I Thought a Villainess' Divorce Would Be Easy

If this were a count’s house, Anthea would have peered into the relationship between the two with innocent eyes full of purity. However, this was the territory of the Duke of Winteed, and there was no one for Anthea to love with all her might. Therefore, Anthea, still with a lovely smile on her face, gave instructions lightly rather than using his body.

Julie and Ellie, who had been hesitant, had no choice but to step aside as Anthea took a step closer. There was nothing special to be seen in the brightly lit area.

As people with unfamiliar faces were going their own way on an unfamiliar street, Anthea looked around lightly and then turned her head towards the store again. Only then did Julie and Ellie let out a small sigh of relief.

“What on earth did you see that made you do that?”

Ellie hiccuped in surprise, as if she didn’t know that Anthea would ask out loud. This was the second time that Ellie was so surprised. The first time she was mistaken was that she should go somewhere alone with the duke. And now the second time. Why was she so surprised?

“Ma’am!”

Why was she muttering her voice while urgently calling Anthea?

Anthea’s steps became faster as she walked lightly toward the direction the two people had blocked. The end of the alley we soon reached was divided into two branches, but there was no need to get lost. As far as the eye could see, Richard Winteed, a being who could not understand why he was here at this moment, was standing with an unfamiliar woman.

By now, he should have been running around like a madman in the forest, covered in the blood of a demonic beast. There was no way he would have finished subjugating the demon beasts and returned in one day. At first glance, the duke and a mysterious woman, dressed in decent clothes, clinging to a woman in an alley. Her common brown hair was flowing in abundance, and even though only her back was visible, it was clear that she was a beauty. Her bright blue eyes were cautious as she looked closely at the woman’s hand.

With such a sweet appearance, it was understandable why the maids desperately covered Anthea’s eyes. Since he left with the knights, it would be true that he went on a subjugation mission. Even if he came back earlier than expected, why was he in a place like this with a woman? In fact, did Richard always meet other women like this while leaving the subjugation of demonic beasts to the knights?

‘No, when are you going to hunt demonic beasts? Uh! When are you going to earn money for your territory?’

In her honest feelings, she wanted to shout like this, but instead of impatience, she only saw a light and lovely smile in Anthea’s actions or face. With a gentle smile on her face, she carefully examined the woman standing across from Richard. The woman’s attire was shabby, a simple dress usually worn by commoner women. Even though she was just an ordinary figure from behind, she somehow caught people’s attention.

The first thing that caught her eye was the plump-looking light brown hair. Her delightfully curly hair waved as if it had been straightened with a curling iron as she moved toward Richard. Her presence, which seemed to turn everyone passing by into extras, made Anthea think of her reasonable doubts. If there was a person who could have that much influence just by looking at her back, she would be the only one.

“Duke.”

Anthea’s light yet bright voice spread through her alley without wavering.

“Ma’am?”

At Richard’s call, Anthea smiled, her face revealing her joy and welcome. At the same time, the brown-haired woman, who could only see her back, also turned her head and turned around.

As she expected, the woman standing with Richard was a beautiful woman with distinct features. Her Annethea-like green eyes sparkled with anticipation and curiosity, and her face was white, unlike her healthy, sunburnt arms.

“Oh, this is the duchess! This lowly one greets Duchess Gwyntede.”

Her liveliness as she bowed in greeting and her bright smile that revealed her white teeth were so pretty that he liked her at first sight.

She couldn’t believe her face was so pretty without any makeup on. Even her old dress couldn’t hide her voluptuous figure.

The woman with her beautiful looks and cheerful personality brought to mind only one name in Anthea’s mind.

“This is Bianca. I don’t have a last name because I’m a commoner.”

She was the real heroine of the original.

She had been waiting for this moment. Anthea was so moved that her heart throbbed. She was a little embarrassed that the location of her first meeting had changed, but she was glad that the story seemed to proceed as original.

Bianca also smiled at Anthea’s bright smile.

In fact, Richard was displeased with Anthea’s focus on her woman rather than herself. The behavior of the woman, who introduced herself as Bianca, and approached her Anthea with a rustle, also seemed displeasing. From the moment Richard left the mansion, she was strangely anxious and could not rest even for a moment.

Last night, as soon as she arrived at the Forest of Demonic Beasts, she ran day and night, stabbing her sword at every sight of the magical beast. Thanks to her, the knights who died were those who had to rest at night for efficiency. They could not utter a word of complaint as they chased after the Duke, who pierced the heart of the magic beast with precision, day or night.

