Chapter 45

“Just because his memory returns doesn’t guarantee he’ll abandon her.”  

Albrecht, wearing an expression that said, ‘Stay out of this,’ sighed and continued.  

“Kalik Escael is a rigid, old-fashioned, and stubborn man. Of course, he would.”  

“Hey, that’s someone else’s son you’re talking about…”  

“Then let’s hear from the person who raised him.”  

Suddenly, the baton was passed to Peter.  

Peter glared at Albrecht, who had caused all this chaos, before responding in his usual calm and concise tone.  

“On the contrary, because of that personality, I can guarantee it. That guy isn’t someone who abandons the person he’s decided to hold onto.”  

“Say it correctly! When did he ever hold onto her?”  

“Just as you trust your daughter, I trust my son as well.”  

“Hmph.”  

Bernhardt pressed his temples and groaned. He regretted saying out loud how peaceful things had been. Acting so carelessly had brought divine punishment. Three days of happiness were still pretty good, though…  

“But I can’t afford not to prepare for the worst. From my position, I want our Marie to be happy.”  

It was impossible to understand the full story from this alone. Furthermore, if the one expressing dissatisfaction and raising issues was someone who frequently did so, it would be wise to keep some distance.  

Even so, whether the amnesia was real or fake, there must have been a problem between the young couple for him to come rushing over like this.  

The Emperor, lost in thought for a moment, raised his head. Peter still maintained his calm posture without expressing any particular opinion. It was important to remember that silence didn’t necessarily mean agreement or support.  

‘Damn it, my lunch is going to feel stuck now.’  

He silently repeated the word “neutral” in his head.  

“To be honest, I’ve always felt uneasy about the political nature of this marriage.”  

It could never be called a good method. But there hadn’t been any better options. It was the best choice at the time. At that point, forcing them together had been the only viable solution the Emperor could think of.  

“I hoped it would work out well, but, as we all know, things don’t always go as expected. I had considered the worst-case scenario.”  

“Are you saying you regret arranging their marriage?”  

“Yes.”  

To put it bluntly, yes. Bernhardt, forgetting about his dignity as Emperor, answered honestly.  

He wasn’t the type to justify the means just because the results turned out well. Especially since this marriage involved the children of his close friends and the survival—or ruin—of two families.  

“But…”  

His regret was directed at the decision to opt for a political marriage.  

If they were happy now, he was willing to wholeheartedly support and help them.  

The problem was that Albrecht had fixated on the word “regret” and wasn’t listening to the Emperor’s follow-up words.  

“If you regret it, you should fix it now before it’s too late.”  

“What?”  

And this infuriating old friend of thirty years even cut him off mid-sentence and acted smug.  

“As loyal servant of this empire, I, Albrecht Odillia, respects your foolishness, Your Majesty.”  

“Sh*t.”  

The Emperor cursed without realizing it, while Peter, curious about what new nonsense Albrecht would spout, perked up his ears.  

“You, Albe—no, listen here, man! What nonsense are you suddenly talking about?”  

“I’m just saying that if you intend to clean up your mistakes, Your Majesty, I’m willing to help.”  

“No, no, no! Forget the conclusion; explain it in a way I can understand!”  

Albrecht grabbed a randomly decorated bottle of alcohol and opened it. He poured it into whatever glasses were nearby. One for the Emperor, one for himself. Whether Peter drank or not was up to him.  

“Why is everyone pretending not to know? You all know.”  

“Know what?”  

“You’re saying you don’t know the only way to resolve a regrettable marriage?”  

“What is it?”  

“Don’t tell me…”  

The Emperor and Bernhardt looked at each other simultaneously.  

And as if they had agreed, they muttered the same word.  

“Divorce?”  

* * *  

Could there be anything more amusing in the world?  

The woman had lied. The man had lied.  

Somehow, the woman found out about the man’s lie.  

The man also realized that the woman knew about his lie.  

Then, the only thing left was for the woman to find out that the man knew she had discovered his lie.  

Kalik bit his lips to suppress a laugh. If he were truly amused, he might have let out a chuckle, but the laugh that escaped now was a bitter one. He wanted to write a report about how things had ended up like this.  

