I Thought a Villainess' Divorce Would Be Easy

Annethea, wearing several layers of dresses and a veil, and being cared for with great care by her maids, walked off to some unknown place. The place she would probably arrive was a large hall where major and minor affairs of the dukedom were held.

 

“This is Whitehall, the largest and most luxurious hall in the Dukedom.”

 

Unlike the pitch black walls on the outside, the pure white interior was dazzling. The gorgeous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling ranged from fist-sized magic stones to magic stones shining in five colors. There were magic stones spread out as if you were seeing a show of extravagance that was on par with most of the flashy lighting seen in modern times.

 

‘No matter how many I pick up, I don’t know.’

 

The Duke basically had no interest in the internal affairs of the ducal family. He followed the tradition, but left everything else to his employees and focused on subduing external demonic beasts. Therefore, after the informal wedding tonight, Anthea would not see the Duke again until about a month later. After that, the Duke was a very busy person, so much so that she only saw him once a fortnight. Every time, he came to see Anthea, who stayed in her room all the time, but that was all. The frightened Anthea took a liking to the Duke, who just watched in silence and did not force her to do anything.

 

‘No, that’s complete neglect.’

 

Meanwhile, the Duke met the real heroine, Bianca, through a chance encounter. The freshness like sunlight steals the attention of the Duke, who only knew about exorcizing demonic beasts. Despite the breathtaking majesty of the Duke, she kept getting nervous about the intimacy that approached her casually.

 

“So, as soon as the male lead and the female lead meet, she falls in love unconditionally.”

 

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m so deaf that I can’t hear very well.

 

“Could you say that again?”

 

“Oh, no. I was complaining because my legs hurt after standing for a long time.”

 

As she practiced speaking in a loving but not too childish manner, she started talking to herself more. Anthea said something completely different to Jean, the head of the house. At this, Jean’s slightly wrinkled face became deeply worried.

 

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting so long. My master will return later today, so it may be difficult, but please hold on.”

 

It would come within today, not a few hours, but within today. The sun had set, so it would come within three or four hours at most, but it was impossible to leave the bride alone for several hours. It was natural for her to sit down and shed tears of sadness. But Anthea had no intention of holding on foolishly. Even though it was an informal wedding, it was an unusual arrangement in which neither the former Duke and Duchess nor their guardians attended. On a platform where only the Duke and Duchess could stand, without any of her relatives, the marriage papers with the Emperor’s seal and a priest were present. Only her attendant was busy looking inside, and Anthea was standing alone.

 

‘I’m already out of breath.’

 

Anthea rode her frail body up to the carriage, got into a fight with Rosa, and was tormented by her maids as if she were a dress-up doll. She wasn’t cold thanks to the layers of dress she had on, but she was stuffy. She was seriously about to faint if she stood here for too long. Anthea’s gaze turned to the low stairs in front of the podium. She was thinking of collapsing on the stairs if she had to. If someone talked about tradition, she should ask if there was a law to stand and wait. If they told her it’s there, she would just lose her strength and lie down. With that in mind, she calmly looked around her, looking at the entrance where the owner of the house, Jean, was restlessly coming in, and then looked at her and Anthea alternately. Rosa would have glanced at the accusation, but the older butler seemed to have a soft heart. Still, her legs were starting to hurt, and while she was wondering which step to sit on, the entrance area became busy.

 

‘No wonder. I couldn’t see Rosa..’

 

Rosa, who was expected to be scolded by all kinds of meddling, was rarely seen. Now, it looked like she went there when she heard the news that the Duke had returned. In that case, he should have finished his preparations and came sooner, but it seemed like Rosa had tried to delay it as much as possible. Still, Rosa’s face frowned when she saw Anthea standing unharmed, as if she was regretting not being able to delay it further.

 

Her legs hurt a little, but seeing Rosa’s dissatisfied face made her smile. Rosa turned her head as Anthea smiled brightly. Only then did Anthea see Rosa moving aside and the knights coming in. The armor worn by dozens of knights seemed to have been made for ceremonial purposes, and was decorated with dazzling, flashy patterns and even had cumbersome tassels. To put it mildly, even Vice-Commander Arthur Mogens, who looked as rough as a bear, had become so realistic that he was unrecognizable. They split on both sides, and the tall man who walked through them was, without hesitation, the male protagonist. He was Richard Gwynted. He was a man who resembled a black panther and was said to be both attractive and dangerous.

 

‘…Is the black leopard in this neighborhood wearing a black bear mask?’

 

Was that long, large, animal-like figure visible through a layer of veil the Duke of Winted, who was said to be handsome? Was this a fraudulent marriage?!

 

While Anthea’s mind was busy complaining, the Duke quickly walked to the front of the podium.

 

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

 

She said he looked like a bear, but it seemed to be a cave bear. The voice was profound and charming, as if it was echoing in a cave. She thought he would have made a lot of money as a voice actor. But the fishy smell of blood stings her nose.

 

‘This thing is just a beast. The novel fooled me.’

 

The hand that approached Anthea’s face, frozen in denial of reality, was completely different from a bear’s paw. Even though his fingers were calloused and thick from holding the sword, his long, strong-looking fingertips carefully grasped the end of her veil. With the veil slowly rising, a low, deep voice was mixed with a faint smile.

 

“Let’s look at the bride’s face.”

 

The face of the male protagonist, the Duke, seen from the front was completely different from when seen from a distance. She thought it was a black bear because of the animal skin he was wearing. The Duke, who had taken off his animal skin, looked handsome even though he was wearing casual armor with clear blood stains. He seemed to have just returned, and although his dusty black hair was roughly slicked back, it did not hide his handsome features. It was hard to believe that his straight forehead was so flawless that you could almost run his hand over it, and even his eyebrows were well-shaped. However, her breath caught in her throat when he met the indifferent blue eyes that seemed to have no trace of emotion in his sharp eyes. Since she saw this from the front, she could understand why the weak Anthea fainted in the original. But now Anthea has seen these bright blue eyes many times in the past. She was so happy to see him that she almost couldn’t breathe.

 

‘Husky with bright blue eyes. My baby lead.’

 

A soft-spoken guy whose eyes were such that whenever he went for a walk, he would stay 10 meters away from everyone he met. When people looked at him, he looked so cold that everyone got scared. But even if other people didn’t know, it was her baby’s eyes, so she couldn’t be scared.

 

‘I miss you, baby.’

 

The Duke’s hand holding the veil slowly lowered as Anthea’s tears naturally filled with longing. The Duke, with his veil completely lowered, turned towards the priest on the dais.

 

“Let’s begin.”

 

“Duke, shouldn’t you at least change your clothes?”

 

The butler of the house carefully intervened, as if he was worried about the bride, Anthea, and even the priest in front of the podium nodded in agreement, but the Duke remained calm.

 

“I’m going to take it off anyway, so why change it now?”

 

Seeing the Duke’s indifferent attitude, the people around him also cast sad glances at Anthea. She felt like she could hear the voice of their hearts pitying Anthea.

 

But Anthea knew. The Duke’s cave voice, which she had just heard up close, was slightly muffled.

 

“Then let’s begin our vows.”

 

Although the priest’s voice was not very loud, the marriage contract with the Emperor’s seal spread throughout the large hall. What device was installed in the tall, round hall? While her curiosity arose, she had the odd thought that it would have been better to read it in a cave bear’s voice. Meanwhile, fortunately, the tears that had accumulated while missing him subsided.

 

“Duke Gwynted accepts Anthea Lanfis as Anthea Gwynted, and Richard Gwynted also agrees with this.”

 

The priest continued to speak, as if there was a tradition not to put a period in his words. This part was not depicted in the original work. It was because Anthea was fainting, but it seemed like she was considerate of her readers as they listened to the priest’s boring voice.

 

‘How many times are you repeating the obvious?’ Unlike Anthea, who rolled her eyes in her veil, the servants and knights listened seriously without even making a sound. Anthea was probably the most irreverent person here.

 

‘My legs hurt. I smell blood. I’m worried about the bear skin on the floor.’

 

While she was muttering to herself, her shoulder was suddenly grabbed and her body was turned around. The large hall was quiet, as if the priest’s boring reading had already ended. 

Anthea, who came face to face with Richard, stayed quiet so as not to get caught for not concentrating until now. The veil was half lifted in Richard’s hand as he slowly approached. It was lifted only up to the bridge of her nose, as if he was worried that he might meet her wet, red eyes.

 

This posture. This atmosphere. Only one thing came to Anthea’s mind.

 

“Surely a kiss of oath?”

 

She said it out loud like a fool. . Richard, who could only see her chin as the veil lifted and rolled, let out a low sigh.

 

“It’s a ceremony of vows.”

 

In the end, it was the same thing. However, what Anthea said sounded like an immature girl’s dream, and the words recited in Richard’s serious voice had a different weight. She felt slightly wronged, but before she had time to express it, the smell of her blood passed her nose. The smell of blood was strong enough to make me cringe without even realizing it, and then our soft lips met. It was like a soft steamed bun or a balloon filled with water, but it was different from anything I had known in my life. Before Anthea could figure out what this was, Richard’s lips slowly moved away.

