An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 23
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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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#23
With the twins standing side by side, I noticed the collar decorations that I hadn’t seen clearly before.
“Come to think of it, what’s the occasion for you two wearing different clothes today?”
“Can you tell us apart?”
“Of course. Silver decoration is Pollux, gold decoration is Castor.”
As soon as I spoke, the twins’ faces lit up with joy.
“Orphea, you still recognize us right away?”
“That’s right. Even our parents can’t tell us apart.”
“I guess I have sensitive ears. No matter how much you two look alike, your voices are a bit different.”
Pollux’s voice and Castor’s voice sound similar at first glance, but they differ in certain tones.
Because of that, I could distinguish between them quickly, and perhaps finding it fascinating, these twins constantly bothered me on the Argo, asking me to tell them apart.
“But all the lovers we’ve had so far couldn’t tell when we switched places. If we’re going to get married, wouldn’t Orphea be the only one who can distinguish us?”
“Yes, yes.”
Since the twins teasing me with such words wasn’t a recent thing, I brushed off their comments indifferently.
If they really wanted people to distinguish them, they wouldn’t dress in identical clothes, use the same speech patterns, and even match their habits.
Those twins just find it fun to trick people with their resemblance.
Since it doesn’t work on me, they get stubborn and keep bothering me to tell them apart.
I sighed while brushing off the twins who kept pestering me annoyingly.
‘Maybe I should have just pretended I couldn’t tell them apart…’
***
‘…Not close, you said?’
Not close but proposing marriage?
The confusion of suddenly being excluded from this situation when he had always been the center of attention was brief.
Linos watched the courtship scene unfolding before his eyes with a displeased gaze.
Saying they’d like to marry Orphea and whatnot…
But his sister, who was actually being courted, seemed completely oblivious.
‘…To think I considered that an affair, even briefly.’
His romantic sense was so pathetic that his own misunderstanding was embarrassing.
Perhaps frustrated that Orphea couldn’t understand their hints, the twins began proposing more explicitly.
“We really want to propose to you, Orphea. If it’s you, both of us wouldn’t mind marrying you.”
“That’s right. If you don’t have anyone else in mind for your next husband, seriously consider us. Isn’t marrying twins attractive?”
“Stop teasing me.”
But even in this situation, Orphea seemed to think they were just teasing her.
One of the twins drooped the corners of his eyebrows pitifully and spoke as if hurt.
“It’s disappointing when you treat our sincerity lightly just because we act promiscuously.”
“Promiscuity naturally has the effect of making sincerity seem light. It’s an inevitable result.”
“…”
But it had no effect on Orphea whatsoever.
‘Truly amazing!’
Linos quietly admired seeing the Tindarga twins rendered so powerless for the first time.
The fact that Linos competed for first and second place in promiscuity in the Social Circle meant there was a competitor. And that competitor was none other than these Tindarga twins.
He didn’t care when he himself acted promiscuously, but thinking of guys like him flirting with Orphea made him wary.
In the past, he had been displeased with Gert and Orphea’s marriage, but compared to those twins, Gert was a thousand, ten thousand times better!
‘At least that bastard Gert was decent when it came to women!’
A pretentious fool like Orphea would get completely devoured if she got involved with viper-like guys like them.
‘Even now…’
There were quite a few people glancing this way. With so many eyes watching, what would people think of the twins sticking close to Orphea and exchanging borderline jokes?
If he left things as they were, even if Orphea didn’t accept them, she would get caught up in unnecessary rumors.
She was already troubled by divorce-related rumors…
Unable to stand watching that, Linos rolled up his sleeves and was about to step in to drive away the twins pestering Orphea.
“So everyone’s gathered here.”
At that moment, a voice fell from above Linos’s head like a guillotine blade. A chilling sensation as if sticking one’s head into a predator’s mouth.
While everyone including Linos unconsciously stiffened, Orphea smiled brightly and shouted as if finally meeting the person she’d been waiting for.
“Gert!”
***
I had thought about various things regarding what Gert would say when he appeared here.
Would he get angry, asking if I had followed him?
‘No. Given Gert’s usual personality, he wouldn’t make a fuss over something like that.’
Gert was rather generous as long as the other party maintained proper boundaries. Though he was scary when angry, he wasn’t the type to get angry easily.
‘At most, he’d exchange a few polite greetings asking how I’ve been since the divorce or how the Manor was, then try to part ways.’
But I couldn’t part ways after just those few words.
The reason I attended this banquet despite all this trouble was to completely block Gert’s opportunity to meet other women at the banquet.
So I had to stick to Gert throughout the entire banquet somehow! Even if Gert found me bothersome!
‘Actually, the more annoying I am, the better. Then Gert would try to leave the banquet quickly.’
As I was steeling my resolve, Gert looked around and asked.
“Where’s Tamar?”
Why is he suddenly bringing up Tamar?
“…Why Tamar?”
“Because someone who detests the Social Circle is attending a banquet. Didn’t Tamar deliberately bring you here?”
Gert’s eyebrows rose. He seemed to have seriously misunderstood something. I hurried to defend Tamar.
“I don’t particularly detest the Social Circle… I attended today because I had a purpose.”
“What purpose?”
“Um…”
I just rolled my eyes around. Even though I could be quite shameless for my purposes, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Gert that I attended to stalk him.
Perhaps not intending to probe further, Gert asked another question with a short sigh.
“Then, did you come alone without Tamar?”
“Alone? Of course…”
I reached out to pull Linos, who was beside me.
But what do you know. The person who had been there just moments ago had vanished without a trace.
‘He still can’t stand Gert.’
I sighed softly.
“Anyway, I didn’t come alone.”
“…”
Gert’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. I subtly avoided his gaze.
According to my original plan, I intended to somehow stick to Gert who would act indifferently, but the situation had become the complete opposite.
‘Did he figure out my plan? Why is he questioning me like this?’
As I was getting anxious, Gert seemed to think of something, nodded to himself, then calmly suggested.
“You seem to be alone now, so this works out well. Then let’s go back together after the banquet.”
“Together? Where to?”
“To your home. Since I haven’t checked if it’s alright after giving it to you, it would be good to see it on this occasion.”
That definitely wasn’t bad!
As if my earlier anxiety was a lie, I smiled brightly and slyly suggested to Gert.
“Then, shall we stay together at today’s banquet? Since we’re going back together anyway.”
“Hmm? Sure.”
‘Thank goodness!’
At Gert’s indifferent confirmation, I cheered inwardly. If I could just stay by Gert’s side for the entire day, it would be no different from achieving half my purpose for coming to this banquet.
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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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