I’ve Decided to Let You Go - Chapter 45

“…Is it really okay to be this blatant?”

Natasha was sorting the guest list by region when she suddenly realized—there wasn’t a single member of the Letius Imperial Family on the main list.

There were still a few months left until House Aschart was officially independent. Had the timeline somehow moved up without notice?

Or…

Was it because of the clause she had insisted on before marriage?

But even so, was it truly necessary to exclude the Imperial Family from the duchy’s very first banquet over a single clause? Honestly, they could have invited them and simply arranged things so they wouldn’t cross paths with her.

The absence of the Imperial Family would only fuel speculation and gossip tying them to House Aschart. Sieghart wouldn’t make such a reckless decision—he wouldn’t want to stir up unnecessary rumors.

“Maybe he plans to inform them separately, since he’s personally acquainted with them. I shouldn’t overthink it.”

She couldn’t be sure.

Natasha decided to let it go.

It was already deep into the night—too late to worry about every little thing. Fatigue was setting in fast.

She reached for a blank sheet of paper and began writing out the formal invitation:

To the Honorable [Name],

The Duke and Duchess of Aschart are honored to invite you to a banquet that will be held one month from now.

The celebration will last approximately eight days and take place at our estate just outside the Aschart territory. We kindly ask all esteemed guests to bring appropriate formalwear for the ball, a change of clothes, personal belongings, and toiletry essentials.

The venue will be held at a secondary residence located about 5 kilometers from the main Aschart estate.

If you wish to attend, please reply at your earliest convenience.

With warm regards,
Natasha Aschart

She continued writing the letters, changing only the recipient’s name each time. With the template already in place, the writing itself wasn’t difficult. But the number of letters was overwhelming, and it took far longer than expected.

She chose clean, elegant stationery instead of anything flashy. Because of that, even a small slip in her handwriting meant starting over. She ended up discarding sheet after sheet. Her wrist throbbed with pins and needles from overuse.

At last, she finished writing all the letters for the current guest list. Natasha stretched her arms and rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hand. Her body felt heavy, weighed down by exhaustion.

“Just need to finish the next set of names, and then I can sleep.”

But she couldn’t bring herself to rest just yet.

Even if rumors had already spread and people were likely preparing, it was a countryside banquet—she still had to send out the invitations in advance.

“Let’s start with Meliana and Vanessa’s families. Ah, I need to check if Kayeina will be able to make it. I’ll send a letter to Grand Duke Kshant as well…”

She was just updating the list again—

When drowsiness overtook her, and she collapsed forward without realizing it. Her head rested on the desk, and her gentle, rhythmic breathing filled the quiet room.

A man stepped into the Duchess’s study and paused when he saw her slumped over. A faint smile tugged at his lips. He’d heard how busy she had been, but was she really so exhausted she couldn’t make it to her bed?

He had let it slide the past few days, but tonight he didn’t want her sleeping in the study again. If she didn’t wake up, he was prepared to move her—quietly.

“Tisha.”

“…”

“Tisha.”

He whispered her name softly. But even after repeating it, Natasha didn’t stir.

Realizing she was deeply asleep, Sieghart gently turned her chair and placed his hand beneath her legs. Carefully, he lifted her into his arms.

With slow, steady steps, he made his way to the bedroom.

Once they arrived, Sieghart quietly laid Natasha down on the bed. He hesitated for a moment, looking between her slightly flushed forehead and her hands. Then, as if making up his mind, he knelt beside the bed.

He gently touched her hand resting on the sheets, then held it lightly. Her skin was warm—no, hot to the touch.

After a while, Sieghart left the bedroom and headed to his own study. Waiting outside was Jenkins, who bowed respectfully.

“Welcome back, Your Grace.”

“I see you’re still awake. At this rate, we’ll all drop from overwork.”

“With respect, Your Grace, I believe that’s something I should be saying to you.”

Jenkins responded with a dry, half-hearted joke, then pulled a letter from inside his coat. The red envelope clearly displayed the Imperial Family’s seal.

“This letter was addressed to the Duchess. I set it aside because it came from the Imperial Palace.”

“Good work.”

Sieghart opened the envelope on the spot.

He braced himself, half-expecting the usual filth. He was even slightly curious to see what kind of nonsense Emperor Kail Letius would write this time.

“Damn bastard.”

And the contents didn’t disappoint. The Emperor’s twisted words more than lived up to Sieghart’s expectations. He wasn’t even surprised anymore.

Jenkins flinched slightly at the quiet curse that slipped from his master’s mouth. The Duke looked like he might cut someone down at any moment, even without a sword in hand.

