"Is it that easy to organize your mind?"
David asked with an inscrutable expression.
"I don't know if you'll believe it, but it wasn't easy at all."
Karina said with relief. Her light tone somehow made her words sound more sincere.
"So, do you really not love the Grand Duke anymore?"
Karina stared at David's face as he asked her questions rather persistently.
"..."
David's expression and eyes were fixed
firmly on Karina as if she absolutely had to hear an answer. The moment she faced him, David felt strangely unfamiliar, unlike before. After a long silence, Karina finally opened her mouth.
"Yes. I don't love him anymore."
Karina spoke calmly and calmly, her expression serene.
"...Yes."
David smiled with an expression of interest.
"Yes, I understand."
"..."
'What?'
Karina suddenly had a thought that she didn't know why she was saying such things to the Crown Prince. It was becoming awkward and uncomfortable to continue sitting across from the Crown Prince like this.
'When on earth is Jeremiah coming back?'
Karina still hated the sight of him, but now she wished he would come back sooner. Then David opened his mouth.
"I think I should go back now for today."
"Yes?"
Karina was bewildered when he suddenly said he would go back after pretending to wait for Jeremiah to come.
"I forgot that I had something planned later."
"Ah... I see."
Karina responded indifferently, not really interested.
"I will come back again soon."
As soon as Karina heard those words, she decided to stay out of the mansion as much as possible for the time being. If possible, to avoid meeting the Crown Prince as much as possible. As if he had noticed Karina's thoughts, David immediately asked her.
"Will I be able to see the Grand Duchess next time I come?"
“?”
Karina didn't understand why David was asking such a question, but she answered obediently.
"Unfortunately, I also have an outside schedule. It's difficult for me to give you a definite answer. I'm sure His Highness the Grand Duke will welcome you warmly even without me."
She wished Jeremiah and he could meet up on their own if they had anything to do.
"That's too bad."
She didn't know what she was missing, but Karina just smiled, hiding her trembling feelings.
***
"Are you here?"
The Emperor brought Jeremiah into the audience room. Jeremiah had requested an audience on the Emperor's orders. Normally, Jeremiah would postpone his request for an audience for several days, saying he was busy, but this time, his request was accepted in one day. Jeremiah covered up his discontent with a blank expression and greeted the Emperor.
"Your Majesty the Supreme Emperor of the Havellion Empire."
"Come in."
The Emperor greeted Jeremiah with an unexpectedly cheerful expression.
"Did you hear my message to the Marquis yesterday?"
The Emperor acted as if he was already expecting what Jeremiah would say.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I have come today to give you that answer."
"Yes. Did you make a good decision?"
The Emperor asked with a mischievous smile.
"Yes."
Jeremiah knelt on the floor and bowed his head.
"I'm sorry. Please take back your order."
It was clear that he would refuse the imperial decree.
"What you're saying now is that you can't marry as a couple?"
"..."
Jeremiah made no answer.
"Your Highness. You haven't forgotten that this marriage was arranged by me, have you? How long has it been since you were married before you've brought up divorce? Are you protesting against me now?"
The Emperor spoke in a seemingly stern voice as if questioning her.
"How could that be? As you know, I don't want a divorce."
"If you don't want a divorce, shouldn't you try harder? The Grand Duchess's will seemed strong, so what if I really allow the divorce?"
The emperor fiercely rebuked Jeremiah as if he had seized upon a trump card.
"I will only follow Your Majesty's will."
Jeremiah responded in an extremely indifferent voice as if it didn't matter to him at all.
"And if you are thinking of allowing a divorce, wouldn't it be better for both of us not to marry?"
Jeremiah spoke as if the divorce was almost certain. The Emperor's eyes narrowed.
'You cheeky bastard. You want a divorce even though you say no with your mouth.'
The Emperor glared at Jeremiah as if he found it offensive. The Emperor had absolutely no intention of granting Jeremiah what he wanted. He clicked his tongue as if he found it offensive.
"Marriage is a duty. Once you get married, you must fulfill your duties as a husband. How can you neglect your wife?"
The Emperor was not pleased with the fact that Jeremiah refused to follow his orders.
'It's like a thorn in my eye whenever I see it.'
Even now, he was dissatisfied with his attitude of refusing to marry her, pretending not to care much about the divorce. The Emperor thought that it was probably because he didn't want to marry that woman named Karina, the daughter of the Marquis.
"I heard you even have separate bedrooms now? It's your fault! Stop making excuses and come live with the Grand Duchess."
"..."
Jeremiah hesitated as if he was reluctant, then opened his mouth again.
"The Grand Duchess wouldn't want that."
The Emperor laughed at that answer.
"No way. I heard that you already told the Marquis that you would become the Grand Duchess. Isn't it just that you don't want to merge?"
