“No, Your Majesty! That’s not what I…”

“As of today, I rule in favor of Erina Bril Medelia’s petition for marriage annulment and acknowledge it to proceed with subsequent matters.”

Enzo glared coldly at Feiron’s outcry.

It meant he would not allow any further objections or comments.

“Feiron Iolus shall return everything received from the Medelia family at the time of marriage. The compensation will also be calculated and settled under the supervision of the imperial family.”

Originally, it was a matter for the Ministry of Justice to oversee from start to finish.

Both divorce and marriage annulment were procedures that took at least 6 months, no matter how short.

Enzo ignored all procedures and approved it, stating that he would personally oversee it until the end.

“Lady Medelia, is there anything else you want?”

Enzo asked gently in a softened tone.

“The child that Count Iolus brought as his heir is being abused by the Iolus Countess. At the child’s direct request, I intend to take him out of the mansion and raise him myself.”

“Abuse? That’s impossible!”

“I approve the content. Neither Feiron Iolus nor anyone from the Iolus family has any authority over the child brought in as heir.”

Enzo ignored Feiron’s voice protesting towards Erina, as it was already a fact revealed in the investigation.

Feiron’s clenched fists could be seen trembling.

Erina watched as he seemed to shrink smaller and smaller, when she suddenly recalled the original story.

In the original, Enzo never became so disappointed, let alone angry, with Feiron like this.

Just like herself now, the Erina in the original story also never signed the document to bring in an heir until the end.

“Shall we wrap this up, Lady Medelia?”

Enzo asked Erina, who had been lost in thought recalling the original story.

Erina pondered for a moment.

‘Should I make it so Feiron can never marry again, leaving Rose as just a mistress for life?’

‘Should I ask for Feiron’s title to be stripped?’

After many thoughts, Erina erased them all from her mind.

It was clear that Feiron would slowly crumble even without her doing anything.

Now that she had taken the magic stone mine from Rose, even if the two were to marry, they would never receive blessings.

Even without Erina doing anything more, Feiron may slowly sink, forgetting that he’s standing in a swamp as he flounders.

With nowhere lower to go, he’ll struggle to breathe, and someday he’ll recall this moment and regret it to death.

When that time comes, will he understand himself who has lived in the prison called Iolus?

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I hereby rule in favor of Erina Bril Medelia’s petition for marriage annulment and declare that the marriage is legally annulled from this moment on.”

Feiron still couldn’t look at Enzo, and Enzo felt the thin thread of trust that remained snap at the sight of Feiron.

“Feiron Iolus, wrap everything up within a month.”

Erina clasped her trembling hands together, trying to calm her pounding heart that felt ready to burst from all the emotions swirling inside her.

She had achieved what she had so desperately wanted and wished for.

She had completely escaped from the terrible Iolus.

Erina had left Iolus and returned to Medelia without a single injury or stain on her honor.

She should be happy, but Erina didn’t know why her chest felt so heavy.

Why did her vision blur and why did she feel so stifled, as if a sigh was about to burst out?

“Feiron Iolus, go to the knights’ quarters and get things in order.”

Enzo, no longer wanting to see Feiron sitting there stupidly, chased him out of the reception room.

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Feiron’s voice was hoarse from forcing it out.

As Feiron slowly rose from his seat, he looked at Erina sitting there with tears in her eyes yet smiling.

He still couldn’t understand how things had come to this point.

He couldn’t fathom why the woman who had only asked to stay by his side was now crying and smiling.

“Why…”

“Feiron Iolus.”

Enzo warned Feiron again as he tried to speak to Erina.

“Go and get things in order now.”

Feiron forcibly moved his stiff body, bowed his head to Enzo, then turned around.

Strangely, he couldn’t believe it was really over with Erina.

‘Is it really over?’

Feiron turned and looked through the door at Erina, who was still crying and smiling.

The reception room door slowly began to close.

Erina’s figure, visible through the door, gradually disappeared.

Feiron had to feel with his whole body that everything with Erina was truly over now.

As the door closed, cutting off everything with her, Feiron squeezed his eyes shut at the stark reality.

‘Thud-‘

Though the reception room door closed without a sound, it seemed to echo in Erina’s ears.

She was smiling, not wanting to cry, but tears welled up and flowed on their own.

Her heart was so full just from finally escaping that place.

Looking at her plans going forward, leaving Iolus was just taking the first step.

It was no different from standing at the starting line to run, yet strangely it felt like she had accomplished everything.

