Karina continued speaking, not noticing Jeremiah’s stiff expression.

“I told you before. That I was preparing for divorce. Thinking about it, I only mentioned I was preparing, but didn’t specifically say what kind of preparations I was making.”

“……”

Jeremiah raised his hand to press on his furrowed brows and asked.

“How do you plan to divorce me? Our divorce isn’t something that can be done so easily, is it?”

In contrast to Jeremiah’s somewhat heavy voice, Karina’s voice was light.

“The New Year’s Ceremony will soon be held in the capital. As it marks the 300th year since the founding of the empire, it will be even more special. All the nobles of the empire will attend the banquet that day. At that time, I plan to request our divorce from His Majesty the Emperor.”

Karina calmly revealed part of the plan she had devised.

“You mean to say, in front of all the nobles at the New Year’s Ceremony, you will ask to be divorced?”

Jeremiah continued with a slightly deflated voice.

“Did you really think that would make divorce possible? What a naive thought.”

As Jeremiah let out a hollow laugh, Karina gently replied.

“I didn’t think it would be that easy. After Marquess Millainer, the person who most wanted our marriage was probably His Majesty the Emperor.”

No. Perhaps the Emperor wanted it the most.

Jeremiah knew that fact as well.

Knowing that, he may have given up on divorce being realistically impossible.

‘Right. Unless there’s a significant reason, divorce is impossible.’

Moreover, that reason couldn’t be a scandalous one or something that could become a weakness or shame for the Grand Duke’s family.

From Jeremiah’s perspective, even if he wanted a divorce, there was no way to do it.

But Karina was different.

Since she had no intention of returning to the Millainer Marquis family after the divorce, she didn’t need to care about her family’s opinion.

Karina continued in a monotonous voice.

“If I tell His Majesty the Emperor that I cannot bear an heir, even if Your Highness the Grand Duke wants a divorce, he will have no grounds to refuse.”

Jeremiah’s eyes widened as he calmly listened.

“…What?”

Jeremiah looked at Karina with the most bewildered expression.

“I said I will reveal in front of everyone that day that I am a woman who cannot have descendants.”

This was the excuse Karina had thought of after returning to the past, staying up all night. It was the most plausible reason for divorce.

In noble society, the fact that a woman cannot give birth to an heir for the family was extremely fatal.

Especially for high-ranking nobles, it was a tremendous weakness that could lead to social ostracization.

Until near death, she would have to live with people’s whispers and pointing fingers, carrying the disgraceful label of a barren woman.

It was such a big flaw that it would be difficult to remarry, let alone live as a noblewoman.

But it wasn’t a problem at all for Karina.

She planned to go live somewhere no one knew her after the divorce anyway.

“And later, if you submit a petition to His Majesty the Emperor citing that as the reason for divorce, it can be done as you wish.”

She had no intention of revealing her identity as the former Marchioness of Millainer or the divorced former Grand Duchess in the new place she would settle after leaving.

That was the reason she had asked Selena to create a fake identity of ‘Mysterious Investor Kali’.

Since she planned to live with a newly created fake identity for the rest of her life, she didn’t need to care about what rumors or evaluations were made about her current self.

‘I have absolutely no intention of entering such a shitty marriage again after leaving.’

In her past life before the regression, worse rumors and low-quality gossip had followed her like a stigma anyway.

She was confident that even if a few more rumors were added, it wouldn’t affect her at all.

“What do you mean by that? You can’t bear children?”

Jeremiah, startled and with a stiff expression, asked Karina again.

“The doctor who examined you clearly said there was nothing wrong. Could it be that your body hasn’t fully recovered?”

Karina shrugged and said.

“That’s not what’s important right now. What’s more important is the fact that I will publicly reveal it at the New Year’s Ceremony.”

As Karina changed the subject, Jeremiah spoke through gritted teeth as if growling.

“Why isn’t that important? As soon as we arrive at the capital, I’ll find a female doctor specializing in childbirth and have you examined again.”

“There’s no need for that.”

Karina refused, but Jeremiah did not back down easily.

“Get properly examined. If the doctor also says so, I’ll believe it.”

“……”

At Jeremiah’s words, Karina looked puzzled.

She was saying that the Emperor would not be able to blindly oppose their divorce.

‘But why….’

Karina couldn’t understand why Jeremiah was trying to confirm that part so definitively.

‘Doesn’t he just need to be able to divorce me anyway?’

If he was doing that because he thought it had to be true that she couldn’t get pregnant for the divorce to really be possible, she would understand.

‘The imperial family will try to verify if I’m really infertile. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just bribe a doctor to prescribe me infertility medicine or something.’

As she was thinking that, Jeremiah broke her reverie and spoke in a low voice.

“And. Even if that’s true, you say you’ll openly reveal it in front of people at the New Year’s Ceremony. Are you in your right mind?”

Karina chuckled.

“Don’t you think a reason of this level is necessary for a divorce to be possible?”

At her indifferent answer, Jeremiah’s brows furrowed deeply.

Jeremiah felt an unbearable frustration.

He couldn’t understand Karina’s actions at all.

Getting a divorce didn’t mean the end of one’s life.

But Karina’s current behavior seemed as if divorce was the ultimate goal of her life.

As if everything would be over once she got divorced, she didn’t seem to think about what would happen afterward at all.

