Divorce Manual

Chapter 68

Hmm. I vaguely think that I might have to pretend but—

I'm really going to have an upset stomach.

All I can hear in the silent dining room is the sound of clashing dishes.

Is this a new kind of torture?

It must be.

It would be nice if Evangeline could talk without censoring herself, but it seems that she must have been angry and cried after getting reprimanded by Charles since she's been having a hard time trying to apologize to me.

I just gnaw at the food with a gloomy expression.

I understand.

Me being who I am, I can't even joke in a situation like this.

Then—

"When are you planning to go up to the capital?"

I have to lighten up this atmosphere.

Am I not a person who dug into this well?

"A week from now."

"Is Lady Evangeline going with you?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I see."

Yes, that's nice to hear.

Then, Evangeline says the nicest thing she has ever said in Lapel.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

I laugh, saying something that I do not mean.

"You don't have to say anything that you don't like."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Evangeline looks fiercely at Charles after receiving my immediate apology.

I understand her heart quite well.

So, I have to get out of it quickly.

"Oh, I'm full—"

"If you are so sorry, come to the capital this time."

Charles says it out of the blue before I could even get out the words 'I'm full.'

"It's okay."

"Brother!"

Evangeline's fierce voice comes from both sides of him.

She's trying to kill someone right now.

If I go to the capital, I will have to see a mother-in-law, two sister-in-laws, and attend a banquet. There are also countless nobles and even—

I also have to see Farhan too, right?

Plus, Abigail.

Of course, this is not the time when Charles and Abigail meet, so they may not meet.

He might see her by chance.

Oh, that might not be since there are also Kyle Michael, and even the emperor.

Wow, this cannot be real.

I can see all the terrible situations just by imagining them.

"I haven't recovered from my previous injuries yet."

I even fake the pain and shake my head.

"I heard from Lejan that you are well."

"He's a quack."

"That's true."

Charles, who easily agrees and nods, looks at me with his head slightly slanted.

Let's pretend to be sick so that there'll be some authenticity to my words. I point to my back while locking eyes with him.

"Yes, it looks like it hurts a lot."

Nice assist, Evangeline.

"Yes, it hurts a lot."

Evangeline's help flies in.

After all, if there is a common goal, an enemy can also become a comrade.

Like the good, old time. No. Evangeline and Abella would have joined forces and harassed Abigail in the near future according to the novel.

Come to think of it, I still really hated that.

In the novel, the circumstances were not described, but you must have hated it. How much did you hate Abigail if you were able to hold hands with Abella like that?

I think about it for a bit.

The near future has nothing to do with me so let's make an alliance now.

"To get to the capital, I'd have to be in the carriage for a long time. As you know, I hurt my back and my tailbone."

"Oh, then it's really impossible to sit for a long time."

"Because it is. I'm sorry"

"That can be solved by Hortman."

What the hell is he, a doctor?

"What?"

"If he casts his magic—"

"Oh, it'll cost a lot of money. You don't have to spend so much on me, Your Excellency."

"Are you thinking and talking about the money that you are spending on milk right now?"

This guy...He's hitting me hard again.

"Keuk."

With her lips roll, I see Evangeline holding back her laughter.

My lady, let's do this one thing right.

"So, I have something to do. There's a lot of things I have to do with that milk, so you should go alone this time."

"It's only for 15 days."

Even with my sly voice, his intense staring is unwilling to disappear.

Why is he doing this?

I don't know why he's softer, sad or affectionate these days.

"I'm afraid that I'll miss you in those 15 days."

"Are you worried about me crashing into something during those 15 days?"

"You shouldn't be in a rush."

Haha—Do you mean an accident?

"Your Excellency, if someone, who doesn't know you well, hears that, they'll think that I'm always in trouble."

"Well, I remember you falling down twice only a few days apart, almost dying once, and not walking the other time."

"It was an accident."

"I'm concerned about such accidents, Wife."

"Ah."

The accident. You're referring to an unfortunate thing that happened unexpectedly, not a bad thing that harms people.

"Of course, it can be ambiguous depending on how you look at it."

"Oh, I see."

Let's smile awkwardly and glance at him,

"So together..."

"I don't want to."

Taking a sip of water, he looks at me, who's still shaking my head. I can see myself reflected in his eyes.

"I'm tired. I don't want to go."