Erina didn’t watch Feiron to the end as he was practically chased out by Enzo.

She couldn’t bear to look at him, who stood at both the beginning and end of her sorrow and despair.

She felt like she might chase after him, grab him, and pour out all the resentment inside her.

She felt like she might swing at him if he uttered nonsense about coming back.

But Erina tried hard not to do so.

She endured, fearing that the anger she had been holding in would end with just that.

She feared that her hidden fragile nature might forgive him.

She wanted them to wither away slowly, just as she had slowly died in the prison called Iolus.

She hoped they would suffer terribly without even a small hope in the scenario she had set up, regretting until their deaths.

Erina had truly and completely escaped the shackles of Iolus.

Her fingertips trembled unsteadily.

Even though she could no longer see through the steadily falling tears, Erina couldn’t close her eyes.

Yuris quietly held out a pure white handkerchief to Erina.

“Lady Medelia.”

As Yuris called out gently, Erina raised her head to see the plain white handkerchief she was offering.

Only then did Erina realize that everyone in the reception room was looking at her with sympathy.

She took the handkerchief and quickly wiped her tears, composing her face.

As Erina thanked Yuris, she smiled and stepped back.

“I apologize for my unseemly behavior, Your Majesty.”

“It’s alright.”

Enzo, who had waited a moment for Erina to calm down, nodded to Barun who was standing quietly behind her.

Barun bowed his head in response to Enzo’s signal and moved towards the reception room door.

“It must be difficult, but we have many matters to discuss, so we plan to proceed quickly. Is that alright?”

“Yes, thank you for your consideration.”

As Erina answered, Barun opened the closed reception room door.

Two knights she had never seen before entered and stood across from Erina along with Barun.

“Since ancient times, the owner of the magic stone mine has been guarded by the imperial family. As you may have heard from Duke Kerenik, the 5th Knights Division will be guarding Lady Medelia from now on.”

Barun and the two knights stood opposite her, raised their right hands to their left chests, and bowed their heads lightly in greeting.

“Lady Medelia, I heard you’ll be staying at the Kerenik mansion for the time being.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I heard there were no vacant hotels, so Duke Kerenik kindly offered to let me stay for a while, which I’m grateful for.”

Erina answered as she sipped the warm tea that had been filled to clear her throat.

“Hmm? No vacant hotels?”

Though it was busy due to the Founding Day celebrations, it wasn’t to the extent that there was nowhere for a single noblewoman to stay.

For example, the most famous hotel in the capital, the Pardec Hotel, always kept a few rooms reserved for urgent requests from those of noble status.

Enzo suddenly recalled the owner of the Pardec Hotel.

Seeing Erina’s wide-eyed, puzzled expression, Enzo’s thoughts flitted to Sandes, who hid his true nature behind a kind smile.

“Ah.”

Thinking of the owner of the Pardec Hotel who had invited Erina to his mansion, Enzo smiled mischievously.

Enzo had to pretend not to know the cunning ploy of his half-brother, who appeared to live passionately but was actually indifferent to everything.

He looked forward to having an interesting conversation for once with Sandes, who had always been bored with everything.

“Yes, that’s right. All the hotels must be busy due to the Founding Day celebrations.”

Erina tilted her head curiously at Enzo’s cheerful laughter, but he just kept smiling.

“I heard Duke Kerenik has already explained the details about the mine shares, so I won’t explain further and will just give you the documents. Is that alright?”

“Yes.”

Documents stating that 3% of the magic stones mined would be supplied to the imperial family and all taxes would be exempted were placed in front of Erina.

After Erina slowly perused the documents and set them down, Enzo continued.

“Now that we’ve settled the matter with the Iolus family, let’s talk about the Medelia family.”

In fact, before Erina became the owner of the magic stone mine, Enzo didn’t know much about the Medelia family.

When Erina’s parents passed away and the Medelia family was transferred to Romdrik, Enzo was the crown prince.

According to the documents submitted at the time, the Medelia family was reportedly handed over to Romdrik directly by the heir.

The heir was too young, and given the frequent interactions between the Medelia viscounty and the Zillon barony where Romdrik was the head of the family, it seemed there were no issues.

It was only after investigating the Medelia family following the Founding Day banquet that Enzo learned the full details of how Erina had left the Medelia family.

Even the story surrounding Erina’s father, the late former Viscount Medelia.

Translation complete. 100% of original text translated.