“If you reveal it like that in front of the nobles, do you not know what will become of you later?”

“That’s not something Your Highness the Grand Duke needs to worry about.”

Karina drew a clear line between Jeremiah and herself.

“Once we’re divorced, we’ll be strangers anyway, so what does it matter?”

“…!”

Seeing Karina’s cold gaze, Jeremiah was at a loss for words.

Knock knock.

At that moment, someone tapped on the carriage window from outside.

“Your Highness.”

It was Ron.

“There’s a problem.”

“What is it?”

“Some time ago, there was a large-scale collapse of the mountain range in the southern region, and as a result, many roads have changed.”

“…!”

Karina was startled as it wasn’t an matter unrelated to her.

“The path we used to take is blocked and the carriage cannot pass through.”

At Jeremiah’s question, Ron shook his head.

“Horses can pass, but not the carriage. We’ll have to take a different route.”

“I see. Then how much longer will it take?”

Ron glanced at Karina and continued.

“With Her Highness present, if we stop at a village to stay overnight, it will likely take 2-3 days longer than originally planned.”

If it took 3 more days than planned, it meant they would arrive just in time for the banquet date.

The imperial family had already sent a letter telling them to come to the capital early, and they had originally planned to depart with more leeway.

However, that schedule was pushed back due to Karina getting caught up in the hostage situation.

The matter of Revals being captured and investigating the related incident also played a part.

Jeremiah’s expression was not good.

“I’m fine with that.”

Karina said.

“I don’t mind not stopping at a village and just camping outside, so let’s take the route that will get us to the capital as quickly as possible.”

“Ah…”

Ron looked at Jeremiah with an expression asking if that was really okay.

Jeremiah himself was looking at Karina with a look that said it was absurd.

“You’re saying you’ll camp outside?”

But Karina was serious.

After dreaming and remembering, Karina had knelt in front of the mansion for several days after the divorce.

Compared to then, she had a carriage and blankets now. It was a much better situation.

“I said I’m okay with it, so what’s the problem? Are the others saying they can’t camp outside?”

There was no way anyone would say they couldn’t when the Grand Duchess said she would camp outside.

“I want to go to the capital as soon as possible. It’s better to get there quickly, rest well, and then attend the New Year’s Ceremony.”

Karina wanted to go to the capital quickly and make all the necessary preparations for the divorce.

She was in a hurry.

At Karina’s resolute attitude, Jeremiah reluctantly gave permission.

The knights prepared for camping.

Jen, who had followed Karina, made a place in the carriage for Karina to sleep comfortably.

In the meantime, Karina went to find Mikhail.

“Are you not tired?”

“Did you come because you were worried about me?”

Mikhail greeted Karina with a bright smile.

“We ended up having to camp out unexpectedly. Will you be okay?”

“I was a wanderer. I’m used to camping outside.”

“Ah…”

It was as he said.

Karina made an awkward expression.

“Right. It was an unnecessary worry.”

“But I’m so happy that you worried about me.”

Mikhail smiled as if pleased.

Seeing Mikhail smile as usual, Karina’s heart felt a little at ease.

“Was it hard being in the carriage? You didn’t get motion sick?”

Mikhail was concerned about Karina.

That made her chuckle a bit.

She had ridden comfortably in the carriage.

Mikhail must be more tired than her.

“I’m fine. You must be more tired than me. By the way, when did you learn to ride horses?”

“Despite how I look, there are many things I know how to do.”

Mikhail answered with a shrug.

“I see. Maybe I should learn to ride a horse too later.”

Karina said with a smile.

“You don’t know how to ride a horse?”

“Yeah. I’ve never learned to ride horses.”

Karina had only received the basic education that noble ladies generally received.

Embroidery, flower arrangement, tea time etiquette, social conversation techniques, etc.

Horseback riding was not included in that.

“Then should I teach you?”

Mikhail suddenly suggested.

“Huh?”

“I’m very confident I can teach you well.”

Seeing him speak so confidently, she became curious about how well he would teach.

“Okay. Sounds good.”

Karina answered with a bright smile.

The conversation between Mikhail and Karina continued pleasantly for a while.

While the knights were preparing for camping, Jeremiah walked some distance away from the group to sort out his complicated thoughts.

He was very perplexed and confused now.

His mind was full of the things Karina had said.

At first, he was irritated and displeased that Karina was preoccupied with thoughts of her guard.

So he brought up another topic.

A topic he thought Karina would be curious about.

But Karina showed less interest than he expected.

So he asked if she had anything to say to him instead.

As he said that, Jeremiah inwardly thought Karina would tell the story of going to the mine.

If not that, then stories about Caroline or things related to Croa or the poison, or things she was hiding that he didn’t know about.

There were more than a couple of stories Jeremiah wanted to hear from Karina.

But his expectations were all off the mark.

What came out of Karina’s mouth was a story related to their divorce.

He was so stunned, as if he had been hit in the back of the head with a topic he hadn’t even thought of.

That alone was shocking, but the content of what Karina was saying was even more absurd.

‘She said she would claim she can’t produce an heir? In front of those disgusting nobles in the capital who consume other people’s stories as gossip for entertainment?’

He had no idea she was having such thoughts in order to divorce him.

‘She’s going that far to divorce me?’

Jeremiah realized it then.

Perhaps he had unconsciously let his guard down, inwardly believing that divorce was impossible anyway.