"..."

I give him a stern look after clearly telling him my answer. He continues to exhort me even after hearing what I said.

Sensing some suspicions from my reaction, Charles' eyes narrow at me.

"Is there any other reason?"

"What else could there be? I don't like it because it's crowded. When I go to the capital, I have a lot of banquets and a lot of things to care about. It's hard to handle it when I haven't fully recovered."

To drive the point home, I turn toward Evangeline.

"Plus, if I go, won't it be difficult for you to spend a quiet time with your family?"

"That might be the case."

After smiling at Evangeline, I look back at Charles, who seems to understand my intention very well, after seeing me agreeing with her.

"So, this time, Your Excellency, you should go alone. We will definitely go together next year."

"... "

This is a lie.

However, in order to hide the sign of such a lie, I make sure I have a gentle expression on my face.

"I see."

After a while, he nods.

My heart happens to beat at the same time.

Will there really be free time after a week?

The moment my shoulders shake unknowingly as I anticipate those 15 days—

"Ah-"

My shoulders stiffen as soon as I hear him.

Shoulder, you stay still.

"Wife."

"Yes?"

After I respond very awkwardly to his call, I keep my eyes on Charles and Evangeline to see if either has noticed it.

"Evangeline said that she wanted to hold a banquet."

Hmm...?

In that moment, I couldn't understand his words.

"A banquet?"

Why do you want to do it here?

If you go to the capital, you can make it bigger and grander.

When I look at Evangeline with a puzzled look, she replies as if she has been waiting to say it.

"If I return to the capital this time, I don't think I will be coming back here for a while."

What—that sounds good to hear.

I slant my head a little more, wondering what that has to do with a banquet.

"Ok?"

"I think I'm going to get married soon."

"Oh."

I furrow my brows, wondering if she's still dreaming of marrying Kyle.

"I'm very mindful of what you said to me."

Evangeline laughs.

What are you talking about? Because what I'm hearing is that she'll be going up to the capital, grab Kyle's neck and make him kneel in front of her.

Or Is that just me?

"That's why I want to say hello to my old friends. Will it be difficult?"

Hmm. A farewell banquet.

I want to do it.

"The last time when I went up to the capital with my mother, I left without saying goodbye."

It's because the predecessor Duchess had to rush to the capital, saying that she didn't want to see or look at Abella.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

If so, Evangeline's desire to hold a banquet makes a little bit of sense.

I don't want to make things weird.

On the one hand, I don't want to understand.

Should I listen to her request even though it seems strange?

Then again, she wants to say her last greeting with her friends, so why would I stop it?

I don't think I can do that just because I feel something out of place.

That's because there are enough factors that can make my position a little ridiculous.

"Ah."

I nod my head awkwardly.

"I'll think—"

"I have only one week left, so I'm in a bit of a hurry, Your Grace. It's just a last greeting with my old friends. Is that too difficult?"

"..."

Oh, here we go again with her slyness.

I thought she was different, but her nasty intention is showing again.

Somehow.

I don't know exactly what she's trying to do, but it seems like there's something going on.

If I oppose it here, it seems that I will be seen as cold hearted.

That said, I should suggest replacing it with a tea party, even if it will be seen as a petty act.

But, I'm also petty, right?'

"Like Lady Evangeline said, there's only a week left. Except for today and the day before departure, there are only five days left, so it's difficult to hold a banquet."

"...Is that so?"

Evangeline's face is full of disappointment as she drops her shoulders and speaks in a resigned tone.

I think you're really trying to do something here.

I had put the situation behind me, but now there are reasonable doubts not to.

"So how about a light garden party? Evening banquets get too big, so let's do it during the daytime instead."

"Good!"

It seems that it's enough just to attract people.

What are you really trying to do?

Convinced, I hold onto my doubts.

"Then, please make a list and give it to Ergel."

"Yes, thank you."

"You're welcome."

With a grin, I turn to Charles.

"I think I'm really full now, Your Excellency."

Please send me to the room.

"What?"

.

.

.

.

T/N: 5 bucks says whatever half baked plans Evangeline is trying to do is going to blow up in her face lol She's such an ineffective villain like... why are you the way you are? Also, Charles really out here trying to be like, yoooo I <3 you. Come with me and Abella's like, uh... thanks but no thanks.