If he brought Vincent Almore over, he’d probably set off fireworks and dance. Then he’d rush to the knights’ quarters, demanding they place bets.  

Kalik quietly watched Marie, who was sitting and calmly reading a book. Come to think of it, even before the accident, there had been plenty of time, but he had never looked at her so leisurely. If their eyes met, he used to worry she’d pick a fight, and since he had no reason to look, he’d only glance at the tip of her nose out of courtesy.  

But now, seeing Marie Odillia properly, her face was utterly different from what he remembered.  

She wasn’t needlessly haughty, wasn’t constantly dissatisfied, and wasn’t unreasonably sharp.  

Why had he so misunderstood such a graceful and composed woman?  

As he watched Marie’s hair shimmer in soft pink hues under the sunlight, Kalik thought she looked as if she were surrounded by cherry blossoms.  

Without realizing it, he forgot his resolve to keep his distance and approached her. Marie seemed surprised but didn’t avoid him and accepted his touch.  

And so, the situation became even more puzzling.  

Whether his memory returned or not, whether he had lied or not, it didn’t matter. Things were good now, so what did the truth matter?  

In some situations, there was no need to be completely honest. And Kalik thought this was one of those times.  

However, since Marie had already made several attempts to reveal the truth, it was time for him to show the same sincerity.  

He cupped his wife’s face, which seemed to say she had a lot to say but would hold back for today, and kissed her cheek instead of her lips.  

“Marie.”  

“Yes.”  

Marie’s steady gaze turned to Kalik.  

Kalik summoned his crooked courage.  

“Do you… have something to say?”  

“Do you?”  

“Me?”  

“Do you have something to say?”  

“…Do you?”  

“…”  

“…”  

Both of them sighed faintly at the same time and turned their heads in the same direction.  

If they were going to resolve things with words, they couldn’t just demand courage from the other person.  

In any case, it was better to resolve things through conversation while they still could, before it became irreversible.  

Holding hands, Marie and Kalik awkwardly laughed, genuinely smiled, and then laughed with determination.  

Just as the saying goes, it’s better to take the blow first. They resolved to confess and start anew.  

But as fate would have it, Kalik never got the chance to confess his truth.  

While this young couple hesitated, acting far older than their age, the older generation, twice as old as them, had already taken action.  

***

Over the past few days, the meditation techniques taught by her physician had worked wonders for Viola. The tension in the back of her neck had disappeared. Until recently, standing up after sitting would make her dizzy, and she often skipped meals due to a lack of appetite.  

Viola swung her now lighter arms back and forth, savoring the rare sense of refreshment. With the burning sensation in her stomach gone, her appetite had returned with a vengeance. She had overeaten to make up for the meals she’d missed but had no regrets.  

“What did you say arrived?”  

She took her time savoring the pile of letters addressed to Escael, feeling the popularity of their household. Even without venturing out much, so many people sought them out. Events like this were perfect for boosting one’s confidence and self-esteem.  

That’s why she wanted to clarify that finding that wasn’t a coincidence but rather an accident caused by the butler’s mistake while sorting through the letters.  

“Who tucked this in here?”  

“Ah.”  

At Viola’s question, the maid who had been changing the flowers in the vase called for the butler. Upon seeing the letters on the table, the butler realized his mistake and bowed his head in apology.  

“I meant to deliver it immediately, but since you weren’t feeling well, Madam, I held onto it and forgot. My apologies.”  

“No, I’m not blaming you for the mistake. This… it’s from Odillia, isn’t it?”  

“Yes. A butler from House Odillia personally delivered it.”  

“A butler?”  

Viola tilted her head at the mention of a butler from Odillia. Why send someone now after so many personal visits? And why address it to the Marquess couple of Escael rather than her daughter, Marie?  

“Why don’t you check the contents?”  

She stood the flustered butler in place and tore the envelope open with a knife. Honestly, she wanted to rip it in half, but she couldn’t bring herself to commit such an uncouth act.  

“What kind of relationship warrants sending something like this? And they even used such pretty paper.”  

The letter contained just one page. She had expected rough, cheap paper, but to her surprise, it was a luxurious sheet with a subtle fragrance.  

However, the contents were neither pretty nor luxurious.  

Viola’s eyes widened.