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Chapter 16
Rosé nodded with a smile.
“Yes. A divorce.”
“May I ask why you want one?”
“Well….”
At the Grand Duke’s question, Rosé trailed off before answering.
“He’s not a good man by any standard, is he?”
“…….”
At her reply, the Grand Duke blinked in disbelief. Hearing such words come from Rosé’s mouth felt oddly surprising. From the very beginning, Eric had never been a good man by anyone’s measure. Wherever he went, scandal followed. Stories of young ladies pulling each other’s hair just to claim him were famous throughout high society. Even Rosé’s parents—the Count and Countess of Serviat—had tried to stop the marriage right up until the day before the wedding. Yet despite everyone’s objections, Rosé, blinded by love, went through with it.
“You realized that pretty quickly.”
The Grand Duke let out a short sigh, as if relieved she’d come to her senses at last, and looked at her with a faint smile.
“I’m going to change now. I won’t live like I used to anymore.”
Her voice was quiet, but her eyes burned with a fierce determination to change her fate.
If I hadn’t possessed this body… the heroine would have lived her whole life unhappily in Eric’s grasp.
Clinging to the hollow hope that someday Eric would love her. Rosé recalled Eric, who never once gave the heroine his love. The image of Eric turning his back overlapped strangely with the back of Lee Dohyun—someone she believed was hers, yet never truly was. Lost in those thoughts, she snapped back to reality when—
“You’ve made a wise decision. Your parents will be able to rest a little easier now.”
Hearing the voice of Grand Duke Arteum, Rosé came to her senses. At the mention of parents she’d thought she’d already severed ties with, she quickly asked,
“By any chance… are you in contact with my parents, Your Grace?”
“I exchange greetings with them from time to time.”
“I see… How are they doing? They’re… well, right?”
Had she truly matured? The Grand Duke found Rosé—who had never paid her parents any mind—remarkably different. She had chosen a man over her parents, cut ties with them, and hadn’t contacted them once—for three whole years. During that helpless passage of time, the hearts of the Count and Countess of Serviat must have burned black with worry. Their precious only daughter had chased after that good-for-nothing Eric—worse, the son of the Wens family that had brought ruin upon their house.
In truth, Rosé wasn’t asking because she missed them or felt affection. They weren’t her real parents. She asked for only one reason: to see whether they could become the support she would need as she stood on her own from now on. That was all.
So she wasn’t completely indifferent to her parents after all.
Watching her ask after them, the Grand Duke wondered if he had misunderstood her all this time—just as others misunderstood him, perhaps he too had placed Rosé into a preconceived frame. With a calm tone, he spoke.
“They’re living much the same as before.”
It sounded oddly ambiguous.
…So they’re doing well, then?
In truth, Rosé had no idea how the Serviat couple were doing. The book hadn’t described it.
“They worry about you greatly. If they hear this news, they’ll be quite pleased.”
That’s a relief. They won’t shut me out if I visit.
Worried they might reject her, Rosé let out a sigh of relief. After the divorce, she would have nowhere to go—this meant she had a place to lean on. Smiling, she said to the Grand Duke,
“Could you tell them I’ll be visiting soon?”
“I will.”
Seeing Rosé extend her hand first, the Grand Duke nodded and continued,
“When do you plan to divorce?”
“As soon as possible.”
Rosé answered instantly, as if there were nothing to consider. Clenching her fists, she looked at the Grand Duke; her eyes sparkled brighter than ever. Had he ever seen Rosé like this before? Without question, this was the first time—seeing her burning with resolve.
Seeing Rosé gazing at him with those bright eyes, he almost let out a laugh. Her disheveled hair, her expression—her face overlapped with that of his pet dog.
It’s rude to say about a lady, but she really does look just like Pin.
The Grand Duke suppressed the twitch at the corner of his mouth and steadied his breath, then continued as if nothing were amiss.
“The procedure isn’t very complicated. You’re retracting vows sworn before God, so the divorce must be conducted before the High Priest… but these days it’s been simplified.”
“Simplified?”
“You just submit documents with both of your seals.”
Relieved by how straightforward it sounded, Rosé smiled.
Thank goodness there’s no ridiculous setting where a woman can’t file for divorce first.
