divorce chapter 17

Edwin was in a foul mood. The mere thought of the meeting awaiting him made him feel suffocated. On top of that, news of his friend Lennard’s impulsive behavior had him on the verge of a headache. “He’s completely lost it,” he muttered, grinding his teeth as he strode down the hall. Lennard’s unexpected broken engagement had only improved the Emperor’s spirits, and Edwin was certain this meeting was another attempt to pressure him, using Lennard’s situation as leverage.

Trailing behind him, Benedict grumbled, “Your Highness, I told you not to bring him along.”

“Benny, drop it. Regretting it now won’t change anything.” Edwin ran a hand roughly through his hair, swallowing a curse. He recalled the trip a few months prior that had thrown both his and Benedict’s lives into chaos. I told him, being indifferent to your soulmate is never a good idea. Lennard, utterly heartbroken after being unceremoniously dumped by Lady Schneider, had been a pathetic sight. Pitying his friend’s inability to relax or socialize, Edwin had made the mistake of including him on his honeymoon.

“Damn him. I told him to go out there, talk to women, get to know them. And what does he do? Falls for some random woman and sets everyone’s nerves on edge.”

“Exactly my point.” The two men united in their shared annoyance with Lennard.

Reaching the meeting room, Edwin turned to Benedict. “First, find out what Lady Schneider was doing around that time. It might actually be the woman Lennard thinks it is. Though, knowing him, the odds of him being mistaken are slim.” Lennard wasn’t just any Awakened; he was Lennard. Edwin couldn’t shake the feeling that Lady Schneider was lying. Maybe she’s embarrassed to see him again after the broken engagement? Even Edwin had to admit, Lennard was a catch. Wealthy, handsome, physically fit, and generally pleasant. The obsessive-compulsive tendencies were a hurdle, but Estelle didn’t seem to mind.

“I think it’s Estelle, too, Your Highness. I heard she had a secret meeting with the Schneider family at the cathedral recently.”

“Which Schneider?”

“Reynolds, the heir. And rumor has it Estelle left her family after something happened.”

Edwin considered this. “Look into that.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As soon as Benedict finished speaking, the chamberlain approached Edwin. “I’ll go in then.” Leaving Benedict outside, Edwin entered the meeting room. His relaxed, almost vacant smile vanished, replaced by a cool, appraising expression as he surveyed the room. Taking his seat at the table filled with hard-line nobles eager to support the Emperor, Edwin offered a thin, insincere smile. “Let’s begin.”

The Emperor waited until Edwin was seated before he spoke, and then, as if on cue, the complaints began.

“A gate opening at the cathedral? This signifies the end of the world is near!”

“Refrain from such hasty conclusions.” Saintess Yulia, seated among them, glared at the offending noble, her voice icy. Cowed, the noble shrank back. Thanks to Yulia’s intervention, the topic shifted from the gate in the capital.

“The gate isn’t the real problem. The Awakened can handle the monsters. The real issue lies elsewhere.”

Yulia picked up the thread as if she’d been waiting for it. “More frightening than monsters is the potential for an S-Rank Awakened to lose control. As Sir Lennard nearly did.”

“He didn’t actually lose control, did he?” Edwin countered with a pleasant smile. Yulia responded without missing a beat. “We were fortunate. Sierra was there.”

Yulia knew the truth, but no noble would ever admit that the person who saved them was their former fiancé after they had broken off the engagement. So, she conveniently replaced Estelle’s actions with Sierra’s. However, Edwin was willing to sacrifice his friend’s pride for his own gain. “I’m not sure what you mean. I just received a report stating that Lady Schneider was the one who intervened.”

The Crown Prince’s words sent a chill through the room. Given his close relationship with Duke Verhagen, his words carried significantly more weight. Yulia glared at Edwin, who returned a challenging smile.

“Well, isn’t assigning credit a trivial matter right now?” The Emperor, unable to bear the tension any longer, intervened. “Lennard is the problem. As much as I care for him, he’s too dangerous without a soulmate.”