“His Majesty has arrived.”

At someone’s report, Colin stood up. Going out to the first-floor hall, he saw the Emperor just entering through the front door. When Colin bowed, the Emperor merely acknowledged him with a slight nod. His face was already rigid, perhaps having received some information about the situation from the knight sent to the palace.

“It’s upstairs.”

The Emperor climbed the stairs at Colin’s guidance. Opening the largest door in the middle of the second-floor corridor revealed the large painting hanging on the front wall.

Colin reflexively checked the Emperor’s expression. The Emperor’s eyes were fixed on the painting. His already rigid face showed no movement. Not even his breathing could be heard. Only his gaze toward the painting was intense.

“How many people have seen this painting?”

“Three knights who discovered it and myself, making four in total. One of them went to report to Your Majesty.”

“Keep this quiet. Anyone who speaks carelessly will face severe punishment.”

Colin bowed at the cold warning. It wasn’t something that could be spoken about freely anyway.

The Emperor still didn’t take his eyes off the painting. Another heavy silence fell.

“So it was here.”

The Emperor muttered in a low voice, having noticed where the painting’s background was. At his short, sharp sigh, Colin felt like his insides were burning up.

“Your Majesty, you should see this as well.”

Colin handed over items found in the basement storage. There were letters bearing Lilith McCoy’s seal and what appeared to be her personal belongings. Even the most trivial and everyday items suggested she had spent considerable time in this mansion.

“Have you checked the contents?”

The Emperor asked Colin while looking down at the letters.

“No. I didn’t open them. It didn’t seem right.”

Colin answered honestly. The letters bearing Lilith McCoy’s seal were all addressed to Marquis Belmont. Whatever their contents were, his instincts told him it was better not to know.

The Emperor opened the envelopes and took out the letter papers. As he read each page, his eyes grew increasingly cold. Most of the letters contained requests for Marquis Belmont to look after her who was left alone, along with promises to give him whatever he wanted in return for his help. However, Lilith McCoy didn’t have much, and thus her young and beautiful body was mentioned first among what she could offer.

The Emperor felt his breath catch as he checked the dates on several letters. This period coincided with when he himself had been deeply in love with her.

‘Widow Lilith met a new man, seduced him for honor and wealth, then married another man while carrying his child, riding in a flower carriage.’

He squeezed his eyes shut at the song lyrics circling in his head, but the more he did so, the more clearly they seemed to replay in his ears.

“Find… Find Belmont immediately!”

His head burned with rising anger at the thought that the two people closest to him, whom he had trusted and relied on the most — the Empress and Belmont — had deceived him for so many years.

*

Karina hurried to Aidan’s palace early in the morning. She intended to catch him before he left for morning knight training. She deliberately didn’t send advance notice of her visit.

“Tell him I’m here.”

The servants exchanged glances, startled by Karina’s sudden visit. Karina let out an audible sigh and opened Aidan’s bedroom door herself.

“Your Highness!”

The servants tried to stop her in surprise, but through the wide-open bedroom door, they saw Aidan standing with a composed expression.

“If you plan to dismiss me again today, you’ll need a valid reason.”

At her warning, Aidan nodded for the servants to leave.

“I didn’t expect you to visit so early in the morning.”

“That sounds like you would have avoided me if you had known.”

“Well…”

Seeing Aidan not deny it, Karina clenched her fist.

“You might hit me if you’re not careful.”

Aidan’s gaze moved to Karina’s fist.

“I won’t do such a thing.”

“Ah, right. With your personality, you wouldn’t do anything against etiquette. That’s why you’re boring.”

She flinched at the word ‘boring.’ She recalled how Aidan had occasionally told her she thought too much with her head. Was that what didn’t match with him? Had he already grown tired of her? She cut off her thoughts that kept racing toward negativity and met Aidan’s eyes.

“Don’t you have anything to say about your meeting with Viscountess Highmond last night?”

She didn’t beat around the bush. Ridiculously, this was the first time Karina was moving according to her heart rather than her head while facing Aidan.

“Not particularly?”

She frowned at his playful response. Aidan looked at Karina with a nonchalant expression as if wondering what the problem was.

