˚ ·: * ✧ * :· ˚

The tea in the teacup has gone cold.

This morning, Lucis would come by to give her the divorce papers.

‘…It’s finally here.’

As she sat down in a chair and poured herself some tea before Lucis arrived, the things she’d done to save Cassel flashed through Leilia’s mind. What did he think of her? Regardless of anything, she’d like him to think that she was a good supporter.

With a complicated mind, the door opened and Lucis came in.

“Did you wait?”

“A little.”

“How long have you been in the parlor?”

At Lucis’s sharp words, Leilia replied softly.

“One hour.”

“How is that a little?”

Saying that, he sat down in a chair.

“You should have sent me the divorce papers first.”

“Well, I’m giving Young Lady Leilia time to prepare yourself.”

“It’s having a reverse effect. It’s just making my mind more complicated.”

Even though she pretended nothing was wrong, her voice trembled a little, but still, Leilia opened my mouth again.

“You brought the divorce papers, right?”

…Now, all she needed to do was to confirm it and they would finally be strangers.

Lucis held out the papers to her without saying a word. However, when she opened it, there was a small letter inside instead.

“What’s this…?”

“It’s a letter from Your Highness.”

No, there weren’t any divorce papers, but what was this?

I opened the envelope and held my breath for a moment.

⎡ I won’t get a divorce.

I saw this sentence from the beginning.

If you find a man you like, it’s okay to keep him as your lover. What can I say, as the husband didn’t come back for three years after our first night together? If you happen to have a child with him, don’t worry, I’ll recognize the child born as my own though the father of the child will be me. Please make this clear to the other party as well. ⎦

“…What does this mean?”

Lucis shrugged at her question.

“He said he had no intention of letting go of his wife.”

“What does he want? Does he already have a child with the mistress?”

Leilia asked him.

“I don’t know either.”

He then shrugged his shoulders again.

“In any case, it seems that divorce has become difficult.”

There was joy in his tone.  At the same time, Leilia thought for a moment and pressed her hand to her chest.

‘…I’m still his wife.’

They weren’t divorced.

⎡ I’ll wait for you at the end of the parade. ⎦ 

Seeing the last content, she smiled briefly for a moment at the words of the letter as a rush of warm emotions flooded and moistened her eyes.

Meanwhile, Lucis put down the teacup without a word and left.

Left alone, Leilia clutched the letter tightly in her arms as she sobbed. Even though she tried not to break down with emotions, this time, she couldn’t. Soon came the news that his return, which had been scheduled for two months, had been pushed forward to one month.

3. His Reason.

Leilia sent the divorce papers.

It was a marriage without love, so he expected this situation.

The smile disappeared from Cassel’s face as he remembered three years ago.

˚ ·: * ✧ * :· ˚

〈 Cassel is really shining. You shine so much that it blinds my eyes. 〉

When the drunken Leilia said that, he wondered if she realized how much those words shook his heart?

She probably didn’t know.

Cassel thought to himself and glanced around.

There were ornaments on the colorful walls and chandeliers on the ceiling. In addition, the jeweled chandelier shone even more splendidly under the ambient light. He was alone in an expensive hotel room that no one else was even allowed to enter.

It was awkward because it was his first time in a place like this.

‘Leilia Eloisa.’

His sponsor and the person he loves so much.

“…I can’t be her husband.”

Originally, it was impossible because she was a noble and he was just a commoner.

Before meeting Leilia again, he would’ve been happy to be her courtesan. He just wanted to graduate first in his class and make her proud as they continued their encounters and be her lover. He may just be one of her countless wards, and he may be a meaningless person…

…Still, he wanted to seduce her.

At that time, his heart was burning for her, but it was more important to get closer and win her heart than to covet her. However, when he saw another man approaching her at the academy, her heart fluttered like crazy.

Cassel laughed when he saw himself like that. Somehow, it seemed as though he couldn’t control his anger when he saw another man approaching her.

It was only then did he realize that his feelings for Leilia were darker than he thought.

Because of that, he sent a letter to his biological father, who had approached him not long ago. His father, whom he didn’t know who it was, said that he would give him what he wanted if he went to the battlefield, so he accepted the invitation, just in case.

He didn’t expect much from it, but he was driven to the brink enough to do this.

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