An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 44

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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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#44

 

My jaw dropped. Of course, even before I went to change clothes, I knew the twins had been bickering, so I didn’t expect pleasant words to be exchanged, but to think he’d slap them so openly!

 

“I, I told you not to fight!”

 

“We didn’t fight. I just… cleared them from my sight. Watching them swagger around in front of me was getting on my nerves.”

 

Gert added as if making an excuse. But both he and I knew that saying they didn’t fight was sophistry.

 

“Did the twins just stand there after hearing that?”

 

“What if they didn’t?”

 

Gert snorted. His attitude was quite confident.

 

“Their sister deliberately spilled wine on your dress, so what would happen if they didn’t stay put after that.”

 

At Gert’s unexpected words, my eyes widened.

 

“You knew?”

 

“Of course. You can tell at a glance whether it’s deliberate or an accident. The twins knew too, so they quietly backed down.”

 

“…I had no idea.”

 

To think that when Helena spilled the wine, everyone except me knew Helena’s true intentions. I felt somewhat wronged.

 

“I thought you knew everything too but just covered it up because you didn’t want things to get noisy. I figured you were curious about what reason that woman had for pulling tricks on you.”

 

“I don’t have eyes as good as you guys, you know? I’m completely ordinary.”

 

Understanding the situation, I could see why Gert had been so hostile toward the twins and Helena.

 

Rather, I felt sorry for having scolded Gert so much. I honestly expressed my gratitude.

 

“It does feel satisfying that you handled it that way. It wasn’t particularly uncomfortable, but still, it would have been bothersome to face Princess Tindal as if nothing had happened.”

 

“…Nothing really happened when you went to change clothes, right?”

 

Even though I’d clearly said nothing happened earlier, Gert immediately pounced like a hunting dog as soon as he sensed the slightest hesitation in my words.

 

“Really nothing happened. Someone just wanted to talk briefly.”

 

“A man? What did he say? He didn’t confess to you or anything, did he?”

 

Gert asked eagerly. Before I knew it, his face had come close enough to touch mine. His bloodshot eyes wavered with excitement.

 

‘So close!’

 

Every time his face suddenly approached like this, my heart raced. Not wanting to reveal that I was conscious of him, I tried my best to appear calm while pushing his face aside.

 

“It wasn’t a man.”

 

“Even if it’s a woman, it’s the same. Anyone who schemes behind the scenes using other people and acts deviously isn’t a good person. Got it, Orphea?”

 

I had intended to keep my meeting with Lairinne secret, but with Gert saying that much, I wanted to reveal the truth.

 

That the one scheming behind the scenes and acting deviously was precisely Lairinne!

 

Then I could instantly change Gert’s impression of Lairinne to a negative one…

 

‘No, I can’t do that.’

 

Since I’d decided to interfere for just one year, I had to refrain from making statements that would affect their future relationship.

 

But thinking of the hostility and absurd misunderstanding she’d shown me today, I couldn’t easily shake off my resentment.

 

‘I’m doing all this so everything works out well in the end!’

 

As I was suppressing my wicked desires, Gert grabbed my hand. My hand was instantly swallowed up in his large grip.

 

“Last time, when I brought you home after Count Tindal’s daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony.”

 

Gert looked at me seriously. His blue eyes rippled with subtle heat.

 

With Gert suddenly changing the subject, it became awkward to bring up Lairinne’s deviousness.

 

“You asked me to definitely tell you if a woman I was interested in appeared. I said I understood.”

 

“You did.”

 

“It’s the same for you. If someone appears that you want to date or have a more serious relationship with, you must bring them to me for permission. Got it?”

 

It’s not like getting permission from a father to date.

 

Moreover, since I never had a father, I’d never heard such words before! I asked sourly.

 

“…I need to get permission too? What I said was just to notify me.”

 

“You need permission. If they’re really decent, I won’t interfere either. But you attract particularly strange people, and you have strangely vulnerable aspects too.”

 

Gert continued with an uncharacteristically firm attitude, his eyes flashing. But rather, such an attitude made my rebellious spirit flare up.

 

‘Really, how many strange people could possibly be attracted to me? And what part of me is vulnerable?’

 

Feeling offended, I shouted impulsively.

 

“Then you should get my permission too!”

 

“Me too?”

 

‘…Oops.’

 

It was good that I’d impulsively come out strong, but after actually saying it, I regretted it.

 

No matter what, how dare I tell the great Gert to get permission!

 

‘…Hmph, it’s not like I said something I shouldn’t have. Gert was the one who crossed the line first.’

 

I rationalized as much as possible and prepared to fight back if Gert became displeased.

 

‘In the first place, it’s not right for a fully grown adult with decision-making rights to get permission from someone…’

 

“Why not.”

 

“…Really?”

 

I was bewildered that Gert agreed so readily. The countless rebuttals swirling in my mouth instantly faded away.

 

“Really, would it be fake otherwise?”

 

Gert chuckled.

 

“I, unlike you, I’m not good at judging people, and even if you bring someone decent, I might keep rejecting them?”

 

“You’d have your reasons for doing that.”

 

“…”

 

Now that Gert trusted me this much, I didn’t feel entirely comfortable. Unlike his pure concern for me, my true feelings cared more about my own circumstances than his.

 

“I’ll get permission too, so you get permission as well. Got it?”

 

Gert’s blue eyes gazed at me quietly. Under his domineering gaze that seemed to reject rejection, my mind spun rapidly.

 

‘Something feels off about this…’

 

But anyway, for the next year I had to focus only on completing the heroic poem, so I had no energy to meet anyone. That would be something to think about a year later.

 

There was no need to worry about it. Rather, since Gert said he’d get permission, it was something to welcome with open arms.

 

‘If he reports having a woman he’s interested in, I’ll interfere, and if a woman he wants to date appears, I’ll reject her… This way, even if Gert wants to like someone, he won’t be able to!’

 

Though I felt a bit sorry for Gert, if it worked out that way, everything would be solved!

 

After quickly calculating, I readily agreed.

 

“Good!”

 

“Then make a promise too.”

 

Gert held out his pinky finger like I had done before. I intertwined my finger with his.

 

Only then did a slyly satisfied smile spread across Gert’s lips. Having secured Gert’s trust, I too could finally breathe a small sigh of relief.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, we had arrived at my mansion. After getting Gert’s escort out of the carriage, I was about to bid him farewell.

 

But as soon as I turned around, what I encountered was Hilias unloading a pile of boxes from behind the carriage.

 

“…What’s that?”

 

“These are this auction’s winning items.”

 

Hilias answered matter-of-factly while skillfully holding boxes stacked higher than his head.

 

“I know those are auction items. My question was why you’re unloading them here.”

 

“Because Lord Gert won items that Lady Orphea could use?”

 

“I already received a jewelry set as a gift earlier?”

 

“Of course that’s part of this too. There’s no way Lord Gert would have only won that one item.”

 

Hilias answered as if my question was strange while handing the boxes to the gatekeeper who had come out to greet us.

 

The gatekeeper, who had initially been startled to see Gert and Hilias, now seemed accustomed to my returning with them and calmly received the boxes.

 

I was dumbfounded that everyone except me treated this situation as natural. I blocked the gatekeeper who was about to enter the mansion with the boxes and asked Hilias.

 

“So, all of these boxes right now?”

 

“Yes. Everything we brought from the auction house.”

 

Hilias nodded calmly. Then, thinking his explanation was insufficient, he frowned briefly before smiling brightly and adding.

 

“It’s not 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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