“My lady.”

“Yes?”

“If I may be so bold, may I ask why you forgave her?”

“…I didn’t really forgive her. I just thought she could start over.”

‘And I don’t like making more enemies.’

Whatever life Louise leads from now on is no longer my concern. I just need to briefly mention this matter to Rashid. Then he’ll take care of the rest.

Anyway… I didn’t have time to dwell on someone like Louise for long.

More important matters were waiting for me.

* * *

The streets of the capital are complex. Countless people hurried along their own paths. This city was where all kinds of trends were born and spread, and where all the rules encompassing the empire were created.

Louise loved this city. She mistook for happiness the excited feeling the city gave her, the red and blue lights on the streets that never went out at night, the moments when she felt like a noble attending parties every night.

So she wanted to have greater happiness. She wanted to delve deeper into the glittering world of the noble ones. That’s why she followed the Emperor’s words, and why she stayed by Alisa’s side.

‘It’s all over now.’

Would the Emperor forgive her? As things stand, the Emperor can’t even express regret to the Duke’s family. How could he ask them to keep a maid who stole the Duchess’s jewels, and not just small items at that?

‘The work of dressing up…’

Louise recalled Alisa’s words. Remembering her figure made her anger surge again.

That wicked thing. That spiteful thing. How could she do this after all I’ve done for her? How could she stab me in the back like this? This is too much, really too much.

She knows. That she betrayed Alisa. That she deceived her.

And yet Alisa gave her another chance. Instead of throwing her in an underground prison or handing her over to the Emperor in chains, she told her to leave. To live again.

‘Should I ask His Majesty the Emperor for help?’

But she was already a useless carrier pigeon. What else could be done but to roast a pigeon with broken legs? For the imperial family, killing one maid was no different than crushing an ant on the roadside.

‘Aden, was it…’

Louise had nowhere to go. She hated the idea of returning to her hometown more than death, and it was difficult to stay in the capital any longer.

So Louise thought about moving in the direction Alisa had suggested. It felt as if hope might be there. Alisa had left her the jewels. Perhaps she could start anew with those, just as she had said.

Louise’s heart fluttered for a moment.

“Louise Garnet.”

But it was only for a very brief moment.

“I’ve come by His Majesty’s order.”

The heavy voice shackled Louise’s ankles. Feeling an indescribable fear from the dark shadow looming over her, Louise turned her head.

* * *

“Wow…”

The grandeur of the Grand Temple visible through the carriage window was overwhelming.

Massive columns carved from white marble formed a semicircle, creating a plaza. Beyond that, the main hall of the temple boasted a majestic appearance. The dome covered with purple roof tiles gleamed brilliantly, reflecting the sunlight.

Even nobles cannot ride in carriages once they pass the temple’s main gate. I got out of the carriage and adjusted my veil. I carefully tucked my unusually colored hair into my hat. I didn’t want people to know I came here.

I circled the vast plaza and headed towards the main hall.

At the center of the plaza stood a giant statue of God Morea. She held a weaving shuttle in one hand, cradled a sickle in one arm, and carried a mirror on her back. It depicted how she weaves human lives with the shuttle, reflects on those lives with the mirror, and cuts them off with the sickle.

All people in the Grandia Empire believed in Morea, the god of all things, and her subordinate deities.

Therefore, the status of religion was firm in the Grandia Empire. People visited temples for marriages, funerals, and various other events. They attended regular worship services and lived with religious norms in their hearts.

The center of religion was the Grand Temple in the capital. People from the imperial family and noble houses announce their marriages to God Morea at the Grand Temple and swear eternal love and fidelity to each other before her.

Divorce was considered improper as it meant breaking a vow made before the god.

However, it wasn’t completely forbidden. As the god was believed to have the compassion to understand human mistakes and failures, divorce wasn’t taboo. If one followed the procedures and received permission, separation and a new start were always possible.

‘Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness.’

I was deeply grateful for Morea’s generosity.

If everything flows according to the original fate, Priscilla is supposed to appear before Rashid at some unknown time in the future.

I need to sort everything out before then. I don’t want to end up in a miserable state, being driven out while hesitating. Even if I have to leave, I want to leave on my own feet, by my own will.

With Rashid being negative about divorce now, I had to figure out how to conclude this marriage on my own somehow.

I entered a small sanctuary next to the main hall. It was the department in charge of marriage affairs.

“What brings you here?”

A priest in white clothes asked. I unnecessarily pulled the end of my veil once more. My face was completely hidden in the dark shadow.

“I’ve come to inquire about divorce. Is there a priest I could speak with?”

“This way, please.”

The priest led me to a small room with practiced ease.

When the door closed, the room was sealed off from the outside. Inside was a chair, and next to it, on the wall, was a round hole in a position where the face couldn’t be seen. It was structured like a confessional.

‘They must have considered people who don’t want to reveal their faces.’

Divorce had stricter conditions for approval than marriage. So I heard that people come to the temple to consult about the reasons and conditions for divorce.

After sitting and waiting for a moment, a priest soon entered. I greeted him with my hands tightly clasped.

“May the god of all things bless you.”

“May the god watch over our fates.”

“I’ve come to inquire about the divorce procedure, Father.”

I heard the sound of pages turning from the other side of the wall. Perhaps he was looking at some kind of guidebook.

Soon, the priest’s low voice flowed softly. The utterly businesslike attitude seemed somewhat secular, which I found a bit strange.

“Are you planning to divorce your husband?”

“Yes.”

“You need to sign both the temple documents and the registry office documents, authenticate them with your family seal, and submit them. After that, if you attend a service together, the procedure will be complete.”

“What if… I can’t get my spouse’s signature?”

“Have you not agreed with your husband?”

“Ah, yes. Not yet…”

An agreement means that Rashid also consents to this divorce. In other words, it would be announcing to the world that he also doesn’t want this marriage.

His marriage was arranged through the imperial family’s introduction. So it wasn’t possible for Rashid to take the initiative to divorce when there were no problems. It would likely appear as if the Duke of Penvernon was defying the Emperor.

The contract between the imperial family and the ducal family, said to have been sworn with blood in ancient times, was still valid. No matter how strong Rashid’s influence might be, it’s difficult to go against the imperial family. I could understand that point well enough.

“In that case, divorce will be difficult.”

“But it’s not like you absolutely must have an agreement to divorce, right?”

“That’s true, but to enforce a divorce without the spouse’s agreement, you need a convincing reason.”

“What kind of reasons would be acceptable?”

I pulled the chair closer to the wall.

The priest seemed to carefully choose his words as he slowly began to speak.

“…If I may be so bold, has your husband fathered an illegitimate child?”

“Hmm… There’s nothing confirmed, but I don’t think so.”

I shook my head.

“Or are there financial difficulties severe enough to make daily life challenging?”

“Not at all.”

If anything, the problem is that there’s too much.

“Then, has he ever caused you harm?”

“My husband to me? No.”