IELNDMH - Chapter 106 < Time To Us To Part >
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
The news of Cedric's return came about a week after he left.
At the same time, the Mansion of Light became extremely busy.
My heart is also in a hurry.
My feet were pacing by the window the whole time, and my eyes were fixed on the outside of the window, not knowing how to leave.
Eventually, I had to suppress my growing impatience as I saw Cedric's carriage enter the castle.
This was to give Cedric, who was probably exhausted from a long business trip, time to catch his breath.
How much time has passed like that?
The long-awaited message has finally arrived from the Mansion of Light.
The news was that Cedric's rest and bath time was coming to an end.
I walked quickly, as if I was going to run down that road, toward the Mansion of Light.
I climbed the stairs, holding the hem of my long, flowing dress with both hands, and my heart beat faster each time I got closer to where he was.
And that was when I finally opened his bedroom door.
Sigh-.
The arch-shaped double doors opened with a heavy sound, and a familiar figure began to appear through them.
For a moment, I stood by the window filled with sunlight and gazed outside.
Cedric, sensing that my present slowly turned around.
“...Rebecca?”
That unique low voice that I had longed for for a long time was finally heard.
Cedric was dressed in a robe as if he had just come out of a bath, and water was dripping from his wet hair.
With the sunlight behind him, he slowly extended his hand towards me.
"Come on."
I ran straight towards him like I was under hypnosis.
And when I snuggled into his wide embrace, he wrapped his arms around me like a habit.
Cedric, who was silent with his face buried in the crook of my neck, soon mumbled something obscene.
“It’s been too long.”
But I was the one who had to feel dirty, and it was Cedric who made me feel that way.
Before he left on his business trip, he spent some time alone without looking for me.
Even then, and even after he left on his business trip, there were a lot of questions I wanted to ask about what happened.
But I swallowed those many words with difficulty and looked up at Cedric.
“Did you have a good time?”
I just asked that with a smile on my face.
Perhaps because my question was unexpected, shallow waves rippled in Cedric's blue eyes.
“Don’t you want to ask what happened?”
Cedric asked quietly with his eyes lowered.
The area under his eyes was stained with fatigue, and there were scratches and bruises all over his face.
“...Very."
Just by looking at his severely injured face, it was easy to tell that it wasn't a very pleasant story.
As I tried to keep my words quiet, Cedric looked down at me and then gently kissed my eyelids.
"Really?"
The voice that asked that was sweet.
When I reflexively opened my eyes and smiled, a stylish half-moon was drawn at the corner of his mouth.
That was when his lips immediately landed on mine and started moving slowly.
“Your Highness, this is Lehman. I’ll go in for a moment.”
The aide's voice came from outside the bedroom.
Cedric furrowed his eyebrows fiercely when our alone time was interrupted, but then he let out a short sigh as if he had no choice and lightly kissed my cheek.
"Come in."
After permission was given, the aide went straight into the bedroom.
When he saw me in Cedric's arms, he didn't look as surprised as before.
He just slightly bowed his head towards me as if he was used to it.
“What’s going on?”
The aide's gaze, which had stayed on me for a moment in response to Cedric's question, turned to him again.
The aide looked embarrassed and took a step closer to him.
“High Priest Diat requests a meeting with His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“...Even me?”
“You mean right now?”
His thick eyebrows furrowed in an instant.
Cedric had just arrived at the castle.
He should be given some time to rest, but he asks to meet right away.
I also furrowed my brows at the high priest's rudeness.
“I’m sorry, but that’s true.”
A look of displeasure was also evident on the face of the aide who delivered the message.
“He said he had something to ask of you both directly and urgently.”
“...”
“...In his capacity as the Pope’s representative.”
Soon Cedric's face wrinkled nervously.
“Ha, that damned Pope’s representative...”
Everyone was equally disgusted by the High Priest's abuse of authority.
For a moment, each of them sighed with an annoyed expression on their faces.
'There must be only one reason why High Priest Diat wants to see us as Pope representatives now?'
The day when Cedric and I's divorce would be announced to the entire empire was fast approaching.
The reason why High Priest Diat summoned the two of us was probably related to that.
I had forgotten about it because I was so focused on Cedric's absence.
'I can't believe the time for us to part ways is already this close.'
