Arkan was momentarily speechless and looked up at Erdene with a dumbfounded expression.
“What did you just say? Say it again.”
“Do you think I wouldn’t do it if you told me to? I’ll divorce you.”
This time, Arkan slammed the book shut. He stood up and looked down at Erdene with a rather serious expression.
“Is that something that can come out that easily?”
Erdene was quite flustered when she noticed Arkan’s lips twitching faintly. It wasn’t something she said seriously, but his attitude was so absurd that he trembled as if she was telling him to stamp the divorce papers right away.
“No...”
“Divorce? We’ve been married for ten years now? Or a year? We only got married a few days ago and you just finished ironing your wedding dress, and divorce? How can you say divorce?”
Erdene’s face was clearly flustered.
It was something she said without thinking, but it was obvious that he would get even angrier if she said it.
If Erdene was someone who knew when to back off and when to push forward in a fight, she would have kept in mind that now was the time to back off.
Arkan also got angry, but he didn’t forget to think, “Oh no.”
“What did you just say? Say it again.”
“Do you think I wouldn’t do it if you told me to? I’ll divorce you.”
This time, Arkan slammed the book shut. He stood up and looked down at Erdene with a rather serious expression.
“Is that something that can come out that easily?”
Erdene was quite flustered when she noticed Arkan’s lips twitching faintly. It wasn’t something she said seriously, but his attitude was so absurd that he trembled as if she was telling him to stamp the divorce papers right away.
“No...”
“Divorce? We’ve been married for ten years now? Or a year? We only got married a few days ago and you just finished ironing your wedding dress, and divorce? How can you say divorce?”
Erdene’s face was clearly flustered.
It was something she said without thinking, but it was obvious that he would get even angrier if she said it.
If Erdene was someone who knew when to back off and when to push forward in a fight, she would have kept in mind that now was the time to back off.
Arkan also got angry, but he didn’t forget to think, “Oh no.”
If Erdene had just calmly said, “I made a slip of the tongue,” or, if she had just said, “I was joking,” the fight would have ended with a little bit of a fight.
However, Erdene never backed down first when fighting anyone. It wasn’t because she didn’t know when to back down, but because she didn’t want to back down.
“Why are you so sensitive about that? Do you have any bad memories of divorce?”
Arkan frowned.
“What?”
“That’s right. If things don’t work out, you can just throw it away.”
“You’re the Queen of this country, and I’m the King.”
“Who isn’t? It’s not like a King can’t get a divorce. Isn’t that the law on the mainland? Even a King can file for divorce if a conflict between the two deepens. If a Queen files for divorce with the King and gets his consent, she’ll give up her position, but she’ll be guaranteed alimony and a pension, right?”
There was nothing wrong with Erdene’s words, and Arkan felt even worse about it.
He deliberately brushed his hair up as if he was messing it up, and glared at Erdene sarcastically.
“You don’t know any other etiquette, but you know those things inside and out. Did you prepare in advance?”
“What did you just say?”
Finally, a light flashed in Erdene’s eyes. The fire that could have been extinguished slowly was about to spread to the entire forest.
Erdene, who had tightly grabbed the hem of her dress, turned around the table and came close to Arkan.
Anger flashed from her raised chin and sharp gaze.
“I don’t know the etiquette here. Yes. Let’s say Your Majesty is right. No, yes. Yes. I don’t know. But you didn’t think about why that is? Or did you not need to think about it? Or maybe I should have at least foreseen the future, but I’m really sorry about this.”
The sarcastic voice hit Arkan squarely in the forehead.
Arkan, who had his lips parted as if he had been slapped hard, responded.
“Are we talking about that again? You’re saying that you weren’t meant to be the Queen of Vetor? Yes, that’s right. That’s true. But if things have come to this, shouldn’t you make some effort?”
“I didn’t make an effort? Do you think I didn’t make an effort? Are you serious?”
“What kind of effort did you make? You didn’t even try to sit down and read a book for half an hour!”
Erdene’s mouth fell open and her shoulders fell back.
Erdene turned around, her hands spread wide as if to hold her head, and kicked the side of the sofa in anger. There was a cracking sound from inside the wood and the beautifully aged silk was torn.
“What are you doing!”
Finally, Arkan lost all of his patience.
Erdene’s face turned around with her fists clenched, and Arkan’s face, glaring fiercely, was also flushed.
Arkan said,
“Can’t you break that habit of breaking things, whether you’re angry or not? Are you a thug? A gang of scoundrels? It is just a sofa girl, so you are clearly stealing the royal property, and you are the Queen at that!”
“You should be thankful that I married Your Majesty and am sitting quietly as the Queen of this country!”
When Erdene shouted, the open ceiling above resonated. It was as if her entire small body had screamed.
A lingering, crackling sound lingered in the wide-open space.
“What do you mean by that now?”
Arkan’s voice lowered. Erdene, who had been grumbling, also closed her lips with her big eyes wide open.
However, it was not true. Her anger had not subsided either. A grinding sound came from her clenched teeth.
Erdene, who was staring intently at Arkan’s face, which seemed to be shaking for some reason, said,
“Be thankful that I didn’t cut Tenek’s head off and raise an army to come here.”
Arkan felt his stomach ache at her threatening, yet somehow sad-sounding voice.
Erdene's eyes, which had been swollen to the tips of her hair, were strangely irrational, but their ferocity was somewhat similar to the ferocity of a wounded, bleeding beast.
Arkan thought,
'Perhaps it's a wound that neither I nor anyone else can touch.'
As he had inherited the throne smoothly and was continuing his reign, no matter how much he understood Erdene's position and feelings, he could only understand them in his head.
He had never experienced it himself and would never experience it again, so understanding her was not the complete truth.
Erdene knew that too. Nevertheless, she was hurt by Arkan saying that he 'understood' her.
The arrogance and pride that had naturally grown as the successor to the throne were cracked. The sense of defeat that she had been robbed of her position in broad daylight, despite having skills and achievements that were in no way inferior to others, also tormented her.
Enduring all that and enduring it again, and getting through each day without any particular trouble in a place where it’s not easy to move around comfortably like today, some people might think that it’s a natural duty and something to be thankful for.
But it wasn’t for Erdene.
[I’m not going to die.]
She scolded her subordinates who were sobbing because they couldn’t control their anger.
But, yes. They were right.
From the moment she got on the carriage leaving for Vetor, to the moment she tied Tenek’s neck and couldn’t decide whether to live or die, it was part of death for Erdene.
Arkan took a step back. Erdene didn’t move from where she was standing.
Their gazes were still fiercely clashing, but compared to before, Erdene felt more relaxed.
It must have been because of the new sense of emptiness and sadness.
Arkan felt pity for her, but on the other hand, there was hatred that raised its head.
Even if life doesn’t go as planned, Arkan’s thoughts were that he had to fulfill his given responsibilities, so his judgment was twisted, even though he knew Erdene was trying.
“I guess you should be grateful that I saved your life.”
Erdene’s eyes, which had been trying to calm down as if exhausted, rose again and sharpened their blades.
“What did you say?”
Erdene put more weight on her trembling fists and put strength into her heels.
In any case, she had to endure as much as she could.
She had yet to test Arkan’s toughness, what would happen if she hit him.
In any case, the wedding took place, and whether she liked it or not, she and Arkan were tied together as a couple. So...
“Think carefully before you speak, Your Majesty.”
When she said this, Arkan raised his left eyebrow.
“If you don’t want to starve to death without being able to eat soup starting tonight because your lower jaw is gone.”
Arkan’s upper body tilted forward slightly with laughter.
“What did you just say?”
“I told you to think carefully.”
“Are you going to hit me if I don’t?”
“That could be true.”
At Erdene’s answer, the veins on Arkan’s temples turned blue.
“You try to solve everything with your fists, and I really can’t communicate with you.”
“That’s what I wanted to say. You keep nitpicking over trivial matters, and you’re just arguing and lecturing. I’m sorry, but I’m not like the worshipers of Your Majesty. I’m not like Marchioness Fiddler, who would cry and snot and be happy just because someone spoke to me once.”
“Who’s the one who’s snotting? And who’s crying and snotting and happy just because I said something? Don’t talk nonsense when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
There was a thud. It was the sound of Erdene shaking off the hem of her dress that she had been holding tightly.
“That’s what I wanted to say too. Your Majesty, don’t speak carelessly when you don’t even know.”
However, Arkan turned his head away from her without answering her words.
Erdene also had no intention of staying there any longer, alone with him, so she left the study without any regrets.
I don’t know why I’m so angry.
Erdene roughly rubbed her cheek, which had turned bright red with anger.
However, Erdene never backed down first when fighting anyone. It wasn’t because she didn’t know when to back down, but because she didn’t want to back down.
“Why are you so sensitive about that? Do you have any bad memories of divorce?”
Arkan frowned.
“What?”
“That’s right. If things don’t work out, you can just throw it away.”
“You’re the Queen of this country, and I’m the King.”
“Who isn’t? It’s not like a King can’t get a divorce. Isn’t that the law on the mainland? Even a King can file for divorce if a conflict between the two deepens. If a Queen files for divorce with the King and gets his consent, she’ll give up her position, but she’ll be guaranteed alimony and a pension, right?”
There was nothing wrong with Erdene’s words, and Arkan felt even worse about it.
He deliberately brushed his hair up as if he was messing it up, and glared at Erdene sarcastically.
“You don’t know any other etiquette, but you know those things inside and out. Did you prepare in advance?”
“What did you just say?”
Finally, a light flashed in Erdene’s eyes. The fire that could have been extinguished slowly was about to spread to the entire forest.
Erdene, who had tightly grabbed the hem of her dress, turned around the table and came close to Arkan.
Anger flashed from her raised chin and sharp gaze.
“I don’t know the etiquette here. Yes. Let’s say Your Majesty is right. No, yes. Yes. I don’t know. But you didn’t think about why that is? Or did you not need to think about it? Or maybe I should have at least foreseen the future, but I’m really sorry about this.”
The sarcastic voice hit Arkan squarely in the forehead.
Arkan, who had his lips parted as if he had been slapped hard, responded.
