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Chapter 3
“Let’s forget everything that’s happened between us and get along from now on.”
Even if Emperor Raiden of the Triania Empire had suddenly appeared and said something like that, it would have been less absurd than what was happening now.
“…”
Calix’s blue eyes flickered sharply.
What in the world was going on?
After returning to the palace for the first time in six months, he had expected to finally catch his breath for a while. Instead, it felt as though someone had struck him from behind.
Iena’s declaration—
“Either divorce me or depose me.”
It was something he had never even imagined.
Iena.
Iena Licht Heiga.
Calix repeated his wife’s name more times than he had over the past several years combined.
“We didn’t marry for love in the first place, did we?!”
She was right.
Absolutely right.
He had never loved her.
To be honest, he had never even looked at her as a woman.
So why had he made her Empress?
The answer was simple.
Because she was useful.
The Heiga family was the most powerful noble house in the Alcrus Empire.
The previous emperor.
The emperor before him.
No matter how many generations one traced back, there had never been an emperor who could afford to ignore the Heiga family’s wishes.
Their influence was overwhelming.
They ruled politics, business, and even high society.
That was why he had chosen Iena.
In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Calix had managed to secure the throne and strengthen imperial authority largely because of the Heiga family’s support.
He recalled the first time he had met Iena.
Her large eyes.
The frightened gaze that looked ready to burst into tears.
Her trembling voice.
The moment he saw her, he had thought:
At least this woman won’t make my life difficult.
This wasn’t a marriage born of love.
It was a marriage of necessity.
If she had tried to control him using her powerful family, or constantly bothered him with declarations of love, she would only have become a burden.
Fortunately, his prediction had been correct.
After becoming Empress, Iena had never once caused trouble or tried to dominate him.
But her feelings were different.
Calix had always known.
She truly loved him.
Whenever their eyes met, her ears and cheeks would turn as red as ripe cherries.
Her gaze overflowed with affection.
She had never actually said, “I love you,” but even the biggest fool in the world would have noticed.
Love.
Calix let out a quiet scoff.
In his entire life, he had never once loved anyone.
He judged everyone solely by their usefulness.
That alone might simply have been part of his personality.
Unfortunately, the problem went deeper.
He didn’t believe love even existed.
Not only did he disbelieve it—
He mocked it.
He thought it was idiotic.
People who risked everything, lost everything, and ultimately sacrificed even their lives over a mere emotion looked like the greatest fools in the world.
That was why he had always thought Iena was foolish too.
So he pretended not to notice.
He neither accepted her feelings nor rejected them.
He simply remained silent.
Whether she loved him or not—
What did it matter?
He had never once asked her to love him.
He didn’t want unnecessary complications.
His life was already irritating enough.
Besides, whether he accepted her feelings or not, she would remain Empress.
Or rather…
She had been destined to remain Empress.
“Excuse me… but could you divorce me?”
“…”
“I won’t ask for alimony or anything, so I’d appreciate it if you could do it as soon as possible.”
“…Ha…”
“If divorce would look bad politically, then you can just depose me instead.”
She hadn’t said it jokingly.
She had smiled as she said it.
During all the years he had known her, this was the first time she had looked him straight in the eye while smiling.
The problem was what she had said with that smile.
Is this because I never accepted her feelings?
But that explanation felt far too dramatic.
Instead of saying,
“Please acknowledge my love…”
she had gone straight to,
“Either divorce me or depose me.”
Could there be another motive?
Perhaps her father, Edward, had put the idea into her head.
Calix knew very well that Edward was eagerly waiting to hear news of his daughter’s pregnancy.
Of course, Edward couldn’t possibly know.
Not even on their wedding night had Calix and Iena ever shared a bed.
Perhaps Edward had encouraged her to make one decisive move.
“Does the Duke know how you feel?”
“No. Not yet.”
…
No.
That theory didn’t seem right either.
Calix sighed, remembering what she had said next.
“Don’t worry too much about what happens afterward. I’ll explain everything to Father myself. The Heiga family will continue supporting you—as long as we divorce peacefully…”
Impossible.
Edward would never do something that benefited someone else without gaining anything himself.
Edward Fritz Heiga.
Iena’s father.
Outwardly he appeared gentle, dignified, and warm.
Inside…
He was almost identical to Calix.
A man who would use any means necessary for his own advantage.
His one and only weakness was Iena.
His precious daughter.
His only remaining family.
If Iena were sent out of the palace—
Even if that were truly what she wanted—
Others would see it differently.
Especially Edward.
If that happened, everything would fall apart.
In the worst case…
Edward might shift his support to Luon, Calix’s half-brother.
Which meant…
If luck turned against him, Iena wouldn’t be the only one facing deposition.
At this point, Calix found himself sincerely hoping Paul had been right.
He desperately wanted the physician examining Iena to return and announce,
“Her Majesty the Empress has lost her mind.”
At least then they could treat her.
If she recovered, surely she would become her old self again—
The obedient.
Devoted.
Iena Heiga.
…
Unfortunately…
That hope was shattered.
The next morning, the physician bowed respectfully before saying,
“Her Majesty is perfectly healthy… and completely sane.”
Damn that bastard Calix Klose.
From morning until late at night, those were the words Iena muttered over and over.
“…Sigh…”
Leaning against the headboard, she let out a long breath.
Her thoughts were a complete mess.
Most of them revolved around Calix.
Eighty percent consisted of insults like,
“That bastard is even more insufferable than I expected.”
“The idiot can’t even understand that I’m trying to leave and keeps driving me insane.”
Thanks to the physician who had visited that morning, she had also added,
“The lunatic who treats perfectly sane people like they’re crazy.”
“I’m seriously going to lose my mind.”
She ruffled her hair violently.
She hadn’t expected him to immediately say,
“All right, let’s get divorced. You can step down as Empress and leave the palace tomorrow.”
But she certainly hadn’t expected him to reject her so firmly either.
Neither divorce.
Nor deposition.
Both were out of the question.
From the way he kept talking about “usefulness,” the reason was obvious.
He didn’t want to damage his relationship with the Heiga family.
That was why she’d assured him she would persuade her father and make sure the family’s support continued.
But if Calix refused both divorce and deposition…
Then only one option remained.
Run away.
In other words—
Escape over the palace wall.
She imagined what would happen afterward.
First, she’d have to reach the Heiga estate.
She had no idea where it was, but she could simply hire someone to guide her.
The real problem would come after she arrived.
Judging by Calix’s attitude, he’d undoubtedly come after her.
That left two possibilities.
Would her father, Edward, send his daughter back to the Emperor?
Or…
Would he refuse?
“…I completely overlooked that.”
She blinked.
Recruit allies.
Right.
That had to come first.
If Calix refused to cooperate, then she’d have to get Edward firmly onto her side instead.
She knew her father adored her.
But who knew?
She didn’t want to risk escaping the palace only to be dragged back like livestock being led to slaughter.
“The letters… where did I put those letters…”
She decided she’d better reread all the correspondence she’d exchanged with her father.
As she looked around the room trying to remember where she’d stored the box full of letters—
The door suddenly opened.
“Eek!”
Startled, Iena cried out.
She stared at the unwelcome visitor who had appeared so late at night.
It was, of course…
Calix.
“What are you doing up so late?”
“Then why are you here this late? In someone else’s room?”
“…Someone else’s room?”
Calix frowned slightly.
“Well, it certainly isn’t your room, is it?”
“It isn’t my room, but it’s hardly someone else’s either.”
“We’re husband and wife.”
“Oh… right. Sure.”
Iena answered flatly.
“Anyway…”
“I came to keep my promise.”
“What promise? That you’ll depose me?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t remember making any other promises with you.”
“I never promised to depose you.”
“Or divorce you.”
“Then why are you here?”
“The lonely nights.”
“…What?”
“Who was the one who left his Empress alone every night?!”
“I told you.”
“I won’t leave you alone anymore.”
“Starting tomorrow night, I’ll come to the Empress’s Palace every night.”
“And I’ll treat you like an Empress should be treated.”
“If you made me your Empress, shouldn’t you have treated me like one from the beginning?!”
Calix walked toward the bed.
Love?
He still had absolutely no interest in such foolish emotions.
Nothing had changed regarding Iena.
Even after hundreds of years, he doubted he would ever see her as a woman.
He was certain of that.
But…
If making a little effort was enough to keep her by his side—
He was willing to do that much.
After all, hadn’t she always loved him?
Perhaps she was talking nonsense about divorce and deposition now…
But maybe, if she believed her feelings had finally been acknowledged, she would change her mind.
So…
Calix decided to make a little effort.
The problem—
Unfortunately for him—
Was that the person standing before him was no longer the old Iena.
“Uh… D-Don’t come any closer! Hey!”
