An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#19

If someone else had said it, I would have thought it was complete nonsense, but since Tamar, who had foresight, was saying it, it made sense.

“Besides, you couldn’t even propose before the regression, right? Wouldn’t it be a better outcome for Gert to meet the woman he likes a bit later and at least try proposing?”

‘Every single word makes perfect sense?’

The more Tamar spoke, the more the scales in my heart tipped. My complicated feelings cleared up with Tamar’s lucid explanation.

If it hadn’t been for Tamar, how long would I have been wracking my brains alone…

I grasped Tamar’s white, smooth hands tightly with both of mine and offered my thanks.

“Thank you, Tamar. Without your help, it would have been impossible for me to understand all of this.”

“What are you talking about? We’re friends, we should help each other.”

Tamar patted the back of my hand with her free hand and added.

“I know you find social activities bothersome, but you’ll have to show your face frequently for a while. That’s the only way you’ll be able to identify who that woman Gert was planning to propose to is.”

“Ugh… Alright, I’ll do my best.”

Since I was already thinking of entering society to hear news about Gert anyway, the decision came quickly.

‘It won’t be for long. Just one year.’

I just need to endure until I finish my heroic poem and face the day of the examination.

If I offer my heroic poem to the god Mnemiir with a happy ending instead of a tragedy during that time, everything will work out perfectly.

In any case, I couldn’t just stand by and watch him die before my heroic poem was completed.

I clenched my fist tightly, filled with determination.

***

For me, an outstanding bard, establishing myself in society wasn’t particularly difficult.

But that was only from a long-term perspective.

Previously, I had tried to stay attached to the Capital City’s social circles to hear news about Gert, but now I had to enter the Capital City’s social circles to interfere with Gert’s romance.

While I still had to enter society either way, the difficulty had increased compared to before.

Previously, any social gathering would have been fine as long as I could hear stories about Gert, but now I had to attend exactly the parties that Gert would attend. That wasn’t something that could be achieved through ordinary means.

So at first, I tried to borrow Tamar’s influence.

“Then, Tamar, could you recommend someone with wide connections in society?”

While Tamar was quite popular in Petalien’s social circles, I couldn’t always rely on my friend’s help. Moreover, since Tamar was a foreign princess, there were limits to her connections.

When I made this request, Tamar rarely showed a troubled expression. Then she asked back as if it were strange.

“Recommend? Why bother?”

“It’s fine if it’s not possible.”

“It’s not impossible, but… do you really need to ask me?”

“Huh?”

“There’s someone right beside you who can attend every party held in society.”

“…Who would that be?”

I really had no clue. Tamar looked at me with a rare expression of disdain, then mentioned a familiar name.

“Ah, I really didn’t want to come here…”

I glared at the gate standing tall before me and let out a deep sigh. The familiar door decorations greeted me.

Who would have thought that the person Tamar told me I absolutely had to befriend to follow Gert’s trail would be none other than Linos!

“Everyone wants to invite Linos. Even if there’s a party he wasn’t invited to, if your brother shows up with his lyre, they’ll let him right in. Even if it’s a royal banquet.”

I was truly shocked when I heard that story.

I already knew that Linos had wide connections in society, but to that extent?

It seemed a lot had changed during the few years I spent holed up in Lübenhartz after returning from the expedition.

I scrunched up my face and knocked on the door.

Before long, the gatekeeper came out with his face scrunched up as much as mine.

“Who’s banging on the door so roughly… Oh, Miss!”

The gatekeeper, who had become acquainted with me when I stayed at Linos’ House a few years ago, immediately recognized me and jumped in surprise.

“Long time no see.”

“Yes, yes, it’s been a long time. The master will be delighted. Master! Please come out!”

The gatekeeper made a fuss and ran into the house. I followed behind him and leisurely entered Linos’ House.

‘A lot has changed in the meantime.’

I clicked my tongue as I looked at the sculpture of Linos himself in the middle of the garden. Seeing that the pose was different from before, it seemed he had commissioned a new one in the meantime.

Soon, I could see Linos rushing out from far away.

Seeing him with his silver hair flowing like mine, my brow furrowed involuntarily. It was a kind of conditioned reflex.

As soon as Linos saw me from afar, he shouted.

“I heard you got divorced!”

‘…For a while, every time I meet someone I know, I’ll hear about divorce first instead of greetings.’

I clicked my tongue at Linos’ reaction, which was exactly the same as Tamar’s.

In Linos’ case, since he didn’t even know that I had a contract marriage with Gert, he must have been even more shocked when he heard the news.

Still, to think he’d come rushing out to greet his divorced sister in such a barely-dressed state.

That was definitely a little touching…

“I knew you’d get divorced someday! Oh my!”

‘…Touching moment canceled.’

Looking closely, the corners of Linos’ mouth were twitching as he approached. I could clearly see he was barely holding back laughter.

No wonder he came out in such a hurry.

It wasn’t because he was worried about me, but because he wanted to tease me as quickly as possible.

What an enemy, really.

While I was glaring at Linos with a sullen expression, Linos continued speaking while examining me here and there with a frivolous air.

“I thought you’d be gloomy from the divorce, but your appearance and complexion don’t look too bad. I guess you ate well and lived well in Lübenhartz.”

“You seem to have lived well too. I can see you’ve put on weight around your waist.”

“Weight? What weight! Can’t you see this perfect physique of mine?”

Linos jumped up in shock.

Just looking at these frivolous mannerisms, no one would believe he was a master of heavy tragic songs.

“So what brings you here?”

I used to hate how Linos acted so frivolously, but maybe because it had been so long, I was even secretly glad to see him.

‘Come to think of it, has it been almost three years?’

Looking back, the last time I met Linos was at my wedding.

After that, I was too busy writing my heroic poem to leave Lübenhartz, and Linos must have been busy too since he never came near Lübenhartz, so this was practically the first time we’d met since my marriage.

“Never mind, never mind. It would be awkward to talk about it right here. Come in first.”

Linos sighed and pulled my hand. I was led by Linos’ hand into his house.

Like the garden decorations, the indoor decorations had also completely changed.

As I passed through the Mansion Lobby, past the large portrait hanging in the middle of the central staircase showing Linos posing handsomely, I involuntarily shuddered.

‘…I probably won’t see anything more terrible than that here.’

***

I was wrong.

The Drawing Room’s interior decorations were even worse.

I tried my best to ignore the semi-nude portrait of Linos and various sculptures decorating the mantelpiece in the Drawing Room.

I mean, no matter how overflowing with self-love you are, hanging up a half-naked portrait shows a complete lack of the minimum shame a human being should have, doesn’t it?

Worried that I might accidentally see the portrait, I sat with my back to it.

While I was restless and didn’t know what to do with myself, Linos poured me wine and continued speaking in a condescending manner.

“Others might make a fuss about divorce, but don’t worry about it. To create true art, you have to experience affairs and such. In that sense, this brother is proud of you!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? You can make art perfectly fine without that stuff. And I wasn’t divorced for having an affair. I was the one who asked for the divorce.”

Linos had a talent for making the same words sound more irritating.

It was fortunate that I had heard about the social rumors from Tamar beforehand, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to react calmly by saying I expected as much.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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