After just one day, she confirmed that he had killed half of the requested demon beasts. Richard, who had completed in one day what would have taken more than a week to do, left the remaining half to the knights and he returned straight to Gwynethid’s estate. As he came into view of the mansion in the distance, Richard felt the uneasy feeling that had caused him to swing his sword without a moment’s rest all night fading away.

As his inexplicable anxiety subsided, he began to worry about his appearance covered in the evil beast’s blood, which gave off a foul, fishy smell. Coming home smelling of blood was something Duke Gwyntede was used to. Still, he was particularly worried today. It was an impulsive choice for Richard to change his clothes. He stopped at a nearby store that sold clothes. He washed the blood off with cold water and bought clothes that fit his body properly.

It’s clean, so she wouldn’t be surprised.

Richard’s unusual behavior was not realized, but it was all for the sake of one person. As he was about to quickly return to the mansion, Richard caught the eye of the miscellaneous things in the window. These were trivial things that he wouldn’t normally pay attention to, but when he remembered the mountain of trousseau items Nathan had brought with him a few days ago, he stopped walking without realizing it. Among the items that the Count’s heir brought, there were many large gifts, but there were also many small, shiny things that looked like they were left in a store.

Even in Anthea’s newly decorated room, small objects that looked like toys were placed here and there.

‘Does my wife like things that resemble her?’

The sight of a cute little creature collecting things that looked like herself was so endearing that he wanted to root for it. Even if she says it’s just pretty and a useless piece of junk. This contradictory mind soon led Richard into the store.

“Welcome, I will take you to a world of dreams and fantasy… Du-du, duke!”

The store owner, who was welcoming the customer, bowed down in a panic, as if he was going to run out of breath at any moment. This reaction was similar to the store owner who stopped by earlier to buy clothes. This was the case wherever he went, so Richard didn’t pay any attention and went inside.

He didn’t like her because she seemed to be imitating Nathan, but he wanted to get at least a gift for his wife. He quickly checked the store, hoping to buy something, but most of it looked similarly weak and useless. The only time he recalled going out to buy something was as far back as when he impulsively stopped by a weapons store as a child. At that time, all he had to do was choose something hard and sharp.

In comparison, all the small items here looked like they would break if you held them in your hands. Richard, who was about to go out because he couldn’t find anything to choose from, stopped when he saw the woman standing in one corner like a pewter. From the moment she came in, she was carrying two small boxes and she seemed to be thinking for a while. She was so deep in thought that she did not move even the moment Richard left.

Since she seemed to be around the same age as his wife, Anthea, Richard didn’t think long and walked up to her side.

“If you don’t want to buy what you have in hand, I will take it.”

If it’s something that a woman would covet, she would probably like it as well, as she would look at it for a long time. That was Richard’s simple way of thinking.

Judging from her attire, she was a commoner, and although he couldn’t be sure of it, she didn’t seem rich enough to buy two music boxes with real jewels attached.

When Richard picked up one of hers, the motionless woman suddenly opened her mouth.

“It had a jewelry box underneath the music box. Buying one of hers has two benefits. What I’m holding is a decorative doll spinning around, so it’s fun to watch.”

Unlike the shopkeepers who seemed to scurry just looking at Richard, the brunette calmly gave her opinion about her music box even after their eyes met. She then handed Richard a music box with a small porcelain doll spinning slowly.

“The person the duke wants to give a gift to is a nobleman, right? Then it is better for him to choose something that looks good rather than cost-effective. It would be better this way.”

As she watched the chattering woman talking to her, she noticed that her eyes were a similar color to his wife’s. Anthea’s green eyes that Richard remembered were very soft. Her green eyes, as delicate as newly bloomed buds, did not avoid Richard’s cool and scary blue eyes.

When he thought of Anthea, he felt impatient again and became nervous. He couldn’t wait to get back to the mansion, as if he had left something important behind.

He would feel reassured when he saw her with his own eyes. Whatever it was.

Richard counted both of the music boxes that the woman was holding.

“Oh, that’s what I chose.”

Even though she was embarrassed, Richard gave her the one that he judged to be good value for money among the music boxes she had calculated.

“I will pay for the advice.”

“What?”

The brown-haired woman ran out after Richard, who was out of her store in an instant. Richard was far away from her and was about to disappear into her alley.

“Wait! You can’t get something this expensive just by saying a few words.”

 

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