Chapter 10 Confronting The Politics
“Now we really must go!”
The coachman warned her that if they didn’t leave now, they would have to cross the forest in the dead of night.
At the coachman’s urging, Chloe hurriedly climbed into the seat. Kuhn also squeezed her upper body into the carriage.
“Take care, Chloe, my dear friend.”
As if to say goodbye, Kuhn held out her hand. Understanding, Chloe laid her palm over his.
The back of her hand was so white that not a single bloodstain could be seen. Kuhn held it carefully, as if it were a holy relic.
“I will write to you soon and ask for your regards.”
The usual greeting between friends. It was a common kiss, even more so for Chloe, a princess.
Kuhn’s seemed different, perhaps simply because of his mood.
It was a short kiss, but it felt unusually long, with a lingering sensation that lingered after the gentle end.
I had never explored another person’s lips before, but I had a vague idea of what it would feel like to share a kiss in the future.
I wondered if such people greeted each other so passionately.
It took me a day and a half to travel to the north. The trip, which would normally be long and tiring, seemed exceptionally short today.
The gates of the ducal residence were revealed. The splendor and elegance of the mansion overwhelmed Chloe.
As she brushed against the window sill, Chloe pressed her head against the window.
How hopeless it is that there is nowhere to go but back to hell.
Resignedly, the carriage continued toward its destination. Soon, they reached the gates of the mansion.
Chloe, escorted down by her coachman, immediately sensed something was amiss.
Most of the members of the ducal family were standing at attention at the gates, and in the center of them all was her husband, Callis.
It could not be a coincidence that they were there to welcome her.
Helena, standing in the back, was not looking well. The other servants were not pleased either.
In other words, Callis was acting on his own.
“Chloe!”
Callis greeted Chloe with a bright smile. His arms were wide open, ready to embrace her at a moment’s notice.
She must have sensed her lover’s reaction, because she switched gears and kissed her hand.
Excessive, unsolicited kindness is exhausting. Nevertheless, Chloe, who was tired, quickly gave in.
‘I’d rather be alone, many times over.’
Chloe went upstairs to her room, as if to express her desire to be away from him.
But Callis, oblivious, continued to follow her through the mansion. When he reached her door, he even opened it for her.
The room was supposed to be dirty, as the owner had been away for several days, but it was spotlessly clean.
“I’ve tidied it up so you can rest easy.”
Callis’s voice was soon heard, her stomach growling. Her shoulders shrugged as if she were expecting a compliment.
“Ah… Yeah. Thank you.”
“You’ve traveled a long way, and you must be tired, so let’s eat. I’ve asked the chef to prepare something special for you today, something you like.”
“…”
“That’s right. And afterwards, I’ve arranged a floral shower with your favorite lilac scent. Come relax and unwind.”
Proudly reciting her accomplishments, Callis continued to list off the things she had done for Chloe.
Chloe’s lackluster reaction was enough to make her feel uneasy, and he quickly left the room.
‘Something’s wrong.’
Today’s Callis was certainly strange.
Where is his beloved Helena, and why is he acting like he’s back in the past all by himself?
Quite by accident, and in a disgusting way, Chloe realized what he meant.
***
Chloe hasn’t been able to sleep all night, probably due to the shock of her visit to the royal family.
She was wandering the halls, hoping an early morning walk would help.
‘… Lights?’
In the middle of the night, a lit room caught her eye.
It wasn’t until I got closer that I realized it was Callis’s bedroom because the candles were out and it was dark.
If she were caught lingering outside her room so late at night, she would only arouse suspicion. Chloe turned quietly.
“… Ah!”
If it weren’t for the scream that came through the open door, her resolve would have been shattered.
Chloe instinctively checked the crack. There was a feast of naked flesh.
Then a lustful sound assaulted her ears.
“Callis …!”
“Hmph, hmph, Helena.”
The back of a man Chloe had once loved, and a woman beneath him.
They were having an inappropriate relationship.
Let’s leave. We have to leave.
There’s no reason to stay and watch this disgusting scene.
But against her will, her legs didn’t fall off. Chloe was frozen in place, forced to stand and watch them finish their affair.
‘No.’
Her childhood teacher had said.
‘The relationship between lovers is a noble thing, it can’t be more beautiful, it can’t be more perfect.’
The scene Chloe was watching contradicted her teacher’s teachings. There, two beasts are entangled and howling.
Is that really a noble deed, Mr. Teacher?
