We Will Get Divorced: The Perfect Divorce Plan of the Sacrificial Daughter and the Cold-Blooded Soldier - Chapter 44

“My lord, I believe we can consider your request fulfilled.”

“…Yes, I suppose so.”

After a long, long silence, Julian finally answered.

The temporary marriage between the sacrificial maiden and the Undying King had now ended.

“It was brief, but thank you for having me.”

“…Yeah.”

“At first I wondered how it would turn out, but it was quite enjoyable.”

“Me too. Meeting Sierra made me see women a little differently.”

“Is that so?”

“Living with Sierra made me realize all my images of women were based on my mother.”

“Lady Gina, was it?”

“Yes. A mother who could only survive by clinging to men and currying favor with them.”

“……”

“She told me countless times since I was old enough to understand. ‘Be useful to your father,’ ‘Make your father happy,’ ‘Otherwise you won’t survive.'”

“…There are limits to what women can do. Especially in the position of a concubine.”

“True. Not everyone can be like Sierra. Looking back now, my mother was probably desperate in her own way too. My father understood that and used her. If I showed even the slightest defiance toward my father, my mother would be openly mistreated. Each time, she would cry hysterically. Strange, isn’t it? Even with such a mother…”

Julian’s words caught in his throat for a moment.

“It was painful to see her crying like that.”

He said this while tightening his grip on the balcony railing.

“It’s not strange at all.”

So, this was why Julian continued to stand on the battlefield as commanded. Why he never refused even the most brutal missions, driving himself until he was called the Undying King.

“If I obeyed orders, my father would smile at my mother. And she would smile back, looking truly happy. Then, if she felt like it, she would smile at me too. Even those leftover smiles made me happy. I felt like I could sense my mother’s love.”

“…My lord.”

Julian’s expression as he looked up remained unchanged. If anything, it seemed to testify to the solidity of the dark emotions piled up in his heart. What must it have been like? A mother who saw him only as a tool to gain his father’s affection, living his life seeking even a tiny bit of love from such a mother.

“This marriage was part of that too. Just another marriage where I obeyed my father to protect my mother. I thought I could never develop feelings for a wife in such a relationship, but I also didn’t want more ‘reins’ for my father to use. I never intended to deliberately distance myself from loving her… or so I thought.”

Finally, Julian relaxed his grip and looked at me.

“Spending time with Sierra changed my perspective. She showed me how narrow my world had been. What I thought was my mother’s love… yes, as Arcadia said. That might have been a curse.”

“My lord…”

“It’s not that I don’t care about my mother anymore. But I’m done being my father’s puppet. Sierra was the one who broke the curse. My way of thinking about women, about marriage itself, has changed.”

“If I could be of service, then I’m glad. Please continue to cherish Linsha properly.”

“……”

This time, no matter how long I waited, no answer came. When I looked up, Julian’s blue eyes were peering into my heart.

He had probably seen through all my feelings already.

Because I had spoken in detail before Dimitris. No, he must have known even before that.

There was no way I could have hidden these feelings. No way such strong emotions could have gone unnoticed.

Julian was still watching me.

In the clear lake-like blue depths, I could see the same emotion. The same strong, warm, unwavering emotion as mine.

Even so—

“Thank you for your request. Please make the payment through the money changer.”

Even so, this is where we end.

We are not allowed to wish for anything more.

Because both Julian and I have too much to protect. I must protect the people of Eirondale, and Julian must protect the people of Vraogone from our respective fathers.

To do that, we can no longer be together. I cannot retreat to Harrop, and most importantly, I cannot become Julian’s new weakness.

If we were to act according to our hearts, Chrislan would surely see me as Julian’s new rein, replacing his mother. I cannot hold back Julian, who has finally been freed from his curse. And Julian would never make a decision that would put me in danger either.

So, this is where we end.

“Sierra, do you remember when we first met?”

After a long, long silence, Julian finally spoke.

“Yes, of course.”

How could I forget? The day that changed my life.

“Back then, my lord looked just like an angel.”

“To me, Sierra looked precarious. Like she would break at any moment if someone didn’t help her.”

“My lord saved me. Do you remember when you were assigned to Harrop?”

“Not bad. That’s what I thought.”

“But you paid me no attention at all.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You said I made you sick to your stomach.”

“I wanted to prevent my father from noticing you.”

“I understood. But… it hurt.”

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“I’m sorry, truly.”

“Then, do you remember that time I crossed the Ruhen River?”

“I was amazed that a woman could have such determination.”

“What about when I confronted Lady Nadine?”

“I wanted to kill the part of myself that couldn’t stop you.”

“And when I brought Arcadia to the governor’s mansion reception room?”

“I nearly went mad with jealousy.”

“Then…”

“Sierra.”

Julian interrupted my next question and embraced me. Tightly at first, then gently, as if enveloping me.

“My lord…”

Tears overflowed. I couldn’t hold them back any longer. At the edge of my blurred vision, lights streaked across the night sky.

One, two, three—

Meteors. I could hear cheers rising from below the balcony.

The meteor shower everyone had been waiting for.

Meteors that lovers watch while wishing for eternal love.

Meteors that farmers watch while praying for abundant harvests.

Meteors that saints watch while offering prayers.

Right now, Nadine, Arcadia, Linsha, and Zach were probably all looking up at the sky. Dimitris, Lord Heisen, and Chrislan must be watching too. My father, my stepmother, Lydia, and Kevin might be watching as well. Amy and Ilina certainly were.

While everyone was looking up at the sky with their wishes,

“Sierra.”

Only Julian was looking at me.

With tear-filled blue eyes, he was watching only me.

“…Sierra.”

As if responding to his words, the stars all fell at once.

As if all the stars had lost the power to remain in the sky.

Like rain of prayers. Like God’s tears.

—The concluding meteors.

Watched over by the meteor shower that eternally promises lovers’ vows, we shared our first and last kiss.

“…Julian.”

From now on, every time I see meteors, my heart will ache.