Honey, Why Can’t We Get a Divorce? Chapter 150 - Side story 3

“I should throw a party.” 

 

Ophelia spoke with a look as if she had made a huge decision. 

 

“I want to move around freely before my belly gets any bigger.”

 

She quickly turned her head and looked at Irene standing next to her.

 

“And I’ve never held a party in my house before, have I?” 

 

“Yes. That’s right.”

 

Irene continued.

 

“Even if we threw a party, no one would come…” 

 

Hmm. Thinking back to Ophelia in the past, it’s true.

 

But hearing this from the mouth of a servant is a bit too much. 

 

“It seems like you’re not scared of me these days, right?”

 

“A little. Hehe.”

 

“Our Irene has grown up to be a child who can talk back so well. I’m proud of you. Let’s give her a round of applause!” 

 

Ophelia clapped with an expressionless face.

 

“Oh, my, I’m embarrassed!”

 

But Irene blushed and twisted her body as if she didn’t know she was being sarcastic. The mansion owner and the servants are equally clueless. Ophelia pursed her lips and shook her head.

 

“Anyway, I guess we should prepare a party.”

 

Ophelia asked again.

 

“Have you ever prepared a party?”

 

“This is my first time working as a maid in the Duke’s household. As I mentioned, the Madam hasn’t been able to host any parties, so there’s no way I would have any experience!” 

 

“You speak so cheerfully. And could you say that it wasn’t that I couldn’t host, but that I chose not to?”

 

“Yes. Since Madam didn’t throw a party, I don’t have any experience either!”

 

Irene answered with a bright smile, but then continued.

 

“And I’m not good at calculations.” 

 

When preparing for a party, the most crucial aspect to pay attention to is calculations. This includes calculating the costs of purchased items, the number of people being invited, and the food and drinks served after they leave… 

 

Ophelia licked her lips as she thought about this.

 

“I can’t do it either.”

 

Wasn’t she the one who spent most of her life lying in a hospital? She could handle simple arithmetic, but complex calculations were beyond her. She didn’t want to deal with them either. 

 

“Then how about finding someone who can?”

 

“But Neil has been busy lately.”

 

Since the Duke of Ryzen declared independence from the Empire, his aide Neil has been extremely busy. In comparison, Sylvester seems to have a lot of free time… Well, Ophelia didn’t really need to worry about that. 

 

Ophelia stroked her chin and thought about it.

 

While Neil was busy, she was trying to think of someone who could help prepare for the party in his place. 

 

But no one came to mind.

 

‘If it doesn’t work out, maybe I’ll ask Countess Cardel for help.’

 

She would gladly accept if she asked. 

 

But Ophelia wanted to do it herself. She wanted to successfully finish the party with the people of this mansion. 

 

‘I wonder who…’

 

Irene spoke to Ophelia, who was thinking like that.

 

“Now that I think about it, I don’t see that kid.”

 

“Who?” 

 

“Is it Rivert? That kid who used to follow the aide around. I haven’t seen him for the past few months.”

 

“Ah!”

 

She had completely forgotten about him.

 

Rivert had been learning how to speak from Neil, but at some point, he just disappeared, and I ended up forgetting about him.

 

“That kid is good.” 

 

Ophelia put her hands together and smiled.

 

“Let’s go find him.”

 

At those words, Irene hesitated slightly and took a half step back.

 

“Um, Madam.”

 

“Mhm?” 

 

“I think it would be better not to smile like that when you meet Rivert.”

 

“Why?”

 

“…I’m scared.”

 

Our Irene, it really seems like she’s not scared of me at all.

 

Ophelia lowered the corners of her lips and glared.

 

***

 

It didn’t take long to find Rivert. 

 

This was because she could get an answer immediately by asking Neil. 

 

– That, Rivert is at school. I set up a lab for him there.

 

Due to the temple trial and various other issues, the opening of the school and orphanage has been postponed. The current plan is to hold the opening ceremony in about two weeks and start accepting children. 

 

That’s why the school will be empty.

 

But why is Rivert at the school?

 

Ophelia was puzzled but first she ordered him to bring Rivert. 

 

Not long after, Rivert appeared. 

  

“…Oh my.” 

 

Ophelia sighed involuntarily and covered her mouth.

 

That’s because Rivert, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, looked absolutely… unrecognizable.

 

When Ophelia first found Rivert on the street, he looked extremely dirty. Yet even then, his eyes sparkled brightly, as if they wouldn’t fade from dirt.

