Contract Marriage: Rewritten - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Translator: Yonnee
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“……?”
“……?”
Laniakea and Hyperion stared blankly at each other.
Both of them wore expressions that suggested they were doubting their own ears.
Tilting their heads as if they couldn’t quite process what they’d just heard, they each muttered the most baffling word from the other’s statement.
“Child?”
“Divorce?”
As Laniakea murmured, Hyperion, looking equally incredulous, repeated the word he’d heard.
Then, at the same time, they spoke again.
“With me, a child?”
“With me, a divorce?”
Both of them recoiled in shock as they realized what the other had just said, staring at one another in stunned silence.
The room grew heavy with an awkward stillness.
Laniakea raised her hand and lightly tapped her ears. She was certain she could hear perfectly fine.
She could hear the chirping of birds outside the window, faint footsteps from the hallway, and even the occasional creaks of the old building.
Everything sounded normal, so it didn’t seem like she was hearing things.
But still, she couldn’t quite accept what she’d just heard.
A child? Between her and the first imperial prince?
Finally understanding what Hyperion was asking for, Laniakea’s eyes wavered uncontrollably.
Noticing her distress, Hyperion ran a hand over his face and said,
“I think we need to have a conversation.”
* * *
A pleasant fragrance wafted from the teacup the attendant had placed on the table.
But Laniakea couldn’t bring herself to drink it.
The oppressive silence in the room felt as though it might stretch on forever.
As Laniakea fidgeted with the teacup, Hyperion finally broke the silence.
“Why do you want a divorce?”
“’Why’, but… Well, it’s obvious… You’re about to ascend the throne….”
Laniakea was well aware of her position.
She was merely a royal princess with decent looks.
And in this imperial palace, such credentials held little value.
A royal princess? If the empire were seeking someone to become empress, every kingdom on the continent would offer their own royal princesses.
Looks? Even Laniakea could admit to herself that she wasn’t unattractive.
But being empress wasn’t a position where appearances mattered. It required someone capable of working alongside the emperor to govern the massive machinery of the empire.
Such an immense responsibility? It was absurd to think she could handle it.
Besides, wasn’t she chosen by the empress, the very person who opposed Hyperion?
“Surely… someone more capable of contributing to the empire’s future would be a better fit as empress than me.”
Hyperion let out a short sigh and replied,
“You’re saying the same thing as the ministers.”
Of course.
It seemed the ministers who had glared at her earlier had already advised him on the matter of the empress’s position.
Hyperion looked directly at Laniakea and continued,
“The ministers are correct.”
At his words, Laniakea instinctively lowered her head.
She knew she was of no help to him, but hearing it said so plainly still weighed on her heart.
“Then why are you asking….”
Unable to bring herself to say the word ‘child’ again, Laniakea trailed off.
Fortunately, Hyperion seemed to understand what she meant and nodded.
“If I follow the ministers’ advice, it would indeed stabilize everything more quickly after my ascension. But I cannot repeat the mistakes of the previous generation.”
At his response, Laniakea nodded. She understood what he meant by the mistakes of the previous generation.
‘He wants to prevent another power faction from rising.’
Laniakea knew full well how much the current empress had manipulated the imperial family for her own gain.
After all, she herself had been handpicked by the empress as a princess consort, with no regard for Hyperion’s feelings.
Even when the emperor was well, the empress actively interfered in state affairs.
Once the emperor became bedridden, she seized control of everything.
In the process, the empress’s family and relatives amassed immense wealth, to the point that people joked bitterly about how there were more carriages heading to the empress’s family manor than entering the palace itself.
For the imperial family, it was disastrous.
Resources that should have been concentrated on the imperial house were siphoned elsewhere, weakening the monarchy while empowering noble families.
Hyperion didn’t want to see that happen again.
“And.”
He continued, his voice growing firmer.
“You’re my wife, aren’t you?”
There was a faint trace of reproach in his tone, as if he were scolding her for forgetting such an obvious fact.
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