The Duke and Duchess' Divorce Circumstances

“You’re not good at expressing your emotions?”

 

At Ray Alexis’ question, the count’s son, who was greeting nobles for the first time today, brightened his eyes.

 

“Yes. That’s why I often hear people say I’m blunt. That’s not my true intention. Haha.”

 

This was the man who had been flirting with her from the beginning. It seemed like he wasn’t trying to show it, but if you paid a little bit of attention, you could see that his eyes and actions were overtly directed at Ray Alexis.

 

“Then why are you so angry at the coachman? You’re the one causing trouble at the entrance earlier, right?”

 

At the imperial banquet, where only those with certain status could attend, it was rude to refer to the other person as ‘you’. Remembering others was so important to this annual gathering that there was a separate attendant to remember those who came to the gathering. Of course, she knew that very well.

 

“Yes? Ah, that’s it. I reprimanded him because he didn’t do his job properly. It’s no big deal.”

 

“I heard you’re blunt and can’t express your emotions, so why do you get angry so easily?”

 

“What?”

 

The man asked back, blinking his eyes with a blank face.

 

“You sound blunt.”

 

Ray continued speaking with a cool expression.

 

“If you’re blunt and can’t express your emotions, you shouldn’t be able to get angry. Isn’t anger an emotion? I don’t know what emotions are, and I’m a little lacking…”

 

Then, as if to hide his words, he trailed off.

 

“Yes? What did you say just now?”

 

The smile on the man’s face slowly faded from his somewhat insincere attitude.

 

“Because I like smart people. Okay then.”

 

Ray turned around and left her position without giving the man a chance to respond. The surrounding women who saw the scene covered their mouths with fans and whispered.

 

“Oh my. Rumors seem to be dark about who the next Earl will be.”

 

“I was caught because that witch’s appearance was more believable than her content.”

 

“Oh my god, ‘that side’. It seems like you don’t even have basic common sense.”

 

If they were to define Ray Alexis in one word, it would be ‘rude.’ She was a person who spoke harshly as if she had given up all manners to a passing dog, and her trademark was her outspokenness that went too far.

 

“I guess that’s why being a poor person can’t be helped.”

 

A young woman who was an emerging nobleman whom the existing nobles hate. Previously, this would have been a place that former merchants would have never seen before in their lives. This was a change that began when the crown prince stepped into government affairs instead of the emperor, who was suffering from illness. In an effort to keep the existing nobility in check, Crown Prince Parvese began to bestow titles on low-ranking nobles who had recently acquired great wealth through national projects or key industries, or to keep them by his side. The reason was that in order to lead national projects well, a certain degree of ‘freedom’ should be provided for their actions. As part of that, he was given a title. There were existing nobles who abandoned the sick emperor who might die at any time and clung to the crown prince, and there were also nobles who opposed the crown prince’s line and stood close to the imperial family. In this case, a wealthy father had to somehow secure his status by impressing the crown prince and his nobles.

 

However, Ray Alexis was often rude to social circles and aristocratic society. Such a pathetic act, unable to understand the social atmosphere. Something like that would have been a big problem even if he became a nobleman. It was clear that the noble prestige of nobility would fall to the ground. People who thought that her natural nobility meant that she should not gossip so harshly about someone, but after Ray Alexis appeared, they openly criticized her without even using her indirect expressions. There were some people in her group who didn’t get along with each other, but ‘Ray Alexis’ stood in front of them and became one of them and gossiped about her. It was as if she had a common enemy to put on the chopping block, and she was firmly united. It was a small disturbance in aristocratic society.

 

“Ramiel Ruivan has arrived!”

 

At that time, a voice was heard that the main character who was causing a big uproar in the aristocratic society had arrived.

 

“Oh my goodness!”

 

“Ramiel? Is he coming today too?”

 

The people who were excitedly putting Ray Alexis on her cutting board quickly adjusted their appearance and inspected their own decorations. Soon, a man appeared in the banquet hall, attracting all kinds of attention.

 

Ramiel Chai James Artil Ruivan.

 

The first thing that caught her eye was his dazzlingly bright silver hair, and he was a sculptural handsome man with golden eyes. The man, who stood out because of his beautiful silver hair and good looks, even wore a pure white uniform today, drawing even more attention from people. Ramiel was famous not only because of his beauty. He received a temporary title when he was only twenty-two years old. The reason he received the title so early, which was usually given to him around 30, was as a reward for completely subduing the monsters of the western border, which had been a nuisance to Ravidon.

 

Since he had solved a problem that the imperial family had been struggling with for several years, he could be given any title. Marquis Ruivan became a duke as before, although still temporarily. In addition, as if the emperor had given Ramiel a new surname, he even went so far as to call him ‘Atil’, meaning ‘the shining one’.

 

Ramiel Atil Ruivan. The fact that he became a glorious person praised by the emperor meant that all previous evaluations of the Marquis Ruivan had been overturned. The Ruivan family was truly an orthodox noble family that existed since the time of the first emperor and helped the imperial family. The title of duke alone would have been sufficient compensation, but the reason he was given the title Artil was because only one Ruivan survived the subjugation battle, Ramiel. The imperial family had no choice but to pay special attention to the name Ruivan because its mere existence symbolized so much. Naturally, the Ruivan family boasted enormous wealth. As a result, Ramiel took over all of the family’s assets on his own. As he was a young duke, possessed enormous wealth, and even had outstanding beauty, Ramiel Ruivan was truly the best groom everyone was looking for.

