IELNDMH - Chapter 109 < Announcement Od Upcoming Divorce >
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
Skin is so white and smooth that it looks pale.
Lobelia smiled softly as if to change her mood and said,
“Even though I just came here as Princess Bianca’s tutor...”
“That fact alone makes Lobelia already precious enough to me.”
“...Yes?"
Lobelia slowly blinked her wide eyes.
Few northerners did not know about Rebecca's intense dislike for her sister-in-law, Bianca.
It would have been hard for Lobelia, a northern noblewoman, to believe that I valued Bianca's tutor.
“Actually, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been directly involved in matters related to Princess Bianca’s education. Not only was it something I had to do from the beginning, but now His Highness the Grand Duke has full confidence in me.”
“Ah, His Highness...”
Lobelia still didn't seem to believe what I was saying.
However, like an aristocratic woman who was good at social life, she quickly mastered her facial expressions.
Her gentle smile lasted for a moment, and a slight tension flashed across Lobelia's face.
“Your Highness, then maybe... Did you call me because you had something special to tell me?”
I continued, slightly curling the corners of my lips.
"That's right. You seem to have a pretty good sense of humor.”
At my words, Lobelia's face darkened again.
In the green eyes that met hers, she suddenly felt a deep sense of anxiety.
The strange eye contact continued like that for a long time.
Finally, both of our mouths opened at the same time.
“I want you to be as kind as possible to our Princess Bianca...”
“Well, if you’re telling me to secretly poison the Princess, then that’s...”
“...?”
“... Yes?"
The two people's eyes locked together in silence for a while.
"Now... Are you telling me to be kind to the Princess?”
Lobelia asked back.
She looked like she couldn't believe what I was saying.
'Oh my, you must have been scared because you thought I was going to tell you to secretly put poison in Bianca's teacup.'
I was quite displeased that I had received unnecessary suspicion, and that it was Lobelia who had originated that suspicion.
But what can I do?
It all comes from Rebecca's karma.
I took a long breath and suppressed my discomfort.
What's important now is asking Lobelia for Bianca rather than my feelings.
Of course, even in the original work, Lobelia was a very kind tutor to Bianca.
So much so that Cedric fell in love with Lobelia when he saw her.
However, unlike in the original work, I, Rebecca, have not been trapped in the tower yet, so wouldn't the original female protagonist's personality be different?
'Looking at the newspapers these days, it seems like there are often instances of tutors secretly abusing noble children.'
Of course, I hoped that Lobelia was a good person, but since I had entrusted the child to her, she could not be trusted.
Besides, I had to leave this castle soon, so I couldn't protect Bianca myself.
So, it was necessary to give Lobelia every possible warning before that.
'Ha, if I see things like this, I'll definitely end up being an extreme mother with a lot of energy and a strong wind...'
I felt a sense of shame for a moment, but what can I do to be worried?
First of all, I thought it would be good to let Lobelia know that Cedric and I were paying special attention to Bianca.
That way, she wouldn't be able to treat Bianca carelessly even if she were to.
I hesitantly opened my eyes, glanced at Lobelia, and cleared my throat.
“His Highness the Grand Duke, he has always cared for the Princess, and now the same applies to me. I am reflecting on the times I have neglected the Princess and paying even more attention to her. I can't leave anyone who harasses Bianca alone. You must have heard about what happened between the noblewoman and their daughters and our Princess Bianca, right?”
"Ah yes. Princess Bianca scolded the three ladies for being bullied in the capital in the past, and she knowingly or unknowingly put herself at a disadvantage in that family. Everyone thought it was just a rumor...”
“It’s not a rumor, it’s all true. How dare they harass our Princess Bianca? You must be able to hold back your anger.”
I smiled brightly at Lobelia.
And I continued my instructions with a hint of threat, emphasizing each word.
“Of course, Lobelia must always be very kind to our Princess Bianca. You understand, right?”
Meanwhile, at the same time, the Holy See of the Western Empire.
The interior of the Holy See, which was always quiet, was busy preparing to welcome an important guest.
A red carpet was spread from the entrance to the Holy See to the main gate, and priests lined up on both sides.
Soon, a carriage with the imperial emblem engraved on it ran on the prepared carpet.
It soon stopped in front of the main gate of the Holy See, and the guest everyone had been waiting for finally appeared.
This was Letitz, the Emperor of the Western Empire.
He took one majestic step after another along the carpet leading to the Pope's Hall.