The deception of Chloe, the love of the beasts, nurturing their misguided love in the mansion she built?
‘No, no, no!’
Chloe wanted to gouge out her eyes, tear out her ears to shut out that sound.
No, she wanted to tear them apart if she could, to curse them and make them suffer for the rest of their lives.
A woman’s high-pitched squeal. The man’s ragged breathing. The sound of flesh rubbing against flesh.
Finally, the two of them screamed for the mansion to leave, and Callis wrapped his body over hers.
The dirty deed had finally come to an end.
Afterward, they sat side by side on the bed.
Helena smiled happily and draped herself over the Callis shoulder. Callis hugged her tightly once, then lit the pipe.
When Helena began to breathe more evenly, she was the first to speak. I’ve been doing this for days, my back is killing me…
She was acting like the happiest woman in the world, but then she suddenly turned around.
“Why did you do that to her back there?”
Gone were the embarrassed hand gestures and cute voice, replaced by an angry look.
The sudden change caught Callis off guard.
“Who?”
“The princess.”
It was Chloe.
Chloe, who had been eavesdropping, became more focused on the conversation.
“Why are you being so dramatic? Don’t you think it’s a bit much? Think of me watching you!”
Chloe’s return had been marked by the hospitality of the duke’s people, and by Callis ineffectual attempts to accommodate her.
Chloe had been strange, and she could not have looked better in Helena’s eyes.
Sitting on the bed, inhaling the smoke, Callis hastily extinguished his pipe. Then he hugged Helena tightly.
Helena, who had wrinkled her nose at the smell of tobacco, quickly began to giggle.
“I’m sorry, but you have to put yourself in my shoes. My love.”
Callis began his defense, trying to loosen Helena’s grip on his torasim.
“They sent a carriage without so much as a letter from the royal family inviting her to visit, and they only invited Chloe, don’t you think that’s a bit of a dick move? What if she told the Emperor everything, and that’s why she’s pushing for a divorce?”
“You two get a divorce, and I become the new duchess, right?”
Helena replied innocently.
It was far from the intended answer. Callis smiled, as if to say that even his lover was adorable for such a simple and greedy answer.
“If that were to happen, we could lose everything we have now, including the dukedom and some of our inherited estates. Not only would the monthly allowance I’ve been receiving be gone, but all the money I’ve saved could be wasted on paying alimony.”
The mouth that had been hanging out a foot slowly retracted back in. Helena’s eyes narrowed, then she smiled in understanding.
“I don’t want… Her to take it all away from me. I want to keep enjoying this life.”
“I know. I want to be happy with you too, so I’m pretending to be for her, even though it’s disgusting.”
“Okay! I won’t feel bad for you. I’m the one you really love.”
Callis stared at his lover with a puzzled expression. He pressed his lips to her forehead and stroked Helena’s brown hair gently.
‘Since…’
Unlike those who laughed at the mansion’s departure, only Chloe failed to smile.
‘This is why I had to ask for a divorce.’
Meeting a friend who helped me overcome my despair.
As if to make it clear that it was only temporary happiness, Chloe is once again confronted with the cold reality.
***
When she finally reaches her room, Chloe sleeps like she’s passed out. If it weren’t for a knock on the door, she wouldn’t wake up until lunchtime.
Waking to the sound of commotion, Chloe ordered her to come in.
‘It can’t be Jane.’
Jane would not visit at this time of day, as she waited for the other servants to be in the room when they were not moving.
“Good morning. My lady.”
The door opened, and the maids who had been waiting at the door rushed in.
They turned their backs on Helena to make way for her, saying they were here to help Chloe today.
Suddenly, Chloe’s mind flashed back to last night.
“I’ll get ready on my own, you can go downstairs.”
With a stern refusal of their favors, the maids scurried away.
Alone at last, Chloe trudged downstairs.
By the time she reached the dining room, it was already an hour past the scheduled meal time.
Helena and Callis were still sitting at the table, though the meal would normally have already begun. Even Chloe was late, and no one complained.
After summoning the butler to prepare the food, Callis turned to Chloe.
“I was worried you were late, Chloe.”
“I was late on purpose, but you waited for me.”
“We should be eating together. We’re family.”
Chloe didn’t respond to the words, which didn’t even make sense. Instead, she turned her head away, indicating that she didn’t want to talk.
Then she turned to face Helena, who was sitting directly across from her.
“Of course. We’re family.”
A pair of lovingly folded eyes turned toward Chloe.
