I’ll Be the Heroine’s Competent Divorce Partner - Chapter 121

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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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Chapter 121

 

I glanced at the Crown Prince, trying to gauge his reaction.

 

Then a refreshing answer came back.

 

“That’s fine.”

 

“But….”

 

“I am the Crown Prince. I am someone who has the duty to work so that the Empire can develop even further.”

 

The Crown Prince drew a firm line just like that.

 

“To be clear, I’m not granting Lady a title without reason. Lady is strictly earning the title through her own merit.”

 

“Your Highness. That is….”

 

“Also, I think that Lady having a title itself… is proof that the Empire is moving in a better direction.”

 

I stared at the Crown Prince as if entranced.

 

That man who was always upright and confident in his own convictions.

 

Such a man was believing in me without wavering.

 

If that’s the case.

 

‘Wouldn’t it be okay to have a little more courage and face things head-on?’

 

At the same time, my lips moved on their own.

 

“Then… I want to accept it.”

 

At that answer, the Crown Prince smiled brightly like the sun on a clear summer day.

 

“Yes, I knew Lady would answer like that.”

 

Why is it?

 

The moment I faced that smile.

 

…The reason my heart is fluttering so much.

 

* * *

 

After finishing all our conversation like that, it was already late evening with twilight settling in.

 

I headed toward the carriage with the Crown Prince’s escort.

 

“Today was truly an enjoyable and beneficial time.”

 

Just before boarding the carriage.

 

The Crown Prince casually brought up a topic.

 

“For me as well.”

 

I responded with a bright smile.

 

At the same time, the Crown Prince continued speaking in a casual voice, as if he had just remembered something.

 

“Oh right, about what I mentioned to you before.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“About how it would be if you stayed at the imperial palace.”

 

What’s this, he acted like he had completely forgotten about what happened back then.

 

Why is he suddenly bringing this up?

 

“I’m truly sorry for putting you in a difficult position back then. However….”

 

The Crown Prince trailed off for a moment.

 

Unlike his usual clear-cut manner, he appeared to be hesitating.

 

After a brief pause.

 

The Crown Prince, who had made some kind of momentous decision, dropped a bombshell statement.

 

“What I said about not wanting to see Lady suffer—I meant it.”

 

…What?

 

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

 

But the Crown Prince wasn’t finished speaking yet.

 

“To be more precise.”

 

Having said that, the Crown Prince subtly averted his gaze.

 

Then he finished his words in a very small voice.

 

“…I’m concerned about Lady.”

 

I stared at the Crown Prince before me with wide eyes.

 

His handsome face was completely red.

 

Whether it was because of the sunset that had painted the entire world red, or for some other reason….

 

I couldn’t tell at all.

 

After a moment.

 

“I just felt like I needed to clarify this point before moving on.”

 

The Crown Prince, wearing a bitter smile, took my hand and led me to the carriage.

 

His attitude was so nonchalant that everything I had just heard felt like an illusion.

 

When I came to my senses, I was already stepping on the carriage footboard.

 

The Crown Prince offered a light farewell.

 

“Then please return safely, Lady Elodie.”

 

With those words, the Crown Prince released my hand.

 

‘Ah.’

 

I moved my lips slightly, then bit down firmly on my lower lip.

 

I wanted to ask more details about what he had just said.

 

But.

 

“I’ll see you again, Your Highness.”

 

In the end, what came out of my mouth was just a common farewell.

 

The Crown Prince gazed at me with a strangely bitter expression, then gently curved his eyes.

 

“Yes.”

 

And so, just as the carriage was about to depart.

 

‘Am I really just going to leave like this?’

 

Sitting in the carriage, I took a deep breath.

 

Am I going to let this pass again without finding the courage?

 

Am I planning to just keep hesitating forever?

 

‘I don’t… want that.’

 

My body moved before my thoughts could catch up.

 

I bolted upright and suddenly stuck my head out the carriage window.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

At that urgent call, the startled Crown Prince hurriedly approached the carriage.

 

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter…?”

