Chapter 47

Marie wondered whether Aaron’s denial meant he wouldn’t be on her side or if it was his way of expressing concern that he couldn’t fully support her.  

“I don’t think I can be entirely on your side.”  

“Why? If you’re on my side, then you’re on my side. What’s this ‘not entirely’ about?”  

Aaron turned his gaze away and looked out the window again. There must have been a reason significant enough to justify summoning him all the way from the estate.  

As it happened, Aaron Odillia was an exceptional swordsman. Though he hadn’t trained in formal or traditional swordsmanship and thus couldn’t rise to the position of a knight commander, in chaotic, ruleless battles, there were few in the Empire who could match him.  

“Somehow, I feel like…”  

“My daughter, are you resting well?!”  

“…I’ll end up being the final mountain your husband has to overcome.”  

“Huh? What did you say?”  

How could they manage to speak at the same time?  

Marie tried to piece together Aaron’s unfinished words, but all she caught were “overcome” and “somehow.” She regretted not training her ears for moments like this.  

Just as she was about to beg him to repeat himself, the carriage began to slow down. As Marie, feeling anxious, grabbed Aaron’s hand,  

“Get off, kids!”  

Albrecht’s booming voice interrupted their conversation once again.  

And just like that, their brief moment for dialogue and negotiation ended absurdly. Aaron opened the carriage door and extended his hand to help Marie down.  

At that moment, Elise came running toward the carriage, covering her gaping mouth with her hands.  

“You really caused a scene this time!”  

Her face carried a mix of pure amusement and exasperation.  

“Mother…”  

Marie willingly stepped out of the carriage, eager to recruit her second ally. She planned to talk to Aaron again later, but she was confident that her mother would undoubtedly be on her side.  

“Your father really is something. He kept saying he would do it, but I never thought he’d actually go this far.”  

“Father dragged me here by force!”  

“Let him be. He probably wants to hear your husband say, ‘Please give me your daughter’s hand, Father-in-law!’ He must feel bitter that he didn’t get to do it himself.”  

Elise stroked Marie’s back as she clung to her in frustration, throwing a sharp glare at Albrecht, who was busy boasting about how wonderful it was to be home.  

“Now that you’re here, take a break before you go.”  

“But he’ll be worried…”  

“Don’t worry. It won’t last long.”  

Marie, knowing her mother’s intuition, kept her mouth shut. Her mother’s instincts were worth more than a hundred words.  

Since Elise hadn’t specified who “it” referred to, Marie couldn’t tell whether her mother meant her or her father.  

“So just wait. Until it’s resolved.”  

At that moment, everyone in the Odillia family, except for Albrecht, exchanged weary, sorrowful glances, silently encouraging one another.  

***

On the first day, Kalik was out of his mind.  

On the second day, Kalik begged.  

On the third day, Kalik got angry.  

And on the fourth day, Kalik, unable to endure any longer, strapped on his sword and mounted his horse. He was heading to his in-laws’ house.  

Peter, who had stopped his son from leaving for Odillia on the day the incident occurred, now decided that he couldn’t hold him back a second time. He opened the gates for him.  

“I want to respect your feelings.”  

Escael was different from Odillia.  

For the first time, Peter felt a bit of pride. He believed that his approach to this situation was better than Albrecht’s, and he felt more magnanimous than ever.  

He had thought that Albrecht’s talk of divorce in front of the Emperor had been mere bravado between old friends. He never imagined he would actually follow through.  

What exactly was Albrecht thinking, going against the Emperor’s orders? It was a mystery. If Bernhardt suddenly decided to retaliate in kind, accusing him of rebellion, what would he say in response…?  

“And this is just a formality, but are you planning to divorce?”  

“No.”  

“Then go.”  

While you’re there, put Albrecht in his place too.  

Kalik bowed his head in gratitude to his father, who stood by the iron gates. He wasn’t going to fight or subdue anyone. All he needed to do was bring his wife back.  

“You can’t! Don’t go!”  

However, Escael’s final obstacle held a different opinion from Peter.  

“How can you allow this after seeing the state we’re in?”  

Viola stood there, holding a sword she clearly didn’t know how to use. She had grabbed what she thought was the sharpest-looking sword from her husband’s collection.  

Trembling, she half-drew the heavy blade and blocked Kalik’s path.  

“Why are you so eager to send our son into danger?!”  

“Mother, it’s not dangerous.”  

“Are you nitpicking my words?! You know what I mean!”  

“Yes.”  

“Anyway, no. You can’t go.”  

Until now, Viola had been torn between two conflicting thoughts. On one hand, she disliked Albrecht Odillia and wanted to oppose him. On the other hand, she thought Marie was fine and wanted to approve of her regardless.  

However, Albrecht had shattered her attempts at consideration. If that was how he wanted to play, she had no choice but to respond in kind.  

“Just live alone. I hate the Odillias now.”  

“I can’t live without her.”  

“Since when were you so desperate?”  

Without responding, Kalik turned his horse. Peter had just managed to grab Viola’s arm and take the sword from her. She struggled to keep it, but there was no way she could overpower Peter, who had once been called a genius knight.  

“I will bring her back without fail.”  

Viola, trembling with rage, moved back reluctantly.  

Honestly, she didn’t even want to waste the time it took to stop him on the Odillias. She didn’t want to give them anything—not even her attention.  

This could be interpreted as her withdrawing her interest entirely.  

“An arm.”  

“Huh?”  

Both men turned to look at Viola, startled by her sudden remark. Her face was now cold and composed.  

Viola waved her arm and made a slicing motion across her neck.  

“Bring back an arm. Don’t come back without one. A neck would be even better, though.”  

“Honey.”  

“Stay out of this. It’s because you’re too soft that that boar-like man runs rampant.”  

In terms of size, one might see it that way, but surely he had less hair and smelled better than a boar. Of course, his belligerence was similar.  

Viola glanced at the men who chuckled at her analogy and turned her body. She couldn’t endure without calming her burning mind and body.  

“Where are you going?”  

To Peter’s question as he grabbed her, she answered while panting, 

“Meditation.”