And finally, the huge arched double doors of the Pope's Palace were opened wide for him.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in person.”
Emperor Letitz entered the Pope's Palace and bowed his head to someone sitting on a huge chair on the podium.
“That’s right. Thank you for the long journey, Your Majesty.”
After receiving a kind response, Emperor Letitz sat down on a chair in the middle of the spacious hall.
Then he looked up at the person on the podium again.
An old man with a bushy white beard, dressed in ivory-colored plain clothes.
He was Pope Stephen III, the only person Emperor Letitz could look up to under this sky.
Pope Stephen smiled kindly and looked down at Emperor Letitz.
After exchanging friendly greetings for a while, a shy smile slowly spread across Emperor Letitz's lips.
“Once again, I would like to thank you for understanding this person’s insistence on accommodating the Twins Grand Duke.”
"Haha... I may be conservative, but I'm not a narrow-minded old man, Your Majesty."
Pope Stephen burst into laughter.
“How can I not know that His Majesty is particularly concerned about Grand Duke Twins, who is credited with founding the country? Although he was born and raised in an unknown land, he is also a descendant of God.”
“...”
“Just as I look at everyone in this empire, I always look at the Grand Duke with pity for his efforts to adapt to the human world.”
“The Pope’s generosity is something I cannot match. Of course, thanks to that, the fact of their divorce was able to be safely kept a secret until now.”
Pope Stephen nodded his head with downcast eyes and was silent for a moment.
But it was sometime later that his lips separated.
“Now, isn’t there just a few days left until they promise to announce their divorce?”
The face of the Pope who asked softly was still kind, but there was definitely a stern look on his face.
“Still, a promise is a promise, so it would be nice if it were kept until the end...”
“Don’t worry about that, His Holiness.”
Emperor Letitz, who understood the Pope's intentions, nodded slowly and continued speaking.
“The fact that the Twins Grand Dukes are divorcing will definitely be announced on the morning of the appointed day.”
White-blonde hair that curves gracefully like waves.
The eyelashes, which were as abundant as a peacock's tail, lowered low and then spread out again.
The green eyes that appeared every time that happened had a mysterious yet innocent look to them.
The neat and gorgeous beauty that can only be felt from a single lily.
That was my impression after encountering Lobelia up close.
“It’s quite fascinating to see the inside of the dark mansion, isn’t it?”
Lobelia, who had been looking around the interior of the living room, hastily lowered her head.
The Grand Duchess's vision of her curiously observing the drawing room seemed to be regarded as a subtle criticism of her.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I just...”
"It's okay. I was like that too when I first came here. It may be the Mansion of Light, but this will be Lobelia’s first time in the Mansion of Darkness.”
Warm tea was placed in front of Lobelia, who was looking at me.
Mina, who had served the tea, smiled softly at Lobelia.
Mina also knew the circumstances that led to her entering the Grand Duke's family, so Mina seemed to want to be kind to her.
But unfortunately, Lobelia's face suddenly became pale.
She seemed to be afraid as she realized once again that there would always be mixed-blood demons around her from now on.
“...Lift the tea, Lobelia.”
Lobelia lowered her eyes as if she had come to her senses at my words, and Mina stepped behind her with a shy expression.
“The tea smells really nice, Your Highness.”
There was an awkward atmosphere between Lobelia and I, who were sharing tea, for a while.
When it felt uncomfortable beyond awkwardness, fortunately, Lobelia opened her mouth.
"Actually... I have known for a long time that Her Highness moved her residence to the Dark Mansion.”
"Is it so? How... Oh, did you happen to hear it at the Dmitri family’s banquet hall?”
“No, I already heard it directly from Camilla before. Until then, she and I were close friends to the point where we even told our secrets.”
As Lobelia said that, a complex smile soon appeared on the tip of her lips.
“Of course, that’s all... It was just my illusion.”
Her eyelashes vibrated slightly as she mocked herself.
After Henry's death, it was revealed to the world that he had been having an affair with Camilla for a long time.
Her husband's death, the fact that she found out about her husband and her friend's affair afterward, the looks of pity and suspicion directed at her, and even the cruel abuse from her parents-in-law.
That must have been a difficult reality for Lobelia, who had lived her whole life like a flower in a greenhouse, to bear.
As if to prove it, Lobelia was noticeably more gaunt than when she was first seen at the imperial banquet.
“...Anyway, I really didn’t know that Your Highness the Grand Duchess would welcome me in person like this.”
