Jayren’s single statement stirred up the entire drawing room.
Delight showed no major reaction, but his expression hardened slightly.
The one who seemed most surprised was Blueny.
The idea of her brother, someone she was meeting for the first time, wanting to take her away appeared to have caught her off guard.
“If the Empress decides to return to the kingdom after regaining her memory, there would be no reason to stop her, but it seems a bit hasty at the moment.”
Delight pushed back on Jayren’s declaration.
However, Jayren continued, unfazed.
“In reality, Your Majesty and Blueny are already divorced. If we look at it objectively, Blueny is no longer the Empress of this place.”
The implication was clear: there was no reason for her to remain here.
Even though everyone was aware of the divorce, it was an unspoken matter that no one brought up.
Delight’s face twitched, visibly showing his discomfort.
“However, the Empress returned to the empire after having already gone back to the kingdom. The last place she resided before losing her memory was indeed this imperial palace.”
“At that time, our father was not fond of my younger sister. He found out about her pregnancy only after the divorce. So, he probably thought it would be better for her to have the child here.”
As he spoke, Jayren glanced briefly at me before looking away.
“Now, with my father gone, there’s nothing standing in the way.”
According to his words, it seemed like I was the reason she had to reluctantly return.
‘Is he blaming me now?’
Annoyed, I shot him a sharp glare, and sure enough, Delight’s face was also scrunched up in irritation.
“What exactly are you implying? So, I owe His Majesty gratitude? Thanks to him, I was able to give birth to Violyana safely here.”
“………..”
“……….”
It was Blueny who felt the most indignant at that statement.
Blueny, who had been silent, her eyes wavering, suddenly looked at Jayren with a fiery gaze, confronting him.
“Oh dear, I spoke too hastily because I was anxious. I apologize. That’s not what I meant.”
“Intentions don’t matter. The fact remains that it was something you shouldn’t have said.”
“I’m sorry. That was my mistake. I just thought that since you don’t have your memory, this place might become uncomfortable once you remember everything.”
Jayren eventually managed to calm Blueny down and then turned to Delight to speak again.
“If she has nowhere else to go, that’s one thing. But since she has me and a kingdom to return to, going back home would be the right thing.”
It was a bond of deep affection.
Jayren took Blueny’s hand reassuringly and gave her a gentle smile.
“Blueny. Don’t you want to go home?”
Blueny didn’t respond immediately to the question that seemed so obvious to Jayren.
“Blueny?”
“…..…I am living comfortably here.”
Blueny finally spoke cautiously.
“That’s because you don’t have your memories right now.”
“I may not remember, but His Majesty told me about the past. I know that we were divorced.”
“And… what did he tell you?”
“That we were married for an alliance, and though we eventually parted, we had a respectful relationship during our marriage. We’re still living that way now.”
“I see.”
Jayren’s gaze grew heavy upon hearing Blueny’s words.
His eyes eventually shifted toward Delight.
“Your Majesty, I ask that you tell Blueny the truth.”
“…….”
“I don’t wish to deceive Blueny.”
This was a way of indirectly accusing Delight of deceiving Blueny.
Without showing much reaction, Delight simply closed his mouth, waiting for Jayren’s next words.
“I didn’t come all this way without a thought.”
Jayren straightened his posture and looked at Delight.
“If you would permit me to return with Blueny, I would offer you a month’s worth of magical stones mined from our kingdom’s mines.”
The Kingdom of Soren was well-known for its abundant magical stone mines.
It was those very stones that had led to the alliance marriage between Delight and Blueny in the first place.
I had a rough understanding of this through my studies.
Though they never explained anything about my parents in class, I naturally picked up on it while studying the history of surrounding nations.
“This is a big decision for me as well.”
Jayren spoke confidently, as if sure Delight would not refuse.
Perhaps the magical stones were the most secure bargaining chip he had prepared.
Not surprisingly, Delight seemed to find it difficult to ignore his proposal, gazing at Jayren thoughtfully as he began to speak.
“Indeed, that’s unexpected. Why go to such lengths?”
“Well, Blueny is my family.”
Jayren replied as though it was the most obvious thing.
“As her brother, I must look after my sister, who has lost her memory and feels uneasy.”
It was evident that Jayren genuinely wanted to take Blueny with him.
“Family, is that so?”
Muttering quietly with a subtle expression, Delight tapped his finger on the armrest, deep in thought.
“I’ll have someone show you to a room; it would be best to rest for now.”
