Divorce Manual

Chapter 114

As I look around the Noble Room with my tired body leaning on the sofa, I feel like I have come home after a long time.

I'm at home.

It feels a bit awkward to say that to a place where I have stayed at for only a few months. On the other hand, if I think about it, wouldn't anyone feel awkward after they move to a new home?

I said I hated it, but then I got used to it.

I bite my lips and turn around with a smile that seems to form on my mouth.

Ergel, who comes up behind me, warmly grins and slightly bends her knees.

"You must be tired. You've worked hard."

"Hortman worked hard."

"He probably only does it because he was well fed."

"Is that so?"

When I smile at those blunt words, Ergel, who has a firm expression, takes a step forward.

"By the way, how is your body?"

Ah, Ergel must have heard that I was sick. I shake my head slightly at the look on her face, who looks as if she would still be worried even if Lejan had said I was okay.

"I'm okay. Didn't Lejan tell you? I was faking it."

I try to brush it off with laughter, but—

"Do you know how worried I was when they said you were sick? I was so surprised to hear that Dr. Lejan had been called to the capital at dawn."

Ergel disregards my intention to make light of it, hands me a shawl, and drapes it over my shoulder. Her forehead slightly wrinkles.

I notice the warmth in Ergel's gaze as she carefully examines my face and body as if she's really worried.

Seeing her looking at me as if she is welcoming a child who has really gone somewhere far and returned home because she was sick makes my nose itches.

(T/N: basically she's getting emotional y'all~~~)

Because she was anxious that I left like that.

At the same time, I wonder if it's even possible to feel this much security after only being gone for a few days to the capital.

If I leave Lapel and come back...

Maybe it's because of this warmth...

At that thought, I give a smile, feeling a bit torn, and shrug.

"It's really okay. Look, I'm fine."

I spread my arms out as wide as I can, twirl around, and smile bashfully. Ergel relaxes her shoulders and laughs along with me.

I then take off my gloves and put them on the sofa.

"I want a cup of tea, Ergel."

"Would you like some cold milk tea?"

"That would be good."

I chuckle at Ergel's words, which seem to have read my mind.

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"Oh my god, a monster came out of this area?"

I almost spit out the tea I'm drinking, so I purse my lips together and put down the teacup.

"Yes."

Seeing my reaction, she hands over the handkerchief while nodding with a serious expression.

"Where?"

"Condel Mountains."

"Condel Mountains?"

If it's Condel Mountains, then isn't it the place where Kyle had his first major battle?

As I rummage through my memory, thinking of Condel Mountains, I suddenly narrow my brow.

Right.

Kyle went to find Abigail, who went to Condel Mountains to find some kind of medicinal herb. I'm not sure if he could consider it luck or not, but he had a major arc there.

It was an episode where he defeated the dragon-like monster, Cadensha, and blah blah blah blah.

Was that episode around this time?

Before the episode unfolded, I remember Charles was sent but he was defeated before the episode took place, and there were quite a few casualties.

["Not too far from the Diago Duchy, the Duke Diago sent a military unit, but it is said to have failed. The villagers who had settled under the mountain range were annihilated because of the unrest.]

In the novel, Kyle's unlucky lieutenant sneaked away from Charles.

At that time, Charles was seen as a greedy and incompetent villain.

As expected, the power of the novel.

I tilt my head and tsk.

"Since the Duke Diago has set up a base in Lapel and wiped out the demons on a large scale, there have been fewer monsters in the Condel Mountains. Even though there were very few, most of them came down to graze or steal bread from the houses because there was nothing for them to eat in winter, but I think there are a lot of concerns because Cadensha has appeared this time."

I stare at Ergel, who explains in detail what she has been through.

Even as a maid, she seems to know too much about the rumors.

"How do you know so much?"

"Ah, my father is an herbalist in a village under Condel Mountains."

"......"

"Because of his age, Anna and I told him not to go to the mountain like that, but if he doesn't do that, he says there is no reason to live—"

"Wait a minute."

At first glance, it seems like she's complaining, but from her gestures, it seems that she's just thinking of her father's well-being as she has a small smile on her face.

