A Change of Husband - Chapter 89

She thought she should refuse.

She didn’t want to make a mistake. Even though it might not happen, she was afraid that she might start expecting something from this man that should be expected from his lover.

But she couldn’t refuse.

Asilie tried to convince herself that the best way to resolve the current situation was to ally with the king, who was likely to gain power. That’s why she accepted Esperad’s proposal.

Of course, she knew that wasn’t the real reason, which is why her heart felt heavy.

“You’re still stiff,” Esperad said.

He knew well enough what kind of expression Asilie would have in this kind of situation. He could tell that she was very nervous right now.

Seeing her like this felt strange. The old Asilie wouldn’t have looked at him with such a tense expression.

“…It’s because I’m in front of His Majesty,” Asilie replied.

Esperad nodded, as if he understood.

Another heavy silence filled the air.

It couldn’t be helped. Both of them remembered the memories they shared, but at the same time, they each thought they were the only ones who could remember those moments.

That’s why it felt so strange, heavy, and awkward.

“You once said you’d never tell anyone that you met me,” Esperad continued.

“There was no reason to,” Asilie answered.

“No reason?”

“Your Majesty, you are the ruler of this country. How could I speak about you so freely, in any place? I don’t have the courage to do that.”

Esperad thought back to when he first met Asilie. She had been just as nervous when she accepted his proposal, but she had still spoken her mind clearly.

“I see. So, you wouldn’t speak of me, no matter where you saw me?” Esperad asked.

Asilie paused to think, then answered.

“Unless it’s a place where I would be criticized.”

“A place where you would be criticized?”

“People live difficult lives, Your Majesty. Only a few live in comfort and peace. If I were to see you in a place where people are chasing after pleasures, my thoughts might change.”

He remembered the time when she had asked him to be a good king until the very end of her life.

It was something from long ago that he had almost forgotten, but seeing her again had brought back those memories.

Esperad, lost in thought, quickly realized how long he had made Asilie wait. He hastily responded.

“If I were to be seen in a place of indulgence, wouldn’t it mean that you’d be there, too?”

“That’s…,” Asilie struggled to find an answer. She had meant to speak about focusing on state affairs, but now, with Esperad’s question, she couldn’t speak.

Before she could answer, the servants entered, setting neatly arranged plates of food on the table before leaving.

“Let’s eat first,” Esperad said.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Asilie replied.

Esperad didn’t eat much. Instead, he watched Asilie eat.

It felt strange to see her alive again. He had spent over 40 years without her.

He remembered having meals with her, walking with her, and even laughing with her when their eyes met.

Esperad had spent the last 40 years without those everyday moments, and now they felt foreign to him.

Without realizing it, he pushed a dish with mushrooms, which he knew she liked, toward her.

Asilie looked at the plate in surprise, then looked up at him.

“Have you been well?” Esperad asked casually.

“Huh?”

Asilie felt confused for a moment. She stared at him, unsure of his intentions.

“I heard that you returned to the Bonaparte family after being missing,” Esperad said.

“Ah…”

It felt strange to be asked about her well-being, but now it made sense.

In a closed society like the aristocracy, it would be strange if people didn’t wonder about the noblewoman who had disappeared and then reappeared, only to be found not at the Bonaparte estate but at the Grandier estate and sent back to Bonaparte.

Anyone would have questions about it.

“I’ve been well, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern,” Asilie replied.

Esperad had been getting reports from his agents in the Bonaparte estate. It seemed Asilie was managing just fine, but it wouldn’t be easy since everyone around her seemed to disapprove of her.

Yet hearing her say that she was doing fine, without any sign of worry, felt strange to him.

He wanted to ask if she was truly okay, if they were treating her well, and if she needed his help.

But he realized that they weren’t yet at that level of relationship, so he kept quiet.

Then, unexpectedly, Asilie spoke.

“I think you might have other reasons for spending time with me,” she said.

Esperad looked at her again. For some reason, there was a sense of determination on her face.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Don’t you need my help?”

“My help?”

“…Actually, I’m thinking about divorcing Count Bonaparte,” Asilie said.

Esperad couldn’t believe his ears.

The idea of divorce was still a heavy topic in the conservative society of Astel. It was something that shouldn’t be spoken of lightly.

Infidelity was overlooked, but it wasn’t grounds for divorce. A divorce could only be requested if one’s life was in danger. And even then, the family of the person requesting the divorce had to be a well-established noble house.

“What did you say?”

“I don’t want to waste any more of my life. So, I plan to ask for a divorce from the Bonaparte family soon.”

Asilie was known to love Joseph Bonaparte. But he had not only threatened her life but also made her despise him more than ever.

Esperad couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

He had always feared that she might reject him because of her love for Joseph Bonaparte. But now, she was saying this.

How should he respond? It was confusing.

Divorcing Joseph Bonaparte would be a good thing, but he had never imagined this kind of situation.

After a long moment of silence, Esperad cautiously asked.

“What is the reason you’re telling me this?”

“To ask for your help, Your Majesty.”

“My help?”

“Isn’t it strange that we’ve run into each other twice by coincidence? Maybe there’s a reason behind it.”

Though one of those times wasn’t actually a coincidence, Esperad chose not to mention it.

“Maybe I can help Your Majesty too. So, if I cooperate with you, I hope Your Majesty will help me in return.”