 

—————————————————————

Translator Note:

Annethea, wearing several layers of dresses and a veil, and being cared for with great care by her maids, walked off to some unknown place. The place she would probably arrive was a large hall where major and minor affairs of the dukedom were held.

 

“This is Whitehall, the largest and most luxurious hall in the Dukedom.”

 

Unlike the pitch black walls on the outside, the pure white interior was dazzling. The gorgeous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling ranged from fist-sized magic stones to magic stones shining in five colors. There were magic stones spread out as if you were seeing a show of extravagance that was on par with most of the flashy lighting seen in modern times.

 

‘No matter how many I pick up, I don’t know.’

 

The Duke basically had no interest in the internal affairs of the ducal family. He followed the tradition, but left everything else to his employees and focused on subduing external demonic beasts. Therefore, after the informal wedding tonight, Anthea would not see the Duke again until about a month later. After that, the Duke was a very busy person, so much so that she only saw him once a fortnight. Every time, he came to see Anthea, who stayed in her room all the time, but that was all. The frightened Anthea took a liking to the Duke, who just watched in silence and did not force her to do anything.

 

‘No, that’s complete neglect.’

 

Meanwhile, the Duke met the real heroine, Bianca, through a chance encounter. The freshness like sunlight steals the attention of the Duke, who only knew about exorcizing demonic beasts. Despite the breathtaking majesty of the Duke, she kept getting nervous about the intimacy that approached her casually.

 

“So, as soon as the male lead and the female lead meet, she falls in love unconditionally.”

 

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m so deaf that I can’t hear very well.

 

“Could you say that again?”

 

“Oh, no. I was complaining because my legs hurt after standing for a long time.”

 

As she practiced speaking in a loving but not too childish manner, she started talking to herself more. Anthea said something completely different to Jean, the head of the house. At this, Jean’s slightly wrinkled face became deeply worried.

 

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting so long. My master will return later today, so it may be difficult, but please hold on.”

 

It would come within today, not a few hours, but within today. The sun had set, so it would come within three or four hours at most, but it was impossible to leave the bride alone for several hours. It was natural for her to sit down and shed tears of sadness. But Anthea had no intention of holding on foolishly. Even though it was an informal wedding, it was an unusual arrangement in which neither the former Duke and Duchess nor their guardians attended. On a platform where only the Duke and Duchess could stand, without any of her relatives, the marriage papers with the Emperor’s seal and a priest were present. Only her attendant was busy looking inside, and Anthea was standing alone.

 

‘I’m already out of breath.’

 

Anthea rode her frail body up to the carriage, got into a fight with Rosa, and was tormented by her maids as if she were a dress-up doll. She wasn’t cold thanks to the layers of dress she had on, but she was stuffy. She was seriously about to faint if she stood here for too long. Anthea’s gaze turned to the low stairs in front of the podium. She was thinking of collapsing on the stairs if she had to. If someone talked about tradition, she should ask if there was a law to stand and wait. If they told her it’s there, she would just lose her strength and lie down. With that in mind, she calmly looked around her, looking at the entrance where the owner of the house, Jean, was restlessly coming in, and then looked at her and Anthea alternately. Rosa would have glanced at the accusation, but the older butler seemed to have a soft heart. Still, her legs were starting to hurt, and while she was wondering which step to sit on, the entrance area became busy.

 

‘No wonder. I couldn’t see Rosa..’

 

Rosa, who was expected to be scolded by all kinds of meddling, was rarely seen. Now, it looked like she went there when she heard the news that the Duke had returned. In that case, he should have finished his preparations and came sooner, but it seemed like Rosa had tried to delay it as much as possible. Still, Rosa’s face frowned when she saw Anthea standing unharmed, as if she was regretting not being able to delay it further.

 

Her legs hurt a little, but seeing Rosa’s dissatisfied face made her smile. Rosa turned her head as Anthea smiled brightly. Only then did Anthea see Rosa moving aside and the knights coming in. The armor worn by dozens of knights seemed to have been made for ceremonial purposes, and was decorated with dazzling, flashy patterns and even had cumbersome tassels. To put it mildly, even Vice-Commander Arthur Mogens, who looked as rough as a bear, had become so realistic that he was unrecognizable. They split on both sides, and the tall man who walked through them was, without hesitation, the male protagonist. He was Richard Gwynted. He was a man who resembled a black panther and was said to be both attractive and dangerous.

 

‘…Is the black leopard in this neighborhood wearing a black bear mask?’

 

Was that long, large, animal-like figure visible through a layer of veil the Duke of Winted, who was said to be handsome? Was this a fraudulent marriage?!

