“…It might be too late to ask this now, but.”
“…”
“May I ask why you want a divorce?”
The truth is, this was something he should have asked back when they made the contract—the ‘reason.’ But at that time, Kayden hadn’t imagined he would develop such deep feelings for Diana, so he wasn’t curious about her reason. After all, she was someone who would stay by his side for only a year and then leave. Someone to whom he owed a debt of gratitude and for whom he felt a sense of guilt—someone he needed to treat well.
At their first meeting, Diana was just that kind of person to Kayden. But now, things were different. Even a glance, a breath from Diana, had become precious to Kayden. The thought of continuing life without her made him feel like he was suffocating. Now, she had become his happiness.
Kayden frowned slightly, trying to hold back his unsightly tears, but there was nothing he could do about his labored breathing.
Diana looked at him and smiled quietly. It was a calm smile that only deepened the sorrow. “A few days ago, my legal brother came to see me. I don’t know if you’re aware.”
“…”
“He started talking about how it’s about time we had a child. I’m sure the viscount feels the same way.”
In truth, Millard’s words had been somewhat different. Still, Diana twisted them subtly to make it sound like the viscount, and Millard were pressuring her to have a child with Kayden. That would serve as a more fitting excuse to push Kayden away.
“My family has no real memories to speak of, but because of blood ties, they will only become a burden to you as time goes on.”
“It doesn’t ma—”
“But aside from that, once the contract ends, I want to live alone, quietly, in a place where no one knows me.”
Kayden tried to protest, but Diana cut him off, driving the final nail in with her lie.
Half of her reason for wanting a divorce wasn’t really ‘to live alone’ but because of Rebecca. Diana had no intention of dragging Kayden into her ugly and lingering desire for revenge.
Given Kayden’s personality and principles, he wouldn’t easily try to ‘kill’ Rebecca. Of course, he intended to win the battle for the throne. Still, he was the kind of person who would follow the law until Rebecca committed a crime deserving of rebellion or execution.
But Diana was different. She had already lost her life to Rebecca once. And that was not something Kayden should bear responsibility for. She didn’t want to drag Kayden into a matter that she needed to settle on her own. Therefore, as long as the past where she had been beheaded had not completely disappeared, there was only one thing she could say.
“… I’m sorry, Kayden.”
“…”
Kayden bit his lips hard, afraid that he might say something that would hurt Diana. But his lips kept trembling as if the words were about to spill out.
Don’t call yourself a burden. You are not a burden. Do you have any idea what you mean to me to say such things?
He wanted to cry and plead. But there was no crack in Diana’s smile. That wall silenced him. It was painfully clear that no matter how he pleaded, her resolve would not change, and that made him feel utterly hopeless. But when he looked at Diana, who was watching him carefully after delivering her rejection, he couldn’t help but smile.
“…It’s okay.”
In the place where regret and despair had been swept away, one feeling remained. Kayden didn’t want to see Diana uncomfortable because of him. At the very least, it was the duty of the rejected person to make sure the one who rejected them didn’t feel uneasy. Even if he could never fully give up on her.
“Yes, that was the contract from the start. I’m the one who made things difficult, so I should be the one apologizing.”
At those words, Diana felt a surge of emotion. She wanted to say that it wasn’t him who was in a difficult position but her, but she swallowed the words back down. Instead, she shook her head.
“…No, it’s fine.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
Kayden let out a long sigh and lowered his gaze. He turned his head to look at the lake shimmering in the sunset and squinted as if the light was too bright. After staring at the lake for a while, Kayden turned back to face Diana. He suddenly smiled like a boy with a perfectly pure expression. His low voice flowed out as if comforting her.
“It’s okay.”
“…”
“It’ll be okay.”
To be precise, he would make sure it would be okay. Kayden pressed down the words he couldn’t say and forced himself to keep smiling.
Ah… But when Diana heard Kayden say, ‘It’ll be okay,’ her heart sank. Even though she was the one who had rejected him and hurt him first, it felt as if she was the one being rejected.
…It’ll be okay. That meant that Kayden would eventually stop liking her. She had wished for that. She wanted Kayden to love someone better, someone more suitable. But the thought of his feelings drifting away from her filled her with fear. For a brief moment, she had an irrational urge to grab his sleeve and tell him she didn’t mean it.
Swoosh— The two of them stood there silently, staring at each other for a long time. The sound of the wind rustling through the flowers and grass like waves swirled around them and then faded away. But whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, just as Diana was about to be swept away by her impulses, Kayden moved first. With slightly reddened eyes, he gave her a pained smile and held out his hand.
“…Shall we go?”
“Ah.”
His words brought her back to her senses just in time to resist her irrational urge. Diana finally took his hand, wearing a smile that mirrored his own—one that hurt just to look at.
“…Yes.”
After giving her brief response, she took his hand and followed him down the hill. As they walked, Diana looked at Kayden’s back in front of her while Kayden focused on the warmth of her hand in his.
They both silently resolved to forget about what had happened, just like tearing out a page that had been written incorrectly, erasing all traces. They would erase the memory of Kayden’s confession, of Diana’s rejection, and continue on happily, sometimes with excitement, just as they had before. And when the time came, they would part with smiles and without regret, an unspoken agreement. Sometimes, words weren’t needed to convey feelings—warmth and glances could be enough. And so, they walked down the hill, holding hands tightly.
The season had already passed late summer.
* * *
The vacation was as short as a daydream. Before they knew it, the day of the hunting festival, which marked the end of the summer break, had arrived. Nobles who had been resting in their own territories after the end of the social season began to gather one by one in the forest near the detached palace.
“Ooh, Third Prince. Have you been well?”
“You look well-rested. Your complexion has improved, hoho!”
“And you lot seem to have become even more shameless. Did you eat something nice without me?”
Kayden responded to the nobles surrounding him with a pleasant demeanor. Fortunately, they seemed to enjoy his wit, laughing heartily before greeting Diana.
“It’s a pleasure to see you, Third Princess Consort. You both still seem to be getting along well.”
“Thank you.”
Diana stood close to Kayden, leaning on his arm. Kayden’s frequent gestures of brushing her hair back and Diana’s loving gaze as she looked at him were nothing short of affectionate. The nobles, who watched the scene with satisfaction, suddenly noticed Diana’s attire and widened their eyes in surprise.
“Hunting attire…?”
“Is Third Princess Consort also participating in the hunting festival?”
“I’m not skilled at it, but I decided to join since the first princess consort said she wanted to participate.”
As Diana finished speaking, she turned her gaze toward Fleur. By chance, Fleur was looking her way, and their eyes met. Diana waved at Fleur, who waved back with a smile. Then, Diana’s eyes caught sight of Rebecca, surrounded by people beyond Fleur and Elliot, and she hesitated.
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