IELNDMH - Chapter 7 < The Grand Duchess's Love Cooled >
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
When I turned around, I saw a beautiful man smiling gently. He had long honey-blonde hair tied up and looked at me with deep blue-purple eyes.
"I don't know if you remember me."
He was a handsome man with a gentle expression, so much so that one could see white roses in full bloom behind the smiling man.
'There was no such handsome man in the novel other than Cedric... Who is this person?'
The man looked a little nervous as he adjusted the white cravat attached to his stylish gray suit.
"This is Adrian Monter, the butler of the Dark Mansion."
Adrian, who introduced himself, bowed slightly and naturally held my hand.
'Ah, because the dark mansion barely appeared in the original work. So I've never seen a butler...'
The moment I was thinking that. A soft, clean feeling touched the back of my hand. When I suddenly came to my senses and looked down, I saw Adrian kissing the back of my hand. He straightened his bent back and smiled softly.
"I have been waiting for a long time for Her Highness to come here."
Adrian's blue-violet eyes were full of sincerity when he said that. I couldn't help but look at him with bewildered eyes.
"Thank you. I wonder if you will be this happy... I really didn't know."
Adrian was unexpected in many ways. I don't know why, but he seemed very thrilled that I appeared in the dark mansion.
"Do you have a personal request? Whatever it is, I will be glad to hear your request."
Adrian, who said that, took a long breath with a slightly flushed face.
"Oh, it's not a request."
I turned my head towards Mina to hand her the dessert I had prepared. But Mina was just looking at Adrian with her dreamy eyes.
'The famous person Mina mentioned was Adrian.'
I cleared my throat a couple of times, but it was no use. It wasn't until I finally poked Mina's forearm lightly with my finger that she responded. The red face from surprise was a bonus.
"I feel like I've been too indifferent to the people who use the Dark Mansion. I've prepared a dessert that's great to eat during break time."
"Your Highness... You?"
Adrian blinked slowly as if he couldn't believe it. I might have guessed it because of my friendly attitude, but it seemed like Adrian wasn't aware of Rebecca's temperament in the past. Then, for a moment, he smiled calmly again.
"Everyone who uses it will be very Impressed."
"Yes, the Grand Duchess gave it to them, so I guess they should at least act impressed in front of their boss. Even if they swear at me after work."
"Haha, how can that be possible? We will immediately gather the users. They would be even happier if they knew that Your Highness personally came here to present the reward!"
"Huh? No, you don't have to go that far...."
Adrian quickly walked towards the main gate of the mansion with a flushed face. Then he smiled gently as he swung open the front door of the mansion.
"Welcome to the Mansion of Darkness, Your Highness."
It was the first sincere welcome I received after coming to this world.
***
At the same time, the imperial palace of the Western Empire.
Cedric had already arrived in the capital early in the morning. It takes about five hours by carriage from the north to the capital where the imperial palace is located.
However, for Cedric, who owned a special carriage developed with Demon World technology, the distance of about two hours was sufficient. It happened to be the day when there was a meeting at the imperial palace regarding the special carriage manufacturing technology agreement. With that, he left the conference room where he had been forced to stay all morning, and Cedric had just arrived in the Emperor's Hall.
Someone standing in front of the Emperor's Hall door spoke first.
"His Highness the Grand Duke of Twins also arrived on time. I heard the news."
It was the High Priest Diat. A blunt face as always. However, Cedric read the subtle disgust that passed over High Priest Diat's face every time he encountered him. But as always, this time he greeted Cedric indifferently.
"Thank you for coming here at my request, High Priest Diat."
"Strictly speaking, it is not the request of His Highness the Grand Duke, but the request of the Emperor. It is also an order from the Pope."
The expression on the face of High Priest Diat, who lowered his eyes, seemed somewhat arrogant. It has been six years since the exchange between the human world and the demon world, which had been cut off since ancient times, was reconnected with the founding of the Western Empire.
Although there have been many changes, there are still people in the human world who are wary of or look down on demons.
'He's so obsessed with acquiring the technology of the demon world!'
Cedric had also recently heard a rumor that High Priest Diat had lost a considerable amount of his wealth after investing in the futures trading market for demonic materials. It was at that time that Cedric's mouth twitched.
Just then, a message was heard from the Emperor's Hall permitting their entry. Grand Duke Cedric entered the Emperor's Hall first, and High Priest Diat naturally followed him.
"Oh! You both arrived on time."
As soon as they entered the Emperor's Hall, Emperor Letitz, with the bright sunlight at his back, greeted them warmly.
"Especially you, Cedric. I thought I'd be late because the meeting was long. Everyone, sit down, let's sit down!"
Emperor Letitz, who had just entered his forties, was the person who led the unprecedented movement of 'resumption of exchanges' between the human world and the demon world.
Just six years ago, this young and clever Emperor was merely the King of a small country located in the northern part of the Western Continent. It was around that time that Emperor Letitz personally visited the Twins family, which had lost its status as the royal family of the human world and had been living only as the imperial family of the demon world since ancient times.
