My Ex-Husband Came Back Crazy - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 42
Chapter 4. Respite (9)
Summer in the Southern Region blooms with a vivid, restless energy.
Centered on the beautiful, luminous waters of the Belemont River, grand mansions lined the riverbanks as naturally as the landscape itself—ornate and unapologetic.
Their exteriors gleamed with pale stone and marble; balconies and terraces opened toward the river as if on display, colonnades flowing into gardens where every luxury lay bare and unconcealed.
Yet the light of summer transfigured it all into something dignified.
“My goodness, that necklace! Is that not a Lucian Berno piece?”
In a garden set back from the riverbank, sheltered beneath white parasols, a cluster of young noblewomen had naturally turned their attention to a single point.
The woman drawing their gaze—Chloe of House Larendel—had paused mid-sip of her tea, her wrist coming to an elegant stop.
“Yes, indeed it is a Lucian Berno creation,” she replied.
Her answer elicited a chorus of sighs.
“That necklace hasn’t been shown publicly for over a decade, has it? And after that, he’s given it to no one!”
“So even Lucian Berno parts with his work for a young noblewoman of your standing?”
The lady of House Larendel—all but sovereign of the Southern Region, and bearing a name that exceeded even the title of Southern Princess—showed no arrogance. Instead, she lowered her head as if embarrassed, drawing smiles effortlessly in her wake.
It was a charming sight that seemed to disarm all present.
“Now that you mention it, I heard you visited the Imperial City recently?”
Chloe had shifted the topic with seamless grace.
The woman who had become the focus of her interest brightened visibly.
“Yes! I went with my father. The summer Social Season in the Imperial City was absolutely beautiful!”
“How delightful. You must have enjoyed yourself thoroughly. Any interesting news from your travels?”
Gossip from the Social Season was prized equally in the Capital and the Southern Region alike.
The eyes of the assembled women gleamed with different shades of curiosity. What they truly desired was the fragrance of scandal ripe for spreading.
So when Olang spoke without malice, her words were precisely what they had been hoping to hear.
“Have you all heard about House Windmere’s young count and his wife?”
At these words, Chloe—who had been listening to everything with perfect composure until now—reacted for the first time.
“Windmere? Has something happened to Lucius?”
The familiar way she spoke his name, the turn of her head—it was altogether too natural.
Olang, who had been about to launch into her tale, started visibly and found herself face to face with a Chloe transformed.
Her cheeks were flushed an appealing rose; her eyes, however, had grown murky and hard to read. Olang felt her throat tighten involuntarily.
“W-well, you see….”
Chloe smiled as if encouraging her to continue, but there was something unsettling about it—something that made Olang’s words falter.
“It seems the young count and his wife have been… their relationship has been… changing.”
“Has it become worse?”
“Goodness, could things possibly get any worse than they already were?”
Among the murmured voices, Chloe fixed her gaze steadily on Olang.
Her eyes gleamed like those of a beast that had caught its prey, and Olang found herself unable to decide whether to continue speaking or fall silent.
In the end, she shut her eyes tightly and forced the words out.
“No! Lately, the two of them have been going everywhere together. The Count escorts the Countess, even at the shops for their shopping….”
Those who had at first doubted her account suddenly began to chatter as though they had just heard something truly shocking.
“That’s impossible!”
“They’re on good terms? You mean… Count Lucius of House Windmere and Countess Celia of House Brickwell? Are you certain you’re not confusing them with another couple?”
Olang hastened to defend herself against the possibility of being labeled a liar.
She recounted what she had witnessed and enumerated the changes in their behavior, one by one. And Chloe listened to every word in silence.
Thus the tea gathering concluded, leaving behind a single layer of commotion.
Once everyone had departed, Chloe stood alone.
She withdrew a Letter from her hands.
[ Fahrenheit Lowentz ]
She traced the name written in neat script with her gaze once more, then slowly lowered her eyes.
“How could this be?”
Chloe held the Letter carefully in both hands.
“Lord Fahrenheit’s words were correct.”
She remained upright in her chair, her eyes blinking slowly. Despite her composed posture, her cold crimson gaze traced the spaces between the lines of the Letter with a chill.
