CHAPTER 87,………………………………………..
As I kept turning the thoughts over in my head, they increasingly spiraled into ridiculous directions.
‘Could it be that this situation is actually the world after the original story?’ I thought.
‘Come to think of it, it’s not completely impossible.’
By now, it was too late to argue whether it made sense or not. Too much had already happened.
The world was always full of strange things.
And if I had to pick the strangest of all, it was my own existence here. Possession—does that even make sense?
Still, talking to someone else seemed to have helped untangle the mess a little.
“Thanks, Merry.”
“For what? See, I told you the answer was right?”
I couldn’t help but snicker at Merry’s confident expression.
“Yeah. I guess you were right.”
“Of course! Oh, and Milady, this.”
Merry pulled something from her pocket and handed it to me. It was a surprisingly familiar object.
A love… potion…?
‘I’m sure I destroyed it already?’
I blinked wide-eyed at Merry.
“Blake said I should give it back to you.”
Why is he delivering it so discreetly?
It felt like smuggling poison.
I swallowed a sigh.
He knew I’d broken the bottle, and yet he delivered it with such emphasis… it was like reminding me of my task.
‘But… does it even make sense to use it now?’
Since the original story had already changed, there was no guarantee Sidereon would fall properly for Adrina.
But there was another possibility I couldn’t ignore.
‘Once the original story begins, who knows what could change?’
Originally, it was inevitable that Sidereon would fall for Adrina.
Which meant that even tomorrow, that inevitable thing could happen.
‘Sidereon in love.’
What would that even look like?
It would be completely different from what I’d seen before—probably several times more charming.
A pang.
Thinking of Sidereon looking at Adrina made a strange ache twist in my chest.
Like a stitch, almost.
‘Yeah, it’s just a stitch.’
A temporary feeling that would pass with time.
“I heard you went to the Rizen mansion today.”
Sidereon, who rarely spoke first, suddenly said it in the quiet.
Of course.
‘Richard must have reported it immediately.’
But I was already ready with an answer.
“Mm. I had something to give the young lady! Though I couldn’t meet her, of course.”
Sidereon, who had been staring at the documents, looked up at me, placing the papers on the table.
With a dissatisfied glare.
“You didn’t give me anything, but you had something for a woman you’ve barely met?”
…Jealous, huh.
His intense gaze made me grip the papers tighter without realizing it.
I quickly came up with an excuse.
“Well, she’s a stranger, so shouldn’t I treat her better?”
“A ‘stranger,’ huh… yeah, you and I aren’t strangers, that’s true.”
“R-right?”
“Still, I feel a little left out.”
“…What?”
“I used to come to your office with all sorts of things, but since I returned from the battlefield, you’ve hardly come by.”
Well, back then I had other motives!
‘Although that motive hasn’t really changed much now.’
“…You’re disappointed?”
Sidereon paused at my question.
I’d only mirrored his earlier words, but he looked genuinely surprised.
Then he nodded.
“Yeah. If this feeling is disappointment, then I’m feeling quite disappointed right now.”
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
‘Still strange.’
I’d always brushed it off as just my imagination, but now every word lingered, clinging to my nerves.
Could it really be that I have the power to change Sidereon?
‘If that’s true… maybe I wouldn’t even have to divorce him.’
The main reason I wanted a divorce was to avoid death.
And the one who could kill me was Sidereon.
My husband, the man calmly watching me right now.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing… just… because you’re handsome?”
Sidereon’s eyes went wide at my words, then he awkwardly looked away.
Of all people, Sidereon.
“There’s nothing surprising in what you said, yet… strangely, it doesn’t bother me.”
His lips curved softly, drawing a gentle smile. His burning red eyes stayed fixed on me.
“Is it because it was your words, my wife?”
The rich, pleasant tone made my ears tingle.
No… maybe it’s my chest that’s tingling.
It felt like soft feathers brushing endlessly inside me.
I wanted to hold onto this feeling for as long as possible.
Honestly, I didn’t want to admit it, but I liked this moment.
…I didn’t want to let it go.
“Sidereon.”
“Yes?”
“Shall we get a divorce?”
But the harder you don’t want to let go, the more you have to.
That was exactly my situation.
Realizations always come suddenly.
I wasn’t afraid of Sidereon.
‘I was afraid of how he would change.’
What if the expression on his face changed? What if it no longer faced me?
It felt like that moment could come at any time.
If this relationship was going to break, maybe it was better for me to end it.
At my teasing words, Sidereon’s expression stiffened.
The playful atmosphere that had made my chest flutter collapsed into coldness.
“Again with that.”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him.
I held onto the armrest of the sofa with my free hand, resisting as best I could.
Of course, that resistance didn’t last long.
His voice was low, like it scratched my ears, as he spoke softly.
“I told you, you can’t go anywhere until I allow it.”
In the past, this kind of “threat” from Sidereon would have felt intimidating. But strangely, I didn’t feel scared.
Perhaps because I was certain he wouldn’t kill me no matter what I did.
Though that certainty wasn’t as solid as I hoped.
As I stayed silent, his eyes seemed to flicker with unease.
“Ugh!”
When my wrist tightened under his grip, I let out a small yelp. He released it immediately, looking apologetic.
“…Does it hurt?”
He asked softly.
I checked my wrist. It wasn’t really painful, just a little startled.
I shook my head, and he let out a faint sigh, barely audible.
Yet he still glanced at my wrist.
It was strange—normally, I would have jumped at the touch of his hand, but now it didn’t feel awkward.
Instead, it felt smooth and natural, like flowing water.
When did our relationship become like this? Why hadn’t I noticed?
The sensation was curious, but also slightly painful.
…If I had realized sooner, would things have been different?
If I hadn’t wanted a divorce, would I have really died like in the original story?
I strongly doubted it.
The past me, who had been grateful to know the original story, might have laughed at it, but now the original seemed to constantly interfere with my thoughts.
“That’s why I can’t let go.”
“Huh?”
He had been gently handling my wrist, then suddenly said something unexpected.
“I know what you want from me.”
What’s he talking about all of a sudden?
Sidereon then held out the documents he had placed on the table earlier.
These were… the divorce papers?
The ones I had hidden deep in a drawer when I still had a room.
‘I’d completely forgotten in all the chaos these past few days…’
Why were they appearing now?
“There’s more than one.”
Sidereon flipped through them.
Remembering how easily the old ones had burned, I had carefully collected these, so there were quite a few.
“More than one page will be more fun to burn, won’t it?”
This isn’t kindling…
“I’m telling you in advance, whatever you try, it won’t matter much.”
Fwoosh.
Heat flickered as the flame caught the edges of the papers I had painstakingly collected.
A pointless gesture compared to all the effort I’d put in.
But maybe he didn’t expect it to have an effect—or maybe he’d seen it all before, so it wasn’t that shocking.
“No matter what tricks you prepare, I have no intention of divorcing you.”
He muttered obsessively, as if steeling himself.
