Honey, Why Can’t We Get a Divorce? Chapter 154 - Side story 7
Now that the complicated matters were mostly settled, she thought the days ahead would be peaceful… but that was a mistake.
She only went out to buy furniture, but so many things had happened.
On the way back to the Duke’s residence in the carriage.
Ophelia slumped in the carriage seat, her face looking much more tired than in the morning.
“Are you okay?”
Irene asked with worry written all over her face. Ophelia waved her hand.
“Well, I’ll just go in and rest. More than me, Rivert is the one with the real problem.”
Rivert had been dropped off at his original school, but he insisted that he had to be picked up for the party.
While he didn’t hide his reluctance to return to school, Ophelia firmly sent Rivert back.
No matter how much Ophelia sympathized with Rivert, he had obligations to fulfill. With the opening of the orphanage and school just around the corner, she couldn’t possibly pull him out now.
“Once the opening ceremony is over, I should give him a vacation. That way, he won’t run away.”
“That’s a good idea.”
In the original story, Rivert would have become Callian’s aide.
However, Ophelia didn’t want to give such talent to Callian, so she brought him to the Duke’s residence instead.
‘He’ll be more useful in the future.’
If she were to start a coffee business, she would definitely take Rivert with her. He would be incredibly useful.
Of course, there was no agreement from Rivert, but he was already part of the Duke’s household, so what could he do?
Ophelia smirked.
“Madam. Why are you smiling like that again? It’s scary…”
“I was just smiling.”
“…Really?”
“Hey, don’t say anything about my face. That’s unfair!”
Irene scratched her cheek with an awkward expression as if embarrassed.
“But, Madam. I have a question.”
“You were just pointing out my face, and now you’re asking me something, I’ll be more than happy to answer it. Right?”
“W, when did I point it out! I didn’t!”
Irene jumped in her place, her eyes trembling as if she were a frightened mouse.
“I’m joking. Tell me.”
Ophelia chuckled leisurely, tilting her chin like a cat teasing a mouse.
“That’s…I’m just curious.”
“Mhm.”
“Will Jasmine and Theo dating, by any chance?”
Irene clasped her hands together and swallowed dryly.
“No, it’s just that the two of them had a good atmosphere, so. Ah… if that’s the case, then it’s something to celebrate. Hahaha.”
Ophelia blinked slowly as she watched her awkwardly smiling.
She recalls the first time Theo came to the mansion.
Though he was a child from the slums and seemed a bit unfamiliar, Irene took good care of Theo. What did she say again? Did she call him cute?
“Come to think of it, Irene, when you first saw Theo, you liked him because he was handsome, right?”
“That…!”
Irene pressed her lips together tightly before stretching them into a straight line and shaking her shoulders.
“It’s true that Theo is handsome. But he liked you, Madam…”
“So you gave up on him?”
“Yes! N, no. It’s more like I just thought, ‘Oh, that’s how it is…’ or something like that?”
Hmm.
Ophelia nodded and let out a nasal sound.
Our Theo, you’ve become the center of a love triangle. You’re all grown up, you’re all grown up.
“Well, whether Theo ends up with Jasmine or not is his choice. The same goes for him meeting you.”
Whether Theo, who had only recently let go of his feelings for Ophelia, would begin a new romance was uncertain. But in any case, such personal matters were for Theo to decide.
So it wasn’t something Ophelia should worry about.
“However…”
Ophelia tapped her fingers lightly on her thigh as she continued speaking.
“Will Theo be able to stay in this mansion forever?”
“Wh, why are you saying that?! Are you going to kick Theo out?!”
As soon as she said that, Irene’s eyes widened.
“C, could it be that you’re planning to kick Theo out because he had impure feelings for you…?!”
“Do you still think of me that badly?”
“Yes—no.”
“….”
It was too bothersome to argue otherwise. Ophelia firmly pressed her index finger against Irene’s forehead.
“I’m just saying that something is going to happen on the continent soon.”
“Uh… yes?”
“I’m also saying that Theo needs to be involved in that matter.”
