Harmon looked at Cediloy with an expression that seemed utterly incredulous this time. Over the time they had been friends, he had heard many things that were truly incomprehensible from Harmon’s perspective, but the look he gave now seemed to express uncertainty about whether something new might emerge.
“You’re not coming to the capital? So, you’re going to live your entire life in Baltermance?”
“Anyway, it’s a place I have to manage. It’s our family’s land.”
“Everyone knows that. But don’t you know why nobles insist on staying in El Rautica?”
Cediloy smiled faintly. Of course, he knew. Would nobles staying in El Rautica have no territories in the provinces? It wasn’t about staying humbly in the capital, writing humble reports to the king each time, not because they didn’t have mansions.
Staying in El Rautica continuously allowed them to respond sensitively to changes in noble society. Changes in the flow of power, shifts in political perspectives, and even secondary things like trends.
Harmon said, “You, Cediloy… Honestly, you’re the most influential duke in this country, excluding the royal family. To put it bluntly, if our brothers were to die overnight, you could be a candidate for the next succession to the throne, and a very strong one at that.”
Cediloy frowned.
“Don’t say terrible things.”
“To speak frankly, that’s how it is. Your position is like that. It’s not just about staying here to gain recognition in society. Both you and your daughter, Arianthe, are in a position where you have to lead trends in the capital. You also have the duty to understand and coordinate political trends. You’re not unaware of that, right?”
I know it well, Cediloy thought.
Without stubbornly insisting on living in El Rautica like nobles who stayed in their territories, such as the Alt Marquis, those who had a less firm position and were not nationally significant could freely choose their residence.
But if it were the Baltermance Duke, the story would be different. So far, the reason why Elmerat’s king had let Cediloy stay in Baltermance was for Arianthe. If it weren’t for Arianthe, would the king have just watched him stay stuck in Baltermance, playing a crucial role in court affairs?
Even amidst this, Cediloy had to vacate Baltermance most of the time, not knowing what Arianthe was going through. The higher the nobility and the greater the reputation, the more enormous the responsibilities that came with it. Therefore, while Harmon’s words couldn’t be entirely wrong, Cediloy’s stance remained firm.
“I’ll stay in Baltermance until Arianthe becomes an adult. If that child insists on coming to the capital, if she expresses a desire to lead trends willingly from here, then I will willingly come to the capital. However, if Arianthe doesn’t choose, I won’t forcibly bring her here. I won’t leave her side either. Not until she becomes an adult.”
“When you say something like this, I don’t know how you’ll feel, but honestly… Your words now sound like you want to keep that child safely tucked away in a nest indefinitely.”
A wry smile crept onto Cediloy’s lips.
“To be honest, yes. That’s right… Your words are correct, Harmon. I want to do that for that child. Because when Arianthe needed me the most, I couldn’t do that. I regret it. Perhaps even a lifetime of repentance wouldn’t be enough. It’s not like self-pity. I… am a father who doesn’t deserve to pity himself. So, as far as my strength allows, I want to raise that child safely. If possible, I want to take responsibility for her entire life. But I can’t. His Majesty spoke to me about it. Children grow up someday, and it won’t take long. Arianthe will too, undoubtedly. I don’t deny that. But until then, until that child needs me, I want her to live in a safe place, where she doesn’t need to get hurt.”
Cediloy continued his long speech without taking a breath, flowing like water. As if he had rehearsed it for a long time, like an actor in a well-prepared play.
Harmon, who seemed about to object, made a sound of hesitation, touching his lips.
“So, Cediloy, your words… Does that mean if Arianthe doesn’t want it, you will stay in Baltermance until she becomes an adult, and you don’t mind marrying that woman, Miss Dawson?”
“It’s not that simple. Since I’ll be in Baltermance, Maiana won’t have to take on any responsibilities as the Duchess… I’m not saying it with such a lax mindset. When Arianthe turns sixteen, whether she likes it or not, she’ll have to come to El Rautica at least once. She has to debutante, you see. There are still nine years left until then.”
“A short time. Don’t misunderstand. I’m not a foolish person who believes that people have different blood colors based on their class. But you know. How cunningly nobles push people around. There are also those who aren’t like that, but there are far more of those kinds of people. Do you know why the fights in the capital never end? Because many people, since childhood, learn how to skillfully attack others. Do you think she can withstand that among those people?”
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
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