When I realized that fact, my mind became uncontrollable.
It seemed to be the same for Cedric.
I tried to smile as I looked into his blue eyes, where bitterness slowly seeped into them.
Cedric, who was nervously brushing his wet hair, turned his harsh gaze back to the aide.
“Call the high priest.”
High Priest Diat, who immediately visited the Grand Duke Hall, looked at Grand Duke Cedric's eyes and cleared his throat slightly.
“Hmm... If you had just finished taking a bath, you would have said something. I should have come a little later...”
Cedric, who was sitting on the sofa across from me, was wearing a shower gown as if he was showing off.
He did not bother to hide his discomfort towards High Priest Diat.
Soon, Cedric's eyes became increasingly harsh.
“...Well. I thought it was so urgent that you acted like the world would fall apart if you didn’t see me and Rebecca right now.”
“...”
“Isn’t it?”
One of his eyebrows arched into a high mountain.
It was a question with such a chilling meaning, as to why he had dared to summon the Grand Duke of the Empire in such a hurry for something that was not a big deal.
High Priest Diat looked embarrassed for a moment but quickly calmed down his expression.
“Due to the sudden departure of His Highness the Grand Duke, my work as the Pope’s representative has been greatly delayed. I’m not doing this because I want to.”
Cedric asked, 'Did that person take medicine?' He let out a laugh with that expression on his face.
I had the same thought.
In fact, High Priest Diat raised his head even more rigidly.
Following Cedric's order for everyone to leave, all the workers left.
So Cedric, I, and High Priest Diat. That was when only those three people remained in the waiting room of the Grand Duke.
High Priest Diat's eyes suddenly raised sharply.
“You both know that it won’t be long until your divorce is announced, right?”
Of course, it was because of that.
I let out an exasperated sigh as if I was proud of what High Priest Diat said, which did not go astray from my expectations.
“I know. The High Priest informs me so constantly, how can I forget? Is that why you suddenly summoned His Highness the Highness and me?”
“Ah, Your Highness, that...”
“You talk about ‘qualification as the Pope’s representative’ for such a useless thing?”
He was the High Priest Diat, who had always behaved so proudly that it seemed shameless.
Even so, he seemed very embarrassed that I, not Cedric, openly showed signs of discomfort.
Normally, I would have stopped as soon as I saw his embarrassed face, but I couldn't do that this time.
'It's been a while since I've been alone with Cedric. Are you interrupting that time?'
A hot flame flew out of the eyes that were glaring at the High Priest Diat.
“Well, I just... It's not long until His Highness has to leave this castle, and I'm worried about whether you're ready...”
What are your worries? I guess you're worried about whether the two of us will properly break up.
I looked up and down High Priest Diat and pursed my lips.
“If you’re worried about me, there’s no need to worry. It’s been a long time since I bought a mansion near the welfare foundation. Once the divorce is announced and I leave this castle, I plan to stay there.”
The expression of High Priest Diat, who had been observing me all along, suddenly hardened.
“You’re not going back to the South... Are you saying you’re going to stay here, in the North?”
A light of suspicion once again crept into the eyes of High Priest Diat.
On the contrary, I nodded with a solemn face.
“Isn’t it obvious? The mixed race demon welfare foundation I founded and the investment agency are both located here in the north.”
Then he shrugged his shoulders and continued.
“It doesn’t make any more sense for me to throw it all away and go back to the South.”
That was a natural statement for anyone to hear.
The High Priest Diat seemed unable to resist those words, so he nodded with a shy expression.
“I see... I see...”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm, then I don’t think there will be any problem with Her Highness leaving this castle right away after the divorce is announced...”
“...”
“...So then there is nothing for me to worry about more about your divorce. I am very glad that Your Highness's residence has been decided after the divorce.”
Finally, High Priest Diat's mouth was firmly shut.
He nodded his head slowly a couple of times and remained silent for a while.
“Actually, that is what happened, but there is one more reason why I asked to meet with His Highness the Grand Duke.”
"What?"
Cedric's eyebrows arched.
“Her Highness was fortunate to have a generous ex-husband, but there are women in the northern part of the country who are unable to do so and continue to live a miserable life.”
High Priest Diat raised his head and looked slowly back and forth between Cedric and me.
