Chapter 53
“No… How did they know…”
The documents seemed like just two sheets, but in reality, they were four. Stella had cleverly cut and pasted a report onto the divorce application, so it appeared as if it were only two sheets.
At first glance, it looked like a report, but the signature section at the bottom was part of the divorce application.
Kalis tore the two divorce application sheets and placed them in Stella’s hand.
“Stella. Your salary comes from the duke’s family. Don’t forget that. You are supposed to prevent Philina from divorcing, not assist in it.”
Kalis crossed his arms and looked at Stella with an authoritative gaze.
“Duke, I am employed by my lady. Naturally, I will act according to her wishes.”
Even though her scam had been exposed, Stella spoke without the slightest hint of guilt. If anything, she looked even more confident.
“I’ll double your current salary. Stop Philina from leaving me.”
“Duke… How could you… say something like that about me!”
Stella’s face immediately showed her displeasure at Kalis’s words.
“You are Philina’s trusted aide. I’ll triple your current salary. The same amount as Dylan’s. I can’t give you more than Dylan, can I? Just make sure Philina cannot leave me for one year.”
It was as if Kalis had known Stella would come; he took out the salary contract and placed it on the desk.
“Gasp… triple… just for one year… I see, my lady seems to like the duke after all… that’s why they sleep in the same room every night…”
Thinking about it, it made sense. They kissed in front of everyone so openly…
“Not long ago… even during the fireworks, the carriage shook violently…”
Stella glanced at Kalis and nodded slightly. It seemed plausible.
“My lady and the duke… there were often hickeys on their necks… so it really is true.”
Matching everything to the fact that Philina liked Kalis and the triple salary, Stella made her decision.
“Duke. You chose well. But if, within a year, you fail to win my lady’s heart and she wishes to leave, I will make sure her wishes are fulfilled, no matter what.”
“My lady… if it comes to it, a year from now, I’ll run away with you and support you myself!”
Stella comforted her conscience with this inner vow.
“Good. Then win Philina’s heart within a year.”
Kalis smiled and shook Stella’s hand. Now, through Stella, he would know everything about Philina—her plans, her ideal type, even her fantasies.
+++
The low-ranking staff managing communications between the Luna Empire and the Nebula Empire was sweating, despite the middle of winter.
The letter he was delivering to Lucas was normally the responsibility of the head of communications. But for some reason, the director had instructed the lowest-ranking employee to deliver it.
“An urgent letter from the ambassador of the Luna Empire?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Here it is.”
Lucas crumpled the letter in his hand in his office.
The staff member flinched in surprise and bowed deeply.
Of course! The director already knew the content and didn’t want to face Lucas’s deadly aura, so he sent the lowest-ranking employee!
“You may leave now.”
Fortunately, Lucas’s aide, Halo, quickly let him go and took the letter from Lucas’s hands.
<Philina Rubelia. To be recalled to the home country for failing to fulfill her role as the conciliatory figure between the two empires in the event of divorce.>
Halo read the letter, glanced at Lucas’s expression, and let out a small sigh.
“Your Excellency… If Duchess Philina is forcibly recalled, she will fall into Ian’s hands. I heard he has been targeting her even before this.”
Philina might have to become Ian’s concubine immediately after the divorce. And as far as they knew, Philina disliked Ian.
Understandable. She was sent as a hostage to another empire; who could like someone like that? Philina could no longer divorce, even to avoid Ian.
“How… How did this information reach Ian so quickly? Does it make sense that the Luna Empire knows every detail of our royal and noble private lives in real time?”
Lucas was angry and puzzled that the Luna Empire acted so quickly. Though peace prevailed now, until recently the two empires were at war, swords clashing.
“Someone must have leaked this to Ian first. We haven’t even amended the divorce law yet. The duchess only recently received the divorce application. Someone noticed first and told Ian.”
“Who could it have been… and why…”
Lucas and Halo began to wonder who could have leaked the information and for what reason.
“Your Excellency… we should speak with the duchess. So she doesn’t cling to false hope.”
“Of course. I will speak with her myself tomorrow. And you must find out who leaked this and why. This concerns the duchess of the empire. No one would do this merely for amusement.”
Lucas suspected there was someone behind this. Halo, feeling an intense premonition of something significant, clenched his fist without realizing it.
+++
It was already 11 p.m. I was staring at Kalis’s door handle.
