Jeremiah twisted the corners of his mouth and showed his displeasure without hiding it.
"I never knew that the Saintess had a talent for talking nonsense."
Lucia said strangely.
"We are a relationship created by God. We cannot reject the destiny that has been given to us."
Jeremiah frowned and straightened his face.
"If that is the fate, I will reject it. Karina is my only wife."
Lucia thought deeply about his vehement rejection and then asked.
"Is it because of the Grand Duchess that you are being so cold to me?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Despite his fierce momentum, Lucia continued speaking calmly.
"But it seems like the Grand Duchess's heart is already somewhere else?"
"What?"
"It seems that the Grand Duchess has someone else in mind. I just saw her talking alone with His Highness the Crown Prince on the central staircase."
The Saintess confided to Jeremiah what she had just witnessed.
"The Crown Prince has come?"
And then he went to Karina as soon as he got there?
'In the middle of the night?'
The veins on Jeremiah's temples stood out.
"Didn't you know? There are people around the Grand Duchess who are so blatant in showing their feelings. Or do you know and pretend not to know?"
There was no way Jeremiah could not see what she saw.
"Seeing that, I understand why the Grand Duchess wants to divorce Your Highness."
"..."
"Isn't it meaningless to try to hold on to someone whose heart has left you?"
"Stop!"
Jeremiah cut her off with a scary expression. He was extremely offended that the Saintess knew anything about what she was saying.
"Even so, there is no reason for me to be attached to the Saintess. Even if I divorce Karina, I will not be connected to you."
His attitude was resolute.
"It is natural for people to become sensitive and neurotic when they are sick."
Lucia shrugged and exuded a divine aura at him, telling him to calm down.
"I will be of help to Your Highness."
When he was touched by the holy power that the Saintess emitted, he felt his heavy body become lighter. It was his first time receiving treatment, but he was not particularly surprised since he had seen this situation many times before. However.
"...?!"
I felt the white pendant he was holding in his hand reacting to her divine power, however faintly.
'Surely, the power the dragon spoke of...'
Somehow he felt certain that if he tried to reconnect now, he would be able to see the dragon. His fists clenched at the thought that he had found a way.
"You will change your mind as time goes by. Let's hear the answer then."
Lucia smiled and left the room.
***
The moment Lucia and Jeremiah were talking.
"No."
Karina searched for the pendant, scanning the restaurant where she had dinner and the hallway she had passed through.
"It's not here either."
Karina muttered in vain.
'What should I do?'
She looked everywhere she could find the pendant, but it was nowhere to be found.
'Now all that's left is..'
"Phew."
She frowned and sighed.
'The only thing left is Jeremiah's room.'
But she couldn't go back to that room at that time. On the contrary, she couldn't look for the pendant, so it was frustrating.
'Should I go anyway?'
They were scheduled to leave early the next morning at daybreak, so she had to find it before then.
'If you leave, you'll never be able to find it.'
Karina had no choice but to head to Jeremiah's room. And.
'Uh?'
He found Lucia coming out of his room.
'Why is the Saintess coming out of Jeremiah's room?'
It was now late at night.
'If it were the usual Jeremiah, he wouldn't have even opened the door?'
The surprise was short-lived. Since the other person was Lucia, it was not strange that Jeremiah treated her specially.
'It's none of my business.:
Karina shook off the trembling feeling that was creeping out of me. At that time.
"Your Highness the Grand Duchess?"
The Saintess approached Karina, who was standing still.
"Didn't you just go back to your room?"
Lucia came closer to her. The Saintess, who had been staring blankly at Karina, glanced back. Then she muttered as if she was puzzled.
"From here, only His Highness the Grand Duke's room is located..."
Her gaze turned back to Karina. Karina quickly opened her mouth as Lucia's eyes seemed to question why she was there.
"I just came out to look for something I lost."
It was a flat voice without any highs or lows.
"What did you lose?"
"It's a pendant."
"Where?"
"That..."
Karina hesitated for a moment, then stared at Lucia, who kept asking questions and then asked back.
"Do I have to tell you everything?"
Lucia, who saw Karina looking displeased, smiled gently and showed her palm.
"Don't feel bad. I just wanted to help you because I thought we could find it faster if we looked for it together."
"I can find it on my own, so I'll decline your help."
Lucia nodded helplessly at Karina's refusal.
Then, she suddenly added.
"Did you ask your close escort to help you find it?"
The close escort the Saintess mentioned was clearly referring to Michael. I was a little annoyed by the mention of Michael here. However, the Saintess's words did not end there.
"I saw earlier that you seem to be on a personal level with His Highness the Crown Prince. It might be faster to tell His Highness and send out people to search for it together. I know you'll have to wake up the people who are sleeping, but if it's something so important that you're searching for it in the middle of the night, shouldn't you do that?"
