Chapter 38
“Is it enough if I can just meet His Imperial Majesty?”
“That’s correct.”
Fernandes already knew that Carpus was obsessed with reviving the airship project. It had failed in the past, but if he truly managed to create an airship, he would earn the title of the first emperor in the continent to build one.
Most likely, Carpus would gladly welcome Karyen. Coincidentally, the Sunrise Club meeting was in two days. That would be a perfect chance to meet Carpus without having to enter the Imperial Palace. Finding this solution, Fernandes nodded.
“I’ll speak with His Majesty about it.”
“There’s one more thing I’d like to say. The reason I was able to make this successful was thanks to the Duchess.”
“What?”
Fernandes widened his eyes.
“I mean it literally. Without the Duchess’s help, I would have eventually given up.”
At Karyen’s earnest words, Fernandes let out a dry laugh.
At this point, they might as well compile a biography titled The Great Deeds of Titania. To have such an extraordinary woman as his duchess… And because of that, a new duty now fell upon Fernandes:
He absolutely had to attend the Sunrise Club meeting.
For a while, Fernandes thought he should avoid Titania. He couldn’t stop replaying the conversation he had with her in his head. What in the world did Christine tell her? He couldn’t stop Christine from mingling with bored noblewomen, but was there really a need to drag Titania into this as well?
Right now, Fernandes was barely managing to adjust to Titania as it was. He didn’t have the mental space for the kind of issues Titania liked to bring up.
Not that he never thought about it. As a man with desires, of course he had those instincts. But more than that, what occupied his mind was Titania herself—complicated and tangled in so many ways.
From where he leaned against a wall, Fernandes watched Titania walking briskly toward the Charli Forest, her red hair dancing like flickering flames.
He was thinking only of Titania, yet she… probably wasn’t thinking of him at all. The thought made Fernandes sigh.
Tension crept into his body.
Titania and Fernandes had definitely reached a mutual agreement:
About twice a week, and three times at most on those occasions. If one person refused, it wouldn’t be forced. Everything would remain within the realm of what was considered “normal.”
And this “normal range” would be decided by mutual consent. Titania didn’t want a child yet, so they had to be extremely careful…
And so on, and so on.
Fernandes still remembered answering Titania’s endless questions, feeling as though the blood was being drained from his body. Even now, recalling that day made cold sweat run down his back.
Every time they seemed to grow closer, they somehow ended up growing distant again. Was this some kind of curse?
He knew avoiding the issue wouldn’t solve anything.
Fernandes let out a long sigh.
That same afternoon, Princess Ludmilla left.
Titania rested her arms on the railing as she watched Princess Ludmilla packing her things.
“What’s gotten into her all of a sudden?”
“I have no idea,” Sara replied after a quick glance at Titania.
Truthfully, Titania never cared for gossip. That’s why she had no idea about what had gone on between Fernandes and Ludmilla—like how he had humiliated her in front of the knights.
“Maybe she realized there’s no hope for her?”
“In what sense?”
“Well, remember the dining hall incident.”
“Hasn’t she been treated well since then?”
“Yes, but… it must have been humiliating. Things like that pile up until you know there’s no chance left.”
Just then, Titania’s eyes met Ludmilla’s. The princess suddenly smiled sweetly.
‘Why act friendly all of a sudden?’
As if that weren’t enough, Ludmilla came all the way up to the second floor where Titania stood.
“I suppose leaving without saying goodbye would be terribly rude, wouldn’t it?”
Not that it was necessary.
Titania gave a small shrug.
“Safe travels.”
“Actually, I thought I’d give you one last gift.”
A gift? They had never exchanged gifts before. Titania looked at Ludmilla with a flat expression. Clearly, the princess just wanted to make herself feel better before leaving.
“Still, I think you deserve to know this.”
Ludmilla lowered her head slightly toward Titania, her lips parting.
“Did you know Fernandes has another woman?”
Another woman?
Titania’s eyelids twitched slightly. So that was it? That’s why he seemed uninterested in intimacy with her—because he was already satisfying those desires elsewhere!
When she thought about it that way, everything started to make sense.
Titania clapped her hands lightly.
“Oh. Is that so?”
Her calm response made Ludmilla frown. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. No matter how detached or calculating Titania was, Fernandes was still her husband.
Shouldn’t a wife be furious upon hearing her husband was cheating?
That was certainly what Ludmilla had expected after spending so much time in Agaphelia trying to tempt Fernandes.
“I know you don’t believe me, but I have proof,” Ludmilla said, flustered.
“I believe you, Ludmilla. You did all this just for me, didn’t you?”
“You—you believe me? Then why…”
“These things happen.”
Titania cut her off firmly. Of course, there was a faint sense of disappointment. Fernandes wasn’t any different from other men, after all.
And to think she had let herself have expectations about him again. Titania exhaled in frustration, disgusted with herself.
Of course, she couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that Ludmilla was lying. That was as far as Titania’s feelings went for now. Besides, Fernandes had barely shown his face lately, always busy with something.
If the reason was another woman…
Then that works out perfectly.
She could use that as grounds for divorce. The thought of divorce made her wavering emotions harden into cold resolve.
Meanwhile, Ludmilla burned with anger at Titania’s unshaken composure. How could she rattle this woman? Ludmilla bit her lip.
Was the shock not enough?
Maybe she should have brought Amy from the start. But Amy was saving herself for the most dramatic entrance.
The problem was, judging from Titania’s expression, even Amy’s appearance might not bring about the desired outcome.
At this rate, Titania wasn’t going to lash out at Fernandes.
“Are you really okay with this? Honestly? It doesn’t seem like something you can just brush off.”
Ludmilla stammered in disbelief.
“I’m sorry—that’s all I have for you,” Titania replied, sounding almost apologetic.
“Well then, safe travels, Ludmilla. And… thanks for telling me.”
Titania waved at Ludmilla, leaving her stunned. Then Titania walked away, feeling oddly light.
Ludmilla’s departure didn’t cause a ripple in Agaphelia. But the words she left behind planted a small seed in Titania’s mind.
Another woman.
Could it really be true?
If Fernandes had someone else, was that why he’d been so distant?
Ludmilla had spoken with such certainty. Though Titania had feigned indifference, the fact that she kept thinking about it showed she wasn’t unaffected. She felt hollow.
It was proof she still cared about Fernandes—and that she had been foolish enough to hope for more. Titania cursed her own stupidity.
Two days after Ludmilla left, a woman named Amy arrived. Titania had her shown into her drawing room. By coincidence, Fernandes was out at the time. Whatever the woman wanted, there was no need for the staff to know.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to see Duke Fernandes.”
She was beautiful—striking, even. A flicker of unease ran through Titania.
“And why do you want to see him?”
“There’s only one reason a woman seeks out a man. I’ve been his lover all this time.”
Amy smiled sweetly as she spoke.
