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CHAPTER 25
The atmosphere had already begun shifting toward sympathy for Shan.
In this world, pregnancy was considered a woman’s duty, and a woman who could not produce an heir was deemed useless. The fact that the ducal household had accepted a romance marriage with a lowly baron’s daughter was already controversial—but the duchess had raised her son well, so people assumed her anger came from frustration.
But now… the wife couldn’t even bear children?
“She’s pitiful…”
“I don’t understand what’s so great about a woman who can’t have children.”
“She said she’s kind. Maybe the Duke just pitied her.”
“How shameless. How can she even appear here with such a secret?”
Whispers filled Radian’s ears.
Shan smiled faintly, seeing the crowd shift to her side. She was too mentally shaken—or perhaps too intoxicated—to worry about retaliation from Aight Duke later.
“You’ve all been deceived. That woman is a demon! A woman wearing a demon’s skin! The Clonia family produced a demon! Who knows? Maybe they all died because she sacrificed even her own family…”
“Hiiik.”
“Could it be true? She had no relatives and still received a baron title…”
“Maybe it is true… I smelled something strange earlier…”
“That’s terrifying…”
It’s perfume, you idiots.
Radian forced a bitter smile as the murmurs pierced her ears.
A circle of people surrounded them. It had become a standoff—Radian on one side, Shan on the other.
Tension tightened.
Shan smiled like a victor.
And Radian?
All eyes turned to her.
Cold gazes pressed in.
Now was the moment for performance.
“Mother… you’re… being too harsh…”
Tears instantly welled in Radian’s green eyes. They spilled down her cheeks, dripping onto her dress.
She clutched her chest and collapsed to the floor as if she couldn’t breathe.
Seeing her struggle, pity filled the crowd.
“This secret was meant to be taken to the grave with Lord Iriett… but since this lie has brought misfortune to the ducal house, I must reveal the truth…”
“What nonsense is this?”
Shan snapped in hostility.
But Radian waited—until the moment tension peaked.
“The one who cannot bear children… is not me. It is Lord Iriett…”
The hall erupted.
Gasps. Shock. Whispered screams.
“That’s… what?”
“My goodness…”
“A scandal of the century…”
Shan exploded.
“What nonsense! My son cannot conceive? How dare you twist words like that—!”
Radian continued calmly, voice trembling but firm.
“I’m afraid it’s true. On our wedding night, my husband told me himself, in tears… that due to an accident in childhood, he… cannot function at all…”
Silence fell.
Radian pressed on.
“Because I loved him, I embraced him. I thought even without children, we could be happy together. I chose to hide it… because between revealing that my husband had a condition, or that I could not bear children, I thought it would be better for the Skanan family reputation to bear the burden myself.”
Her voice softened.
“So I… used my own blood to fake proof of virginity and submitted it to the priest…”
The crowd went silent.
Men looked stunned. Women looked moved. Even Shan wavered.
“That’s a lie…! It’s a lie!”
Radian shook her head.
“No. I swear it on the goddess Vasana. I have never known a man in my life.”
The name of the goddess carried sacred authority—truth-testing waters of purity and fertility.
A hush fell over the hall.
Radian’s voice broke as she continued, trembling.
“Even when my mother-in-law insulted me… even when she pushed me… I endured it because I loved my husband. But I cannot bear… her insulting my late parents and family…”
Tears fell again.
The crowd had completely turned.
“How heartbreaking…”
“She endured all of that for her husband…”
“She’s like a saint…”
“She’s far too kind…”
“And the Duchess… she’s a commoner by birth anyway…”
“Lady Radian’s etiquette is flawless compared to her…”
“Please, Lady Radian, sit down… you must be cold…”
Women rushed to support her fragile body.
“I’m sorry… I caused trouble…”
“No, we should be the ones apologizing…”
Even those who doubted her now felt guilt.
Radian smiled weakly, tears still falling.
“I’m truly sorry… for ruining the atmosphere…”
And that was it.
The blame shifted entirely onto Shan.
Eyes turned cold.
Shan felt sick.
“Ugh…!”
She staggered, unable to breathe.
Then—
The crowd split.
Like the sea parting.
Aight Duke and Iriett arrived.
The Duke’s expression was ice-cold. Iriett’s face was flushed red with fury.
The pressure alone silenced the hall.
“Dear… you heard everything, didn’t you… I’m sorry… I had to say it… I was just so overwhelmed…”
Radian’s tearful apology struck even harder.
People now looked at Iriett with disdain.
What had he been doing while his wife suffered?
Iriett clenched his jaw, unable to respond.
Radian stepped closer, trembling.
“I thought my lie would bring peace… but it seems I’ve only cut deeper into the Skanan family… there is only one way to end this pain…”
Iriett looked up sharply.
“Y-you…”
Radian smiled through tears.
“Let’s divorce, my dear.”
Silence.
Shock.
“What… absurd thing are you saying—!”
Iriett panicked.
The Duke suppressed his rage but said nothing.
Then—
Shan finally broke.
She vomited on the spot.
