Chapter 32

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Chapter 32

‘…No, what’s wrong with him today?’

In addition, this time, unlike a while ago, his gaze seemed a little colder so she became a little stiffer.

Because of that, Min-ha decided to ask Seth. Tilting her head, she wondered if some of her actions were against his mood.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

“…I have nothing to say. It’s just that there’s something I’ve been curious about for a while.”

“Oh, my. That must be it, then. Well, what are you curious about?”

“Why are you talking to Noah by calling yourself, ‘sister’?”

“…Yes?”

“Noah is calling you by your proper name, so I didn’t bother to ask before. But, I’ve been bothered about the title you use.”

“… Ah. What else should I say?”

She thought he was going to ask her something really important. Min-ha, who was nervous inside to hear the words that came out of Seth’s mouth, had a shaky expression on her face.

She continued, thinking that somehow the aftertaste of the baked apple she had just eaten was a little bitter.

“That’s because you and I are going to divorce soon.”

“….”

“Whether it’s the Vatican or not, if you get approval, we would get a divorce. After that, it would be natural for women to be attracted to a handsome person like you. Then, sooner or later, Noah will have a new sister-in-law. So, if Noah still calls me sister-in-law, it would be disrespectful to her.”

“….”

“Even if I have to leave this mansion, I still want to see Noah. Oh! Don’t say no yet. If Noah doesn’t want to see me, he’ll never see me no matter how much I miss him, though if he doesn’t mind… I want to see him—even as a close sister.”

At Seth’s urging, the aftertaste was strangely bitter when she brought out what she had been thinking about for so long.

Cute Noah having a new sister-in-law…

Min-ha had always thought that she would be separated from the servants of the mansion with whom she had barely finally become close to, but when she spoke it out loud like that, the idea became even more concrete.

‘I think I gave them a lot of affection in this short time even though I knew this wasn’t my place…’

So, as she continued her words with her bitter smile, Seth’s expression, which had briefly seemed surprised for a little, hardened again. Because of that, Min-ha’s mood subsided even more at his stiffer expression than before.

In the first place, she didn’t have much appetite because of the tight clothes, but she completely lost her appetite because of his expression, so she finally put down her fork.

However, even Noah, who was eating well, started to look at the two of them.

Min-ha regained her consciousness.

This was an adult’s circumstance, so she couldn’t let a child get involved. With that thought, she opened her mouth in a bright voice, trying to lift the sunken atmosphere.

“So, I’m going to keep calling myself sister with Noah. I may not be his sister-in-law, but I still want to be his sister.”

“Why do you only think about divorcing?”

“…Yes? What do you mean—Isn’t the divorce already finalized?”

“Because the Vatican’s judgment may not go in the direction you thought of authorizing our divorce.”

“…Yes?”

What does he mean…?

Min-ha could feel her mind go blank at those words.

So, does that mean that the divorce wouldn’t happen right away the way he wants? …Why? Has this man lost his desire to divorce…?

At that, Min-ha asked, stuttering.

“No, what do you mean… Why?”

“Do you not know anything, or are you pretending not to know?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know.”

“If I, who is trusted by the Emperor, divorce you and marry the daughter of a family with a long history of the Imperial Family, and if my position grows like giving wings to a tiger… Do you think the aristocrats of other factions would remain still?”

“…So, are you saying that the Vatican might decide differently for political purposes?”

“Yes. Besides, even among the nobles of the same Imperial Family, there are still many people who still treat me as ‘lowly’.”

“… Ah.”

Perhaps, that could be because the divorce, which seemed like it was going to happen at any moment, had not been talked about until now. She didn’t know there was such a situation.

While she was convinced by Seth’s explanation, Min-ha felt strangely more subdued than before. After all, according to his explanation, it was because of such circumstances that the divorce was not happening yet.

Trying to lift the sinking mood, she then deliberately replied in a playful way.

“…Ha, haha. Is that so? …Ah, you must be sad. You acted like you had to sign this divorce paper right away.”

“Yeah. Even if the Vatican doesn’t give me permission, I’ve decided to break up with you by any means… at that time.”