That was as far as things would go for the moment—a sign that he needed time to think.
“I hope you will allow me to return home with my sister.”
Jayren didn’t press any further, stepping back with a courteous farewell to Blueny, saying he’d see her later, before following the attendant.
With Jayren gone, only four people remained in the drawing room, including Hiel.
Delight spoke, addressing Blueny, who had been looking solely at him for some time.
“Is there anything you remember?”
“No.”
“Do you have no memories of King Jayren either?”
“……No.”
“Is that so.”
Delight’s gaze sank, nodding with a calm expression, while Blueny spoke up again, looking at him.
“Your Majesty, I have no recollection of what the kingdom is like. I am comfortable here now.”
She clearly expressed her desire to stay here.
However, Delight seemed unable to simply accept her words with a nod.
“It seems everyone needs some time to think slowly.”
Delight, too, appeared to be confused by the current situation.
***
After everyone returned to their rooms.
Zaire, who had been in discussions with the King of Soren’s aide regarding the contract details, gave his report.
“King Jayren has brought a portion of magical stones, handing them over. The magical stones from the Kingdom of Soren are indeed valuable.”
“…..….”
“What do you plan to do? King Jayren has really come to see you.”
It seemed like an unexpected visit, but it was something they had somewhat anticipated, knowing the news of Blueny’s whereabouts had likely reached the Kingdom of Soren.
However, it was unexpected that Jayren would come in person.
“Given what the Kingdom of Soren did while the Empress was here, we shouldn’t fully trust everything King Jayren says.”
“If the Empress hadn’t lost her memory…”
Would she still have chosen to remain here as she did now?
Regardless of Blueny’s condition, where she stays is ultimately her own choice.
To give her a real choice, considering she’s lost her memory…
Delight realized that now was the time to confess his deception to Blueny.
When Delight went to see Blueny, she was sitting by the window on a sofa, lost in thought.
He approached her quietly.
“I have something to tell you.”
“I was waiting for Your Majesty to come.”
Blueny smiled at him as if hoping he would be honest with her.
The more she smiled, the harder it was for Delight to face her.
“You have been deceived.”
Thus, he had to be honest without making excuses.
Delight spoke calmly.
“Me? By whom?”
As expected, Blueny didn’t even suspect him and looked at him in confusion.
“I lied to you.”
“What?”
“We never respected or depended on each other. In fact, we were more like strangers.”
“……….”
“Moreover, you never liked me. On the contrary, you felt uncomfortable and disliked me. Whenever we were alone, we would always argue.”
“What are you saying…?”
Her eyes trembled with bewilderment. But he couldn’t stop now; he had to continue speaking.
“You probably faked your death and left because you didn’t want to stay here anymore.”
Although he hadn’t heard it directly, it was the conclusion he reached after thinking about it since learning that Blueny was alive.
There was no other reason.
“You rejected me and eventually avoided even being near me. At that time, our way of speaking wasn’t as gentle as it is now. It was aggressive and sharp.”
That was the raw truth.
After stripping away all the lies he had concealed, he worried that the truth might shock her too much, waiting for her reaction.
“That’s a lie.”
Blueny firmly dismissed Delight’s words.
“I don’t know why you’re saying this, but don’t lie. Even without my memories, I can at least tell that much.”
She was quite resolute. Blueny wasn’t buying into Delight’s words at all.
No matter how many times he corrected the facts, it didn’t seem to get through to her.
With Blueny so adamant, it was Delight who found himself flustered.
“Do you think I’m saying this to protect you?”
It seemed she was holding onto a mistaken perception of him.
Because of that, it felt as if she was trying to see him in a positive light and understand him, leaving him frustrated as he continued to deceive her.
But her response took him by surprise.
“No. This is my instinct.”
A clear and resolute voice rang out, free of any doubts or ulterior motives.
“When you first told me you were my husband, strangely enough, I didn’t doubt it.”
A sly smile crept onto Blueny’s face as she looked at Delight.
“Your Majesty, you’re exactly my type at first glance.”
She was smitten from the first moment.
Even if he hadn’t been her husband, she would have confessed her feelings to him eventually.
When he told her he was her ex-husband, she even felt a bit pleased, as if it validated her taste.
“My taste wouldn’t change, even without my memories.”
As Blueny spoke with conviction.
“Is there anything worth looking at about you? Aside from that handsome face of yours!”
She suddenly recalled the words she’d said to him in the past.
