MCDD | Prologue

Prologue

“Madam. Since the weather is nice, shall we get a divorce?”

I stopped walking and turned my head.

What kind of nonsense is that supposed to be?

What possible context is there for this?

When our eyes met, Shaite smiled.

His brown eyes shimmered clearly under the sunlight, and his ash-gray hair swayed in the breeze.

Despite his gloomy coloring, his expression was bright and refreshing.

Shaite Hunniswald was looking at me with a face suited for a perfect spring day.

…though what came out of his mouth was the exact opposite of that gentle appearance.

“I thought he was unusually inviting me for a walk, but this?”

And what he chose to say was divorce? Ha! Unbelievable.

“What does a nice day have to do with getting a divorce?”

“If we divorce on a nice day, it might feel less unpleasant.”

“No, it wouldn’t.”

“Or perhaps, since it’s a nice day, we could make it feel like a celebration of divorce?”

“What on earth are you talking about… what kind of mood are you trying to create?”

“A divorce mood, I suppose.”

Was he trying to make a joke? I barely swallowed my rising irritation and forced a smile.

“I have no intention of getting into that kind of mood.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

He said that, but Shaite didn’t look even slightly regretful.

“Madam. If you ever wish to reclaim the surname ‘Lutshield,’ please let me know. My divorce papers are always stamped and ready.”

With that, Shaite turned away without hesitation.

As if he had never suggested a walk in the first place, he strode straight back into the mansion.

Left alone in the garden, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha! Seriously… ha, ha!”

I was so stunned I couldn’t even speak properly.

I ran my hands through my hair to cool my boiling head.

My wavy light sky-blue hair slipped between my fingers.

The sensation, so smooth and unimpeded, only slightly soothed my mood—no, not really!

“What is wrong with that man?!”

My anger, rising all the way to my crown, showed no signs of calming.

And for good reason.

All my conversations with Shaite these days had been like this.

Why did he suddenly change like this?

Shaite Hunniswald.

He used to never speak to me. When he did, it was barely audible, stammered words that you could almost miss.

His posture was so hunched he looked smaller than he was, and his eyes would dart around nervously.

He was a gloomy, unsettling man.

At least I didn’t have to see him often, since he rarely left his room.

We had lived like strangers.

Until the day of the storm—when everything changed.

From that point on, he suddenly started appearing at meals, sitting at the dining table without fail.

And then he would say things like:

“Breakfast is quite splendid today. The chef must have put in great effort. In honor of his dedication, shall we get a divorce?”

Or he would hand me an envelope and say:

“I put a great deal of effort into this. Please accept it.”

Only for it to be divorce papers.

Or:

“I heard you enjoy horseback riding, so I brought you a fine horse as a gift.”

And the horse’s name turned out to be “Farewell.”

Even the necklace he gifted me had an engraving on the back that read:

“To you, who is more beautiful alone.”

At this point, it felt like every breath Shaite took meant “divorce,” and every exhale meant “please.”

Thinking back on his recent behavior made my anger peak.

“There are limits to how much you can torment someone. This is just too much.”

I couldn’t just keep taking this.

I strode back into the mansion.

Up the stairs, down the corridor, and then I threw open Shaite’s door.

Despite my sudden intrusion, he didn’t look surprised and simply lifted his head calmly.

“What is it?”

“I don’t understand this at all. I didn’t cheat on you, I didn’t disgrace the family name. Until recently, there were no problems between us at all! So why do you keep insisting on a divorce?”

Shaite closed the document he had been reading and turned it over.

His gaze landed on my face.

Only then did I realize my voice had been louder than usual, and my anger had faded slightly into embarrassment.

My expression must have been terrible too.

I was probably frowning harshly, looking aggressive and intimidating.

I became aware that I was acting improperly and instinctively checked whether anyone else was watching.

Fortunately, there was no one else besides Shaite.

Calm down. Calm down.

Getting emotional won’t help anything.

I forced down my anger and shaped my lips into a polite smile.

Then I spoke to him as gently as I could.

“Don’t just say ‘let’s divorce’ out of nowhere. Tell me the reason. If there’s a problem, we can try to solve it together.”

But Shaite still didn’t look away.

He slowly stood up.

Step by step, he walked around the desk and approached me.

His shadow stretched and climbed over my body.

The backlight hid his expression. It felt completely different from his usual faint smile.

His presence was suffocating.

Don’t show weakness.

I straightened my shoulders and refused to back away.

When I lifted my head, his face was right there—close enough that I could feel his breath.

His brown eyes slowly traced my face.

Then he smiled.

There was no warmth in it at all, but it was the perfect smile of someone in authority.

Was Shaite even capable of making such an expression?

No. Absolutely not.

He couldn’t even smile properly before.

And yet now he radiated pressure as if he had been born to command others.

Just as I frowned at the contradiction, Shaite gently pushed me back.

“You’re kind enough to offer to think things through together. However, Madam, the only way you can help me—”

“……”

“—is by getting a divorce.”

Bang.

The door slammed shut right in front of me.

I let out a laugh in disbelief.

Seriously… what is wrong with him?

Why did he suddenly become obsessed with divorce?

He was the one who proposed first, after all…