An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 45

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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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#45

“It’s not a small amount! I heard about the sum Gert has to spend at the auction house today!”

Even roughly calculating the price, it was an amount that would require selling several more monster lion hides.

I realized there was no point in continuing to argue with Hilias. In the end, all of this was Gert’s will. I turned my arrows toward Gert, who had been standing back as if it had nothing to do with him while Hilias and I went back and forth.

“Gert. This seems too excessive. I can’t accept that. There’s no reason for me to accept it either…”

“Why is there no reason? You ruined your dress today, and you weren’t in a good mood either.”

“So that’s not a reason for you to give me all that stuff?”

Gert tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand my words at all. Then he sighed quietly and smiled brightly as if he had found an answer.

That smile resembled the one Hilias had been wearing earlier.

“If you don’t like it, you can just sell it. If that’s too bothersome, I can have Hilias convert it to money for you.”

In other words, neither Hilias nor Gert understood what I was saying at all.

“It’s not that I don’t like it…”

I gave up trying to persuade Gert and scratched the back of my neck vigorously. When someone has so much money it’s rotting away and wants to spend it on me, what can I do?

It’s not like I have an obsession with refusing free money either.

But still, I had some conscience left. Even though it wasn’t what I had wanted, he had given me so many gifts, so it felt wrong to just say thanks with empty courtesy and send him away.

I wanted to give something in return.

In cases like this, there was only one thing I could do.

“Anyway, you spent money, and I feel sorry about it. As a token of appreciation, how about I play a song for you?”

In the past, I wouldn’t have even suggested it because I thought Gert disliked my songs, but since we had cleared up our misunderstanding when Gert had a fever last time, there was no reason to avoid it.

Gert looked surprised as if he hadn’t expected me to make such a suggestion. Uncharacteristically hesitant, he answered carefully after some thought.

“…If you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind playing for you?”

Artists who dislike regularly proving their skills to their patrons don’t achieve great success.

“While we’re at it, why don’t you listen today? Do you have time?”

Strike while the iron is hot – since the topic had come up, there was no reason to postpone it. I immediately grabbed Gert’s hand and pulled him along. With my hand, I couldn’t grasp his entire hand, so the best I could do was clutch two or three of his fingers.

A fragile connection that seemed like it would break at any moment if Gert applied just a little force.

Of course, Gert didn’t shake off my hand.

***

Considering that noble social gatherings usually continue until midnight, since we had returned early, it seemed fine to keep Gert around long enough to sing one song.

The sun had set, but the weather was perfect. The night air wasn’t cold either.

On a day like this, there was no need to stay inside the room.

I left Gert in the garden and came back after changing into comfortable clothes. Since I felt uncomfortable wearing borrowed clothes for too long, putting on my own clothes finally made me feel alive again.

When I returned, Gert was sitting in the armchair. When I usually sat there, I could curl up with my knees and still have plenty of room, but with Gert sitting there, it looked precarious as if it might collapse at any moment.

Well, if the chair broke, Gert would buy me a new one, so I wasn’t worried.

I sat on the pavilion railing and plucked the lyre strings as I asked.

“Is there anything you want to hear?”

“Hmm… anything?”

“You said that last time too – you’re asking for the most difficult thing.”

When I grumbled, Gert scratched his chin awkwardly.

“…But I don’t know much about songs.”

“Famous songs or… don’t you know anything? Then there are the songs I’ve played before. In the expedition and such.”

“Ah.”

Gert blinked as if he hadn’t thought of that, then crossed his arms and pondered for a long time.

I rested my chin on my hand and watched Gert’s contemplation. How much time passed like that? Despite all his thinking, he requested something not much different from the beginning.

“I’ve thought about it, and I think the song I want to hear is the song you want to play.”

“So, that’s the most difficult thing, I’m telling you.”

I grumbled at Gert.

If anyone else had said what Gert said, I would have snapped at them, asking if I had to not only perform for them but also choose the repertoire to suit their taste.

I would have also asked if they thought they could listen to my songs with such an insincere attitude.

But Gert’s words didn’t feel that bad.

Rather, while everyone else requested songs they wanted to hear, I felt more like Gert was giving me an opportunity.

The reason I treated Gert differently wasn’t because he was Alkides and the protagonist of my heroic poem. It wasn’t because he was my patron either.

It was because I had learned that Gert was unfamiliar and clumsy with such things.

It was also thanks to Gert confirming that he liked my songs.

In any case, an artist cannot dislike someone who loves their work. Especially if that person is the only one who loves that artist.

I looked at the man who was older than me and about 1.5 times larger in all directions, and smiled warmly.

‘Actually, his clumsy side seems kind of cute too.’

Like when he dozed off leaning on my much lower shoulder, recently I felt like my illusions about Gert were being shattered in various ways.

But strangely, the more I encountered his clumsiness, instead of disappointment, a subtle satisfaction filled my chest. I felt closer to him too.

I feel like I know more about him now than when I slept with him before my regression. When I slept with him, it was rather more…

‘Without realizing it, I had expectations, so I was disappointed by each of his reactions.’

In terms of time flow, it was less than a year ago, but it felt as distant as something from long ago.

Before my regression, even though I desperately tried to ignore Gert, I couldn’t forget the memory of that day.

After my regression, even though my meetings with Gert increased, that incident became blurrier instead.

‘Because the current Gert is not the Gert from back then.’

But in the end, he’s a man I have to send to Lairinne. I tried not to forget that fact, and hiding such complicated feelings among the lyre strings, I asked casually.

“Then how about the launching ceremony song? It was the most popular among the expedition members. You’ve never properly heard it, have you?”

“…I suppose not.”

The launching ceremony song was the first song I sang after joining the expedition.

At that time, Gert, who found me disagreeable, went inside the ship without even listening to my song, and even after that, whenever I sang at the expedition members’ requests, he showed such obvious displeasure that I never finished a song in front of him.

‘He really poured a lot of cold water on me…’

Back then, I never dreamed I would be performing for Gert.

Especially when we were alone like this.

I chuckled and pulled the lyre closer. Then I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing.

The sound of waves hitting the ship and scattering with white foam. The salty scent lingering at my nose tip.

The scene from the launching ceremony flickered as if it were yesterday.

After settling my mind, I opened my eyes and placed my hand on the strings once more.

And after taking a breath.

I carefully plucked the strings.

***

Let the goddess dwell in the Dodona Oak.

Light rhythm, cheerful lyre sounds.

Orphea’s voice, as refreshing as a whistle heard from afar, tickled Gert’s ears.

On this sea without crossroads

It shall become an unwavering signpost

The voice that had been lightly passing by spread out like a sail catching the wind.

Grateful for Hecate’s blessing

Fill the wine cup with the wine of life

Everyone raise your glasses in toast!

Gert fidgeted with the wine cup placed on the drinking table that Berta had prepared.

Back then, whenever Orphea sang this verse, the Expedition members would follow along with the chorus while raising their wine cups high.

Orphea probably thought Gert had never heard this song before, but in fact, Gert had once listened to this song from beginning to end.

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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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