David didn't chase after Karina and Jeremiah as they left. He had just heard Karina firmly draw a line between them.
'You don't have to cut it off like that.'
He felt like he needed to work harder, but not now. If he went and tried to interfere now, he would only hear as if it were confirmation, that they were not related.
'There's no need to scratch and make a fuss for nothing.'
In times like these, it would have been better to take a moment. The conversation between the two could be confirmed by checking the voices stored in the sapphire earrings that he had given her.
Judging by Karina's reaction, even without him interfering, it doesn't seem like things will go well between the two.
David absentmindedly turned his head to console himself with his regret. Then he noticed that the Saintess's expression was unusual.
'Hmm?'
He didn't miss the strange feeling and carefully observed the Saintess's condition.
The Saintess was silent and sank down, unable to take her eyes off the place where Karina had disappeared. She was staring intently even though they were no longer visible. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice David's blatant gaze.
'What?'
He got a strange feeling from that sight.
'Are you jealous?
However, he did not feel any intense emotional agitation, excitement, or anger.
'What are you thinking?'
A small muttering was heard in his ear as he looked puzzled.
"Even so...'
The Saintess bit her lips with an anxious look.
David spoke calmly, thinking that he should try to see the Saintess once.
"Oh, my. Are you okay? You're all wet."
He looked the Saintess up and down and said with pity.
"What should I do? It seems the Grand Duke didn't see the Saintess soaking wet at all."
"..."
Even though he had said something that would have made anyone angry, the Saintess fixed her expression for a moment and smiled awkwardly as she answered.
"I think I misunderstood a little. I thought the Grand Duchess had feelings for His Highness the Crown Prince. I was a little taken aback when she said no."
David's eyebrow rose slightly at the Saintess's mild response. He wondered if she would give up on the Grand Duke so easily.
'That won't work.'
"I bet you're very heartbroken. But..."
But if the Saintess doesn't give up and work hard, the Grand Duke may change his mind someday. David tried to encourage the Saintess not to give up on Jeremiah by saying such things. So that Karina can leave Jeremiah's side. So that it will be easier for him to have Karina. But he didn't have to say such things.
"I'm fine. No matter what the Grand Duchess thinks, nothing will change."
"Does that mean that it doesn't matter if the Grand Duchess has feelings for the Grand Duke of Colesberg?"
"Yes."
Lucia nodded, saying it was unfortunate but there was nothing she could do.
"I have already received His Majesty the Emperor's consent to the divorce, and the temple is also preparing for His Highness the Grand Duke and I to marry according to the will of the Gods. I cannot revoke this now. The Grand Duchess will eventually divorce His Highness the Grand Duke."
"Hmm."
David inwardly scoffed at the Saintess's more shameless attitude than he had expected.
'Just because she's a Saintess doesn't mean she's much different from an ordinary person.'
He worried that it would fall off too, but it was a needless worry.
"I see. I'll cheer you on."
David smiled slowly, hiding his feelings and curling the corners of his eyes.
"If you need my help, please let me know at any time. The Imperial Family respects the will of the temple and the Saintess."
He made it clear that the royal family had no intention of reversing this decision.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Lucia bowed her head politely.
***
“Ah!”
Karina closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, and before she knew it, she was in pitch-black darkness all around.
"What on earth are you doing?"
Karina was angry at Jeremiah and tried to shake off his embrace, but he showed no intention of releasing his tight grip.
"I can never let you go. So this time, you give up."
He spoke with a firm resolve as if not even a single needle would go in. Unlike his trembling appearance earlier as if he would collapse at any moment, he did not waver at all.
'Are you the person who was shivering earlier?'
As she looked at him with astonished and dumbfounded eyes, small lights appeared one by one around her. The lights gradually increased in number and formed a halo around the two of them.
'Oh, no way!'
Karina, who remembered the time she met the dragon in her dream, held her breath. Before she could react, she felt as if she had been knocked down, and the surrounding scenery changed.
Whoa! In an instant, the dark space changed into a bright space, making it difficult to open her eyes properly.
'What memory do you have this time?'
Karina, who had her eyes wide open, quickly looked around to see where she was. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the light and the scenery around her became clearer.
'Is this the imperial palace?'
It was a banquet hall in the palace, decorated with fresh flowers and colorful silks, from the ceiling to the pillars, and even the legs of the tables and chairs, and it was extremely luxurious. Judging from the number of nobles gathered, it seemed like a banquet was in full swing. Among the nobles who were adorned with sparkling jewels and accessories like peacocks and were obsessed with showing off their knowledge and increasing their value, Karina could easily find herself among them. And when she saw the shabby clothes she was wearing and her hunched-over attitude, she realized it right away.
'Ah, this is. It's the New Year's Day from the past.'
