We Will Get Divorced: The Perfect Divorce Plan of the Sacrificial Daughter and the Cold-Blooded Soldier - Chapter 37

“Who told you to do such a thing?”

Suddenly, the storage room door swung open. Standing silhouetted against the outside light in the doorway was—

“Arcadia!”

“Hey, what I asked you to do was take my sister-in-law out to the courtyard. Who told you to do something like this?”

“Arc…”

Ilina recoiled fearfully. Arcadia stared coldly at her.

“Can’t you listen to what I say?”

“N-no…”

“Then you’re no longer needed.”

“Don’t, Arc!”

“Wait, Arcadia! Ilina is—”

“Don’t touch me!”

My attempt to rush toward Arcadia in that instant was a mistake.

I had completely lost sight of how I appeared in Ilina’s eyes, which had lost their composure. I could tell the last of Ilina’s reason had vanished. She raised her knife and charged at me.

—No way. I can’t stop anymore.

“Danger!”

Someone’s voice pierced my ears. Then my vision was blocked by someone who leaped in front of me. Helpless, I collapsed into that person’s chest.

“Gah!”

Immediately after, a short scream rang out, and a blood-stained knife clattered to the floor.

“Sister-in-law, you promised you’d fall for me, so don’t go getting stabbed, okay?”

“A-Arcadia, that…”

Even in the dim room, I could clearly see Arcadia’s side stained with blood as he gave a pained smile.

“No way, you protected me…?”

“Huh, already falling for me? That was easy.”

Contrary to his confident words, it was Arcadia who was slumping down. He collapsed onto the floor without even being able to brace himself on his knees.

“Ilina, go get someone!”

“Arc… why, why would you protect the mistress?”

“Hurry!”

“Shut up!”

Ilina shouted angrily as she ran out, pushing the door open and then closing it again.

Why? Why did she need to close it? As I wondered this—

—Clunk.

I heard the sound of a lock clicking from outside.

“No! Open up!”

I immediately clung to the door, but the heavy door didn’t budge, and I could only hear the sound of retreating footsteps.

“What’s wrong, sister-in-law? Where’s Ilina?”

“I don’t know, it seems she locked us in from outside.”

“Seriously? I see… she’s doing one last good job for me. Giving me alone time with my sister-in-law.”

“This is no time for jokes!”

I rushed over to Arcadia, who was winking at me from his sideways position, and quickly removed his clothes to check the wound.

“It’s terrible. We need to stop the bleeding immediately. Bear with it a little.”

“No, I hate bearing with things.”

Ignoring Arcadia’s childish complaints even in this situation, I tore my skirt. I made an impromptu bandage and tightly bound the wound.

“Ow. Be a little gentler.”

“Being gentle won’t stop the bleeding. I’m going to tighten it again, so bear with it.”

“But it hurts. Do it gently, okay?”

“I’ll try… slooowly…”

“Ow ow ow! You’re just saying that!”

“This should make it a little more comfortable. Now keep pressure on the wound yourself.”

“Huh, what, this actually does feel better. How can you do something like this?”

“Well, I am the sacrificial noble lady. When you spend all year running around the territory alone, you naturally pick up first aid skills.”

“Normal people definitely don’t. I don’t get it.”

Saying this, Arcadia laughed.

A pure smile that wasn’t trying to charm or provoke anyone. A childlike smile that almost drew me in too. Thinking that Ilina probably didn’t know this smile either made my chest feel tight.

“Really. You never let me get bored, sister-in-law. I can see why you captured my brother’s heart.”

“I keep telling you, I haven’t captured anything.”

I said this while wiping the sweat from his forehead with a torn piece of my skirt.

“You’ve already investigated, haven’t you? There’s no love between us. We’re getting divorced.”

“Huh? Divorce? Why?”

“To receive alimony. With that money, I’m going to start domestic olive production. So, I can’t leave Eirondale.”