The eyelashes, which were as abundant as a peacock's tail, lowered low and then spread out again.
The green eyes that appeared every time that happened had a mysterious yet innocent look to them.
The neat and gorgeous beauty that can only be felt from a single lily.
That was my impression after encountering Lobelia up close.
“It’s quite fascinating to see the inside of the dark mansion, isn’t it?”
Lobelia, who had been looking around the interior of the living room, hastily lowered her head.
The Grand Duchess's vision of her curiously observing the drawing room seemed to be regarded as a subtle criticism of her.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I just...”
"It's okay. I was like that too when I first came here. It may be the Mansion of Light, but this will be Lobelia’s first time in the Mansion of Darkness.”
Warm tea was placed in front of Lobelia, who was looking at me.
Mina, who had served the tea, smiled softly at Lobelia.
Mina also knew the circumstances that led to her entering the Grand Duke's family, so Mina seemed to want to be kind to her.
But unfortunately, Lobelia's face suddenly became pale.
She seemed to be afraid as she realized once again that there would always be mixed-blood demons around her from now on.
“...Lift the tea, Lobelia.”
Lobelia lowered her eyes as if she had come to her senses at my words, and Mina stepped behind her with a shy expression.
“The tea smells really nice, Your Highness.”
There was an awkward atmosphere between Lobelia and I, who were sharing tea, for a while.
When it felt uncomfortable beyond awkwardness, fortunately, Lobelia opened her mouth.
"Actually... I have known for a long time that Her Highness moved her residence to the Dark Mansion.”
"Is it so? How... Oh, did you happen to hear it at the Dmitri family’s banquet hall?”
“No, I already heard it directly from Camilla before. Until then, she and I were close friends to the point where we even told our secrets.”
As Lobelia said that, a complex smile soon appeared on the tip of her lips.
“Of course, that’s all... It was just my illusion.”
Her eyelashes vibrated slightly as she mocked herself.
After Henry's death, it was revealed to the world that he had been having an affair with Camilla for a long time.
Her husband's death, the fact that she found out about her husband and her friend's affair afterward, the looks of pity and suspicion directed at her, and even the cruel abuse from her parents-in-law.
That must have been a difficult reality for Lobelia, who had lived her whole life like a flower in a greenhouse, to bear.
As if to prove it, Lobelia was noticeably more gaunt than when she was first seen at the imperial banquet.
“...Anyway, I really didn’t know that Your Highness the Grand Duchess would welcome me in person like this.”
Lobelia smiled softly as if to change her mood and said,
“Even though I just came here as Princess Bianca’s tutor...”
“That fact alone makes Lobelia already precious enough to me.”
“...Yes?"
Lobelia slowly blinked her wide eyes.
Few northerners did not know about Rebecca's intense dislike for her sister-in-law, Bianca.
It would have been hard for Lobelia, a northern noblewoman, to believe that I valued Bianca's tutor.
“Actually, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been directly involved in matters related to Princess Bianca’s education. Not only was it something I had to do from the beginning, but now His Highness the Grand Duke has full confidence in me.”
“Ah, His Highness...”
Lobelia still didn't seem to believe what I was saying.
However, like an aristocratic woman who was good at social life, she quickly mastered her facial expressions.
Her gentle smile lasted for a moment, and a slight tension flashed across Lobelia's face.
“Your Highness, then maybe... Did you call me because you had something special to tell me?”
I continued, slightly curling the corners of my lips.
"That's right. You seem to have a pretty good sense of humor.”
At my words, Lobelia's face darkened again.
In the green eyes that met hers, she suddenly felt a deep sense of anxiety.
The strange eye contact continued like that for a long time.
Finally, both of our mouths opened at the same time.
“I want you to be as kind as possible to our Princess Bianca...”
“Well, if you’re telling me to secretly poison the Princess, then that’s...”
“...?”
“... Yes?"
The two people's eyes locked together in silence for a while.
"Now... Are you telling me to be kind to the Princess?”
Lobelia asked back.
She looked like she couldn't believe what I was saying.
'Oh my, you must have been scared because you thought I was going to tell you to secretly put poison in Bianca's teacup.'
I was quite displeased that I had received unnecessary suspicion, and that it was Lobelia who had originated that suspicion.
But what can I do?
It all comes from Rebecca's karma.
I took a long breath and suppressed my discomfort.
What's important now is asking Lobelia for Bianca rather than my feelings.
Of course, even in the original work, Lobelia was a very kind tutor to Bianca.
So much so that Cedric fell in love with Lobelia when he saw her.
However, unlike in the original work, I, Rebecca, have not been trapped in the tower yet, so wouldn't the original female protagonist's personality be different?
'Looking at the newspapers these days, it seems like there are often instances of tutors secretly abusing noble children.'
Of course, I hoped that Lobelia was a good person, but since I had entrusted the child to her, she could not be trusted.
Besides, I had to leave this castle soon, so I couldn't protect Bianca myself.
So, it was necessary to give Lobelia every possible warning before that.
'Ha, if I see things like this, I'll definitely end up being an extreme mother with a lot of energy and a strong wind...'
I felt a sense of shame for a moment, but what can I do to be worried?
First of all, I thought it would be good to let Lobelia know that Cedric and I were paying special attention to Bianca.
That way, she wouldn't be able to treat Bianca carelessly even if she were to.
I hesitantly opened my eyes, glanced at Lobelia, and cleared my throat.
“His Highness the Grand Duke, he has always cared for the Princess, and now the same applies to me. I am reflecting on the times I have neglected the Princess and paying even more attention to her. I can't leave anyone who harasses Bianca alone. You must have heard about what happened between the noblewoman and their daughters and our Princess Bianca, right?”
"Ah yes. Princess Bianca scolded the three ladies for being bullied in the capital in the past, and she knowingly or unknowingly put herself at a disadvantage in that family. Everyone thought it was just a rumor...”
“It’s not a rumor, it’s all true. How dare they harass our Princess Bianca? You must be able to hold back your anger.”
I smiled brightly at Lobelia.
And I continued my instructions with a hint of threat, emphasizing each word.
“Of course, Lobelia must always be very kind to our Princess Bianca. You understand, right?”
***
Meanwhile, at the same time, the Holy See of the Western Empire.
The interior of the Holy See, which was always quiet, was busy preparing to welcome an important guest.
A red carpet was spread from the entrance to the Holy See to the main gate, and priests lined up on both sides.
Soon, a carriage with the imperial emblem engraved on it ran on the prepared carpet.
It soon stopped in front of the main gate of the Holy See, and the guest everyone had been waiting for finally appeared.
This was Letitz, the Emperor of the Western Empire.
He took one majestic step after another along the carpet leading to the Pope's Hall.
And finally, the huge arched double doors of the Pope's Palace were opened wide for him.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in person.”
Emperor Letitz entered the Pope's Palace and bowed his head to someone sitting on a huge chair on the podium.
“That’s right. Thank you for the long journey, Your Majesty.”
After receiving a kind response, Emperor Letitz sat down on a chair in the middle of the spacious hall.
Then he looked up at the person on the podium again.
An old man with a bushy white beard, dressed in ivory-colored plain clothes.
He was Pope Stephen III, the only person Emperor Letitz could look up to under this sky.
Pope Stephen smiled kindly and looked down at Emperor Letitz.
After exchanging friendly greetings for a while, a shy smile slowly spread across Emperor Letitz's lips.
“Once again, I would like to thank you for understanding this person’s insistence on accommodating the Twins Grand Duke.”
"Haha... I may be conservative, but I'm not a narrow-minded old man, Your Majesty."
Pope Stephen burst into laughter.
“How can I not know that His Majesty is particularly concerned about Grand Duke Twins, who is credited with founding the country? Although he was born and raised in an unknown land, he is also a descendant of God.”
“...”
“Just as I look at everyone in this empire, I always look at the Grand Duke with pity for his efforts to adapt to the human world.”
“The Pope’s generosity is something I cannot match. Of course, thanks to that, the fact of their divorce was able to be safely kept a secret until now.”
Pope Stephen nodded his head with downcast eyes and was silent for a moment.
But it was sometime later that his lips separated.
“Now, isn’t there just a few days left until they promise to announce their divorce?”
The face of the Pope who asked softly was still kind, but there was definitely a stern look on his face.
“Still, a promise is a promise, so it would be nice if it were kept until the end...”
“Don’t worry about that, His Holiness.”
Emperor Letitz, who understood the Pope's intentions, nodded slowly and continued speaking.
“The fact that the Twins Grand Dukes are divorcing will definitely be announced on the morning of the appointed day.”
Thank you for the upload. I can’t wait for the next chapter. 🫶🏻 This cliffhanger is illegal. 🥹
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