Karina recalled the memories of the New Year's party she had attended. It wasn't the New Year's party where she had dressed up perfectly after returning and regaining all the authority she had lost to Caroline and even getting her money back. It was the past when she had been so used to hearing about the frugality of the North that she couldn't even wear a dress comfortably. Even that New Year's party when she had attended while being hated and criticized by people because she was mistaken for trying to seduce Lord Genon and do something stupid in the study.
Jeremiah had a stern face and his mouth was tightly shut, and next to him, she was very intimidated. She looked too shabby and insignificant to be called a Grand Duchess.
"Your Highness. It's been a while."
"I see."
"If it's okay with you, I'd like to ask for your opinion regarding this project..."
"Let's go and listen."
Jeremiah was about to leave Karina alone as the nobles gathered to greet him. It seemed as if he didn't want to be with her even for a moment.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke."
Karina, who didn't want to be left alone, grabbed him with a desperate expression. But. Jeremiah slapped her hand that was holding onto his collar away without hesitation.
"Wait here."
"..."
Karina couldn't hold on to him anymore, seeing his gaze mixed with contempt. All she could do was stand there, nailed to the spot. Then, as she became defenseless, people started to sneak glances at her and whisper.
"Look over there. That's the Grand Duchess over there."
"...!"
Karina's shoulders flinched at someone's pointing finger. Their subsequent conversation was exactly as she remembered.
"Oh, you were trying to lure the young master out of the northern banquet hall and have a secret affair in the study?"
"Oh my God, what a mess!"
"A woman like that is the mistress of the Grand Duke's house."
"They even told His Highness the Grand Duke about the situation."
"It's vulgar and cheap."
"How many men do you think you've met behind your husband's back to do something like that at a banquet hall?"
"Oh my, you're so dirty. You must have been so careless with your body regularly!"
"They must have been having a blast, regardless of who they were. Isn't that obvious even without looking?"
They slandered Karina like hyenas, arbitrarily saying things that were not true as if they were true. Karina's face turned pale like a corpse. Her body trembled with humiliation and shame. Her hands holding onto her skirt tightened so much that they turned white. Unable to bear it any longer, Karina straightened her shoulders that kept hunching over and barely moved her feet that would not fall. Karina, struggling to make her way through the gathered nobles, went to Jeremiah and asked him for help.
"Your Highness, I know you are very busy, but could you stay with me for a moment? I am too... to be alone."
But before she could finish her words, she froze like ice. His gaze, as cold as a cold wave, silenced her words. And.
"I told you to wait there. Can't you even do that properly?"
He spoke with a cold voice, his face cold and devoid of warmth. The nobles around him gulped and looked around at Jeremiah's cold reaction. However, no one took Karina's side. Rather.
"I will remain as still as possible and not be noticed."
"The atmosphere just got worse."
He frowned at Karina and whispered something behind her back.
"Sorry for disturbing you."
In the end, Karina had to apologize like a sinner and turn around. At that moment.
"Tsk tsk, It's okay to be treated like that."
"..."
The words someone muttered while clicking their tongue struck Karina's heart by surprise. It was hard to breathe as if her lungs had been stabbed by a sharp sword. No one believed her words. No one recognized her innocence. So, throughout her time at the banquet hall, Karina was on the lips of the nobles and had to endure all sorts of humiliation.
'Phew'
And Karina quietly watched herself like that with indifferent eyes.
'Why are you acting like that? Like an idiot.'
Of course, she knew why she had acted that way in the past. Even though she was like that now, she believed that if she endured and tried, the misunderstanding would be resolved someday. She thought that Jeremiah would recognize her innocence someday. She didn't want to make a big deal out of it and miss that slight possibility. She thought time was the answer.
'That was a stupid idea.'
Karina snorted. While she was criticizing her past self so harshly, at some point, she felt Jeremiah's arms tightening around her. It wasn't just his arms. His entire body seemed tense and rigid, and his mouth was tightly shut as if he were gritting his teeth. Karina raised her head and looked at his face.
'Why do you make that face?'
Jeremiah had a similar complexion to her own, pale as a corpse, listening to the gossip around him in the banquet hall. He was breathing hard as if he was having a hard time, even though no one was holding his breath. Karina could feel his heart beating unsteadily.
'Are you feeling uneasy?'
She thought it was better. At first, she had been very reluctant to see her memories. It was so shameful and upsetting to see him so miserable and lonely. She wished that he would never know, even if no one else did. But now.
"Jeremiah."
"...!"
Even though it was a small call, he was startled as if he had heard a scream.
"You said you wanted to know why I reject you, what I'm afraid of?"
"..."
At her words, Jeremiah stared at her with his mouth wide open and his eyes wavering. Suddenly, Karina felt a strange satisfaction in his face filled with fear. He was so sensitive to her suffering. So... Karina gently stroked his cheek. And then she added in a voice as soft and gentle as her touch.
"Look carefully. There's still a lot left."
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