 

However, there was one weakness in his birth. There were many people who cheated in Ruivan where monogamy was the law, but no one took a side affair and only took a lover. Except for the Marquis Ruivan. Ramiel’s mother was the concubine of the Marquis Ruivan, who was once a big fuss in the aristocratic society. Although he had an innate weakness as the son of the concubine, Ramiel diluted that weakness with his beautiful appearance and smart brain, which he inherited from his mother. In addition, he has a good heart and a reputation for courageously defeating monsters. Therefore, that weakness was never a flaw to Ramiel. However, only married people could receive a temporary title because he was still unmarried. He didn’t even have anyone he promised to marry. The time when he debuts in the social world and shows his face and searches for a marriage partner was usually around the age of seventeen or eighteen, and at this time, he was swinging his sword at the risk of his life in the battle to subdue monsters. Although he made his social debut at a slightly late age, Ramiel shone more than anyone else in the aristocratic society, and was currently coveted by everyone as the best groom in Ravidon.

 

When everyone was holding their hearts at the sight of Ramiel flashing as if he had a halo behind him.

 

“But I really don’t gossip behind people’s backs.”

 

Ray Alexis’ voice cut through the women, and some of them even let out small screams in surprise. The witch, who had momentarily forgotten about Ramiel’s appearance, continued her words without paying attention to the surprised faces of the people.

 

“I am thankful that the noble nobles invited the rich woman’s family to this big banquet…”

 

The witch, who seemed to be trailing off her words, raised her voice again.

 

“Uh? Wait a moment. Among these, is there anyone who is truly noble, that is, who has received a ‘title’? You don’t give titles to women. Then everyone is at the same level as me.”

 

Astonishment seeped into the eyes of people who saw Ray Alexis making an astounding sound. ‘It’s the same’. It was not something a child of a low-income family with no fundamentals would dare say.

 

“Young lady. How can you say something like that?”

 

Caitlin, the center of the ladies, the flower of social circles, whose beauty of heart and appearance is unparalleled, spoke for the first time. She was the daughter of Earl Magnner, an eighteen-year-old girl with lovely pink hair and mysterious purple eyes, as pretty as a doll. Even when others blatantly criticized Ray Alexis, she did not agree until now, but such a good girl opened her mouth directly without saying anything.

 

‘How could it be that Caitlin said something like this?’

 

It was everyone’s thought.

 

“I don’t think anything I said was wrong.”

 

“Even if you say something right, you shouldn’t say it if the other person finds it uncomfortable. Your words are very rude.”

 

Ray’s ears perked up at Caitlin’s words.

 

‘Okay, I did one thing! They are blatantly rude to me! Should we take advantage of this momentum and have another drink?’

 

There shouldn’t be anyone who approaches her like the young Count earlier. It seemed that the rumor that Ray Alexis was spoiled and had no common sense had not yet spread. A powerful blow was needed to put an end to the rumor.

 

‘What kind of verbal abuse can make you look more unlucky and hit you to the bone?’

 

Ray rolled her head around. Now she had to keep this momentum going.

 

“You heard the right thing and it’s rude. Maybe you just don’t want to hear it…”

 

Even when she heard these words, they seemed like a closed-minded, unanswerable, ruthless person. Ray spoke her next words right away without giving anyone a chance to respond.

 

“You were just lucky enough to be born to aristocratic parents and be living in great favor, so it’s a bit funny to act like it’s a great privilege. Of course, I have good parents and live a luxurious life, but if I was born that way, I should live with gratitude, isn’t that dividing people’s classes?”

 

Everyone forgot to control their facial expressions due to Ray’s scathing line.

 

“…The caterpillar needs to eat pine needles.”

 

One of her group, a self-made woman who claimed to be Caitlin’s right-hand woman, opened her mouth. Ray smiled brightly and responded.

 

“Is it so? Who decided that I was a caterpillar? If I’m a caterpillar, what’s the deal with the lady over there? A moth? A fly?”

 

“That’s a bit harsh. I don’t think this is something you should say here, on a day like this.”

 

Once a year, a large event is held in the largest hall of the castle, gathering all the nobles of the capital or people who have influence on society in various ways even though they do not have titles. It was the day of the banquet.

 

Caitlin slightly blocked the space between the two.

 

‘I must be doing really well because I can even block it with my body. good. It goes big here.’

 

Small, as if talking to yourself. But you have to make your voice clear and make sure everyone hears it.

 

“It’s so bad. If anyone sees me, they’ll think I’m going around beating up people.”

 

The effect was clear. The people around him were shocked by Ray’s non-self-talk.

 

“Oh my god, oh my god. What did I just hear?”

 

“Why, it’s so vulgar.”

 

A young lady flapped her fan wildly with an absurd expression on her face.

 

“Isn’t that a word only used in the slums outside Ravidon?”

 

“That witch is just at that level. Well, the contents seem to be similar.”

 

Ray heard the whistling noise and prepared her counterattack again.

 

“There, lady.”

 

Ray pointed her finger at someone else.

 

“I guess you know the slums outside Ravidon well? Then you probably know how they live. Yes? What kind of noblesse oblige did you show as a ‘noble’ to those poor people?”

 

Silence fell among the people who were chatting about Ray’s question.

 

“Look. They claim to be nobles and enjoy all the rights, but they don’t fulfill any of their duties.”

 

“Hey, young lady! Now…!”

 

One of the men in the group of men who were known to be Caitlin’s guardians, stalking her and wooing her, was about to shout at Ray.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

A voice that was sweet but not easy to ignore, and seemed to be transmitted directly to the brain, pierced everyone’s eardrums.

 

An Angel descended. A silver-haired, golden-eyed angel was in the middle of the commotion.

 

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Translator Note: