"What the hell is this?"
Inside the carriage back to the mansion. As soon as the carriage door closed, Karina asked in an angry voice.
"I thought this was better than being told you couldn't have descendants."
"Don't talk nonsense! You ruined everything!"
Karina scolded Jeremiah with a distorted expression.
"That's right. I ruined it all."
Jeremiah took in Karina's outburst with a blank expression.
"But I couldn't let you hear people call you barren and a fool."
At his words, Karina's face twisted in anger.
"It didn't matter to me to hear those few words! So if you're going to say something like it was for my sake, then stop it now!"
Jeremiah frowned, not liking the harsh words coming out of Karina's mouth.
'What if you don't like it?'
Karina gasped and gasped. Her anger reached the top of her head. She couldn't control the overflowing anger.
'What a waste of a golden opportunity!'
Karina clenched her teeth and trembled. The freedom that was right in front of her nose was lost in an instant. Karina couldn't control her anger and her eyes filled with tears.
'This is not the time to be crying! Karina Milliner! Calm down!!'
Karina took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Still, the possibility of divorce was not completely eliminated since she had been granted a grace period.
'It's not over yet! Just 3 more months...! Just endure for 3 months and then after that, unconditionally...!'
No matter how hard she tried to calm her mind, it was no use. She was filled with resentment toward Jeremiah. When she thought about why Jeremiah suddenly said in front of the Emperor that he did not want to get a divorce, there was only one reason.
'The North doesn't want to suffer any damage from divorce!"
If Karina was the only one who wanted a divorce, then the responsibility and compensation for the divorce would all fall on the person who wanted the divorce. When she realized the reason, she was filled with anger.
'What a lethal and incompetent guy!'
Karina gritted her teeth.
'You should claim that damn compensation from the Marquis of Milliner!'
He could have just run away before that.
"Three months! After three months, no exceptions! We're getting a divorce! Got it?"
"..."
Jeremiah said nothing.
'Why aren't you answering?'
Karina's clenched fists shook violently.
Jeremiah, who was looking at Karina with deep eyes, opened his mouth.
"I really intend to try."
"...?"
Karina furrowed her eyebrows and made a face as if asking what he was talking about.
"As a couple."
"Ha!"
A dumbfounded laugh escaped Karina's lips at his answer.
A dumbfounded laugh escaped Karina's lips at his answer.
"Just tell me the truth. What do you want from me?"
Karina was now feeling more confused than angry. She was starting to doubt if he was really the Jeremiah she knew.
"That's... Rather, I'd like to ask. If there's anything you want from me, just tell me."
"What I want from you is a divorce!"
"I can't accept that. Tell me something else."
"There is nothing else!"
Karina shouted in frustration.
"After the divorce. Was there anything you wanted to do after that?"
What Karina wanted after her divorce. True freedom and the power to stand on her own, untethered from anything. The ability to stand on her own without being protected by her family or husband.
"What I want is something you can't give me, so don't waste your time."
Karina answered in a sharp voice.
"For three months, just pretend to do whatever the Emperor and the Marquis want. That's enough. Once the period is over, we can get a clean divorce."
Karina looked at him with a stern expression.
"Or, before that, you could also ask His Majesty the Emperor again to divorce. Tell him that after trying hard, you have realized that living as a married couple is absolutely! Absolutely. Impossible."
Jeremiah, who had been silently listening to Karina, asked.
"Why do you want to get a divorce so quickly? Is there a special reason?"
"Of course. I want to live without seeing your face even for a day. I really don't want to see your face."
Karina recalled the nobles at the banquet hall talking about how it was a feast for the eyes.
'If it's that good, why don't you take them there and see for yourself!'
Karina was even more unlucky and disliked Jeremiah because he was handsome.
"..."
At that moment, the carriage arrived at the mansion. As soon as the carriage stopped, Karina opened the carriage door roughly and got out with an angry expression on her face.
Jeremiah, left alone in the carriage, persistently watched Karina's back as she walked away.
"Hoooo."
As Karina disappeared from sight, he let out a deep sigh while washing his face with one hand. Jeremiah felt relieved.
'I'm glad we don't have to get a divorce right away!'
