I was surprised.
"The budget allocated to the Grand Duchess... You're going to give it to me as is?"
The Twins Grand Duchy, the masters of the North. The hostess, the Grand Duchess, had an enormous budget for living expenses that was difficult for an ordinary person to imagine.
'But you're going to pay that amount every year to your divorced ex-wife?'
I couldn't believe it, so I counted the amount written on the document again and again. Cedric, who was looking at me like that, asked quietly.
"You don't like the conditions?"
"It can't be. Just... I didn't know you would give me this much."
Then Cedric raised one eyebrow high. On the contrary, he looked as if he was surprised.
"You keep showing unexpected sides of yourself."
As he spoke, he let out a shallow breath.
"Even though you always spend two or three times more than your budget, you have been able to cover it without any problems."
"..."
"There is simply no longer any reason to cover the excess usage. I have the will and the assets to pay this much."
Since ancient times, the Twins family, which lost its status as a royal family in the human world, has been hiding its existence in the human world along with other mixed-blood demons. However, the Twins family is originally a historic family that has been around since ancient times. In a way, it was natural that the family fortune was very rich.
Moreover, as they returned to the human world with the founding of the Western Empire, the Twins family gained even greater power and inexhaustible financial power.
'Even so, it would not be a small amount of money to pay annual alimony to a divorced ex-wife...!'
When I thought of that, I felt an uneasy feeling toward Cedric. I was wondering how much it took Rebecca to do something like this.
'I guess he wanted to get a divorce quickly and without any problems.'
It was understandable, considering that even after his divorce from Rebecca, he had been nervous about marriage for a while.
'I like the terms of the divorce, so let's do it as soon as possible.'
I quickly went back to the first page of the document. Cedric slowly opened his mouth as he looked at the Emperor's seal and the Holy See's seal above it.
"I got permission in advance. So that there will be no problem in keeping our secret for half a year."
Cedric had already signed his signature. Realizing the meaning, I nodded and picked up the fountain pen.
"Now all I need is my signature to finalize the divorce."
"That's the way it is."
He stared at my hand holding the fountain pen. He seemed to think he couldn't let down his guard until he got my signature on the divorce papers.
'There's absolutely no need for that, but...'
I slowly placed the tip of the pen on the empty blank space. Cedric looked at Rebecca's hand holding the fountain pen and remembered the time it rested on his lips.
"Now... Are you going to let me go?"
Why did such a question come up?
As he walked behind Rebecca to the glass garden, Cedric's mind was filled with a gray fog.
'Now that I'm about to get divorced, I guess I'm starting to feel some unnecessary sentiment.'
No matter how boring his life is, he always has some regrets in the face of death. Although it is the end of a hellish married life, he can probably feel this shallow sentiment.
Moreover, his feelings indeed become somewhat complicated as he belatedly realizes that Rebecca may truly love him. If Rebecca's feelings were truly sincere...
Because he was constantly wary of herself, he ended up in the situation he is in now. However, there was still something unclear about her that made it difficult for him to believe Rebecca's sincerity.
'If Rebecca didn't want to take advantage of me, why did he follow me all the way to Mt Manakin that night?'
As the sinister smile of Rebecca's father, the Duke of Bold, appeared one after another, his jaw tightened little by little. At the same time, Cedric used the power of reason to push away the unnecessary sentiments he felt on the verge of divorce.
'This divorce must happen.'
It was then that Cedric took control of his heart again.
Square, square.
A low sound was heard. By the time he raised his head again, Rebecca had already completed all of her signatures.
Five years of marriage was like a nightmare. Everything ended so easily that all the pain was in vain.
Only twice, with Rebecca's signature.
"You can be happy as much as you want without worrying about what I think."
Rebecca put down the fountain pen on the table and raised the corners of her mouth slightly. Cedric was actually confused by this situation. It was difficult to even clearly understand what this feeling was. It's definitely a moment when he should feel joy. All he felt now was an emptiness that he could not understand.
"Cedric, you don't feel it."
Following a faint laugh, a white and slender hand was suddenly held in front of Cedric.
"A divorce contract is also a contract. Since it ended well, let's shake hands one last time."
Cedric was shocked again. She was the one who cried and clung to him every day, saying that she could not live even a single moment apart from him. Now that the divorce had been decided, it was too unfamiliar to see Rebecca calmly offering a handshake.
"... Sure."
Rebecca's hand, which he slowly held, felt a different warmth than before. It was at that time that Cedric was looking down at her small hand.
"You've worked so hard all this time, because of me."
A low voice rang softly through the air. Hearing that unfamiliar yet comfortable sound, Cedric slowly raised his head and looked at Rebecca.
"I don't want you to suffer for a long time because of your failed marriage and that trauma."
"... "
"Of course, it's shameless for me to say It, but... Forget about your painful married life."
"..."
"And next time, I hope you meet a woman you truly love and live happily ever after."
She continued speaking softly.
"I'm serious."
Soon, a gentle smile like a lotus flower spread across Rebecca's lips. It was a peaceful smile that she had shown himself for the first time in a long time. It was a time when he was looking at her blankly as if he was seeing a vision of her.
"Then... Take care, Cedric."
With those soft words at the end, Rebecca let go of each other's hands.
At that moment, all he wanted to do instead of her departing touch was stay with Cedric.
There was only an unexpected sense of emptiness.
***
On the way back after signing the divorce.
My mind was a field of flowers.
'Even a seaside mansion isn't enough, so the cost of living is enormous...!'
The corners of my mouth naturally rose at the luxurious and free life I would enjoy in the future. And the more I did that, the more determined I became to avoid Rebecca's death in the original.
Wouldn't it be such a waste to die without even being able to use that much alimony?
'Good, now that we've pulled a dead flag by divorcing Cedric.'
All that remains now is to change the minds of the mixed-blood demons.
'But just in case, it would be better to take a mixed-blood demon with me to protect me after six months.'
Of course, Mina will be taken.
'Oh, I guess I'll just tell Mina to bring a few more of her friends.'
From what I felt while living together, Mina was a big step forward among the mixed-race demons. In addition, she has the strength to lift anything with ease, and her ability to create all kinds of poisons and antidotes.
Luckily, she had become one of my close associates, so if they worked hard to build trust in the future, they would have won a thousand battles. Others say that if you possess a villainous woman, your life will be difficult. Can I be comfortable like this alone?
Ha, indeed.
I hummed, admiring my own plan. It was just as I was entering the anti-aircraft vision hallway.
"Your Highness, why are you here now?"
Mina found me at the end of the hallway and started running towards her in a huff.
"Oh, my Mina! Haha, I was having so much fun walking that I didn't notice time passing."
I guess I'll just have to tell her to get ready to move to the dark mansion. It was a time when I was having such carefree thoughts. For some reason, Mina's face began to harden little by little.
"Your Highness... Have you really forgotten who is visiting today?"
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