“It happened a while ago when I visited the castle of Count Bart’s family...”
My heart is also in a hurry.
My feet were pacing by the window the whole time, and my eyes were fixed on the outside of the window, not knowing how to leave.
Eventually, I had to suppress my growing impatience as I saw Cedric's carriage enter the castle.
This was to give Cedric, who was probably exhausted from a long business trip, time to catch his breath.
How much time has passed like that?
The long-awaited message has finally arrived from the Mansion of Light.
The news was that Cedric's rest and bath time was coming to an end.
I walked quickly, as if I was going to run down that road, toward the Mansion of Light.
I climbed the stairs, holding the hem of my long, flowing dress with both hands, and my heart beat faster each time I got closer to where he was.
And that was when I finally opened his bedroom door.
Sigh-.
The arch-shaped double doors opened with a heavy sound, and a familiar figure began to appear through them.
For a moment, I stood by the window filled with sunlight and gazed outside.
Cedric, sensing that my present slowly turned around.
“...Rebecca?”
That unique low voice that I had longed for for a long time was finally heard.
Cedric was dressed in a robe as if he had just come out of a bath, and water was dripping from his wet hair.
With the sunlight behind him, he slowly extended his hand towards me.
"Come on."
I ran straight towards him like I was under hypnosis.
And when I snuggled into his wide embrace, he wrapped his arms around me like a habit.
Cedric, who was silent with his face buried in the crook of my neck, soon mumbled something obscene.
“It’s been too long.”
But I was the one who had to feel dirty, and it was Cedric who made me feel that way.
Before he left on his business trip, he spent some time alone without looking for me.
Even then, and even after he left on his business trip, there were a lot of questions I wanted to ask about what happened.
But I swallowed those many words with difficulty and looked up at Cedric.
“Did you have a good time?”
I just asked that with a smile on my face.
Perhaps because my question was unexpected, shallow waves rippled in Cedric's blue eyes.
“Don’t you want to ask what happened?”
Cedric asked quietly with his eyes lowered.
The area under his eyes was stained with fatigue, and there were scratches and bruises all over his face.
“...Very."
Just by looking at his severely injured face, it was easy to tell that it wasn't a very pleasant story.
As I tried to keep my words quiet, Cedric looked down at me and then gently kissed my eyelids.
"Really?"
The voice that asked that was sweet.
When I reflexively opened my eyes and smiled, a stylish half-moon was drawn at the corner of his mouth.
That was when his lips immediately landed on mine and started moving slowly.
“Your Highness, this is Lehman. I’ll go in for a moment.”
The aide's voice came from outside the bedroom.
Cedric furrowed his eyebrows fiercely when our alone time was interrupted, but then he let out a short sigh as if he had no choice and lightly kissed my cheek.
"Come in."
After permission was given, the aide went straight into the bedroom.
When he saw me in Cedric's arms, he didn't look as surprised as before.
He just slightly bowed his head towards me as if he was used to it.
“What’s going on?”
The aide's gaze, which had stayed on me for a moment in response to Cedric's question, turned to him again.
The aide looked embarrassed and took a step closer to him.
“High Priest Diat requests a meeting with His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“...Even me?”
“You mean right now?”
His thick eyebrows furrowed in an instant.
Cedric had just arrived at the castle.
He should be given some time to rest, but he asks to meet right away.
I also furrowed my brows at the high priest's rudeness.
“I’m sorry, but that’s true.”
A look of displeasure was also evident on the face of the aide who delivered the message.
“He said he had something to ask of you both directly and urgently.”
“...”
“...In his capacity as the Pope’s representative.”
Soon Cedric's face wrinkled nervously.
“Ha, that damned Pope’s representative...”
Everyone was equally disgusted by the High Priest's abuse of authority.
For a moment, each of them sighed with an annoyed expression on their faces.
'There must be only one reason why High Priest Diat wants to see us as Pope representatives now?'
The day when Cedric and I's divorce would be announced to the entire empire was fast approaching.
The reason why High Priest Diat summoned the two of us was probably related to that.
I had forgotten about it because I was so focused on Cedric's absence.
'I can't believe the time for us to part ways is already this close.'
When I realized that fact, my mind became uncontrollable.
It seemed to be the same for Cedric.
