Chapter 144
“…Ha.”
“…”
“…Your Majesty.”
“…”
“Your Majesty!”
Despite the calls of his aides, a man remained buried face-down in documents, utterly unbothered.
He was the ruler of the imperial palace, the one whom the aides served—the Emperor himself.
The way he treated the aides, as if they were air, invisible and insignificant, made the palace staff fidget nervously.
“Getty, do something. You’re the cleverest one here.”
“…What can I do? For someone who’s trying to forget a broken heart in this way… unless we bring Miss Lock… ahem, Gohhhnneee, there’s nothing to be done.”
The aides deliberately slurred the name “princess” as a kind of code, just in case the Emperor reacted.
Even Soho, the chief aide, simply observed the Emperor with his arms crossed.
There was a manual for grief, but none for responding to a complete farewell.
A month ago, the House of Hexagon was annihilated.
Originally, this family should have perished alongside the former emperor, but there had been insufficient evidence at the time.
Back then, the young Lady Enya Lockhart had been abducted, buying time and diverting attention. She erased all evidence of collaborating with the former emperor, committing atrocities, and even participating in the poisoning that killed the previous emperor.
But now things were different.
With evidence submitted by traitors within the family and collected by spies in the palace, Hexagon had been eradicated.
Everyone in the family and relatives were executed—except the princess.
The surviving princess was exiled to the provinces.
“…”
“Ah, that expression again. Thinking of Lady Kohoooongne now, are you?”
“Well, she’s handling the final stage of Hexagon’s destruction. It’s understandable.”
The Emperor’s final connection with Lady Lockhart ended there.
Her abduction over ten years ago, and the recent re-abduction… and the summons to hear what punishment he desired—after that, the Emperor and Lady Lockhart had no contact for nearly a month.
On top of that, the princess’s maid reported that she had signed the divorce papers the Emperor had once gifted her.
“Ever since, he’s been like that…”
“I told him not to send the divorce agreement. But he sent it anyway.”
At that moment, the Emperor stood up.
Having buried himself in paperwork from morning until night without even eating, the aides’ attention snapped to him.
“Your Majesty, shall we prepare a meal?”
The Emperor swept his aides with a sharp, deadly gaze.
Without a word, he passed by them and left the office.
“Your Majesty! Let’s go together!”
“…”
The corridors of the Emperor’s palace, dimly lit under his orders, were shrouded in darkness.
These days, he would sometimes walk angrily through the palace, only to return to his office later.
He didn’t sleep properly in the bedroom.
He took short naps in his office, then immersed himself in work from morning till night, ignoring his aides.
Dale went to the tower and gazed up at the night sky.
The clouds shrouded the sky, gray and heavy, matching the weight in his heart. There was no trace of amusement in his expression.
As if by habit, he stared long toward the direction of the ducal mansion.
Autumn was approaching, the season when he had reunited with Enya after summer.
But Enya was gone. She had left again.
“It’s better for both of us not to meet again. Thank you, Your Majesty. For everything.”
Recalling Enya’s final words, Dale gently held the handkerchief she had left behind.
His once-golden eyes had dimmed, darkened by the shadows around him, almost black in hue.
A color as lonely as Dale’s own gaze.
“Why do we have to part?”
Enya said she remembered everything—from the first time they met until now.
Happiness was brief. Enya declared an eternal farewell.
“Why…?”
Dale’s brow twisted in anguish.
Hexagon’s adopted daughter had confessed to being a spy she had planted. The marriage itself had been fake, a trap from the start.
But Enya didn’t care, and left him forever.
“Why.”
His heart ached unbearably, yet it beat stronger than ever.
Enya had saved him.
The relic she possessed had transferred its power to him, fully restoring his body.
“Because of the memories…?”
Dale remembered how painful it had been for Enya whenever they faced each other in childhood.
He had vowed never to appear by her side again, seeing her cry and suffer.
He had thought it best not to reclaim her memories.
The Duke of Lockhart had felt the same way.
The abduction had been a traumatic, terrifying event for Enya. Knowing how painful it was, he had not insisted on being remembered.
Only when he realized his remaining days were few did he approach her.
Now, Enya had regained her memory. She had risked everything to save him.
He dared hope that she might feel some fondness for him—not love, perhaps, but compassion, or even a hint of affection.
Yet she had departed coldly, leaving him with nothing he could do.
“Keep this news secret.”
Dale ignored the aides chatting idly in low voices.
He no longer cared whether idle chatter was allowed in the Emperor’s office. Nothing mattered.
He placed the small embroidered cloth Enya had stitched herself on the table, gazing at it as though it were a portrait, while working.
“But Your Majesty, shouldn’t you know that Lady Lockhart is seeing another family’s heir?”
“She has already severed ties with His Majesty. He wouldn’t want to become more troubled over it.”
“Getty.”
The aides’ eyes widened at the Emperor’s long-unused voice.
Stopping everything, Dale lifted his head and glared at the aide with a sharp, hunting gaze.
“Speak what you know.”
“There are rumors that the House of Lockhart is preparing a marriage. According to the maid, Emma, the family is indeed arranging a wedding.”
Unbelievable.
Unable to contain himself, Dale immediately sent a letter to Enya.
“As your ex-husband, I oppose this marriage. As Emperor, I forbid it.”
A childish jealousy surged, leaving him unable to stay still.
The thought of Enya marrying someone else was unbearable.
He hadn’t given her the divorce papers out of dislike, but out of worry for what would happen after his death.
And now, after she had saved his life…
He opened his eyes to see Enya’s lips pressed to his.
She had saved him, even at the cost of losing her powers.
And now, a marriage?
Suddenly, after only a month?
With whom?
“Come to the place where we met again.”
Enya’s reply was concise.
Without hesitation or need to think of its meaning, Dale moved.
He immediately headed to Grunwald—the place of their dreamlike memories as newlyweds.
“Have you come?”
A miraculous voice greeted Dale as he hesitated at the door.
The door opened shortly after.
“Welcome, Dale.”
“…Now you call me Dale again.”
He closed his eyes and smiled deeply, unable to hide his joy.
“I thought I must have imagined it because of the pain.”
“Come in first.”
“…Yes.”
Though her tone was slightly cold, Dale didn’t mind.
Just being able to face her and speak again made his heart race.
He restrained the urge to hug the small figure walking ahead.
Dale quietly followed Enya to the parlor she guided him to.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been well.”
“…Is your body okay?”
“It’s fine.”
Though the conversation was brief and hesitant, Dale regained his resolve.
This moment was his only chance to win back Enya’s heart.
“En…”
“I called you today because we have documents to finalize.”
“I see.”
Dale nodded firmly and looked at the papers Enya indicated on the table.
They were impeccably clean…
Divorce papers.
