Please Provide Compensation Through Divorce-Chapter 13

“Maybe… scolding?”

For a moment, Leto seemed at a loss for words. He let out a shallow sigh and muttered.

“It’s frustrating.”

Even if he felt frustrated, what could I do? His usual expression was as cold as ice.

Perhaps aware of my thoughts, he spoke in a softer tone.

“Please, don’t put yourself in such situations anymore. I don’t want to see you in danger.”

I could feel it. He was genuinely worried about me. I felt a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you worry.”

“Alright. It’s a relief that you know now. By the way, are you always this brave?”

I’m not exactly timid. But what gave me the courage today was…

“I also believed in Your Majesty.”

“…What?”

“Even if I became the High Priestess’s target, I believed Your Majesty would protect me.”

He questioned, as if to confirm.

“You did it because you trusted me?”

“You called me ‘wife,’ remember.”

He might laugh at me. Wonder why I placed so much meaning in a simple word. But I wanted to say it. That I wasn’t just acting recklessly.

“That’s why I trusted you. Even if it’s in name only, we are married.”

Leto’s eyes widened. As if they couldn’t widen any more. He looked at me as if he could pierce through me.

Was I being presumptuous? Was it inappropriate to attach the word ‘spouse’ to him and me?

“Are you angry?”

“No.”

“You look angry.”

“Do you want me to be angry?”

“No, you look like you’re angry.”

His eyes shook, and he bit his lips slightly. If this wasn’t anger, what was it?

Leto seemed to realize something then. He quickly softened his expression and looked away.

“Just surprised.”

He rubbed his face with his palm.

“…I’ll work on my expressions.”

‘Work on them? Then…’

I lightly touched the frown lines on his forehead with my fingertips.

“These lines here.”

“……!”

“They make you look angry.”

“……”

“You said you’d work on them.”

For a moment, he froze like a statue. Did I overstep? I slowly withdrew my hand. That’s when he grabbed it and pulled it down.

Was it my imagination? His face seemed slightly flushed. His hand was warmer than before.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I spoke first.

“Anyway, I’ll act more cautiously from now on.”

“No. Do what you want.”

“……”

“You said you trusted me. Act accordingly.”

‘Huh?’

For a moment, I felt strange. Like I had become someone special to him. A ridiculous notion.

Leto suddenly asked out of the blue.

“Have you heard of the ‘Empress’s Garden’?”

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“You wouldn’t know, working all the time. It’s a rose garden between the Emperor’s and Empress’s palaces.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you want to see it?”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“Is it an order?”

“No. A suggestion.”

Meaning I could refuse. But I was curious. Especially given the name.

“Sure, let’s go.”

The ‘Empress’s Garden’ was indeed on the way to the Empress’s Palace. The gatekeepers opened the previously shut garden gate.

Creak—

“Wow…”

A gasp escaped my lips. Red roses bloomed everywhere. A dizzying fragrance filled the air.

‘It feels like stepping into a bouquet.’

We were alone in the garden. It was probably reserved for the royal family. It seemed a waste that such a view was limited to so few.

“But why is it called the ‘Empress’s Garden’?”

“My father created it for my mother.”

I see. Their bond must have been very strong. They say he never remarried after she passed away.

“The former Empress must have loved red roses.”

“Not so much that. It was more of a symbol. My mother had a unique appearance.”

“Unique?”

“Red hair and violet eyes.”

“Ah.”

It all made sense now.

Red hair is rare in Set Empire. So are violet eyes. Someone with both is considered exceptional, even seen as extraordinary.

And the prime example of that… is Meril Iste.

There was a reason Meril caught Leto’s eye. He must have seen how much the former Emperor cherished the Empress.

Leto would make a good husband. Judging by how he worried about me earlier, he’s not just cold-hearted.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I think you’ll be kind to the woman who becomes the next Empress after me.”

“What?”

He stopped abruptly, as if he’d heard something unexpected.

He swallowed something hard and asked me.

“I have a question.”

“Ask.”

“You’re doing well as Empress, you can’t return home, and you don’t have another man. So why do you want a divorce so badly?”

“Does the reason matter?”

“It does.”

There are many reasons.

I’m still scared of Leto. In the original story, he changes after meeting Meril. Until then, I can’t let my guard down.

‘Living as good companions with him? Impossible.’