 

Because of that memory, Ophelia always thought of Rivert along with the image of an orange amber gem. 

 

Yeah. 

 

That was definitely the case…

 

“The eyes are dead?”

 

Ophelia muttered without realizing it.

 

His once sparkling eyes were now nowhere to be seen. Instead, they were dark and hollow, with sunken eyelids and slouched shoulders, all of which suggested he had been through quite a lot in the meantime. 

 

Gulp, Ophelia instinctively swallowed dry saliva.

 

“Yes… Madam. I am dead. I don’t even know how I’m speaking right now.” 

 

“F, first, let’s take a seat.” 

 

Rivert slowly nodded and then sat down across from Ophelia. She pushed a teacup toward him and asked,

 

“Are you doing what Neil told you to do?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What is it?” 

 

“….” 

 

Rivert, who had been staring blankly at the tea, soon picked up the teacup and poured the tea in one gulp.

 

“We divide the children who are entering the school into classes based on their entrance exam scores, organize each student’s weaknesses and strengths, and assign them appropriate teachers. In short, we organize.” 

 

“….”  

 

“We look at the children who have applied to daycare centers and classify them in a similar way.” 

 

“….”  

 

“And now we have to find teachers and assistants to take care of the children, so we’re doing that too.”

 

“….”  

 

“I also go to the bookstore every day to look for textbooks that are appropriate for the children’s level.”

 

“….”  

 

“And…” 

 

“Stop!” 

 

Ophelia raised her hand, interrupting Rivert.

 

Just from listening, she could tell it was an overwhelming amount of work. 

 

So Ophelia seemed to know very well why Rivert was like this. 

 

“A, are you okay?”

 

“If I’m not okay, what can I do?” 

 

“That’s true, but…” 

 

Ophelia rolled her eyes, looking at Rivert’s expression for no reason. Then her eyes met Irene’s. 

 

‘What should I do?’

 

‘What do you mean? Send him back.’

 

‘That would be better, right?’

 

Ophelia, who had been talking with her eyes, tried to smile and looked at Rivert again.

 

“Ha, haha. You’ve worked hard. Now, eat more snacks.”

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

Rivert munched on the cookies and looked up at Ophelia.

 

“Why did you call me?” 

 

“That, no, I was looking for you because I have something to assign you. But never mind, it’s fine. I can’t have you do more work here…” 

 

“No!” 

 

Rivert shouted loudly enough that the snack he was eating nearly flew out of his mouth as he stood up. 

 

“Let me do it! Please!”

 

“Huh…?”

 

Ophelia blinked her big eyes.

 

“No, Rivert. Don’t you have a lot of work to do right now? If you take on even more tasks from me here, it will be really tough for you.”

 

‘What should I do?’

 

‘What should I do? Send me back.’

 

‘That would be better, right?’

 

Ophelia, who had been talking with her eyes, tried to smile and looked at Rivert again.

 

“Ha, haha. You’ve worked hard. Now, eat more snacks.”

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

Rivert looked up at Ophelia while chewing on the snack.

 

“Why did you call?”

 

“I, no, I came because I had something to do for you. No, it’s okay. I can’t make you do more work here… … .”

 

“No!”

 

Rivert shouted loudly enough that the snack she was eating popped out and got up.

 

“Let me do it! Please!”

 

“Uh… … ?”

 

Ophelia blinked her big eyes.

 

“No, Rivert. Don’t you have a lot of work to do right now? If you do the things I asked you to do here, it’ll be hard for you.”

 

“Madam.”

 

Rivert opened his eyes wide.

 

“Who is the highest person in this mansion?”

 

“…Sylvester?”

 

“No! It’s Madam!”

 

He tilted his head back and grinned.

 

“If Madam gives me a task, I have to do it. It’s not about what Neil or anyone else tells me to do! Because you are the one in charge of this mansion!”  

 

Oh… Rivert. So you’re not treating Neil the same way as before. Ophelia subtly leaned back. 

 

“So please, let me do something. That’s the way to save me! Please!”

 

Ophelia thought.

 

In the past, Rivert, who mimicked Neil’s words like a parrot to learn the speech of nobles, had now vanished. 

 

Instead…

 

“I’ll do what Madam asks me to do, and Neil will take over the work I was doing! It’s perfect!” 

 

He became a great subordinate who cursed at his boss…

 

Why do all the kids become strange when they come to this mansion?

 

It was something she knew but couldn’t understand.