Divorce Begins with Remarriage - Chapter 28

Although he sympathized with Berenice and personally prepared gifts that the children would enjoy, Viscount Dante still had lingering unease in his heart. He was the father who couldn’t protect his daughter.

Berenice worried about causing trouble for Roberto, but Viscount Dante was more worried about Berenice getting hurt.

He knows that Roberto has a child, but because of Livio’s behavior, he’s never been able to properly oppose him.

Viscount Dante bit his lip hard.

No matter what anyone said, to Viscount Dante, Berenice was still the daughter he couldn’t bear to hurt in any way. His only daughter.

“…What if the child hates me? Hmm, should I have gone lighter on the makeup?”

“It’s already light enough, miss.”

Selphine added in an attempt to ease Berenice’s tension.

“But, children are scared of adults with makeup, aren’t they? That child hasn’t properly met an adult woman yet.”

“But if you go any lighter, you might as well wipe it all off.”

“Is that so… Father, what do you think?”

Berenice fiddled with her cheeks. She simplified her eye makeup and applied the lightest lipstick she had.

Viscount Dante carefully looked over Berenice’s face and nodded.

“From what I see, it looks enough.”

“What about my hair? Father, what do you think?”

“It’s fine. Whatever you do suits you.”

“Oh dear, that’s just in your eyes.”

Berenice sighed deeply.

It was a simple political marriage. They just had to keep up appearances and not hate each other, but she kept feeling nervous and excited.

She imagined meeting the child countless times.

It was just yesterday that Roberto asked if she would meet his child through a letter, and since then, she played out the situation in her head for what must have been a hundred times.

The worst scenario was the child bursting into tears after seeing Berenice.

‘Could it be?’

There were countless scenarios worse than that, but she didn’t want to think about them anymore. Berenice unconsciously clenched her teeth hard.

“…Miss. You should leave soon or you’ll be late.”

“Is, is, is, is that so?”

“Sigh. Berenice.”

Viscount Dante took Berenice’s hand and held it tightly.

As their eyes met calmly, Berenice, who had been trembling like a child, finally regained her peace. Viscount Dante tapped the back of Berenice’s hand, who took a deep breath and nodded.

“You will do well. You always have.”

“…Yes, Father.”

“Just be yourself. You are warm-hearted and kind, so surely the child will feel that too.”

Berenice nodded.

Selphine had the servants load the gifts onto the carriage. Even though they brought a large carriage operated by the Valencia Merchantry, it was filled to the brim. Thinking that these reflect Berenice’s heart made it even more difficult to handle carelessly.

Berenice boarded the carriage, and both Viscount Dante and Selphine saw her off.

“…Have a safe trip.”

Viscount Dante’s voice was carried away by the wind and did not reach Berenice.

The gruff father lingered at the spot for a while before going inside. But Viscount Dante’s heart would always be there waiting for Berenice to return.

Hoping she would come back smiling.

***

In fact, Roberto was just as nervous.

The reasons for his nervousness varied.

“Alfonso.”

“Yes?”

“How old was Terenzio this year?”

“Have you forgotten the young master’s age all of a sudden?”

“…How could that be? To what extent is a seven-year-old boy educated on etiquette?”

“You shouldn’t worry too much.”

“No, I think I was too hasty. Berenice has never met Terenzio before. If Terenzio were to be rude to Berenice…”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Alfonso repeated the same words.

Roberto’s worries were too much. Terenzio, for his age, was optimistic and unaware of reality, but he was more mature than his peers.

He knew how to show respect to the adults he met for the first time.

But Roberto’s concern was human and endearing.

The old Roberto was consumed by work and became dry and indifferent. But after meeting Berenice, Roberto became more gentle, and he started to worry like a human being, not like a working machine.

That’s why Alfonso could repeat the same answer several times.

“…What if Berenice doesn’t like Terenzio?”

“That won’t be the case.”

With those chubby cheeks from baby fat that had not yet slimmed, and those sparkling eyes. Plus, he’s just the right amount of adorable mischief and a bright smile. There are no adults who hate small creatures. And Terenzio was born with exactly those traits.

It was impossible for the kind-hearted Berenice not to like Terenzio.

“Maybe Terenzio’s behavior won’t be to Berenice’s liking.”

“The two will surely get along well. I guarantee it.”