“Are we talking about that again? You’re saying that you weren’t meant to be the Queen of Vetor? Yes, that’s right. That’s true. But if things have come to this, shouldn’t you make some effort?”
“I didn’t make an effort? Do you think I didn’t make an effort? Are you serious?”
“What kind of effort did you make? You didn’t even try to sit down and read a book for half an hour!”
Erdene’s mouth fell open and her shoulders fell back.
Erdene turned around, her hands spread wide as if to hold her head, and kicked the side of the sofa in anger. There was a cracking sound from inside the wood and the beautifully aged silk was torn.
“What are you doing!”
Finally, Arkan lost all of his patience.
Erdene’s face turned around with her fists clenched, and Arkan’s face, glaring fiercely, was also flushed.
Arkan said,
“Can’t you break that habit of breaking things, whether you’re angry or not? Are you a thug? A gang of scoundrels? It is just a sofa girl, so you are clearly stealing the royal property, and you are the Queen at that!”
“You should be thankful that I married Your Majesty and am sitting quietly as the Queen of this country!”
When Erdene shouted, the open ceiling above resonated. It was as if her entire small body had screamed.
A lingering, crackling sound lingered in the wide-open space.
“What do you mean by that now?”
Arkan’s voice lowered. Erdene, who had been grumbling, also closed her lips with her big eyes wide open.
However, it was not true. Her anger had not subsided either. A grinding sound came from her clenched teeth.
Erdene, who was staring intently at Arkan’s face, which seemed to be shaking for some reason, said,
“Be thankful that I didn’t cut Tenek’s head off and raise an army to come here.”
Arkan felt his stomach ache at her threatening, yet somehow sad-sounding voice.
Erdene's eyes, which had been swollen to the tips of her hair, were strangely irrational, but their ferocity was somewhat similar to the ferocity of a wounded, bleeding beast.
Arkan thought,
'Perhaps it's a wound that neither I nor anyone else can touch.'
As he had inherited the throne smoothly and was continuing his reign, no matter how much he understood Erdene's position and feelings, he could only understand them in his head.
He had never experienced it himself and would never experience it again, so understanding her was not the complete truth.
Erdene knew that too. Nevertheless, she was hurt by Arkan saying that he 'understood' her.
The arrogance and pride that had naturally grown as the successor to the throne were cracked. The sense of defeat that she had been robbed of her position in broad daylight, despite having skills and achievements that were in no way inferior to others, also tormented her.
Enduring all that and enduring it again, and getting through each day without any particular trouble in a place where it’s not easy to move around comfortably like today, some people might think that it’s a natural duty and something to be thankful for.
But it wasn’t for Erdene.
[I’m not going to die.]
She scolded her subordinates who were sobbing because they couldn’t control their anger.
But, yes. They were right.
From the moment she got on the carriage leaving for Vetor, to the moment she tied Tenek’s neck and couldn’t decide whether to live or die, it was part of death for Erdene.
Arkan took a step back. Erdene didn’t move from where she was standing.
Their gazes were still fiercely clashing, but compared to before, Erdene felt more relaxed.
It must have been because of the new sense of emptiness and sadness.
Arkan felt pity for her, but on the other hand, there was hatred that raised its head.
Even if life doesn’t go as planned, Arkan’s thoughts were that he had to fulfill his given responsibilities, so his judgment was twisted, even though he knew Erdene was trying.
“I guess you should be grateful that I saved your life.”
Erdene’s eyes, which had been trying to calm down as if exhausted, rose again and sharpened their blades.
“What did you say?”
Erdene put more weight on her trembling fists and put strength into her heels.
In any case, she had to endure as much as she could.
She had yet to test Arkan’s toughness, what would happen if she hit him.
In any case, the wedding took place, and whether she liked it or not, she and Arkan were tied together as a couple. So...
“Think carefully before you speak, Your Majesty.”
When she said this, Arkan raised his left eyebrow.
“If you don’t want to starve to death without being able to eat soup starting tonight because your lower jaw is gone.”
Arkan’s upper body tilted forward slightly with laughter.
“What did you just say?”
“I told you to think carefully.”
“Are you going to hit me if I don’t?”
“That could be true.”
At Erdene’s answer, the veins on Arkan’s temples turned blue.
“You try to solve everything with your fists, and I really can’t communicate with you.”
“That’s what I wanted to say. You keep nitpicking over trivial matters, and you’re just arguing and lecturing. I’m sorry, but I’m not like the worshipers of Your Majesty. I’m not like Marchioness Fiddler, who would cry and snot and be happy just because someone spoke to me once.”
“Who’s the one who’s snotting? And who’s crying and snotting and happy just because I said something? Don’t talk nonsense when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
There was a thud. It was the sound of Erdene shaking off the hem of her dress that she had been holding tightly.
“That’s what I wanted to say too. Your Majesty, don’t speak carelessly when you don’t even know.”
However, Arkan turned his head away from her without answering her words.
Erdene also had no intention of staying there any longer, alone with him, so she left the study without any regrets.
I don’t know why I’m so angry.
Erdene roughly rubbed her cheek, which had turned bright red with anger.
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