“Something has happened to Lucius. I’m certain of it.”
Having come to some decision, she rose from her seat.
“I need to go to the Imperial City.”
The chair legs left an ugly scar across the grass as she rose.
***
Celia enjoyed her walks.
He had noticed this habit early on and had repeatedly intercepted her time under the guise of chance encounters, making it entirely his own.
“Let’s walk together.”
He noted that her usually light attire had grown slightly heavier, and he knew autumn was approaching.
“By the time we return to the Estate, I think it’ll be autumn.”
He broached the subject with practiced ease.
Celia, who had been looking down at the fallen petals beneath her feet, responded naturally enough.
“I haven’t prepared my autumn wardrobe yet.”
“We can go shopping for clothes again later.”
They remained in the Capital, having decided to leave after the Empress’s patronage of an exhibition by a famous painter concluded. The hours stretched out—leisurely, quiet, endlessly sweet.
But in the midst of this tranquility, Celia suddenly caught hold of something and grabbed his hand. The touch was unexpected; even Lucius, who was ordinarily unflappable, showed rare confusion on his face.
“Mm… Celia?”
She rarely initiated contact, so Lucius stiffened noticeably—quite unlike his usual composure—while Celia stared down at their joined hands, her eyes narrowing with focus.
“Is something troubling you?”
She tilted her head and pointed at his ring finger.
There, fitted snugly, lay a ring that seemed both vaguely familiar and strangely foreign.
A diamond ring with particularly exquisite light-work suited his long, straight hand well, yet it was not the sort of design the usual Lucius would prefer.
“Why are you wearing this? I feel like I’ve seen it before, but I can’t remember where.”
When she asked about the ring’s origin, Lucius’s face became like a portrait finished with varnish.
“…This is our Wedding Ring.”
Celia immediately bit her tongue.
She withdrew her hand as quickly as if she’d touched something hot.
An indescribable, awkward silence descended.
‘A Wedding Ring?’
Of course they had Wedding Rings. During the ceremony itself, there had been a moment when they’d exchanged rings.
But she had discarded hers carelessly once the ceremony ended, and she had no idea where it was.
‘I didn’t even know what it looked like.’
Lucius broke the silence and moved closer.
“Would you like to see it?”
With a fluid motion, he removed the ring from his finger and offered it to her.
He carefully uncurled her fist, which had been clenched tightly, and placed the ring in her open palm. The small ornament felt surprisingly heavy.
Celia did her best to hide her embarrassment, but her mind was already spiraling into chaos.
‘Why on earth does he have this?’
She had assumed he’d thrown his away as well.
She rummaged through her thoughts and barely managed to drag out some words.
“I’ll… I’ll look for mine too.”
Confusion had seized her tongue.
But contrary to her expectation, Lucius’s response was measured. Instead, he wrapped his firm arms around her waist and spoke softly.
“It’s alright.”
Then he took back the ring he had given her.
The ring, now returned to its owner, did not settle back onto his finger; instead, it disappeared into his pocket.
“Let’s have new ones made together.”
When Celia lifted her eyes, he was already looking at her.
Light filtered through the leaves of the pavilion and pooled in his eyes.
“This ring isn’t one you chose yourself, nor one we chose together.”
“That’s… true, but…”
Your father or mine probably prepared it in haste.
“I’d like to make new ones to commemorate this memory. Fresh ones, truly ours.”
Wind passed through the leaves, rustling them gently.
For some reason, the idea didn’t seem entirely terrible.
The wedding day, locked away in the recesses of memory—wasn’t a new ring vastly preferable to a memento of something she’d tried so hard to forget?
“…The stone should be at least two carats.”
“Of course. As much as you wish, my lady.”
He smiled warmly and pressed his lips to her cheek.
She had noticed it before and thought of it often: his touch was natural. He approached without measuring distance and pressed his body close without hesitation.
The problem was that Celia was growing ever more accustomed to such contact.
“Count!”
Just as Lucius held Celia—now at peace in his embrace—a sudden voice shattered their moment.
He exhaled in quiet frustration and turned his head.
An attendant who had come running breathlessly began to speak.
“A guest has arrived.”

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