"Is Ergel's father living in that village?"

"Yes, with some cousins."

Ergel's expression looks as if she wants to ask why I want to know.

If Ergel's father resides in the only village below Condel Mountains, then that is the place that will be slaughtered by Cadensha, who will ferociously battle with Charles by swallowing up everything around the mountain.

What should I do?

"......"

This is driving me crazy.

I nibble on my lips, feeling like I'm at a crossroad with this new development.

The reason Charles was rebuked by the emperor was because of the annihilation of the village.

This is the moment that Kyle became established as a major player and got a foothold to ascend the throne because he ended up saving the children who survived the annihilation of the village and then established an orphanage for them.

According to the novel, children could live if they had adults to care for them, but all the adults had died.

There's Ergel's family, too.

I look at Ergel, wondering what to do with this information, when she softly smiles at me.

"You don't have to worry so much, Your Grace. His Excellency will dispatch troops soon and wipe them—"

"No!"

Ergel stops speaking, as if she's surprised by my sudden outburst. An understanding smile is drawn on her face.

I think she might have heard, 'My husband can't go out like that!', so I shake my head toward Ergel.

"No, wouldn't it be better to evacuate the villagers first before he sends the troops out?"

That way, even if Charles can't kill Cadensha, the villagers will be safe.

Then, Kyle won't become distinguished for killing Cadensha.

At my words, Ergel is unable to hold back her laughter as she shakes her head slightly.

"Even if it's a monster-class Cadensha, you don't have to worry because His Excellency is quite familiar with them."

"Still, it's been a while since a monster class like that came out in Condel Mountains."

"Still, when the knights go, it will probably be all sorted out in a day or two. The villagers will probably say that they do not want to evacuate because it is a hassle."

By staying, you may just die if you don't put up with this hassle.

But I can't say such a thing, so I chew on my lips.

What should I do?

Instead of wasting more time, thinking about how to get them to safety, I suddenly have a thought.

Should I just save them?

Even people I don't know should be saved, so I shouldn't stand still at the risk of Charles dying. I breathe in deeply as a stream of thoughts leads to my mind being overloaded.

This is the one part of my personality that I don't like, one who gets stressed out from overthinking and having too many thoughts all at once.

Let's clear my head for a second.

"I don't know if His Excellency has ordered it yet."

As Ergel passes by, she quietly tells me the solution.

At that moment, I shout 'Eureka!' and jump up from my seat.

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"Please give an evacuation order for the villagers below the Condel Mountains."

"What?"

After shouting 'Eureka!', I rush over to Charles's office and ask a seemingly absurd request.

"Why?"

"I heard that a demon has appeared. It's also a monster-class Cadensha!"

"......"

However, Charles's expression remains unmoved.

"Ergel's father and her family live there."

"I know."

"So, let's safely evacuate—"

"You have grown up in the capital, so you might think that a monster is scary, but Cadensha is not that threatening."

I almost want to shout back, 'Then why didn't you catch it if it wasn't a threat?' but I swallow the urge down with saliva and laugh awkwardly.

"But, it can still turn into a threat. You could endanger yourself and them, trying to block the attacks of the demons."

"I won't be in danger—"

"Your Grace, are you indestructible? There's no way it won't become dangerous!"

"......"

Charles blinks, as if he has turned speechless at my outburst, while I stretch out both hands and speak enthusiastically.

When I see his face, I shut my mouth, becoming more aware about the problem between us from his expression alone.

Damn it.

Doesn't this sound like a confession of love or something like that?

This is enough to confuse him.

If a guy like him was fooling around in front of me, I would have said, 'Hey, you crazy guy. Get lost.'

I would have also added this.

'Are you playing with me?'

"....."

Wow – I'm really the worst.

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T/N: I'm so glad that Abella didn't wait a thousand years later to tell Charles and basically just yeeted herself to his office and was like, "Hey boo. Evacuate this place, please?" Lol

And yeah, if I was Charles, I'd have been like. What the fuck am I into? This woman rejects me one moment then doesn't want me to die the next?

*Charles's inner monologue