However, engaging in a power struggle with the church… the losses would likely outweigh the gains.

There was only one conclusion.

“I find it difficult to assist Your Excellency, Archbishop.”

“Even if the church refuses to register the marriage of Duke Blachnat and his consort?”

“I will formally accept punishment for the wrongs committed before marriage.”

“Do you think the Duke’s misdeeds, even if known, will be left alone by Princess Erwin and the Tethea Empire behind her? How difficult it is for you to resolve a problem within the temple that could be solved outside. Why make such a difficult decision?”

“You discussed the bill outside the temple. How will you resolve it within the temple?”

“All evidence of the Duke’s misdeeds has disappeared. The lady and the illegitimate child too! Even though God helped the Duke, why would you support such a primitive bill?”

If Skaha had heard such words when she was presumed dead, the Archbishop or whoever, might have been shot on the spot.

Casar sneered at the pale and trembling Archbishop.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t know that the death of my woman and child was something God helped with.”

Ignoring the Archbishop, who couldn’t answer, Casar left the central church without regret and headed for the vehicle parked along the winding cobblestone road.

The sound of black shoes hitting the connected cobblestones echoed as they tried to get on the car but stopped abruptly.

Corbe Street, where winter was coming to an end, was beginning to come alive again. He remembered that the day he parted with Skaha at Evan Barhur was also such a day.

It was a day with just the right amount of chilly wind that touched the collar of his coat and quickly disappeared. The smell of thawing ground, which had been frozen, wafted around, tickling his nose.

The season had returned, but having Skaha was still an incredibly challenging task for him.

Casar, who returned to Lindcoem in the evening, parked the car that crossed the central garden.

“Erwin.”
Wearing a thick shawl and sitting on a bench, Skaha, who was rolling her bare feet, looked up with a bright smile.

“Casar!”

Casar, who was about to put on his shoes, instead sat down and draped his coat over her shoulders.

“What are you doing here? It’s still cold.”

“Oh, it’s warm. I heard you arrived at the train station, so I came out to wait for you.”

“Why are your feet swollen again?”

Casar knelt in front of her, took off one of his gloves, and wrapped her small feet with his warm hands.

“Really? I don’t know. I practiced dancing hard today, but…”

It was a subtle difference to the point where Skaha could say, ‘They’re not swollen,’ but Casar, who bit and kissed these feet last night, had more accurate eyes.

Casar took off his gloves and gently massaged Skaha’s feet with warm hands.

Even though he tried to avoid entering her eyes by burning the newsletter, he couldn’t escape Skaha’s watchful eyes. He didn’t know she even collected newsletters.

Thus, Casar had to confess to her the fact that the Archbishop had refused to hold a marriage ceremony and that their marriage was not reflected in the family register.

“The Archbishop hopes that I will oppose the bill.”

“The bill to abolish discrimination against illegitimate children? The one announced by the Emperor this time.”

Seeing Skaha quickly finding the correct answer and responding, Casar smirked, stood up, and lightly kissed Skaha’s lips.

“Yes. So I rejected it.”

“You did well. If you oppose it, it will put the Emperor in a difficult position.”

“That’s true… Mahha could have become an illegitimate child too.”

Skaha, who had successfully made a light response to avoid burdening, jumped up and hung on Casar’s neck whenever the past was brought up, tearing up.

“I know you tried not to let it happen like that. Thank you, anyway.”

Afraid Skaha’s bare feet might touch the ground, Casar lifted her up completely.

“There might be some problems in the future. Still… Erwin, if only you trust me…”

“I trust you, Casar.”

Skaha, nestled in his arms, smiled so beautifully that,

Without having to add any explanation,

All other problems no longer meant anything to him.

“Maha.”

“Let’s go. Want to see the baby sleeping? She’s very cute. She usually sleeps on her stomach, but today, she’s sleeping on her back.”

The evening time, when they discussed the sleeping baby like an ordinary couple, was the most precious to Casar.

So, if there was a price to pay for this, he could easily bear it.

“What is this?”

Attila asked, throwing a newsletter.

Knowing the content already, Casar didn’t bother reading and savored the scent of freshly brewed black tea.
“The content is about refusing the registration of the Duke Blachnat couple’s marriage in the family register and canceling the registration announcement of the marriage.”

“I see. He wrote something like a love letter, which is unlike him.”

Attila pressed her temple, suppressing her anger.

Casar, who was invited to the main palace reception room and drinking tea, seemed overly relaxed, making it appear as if he had rejected the marriage registration, which infuriated Attila even more.

“But you seem quite fine, aren’t you? The marriage with Lady Skaha has been annulled.”

“That doesn’t mean Skaha is not my woman.”

“Did you meet with the Archbishop?”

“Our conversation didn’t go well.”

“Why didn’t you just say you opposed the bill and go ahead with the marriage registration?”

“Anyway, as long as the Archbishop knows about the letter, whenever he declares the marriage invalid, it will be over. So, I’d rather face proper punishment and plan for the next.”

“What about the Duchy? If you’re demoted, the establishment of the Duchy will collapse.”

“You know, the goal was to return the kingdom to Erwin. I will compensate for the annulled marriage by allowing Eberne Special Autonomous Zone to be handed over as compensation through a lawsuit.”

“You said you’d sue? I don’t think you’ll do it…”

“I am still the Lord of Lindcoem. I have already filed a lawsuit in the name of Skaha. Since I have jurisdiction, it will be handled as I see fit.”

“You’re really… insane. Especially toward Lady Skaha.”

“Well, as always.”

“But if you’re really going to face proper punishment, not only demotion but also, since you caused pregnancy, you should return at least one territory, right?”

“It doesn’t matter. Take it.”

“… You’re going to receive a lot of curses. You know, the downfall of a hero is more thrilling, right?”

“That’s okay. It’s better than Skaha receiving curses.”

Really.

He tried to let it go without cursing most of the time, but not a fanatic and just a blind friend like Skaha made Attila shake her head in disbelief.

“Crazy bastard.”