After persistently persuading the head of the family, Cedric, Emperor Letitz finally unified the Western Continent with the help of mixed-blood demons. To him, Cedric could not help but be a grateful being who would not waste anything he gave him.
"Yes, of course, you can do anything, but..."
Emperor Letitz, who was reading a document while wearing a gold-rimmed monocle, frowned slightly.
"....Your first request is a secret divorce. This is it."
Slam.
Emperor Letitz lightly threw the document he was reading on the table.
Cedric, High Priest Diat, and Emperor Letitz. The reason they gathered at the Emperor's Hall today was because of Cedric's 'special' divorce. Cedric's request was to finalize the divorce with the permission of the Emperor and the Vatican as originally intended but to postpone detailed administrative procedures for six months.
During that time, the Twins Grand Duke's divorce would be kept secret. Although it was originally an impossible case, the Emperor decided to persuade the Pope to grant Cedric's request. So today, before the couple's signatures were even written on the divorce papers, Emperor Letitz was about to hand over the Emperor's Hall and the Vatican's seal of approval. It was a decision worthy of Letitz, the Emperor of unconventionality.
"Okay. I'm going to do it... Is it true that the Grand Duchess really agreed?"
Emperor Letitz believed Cedric's words, but he had no choice but to keep asking about this incident.
"I will help you with a secret divorce, but as you know, I cannot allow it if it is a divorce without the other party's consent."
Cedric, who was silent for a moment, eventually nodded his head low, and Emperor Letitz's eyes slowly opened wide.
"Even most nobles know that the Grand Duchess loves you so much that she takes her breath away..."
"The Grand Duchess is really going to divorce you?"
High Priest Diat's curious gaze also turned towards Cedric. It was clearly an incident that even appealed to the always expressionless High Priest Diat. It was natural for such a reaction since it was something that even the parties themselves could not completely believe.
"... She said she would."
As Cedric spoke in his characteristic low voice, Emperor Letitz lifted the monocle he was wearing and tilted his head.
"That's really strange... Why did the Grand Duchess suddenly change her mind?"
Cedric was also curious about Rebecca's true feelings. On the night in question, Rebecca was crying and clinging to herself. Then, when things didn't go her way, she announced a divorce, and for the first time, she slapped him in the face and suddenly started rambling like a crazy person. After that, everything changed.
'I don't love you anymore.'
As her red lips appeared, a light crack appeared between Cedric's eyebrows.
Love. Never before had he felt Rebecca's actions as love. She may be using her love as an excuse to hide her dark intentions.
Yeah, she definitely thought so...
"Ah... I get it. That's it, that's it."
Emperor Letitz's voice suddenly sounded, breaking Cedric's sentiments. Cedric suddenly raised his head and looked at the Emperor. Emperor Letitz, who was nodding his head with his arms crossed, noticed his gaze and slightly bent towards Cedric.
"Originally. The more you love someone, the more your love cools off and there is no turning back."
"The Grand Duchess loved you so much that she has no regrets anymore! Haha! How is it? I think I guessed it right."
Emperor Letitz burst into cheerful laughter as if he had figured out the answer to a scientific problem. At that sight, High Priest Diat closed his eyes with a gloomy expression. He thought that it was clear that Emperor Letiz had devoted all his talents to scientific fields such as science and technology, and thus lost his ability to empathize forever. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to smile so brightly as he watched Cedric's expression suddenly darken at the part where 'the Grand Duchess' love has cooled'.
"That's better! Aren't you distressed by the Grand Duchess's obsession? She will have broken her heart and made up her mind, so she won't be obsessed with it until after the divorce!"
Emperor Letitz hurriedly searched for his seal with a relaxed expression, as if his curiosity had been satisfied.
"Prime Minister Diat, you also prepared the seal of the Holy See, right?"
"Yes? Yes... I brought it as you said."
"Take a picture first. Here."
For a moment, there was an attempt to place the Vatican's seal of approval on the place designated by Emperor Letitz.
High Priest Diat raised his eyes towards Cedric as if warning him.
"Six months, as promised. After that, not only will administrative procedures have to be carried out, but the former Grand Duchess's residence will also have to be moved."
The reason the Pope opposed this secret divorce in the first place was because he considered it blasphemous for divorced couples to live together. Cedric nodded his head silently.
"Don't do that."
Percussion.
The Vatican's seal was finally placed on the Twin's Grand Duchess' divorce papers. At that moment, Cedric was overcome by an unknown, subtle emotion.
'Atlas...... Is this the end?'
Without knowing whether the feeling was cool or sad.
Bang-!
A second permit stamp was issued in quick succession. When the embarrassed Cedric raised his head, Emperor Letitz smiled excitedly and handed him the document. Seeing that sight, High Priest Diat closed his eyes tightly again.
However, Emperor Letitz seemed proud of himself for preparing the gift his friend wanted.
"Now all you need is the Grand Duchess's signature and your marriage will be complete!"
Comments
Post a Comment