Chapter 35

The atmosphere was tense.

“For a moment! Both of you stop.”

As if he had already noticed my presence, Rupert turned his gaze calmly.

“Noel, you need to explain the situation.”

Fortunately, he was a bit more relaxed than when he was dealing with Leander.

Leander has a worried expression on his face.

“It is dangerous, so it is better not to come.”

I guess I’ll have to tell him about my relationship with Rupert.

Otherwise, there is no way to explain this situation.

‘I’m sorry.’

Knowing that I am the Marchioness of Ainel, it may be difficult to get along with Mrs. Rize or Leander now.

‘I even thought about settling here with Leah if I ever got a divorce.’

I can’t help it.

I looked at Rupert for a moment. As if to reveal the truth quickly, he is looking at me with eager eyes.

……To be honest, I feel a little resentful.

You pushed me like that before I left, so why did you come all of a sudden?

He is a very selfish human being.

“Duke.”

I sighed and opened my mouth, “He is my husband. He is also Leah’s father.”

“……”

Leander looked down at Leah with a surprised look. He tilted his head and asked ‘Is that true?’ with his doubtful eyes.

Leah smiled slightly and nodded her head.

Then he held Leah up to his eye level.

“This is nonsense.”

“What?”

Rupert frowned. Leander ignored him and made a serious expression.

“Marquis Ainel, how could such a cute child come out of your bloodline? Is this possible……?”

It was not sarcastic, it was a tone full of innocence. As if seeing a rare magic product for the first time.

“What?”

Rarely did Rupert grind his teeth.

My husband glared at Leander with dreadful glances, but he didn’t do more than that because Leah was there.

Only Leah in the middle turns her curious eyes.

“Huh?”

Leah, who was in the middle and looked at the two of them alternately, suddenly exclaimed in admiration.

“Ah!”

Leah exclaimed proudly as if she had understood the situation now.

“You two are friends!”

The two men said the same thing.

“No!”

Leah looks confused again.

“Huh? But this is the first time my father has spoken so much.”

It seems that the formula that (her father talks a lot = friend) has been established.

That’s what I usually do!

Rupert was dumbfounded as if embarrassed by Leah’s pure words and eventually changed the subject of the conversation.

“Duke Ernst, if you understand the situation now, leave Leah and get fuc–……no, get out!”

Seeing Leah again, he corrected the word.

Leander asked Leah, “Is he really your father?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…… Leah.”

“Yes?”

Leander, who was contemplating, suddenly remembered something and asked Leah a question.

“Who do you like better, me or that man?”

It was an open fight, and Leah who rolled her eyes murmured in his ear.

“……I like the Duke better.”

Even though she was whispering, Rupert could hear everything.

Thanks to that, Leander had a proud expression on his face.

“Okay, I’ll ask you one more time, Marquis. Are you really Leah’s father?”

It was an obvious provocation.

“……You bastard! I’m her real father, are your ear holes clogged? How many times do I have to say it?”

For a moment, the two men’s argument became more intense.

‘What is the reason?’

I wonder why my husband has come all of a sudden.

I held my breath as I watched the battle between the two, which seemed childish.

‘Oh, my God.’

***

First of all, I decided to clean up the situation after seeing off Leander and Mrs. Rize.

Fortunately, Rupert only dislikes Leander, and he doesn’t really care about Mrs. Rize.

After sending Leah into her room, I asked him as we walked down the hallway.

“Why are you here?”

“Do I need a reason to come to my own villa?”

It was the usual nonchalant tone of voice, but I noticed one odd thing.

“Hmm? Did you come all the way here when you have nothing to do?”

“……Of course I have a business.”

“You just said that you need a reason to come to your own villa?”

“……”

Sadly, he exercised his right to remain silent.

He probably didn’t want to tell me why he stopped by here.

‘Why are you doing this?’

He is not the one to waste time for no reason.

“Oh, didn’t Leah just send you a letter? Was it because of that?”

An immediate answer popped out.

“It can’t be.”

“……I’m just guessing.”

I asked just in case, but he immediately denied it.

“You are not the type to move because you are curious about the well-being of Leah and me anyway.”

When we finished talking, there was an awkward silence between us.

Well, Rupert won’t notice me, so I’m the only one who’s uncomfortable.

Then, he suddenly opened his mouth.

“Absolutely not, but some of the members have been curious about how you are doing.”

“The raven knights?”

If they asked me how I was, I think everyone is fine.

Then, did the incident I saw in the dream not yet happen, or was it just an illusion?

“Yeah, I don’t know when they became close with you, but they were so noisy about what you would do if something happened to you in another country.”

Rupert murmured over and over, probably because he had heard a lot of nagging.

“They really have no shame to the point of telling me to check on you myself.”

Was it that much? Somehow I’m a little happy to hear that. I asked jokingly with a grin, “You didn’t come here because the knights told you to check on me, did you?”

Of course, I was convinced that it wouldn’t be the case. Rupert cared for his subordinates, but he was never the kind of person who would listen to such requests.

“……Well, there are many reasons.”

After hesitating for a while, he does not deny it at all.

That attitude raised doubts. I’m starting to get suspicious.

‘He’s been weird ever since.’

Basically, he didn’t use an uncertain way of speaking.

But every time I ask why he’s here, I feel like he’s subtly avoiding the answer.

‘He has the personality to say anything he wants.’

Is it difficult to say directly?

‘But is there any subject that makes Rupert uncomfortable?’

I was lost in thought for a moment.

First of all, he definitely didn’t come here just to check on Leah and me, so there is definitely something to do.

‘Is it something that can only be done with me?’

Well, at this point, only one comes to mind.

“Rupert.”

He stopped walking. I looked up at him and smiled favorably.

“Are you in need of me?”

His red eyes fluttered rarely at the question.

He seems a little confused.

“That……you can think of it like that.”

There’s only one thing that Rupert needs of me.

“Noel, don’t get me wrong though. Just for this time—”

I cut him off.

“Ah! Now I understand why you are here. Follow me.”

He murmured confusedly at my words.

“……You know what I’m thinking?”

“Sure. Follow me.”

I immediately turned back from the drawing-room and headed to the room that was used as a study and office.

I opened the desk drawer. Inside is a briefcase.

I admired my own readiness.

‘I thought that this day would come someday and prepared it in advance.’

It was in order not to make him feel uncomfortable.

‘Was the dream I had last time not a foresight dream, but just a meaningless dream?’

Otherwise, this perfect situation would never come.

“……What is that?” Rupert asked, leaning his hand against the desk.

I grinned.

“It’s what you’ve always wanted.”

“What did I want?”

Let’s summarize the situation one more time.

Now, my husband, Rupert, suddenly came to visit.

‘This man hated me so much.’

However, it wouldn’t be strange if he came to visit me who fled to another country.

If I think about it carefully, it’s been expected to some extent in the past.

Of course, there was no such romantic illusion that the husband had come to find his daughter and his wife.

So it’s obvious why Rupert came all the way here for me.

‘No matter how much I think about it, this is the only thing I can do.’

“Come to think of it, I couldn’t say this earlier.”

I said with a benevolent expression, “Welcome, Rupert.”

If you think of it as the last, being kind is the law of social life.

He hesitated at my words, then opened his mouth.

“Noel, in fact—”

I don’t have to listen to the end because I know what you’re talking about.

Immediately, I took out my fountain pen and smiled broadly at the papers in my hand.

“You’re here to sign the divorce papers, right?”

“……”

crack!

At the same time, the desk he was leaning on was broken.