Karina felt that the Saintess was constantly linking her with Michael and David. Karina, who was uncomfortable with the Saintess's words, responded in a very subdued voice.
"I lost the item because of my carelessness. I don't want to cause trouble to those around me. And I don't understand why the story of my escort and His Highness the Crown Prince is being brought up here."
When she said that, Lucia opened her eyes wide and tilted her head.
"I just said that because you and them seemed very close. Did what I said offend you?"
"..."
I was momentarily speechless at her question, which seemed to be a genuine curiosity. Lucia, who was looking at Karina in confusion, asked seriously.
"Let me ask you just one thing. Do you love His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Colesberg?"
"..."
Karina was terribly embarrassed. She moved her lips, but no sound came out. To hear such a question from Lucia. It was something she had never imagined. Even 'love'. The word love weighed heavily on her inside.
Karina bit her lower lip. It was a question she could not answer. More precisely, it was a question she could never affirm.
"Also."
Lucia made a face as if she knew what she was getting without having to hear the answer. And...
"Thank god."
“...?”
'What's so fortunate?'
When Karina looked up at her, not knowing anything, Lucia smiled brightly and said.
"It is quite possible, with a handsome escort and His Highness the Crown Prince by your side."
“?”
For a moment Karina didn't understand what she was talking about, but then she realized.
'What are you talking about...'
Karina was about to ask outright if that was what she wanted to do, but the Saintess continued speaking.
"I envy you because you seem so popular. But I also feel a little sad. You have a husband. Even if His Highness the Grand Duke of Colesberg yearns for the Grand Duchess's love, he won't be able to win your heart."
"..."
"But I believe that this is also a situation that the Lord, who foresaw the future, arranged for us, who are so insignificant. So I guess He has paired me with His Highness the Grand Duke by fate."
Lucia, who was saying that, was smiling like an angel, holding her hands together as if praying. As if following the will of the holy god was the greatest happiness.
Looking at that, Karina lost the will to refute it. No. She realized from the beginning that there was no need to do so.
'What Lucia said isn't entirely wrong.'
Even if you are preparing for and waiting for a divorce, you may be misunderstood by other people and rumors of an affair.
'There's no need to explain it to the other person in detail.'
And Lucia was Jeremiah's second wife anyway. Karina didn't know if it was a real misunderstanding or if it was just because she felt better thinking that way. It all felt meaningless. She didn't even know if it was a good thing.
'It would be better for me if Jeremiah's attitude changed sooner.'
"Think whatever you want."
Karina left after saying just that one word.
***
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, Marquis Millainer was talking to the Emperor.
"The Grand Duke must have arrived at the first village by now."
"Yes, the Saintess will be with him too."
"Saintess..."
The Emperor, who was looking down at the tea in his cup at the Marquis' answer, soon burst into laughter.
"Isn't this a really interesting thing? The Saintess and that guy's fate is tied together by God's will."
"That's true."
"If the Saintess is by his side, he will be shaken. He spent a long time with the Saintess when fighting wars and subduing monsters. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel tempted even once."
"Of course, that would be the case for a man."
The Marquis nodded.
“Hahahaha!”
The Emperor laughed heartily, shaking his shoulders, caressing his chin, and squinting his eyes.
"I want to see that soon. A fool who is so engrossed in a Saintess that he can't come to his senses. A Colesberg family head wrapped in a woman's skirt. It's really something to behold."
"It's definitely worth seeing. It'll be quite a sight!"
The Marquis accepted the Emperor's words cheerfully and agreed with him. However, his insides were drying up.
'Fuck.'
The Saintess suddenly appeared and started talking about fate and how it was God's will for him to be connected to Jeremiah, making his position even more ambiguous. The Emperor seemed to think that it would be easier to use the Saintess than Karina to lure Jeremiah.
'Karina, if only you had listened to me!'
In the first place, if only she had a child, everything would have been easily resolved, but that fool ruined it all. The Marquis suppressed the occasional rage that rose up inside him whenever he thought of Karina. However, this kind of outburst would not last long.
"Are the preparations going well?"
The Emperor asked as he put down the teacup he was drinking from. Marquis Millainer nodded in response to his question.
"Of course, Your Majesty. We are preparing thoroughly to ensure that everything goes smoothly, as you have said."
It was the last chance given to him.
"Yes. I will only trust the Marquis. It won't be difficult since you have already done it before, right?"
"Sure."
'It's something that has already succeeded several times, so there's no way it will fail.'
The Marquis raised his head confidently. No matter what happens to Karina, if this matter is resolved successfully, he and the Milliner family will continue to enjoy the Emperor's favor.
'If you messed up something stupidly, you should take responsibility for it. Don't feel too bad about kicking away your last chance.'
The Marquis truly thought so.
"I'll do better next time."
His eyes sparkled with malice as he smiled wickedly.
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