The Emperor continued to close the loophole that Jeremiah could escape through. Of course, the Emperor had no intention of granting a divorce even if Jeremiah accepted the annexation order. However, he had no intention of missing the opportunity to humiliate and insult Jeremiah and make him a laughingstock in the Empire. He wanted to trample the dignity and prestige of the Colesburg family underfoot and trample on Jeremiah's pride.
"The Grand Duchess probably didn't say that because she really wanted a divorce. She was probably blaming you for your negligence."
"I'm sorry, but I don't want the Grand Duchess to have her private life, like sleeping, checked by the attendants."
The Emperor thought that Jeremiah was making all sorts of excuses to avoid annexation.
"Oh, is that what you were concerned about? I thought the confirmation was just a formality."
"..."
When Jeremiah did not answer, the Emperor frowned.
"If you don't ignore me, you will follow my orders!"
The Emperor hardened his expression and pressured Jeremiah with a rebuke. Then Jeremiah opened his mouth as if he had no choice.
"Then I have a favor to ask."
"Tell me."
"I hereby grant full authority to the palace attendants to listen to my orders with the utmost priority within the mansion owned by the Grand Duke."
The authority over his servants meant not only the right to command and control them but also the right to punish them on the spot. The Emperor laughed wickedly inwardly.
'It's a trick to somehow avoid it by taking full authority from the servants.'
The Emperor looked down at Jeremiah, who was demanding full authority as if he detested him, and raised one corner of his mouth.
"Very well. I grant you full authority over the palace attendants. However, my orders as the Emperor take precedence over yours."
It meant that the Emperor's orders would be placed first and Jeremiah's authority would be placed below them. If the Emperor's orders were to be given priority, then whatever orders Jeremiah gave would be meaningless. If this was the case, there was no point in delegating full authority over the attendants. The Emperor snickered inwardly as he watched Jeremiah's expression not being good even after receiving permission.
"You. Even though I've been so considerate, it's not enough! How much more special treatment do you want?"
The Emperor pressed Jeremiah for an answer, his voice rising in anger.
"I will follow your orders."
Jeremiah answered, bowing his head. A strange light flashed in his eyes for a moment, then disappeared. The situation went exactly as Jeremiah had intended.
***
After David left, Karina tried to go out again as originally planned. As Karina was about to leave, the butler, Stephen, stopped her.
"Your Highness, are you going out?"
"Yes."
"I will prepare a carriage right away. Where are you going?"
Karina didn't want to answer him right away because if she told him, Jeremiah would hear about it too. But now, no matter where she goes, people's eyes will follow her. Karina and Jeremiah's divorce was currently a hot topic of interest to the people of the capital.
"I'm going to the charnel house. I'm going to lay flowers on my mother's grave. I don't want to be noticed, so please prepare accordingly."
It would be difficult to truly go unnoticed just because you don't want to stand out, but at least you're not going to ride in a fancy carriage with the Grand Duke's emblem emblazoned on it.
"I see. I understand."
Steven nodded, understanding what Karina meant.
"Oh, and His Highness has given orders to always have a knight escort accompany you when you go out."
Jeremiah had offered to give her a new escort, knowing that Mikhail was away. Of course, Karina flatly rejected it. But it seemed that it was not accepted.
"...Yes."
It wasn't very appealing, but honestly, there was no reason to refuse. In the current situation, it might actually be more comfortable since it would prevent people from annoyingly approaching her or staring at her.
'In the current situation, it might be a good thing that Mikhail is away.'
If those who love to gossip saw her and Mikhail together, they would be busy creating strange rumors.
"Yes, get ready right away. And I'll stop by a flower shop on the way. I need to buy some flowers for the grave."
"Yes, I'll tell the groom."
Stephen said politely, greeting her. So Karina left the mansion with the knights as her escort. The plain carriage with no pattern ran hard and stopped in front of a large flower shop in the city. Even before entering, she could smell the fragrant scent of flowers.
"Welcome."
As she opened the door and went in, colorful flowers were showing off their freshness. The florist owner greeted Karina with a bright smile.
"Are you looking for a specific flower?"
Karina nodded at her master's question.
"Are you giving it as a gift?"
"I came to buy flowers to place at the grave."
"Oh, then can I prepare roses or white tulips for you as well?"
"No."
Karina, who was looking around at the gorgeous flowers, found the flower she was looking for among them.
"Here it is..."
It was a lavender with a vivid purple color. Karina's eyes sank deeply when she saw the flower. Lavender was the flower that Karina liked the most and at the same time hated the most. Karina stood blankly for a moment, looking at the flower, and then opened her mouth.
"With this. Make a bouquet using only these flowers."
Without hesitation, she ordered a bouquet made with only one type of flower.
"Please give me two bunches of the same thing."
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