An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 39

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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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#39

If I left Gert alone like this, he would probably continue radiating that gloomy aura even after arriving at the banquet hall, so I hurriedly waved my hands dismissively to lighten the mood.

“It’s fine. Even if the gathering was boring, being with you was fun. Honestly, I feel like I’ve gotten to know you in more detail recently.”

Come to think of it, I had learned more about Gert in the past few months than in the three years since we got married.

From the fact that Gert dozes off during boring lessons, to how he looks forward to my heroic poems, and even that he likes my singing.

Thanks to my diligent efforts to smooth things over, by the time our carriage arrived at the Royal Palace, the initially stiff and gloomy atmosphere had considerably softened. Only then could I breathe a sigh of relief.

Anyway, my goal is to keep the princess in check.

Since showing discord with Gert in front of the princess might unnecessarily fuel her expectations, I decided to stick close to Gert’s side and act as friendly as possible.

***

The letter I received from Hilias didn’t contain proper details, but thanks to thoroughly questioning Gert on the way to the castle, I learned the circumstances behind Gert’s attendance at today’s charity auction.

Sure enough, today’s royal charity auction had the princess’s influence behind it.

The princess had recently heard news about farms near the Capital City suffering damage from wildfires, and wanting to lend a hand, she pestered His Majesty to hold this event, though I doubted her intentions were purely altruistic.

‘Even if it’s just a means to an end, the charity auction results themselves are good.’

Anyway, since this auction was hastily organized with less than two weeks of preparation, there were bound to be various shortcomings. But His Majesty, who cherishes the princess, wouldn’t let the princess’s first charity event fail.

That’s why Gert ended up coming to this banquet.

Just having the Grand Duke and greatest hero in attendance would elevate the event’s prestige.

Plus, he could also contribute a decent amount of money as sponsorship, killing two birds with one stone.

But even for His Majesty, asking something of Gert, who is an Alkides, couldn’t have been easy.

‘His Majesty must really cherish the princess. Making Gert do something like this to establish the princess’s prestige.’

The charity auction was held in the garden.

Since it was getting dark, it wasn’t the best time to appreciate the garden, but since Princess Lairinne was famous for her lily garden, they probably chose the garden as the venue on purpose.

They were still transplanting new lilies, and even though several months had passed since the coming-of-age ceremony, the lily fragrance still filled the air.

Champagne and dessert tables were arranged around the auction platform against the backdrop of the sunset sky, allowing guests to freely enjoy refreshments while participating in the auction.

Most of the invited guests were young. At most in their mid-thirties. Even among those, there were more unmarried young ladies and gentlemen than married couples.

I could see the twins waving at us from a distance. Next to them was a young woman with dark green hair braided into two plaits, similar to the twins. She appeared to be Helena, their younger sister who had her coming-of-age ceremony last time.

“Here’s your catalog.”

A servant handed us a catalog as we entered. Having nothing else to do after taking my seat, I casually looked through the catalog.

I hadn’t expected much from a hastily organized auction, but the catalog was filled with all sorts of precious items.

‘…To think they’d go this far just to invite Gert.’

A third of the items were the princess’s cherished possessions, and the rest were contributed by His Majesty and other high nobles. Crafts, artworks, jewelry – everything was precious without exception.

The catalog also included an item Gert had donated. It was the hide of a monster lion I had seen when I married Gert.

“Will something like this really sell?”

“Well, someone did ask me to sell it, so I donated it.”

“They asked you to sell it, not to buy it expensively… Won’t it be problematic if it sells too cheaply?”

“Then I’ll just spend more money buying other items. I came here to spend money anyway.”

Gert replied indifferently. It wasn’t that I wanted Gert to contribute something expensive, but I also didn’t want people gossiping behind his back about contributing something too cheap.

Contributing items, spending money, showing his face to raise the auction’s prestige.

He was even fulfilling the princess’s wish to see Gert, so from the princess’s perspective, it wasn’t just killing two birds with one stone, but three or even four birds.

As I was flipping through the catalog with displeasure, Gert bent down and whispered softly in my ear.

“Is there anything you want?”

I jumped involuntarily at his voice suddenly tickling my earlobe.

“Whoa!”

Startled by the unexpectedly close distance between Gert and me, I nearly slipped off my chair.

Fortunately, Gert caught me just in time, saving me from making a fool of myself in front of everyone.

I used Gert’s arm as support to steady myself. Gert looked at me worriedly and asked.

“Are you okay? Did I accidentally hit you or something…?”

“No, no. I was just startled.”

I waved my hands dismissively. I was so surprised that I momentarily missed what Gert had said.

“So, what did you say?”

“Ah, I was wondering if there’s anything you want. Feel free to choose anything. If you don’t buy something, I’ll end up buying some useless water bottle or vase or whatever pottery and stuffing it in storage.”

“But even if I buy something, there’s nothing particularly useful…”

I rolled my eyes around and looked down at the catalog in my hands. I must have gripped it too tightly, as it had become quite mangled in the meantime.

Gert skillfully pointed to what he wanted even among those pitiful remains.

“Why isn’t there anything useful? This jewelry here. It would suit you well.”

“…Really?”

I looked at the jewelry set featured where Gert was pointing.

Usually I prefer jewelry that fits snugly against my earlobes or neck, but this was more of the dangling type.

Would this suit me well?

‘…Come to think of it, when I was the Grand Duchess, the jewelry Gert gave me as gifts and the jewelry Berta prepared for banquets were all this style. Maybe this is Gert’s taste.’

Thinking about it that way, I found it fascinating.

Of course, everyone has preferences about how they’d like the opposite sex to dress.

Linos said he liked women wearing skirts with thigh slits, and I also preferred when men wore belts that showed their waistline and hip area.

So having a preference for women wearing dangling jewelry wasn’t particularly strange, but the fact that Gert had such preferences in the first place was fascinating!

‘I wouldn’t have thought he’d care about such things.’

Anyway, since Gert found this kind of thing appealing, I was secretly interested.

It wasn’t like I had any particular reason for preferring jewelry that fits snugly to my body.

‘It was just more comfortable.’

But even though I was interested in this dangling jewelry, I couldn’t choose this particular set.

‘This was contributed by Lairinne…’

Looking at the contributor’s name, I sighed.

Setting aside the fact that there would be fierce competition since it was the princess’s item, I was worried about the princess finding out that I received this jewelry set from Gert.

‘She’d be very upset.’

No matter that it was an item she contributed for charity, it was still hers. For Gert to give it to me as a gift would be enough to make the princess, who likes Gert, feel sick to her stomach.

This wouldn’t make the princess hate Gert, but it could strengthen her hatred toward me.

Then she’d try even harder to interfere with me…

Only then, worried that the princess might be watching us, I looked around the banquet hall.

‘Come to think of it, I don’t see the princess anywhere.’

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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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