The Divorced Duchess

Chapter 10: UNVEILED INTENTIONS

“I WANT a divorce.”

Everyone’s eyes were focused on her when she said those words. Thalia felt nothing but distant. They didn’t expect what she said, but Senior Qurique suddenly chuckled. “I didn’t know you were a good jester, Duchess.”

She knew that once she opened the divorce topic with them, they would take it as a jest. They wouldn't believe her because they knew she was completely head over heels for her husband. With firm conviction, Thalia insisted again. “I am serious, Father,”

Esmeralda, who had snapped at it, held Thalia’s hand. “Can you tell me what’s the reason why you want to divorce our son?” The look she gave to Duke Noxton revealed nothing but exasperation. They both looked at each other with contempt. Then she returned her gaze to Esmeralda, “I do not want to divulge the reason at the moment, but I have a valid basis for my divorce.” As she was waiting for Senior Qurique's response, there were so many thoughts running through her mind.

“If that’s your will, I have to respect it.” Thalia examined Senior Qurique’s face as if to see if he was messing around. Is he serious?

“Father!” Noxton leaped up in disbelief. Then he grabbed Thalia’s arm, but Senior Qurique raised his hand to gesture to his son to return to his seat. When Noxton let go of her arms, Thalia furtively massaged them. “Before I approve your divorce, you must meet my conditions.” To Thalia’s dismay, she mentally broke down because fate was greedy to favor her.

“And what are those, Father?” Thalia asked restlessly.

“For me to approve your severance, you must stay as Chauverthier Duchess for a year and conceive an heir.”

“What?!” Thalia and Noxton were struck dumb upon hearing Senior Qurique’s condition. For Thalia, it was unreasonable to stay one year in the Duchy even now that Duke Noxton brought his woman. She couldn’t continue living on one roof with them.

“See, I can give you a great deal, Duchess. I know you are both newly wed and you have gone through a small misunderstanding, and, as much as that, I hate to hear from both of you about divorce. Settle it now. If you meet my condition, after the divorce, you will be given half of the compensation.”

“I understand,” said Thalia.

No words came out of their mouths when they left the room. Duke Noxton might wonder why she agreed with his father. What else could she do to end their relationship but to respect the elders by announcing her decision on divorce? Even though her father knew her husband was cheating, Count Darvan hadn’t visited the Duchy since then. Thalia felt guilty, but she needed to resolve it.

“You can go back to your work now, but there is one thing I want to advise: you need to fix your marital problem before it leaks out to the elite society.”

As they left the room, there were no words that came out of their mouths, but it seemed like they understood each other’s deeds. Thalia followed Noxton to his study chamber. As he locked the door, he immediately confronted her. “Why did you initiate your decision on this matter, Thalia? You unexpectedly announced the divorce without consulting me. To think that my father will be mad at me because he might think I have been ignoring you.”

“It is your problem now, Your Grace,” Thalia retorted.

However, Noxton crossed his arms, agitatedly. “If the love you want is what you were talking about, as I had said at the very beginning, I will give you everything but not my love.”

Again, Thalia felt another betrayal and the frustration of love. Bitter thoughts filled the depths of her empty heart. “Remember the contract?”

Noxton could not utter a word as he remembered their contract. Remembering the contract, it was stated there that once they found their other half, they should both file for a divorce. With that realization, he walked out of the room, leaving Thalia behind. She plopped on the floor, obviously exhausted. Meanwhile, the three people in the drawing room were in utter shock. They couldn’t believe what happened that day.

“Why did you agree with Thalia’s request?” Esmeralda rebuked.

“The Duchess was acting on a whim. Later, she will realize her impulsive decision and be grateful to me for what I did.”

Esmeralda arched her brows, dubious of her husband. “I have known Thalia since she was a child. They grew up together, and Thalia was a consistent woman. If she desired something, she would achieve it on her own.” She gave a weary sigh, “If Quadir were alive, I’m certain he would be disappointed if he heard this kind of news. In his will, he only wants his son to be happy with Darvan’s daughter as their solidarity promises.”

Senior Qurique’s eyes expressed deep sadness as he remembered his twin brother. “Let his soul rest in peace.”

Alice, who had been quiet for quite a while, reacted. “Why don’t you tell him the truth? It was distressing to break his trust if he found out the truth about his birth parents.”

“It is not the right time to tell him the truth,” Senior Qurique stated.

