The Returned Husband Refuses to Divorce - Chapter 6

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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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“There are two matters I needed to discuss. First, you may have heard already, but it’s about Purification. I believe I might be able to purify you.”
“Ah, Purification.”
Yet Zekard’s response was decidedly lukewarm.
“Of course I’m grateful, but there’s no need to strain yourself. I’m not in any hurry.”
Ines found herself thoroughly bewildered.
‘That’s strange.’
In fact, Ines had believed this would make an excellent bait.
But somehow Zekard showed no interest in Purification whatsoever—and seemed utterly unmoved by the very fact that Ines possessed Holy Power.
“Then the second matter must be the more pressing one. If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to hear that first.”
Ines gathered herself.
‘Right. That makes sense. If I don’t have to use my Holy Power, then all the better for me.’
Yet Zekard’s next words were equally disorienting.
“I’m curious to hear what you have to say. I’ve always been the one to seek you out—this is the first time you’ve come to me.”
“……What?”
Always?
The words made no sense. Was he referring to before the campaign?
‘I don’t recall us having much contact even then…….’
If anything, there was one time Ines had sought him out—to inquire about matters related to the marriage proceedings.
In other words, it was Ines who had been the one to visit him.
‘……Could he be confusing me with someone else?’
If so, that someone was almost certainly Elise.
Still not fully recovered from his journey, he must have misspoken upon seeing Ines, who shared her blood. After all, the two women bore a considerable resemblance, being half-sisters.
‘If he loves Elise that much, things would be easier.’
Her heart grew lighter at once.
Now his courteous manner finally made a measure of sense.
Zekard was likely overlaying Elise’s image onto Ines.
Or perhaps he was simply being kind for her sister’s sake.
Even in this situation, she felt the shadow of her sister looming over her. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and a melancholy settled over her spirit—but Ines kept her expression bright and cheerful.
“Well…… I’m a bit afraid I might fall short of your expectations, but still, it shouldn’t be unwelcome news. It may even be what you’ve been hoping for.”
“Your Excellency?”
“Yes?”
“You’re calling me ‘Your Excellency.'”
Now what was the problem?
“Even if we haven’t seen each other’s faces in five years, we are husband and wife. Isn’t that rather cold a way to address me?”
Zekard spoke in a playful tone, a gentle smile curving his lips.
Yet the persistent weight of his gaze told Ines instinctively that this was no jest.
“……Then what should I call you?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps an endearment while we’re at it?”
That was absurd.
“I’ll call you Zekard. Thank you for allowing me to use your name.”
Ines spoke with careful propriety. After all, they would be parting ways soon. Truthfully, even this much was excessive.
Though his expression suggested he was not entirely satisfied, Ines had drawn her line so firmly that Zekard refrained from pressing further.
“In any case, you should rest, so let me move to the main point quickly. Please look at this.”
Ines withdrew the Documents she had been carefully keeping in her bosom and laid them on the table.
Zekard, who had been casting that penetrating gaze as if demanding something, reluctantly lowered his eyes at her prompting.
“What is this?”
“I think it would be better if you saw it yourself rather than heard it from me.”
Zekard picked up the paper slowly with his long fingers.
And the moment he confirmed its contents, Ines opened her mouth.
“You need a divorce, don’t you?”
Zekard went still.
Instead of answering, he simply stared at the Divorce Document in his hand as if piercing through it.
Though a response did not come as quickly as she’d anticipated, Ines pressed on undeterred.
“I heard the rumors. That you’ve entered into a romantic relationship with the Saint.”
Two years ago, Elise had been deployed to the Frontline for the first time as the new Saint.
Known to possess the strongest Holy Power of any Saint before her, Elise had healed countless soldiers on the battlefield and earned the support and praise of the Empire’s people.
According to rumor, Zekard himself had suffered grievous wounds, was healed by Elise, and barely survived. And the two had fallen in love.
“Congratulations. I hope you’ll both be truly happy. Oh, this isn’t sarcasm—I mean it sincerely.”
Though if she were being honest, it wasn’t entirely without feeling.
Not because of Zekard, her husband—but because of Elise, the Saint.
From childhood, Ines had always been compared to her younger sister Elise. Because of this, she had grown accustomed to envying Elise, to feeling that gnawing sense of inadequacy.
〈…Give up. You’ll never be able to, sister.〉
Those words from her sister still cut deep, a wound that had never quite healed.
Ines felt her heart throb as she spoke calmly.
“So that’s why… After considering everything, I’ve come to think that it would be better for me to step aside now.”
She had no wish to become entangled with her own sister over a man she didn’t even love—not for the sake of appearances, and certainly not when she no longer had the strength for it.
Ines had finally accepted her defeat in the long competition with her sister.
‘…This is the right thing to do.’
Besides, now that Zekard had returned as lord, there would be many changes in the Territory ahead. Perhaps it would be easier for everything to progress smoothly if someone like her—a foreign element—were removed from the picture.
This, in the end, was the only gift she could offer to the man who had once saved her.
“So let’s get a divorce. A clean break before it’s too late would be better for both of us.”
With finality, Ines drove home her words.
“I can sign the Divorce Document right now.”
She had finally said it.
Her heart pounded—thump-thump, thump-thump.
She’d rehearsed this countless times in her mind, but speaking it aloud brought a rush of nervousness and trembling.
‘Yet somehow my chest feels lighter.’
Ines waited for his response, a strange sense of relief washing over her.
But Zekard’s silence stretched longer than she’d anticipated.
‘…Why? Was it too sudden?’
It made sense, really—no matter how much one might wish for it, receiving a Divorce Document the moment you return home after five years would be shocking.
Ines felt a belated pang of guilt.
‘I only thought about what I wanted, didn’t I?’
But there was no help for it.
She had only now; there was no other time.
He would be stunned for a moment, but if he thought it through calmly, he would understand that this path was truly best for everyone.
“Right now…”
At last, Zekard opened his mouth.
“Is this your way of protesting against me?”
“Pardon?”
Ines, who had been confident that his answer would be one of agreement, was caught completely off guard.
But Zekard clenched his teeth, as if barely restraining his anger, and spoke through gritted teeth.
“You don’t actually want a divorce—you brought this up deliberately to lodge a complaint about the indecent rumors involving the Saint and myself, is that not so?”
“…What? No, that’s not—”
Startled by his lethal expression, Ines quickly scrambled to defend herself.
“How could I possibly do such a thing? I’m just a fake wife, after all.”
Why was he angry?
Ines was utterly bewildered.
“Of course I know my reputation isn’t good. That’s why I… I mean, I understand why Zekard would be confused. But I’m truly not jealous of Elise. This isn’t me being petulant either.”
Strictly speaking, she meant she wasn’t jealous of Elise about this particular matter. The truth was, she’d envied her sister many times when they were younger.
“Everything I’ve said comes from the heart. I truly wish Zekard and Elise well together. That’s why I came prepared with the Divorce Document.”
Zekard stared wordlessly at the Divorce Document he held, gripping it so tightly that the paper was thoroughly crumpled.
“So what you’re saying is: I don’t care who you live with, so go live with some other woman instead?”
“…I suppose the conclusion is something like that, yes.”
Zekard let out a hollow laugh, as if flabbergasted.
“Ha.”
He lifted his head then, fixing his gaze upon her.
In his eyes burned a mixture of wounded resentment and accusation.
…Why?

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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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