Clank. Thud. Creak. Creak.

The clamorous sound of a spoon clanking against a soup bowl.

The grating noise of a knife scraping a plate, or perhaps a steak.

His Highness the prince chewed the meat in his mouth as if it was his mortal enemy, but what he truly seemed to want to chew up was His Grace the duke sitting across the long dining table.

From the moment he entered the dining hall, the prince’s red eyes had been glaring at the duke like a raging inferno.

The anxious gazes of the servants and maids watching the prince’s mood shifted towards the duke.

Despite nearly dying the night before, the duke ate his lunch with a healthy complexion and gusto, only offering a picturesque smile to the prince who was openly displaying his displeasure.

“Alexis. We should raise the head chef’s salary. The taste makes life worth living.”

After saving the duke who had been at death’s door and carrying the unconscious prince on his back, the duke was now praising the head chef to the heavens for no reason.

“Ah, Alexis. Count Vercelli said it was strange that Count Bercelli had more hair than the last time he saw him? It’s a wig. According to Count Cerny, Bercelli got caught by his wife for buying a house for a dancer young enough to be his daughter and she pulled out half his hair.”

Wearing a dazzling smile seen only once a year, the only thing the duke talked about was someone else’s adultery scandal.

Was his mind addled from being feverish all night?

The servants clearing the empty plates and bringing new ones eyed their master with concern.

Bang!

As if unable to stand it any longer, the prince slammed his cutlery on the table and stormed out of the hall, his shoe heels clacking noisily.

“Your Highness…!”

The head maid hurriedly followed after the prince in dismay.

The butler frowned and gave the duke a sideways glance.

But His Grace continued eating composedly until his plate was empty.

‘Did they have a lover’s quarrel?’

The maids exchanged busy glances, wondering what on earth happened overnight.

And the question was answered in less than an hour.

Because the aide who had been summoned by the duke left with a flabbergasted face to meet the family’s legal counsel.

“It’s a secret. His Grace intends to divorce His Highness. It’s a real secret.”

The words the aide whispered to his subordinate quickly spread among the duke’s household staff.

“Goodness. He said to hurry so His Highness can review the draft within three days.”

The circulating rumor finally reached the ears of the butler and head maid at the top of the servant hierarchy.

“Even though it started as a contract marriage, I thought their relationship was so good that at least five young masters would be born…”

As Alexis made a tearful face, Rosalinne, who didn’t know about the contract marriage, scrunched her face in surprise.

“A contract marriage! So it was a marriage entered with divorce in mind from the start?”

“If someone was to get divorced, I thought it would be His Grace. I never imagined it would be His Highness…”

“What do you mean divorced! Is divorce that easy? When young people go astray, adults should grab them and guide them to the right path! Shoulder up, Rex! We need to get a grip!”

The head maid sharply declared that she would console His Highness, while the butler should take responsibility for preventing His Grace from acting foolish, and quickly left.

When the butler arrived at the study, Sir Leo was already there yelling at the top of his lungs for the study to go away.

“You’re the crazy one! Is there a chamber pot on your neck instead of a head? Should I wake you up to your senses? Divorce! What are you doing, you fool who should be crying and begging? Divorce?”

Usually the duke would have pretended to summon Ieloh to freeze his friend, but instead he just buried his face deep in his arms sprawled on the desk and let out a deep sigh.

“Leo. You didn’t see it. Yuriella hugged me and wept profusely. My clothes, my chest were soaked with her tears.”

“Then you should bow in gratitude and hold on tight! Divorce?”

“What do you know about love?”

Frost just moved his head and looked at Leo pathetically.

“I didn’t love her to make her cry because of me, Leo. If by any chance, Yuriella gets hurt or saddened because of me… If my love only makes my wife suffer… Then it’s not true love.”

Leo clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Let her go because you love her? You’ll divorce for His Highness’s sake? Even a passing dog would laugh!”

“Stop saying ‘divorce’, it feels like my heart is being torn apart.”

Frost put his hand on his left chest and let out a faint groan, as if he really felt pain in his heart.

Suddenly the study door flung open and Yuriella strode in.

Frost quickly straightened his waist and plastered a relaxed smile on his haggard face, as if he had never shown a pained expression.

“Bi. If it’s not urgent, can you come back later? I have an important matter to discuss with the knight commander right now-”

“Is divorce that easy for you, Your Grace?”

Yuriella shouted point-blank, putting her hands on her waist and holding her head high.

“I can’t divorce! No, I won’t! Even if I do, I’ll do it when I want to!”

“Yuriella…”

“If you can chase me out, go ahead and try! I won’t be chased out so easily!”

Yuriella whirled around and left the study, her footsteps pounding noisily.

Frost slumped over his desk and murmured softly.

“Leo. Have you ever seen a woman so beautiful even when angry? Her red eyes are like brightly burning flames that could blind you. No. Perhaps she is a red rose that has magnificently bloomed. Hm. Human words are insufficient to express my bi’s beauty.”

“Then put away the divorce talk and hold onto her.”

“No. I can’t make her cry just to satisfy my greed. Yuriella… has the right to be happy.”

“You stupid Frost Ielheim. I guarantee that if you divorce, you’ll die of lovesickness before you succumb to magic poison or the emperor’s fangs!”

As the knight commander shouted at his frustrating friend, Popo, sitting on the study terrace railing, watched with beady eyes and spoke to his master in the magic tower.

[Master. It seems an opportunity has arisen for you as well. The duke is insisting on divorcing Yuriella.]

Ricarion smiled faintly with a sigh at Popo’s words.

“On the contrary, Popo. The more the duke pushes her away, the more Yuriella won’t be able to leave his side.”

[Could that dull fellow be employing push and pull? That is said to be the ultimate dating technique.]