Meril Iste. Her arrival will change many things. I have no intention of getting in the way of their love.

Even if, by some wild chance, Leto starts liking me, that would be a huge problem.

Meril won’t participate in the ‘Goddess War.’

That would endanger the Empire and, most importantly, my life. I don’t want to be on the battlefield.

But I can’t explain all that. I’ll give a plausible excuse.

“I need to live my life too.”

“Your life?”

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“Yes. I never dreamed of a life as Empress. It doesn’t suit me.”

“You don’t know yourself well.”

“I appreciate Your Majesty acknowledging me as Empress, but I don’t want such a glamorous and intense life.”

“So what do you think suits you?”

“Something stable and peaceful.”

“And?”

“What?”

“Keep talking. Specifically. How should it be peaceful?”

I’ve never thought about it concretely. But if I had to describe it…

“Hmm… A small teahouse on a secluded beach. I’d welcome guests, read books, or do research. Ah, studying herbal medicine could benefit the Empire.”

Just imagining it is nice. A peaceful, modest life, contributing to the world with research. That’s all I need.

But Leto is silent after hearing my dream. I think I know why and chuckle.

“It’s too far-fetched, isn’t it? Unrealistic. If there aren’t many customers, I can’t keep the shop open.”

But Leto asked a different question.

“Would you be alone there?”

“Hmm… I don’t know. If I’m lucky, someone might be with me. It’s okay if there’s no one.”

“If you’re lucky, huh.”

Leto fiddled with the flower bed. There must be many thorns. He didn’t seem to care.

He found a white rose and handed it to me.

“Thank you.”

“Is that really enough? The beach, the teahouse, and herbal research?”

“…For now, yes.”

“Alright.”

What does he mean by that?

Maybe Leto feels insecure. He doesn’t know about Meril yet. He just dislikes the idea of an empty Empress’s seat.

We continued walking through the garden.

I smelled the white rose. Its scent was subtler and simpler than the red roses. Feeling better, I smiled at him.

“Soon, a good woman will come into Your Majesty’s life.”

“……”

“Trust me.”

A few steps later, he disappeared from my side. I turned back and stopped.

He stood there, looking utterly shocked.

The High Priestess sat alone in a dark room. A shadow entered.

“Baron Orang was taken?”

The voice was familiar.

“Dante.”

“It’s unfortunate, Your Holiness. Baron Orang could have been a good source of funds.”

“Watch your mouth!”

Dante raised his hands in mock surrender. The High Priestess jumped up and pointed a finger at him.

“I told you to deliver the letter only to Rivia! How did the Emperor end up here?!”

The High Priestess got in Dante’s face.

“Did you deliver the letter properly?”

“I swear on the goddess. I gave it directly to the Empress where no one could see.”

“The secret about the ‘Goddess’s Snowflake’ didn’t leak?”

“Of course not. Only a few priests know about it, and they wouldn’t speak. If caught, they’d lose their tongues.”

Everything he said was true. The High Priestess collapsed onto the sofa.

“That woman—”

“The Empress?”

“Yes. That woman… she’s completely different from the Rivia I knew.”

Dante laughed, incredulous.

“Weren’t you the one who proclaimed her resurrection?”

“Because I believed her resurrection was a true miracle of the goddess. Miracles do happen, albeit rarely.”

“Very rarely.”

“But it’s too strange. She’s changed too much. Like a different person. What do you think, Dante? Do you believe this Rivia is real?”

Dante had a unique sense. He could feel the goddess’s power directly, surpassing even the High Priestess.

Dante smiled mysteriously.

“Yes. I feel the ‘goddess’s power’ within her.”

“You’re not lying?”

“Why would I lie?”

“Fine. Leave now.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

Dante bowed and turned to leave. He paused at the door.

“Your Holiness. What if she’s not the real resurrected Empress?”

The High Priestess grinned wickedly.

“What does it matter? Whether to kill or spare her, we’ll see.”

“…Indeed.”

Simple logic. If she blocked the way, she wouldn’t be spared, even if she truly was resurrected by the goddess’s power.

Dante quietly left the room. He thought deeply.

‘I didn’t lie. I do feel the ‘goddess’s power’ within her. Strongly.’

That power wasn’t in the old Rivia. Nor in anyone else in the Empire.

Dante’s smile grew intrigued.

‘Empress Rivia. I should look into her more.’