This was already the fifth letter Emperor Kail Letius had sent to Natasha. And every single time, Sieghart had responded with the same disgust and fury.

But this time felt different.

“I’m stepping out for a while.”

“Yes, understood… I’m sorry, what?”

Jenkins was so startled by Sieghart’s sudden decision that he couldn’t hide his surprise. Sieghart frowned, clearly annoyed at having to repeat himself. His expression made it clear that he didn’t need anyone trying to stop him or getting in his way.

“Oh, and Jenkins. Block all Imperial personnel from entering the estate during the banquet.”

“I… what? Are you certain about that?”

“Do it.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

The more Jenkins stayed quiet, the more intense the orders became.

He had no idea how they were going to handle the aftermath of this, but in that moment, he feared Sieghart’s anger far more than the potential backlash from the Imperial Family. All he could do was bow and give a silent nod of support.

“If Natasha asks…”

The sentence trailed off unexpectedly. Jenkins glanced at his master, unsure if he should respond.

She probably didn’t care where he went, but still, Sieghart figured it was better to say something than nothing.

“Tell her I’ll be back at the estate by tomorrow.”

“Yes, understood. Please take care, Your Grace.”

Sieghart had done everything in his power to avoid crossing paths with the Imperial Family. He tried to stay as far from Kail Letius as Natasha had wanted him to.

It wasn’t just about the clause they had agreed to before marriage. There was nothing good to come from letting someone as cruel as the Emperor see how deeply he cared. Kail Letius was the kind of man who would use every piece of someone’s heart as a weapon.

But then he read the latest letter.

“I heard there was some unpleasant trouble. It’s a shame the Duchess recovered so quickly.

When we meet again, I hope she can describe to me just how beautiful and intense that poison tasted.”

That was all it took. After reading those words, Sieghart couldn’t sit still.

He knew it was bait. He knew it was a calculated provocation meant to rile him up. And yet, he couldn’t stop himself from reacting.

He rode for hours. By the time he reached the Imperial Palace, the stars of early dawn had already faded and the first light of morning had begun to spread across the sky.

He dismounted and walked straight to the gate. The guards, tense at the approach of a stranger, were left speechless once they realized who he was.

“Y-Your Grace… You are the Moon of the Empire… Duke Aschart. What brings you here at this hour?”

“I’m here to see His Majesty, the Emperor.”

“I… I’m sorry, sir, but it’s quite early and His Majesty is not receiving visitors at this time.”

“I see. Then I will wait outside until he is ready.”

“N-no, please, come inside.”

The guard, clearly shaken by the Duke’s calm but sharp words, quickly escorted him into the palace.

Sieghart was taken to a reception room and told to wait until an audience could be arranged.

After some time, a palace maid returned to the room. She stood awkwardly at the door, lips slightly parted, unsure how to begin. Sieghart’s cold presence made it hard for her to step forward.

“His Majesty refused to see me, didn’t he?”

Sieghart let out a faint laugh, having already guessed the answer. The maid’s face darkened, confirming his suspicion.

“His Majesty said he does not grant audiences without clear purpose. He also instructed me to inform you that meetings arranged without proper notice or procedure will not be honored. You are asked to make a formal request and return at a later date.”

The phrasing was oddly familiar. It reminded him of what Natasha had said when Emperor Kail Letius had once barged into the Aschart estate. Jenkins had passed along her words after the incident.

It was more than petty. It was cowardly.

Sieghart raised his eyebrows slightly. His face remained unreadable, but a faint smile appeared. It was the kind of smile he always wore just before doing something unpleasant.

“As an uninvited guest, I suppose I have no right to argue with His Majesty.”

He acted as if he were about to leave, then crossed one leg over the other and leaned back into his seat. The gesture was casual, even arrogant, as if he had discarded any pretense of courtesy.

“In that case, I’ll have no choice but to make public the letters His Majesty has sent to the Duchess. It’s a shame, really. House Aschart has always respected the Imperial throne. But if preserving our dignity means taking that route, so be it. Please deliver that message to him.”

“I… I’m sorry?”

The maid stared at him, stunned. She had clearly heard him, but it took a moment for the words to sink in.

After a short silence, she bowed her head, as if understanding the weight of what had just been said.

“Very well. I will speak to His Majesty again, taking Your Grace’s position into consideration. Please wait here a moment.”

She left the room and did not return for quite some time.

Eventually, she came back and, with her expression carefully composed, guided Sieghart to the audience chamber.

Apparently, the Emperor had changed his mind.

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