Chapter 13
Her head felt like it was about to explode.
Maia flung the door open and collapsed onto the bed.
A sharp pain throbbed near her heart, and her ragged breathing refused to calm down.
She had heard these were symptoms of a psychological illness.
At this rate, both her mind and body would fall apart before she could do anything to stop it.
Why on earth had the Emperor opposed the divorce request? He had doted on his only daughter like no other.
There was no reason for him to help someone like her—someone who had taken the place of his dead daughter—especially when he had even assigned her a personal maid.
“So, you’re Ravina’s daughter.”
The Emperor was the only member of the royal family who treated Maia with warmth, even if she couldn’t understand why.
No one, neither the nobles nor the royal family, had welcomed the Duke of Western’s remarriage to a middle-class woman, but the Emperor had approved the union without hesitation.
In fact, if he hadn’t given his blessing, the marriage wouldn’t have been possible in the first place.
“But… I really don’t understand.”
She couldn’t understand why the Emperor had approved her marriage to the Duke in the first place—nor why he was now preventing their divorce.
After a full day of court trials, a new wave of worries gnawed mercilessly at her mind.
Maia barely managed to slip out of her dress before collapsing onto the bed, where she quickly drifted off.
Was she asleep, or still awake?
She couldn’t tell, her mind hovering in that hazy borderland between dream and reality.
Then, she felt a chill through the thin chemise she wore.
The sudden cold made her frown and instinctively try to burrow under the blankets. But just then, she felt a slight breeze fluttering her clothes.
Her eyes snapped open.
She was sure she had closed the window before falling asleep.
As that thought struck her, Maia sat upright.
Pale lavender silk curtains fluttered softly in the breeze from the open balcony.
Beyond them, the silhouette of a person stood faintly visible.
An assassin?
Maia held her breath.
Her heart pounded wildly.
Was it because of today’s events? Who could’ve sent someone like this?
The long hair covering the figure’s back made it hard to tell, but judging by the build, it was probably a man.
Just as she watched the figure in silence, he turned around.
Even through the pale lavender veil, his golden eyes shone fiercely, unmistakably locking with hers—and Maia inhaled sharply.
It was him…
“Why… are you here…?”
She had seen those eyes thousands of times—they were burned into her memory.
Two golden irises, dazzling as if inlaid with sunlight.
Long, silver-white hair that shimmered with a strange glow, cascading over a black robe.
That chilling yet otherworldly aura that made her think of a forest spirit veiled in mist the first time they met.
It was Lihi.
He stood in front of her now.
Everything about him—framed by the soundless fluttering of purple drapes—looked exactly as he did in her memories, as if he had stepped straight out of them.
Maia gaped at him and reached a hand behind her to steady herself.
“Y-You… why are you here?”
The cool night wind brushing her cheeks told her this was real.
And yet—she still couldn’t accept it as reality.
This was the Western Ducal Estate.
One of only two ducal residences in the entire Aedelstein Empire.
She had long suspected Lihi was a mage, considering all the strange magic he had once used.
But…
“How did you even get in here?”
To break the protective barrier surrounding the ducal mansion—no ordinary mage could do that.
He wasn’t a mage from Luares, let alone a Tower Master.
Lihi tilted his head slightly as he watched Maia still frozen in disbelief.
His tightly sealed lips parted quietly.
“Why? Am I not allowed to come here?”
The aloof expression he wore just moments ago turned abruptly sullen.
Maia was at a loss for words at his audacious response.
Then, with light steps, Lihi entered the room fully.
She froze—not out of fear, but shock.
To suddenly reunite with an old friend like this—it was surreal.
What in the world was going on?
She had no idea what to say or how to continue this conversation.
Her mind was completely blank.
“I guess you’re not happy to see me again,” he said, still seated on the edge of the desk, calmly watching her.
Startled, Maia looked up.
His drooping silver eyes stared back at her with what looked like faint disappointment.
“No, no! I’m just… too shocked to say anything. I’m really happy to see you again!”
Waving her hands frantically, she denied his assumption.
Lihi gazed at her for a moment, then chuckled softly.
“I was just joking.”
What?
Maia’s face stiffened.
This bastard. Now that she thought about it, he was toying with her.
Just as she opened her mouth to retort, she noticed something about his appearance.
That foggy forest on the night they parted.
In her last memory of him, Lihi had kept his hair short, cropped just above his neck.
But now, for whatever reason, he had grown it all the way down to his waist.
His porcelain-like skin glowed faintly in the soft moonlight streaming through the window.
His snow-white hair flowed like silk beneath a plain black hood.
Lihi raised one slender wrist to tuck his hair behind his ear.
The way he moved—it all felt stunningly vivid.
…He really was handsome.
Maia shook her head.
The shock from today’s events must’ve driven her a little crazy. Otherwise, how could she suddenly be struck with that kind of thought?
She easily pushed down the strange emotions.
“I heard the news.”
Lihi’s subdued voice broke the silence.
Maia widened her eyes and looked up.
“You told the Emperor you wanted a divorce? …What’s going on?”
After such a public bombshell, it wasn’t surprising that word had already spread.
But… could she really share this with him? Her most private thoughts?
She hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind.
What did she have to be ashamed of now?
From the very beginning, she had confided in him—things she could tell no one else.
Slowly, Maia opened her mouth.
In a quiet tone, she began revealing the secret she had kept hidden for so long.
“At the time I said that to you, I really thought I could live happily with him. But… in truth, I didn’t know anything.”
Do you see it too?
Even after two whole years, the shadow of his former wife still blankets this entire estate.
The maids no longer even bother to hide their disdain. Today, one even tried to poison me.
“So I can’t stay here any longer.”
As she spoke, Maia studied Lihi’s expression.
But his face was unreadable, completely impassive.
“Actually, before today’s trial, I already asked the Duke for a divorce. But for some reason, he completely rejected my request. That’s why I had to cause such a scene today.”
Yes, it was a massive gamble.
To boldly demand a divorce from His Majesty in front of the entire capital’s nobility.
Lihi, listening quietly until now, finally spoke.
“But the Emperor blocked your divorce.”
Maia let out a bitter laugh.
“Right. I failed—spectacularly, in front of everyone. My grand plan? Straight into the trash.”
His words had struck her right in the heart, making it ache.
“There’s nothing I can do now, right? The Emperor himself said no. What options are even left?”
She pulled her knees close and buried her face in them.
Her mind swirled with dark, pessimistic thoughts.
My life is over.
I’ll never escape this damned ducal estate.
We’ll keep pretending to be a loving couple in public.
But it’ll all be a lie. We won’t have children—and because of that, my reputation will crash again.
I’m so tired of this.
“Should I help you?”
At that moment, Maia lifted her head, unsure if she’d heard him correctly.
Thank you very much