When Karina said in front of all the nobles in the banquet hall that she really could divorce the Grand Duke, his heart thumped and fell to the floor. Even though he already knew that she would do so. When he actually faced that situation, he was still embarrassed. No. Rather, it was more horrible than he had imagined. He couldn't stand the people around him talking nonsense about Karina. Infertile, defective, a fool. He wanted to rip out the mouths of all those people who talked nonsense about her right then and there. Even when he thought that Karina was listening to those horrible words without filtering them, he felt like his patience was breaking. So he immediately stepped forward and made everyone shut their mouths. He even lied and overturned everything Karina had said, but he didn't hesitate or regret it. But...
'We don't want to be together as a couple anymore!'
The moment he heard those words from Karina's mouth, his heart sank. Every time Karina asked the Emperor for permission to divorce, Jeremiah felt his heart pounding in his chest. So when the Emperor asked him if he wanted a divorce too. In that short moment, Jeremiah had a thousand thoughts. Starting with his suspicions about Karina, betrayal, confusion, anger, resentment, sadness, hope, and anticipation. All kinds of emotions swirled around like a whirlwind. And even though the whirlwind of emotions swept through his mind, there was one emotion that still remained. That emotion built up a solid and tight part of Jeremiah's broken heart again.
Only then did he realize. He still loved Karina. And in the future... That was why he could clearly say that he did not want to divorce her. For Jeremiah, the three-month grace period was a great comfort. He was also happy with the Emperor's words that they should try hard as a couple during that time. Of course, he didn't think the Emperor had pure intentions when he said that, but it gave him a reason to make a point. Jeremiah intended to get closer to Karina under the pretext of their efforts as a couple. He decided to get to know her better.
'It won't be easy, but...'
Right after leaving the banquet hall. Karina's reaction to her strong hostility as soon as she got on the carriage was painful, even though he had already expected it. It was okay to hear the harsh words she poured out. However, it was hard to bear the way Karina acted as if she was used to the malicious words that others would say without thinking. Even though he knew that Karina was angry because of him, he wanted to comfort and console her as she covered her face with both hands.
However, he couldn't do that, so he told her honestly instead. He really intended to try. If he told the truth, Karina would prepare herself. However, contrary to his expectations, Karina responded that it was ridiculous. When Karina asked him what he wanted, Jeremiah almost told him exactly what he really thought. He said that he wanted her to tell her everything and come to her with a sincere heart.
However, Jeremiah swallowed those words and asked the same question.
'What I want is something you can't give me.'
And he was hurt again. Karina's answer sounded like she wanted to win someone
else's heart, not his own. Her sharp voice felt like a knife piercing his heart, he forced his mouth, which wouldn't open, open it more, and barely managed to ask.
'Why do you want to get a divorce so quickly? Is there a special reason?"
'Of course, I want to live without seeing your face even for a day. I really hate to see your face.'
It was shocking. Jeremiah didn't care much about his appearance, but he thought that at least he didn't get told that she didn't like his appearance. But Karina said that his face was ugly. Her careless words had a huge impact. Jeremiah reached out and touched his face.
'Should I start paying attention to my appearance from now on?'
Jeremiah was deeply troubled.
***
The first day of the New Year's festival held at the palace had just ended, and the banquet had ended. The Emperor summoned Marquis Millainer to the empty audience room.
"Did you call, Your..."
"Marquis Millainer."
Before the Marquis of Milliner could finish his greeting, a low, muffled voice came out of the Emperor's mouth.
"Yes... Yes, Your Majesty."
Marquis Millainer waited nervously for the Emperor's next words.
"Didn't you clearly tell me that I had nothing to worry about?"
"..."
"But what on earth is this situation?"
The Emperor spoke coldly and glared at the Marquis Millainer with eyes as cold as a snake. The Marquis shivered at the gaze and quickly fell to the floor.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. My stupid daughter made a mistake. I will go and educate her thoroughly. It will never happen again!"
The Marquis bowed his head to the ground and apologized.
"All plans will proceed without a hitch!"
"..."
The Emperor, who had been looking down at the Marquis without any response, opened his mouth again.
"Give me three months. I'll take care of everything within that time."
"Yes...?"
Marquis Millainer looked up at the Emperor with a look of great bewilderment. Three months was not enough time to carry out his plan.
"3... 3 months is too..."
The Emperor's calm, yet cold tone cut through the Marquis's stuttering words as he was surprised.
"Marquis. Didn't you wish to restore the former glory of the Milliner family?"
"...!"
The Marquis' expression changed in an instant.
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