Every full moon, Freya could no longer sleep next to him.

Although traditionally the king and his wife had separate rooms, the two had agreed to share a bed – Freya had hoped to follow the example of the former king and queen, who were known for their strong bond, and Aaron had gladly agreed.

But since that night, whenever the full moon rose, he began making excuses to sleep elsewhere.

“There is much to do tonight. Please go and sleep without me.”

At first, Freya thought it was just coincidence.
But as those nights repeated themselves again and again, her doubts began to deepen.

No matter how many times she asked what was going on, Aaron always found a convincing excuse to brush it off.

At first, Freya felt hurt by his uncharacteristic evasiveness – but that didn’t last long.

Before she knew it, his avoidance had become an unspoken rule between them.

She never knew why.

But in time, she began to accept it as something natural.

After all, Aaron’s behaviour towards her hadn’t changed.

He still loved her, cherished her, treated her with the same care as always.

So she told herself it was nothing.

She believed that.

Foolishly so.

❖ ❖ ❖

As a trembling hand pulled the curtain fully aside, cruelly bright moonlight spilled down on the two bodies lying asleep in the bed.

‘If it weren’t for that moon…’
‘If we had continued to share the same room every night… what then?’

That kind of foolish, meaningless thought crossed her mind just as—

“Y-Your Highness! Hic…”

The thin, whimpering cry of the woman who had just woken up snapped Freya out of her thoughts.

“How dare you cry? What right do you think you have to shed tears?!”

As if speaking for Freya, who remained silent, Belia shouted sharply and reported on the woman.

“Hilde Pisto. A newly appointed maid who recently entered the palace. I take full responsibility for my failure to supervise her properly…”

Now that she thought about it, the face wasn’t familiar.

Freya silently looked down at the pale, sobbing maid before turning her gaze back to Aaron.

How deep could one sleep? Even in the midst of all this commotion, he remained peaceful, lost in his dreams with a calm expression on his face.

It was ridiculous – infuriating.

There were so many things she wanted to ask him, so many words she longed to shout as she shook him awake. But in the end, her trembling hand couldn’t bring itself to reach him.

“His Grace… seems to have had too much to drink.”

One of the servants said, as if reading Freya’s thoughts, and lifted a bottle of brandy from the bedside table.

Only then did the heavy smell of strong alcohol fill the room.

“His Grace?”

Freya let out a bitter, mocking laugh as she repeated the title. The servant winced and lowered his eyes.

“As of this moment… Aaron Lambert is no longer the Royal Consort of this nation.”

“Your Majesty…”

Belia, who had watched the whole thing unfold, slowly opened her mouth in shock.

Now she finally understood why the Queen had arrived here with so many witnesses in tow.

They had caught her in the act. And there were more than ten people who had seen it.

A summary divorce. There was no other outcome she could imagine.

“I, by my will, seek to divorce Aaron Lambert, Royal Consort, who has broken the sacred oath sworn before the Goddess Remior and committed adultery. All of you here who have witnessed this shameful scene shall be witnesses. Is there anyone who refuses?”

Who could deny the stark reality before their eyes?

Freya’s eyes swept slowly over those who stood in silence, heads bowed, before she turned to the woman curled up in fear.

“You said your name was Hilde, right? If you have the slightest reason to feel wronged, speak now and defend yourself.”

Clutching the blanket tightly, the maid slowly raised her tear streaked face.

Her long, wet eyelashes fluttered as her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall over her slender shoulders.

She looked so pitiful it was hard to believe she had committed adultery with a man who not only had a wife, but was the royal consort of an entire nation.

“I have committed… an unforgivable sin, Your Majesty.”

Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with fear, but the words were clear.

This silent confession – an admission of guilt – brought another crushing weight down on Freya’s chest.

“I, Freya Vel Hestium, in the name of the great goddess Remior, hereby declare my divorce from the adulterous Aaron Lambert, Royal Consort. Each of you present here today is a witness to this event, and your signatures will be added to the certificate of divorce to be presented to the Temple.”

Though her lips trembled, every word that came out was determined.

This was not a petition for divorce, but a certificate of divorce – a declaration made possible only because all the requirements for a summary divorce had now been met.

In order for a summary divorce to be granted, the affair must have been witnessed in person, and the witnesses must not be related to the parties involved. There must also be at least ten witnesses. Because of these strict requirements, it was extremely rare for a summary divorce to be granted.

And yet it had been granted so easily.

Freya felt no anger, but a hollow emptiness – so much so that she almost let out a bitter laugh.

“Please… Your Majesty… I beg you, forgive me…”

“Silence that mouth at once!”

Belia snapped at the sobbing Hilde, her voice quivering with anger. Then she leaned forward and whispered urgently into Freya’s ear.

“Your Majesty, since Lord Aaron has committed adultery with the reigning monarch…”

Unable to continue, Belia trailed off. Freya answered for her.

“I know. And when one commits a crime, one must be punished accordingly.”

Was there a single person here who didn’t know how devoted Aaron had once been to the Queen?

Even as the scene of betrayal unfolded before their eyes, it was so shocking that many found it difficult to accept it as real.

If the witnesses felt this way, how much more devastating must it have been for the queen herself?

In the Kingdom of Havern, adultery by the monarch’s spouse was not only an act of betrayal – it was considered both an affront to the royal family and a blasphemy against the divine.

Had Freya chosen not to press for a divorce and instead kept the matter quiet, things might have turned out differently.

But now that the summary divorce had been legally and publicly declared, Aaron – no longer the royal consort – would be reduced to the status of a criminal sentenced to death.

Even Freya could do nothing to stop the execution. Unless something extraordinary happened, it would be carried out.

‘Aaron… You brought all of this upon yourself.’

Had she been the only one to know of his treachery, Freya might have found it in her heart to forgive him in the end.

That was why she had deliberately brought so many witnesses – for fear that her own heart would weaken.

Yet she had hoped – to the very end – that it wouldn’t be true.

Tears threatened to fall at any moment, but Freya bit her lip hard and held them back. A sharp, salty taste spread across her tongue, stronger than before.

“I’ve told you everything. Now it’s up to you to make the wise choice.”

Christy’s smirk, one corner of her mouth twisted in mockery, was still vivid in Freya’s mind.

“I will say it again. I am a saint. And I believe that anyone who breaks a sacred oath made before the Goddess Remior should face the consequences – whether that person is my brother or not… there are no exceptions.”

What on earth was Christy thinking? Freya couldn’t begin to guess.

No matter how much resentment Christy might harbor at the way Aaron treated Freya, kinder than even his own sister, there was no doubt – Christy loved her brother.

‘She must know that adultery by a royal consort is punishable by execution. There’s no way she doesn’t.’

Freya knew she should have asked more questions about Christy’s strange behaviour.

But she was too exhausted.

The strength to assess the situation carefully had long since left her – because Aaron’s betrayal had wounded her too deeply. Fatal.

Her beloved parents – the late King and Queen – had died suddenly in a tragic accident.

Her beloved friend, Christy, had been consumed by a dark god, masquerading as a saint while selfishly bringing ruin to the kingdom.

Her beloved husband, Aaron, had broken their sacred marriage vows and committed adultery with a servant.

Now that everyone she loved had left her like this, was there any reason to go on living?

Crushed by overwhelming despair, Freya wanted nothing more than to let go of her will to live.

But –

‘Not like this… I can’t face my parents if I give up now.’

And she was the only one who could restore the kingdom of Havern, now crumbling under the reign of the false saint Christy.