This bleak novel took place in a fictional world shaped by the author’s worldview, so she couldn’t let her guard down. As Rosé smiled in relief, the Grand Duke’s voice reached her ear.
“There doesn’t seem to be much I can help with.”
He brushed his hair back and lowered himself to sit, then met Rosé’s eyes, propping his chin with one arm. Even with dark, dried blood stiffly clinging to his hair, the blood-soaked Grand Duke looked almost dreamlike, like a work of art. The scattered bloodstains only made his pale skin stand out more.
Normally, this is the kind of person you should be afraid of…
Strangely, he didn’t feel as terrifying as before. That didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid at all—but the Grand Duke completely misunderstood the look in her eyes. She kept blushing when she looked at him, had turned her back on her husband’s faction to stand on his side, and had even said this earlier—
“Your Grace is kind.”
She’d said it shyly, unable to meet his eyes. However, his memory was distorted. Rosé had said he was “kind,” but never that he was a “good person.” Nor had she been blushing in embarrassment the whole time. She had glanced at him, yes—but not because she’d fallen in love. It was simply nervousness at facing him. And she had sided with him because she couldn’t ignore a situation after seeing an execution plan. Had Rosé not intervened, the Grand Duke would have been accused of killing Marquis Bled. He would have died, and Rosé would have been plagued by guilt. But the Grand Duke was thinking along entirely different lines.
Perhaps I’m the decisive reason she chose divorce.
Still watching her, he slowly stood up. Rosé awkwardly rose as well.
“It bothers me that I could only offer this small help in return for saving my life.”
“No. You’ve helped me more than enough.”
Rosé waved her hands hurriedly. Even if the procedure was simple, his explanation had helped.
“No, I’m not satisfied.”
With a firm voice, the Grand Duke lifted one corner of his mouth toward her.
“I’ll grant you whatever you want.”
“Whatever…?”
“Yes. So tell me what you want.”
Urging the hesitant Rosé, he prompted her again. Her eyes wavered—she wasn’t sure if she should really say what she wanted.
I shouldn’t make him dislike me…
Carefully guarding the trust she’d just gained, she glanced at him. He looked more generous than ever. Seeing that expression stirred something deep within her—ambition she’d buried, desires she’d planned for but never achieved.
I’ve got nothing to lose. Maybe I should at least say it.
Having made up her mind, Rosé parted her lips. The Grand Duke leaned slightly forward, curious.
“Then… could you lend me some money?”
Money? Had she just said money?
“…….”
Despite hearing her clearly, the Grand Duke doubted his ears. Born into royalty, he’d lived in abundance, assuming other nobles were no different. For the daughter of the Serviat family to ask for money—by his standards, it was shocking. Seeing his stunned expression, Rosé’s face crumpled.
I knew it… Was it too much to ask so suddenly?
Asking for money as payment for saving his life—how shameless.
I shouldn’t have asked…
She wished she could take it all back. An awkward silence filled the space between them. In the unnerving quiet, Rosé’s face flushed.
He was probably just speaking politely, and I took it too seriously.
If she divorced Eric, she might not even receive alimony. Though the Wens family was financially stable, there was no guarantee they’d provide for her. If anything, considering their cruelty, they might try to squeeze her family dry instead. She wanted to sew her foolish mouth shut. The Grand Duke was the only connection she’d gained at tonight’s banquet—what if she lost it?
“I’m sorry, Your Grace. I said something unnecessary.”
She bowed deeply, worried she’d seemed greedy.
“Please forget what I just said.”
Closing her eyes tightly, she cursed herself. Then—
“…How much do you want?”
An unexpected voice reached her ears.
“Pardon?”
She slowly lifted her head to look at the Grand Duke, as if needing confirmation.
“The money. How much do you want?”
The flustered man from before was gone. He looked at her with his usual dry expression—though a trace of surprise still lingered in his eyes. Clearing his throat, he said again,
“I’ll lend it to you. No matter how much.”
At his unexpected decisiveness, hope lit Rosé’s face. In this bleak novel where she had no one to rely on, the Grand Duke extended his hand to her. It felt like she’d gained an unexpectedly powerful ally.