In the original work, Theo lives in an orphanage established by Fleur and gains recognition from the emperor after achieving great merit in the war against the barbarians. As a result, Theo becomes a hero and secures a promising future.
‘I can’t steal that future.’
That’s why Ophelia planned to send Theo to war.
Of course, she would need to ask for his consent, but Ophelia felt certain that Theo would agree. He must be aware of his own exceptional skills as a knight in the Duke’s household.
“If that happens, Theo won’t have any time to meet you or Jasmine.”
“Uhm….?”
Irene tilted her head with a look of disbelief.
“Sometimes, Madam says things that are incomprehensible.”
“That’s my charm.”
Ophelia shrugged her shoulders with a smirk.
“I know it’s hard to understand everything I’m saying right now. So just wait. There will come a time when you’ll understand my words.”
She slowly turned her head toward the window. Beyond the border, the Duke’s castle with the snowy wind blowing could be seen. Ophelia blinked slowly and muttered.
“We should become independent soon, too.”
I have to move for that to happen.
Her green eyes flashed.
***
After taking a bath, I sat down at the desk, drying my wet hair with a towel.
With Largo dead and Fleur stepping down, I thought I would have nothing to worry about anymore…
‘People’s affairs don’t work out that easily.’
Ugh.
There were still countless tasks ahead of me. So I decided to calmly think about the most important one first.
‘First of all, the number one…’
I could write this down without hesitation.
‘Having a baby.’
I still can’t believe that there’s a baby in my belly. But since it’s an unchanging fact, I had to come to terms with the reality of being pregnant.
‘We have to name our baby.’
I told myself I’d think about it slowly once the gender was determined, so I could take my time.
‘And number 2…’
I shook the quill I was holding.
‘Meet Sylvester’s mother again.’
No matter how much he said ‘that’s enough,’ if you take that word for it, you’re an idiot.
I know.
What kind of expression Sylvester had when he sent his mother off.
How much the hand that held me was shaking.
‘Wouldn’t it be good to talk about it again?’
This time, it was too short and meaningless.
I hope they can have a conversation. Whether it flows positively or in the opposite direction, I just want them to be able to reach some kind of conclusion.
‘Where did you put the magic circle?’
I asked casually, but was rejected with the response that I didn’t need to know. Heprobably have it hidden away tightly.
‘I should first meet his mother, and if the atmosphere seems right, introducing Silvester would be a good idea.’
Or I should convince Sylvester before that.
Anyway, to do that, I have to find the magic circle that was hidden away.
How?
By searching the entire mansion!
Most of the servants are busy preparing for the party right now.
Even if I run around, no one will pay attention to me.
‘I have to search the entire mansion starting tomorrow.’
And…
I wrote ‘3’ on the margin of the paper. The rest of what I have to do is…
‘Help the duchy become independent.’
After all the trouble I’ve caused for Sylvester, I felt the need to do something for him in return. So, I really wanted to help him achieve his long-desired goal of independence.
‘When Callian became emperor, he promised independence…’
All we had to do was make him emperor.
I was deeply worried about the future of the empire, but did it really matter? After all, we were going to achieve independence anyway.
I put down my pen with a smirk.
‘I still have the information on the original story.’
So, let’s give it a try.
After a long time, I got up with a fighting spirit.
I had to move around a lot starting tomorrow, so I wanted to go to bed early.
But,
“…Huh?”
I blinked and stared at the bed. To be precise, I was looking at Sylvester, who was lying on the bed.
“When did you arrive? I didn’t hear you come in, though?”
“I just got here. I thought you were concentrating, so I went to bed first.”
Aha. I nodded and walked toward the bed.
“Are you done with your work? You said you had a lot to do.”
“I haven’t finished yet.”
“…I think it’s because of you that Neil is overworking Rivert.”
If the upper water is clear, the lower water will be clear too. If the upper water, Sylvester, is this murky, how can the lower water, Rivert, be clear?
“I came because I missed you, so why are you saying that?”
Sylvester reached out and pulled me closer.
“Hug me.”
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