Alfonso answered patiently.

And finally,

“The carriage is here!”

They invited Berenice earlier than Terenzio’s arrival time on purpose. The plan was to introduce her to the mansion. Now it was time to go out to meet Berenice…

Thunk—

Roberto, who had never made such a mistake before, tripped over the desk and fell.

“Your Grace?”

“I’m fine.”

Roberto nodded, his face red from enduring the pain of the collision.

He was limping as he hurried out.

“Pfft.”

Alfonso couldn’t help but burst into laughter before composing himself and following Roberto. Fortunately, he wasn’t seriously hurt since he could walk properly by the time they reached the first floor.

The front door opened, letting in the outside air into the lavish interior.

Berenice’s radiant beauty stood out as she stepped down from the carriage. She smiled brightly and waved her hand slightly.

“Berenice. It must have been hard for you to come here. I was thinking of picking you up today…”

“I refused. I had a lot to bring, so I had to take the trading company’s carriage.”

Berenice and Roberto exchanged warm greetings.

“Things to bring…?”

“Oh, it’s nothing much.”

Berenice blushed and gestured to a servant accompanying her next to the coachman’s seat. Together with the coachman, they stacked the items in the carriage neatly in front of the entrance.

The servants, including Alfonso, gaped at the boxes stacked as tall as Roberto.

It seemed like a giant evergreen tree.

“What is this?”

Roberto asked with a bewildered face. To that, Berenice spoke with a rare serious expression.

“Is it too little…?”

“What?”

“It’s a gift for Terenzio. Since it’s my first time meeting him, I thought I should do at least this much. But now that I’m here, it seems too little.”

“…What?”

Roberto asked back with a puzzled face.

Too little?

Those things stacked as tall as me?

“My father helped prepare it. We brought only the best things from the Valencia Merchantry…. Will Terenzio like it?”

“That, yes. He will like it.”

Roberto answered blankly.

Alfonso counted the number of gift boxes on the side.

One, two, three, four….

“He will like it more since he has never received such gifts before.”

It hadn’t occurred to him that she should bring something like this.

“What?”

“…Berenice is better than me.”

“How could that be? I just brought bribes because I wanted to look good.”

Berenice said with a slight smile and then linked arms with Roberto.

“When will Terenzio return?”

“There’s still some time left. How about we take a tour of the mansion before then?”

“Great! I finally get to see the famous Cyrilov Mansion today! Oh. Um. Butler.”

“You can call me Gail, miss.”

The called butler bowed his head.

“Nice to meet you, Gail.”

“Welcome to the mansion.”

“I have a favor to ask. Could you move these gifts to an appropriate place? Um. It would be nice if it’s the place where I will first meet Terenzio…. Actually, I’m quite nervous right now.”

Berenice stroked her cheek.

I don’t even know if I’m smiling properly. He offered to show her around the mansion, but she didn’t even notice it.

“It’s shameful, but I wanted to win his favor this way….”

“I will take care of that.”

“Thank you.”

Berenice nodded.

Then she said something solemnly to Roberto.

“I think I’m ready to explore now!!”

Ah, was that too spirited?

It seemed my voice was loud too.

***

She didn’t know what mindset she had when she toured the mansion.

When she came to her senses, Roberto and Berenice were sitting side by side in the drawing room. And for some reason, she was tremblingly holding a teacup in her hands.

Berenice quickly put down her teacup.

She almost spilled it.

He muttered to himself.

“This guy is running a bit late. Berenice, if it gets too late, maybe next time….”

“No! I don’t think that’s a good idea. I can’t endure this kind of tension again.”

Berenice refused firmly with a flushed face.

To go through something like today again. It felt like my regained composure would slip away.

“Let’s talk about something else while waiting for Terenzio. Is the thing we talked about before progressing well? I understand that new mercenaries were hired by the Valencia Merchantry….”

“The knights of Cyrilov have also been reassigned. There will be no more inconveniences in transportation due to monsters. Besides, those hired by the Valencia Merchantry are highly skilled, so they have been a great help.”

“Aha. I completely entrusted that matter to the deputy leader. I’ve been assigned to other tasks.”

Berenice regained her composure.

Her eyes sparkled with pride and passion for her work. An involuntary smile formed on Roberto’s lips.

“May I ask what new task you’ve taken on?”