Popo, who started self-studying because of his romantically inept master, now had a deeper understanding of dating skills than a decent dating coach.

“No. That’s why it’s more troublesome. Sincerity is stronger than technique.”

[Indeed. I was also surprised Yuriella got angry saying she won’t be chased out.]

“Popo. Stay close by Yuriella’s side. News of the divorce has probably already reached the imperial palace. The emperor loses his reason when it comes to Yuriella, so there’s no telling what he’ll do next.”

Popo nodded and lamented.

[Tsk tsk. Others are getting married and divorced. Why is my master, whose only useful part is his head, wasting his precious youth?]

*

As Ricarion guessed, news of the ducal couple’s divorce was conveyed to the imperial palace within half a day.

Unable to hide his joy, Justin summoned the saintess candidate to the palace.

It was the first time the emperor personally called for Carina to his bedchamber, so she ran over, unable to conceal her excitement.

“Oh, Carina. You came faster than I thought.”

Without giving Carina a chance to greet him, Justin led her to the inner chamber attached to his bedroom and pointed to the Flamma encased in a glass container.

“We need to lift the black magic cast on Flamma right away.”

“Pardon?”

“Let’s turn it back into its original holy sword form. Bind the spirit’s hands and feet, but restore it to its previous beautiful appearance.”

An undisguisable thrill hung on the emperor’s faintly red lips.

The flush that had colored Carina’s white cheeks faded coldly.

She could tell without asking why the emperor wanted to undo Flamma’s black magic.

To place Flamma in the hands of Yuriella, who would soon be a divorcee.

Tears welled up in Carina’s green eyes.

“I apologize but it is impossible.”

“Impossible?”

“Casting or lifting a spell is not a difficult task, but as you mentioned, binding even the spirit’s limbs requires the right time, moment, and person. Right now, not a single one of those aligns, making it impossible.”

It wasn’t entirely impossible. It was possible, which was why she also had the audacity to make Flamma her own.

“How long will I have to wait? A week? Ten days? Even longer?”

The emperor pressed urgently, unable to quell his impatience.

Stupid Your Majesty. Did you really believe that woman would smile at you like before if you returned the holy sword to her? It was none other than you, Your Majesty, who beheaded Solas.

“Please give me some time, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to fulfill your wish.”

As Carina grabbed her dress hem and bowed to the emperor, Justin strode over and tightly grasped her clasped hands.

“Thank you. You’re the only one I can trust after all. I’m counting on you. Bring it to me as soon as possible, restored to its original state. Ah, without letting Mother know. Understand?”

Carina slightly frowned. The wound on the back of her hand held by the emperor stung as if it was burning.

Before coming to the palace, Carina had pondered what to do about the wound inflicted by the empress dowager and decided to just come as is. She had hoped the emperor would notice and take her side by not covering it with gloves.

But it seemed the emperor didn’t even see her wound.

Carina’s gaze fell on the glass container beyond the emperor’s beautiful shoulders.

For a moment, her emerald-like shining eyes turned pitch black.

‘Flamma is mine. I’ll hold it in my hands and put Yuriella’s corpse inside instead.’

My emperor, with eyes more beautiful than the morning star. Will the day come when those pretty eyes of yours that blinded me will solely reflect me?

If you only smile at that woman with those eyes.

‘I’ll make you cry because of that woman. I’ll make you weep until the blood flowing through your body turns into tears and pours out.’

Leaving the imperial palace, Carina immediately took a carriage and headed to the duke’s mansion.

“Who’s here?”

Yuriella, who had been smashing training dummies to pieces in the training yard all afternoon, lowered her sword and glanced back.

“Lady Carina Pioni is requesting an audience.”

Leo answered, his eyes downcast.

The straw dummies, nearly pulverized by Her Highness’s sword, eerily resembled His Grace the duke, sending a chill down his spine.

Popo, poking his little head out over Leo’s cloak, looked down following Leo’s gaze and also trembled.

It seemed fitting to leave that exceptionally spirited woman to the owner of the ice blade rather than his master.

As if lacking the patience to wait in the parlor, Carina entered the training yard with quick steps.

“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

Yuriella frowned at the friendly and affectionate call, as if greeting a decade-old friend.

“You could have at least sent word before coming.”

“I was in too much pain for that.”

Carina waved her wounded hand, whining nasally in an exaggerated manner.

“I rushed over thinking Your Highness’s saliva could heal it.”

Yuriella narrowed her eyes and stared at Carina.

“What about using your divine power?”

“Unfortunately, divine power cannot be used to heal oneself.”

Carina cutely pouted her lips.

“There are also priests at the temple.”

“Most of the priests are incompetent fools who can’t even heal a mosquito bite. And the capable ones are all busy preparing for the Sun Festival without a moment to spare.”

The Sun Festival was a major annual event praying for a good harvest, overseen by the temple.

“Then go see a professional doctor.”

Yuriella grumbled sullenly and hung her wooden sword on the rack.

“I’ll pay for the treatment, Your Highness.”

Leo stepped forward and reprimanded the saintess candidate for her rudeness.

“Lady Carina. That is Her Highness. Mind your words.”

Ignoring Leo’s words, Carina sang whisperingly to Yuriella who was leaving the training yard.

“Your Highness. I know whose body Lady Solas Moretti’s soul resides in.”

Yuriella abruptly halted her steps. She turned around slowly, her red eyes growing cold.

“Is that so?”

“Yes!”

Carina’s long ebony hair swayed as she lightly walked over to Yuriella. The star-shaped hoya flower ornament on her head gently followed the motion.

Carina slightly raised her heels to match the height of the taller Yuriella and whispered in her ear.

“What are you afraid of, just to put some saliva on me a few times, Lady Moretti?”