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Chapter 8
What Nonsense About Love
According to the marriage customs of the Luten Empire, when a couple married, the husband’s side would usually add an equal amount to the dowry the wife brought. That combined sum became the settlement money the wife could take with her in the event of divorce or widowhood.
However, there were cases where the wife could leave with even more than that amount. For example, if the divorce was caused by a serious fault on the husband’s part, additional compensation money might be added as an apology. Or…
“You mean an extra allowance because the husband loves his wife too much? Oh my goodness!”
The maid in charge of her hair clasped both hands together, her eyes sparkling.
Love?
More like absolute nonsense.
Diabella looked at the butler with an unimpressed expression.
“The Marquis said that he highly values Your Ladyship’s intentions in using the divorce settlement money to build a school for the territory’s people. He also said that all future construction costs for the school will be covered by him.”
Values?
Who are you to evaluate me?
Receiving money with that arrogant attitude…
‘…I’ll gladly accept it.’
Diabella swiftly snatched the envelope from the butler’s hands.
Well, it was annoying, but there was no reason to refuse money someone was willingly giving her.
Besides, she had already taken a major financial hit by spending nearly all of her settlement funds on the school’s initial construction costs, not to mention promising to compensate Raymond for the necklace she had sold. If the extra payment could fill that gap, then great.
* * *
“Milady, today it looks like it’s only a tiny flowerpot!”
Another flowerpot?
There was already an indoor garden in the mansion, so she truly couldn’t understand why he kept sending flowerpots every single day.
Well, considering he had even sent extra money, she had simply told the servants to leave them alone…
Shrugging, Diabella opened the box said to be from the Marquis.
Inside was not a flowerpot, but another velvet box—dark blue in color. On top of it rested an envelope.
‘What’s this?’
Diabella opened the envelope first. Inside was a single document labeled:
“Divorce Registration Receipt.”
‘He really submitted it. Okay. Divorce, let’s go.’
With a satisfied look, Diabella checked the document before opening the velvet box.
The moment she lifted the heavy lid, dazzling light spilled out through the gap, making her flinch.
“Oh my! It’s gorgeous!”
The maids tending to various tasks in the room crowded around in excitement.
Carefully, Diabella lifted the item from inside.
It was a lavish, weighty necklace: a massive sparkling ruby surrounded by smaller diamonds.
Diabella held the ruby toward the sunlight streaming through the window. The gemstone was flawless and perfectly cut. Its brilliance reflected in her ruby-red eyes, making them shine together.
“It suits Milady so perfectly! Please try it on!”
“Yes, hurry and wear it! You’ll look absolutely beautiful!”
Unable to withstand the maids’ insistence, she nodded. Everyone cheered as they carefully fastened the necklace around Diabella’s pale neck.
“My goodness!”
“You look unbelievably beautiful!”
And it truly wasn’t an exaggeration. Even to Diabella herself, her appearance seemed several times more radiant than usual. Combined with her crimson eyes and wine-colored hair, the ruby necklace looked as though it had been made solely for her.
Just then—
“The Marquis has arrived!”
The unexpected visit left her with no time to rip the necklace off and throw it aside. Embarrassed for no reason at all, Diabella instinctively moved to cover it, while the Marquis entering the room stared at her blankly.
Only after a long moment did he finally speak.
“…It suits you well.”
“The flower baskets, the flowerpots… and now even a necklace. Why are you suddenly sending all these things?”
Since she had already been curious about it, Diabella finally voiced the question she had been too lazy to go ask herself.
“You really did send back the value of the necklace from last time.”
“Ah, that.”
The day she received the extra funds through the butler, Diabella had also sent Raymond the money equivalent to the heirloom necklace that the original Diabella had sold off.
At first, she had only mentioned repayment to bait Angelica, but after receiving additional money, the fact that it had been an heirloom continued to bother her.
“Because I said I would.”
“You didn’t have to go that far. But… would you treasure this necklace more carefully?”
Diabella nodded.
A necklace that suited her this perfectly would be difficult to find again anyway. She might as well keep it.
