An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 28

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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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#28

‘My connection with Lairinne… Since I’m the one who severed that bond, I should be the one to tie it back together.’

Tamar said that fate would take care of bringing them together, but I couldn’t just rely on the goddesses of destiny alone.

I resolved that in a year’s time, I would bring Gert and Lairinne back together again, if only to face myself with dignity. No matter what it took.

So I couldn’t criticize Lairinne too openly. It was important to walk a fine line—enough for Gert to keep his distance from Lairinne for now, but not so much that they couldn’t reconcile later.

It wouldn’t be easy, but it was certainly possible.

‘But for that to work, it’s crucial that Gert comes to me for advice the moment he feels something strange…’

To make that happen, I needed to show him that I was on his side and fully supported his romantic relationships.

Having steeled my resolve, I carefully extracted one of my hands from Gert’s grip. His hand twitched reflexively, as if trying to grasp mine again.

I put on a deliberately trustworthy expression and patted the back of Gert’s hand as I spoke.

“If you say so, then I’m relieved too… But if you ever find yourself interested in someone, you must tell me. I don’t want to be oblivious about it.”

That’s what I said, but naturally I planned to be more oblivious than anyone else.

Gert, completely unaware of what I was thinking, responded indifferently to my request.

“There’s nothing like that…”

“Even if there isn’t! When there is!”

“…Fine.”

Perhaps finding my nagging bothersome, Gert replied slowly. Not satisfied with just that, I held out my pinky finger.

“Promise me.”

“Sigh.”

Gert exhaled and hooked his pinky finger with mine. His finger was so thick it was difficult, but I desperately wrapped my finger around his.

It was a promise obtained through what amounted to coercion, but a promise was still a promise. Given Gert’s personality, he would try his best to keep it.

Gert had no idea what kind of forced treaty he had just signed!

When we returned from the banquet, I had been somewhat at a loss about how to keep the princess in check, but now that I could see the direction I needed to take, it felt like a great burden had been lifted.

As I was congratulating myself, Gert asked.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Huh? Oh, yes.”

I nodded absently and touched the corners of my mouth. It seemed I had been smiling without realizing it.

“Good then.”

Gert chuckled and stood up from his seat.

“Are you leaving?”

“You had a tiring day today. You should rest now too.”

“I’m not particularly tired though…”

Since there was nothing more I could wheedle out of Gert, it was indeed time to part ways. When I started to get up to see him off, Gert stopped me.

“Just stay there. No need to go through the trouble of seeing me off. We’re not strangers.”

When Gert put it that way, the whole process of going downstairs to see him off and then coming back up to change clothes seemed bothersome.

Before I could hesitate for long, Gert strode out of the room. This made it awkward for me to follow after him.

‘He told me to rest. And he’s not the type to make a fuss about something like this later.’

I flopped down on the bed and rolled around until I heard the sound of Gert leaving the manor, then got up and headed to the window.

I could see Gert through the window. Just then, our eyes met as he looked up at the room I was in. I waved at Gert, telling him to go safely, and he gestured for me to rest.

I must have looked quite frail to him. Well, compared to Gert, wouldn’t anyone seem frail?

I chuckled softly and leaned my forehead against the window as I murmured.

“If you’re worried about me, don’t even think about dying…”

My breath fogged up the window before quickly disappearing. In that time, Gert’s figure also vanished. Like smoke.

***

Hilias, who had been waiting outside the manor with a carriage and coachman, looked surprised when he saw Gert emerge from the gate.

“You came out quickly.”

“Was there any reason to stay longer?”

“…Not particularly, I suppose.”

Feeling awkward at Gert’s firm attitude, Hilias answered hesitantly.

Gert didn’t seem particularly curious about why Hilias thought he would stay at the manor longer. Gert boarded the carriage, and Hilias followed him inside.

The carriage wheels rolled along in silence.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Gert spoke up.

“Oh, Orphea seems to want to attend social gatherings, so pick out some meetings with only decent people. Those with discreet tongues and serious dispositions. It would be even better if they were people with some artistic cultivation.”

“Lady Orphea wants to attend… social gatherings?”

From what Hilias had observed, Orphea had little interest in social activities. She was even indifferent to the banquets held in Lübenhartz. Even her own birthday celebration!

‘But seeing her attend today’s banquet, maybe Gert’s words about her being interested are true.’

It was probably for something she needed for writing heroic poetry or some such reason.

In that case, there were several suitable social gatherings. Art exchange meetings, banquets attended by various heroes, and so on.

Having selected a few appropriate options from the list of Petalien capital’s social circles that flashed through his mind, Hilias asked without much thought.

“Should I prepare two invitations, one for Lady Orphea and one for Lord Linos?”

“…Why would you bother with that Linos fellow’s invitation too?”

“Well, Lady Orphea attended today’s banquet with Lord Linos, didn’t she?”

Not understanding the intent behind Gert’s question, Hilias added defensively.

“Of course, someone as popular in social circles as Lord Linos could easily obtain invitations to the social gatherings I’ve selected, but the treatment from the hosts would inevitably differ from invitations obtained through you, Lord Gert. That’s why I thought you specifically asked me to select social gatherings…”

“Tsk…”

Gert’s face contorted with displeasure as he clicked his tongue. Soon after, Gert leaned back deeply against his seat and said.

“No. One invitation for Orphea will be enough. I’ll be going with her.”

“…You’ll be going personally, my lord? But you’ve always found social gatherings bothersome. You only attend the minimum necessary banquets…”

Hilias trailed off with a troubled expression.

Even Count Tindal’s daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony—if the count’s daughter weren’t going to be the next Count Tindal, he probably wouldn’t have bothered attending.

Count Tindal’s family was a political ally of Lübenhartz, so there was some need to maintain appearances.

‘But even then, he just left right away…’

Count Tindal would have every right to hold a grudge, thinking his family was being disrespected.

Still, it takes two to make a sound. Count Tindal knew his twins weren’t innocent either, so he probably wouldn’t misunderstand that Gert left early because he was disrespecting the Tindal family.

Hilias recalled Count Tindal beating up the twins like catching rats when they escaped from the Tindal manor, and sighed in relief.

‘Ugh, I’m the only one worrying about Lord Gert’s social standing and political alliances.’

Gert himself was focused solely on how unfairly Orphea had been treated at today’s banquet.

“You saw what happened today. If I don’t go with her, all sorts of riffraff will swarm around her.”

“So you’re saying you’ll accompany her out of concern for Lady Orphea’s safety?”

“That’s right.”

“But it would be terribly boring for you, my lord. If Lady Orphea is to attend social gatherings, they’ll likely be art exchange meetings and such.”

Hilias expected Gert to say he’d think about it more after hearing this.

But surprisingly.

“Tsk. Can’t be helped.”

Hilias was genuinely shocked by Gert’s words, spoken without a moment’s hesitation.

The man who considered art a waste of time and detested it…!

After marrying Orphea, the minstrel, he had developed some respect for art, but that didn’t mean he had come to like it.

Even Orphea herself refrained from playing her lyre as much as possible when Gert was staying at the castle.

Yet here was Gert volunteering to attend art exchange meetings!

‘I really can’t understand Lord Gert’s thinking.’

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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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