“…Yes?”

“Now… Well. Strange enough, I keep thinking whether it is right for me to break up with you while doing this.”

“…What do you mean—”

“Isn’t it funny? I am the one whose determination was strong, and now was shaken by your kind actions in recent days. It makes me reflect on myself for easily criticizing you for being capricious in the past.”

“That—”

“Why do you look like that? Is it strange that I suddenly said something like this, for someone who was trying to get away from you somehow?”

“…Oh, no.”

Min-ha’s heart seemed to drop the moment she could see Seth staring at her with an inexhaustible serious gaze.

‘…Is he joking with me?’

It was strange, rather than funny.

From a little while ago, when Seth stood in front of her for the first time after a while, he had been kind and caring towards her until now. And, this feeling that kept pounding in the corner of her heart strangely at such a sight.

‘What is this…?’

Is it because she had been possessed by that handsome face?

Of course, Min-ha admired his handsomeness even at the moment when he muttered with a disgusting voice before leaving for the journey…

So, her heart was not strangely fluctuating.

‘…What is it? This feeling—’

Twenty years old…

It was too difficult for her to comprehend these feelings now for her, who had never even had a proper first love.

Min-ha was confused by the constant tickling feeling in the corner of her heart. She smiled awkwardly, suppressing the commotion as if she knew nothing.

As she tried to escape from this feeling she was not familiar with, she opened her mouth again.

“Haha, ha… Then, are all your questions answered now?”

“….”

“Well, let’s have dinner now! Noah, don’t be like that. Hurry up and eat, huh?”

“…Brother and sister-in-law, you didn’t fight again, did you?”

“No, we didn’t fight. So, eat it now! Let’s see… Shall we try this time?”

“Yes!”

Saying so, she took a piece of meat and offered it to Noah, who had been watching her for a while. Then, as if reassured by the bright voice again, pure Noah took what she quickly offered and ate it.

Moments after, Min-ha, who was watching the child like that, turned her head and said awkwardly at Seth as he was still staring at her.

“…You should eat, too. You must be hungry.”

“…All right.”

At her urging, he picked up the tableware, ate the food in front of him and started drinking wine.

Eventually, she finally continued her meal a little more comfortably with the gaze away from her.

Even though she already had no appetite, in many ways, it seemed difficult to bear if she didn’t even pretend to eat.

Is it because of the clothes she was wearing, or is it because of her strangely rumbling heart? Min-ha didn’t know whether the rice was going through her nose or her mouth, although when she finished eating, it seemed like a lot of time had passed.

Min-ha, who was amused by the fruit juice she had for dessert, involuntarily glanced around and burst into a small smile when she caught Noah in her sight.

“…Oh, my.”

Noah was asleep, holding the fruit that she had given him a little while in each of his hands on his fork. When his older brother returned, his heart became more comfortable and his stomach was singing happily, the little child seemed to have fallen asleep quickly.

“Noah, isn’t he so cute? I think he hasn’t been sleeping since last night because you’re coming back, but now, he must be exhausted.”

“Oh, that was why.”

“We should hurry up and lay him down. It would be better to get him off the chair, right?”

“Yes.”

At Min-ha’s words, Seth got up from his seat and went to Noah, who was sleeping soundly, and hugged his small body. On the other hand, she took out the fork that was clenched tightly from Noah’s hand and placed it on the table.

Because of that, the distance between her and Seth lessened, and once again, she made eye contact with him, who was already looking at her.

‘…Ah.’

Again.

This gaze again…

Min-ha could feel her heart, which had barely calmed down while eating, strangely trembled again.

“Your Excellency and Madam. Have you finished your meal?”

At that moment, as he was enchanted by that gaze, they heard Lancelot’s voice outside the door. It was really fortunate, Min-ha thought so as she quickly fell from Seth’s side.

For some reason, he replied in a slightly subdued voice.

“Yes.”

“Then, I will enter, Your Excellency.”

At Seth’s answer, Lancelot opened the door as though he had been waiting and entered the room.

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