*****

“How is she?” Kallixto curiously asked the man who paid a visit late at night. He was unable to visit the Hiraya because of the piles of paperwork, and his secretary constantly nagged him to stay inside the emperor’s office. Shun had given him an ultimatum to finish all the urgent paperwork, and until then, he could be laid off. Thankfully, all the work was done, so his secretary had permitted him to rest even for a while. Kallixto seated himself in the chair, facing Kayne.

“She was stable when the Duke fetched her from the tower.”

“The Duke? Why would he have an interest in his wife if he was ignoring the Duchess's presence? Isn’t it weird?” Weird. He couldn’t understand why Duke Noxton would hurt the Duchess if he didn’t love her.

Kallixto received a playful look from Kayne.

“Not really, because they are a couple. But what I find weird is that you showed an interest in Hiraya.”

Embarrassed, Kallixto looked away. Whenever the Duchess was mentioned in conversation, he reacted, oddly. These past few days, he had been contemplating his actions towards the Duchess. Now, he could not distinguish his feelings between being worried and connected with the Duchess, the Hiraya. “I hate the look on your face, great Mage. I am too worried about the Duchess because she is the Hiraya and the key to breaking my curse.”

Seemingly, the great Mage didn’t believe everything Kallixto said, and a cheeky smile formed on his lips. “But have you thought about how to convince the Hiraya?”

“Yes and No.”

“Huh?”

“I found a way to convince her, but I don't know how to reveal myself as the Emperor.”

“Well advised your supremacy,” Kayne advised him to use his absolute power to order the Duchess, and that way, she wouldn’t have to refuse any request from the Imperial family. Nonetheless, he would reserve that option since it wasn’t that easy to use the authority of an Emperor. Abusing power was not a good example for people. Thus, his enemies would use this crime to revolt.

“Please give me your hand, Your Majesty. I will now take a blood sample from you.”

Kallixto stretched his hand to Kayne, giving her permission to take a blood sample. The great Mage pricked Kallixto’s ring finger, and black blood dripped like a bead. Kayne immediately extracted the blood from his finger into the vial. Kallixto was used to this session of extracting blood when Kayne officially became the great Mage. Nonetheless, he trusted the experimentation of his blood to Kayne. They’d been doing the test for eight years, yet they couldn’t figure out how to lift the curse. His blood was neither normal compared to others, and he knew being different was a curse, too.

“You can rest now, Your Majesty. After I examine your blood, I will send another type of upgraded pill.” Kayne said while placing the vial in the box.

Kallixto nodded but said nothing. He appreciated Kayne a lot for investing his time and effort in helping him.

“Then I’ll see you again.”

As Kayne faded like thin air, Kallixto glanced at the pendulum. It was past midnight, and he would still have a long day to endure the pain and the patience to wait for the Hiraya and the Hiax. He stood up from the chair and lay his back on the bed, letting the soft mattress embrace his exhausted body. Morning came, and Kallixto was too early to sign the papers. Not too long ago, nobles had been visiting the palace to send project proposals. Most proposals were rejected because of the content. There was a limit to his patience, and the nobles had crossed it.

“Your Majesty, this is the last proposal that the nobles sent. The majority had signed the projects, and they even laid out the budgets.” Shun handed the brown folder to the table.

“They’re just wasting their time on such trivial things. These nobles were aware that I hated appointing an Empress. I don’t even care if the seat is filled with cobwebs.”

Shun, as a loyal comrade, was listening to his master’s rant. He was used to his whining, but he, well, ignored it for the sake of gold coins. Kallixto signed the Empress's competition against his will, following the elder noble's suggestion. However, the quill accidentally fell out of his hand, and upon picking it up, he caught something strange on his table. He took it and showed it to Shun.

“What’s this?”

“A love letter,” Shun sounded straightforward when Kallixto annoyingly looked at the envelope. A pink envelope with printed roses and a noble seal.

“I know, but who sent this to me?”

“Valentina’s messenger sent this to you yesterday. I didn’t bother to tell you because it is an insignificant message, I guess.” Shun was keenly observant, but sometimes he lacked empathy. One more thing, Marquess Valentina’s daughter had been sending him a dozen love letters, but he found them creepy.

Shun was perplexed when Kallixto handed the letter to him. “Read it if you want or throw it there,” he pointed to the fireplace.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” One of the knights suddenly opened the door and rushed in.

Kallixto frowned and gave a sharp stare at the knight who was assigned to the first district gate.

“It’s rude to barge into the Emperor’s office. I need to add more disciplinary rules for all the knights.”

Hearing the Emperor's threat, the knight's face became pale and rigid.“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but five priests from the Holy Temple asked for an audience.”

“What?”