“Ah… my heart… it feels like it’s going to stop…”
I hadn’t done anything yet. I just slept yesterday, but even seeing his door made my heart race wildly.
Pressing my left hand to my chest, I took two deep breaths, “Hua… hua…,” and entered Kalis’s room.
I had entered this room once before during the day when Kalis was away. I hid a dagger under the bed, along with the two divorce applications and an ink pot.
“Philina. Come in. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Whether he knew or not, Kalis greeted me with a bright smile, wearing only a robe.
He grabbed my hand as I hesitated by the door and pulled me inside, closing the door behind me.
Now… the operation begins! I can do this!
“Philina. We agreed to… every night together. I’m so happy.”
Already trying to pull me to the bed, I resisted and freed my wrist from his grip.
I mean, what could he do! I just slept! If anyone heard, they’d misunderstand!
“I told you I was coming today.”
Though I spoke softly inside, I outwardly said it kindly.
I stepped toward the sofa instead of the bed, and noticed a red ribbon tied to Kalis’s left wrist.
“Crazy! Why did he tie it again? Why? Why? Why?”
Why would he tie that ribbon again? Could it be… he likes being tied?
In my mind, I imagined tying Kalis up and teasing him with strange things—whips, belts… you know, those kinds of things.
And the big, muscular, half-naked man looking at me with a pitiful expression. My imagination had gone into a weird, adult-only fantasy.
“No! That pitiful look doesn’t suit you! Forget it!”
Well, I can’t dictate his preferences. That’s none of my business.
While I was distracted by the ribbon, Kalis had already pulled me to the bed. By the time I finished imagining, we were sitting side by side on the bed, facing each other.
“Gasp! Already! Kalis… then… I’ll use a whip… the belt is too perverted.”
I closed my eyes, determined to comply with his tastes just once.
“I’ve been tired with work lately, but seeing your face makes me feel refreshed.”
Kalis’s perfectly normal words, unrelated to my resolve, made me breathe a short sigh of relief and look at his face.
He had been so busy he couldn’t even have dinner with me, returning to the palace only at night. His face looked slightly worn, perhaps from fatigue, or perhaps because of me.
“Are you very tired?”
“Not anymore.”
A lie. I could see that his once glossy red lips were now slightly dry.
I felt guilty, suspecting that I was part of why he was tired.
“Kalis. Lie down. I’ll sing you a lullaby and help you sleep.”
Guilt aside, it was important to lull Kalis to sleep to accomplish my purpose in entering this room, so I subtly pulled his hand.
“A lullaby? Well. You’re the first to ever sing me one.”
No… what kind of life had he lived for me to be the first?
“Lie down quickly. I’ll pat you too.”
I tapped his pillow. He didn’t mind and lay down as I instructed, closing his eyes.
+++
Kalis, amused by Philina’s strange claim that she would sing him a lullaby, lay down and closed his eyes. She began patting his left chest as if he were a child.
Before that, she had adjusted her robe slightly to prevent her hands from touching his bare skin. He barely restrained a laugh, smiling instead.
Philina intended to lull him to sleep, but every time she tapped his chest, he felt strangely ticklish and more awake—something she didn’t realize.
“Blue sky, Milky Way, on a white boat…”
When Philina began singing a song he had never heard, Kalis couldn’t hold back his laughter.
“Hahaha… Philina. I’ve noticed this before… you really can’t sing.”
Philina stopped patting him. Her eyes shook wildly.
“No one… has ever said that to me… Everyone always told me I sang well…”
In her previous life, she never had a chance to sing in the hospital. In the Luna Empire, the duke and duchess and Chester were so doting that whatever she did, they praised her… even her singing.
“I see. My ears must have betrayed me for a moment. Sing again.”
Seeing Philina’s serious expression, Kalis softened his words and allowed her to pat his chest again.
“Alright. You’re tired, so go to sleep.”
Philina, still focused on her goal, renewed her determination and continued singing while patting his chest.
“Blue sky, Milky Way, on a white boat…”
“Philina. That melody is different from before.”
“Shut up.”
Philina sang until she thought Kalis had fallen asleep. Each time a new melody emerged, and Kalis could not recognize the original tune.
With his eyes closed, Kalis felt her voice and the patting on his chest, wishing this lullaby would never end.
‘This lullaby is only for me. Philina.’
He pretended to sleep while continuing to listen to her song.