It was quite a bold request.

Esperad smiled, thinking that this boldness—almost shameless—reminded him of the Asilie he knew.

“I’m really curious. How exactly do you plan to help me?”

“Aren’t you having trouble ruling because the power of the conservative nobles is too strong?”

Esperad didn’t answer.

But inside, he was just as surprised as when he heard she was planning to request a divorce.

In Astel, where gender roles were clearly divided, it was rare to find a noblewoman interested in politics.

Even if there were any, they would be hard to find. Many nobles disliked the idea of women taking an interest in men’s affairs.

“I’m still, at least for now, the daughter-in-law of Count Bonaparte. That means I get to hear what Count Bonaparte and his sons talk about, and I can guess what actions they’ll take.”

“……….”

“I’m not saying I’m someone extremely useful, but I’m not completely useless either.”

Esperad hoped that Asilie wouldn’t do anything that could threaten the Bonaparte family.

If someone found out she was planning something like this, she would definitely be in danger.

Especially since everyone around Asilie already had a negative attitude toward her.

But still, he didn’t want to completely reject her.

He didn’t know what she was planning to do, but if he accepted her proposal, he would have a reason to keep in contact with her and check on her well-being.

Right now, that was something Esperad wanted too badly to just turn away.

“……I’ll think about it for now.”

So Esperad gave a vague answer—neither acceptance nor rejection.

“I’ll think it over more and contact you separately.”

“I’ll be waiting, Your Majesty.”

Instead of being disappointed, Asilie was relieved by Esperad’s vague answer and put down her utensils.

She had been trying not to meet his eyes, since just looking at Esperad reminded her of a lover, but even now, she couldn’t avoid it completely.

She had to learn how to control her emotions. If Esperad accepted her offer, they would continue to stay in touch.

She couldn’t let her feelings show every time.

“You should be more careful.”

“……Excuse me?”

Asilie looked at him, startled by the sudden comment.

Esperad, a little flustered by his own words, quickly covered it up as if it was nothing.

“I don’t want any of my people getting hurt or being in danger.”

The truth was, what pained him most was the thought of her getting hurt.

Asilie knew all too well how to push Monica’s buttons.

She had a knack for showing up exactly when Monica didn’t want to see her, always managing to get under her skin.

Before, Monica used to enjoy seeing Asilie during dinner.

Every word, every sarcastic jab that Asilie blurted out without much thought clearly hurt her—and Monica enjoyed watching her squirm.

Bullying Asilie at dinner and watching her reactions had become part of how Monica ended her day.

But lately…

“That woman’s definitely changed. That lowly girl!”

The old Asilie had clearly feared Monica.

That’s why, even when Asilie started to act differently, Monica only found it annoying—she didn’t see it as a serious threat.

But ever since the palace banquet, Monica realized it clearly.

That girl wasn’t afraid of her anymore.

“Just because I treated her nicely, now she thinks she can walk all over me? That lowborn thing…”

What’s worse, Asilie had even mocked her.

Monica didn’t know how Asilie had sweet-talked the designer at Shop Sophia, but she pretended she hadn’t bought the dress, even though she clearly had—and that made Monica furious.

She tried telling Countess Bonaparte what Asilie had done, but even she didn’t seem to have any way to deal with the headstrong girl.

What made it all worse was that Asilie now joined them for their evening reading time, wearing a calm, composed face.

In the past, Monica might have enjoyed the distraction during those boring hours, but now, when she was already stressed because of Asilie she kept making mistakes out of sheer frustration.

“Young lady, it’s time for dinner.”

“Do I look like a fool to you?”

“……Pardon?”

A large vase flew past the maid’s head.

It crashed to the floor with a loud smash.

“Ahh!”

“Do I look like an idiot who doesn’t know when dinner is?! Even the most useless people are starting to look down on me!”

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Shut your mouth!”

Monica glared furiously at the maid, then quickly turned and stormed out.

Before long, she ran into Geoffrey, who was waiting for her in the hallway for dinner.

“You should hold back a little.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If you’re frustrated with your sister-in-law, then take it out on her. Don’t lash out at innocent maids.”

“Are you saying those lowly things are more important than me?!”

Monica shouted, unable to hold back her anger. Geoffrey looked at her quietly and sighed.

“You’re going to be the future mistress of this household. You should be taking care of the servants, guiding them—not bullying them. Do you think they’ll respect and serve you if you act like this?”

“Hah, now even you’re—”

“Be patient. In the end, the ones who will rise to the top are you and me.”

Monica knew everything he said was right, but what she needed right now wasn’t advice—it was empathy.

But her husband was far too cold for that, so she couldn’t expect it from him.

With a heavy sigh, Monica closed her mouth. She was trying to calm herself.

But all that effort became meaningless the moment she saw Asilie—and the dress she was wearing.

Asilie was dressed in a blue indoor gown that clearly looked high-quality.

It fit her so well, it seemed as though it had been made just for her.

Normally, Monica would’ve mocked her, wondering where she got the money for something like that. But now that she knew where it came from, she couldn’t laugh it off.

“Did you know Shop Sophia sent her dozens of dresses? Were you aware of that?”

Monica’s fist clenched tightly as she remembered the shocking news she’d heard at the tea party earlier that afternoon.

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