All I Wanted Was the Alimony - Chapter 35

Lucienne quickly shook her head. “She’s not a resident of the territory. Thank you for discussing it with me. Let’s go and present the game now.”

Lucienne hastily moved her steps. The conversation had been useful. Even though things seemed bleak, there was still a kind of answer.

‘He did say, if he can’t bear it, he might be the one to ask for a divorce, right?’

The method Lucienne had been aiming for all along was the right one. Fortunately, unlike the fictional friend, Paello wasn’t a total scumbag.

Dripping water wears away the stone. She would keep accumulating her own reasons and provoke Paello to the point of anger to get him to hand over the divorce papers.

If that didn’t work, she could save up diligently to build a lump sum, then run away. It might be limited if she only collected her dignity allowance, but if she earned money, the situation would improve significantly.

By the time Lucienne finished calculating everything, they had arrived at the place where the Empress Dowager was.

“We offer all the game hunted by Paello Ronatere himself, and the rabbit promised by Lucienne Ronatere. To Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager.”

Paello and Lucienne bowed respectfully before the Empress Dowager and held out the basket containing the rabbit.

The Empress Dowager looked into the basket. It was the rabbit she had thought dead, as it had been hanging limply on the jaguar’s back.

Now it was huddled quietly inside the basket, trembling all over.

The Empress Dowager reached out and stroked the rabbit’s head.

“To have caught it alive, the Grand Duchess’s hunting skills are truly impressive.”

Then the rabbit looked up. As it glanced back and forth between Lucienne and the Empress Dowager, it let out a small sound.

“Squeak.”

Then it rubbed its head vigorously against the Empress Dowager’s dry hand. It had instinctively realized which side to align with.

“Oh my?”

As the Empress Dowager widened her eyes, the middle-aged woman assisting her clasped her hands together with delight.

“Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, it’s such a cute and affectionate baby rabbit.”

“You’re right, Marchioness of Dellas. Take it and feed it something.”

The Empress Dowager handed the basket to her and smiled benevolently at Paello and Lucienne.

“Thank you, Grand Duchess. I will cherish it well.”

“I’m honored that it pleases you.”

Lucienne forced a smile as she lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Then, we’ll take our leave.”

“…Already?”

The Empress Dowager looked very regretful.

“We’ve prepared plenty of wine and food.”

Originally, Lucienne had planned to get very drunk on that wine and make a scene.

Of course, that was the plan before she personally downed a bottle during the boat trip.

Now it was scrapped.

‘Not even intoxicated, let alone reacting to poison. It’s useless now.’

Besides, sticking around the Empress Dowager wouldn’t do Lucienne any good.

At that moment, Paello politely declined.

“Thank you for your kindness, but since tomorrow is Your Majesty’s birthday banquet, we need to make preparations.”

It was a reasonable excuse. The Empress Dowager then looked steadily at Lucienne.

“Oh yes, I was a bit disappointed that the Grand Duchess didn’t accept the token of sincerity I sent out of gratitude for coming from afar.”

Lucienne’s ears perked up.

The refusal of the dress! A reason added for divorce!

If she made the Empress Dowager feel even more offended here, Paello would surely be embarrassed.

“I did, didn’t I? Your Majesty, I’m thankful for the thought, but there was a reason I couldn’t accept it.”

Paello looked startled by Lucienne’s words. Seeing his reaction, Lucienne smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

‘Right? It’s rude, isn’t it? You never expected I’d bring it up so bluntly, did you?’

Lucienne felt she was doing well.

“Hmm? And what reason is that?”

The Empress Dowager leaned in to listen.

“It takes time to make clothes like that.”

“That’s true.”

“But there’s no way the tailor knew the Grand Duke’s body measurements, yet the shop owner spoke with absolute confidence about having made it already.”

As she noticed the visible change in the Empress Dowager’s expression, Lucienne trusted her gut.

“I had the feeling that the shop owner’s information about the Grand Duke’s measurements was likely real. So then, where did that information come from?”

Even as she spoke, Lucienne didn’t forget to observe Paello’s expression.

Sure enough, Paello looked increasingly displeased.

“Madam. That’s…”

Paello seemed to realize what Lucienne was hinting at.