 

“Well, that is…”

 

I looked up at the Crown Prince with trembling eyes.

 

My mouth had gone completely dry.

 

I swallowed hard and struggled to voice the question that was sticking to the tip of my tongue.

 

“What you just said… what did you mean?”

 

At that moment.

 

As if bright sunlight had suddenly shone down, the shadow that had been cast over his handsome face completely disappeared.

 

The Crown Prince gazed at me quietly for a moment.

 

Then he mischievously lifted the corners of his lips.

 

“Well, what do you think it means?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Think about it carefully.”

 

With those words, the carriage departed.

 

After sitting there in a daze for a long while, I buried my face in my hands.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

My face kept burning hot.

 

I wanted to somehow remain composed.

 

I didn’t want to jump to conclusions until everything was certain.

 

…But my oblivious heart was pounding on its own.

 

* * *

 

A week later.

 

A celebration party was held to commemorate the successful New Continent expedition.

 

The Imperial Family opened the grand hall of the imperial palace and generously provided fine liquor and all kinds of delicacies.

 

The distinguished guests attending the party were all on edge about the expedition’s results.

 

“My goodness, they really succeeded in exploring the New Continent.”

 

“Indeed. Everyone was saying it would fail.”

 

“They discovered a massive silver mine, didn’t they? So a tremendous amount of silver came in this time.”

 

“That’s not all. They discovered new tea leaves, and the aroma is said to be incredibly fragrant.”

 

However, people’s interest wasn’t focused solely on the expedition.

 

That was because there had been a piece of gossip that had been quietly heating up High Society recently.

 

The subject of that gossip was none other than…

 

“Speaking of which, about Marquis Bartsen.”

 

They say people will gossip about anyone behind their back, even the Emperor.

 

Especially when it comes to someone who didn’t even attend the celebration party, citing “poor health” as the reason.

 

“This time, he went to the hotel where Lady Elodie was staying, didn’t he?”

 

“That’s right. I heard he proposed but was rejected.”

 

There were too many eyes watching at the time anyway.

 

Moreover, since the Yusta Hotel was one of the finest luxury hotels in the Empire, most of the guests were also high-ranking officials.

 

It was the perfect environment for rumors to spread.

 

“Of course, the Marquis isn’t exactly lacking in status or position either.”

 

“But you two have such a large age difference, don’t you?”

 

“Besides, regarding that marriage proposal, I understand that Duke Laventess was the one who took the initiative in proceeding with it.”

 

People exchanged subtle glances with one another.

 

The recent ‘Laventess Ducal Family divorce lawsuit’ that had completely turned the Empire upside down.

 

As that lawsuit progressed, Laventess’s true nature was exposed to the public.

 

Elodie had taken the side of her Sister-in-law who was being persecuted by the family.

 

She had stood against the family’s unreasonableness.

 

And Duke Laventess responded by expelling his younger sister from the family.

 

“Oh, he’s coming over there.”

 

Just then, Duke Laventess entered the banquet hall.

 

His usual relaxed expression was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a face full of tension.

 

People who were glancing sideways at his stern face whispered again.

 

“Lady Elodie must be having quite a hard time too.”

 

“Since she was expelled from the family… she’s practically a commoner now.”

 

“It will be difficult for her to attend events like this in the future.”

 

“Besides, she’ll have to be mindful of the Duke’s feelings too.”

 

Meanwhile, David looked around the banquet hall with fierce eyes.

 

Only Isabel could be seen in the distance, laughing brightly while mingling with other Noble Ladies.

 

That Elodie girl was nowhere to be seen.

 

Upon confirming this, his expression softened slightly.

 

‘Without the Laventess name, that little girl is nothing.’

 

He planned to thoroughly crush her so she could never set foot in noble society again.

 

However, there was one thing that still didn’t sit well with him.

 

‘How much money did I invest in that girl, and she’s so ungrateful!’

 

Just as David was trying to calm his boiling anger.

 

The attendant standing at the entrance of the banquet hall shouted loudly.

 

“His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Elodie are entering!”

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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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