‘A divorce gift? Maybe that’s a custom in this country.’
“Yes, I shall do so. I also received the divorce receipt and the additional funds safely.”
Diabella gave a slight bow of her head.
“……”
“……?”
Even though it seemed his business was finished, Raymond hesitated, lingering in the room as though waiting for something.
“Is there some other matter left?”
“No… perhaps there’s something more you’d like to say?”
What? What else was she supposed to say?
No matter how much she thought about it, nothing came to mind, so Diabella shook her head.
“No. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now. I have something important to do.”
After giving her farewell, Diabella left the room first. Raymond’s sudden visit had already delayed her schedule.
Raymond stared blankly at Diabella’s retreating figure as she hurried away.
‘…She’s beautiful.’
It struck him anew just how beautiful his wife truly was.
Of course, he had known before. But after becoming exhausted by all her misdeeds, there had been many times when he could barely stand even looking at her face.
‘Beautiful isn’t even enough to describe her.’
As expected, she was exactly his type of woman.
‘When I sent the flower baskets, I thought she’d seize the chance and immediately come running to beg me to cancel the divorce…’
Yet no matter how many he sent, there was no reaction whatsoever. Then he discovered a maid throwing every single flower basket away.
She disliked flowers that wilted quickly?
He had assumed it was some cute little act of pouting directed at him. So this time, he sent a large flowerpot instead.
Still no response.
So then, as an apology regarding the school construction matter—which had already weighed on his mind—he sent additional funds.
Building a school for the territory’s people was something he himself had never even considered, yet it was truly an admirable idea.
Since it concerned his territory, however, he felt he ought to take responsibility for completing it. It would have been disgraceful to let the project rely entirely on the divorce settlement money he had given her.
But again, Diabella never came personally. Instead, through the butler, she merely sent thanks… along with repayment for the necklace she had sold before.
‘What on earth is going on?’
As far as he knew, Diabella had never genuinely wanted a divorce.
Otherwise, why would she have caused such chaos by pretending to drink poison to avoid one? Though in the end she accidentally drank real poison instead, making things even worse.
He thought she was only pretending to write the divorce papers because she wanted his forgiveness.
Tired beyond measure of Diabella’s misdeeds, Raymond had intended to ignore her act and simply proceed with the divorce. Which was why he submitted the papers.
But now…
For some reason, he felt reluctant to let things end in divorce so easily.
Was it because she had changed after nearly dying from her illness? He kept thinking about Diabella, growing more and more curious about her.
Maybe… just this once, he could pretend not to notice and cancel the divorce.
Even he found the thought absurd, yet it surfaced anyway.
Although the divorce had already been filed, the Luten Empire had a one-month grace period after filing. If both husband and wife requested cancellation during that time, the divorce would become void.
‘Just one more time. I’ll overlook it.’
That was what he thought.
He didn’t know how long this “changed” behavior of hers would last, but right now, Diabella intrigued him quite a bit.
And just as before their marriage, she was still the most beautiful woman in the Empire.
‘If she causes trouble again later, I can always hand her divorce papers again.’
That was his reasoning. Naturally, he assumed Diabella wanted the divorce canceled, so in his mind, he was generously giving her another chance.
He thought that if he sent the divorce receipt along with a small reconciliation gift, she would rush over in panic, begging him to cancel the divorce and forgive her.
But instead—
Raymond stared at the empty hallway beyond the door Diabella had left through.
Even after receiving the divorce receipt, her reaction had been this lukewarm.
Could it be… that she truly intended to divorce him?
Impossible.
Suddenly, Raymond felt anxious.
“Bellop.”
He called for the guard who always shadowed him.
“Yes, Marquis.”
“Follow my wife and see where she’s going. Don’t let her notice you. Ah—and stop by the boutique where I ordered that ruby necklace and place an order for matching ruby earrings as well. As quickly as possible. No—wait. Following my wife is more urgent. I’ll send another servant for the earrings. You go after her immediately.”
“Yes, understood.”
Watching his master panic in such an unfamiliar manner, Bellop bowed before quickly leaving the estate.