I tried to smile as I looked into his blue eyes, where bitterness slowly seeped into them.
Cedric, who was nervously brushing his wet hair, turned his harsh gaze back to the aide.
“Call the high priest.”
***
High Priest Diat, who immediately visited the Grand Duke Hall, looked at Grand Duke Cedric's eyes and cleared his throat slightly.
“Hmm... If you had just finished taking a bath, you would have said something. I should have come a little later...”
Cedric, who was sitting on the sofa across from me, was wearing a shower gown as if he was showing off.
He did not bother to hide his discomfort towards High Priest Diat.
Soon, Cedric's eyes became increasingly harsh.
“...Well. I thought it was so urgent that you acted like the world would fall apart if you didn’t see me and Rebecca right now.”
“...”
“Isn’t it?”
One of his eyebrows arched into a high mountain.
It was a question with such a chilling meaning, as to why he had dared to summon the Grand Duke of the Empire in such a hurry for something that was not a big deal.
High Priest Diat looked embarrassed for a moment but quickly calmed down his expression.
“Due to the sudden departure of His Highness the Grand Duke, my work as the Pope’s representative has been greatly delayed. I’m not doing this because I want to.”
Cedric asked, 'Did that person take medicine?' He let out a laugh with that expression on his face.
I had the same thought.
In fact, High Priest Diat raised his head even more rigidly.
Following Cedric's order for everyone to leave, all the workers left.
So Cedric, I, and High Priest Diat. That was when only those three people remained in the waiting room of the Grand Duke.
High Priest Diat's eyes suddenly raised sharply.
“You both know that it won’t be long until your divorce is announced, right?”
Of course, it was because of that.
I let out an exasperated sigh as if I was proud of what High Priest Diat said, which did not go astray from my expectations.
“I know. The High Priest informs me so constantly, how can I forget? Is that why you suddenly summoned His Highness the Highness and me?”
“Ah, Your Highness, that...”
“You talk about ‘qualification as the Pope’s representative’ for such a useless thing?”
He was the High Priest Diat, who had always behaved so proudly that it seemed shameless.
Even so, he seemed very embarrassed that I, not Cedric, openly showed signs of discomfort.
Normally, I would have stopped as soon as I saw his embarrassed face, but I couldn't do that this time.
'It's been a while since I've been alone with Cedric. Are you interrupting that time?'
A hot flame flew out of the eyes that were glaring at the High Priest Diat.
“Well, I just... It's not long until His Highness has to leave this castle, and I'm worried about whether you're ready...”
What are your worries? I guess you're worried about whether the two of us will properly break up.
I looked up and down High Priest Diat and pursed my lips.
“If you’re worried about me, there’s no need to worry. It’s been a long time since I bought a mansion near the welfare foundation. Once the divorce is announced and I leave this castle, I plan to stay there.”
The expression of High Priest Diat, who had been observing me all along, suddenly hardened.
“You’re not going back to the South... Are you saying you’re going to stay here, in the North?”
A light of suspicion once again crept into the eyes of High Priest Diat.
On the contrary, I nodded with a solemn face.
“Isn’t it obvious? The mixed race demon welfare foundation I founded and the investment agency are both located here in the north.”
Then he shrugged his shoulders and continued.
“It doesn’t make any more sense for me to throw it all away and go back to the South.”
That was a natural statement for anyone to hear.
The High Priest Diat seemed unable to resist those words, so he nodded with a shy expression.
“I see... I see...”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm, then I don’t think there will be any problem with Her Highness leaving this castle right away after the divorce is announced...”
“...”
“...So then there is nothing for me to worry about more about your divorce. I am very glad that Your Highness's residence has been decided after the divorce.”
Finally, High Priest Diat's mouth was firmly shut.
He nodded his head slowly a couple of times and remained silent for a while.
“Actually, that is what happened, but there is one more reason why I asked to meet with His Highness the Grand Duke.”
"What?"
Cedric's eyebrows arched.
“Her Highness was fortunate to have a generous ex-husband, but there are women in the northern part of the country who are unable to do so and continue to live a miserable life.”
High Priest Diat raised his head and looked slowly back and forth between Cedric and me.
“It happened a while ago when I visited the castle of Count Bart’s family...”
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