‘It must’ve been the maid at the townhouse who reported it.’

That meant even Lucienne’s refusal of the Empress Dowager’s gift had reached his ears.

Hearing the maid’s report, Paello must have felt quite embarrassed and troubled. At the same time, he would’ve shared Lucienne’s suspicion.

Having inferred all that, Lucienne suppressed the smile of triumph threatening to surface.

Recently, a spy had been caught in the Grand Duke’s castle, so Paello would have had no choice but to suspect that the information came from the imperial family. But even so, it was an uncomfortable matter to confront directly.

‘Good. Let’s make it uncomfortable!’

Lucienne lightly cornered the Empress Dowager and then quickly stepped back, deciding to quietly accept a subtle grudge.

“Honestly, to know something like that… I’m sorry, but it would only mean that someone from our territory infiltrated and dug up every bit of information.”

“Ah…”

Only then did the Empress Dowager seem to realize something and covered her mouth with a gasp. Soon, her dry hand began to tremble.

“That makes sense. You might have felt that way. It was my careless thinking that caused the misunderstanding. I swear to God, that’s not the case, so please don’t misunderstand any further.”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes grew moist as she looked at Paello.

“It was I who gave Mary Colt the Grand Duke’s measurements. But I’m not sure if they’re accurate. The measurements I gave, supposedly of the Grand Duke…”

The Empress Dowager trailed off.

“What do you mean by that?”

Only after Paello asked again did the Empress Dowager look around.

On one side, the Marchioness of Dellas was tending to the rabbit, along with two waiting attendants and a knight.

The Empress Dowager dismissed them and gestured for Paello and Lucienne to come closer.

“How long does this old woman have left to live? So please forgive the senility of this old lady.”

She lowered her voice as she made her request.

“Actually, those measurements…”

At the Empress Dowager’s whisper, Paello and Lucienne’s eyes widened.

“What?”

Lucienne was at a loss for words. She was both flustered and felt a bit sorry for the Empress Dowager.

‘Huh, this wasn’t the reaction I wanted.’

Paello seemed to feel the same.

“Would it be too much to ask to see the Grand Duke wearing that outfit as my birthday gift tomorrow?”

Paello kept his eyes on the floor without answering, and the Empress Dowager gave a wistful smile.

“I know it’s a senile old woman’s obsession, so don’t feel burdened.”

***

Before they knew it, dusk had fallen.

Joad quietly followed behind Paello and Lucienne, holding the hunting dog’s leash and the reins of the horse they had ridden.

Until they went to present the rabbit to the Empress Dowager, the two had seemed to be in good spirits.

Unlike their time at the Grand Duke’s castle, they were quite harmonious and even romantic.

Paello had even kissed the Grand Duchess on the cheek in a public setting, surprising the onlookers.

Until now, public displays of affection were unthinkable. Even seeing the two talk was rare.

‘Is it thanks to the long journey?’

To Joad, it looked like the beginning of love.

He didn’t know how Lucienne felt, but at least it was certain Paello had changed.

All the expressions Paello never showed, not even to his closest aide, would flood out whenever Lucienne was involved.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before Paello passionately loved his wife.

Just like Joad did with his wife Roxina, Paello would probably be the same—constantly.

In that case, it might be reasonable to expect news of an heir to the Grand Duke’s household soon.

Joad had been smiling warmly at such thoughts until Paello and Lucienne returned from their audience with the Empress Dowager.

Now, however, the expressions on the Grand Duke and Duchess were clouded.

Even as they passed through the darkened city streets to return to the townhouse, the two remained silent.

‘What on earth happened?’

Joad was going crazy with curiosity, but it wasn’t his place to ask. If he spoke out of turn, it might backfire.

When they had passed the crowded square and entered a quieter street, Lucienne and Paello stopped walking.

They had arrived at a district filled with dress shops. Most of them were closed and dark.

But one shop was brightly lit, drawing their eyes.

Colt

A sign with elegant engravings on a metal plate was affixed to the wall of a two-story building. It was the most famous dress shop in the capital.

‘I only meant to earn a bit of resentment.’

Lucienne’s intention had flown far away, leaving only the conversation with the Empress Dowager behind. Her regret still lingered, echoing in Lucienne’s ears.