“A business? For a woman? You never stop, sister-in-law… Ah, damn.”

Tension returned to Arcadia’s voice, which had been relaxed. At the same time, he grimaced in pain.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m not okay… It’s because sister-in-law is being mean to me…”

It’s good that he has the energy to joke, but judging by the amount of sweat, it’s clear this isn’t a wound that can be handled with just first aid.

“Someone! Open up! Isn’t anyone there?”

I pounded on the door with all my strength, but my voice only echoed uselessly inside the storage room. Still, I kept pounding, and the sound overlapped with Arcadia coughing.

“Are you okay, Arcadia?”

“I’m fine… You’re exaggerating… Sister-in-law…”

If you’re going to joke, I wish you’d finish your sentence. It only makes me more anxious.

“What should I do? My husband…”

“At a time like this… don’t talk about my brother…”

Arcadia’s voice was losing strength rapidly. There was no time to spare. Isn’t there anything? Something that can break this door, something that can open the lock, something that can call for help from inside.

“Sister-in-law, if I die like this…”

Please don’t say such ominous things.

“Right before… I’ll take this…”

While breathing raggedly, Arcadia used his blood-stained index finger to point at his cheek. No, was he pointing at his back tooth? Could that mean…

“Poison?”

“Well, I am the commander of the military police… I have it in my back tooth so I can commit suicide anytime…”

Arcadia lifted his blood-stained cheek in a grin.

“Make it look like I died honorably when captured by bandits… Being stabbed by a woman is just uncool…”

“Arcadia…”

“Whatever you do, don’t mention… Ilina’s name…”

After saying only that, Arcadia’s eyelids closed.

This is bad. Really, I have to do something right now. I was struck by overwhelming panic.

I must have been quite deranged at that moment. Why else would I take out the bell Julian had given me at a time like this? There’s no way the sound of such a small bell could be heard outside. Anyone would know that if they thought about it.

Yet I rang it anyway—a prayer with no chance of success.

“My husband, please help me…”

Just a plea to the gods, containing only that thought. So—

“Are you there, Sierra!”

I was utterly astonished that it reached him.

From the other side of the door came Julian’s voice—exactly as I had wished for in my heart.

“My husband! Are you there?”

“I’m here! Are you safe, Sierra?”

“I’m here, I’m safe. Please open this, my husband.”

“Step back! I’m cutting through it now!”

“Yes!”

Cut through? Not open? I thought as I moved away from the door.

—Screech.

A jarring metallic sound pierced my ears.

“Sierra!”

Julian burst in after slicing the thick door clean in two.

I thought again—could there really have been situations on the battlefield where this immortal king was cornered? Julian came running over, crunching through the scattered door fragments and luggage.

“Are you injured?”

He immediately embraced me tightly.

“My husband.”

“I’m sorry I was late to rescue you.”

His body was hot. He was breathing heavily against my shoulder. It was as if he had been desperately searching for me.

“Forgive me.”

Julian’s arms tightened around me again. Julian is tall. I could hear directly the intense pounding of his heart against my ear. This was the first time I’d seen Julian so frantic.

“Thank you, my husband. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.”

“Huh?”

“Sierra always says she’s fine. But that’s not really true, is it? I might be unreliable. I can’t make Sierra laugh, and I’m late at important times like today. But I’ll catch up. No matter where Sierra is, I’ll definitely catch up. So…”

“My husband.”

“At least while we’re married, rely on me.”

Julian’s arms tightened again. It was strong enough to hurt, but strangely, it wasn’t painful. If allowed, I would have wanted to stay like this forever.

But I couldn’t.

Because we’re temporary husband and wife.

Because there’s no love between us.

And most of all—

“My husband.”

“What is it?”

“Lord Arcadia… is dying.”

It was about time—Arcadia was truly in danger.

“Arcadia! What are you doing there!”

It was only then that Julian seemed to notice his younger brother lying at his feet, and he leaped back in surprise.