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CHAPTER 73…
I fidgeted awkwardly with the teacup.
Of course, I knew Idris was a good person.
But still…
‘There’s nothing between us.’
So naturally, I had never even considered the idea of marriage.
All I ever thought was that, when the time came, we’d go our separate ways.
And most importantly—
‘The one meant to become Duchess isn’t me!’
Hoping this uncomfortable tea time would end soon, my thoughts drifted to the true culprit behind this situation—who was probably in the Emperor’s palace right now.
“So you’re telling me…”
Azef glanced between his brother, standing before him, and the documents spread across his desk in disbelief.
“This—this is the reason you wanted to see me so urgently?”
The document Idris had unexpectedly dropped in front of the emperor was none other than Leticia’s request for divorce.
Instead of answering directly, Idris simply offered a smile.
“I couldn’t just barge in without a reason, considering how busy Your Majesty is.”
“…And yet you only come to me when you need something?”
“If you belittle the sincerity I feel toward Your Majesty like that, I might get hurt.”
He always had a smooth way with words.
Azef let out a sigh and said:
“There’s a process to everything. Divorce too—it’s a serious matter of dissolving a family. It must be handled carefully, and that takes time.”
“That’s precisely why I’m here. I’d like you to expedite that process.”
“Do you realize that’s an abuse of power?”
“Let’s just call it a small gift for your beloved little brother.”
“Hah.”
“Now that the Duke of Farnese’s affair has been exposed, there’s no reason to drag this out any longer. Unless you plan to name me Leticia’s lover, that is.”
Azef glared at his little brother, who never missed a beat with his smug responses.
Then, as if remembering something, his brow furrowed.
“Actually, there’s something else I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”
Idris looked at him with mild confusion instead of asking what it was.
“All the receipts that proved Lady Fran’s crimes have disappeared.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Looks like we’ve got a rat hiding in the palace.”
The moment the troubling news dropped, Idris’s gaze turned cold and sharp.
His mind immediately started running through a list of possible suspects.
‘First off, it can’t be Peidan Farnese.’
The moment Elise’s case broke, he was the first to play the victim card. There’s no way someone like him would risk anything to help Elise escape.
‘It’s not Baron Fran either.’
As Elise’s uncle, he took over the Fran family after her father died. He’d be more likely to benefit from her downfall than help her.
Besides, the Baron Fran family didn’t have the power to plant someone in the Imperial Palace.
‘If there’s anyone who could place someone inside the palace, it’d be Deon… but…’
Deon had no reason to rescue Elise. What use would he have for a disgraced noblewoman with no political weight?
‘Then who…?’
But right now, who helped Elise wasn’t the main issue.
“At any rate, without evidence, we had to release her due to lack of proof.”
“Then what happens to the divorce request?”
If Elise’s charges disappeared, then Leticia’s basis for requesting a divorce became shaky.
Idris’s plan to get approval quickly and ease Leticia’s worries would be rendered useless.
“But no evidence doesn’t mean there’s no suspicion.”
“You mean…”
“Many people witnessed Elise Fran’s crimes. Public opinion has completely turned against her. So even if the divorce goes through, there won’t be any backlash.”
With that, Azef stamped the imperial seal on the divorce request Idris had brought and handed it over.
“Take it.”
Azef looked thoroughly fed up as he flapped the document toward Idris, who stepped forward to take it.
With the result in hand, Idris’s expression quickly softened into a smile.
“Thank you for your love, brother. I’ll look into the rat in the palace from my side as well.”
As Idris tucked the divorce papers into his inner coat, Azef asked:
“So, does this mean you’re going to marry Lady Chloel now?”
There was concern and affection on his face as he looked at his younger brother.
There had been a time when he seriously worried, after Idris never brought home any woman, that perhaps he wasn’t interested in women at all.
Seeing Idris now flustered over a woman—even pestering him over it—was rather adorable. The only problem was…
‘Why did it have to be Leticia Chloel?’
Idris clearly liked her. So did Rudian and Vanessa.
But Azef still wasn’t sold on her.
Objectively, Leticia was quite capable—managing and growing her business, even risking her life to save Rudian.
If someone else had said they wanted to marry her, Azef would’ve happily given his blessing.
But that’s only if that “someone else” wasn’t Idris.
‘Maybe I’m just being selfish.’
He had reluctantly accepted the relationship, knowing Idris wouldn’t bring home another woman, but the discomfort lingered.
Then, to his surprise, Idris replied:
“Hmm… I think we’ll need a little more time.”
Azef had assumed that Idris was ready to marry immediately, given how he rushed in demanding divorce approval.
‘Is Lady Chloel the one who’s hesitant about marriage?’
He hadn’t liked the idea of his brother marrying a divorcee, but now, imagining his brother being rejected by one made his mood sour in a different way.
Azef looked at Idris with narrowed eyes.
But Idris only smiled—his usual unreadable smile—giving no answer to the silent question.
Having survived the tense tea time, I stepped out to the entrance of the Empress’s palace.
“Haaa…”
Now that I was alone, the tension left me and a sigh naturally escaped my lips.
‘Thank goodness I thought of another topic to change the subject.’
I’d brought up the upcoming charity bazaar—something we’d talked about at the tea party.
It was just enough to redirect Her Majesty’s attention, which had been subtly leaning toward trying to match me with Idris.
‘Of course, I’m grateful that she thinks well of me, but…’
I suddenly recalled the night I drank with Idris and we played truth or dare.
“Idris. You like someone, don’t you?”
“…”
“You’re waiting to marry that person, right? Who is it?”
I was drunk, so my memory was fuzzy—but I clearly remembered the troubled look on his face as he answered with silence and drank instead.
Until then, I’d only assumed he liked someone but couldn’t marry them for some reason.
That night confirmed it.
Idris had someone else—a person he’d already promised a future with.
‘There’s already someone meant to become Duchess. I shouldn’t give Her Majesty the wrong impression.’
Once the divorce with Peidan was finalized, there’d be no more reason to continue this contract relationship.
‘I should start preparing to end it.’
And yet—perhaps because of the bond we’d built—thinking about it ending left me with a strange mix of relief and regret.
As I stepped out of the Empress’s palace, deep in thought—
A familiar voice called out beside me.
“Why the big sigh?”
“Ack—!”
It was Idris, who had accompanied me to the palace.