 

While Anthea’s mind was busy complaining, the Duke quickly walked to the front of the podium.

 

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

 

She said he looked like a bear, but it seemed to be a cave bear. The voice was profound and charming, as if it was echoing in a cave. She thought he would have made a lot of money as a voice actor. But the fishy smell of blood stings her nose.

 

‘This thing is just a beast. The novel fooled me.’

 

The hand that approached Anthea’s face, frozen in denial of reality, was completely different from a bear’s paw. Even though his fingers were calloused and thick from holding the sword, his long, strong-looking fingertips carefully grasped the end of her veil. With the veil slowly rising, a low, deep voice was mixed with a faint smile.

 

“Let’s look at the bride’s face.”

 

The face of the male protagonist, the Duke, seen from the front was completely different from when seen from a distance. She thought it was a black bear because of the animal skin he was wearing. The Duke, who had taken off his animal skin, looked handsome even though he was wearing casual armor with clear blood stains. He seemed to have just returned, and although his dusty black hair was roughly slicked back, it did not hide his handsome features. It was hard to believe that his straight forehead was so flawless that you could almost run his hand over it, and even his eyebrows were well-shaped. However, her breath caught in her throat when he met the indifferent blue eyes that seemed to have no trace of emotion in his sharp eyes. Since she saw this from the front, she could understand why the weak Anthea fainted in the original. But now Anthea has seen these bright blue eyes many times in the past. She was so happy to see him that she almost couldn’t breathe.

 

‘Husky with bright blue eyes. My baby lead.’

 

A soft-spoken guy whose eyes were such that whenever he went for a walk, he would stay 10 meters away from everyone he met. When people looked at him, he looked so cold that everyone got scared. But even if other people didn’t know, it was her baby’s eyes, so she couldn’t be scared.

 

‘I miss you, baby.’

 

The Duke’s hand holding the veil slowly lowered as Anthea’s tears naturally filled with longing. The Duke, with his veil completely lowered, turned towards the priest on the dais.

 

“Let’s begin.”

 

“Duke, shouldn’t you at least change your clothes?”

 

The butler of the house carefully intervened, as if he was worried about the bride, Anthea, and even the priest in front of the podium nodded in agreement, but the Duke remained calm.

 

“I’m going to take it off anyway, so why change it now?”

 

Seeing the Duke’s indifferent attitude, the people around him also cast sad glances at Anthea. She felt like she could hear the voice of their hearts pitying Anthea.

 

But Anthea knew. The Duke’s cave voice, which she had just heard up close, was slightly muffled.

 

“Then let’s begin our vows.”

 

Although the priest’s voice was not very loud, the marriage contract with the Emperor’s seal spread throughout the large hall. What device was installed in the tall, round hall? While her curiosity arose, she had the odd thought that it would have been better to read it in a cave bear’s voice. Meanwhile, fortunately, the tears that had accumulated while missing him subsided.

 

“Duke Gwynted accepts Anthea Lanfis as Anthea Gwynted, and Richard Gwynted also agrees with this.”

 

The priest continued to speak, as if there was a tradition not to put a period in his words. This part was not depicted in the original work. It was because Anthea was fainting, but it seemed like she was considerate of her readers as they listened to the priest’s boring voice.

 

‘How many times are you repeating the obvious?’ Unlike Anthea, who rolled her eyes in her veil, the servants and knights listened seriously without even making a sound. Anthea was probably the most irreverent person here.

 

‘My legs hurt. I smell blood. I’m worried about the bear skin on the floor.’

 

While she was muttering to herself, her shoulder was suddenly grabbed and her body was turned around. The large hall was quiet, as if the priest’s boring reading had already ended. 

Anthea, who came face to face with Richard, stayed quiet so as not to get caught for not concentrating until now. The veil was half lifted in Richard’s hand as he slowly approached. It was lifted only up to the bridge of her nose, as if he was worried that he might meet her wet, red eyes.

 

This posture. This atmosphere. Only one thing came to Anthea’s mind.

 

“Surely a kiss of oath?”

 

She said it out loud like a fool. . Richard, who could only see her chin as the veil lifted and rolled, let out a low sigh.

 

“It’s a ceremony of vows.”

 

In the end, it was the same thing. However, what Anthea said sounded like an immature girl’s dream, and the words recited in Richard’s serious voice had a different weight. She felt slightly wronged, but before she had time to express it, the smell of her blood passed her nose. The smell of blood was strong enough to make me cringe without even realizing it, and then our soft lips met. It was like a soft steamed bun or a balloon filled with water, but it was different from anything I had known in my life. Before Anthea could figure out what this was, Richard’s lips slowly moved away.

 

—————————————————————

Translator Note: