Divorce Manual

Chapter 62

"I think Lapel Castle is so beautiful every time I'm here, Lady Evangeline."

Count Hicksman's youngest daughter, Helen, who's barely compensated for her short height with her brown curls, laughs. Her freckles spread from her nose to her cheeks.

"Yes, this time in the year, the scenery, where the autumn leaves are dyed beautifully, is very beautiful."

Count Gould's daughter, Iris, who's sitting next to her, glances at Evangeline.

"It's really beautiful every time I come, but the duke's sister is more beautiful, isn't she?"

"That's right."

She's a typical beauty with a pretty smile. Evangeline chuckles, looking as if she's waiting to hear more.

"If it has been the same as before, Lapel would have been busy preparing for the harvest banquet."

"You must feel very sorry regarding the current situation then."

"That's right. It's such a shame to see such a beautiful place rotting away for the past year. I'm so sorry."

"The previous duchess also held banquets from time to time and provided many places to socialize for young ladies."

"That was the pinnacle of our Lapel socialite life."

"Even if I die, I would make sure to attend the duchess' banquet in the capital as well."

"When I was younger, I was envious of my mother and sisters, who were able to attend the duchess' banquet."

Iris looks around the castle, hanging her shoulders, looking very sad.

"If I knew it would be like this, I would have pestered you more when I was younger."

"Me too."

They both sadly look at Evangeline, biting their lips.

"I'm sure."

Evangeline sighs out loud as if she's sorry too, and puts the teacup down.

"That's why it should only be people with the same status that can enter."

Lapel's like this is because a woman came in the wrong way.

"His Excellency has made a decision that is too based in affection."

"Because it is. Love doesn't solve everything."

"Yes, love."

Evangeline has an unpleasant expression from Helen's words. She then forcibly laughs and lifts the teacup.
What is love anyway?

To be honest, every time the two of them say something about love, it makes her laugh.

The duke fell in love, and the duchess is loved by him.

The Love of the Century.

Ha!

When she saw that title in the newspaper like it came out of a novel, she felt amazed.

She wanted to gather a bunch of people and shouted that they were all lies and that there was nothing, let alone love.

However—

'Don't do anything that hurts Diago's prestige.'

'You don't have to show a good relationship, but don't show more hostility than necessary to anyone.'

Sister Marissa, who only left Lapel a few days ago, said some words that do not leave her mind.

What Marisa said is the same as their mother's.

Of course not only that, if Evangeline reveals that their love is a lie—

'The shameless girl will not lose, but she will be embarrassed. So will our Duke Diago.'

It's because Charles, the Duke of Diago, has lied to their people.

I can't let you be a liar.

Even though he doesn't know the rumors about himself in the capital, there must be another reason for him being silent.

"He fell in love so deeply."

"I know. I heard that the previous duchess strongly opposed it."

"All the ladies of Lapel Castle thought that their marriage would fall apart. My mother also assured me that His Excellency would never go against the will of the previous duchess."

"My mother did too."

Is there anyone who predicted otherwise?

Everyone thought that Charles would lose to Madame Erst, our mother.

"He must have loved her immensely."

"I went to Rose Boutique a few days ago and heard that His Excellency hugged his wife in the presence of everyone—"

"Oh my God, I heard that story too. His Excellency said, 'Do whatever you want to do.'

Helen, who makes her voice deeper to imitate Charles', gestures with her hands and waves.

"He's so romantic."

"Have you heard this story, Lady Evangeline?"

"I've come across it here and there."

Evangeline's curious about the stimulating love story because they're being told by young ladies.

Helen brightens her eyes at the story of the two.

"Are they really like that?"

She whispers quietly, leaning her body toward Evangeline.

"What—"

"No, in your eyes, did His Excellency's eyes, actions, and speech drip with affection for his wife?"

"......."

Is that important now?

Evangeline stares at her with a forced smile.

Helen's imagination has gotten the best of her as she crosses over to her side.

I'm sick and tired of his duchess this and his duchess that.

Seemingly annoyed as she turns toward Helen, Evangeline curves the tail of her mouth downward and looks at Iris.

She's very interested in the social world in the capital.

"Iris."

"Yes, Lady Evangeline."

"When will you go to the capital?"

Evangeline assumes that if she casually brings up the capital, Iris would notice her intention and turn the conversation around.

"We only saw you at a wedding banquet from a distance for a bit. I hardly ever saw them side by side afterward."

Helen doesn't stop talking, taking cues from Evangeline's words.

"Since that day, I've been curious as to why there are no official events for the both of them."

"......."

"It's cumbersome to go to Rose Boutique for a little gossip. Other than that, few people have said that they have seen two of them—"

"Lady Hicksman."

"Because it was said that the duchess was not in Lapel Castle, but in the capital with the duke?"

"Helen?"

"No, the worst thing is that he loved the duchess so much that he killed her—"

Iris, who's been noticing Evangeline's expression, begins dissuading Helen until she finally shouts.

"Helen!"

Helen shuts her mouth with both hands and bites her lips.

With her appearance like that, Iris says.

"It's been so long since we've seen you, so our behavior wasn't good. Please forgive us, Princess."

After Iris sees Evangeline's unusual mood, she lowers her head.

"I beg your forgiveness, Princess."

At Iris's words, Helen also lowers her head with her mouth shut.

Evangeline stares at the two of them.

"It's alright."

She laughs, trying to break the ice with a bright smile.

Both of them look at her with quizzical expressions.

"Really. We have been close since we were young. It's nothing."

"......."

"You are my friends, not my subordinates. We can talk that much between friends."

Despite Evangeline's heartfelt smile, Iris shrugs her shoulders as if she's still wary.

"Is that so?"

Helen stretches her shoulders slightly.

"Of course."

Unlike her laughter, Evangeline's inner heart swells with irritation. She simply is masking the uncomfortable mood with skills that she has cultivated from her social life.

The young ladies of the vassal family dare to cross the line, telling a story about the head of the Diago Family in front of her.

However, Evangeline has learned that maintaining a relationship and fostering loyalty with them are the most important thing to do as a member of the duke.

Small incontinence can break the dam.

There's no way that their grievances won't be passed onto their parents, and it'll be annoying...

Brother.

So, she suppresses her anger.

She can also directly charge their parents for this crime.

Ha-I thought my mood would change, but I feel worse.

Plus, it's all about the duchess—

Honestly, it's annoying.

Not being able to be openly irritable like when she was a child, she becomes nervous and bites her lips.

"Lady Evangeline—"

Catherine leans forward as if she's trying to intervene and steps forward.

Then—

"Oh, isn't that the duchess over there?"

An uninvited visitor burst in.

What?

Evangeline sharply looks at where Helen's pointing.

"I know, right? In Lapel Castle, the only blonde is the Duchess—Oh my, is she coming this way?"

Like Iris said, Abella's walking toward them.

Why is she coming here?

At the time when she's already irritated, Evangeline feels like she might just explode if she runs into Abella.

Evangeline stares up at Catherine.

"I don't know either."

Embarrassed, Catherine also shakes her head.

She clenches her jaw and turns her head.

"Oh, Erin, here you are."

"......"

Erin?

She wants to know who dares to call her "Erin." She then looks at Abella with a ferocious gaze.

"Would you see me for a second?"

Abella stares at Evangeline with an angelic smile.

"Right now?"

She blurts out harshly.

.

.

.

.

T/N: The confrontation we've all been waiting for. I think if anything, Evangeline's single redeeming quality is how much she really does love Charles because from what Abella has remembered, she stayed by Charles' side in the end when everyone else abandoned him, but that's it. That's her only good quality.

It's not good enough cuz her ass still laid hands on Leo so... She can die in a fire.