“I won’t ask why you met with Viscountess Highmond alone in such a place at that late hour.”

No, actually she was curious. She had suffered all night wondering why he had been alone with her in a place away from others’ eyes, whether there were any private feelings involved that she imagined. But while she was curious, she also didn’t want to know. Part of her didn’t want to hear confirmation from his own mouth and get hurt.

“But you must keep your promise.”

Aidan tilted his head at the word ‘promise.’

“Have you forgotten? Your Highness promised there would be no infidelity while maintaining our marriage.”

The agreement Karina and Aidan had signed clearly included provisions that they would consent to divorce after half a year, and that during the marriage period they would not betray each other, and if such an incident occurred, they would consent to divorce immediately if the other party wished.

“Ah.”

Aidan nodded, seemingly remembering.

“About that.”

Aidan paused after starting to speak and quietly stared at Karina. It wasn’t his usual playful smile or gentle gaze. He just looked at her calmly and expressionlessly, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

“I wonder if we need to maintain it for half a year.”

She doubted her ears at his quiet and precise voice.

“You mean…”

“I’m saying I’ll consent to divorce right now if you want.”

Karina’s eyes widened at Aidan’s answer. Divorce… he would allow it? Right now?

Her mind went blank from the shock, as if she’d been hit on the back of the head. Karina quietly steadied her breathing and clenched then unclenched her jaw.

“What’s the reason?”

Though she was a mess inside, fortunately, her voice didn’t shake at all. Honestly, she was angry too. She felt resentful, wondering if he was now easily offering divorce after refusing when she had asked for it, now that his position seemed quite secure.

“Do we need a reason? You were the one who wanted a divorce. Wasn’t that what our contract was about from the start? To get what we each needed.”

As he said, it was a political marriage with Aidan, and she was the one who wanted it to end. It was a relationship they could settle anytime if they both agreed, with a maximum of half a year.

It wasn’t me but you who forcibly twisted that relationship.

She barely swallowed the inner thoughts trying to escape from the tip of her tongue.

“It seems Your Highness has obtained everything you needed.”

Hearing her cold tone, Aidan simply stared blankly, offering no response.

“However, House Hewitt won’t accept an immediate divorce. Unfortunately, the image Your Highness has created so far is too strong. On the surface, there have been no problems between Your Highness and me, and you’ve acted as if you had strong feelings for me in front of everyone, so they’ll all be shocked if you say you want a divorce.”

“Even at a time like this, do other people’s opinions matter?”

Aidan laughed in disbelief.

“Yes. They matter. Not for me, but for Your Highness. Because Your Highness is this empire’s prince. Moreover, you’re someone who has expressed a desire to become Emperor.”

Honestly, Karina also wanted to snap back ‘fine, let’s divorce then’ and turn away. But acting so emotionally would greatly damage Aidan’s position. Just when he had finally started to be recognized as a proper prince, a sudden, whimsical divorce would make his reputation plummet. And House Hewitt will especially not accept it. Because Aidan had shown his affection for Karina too obviously, they would press Karina about why he suddenly wanted a divorce.

“I’m touched. You’re considering my position even at a moment like this.”

Karina frowned at his tone, unclear whether it was sarcastic or sincere. Right. Why am I still worrying about this man’s future even in this situation?

“Then let’s do this. Let’s create what you call a procedure.”

Aidan, who had been leaning against the window frame with his arms crossed, straightened up and approached Karina. He stopped two steps away, leaving an awkward distance.

“How about starting with separation? Stay at House Hewitt for a while.”

Separation? Again, an unexpected word came out.

“The reason for separation… doesn’t matter. You can make up whatever you like.”

“You won’t directly admit that your feelings have cooled.”

When she looked up at him straight and retorted, he smiled faintly.

“It was a political marriage anyway, that couldn’t be grounds for divorce.”

Hearing his accurate point, Karina bit her lower lip hard.

“That’s a bad habit.”

Aidan reached out and pulled Karina’s lower lip free.

“Don’t hurt those pretty lips.”

After speaking softly, he took a shallow breath and turned away.

“The separation can start today if you want. Do as you please.”

As if he had nothing more to say, he no longer looked at Karina.