My Contract Husband Demands a Divorce - Chapter 31

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“There was a backup plan, but not anymore.”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?”
The backup plan had been to win Amarynthis over.
Though the source of the pressure remained unknown, a Draft Proposal for the Inheritance Law Amendment was already undergoing review.
That was why he had thought of a fake pregnancy.
Even if a couple divorced, the inheritance wouldn’t be returned immediately if the wife was expecting.
In other words, separating now would still buy them time until the bill was officially amended.
Once the law changed, they could simply claim a miscarriage or a stillbirth, and the problem would vanish.
Since Amarynthis had no reason to refuse a divorce as long as she didn’t have to return her inheritance, he had believed she would surely agree if he persuaded her well.
Yulisian had executed his part perfectly.
Or rather, he had tried to.
The problem lay in Amarynthis’s reaction.
The moment he suggested they have a child, astonishment, anger, and a faint trace of contempt flitted across her face.
‘I have no intention of using a baby as a tool to secure an inheritance. I will have a child only when I am ready to love them. So never bring that up again!’
‘Wait, what I mean is—’
‘There is no waiting. You should consider yourself lucky I didn’t slap you across the face!’
The voice Amarynthis had used then was resolute and icy.
There had been no time to explain properly. She had stormed straight out of the room.
Yulisian was inwardly startled by her reaction.
Most nobles did not view children as the fruit of love. To them, offspring were merely tools to carry on the lineage and solidify one’s standing within the family.
He had secretly assumed she would share a similar perspective.
To him, Amarynthis was a lavish, thoughtless noble lady who bought a four-hundred-million-gold Stone on a whim and intentionally chose to marry a man from an obscure family just because running a household was too tedious.
Yet from her lips came such sound, rational words: ‘I won’t use a life as a tool.’
‘She really is unpredictable.’
Yulisian crossed his legs and tapped his toe. Uncharacteristically, he couldn’t easily rein in his drifting thoughts.
When he offered no reply, Tristan nudged the sole of Yulisian’s shoe with the toe of his own boot, forcing him to uncross his legs.
Papilion frowned at the overly familiar display.
“Are you saying you failed to win her over?”
Ever since she stormed out huffing with rage, Amarynthis had remained shut up in her room.
Even when he asked Sindy to call her, the maid would only shoot him a resentful glare before delivering a curt message: ‘The mistress says she doesn’t wish to speak with you.’
“It appears so, yes.”
A brief silence descended upon the room. Papilion looked highly displeased with the situation.
A prickly gaze lingered on him for a long moment, as if the man across from him were measuring whether he truly intended to cooperate.
Yulisian had his own share of headaches.
In a few days, he had to bring the research results to Kildian.
If he failed to divorce Amarynthis by then, he wouldn’t be able to use the excuse that ‘the research couldn’t progress due to a lack of funds.’
If he at least knew the contents, purpose, or progress of the research, he could have fabricated a lie.
After a moment of deliberation, Yulisian spoke up.
“By any chance, are the notebooks I brought you last time still being decoded?”
Papilion simply nodded without opening his mouth, clearly wanting to interact with him as little as possible.
Yulisian watched him for a moment before pulling out a sheet of paper.
He had transcribed the contents of a directive.
“Another set of Directives arrived a few days ago.”
Papilion picked up the paper. As he unfolded it, Tristan leaned close to peer at the page beside him.
♂∵ ↓○◇ ✰■ (∞ ↑◁♂ #§ (■◇ ✰○^ %∞◇ ↑∞ (∞」
The message was still filled with nothing but incomprehensible symbols, and Papilion’s expression remained just as cold.
To be completely honest, he still couldn’t bring himself to trust Scheit Huniswald.
The man did bring them materials, but they were all utterly useless.
Furthermore, every single one of the carefully laid plans had ended in failure.
Did they really have to keep tolerating this man’s face?
“If all the divorce plans have failed, we’ll have to look for another way to cut off his funding. Unless something major happens, I don’t think you need to come back here anymore.”
It was a polite eviction.
He was being told that since he was no longer useful, he shouldn’t show his face until something extraordinary occurred.
Considering Papilion harbored a personal grudge against Baron Scheit Huniswald, the tone was remarkably courteous.
Yulisian decided to take a step back for now.
“Understood. Separately, could you let me know once the Cipher or Ancient Language Decoding is complete?”
“I’ll consider it.”
Though he spoke as if leaving room for possibility, Papilion had no intention of sharing that information.
If Scheit reported to Kildian that ‘the remnants of Archduke Yulisian decoded the cipher,’ it would create an incredibly difficult situation.
Kildian would undoubtedly create a new cipher or use the existing one to forge fake orders and set a trap.
There was no reason to court such danger.
Studying Papilion’s expression, Yulisian let out a bitter smile.
‘I suppose gaining their trust won’t be easy after all.’
It didn’t matter if they couldn’t see eye to eye immediately.
Ultimately, they would try to stop Kildian if he crossed the line. When that time came, the materials Yulisian had handed over would prove invaluable.
‘I wonder if they’ll welcome me back if I succeed in divorcing my wife.’
Instead of voicing his inner thoughts, he rose from his seat.
Papilion watched Yulisian with a crooked, cynical expression.
He clearly had no intention of seeing his guest out.
Tristan, however, stood up along with Yulisian. When Papilion flinched and awkwardly started to rise as well, Tristan pressed down on his shoulder, guiding him back into his chair.
“I should probably head back soon myself. I’ll see him out while I’m at it.”
Papilion wore a face that practically screamed, ‘Why on earth are you seeing that man out?’ but he didn’t stop him.
Yulisian left the room accompanied by Tristan.
After walking in silence for a while, Tristan suddenly spoke up.
“Once the decryption of the cipher Kildian uses is finished, I’ll let you know.”
It was an unexpected kindness.
“Papilion won’t like that.”
“Phil has a tendency to be overly distrustful of people. To me, you don’t seem like a bad person.”
“Still, you shouldn’t hand over classified information so easily.”
“Well, if you’re that worried, just find a way to get on Papilion’s good side!”
Tristan draped an arm around Yulisian’s shoulders and chuckled heartily.
Then, he began to hearty-thump Yulisian on the back.
“Besides, I like the look in your eyes. You look just like that guy.”
There was no need to ask who he was referring to.
The man had incredibly sharp instincts.
Upon reaching the back door, Tristan pressed a slip of paper into Yulisian’s hand.
“That’s my home address. Contact me if anything happens. You’re welcome to drop by for a visit, too.”
Yulisian nodded and slipped away from the Archduke’s Mansion.
Mounting the horse he had tied to a tree, he gripped the paper tightly alongside the reins.
Since the divorce had fallen through, he needed to find another pretext for the lack of progress in his research.
‘There are only a few days left, but a way to turn things around within that time…’
To prevent the sound of hooves from giving him away, he left the horse tied outside and scaled the wall of the Huniswald Mansion.
The tree beneath Scheit’s room had broken his fall when he jumped down, but it was too difficult to climb back up.
Consequently, he had no choice but to use the servants’ entrance to return to his quarters.
Quietly pushing the door open, he ascended the narrow spiral staircase to the second floor.
He crept down the hallway without making a single sound and grasped the doorknob.
“……”
For some reason, he sensed a presence inside.
‘Is it my wife again?’
Amused despite himself, Yulisian turned the knob.
Creak. The interior was revealed alongside the sharp, scraping sound of the hinges.
He naturally scanned the room, looking for Amarynthis.
However, the person sitting on the sofa was not Amarynthis, but—
“Where have you been at this hour?”
It was Kildian.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————