This Villainess Wants a Divorce!

Chapter 5

“Oh, and what sort of punishment were you hoping for, by the way?” the empress asked me.

“They must never step foot in the imperial palace again. I would prefer them to be sent away in disgrace... but as these ladies-in-waiting were recommended by Your Majesty, that would not make you look good.”

“My goodness. Your tact reminds me of myself.”

Hmm... Okay, that means she would have said no if I had asked for more. Good thing I didn’t go overboard.

“It’s almost lunchtime. Will you have lunch with me before you go?” she asked.

“Thank you, but I have a previous engagement.”

“Previous engagement?” She looked puzzled. She probably wondered how I could already have plans when I was new to the capital and barely knew anyone.

“With Caesar. I need to warm up to him fast in order to serve Your Majesty.”

“That does make sense. I won’t hold you back, then.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”

After the appropriate remarks of courtesy, I got up. I had been so nervous that my back was damp with sweat.

Anyway, the issue with the ladies-in-waiting seemed resolved now. Now that I had informed the empress of Caesar’s excursions, all I had to do was warn him to conceal some of his abilities if I noticed he was being watched.

* * *

When I returned to my palace after my interview with the empress, I found that the head chef was preparing enough fruit sorbet to feed at least thirty.

“Annie, pack all that up for me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Annie did as I said, but she was visibly confused as to why I’d asked her to do it. I kindly alleviated her curiosity.

“I’m going to go to the prince’s palace. You can all try some too once we’re there.”

The ladies-in-waiting looked pleased. Fruit sorbet was a delicacy of sorts, and desserts made with ice were always expensive. Any personnel assigned to my palace were bound to be from disgraced noble houses. They’d probably had few opportunities to taste sorbet, so I was not surprised by their delight.

When I got to the prince’s palace, Caesar was already in the middle of his afternoon lesson. The head steward said as much—he advised me to leave. But I stayed, using my identity as Caesar’s wife as my shield. I insisted that surely he had a break time—I would give him the sorbet then and go.

The head steward reluctantly assented.

I sat on the grass at the center of the drill hall and waited for his lesson to end. The knight I knew to be the empress’s relative was teaching Caesar half-heartedly, just as expected. Even I could tell he was being sloppy, though I didn’t know a thing about swordsmanship.

What kind of student would be motivated when taught by a sloppy teacher? Caesar’s disdain was conspicuous. Why don’t you both come and have some sorbet? It’s obvious neither of you wants to be doing this.

I yawned and waited for Caesar to throw his wooden sword to the ground.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed. I was starting to doze off when the lesson came to an end. I had no idea whether the lesson was fully over or if it was just a break. The important part was that I now had a chance to approach Caesar.

I wiped off my sweat and waved enthusiastically at Caesar. His face was hard to descry from far away, but I imagined that he was surprised. When I got up close to him, my prediction was correct.

“What are you doing here?”

“Um, supporting my husband...?”

Caesar didn’t respond.

I tried to look as lovable as possible. I doubted it worked.

“I’m kidding,” I said. “Look, I just wanted to clear up some misunderstandings. We need to talk. Sit here.”

I patted the seat beside me. He looked like he would prefer not to, but he quietly did as I said.

A lady-in-waiting came out and served us fruit sorbet. I told her to leave us, because we had something important to talk about. It was quite uncomfortable to be alone with someone I barely knew, so I hastened to speak.

“About yesterday— No, it wasn’t even yesterday. This morning... when I asked you why you saved me...”

Caesar was silent.

“I wasn’t asking because I wanted to die. I don’t want to die. You don’t know how much I want to live.”

In fact, I want to live so badly that I’m putting forth all this effort to go back and forth between you and the empress.

“So I just... I mean, it’s what it sounds like. I thought you hated me. The empress put us together.”

Caesar didn’t say a word.

“That’s why I don’t understand why you wanted me alive.”

“I told you. I didn’t want to have to move a corpse from my room.”

“Oh, right. You said that. Ha ha.”

I knew his real reason, despite what he said. Caesar was a righteous person, just like a classic protagonist. He probably couldn’t bear to watch a girl gasping for life before his eyes.

“That’s all I came here to say. Sorry for worrying you.”

Caesar was silent.

The truth was, my real reason for coming here was different. I was deliberating when to bring up his swordsmanship lessons outside the imperial palace grounds. Caesar spoke up first, though.

“I thought the ladies-in-waiting would look after you on their own... because you’re one of the empress’s people. I should have checked that they’d given you medicine before I left. I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

I realized that this was why the kindhearted prince had seemed so uneasy—he felt guilty about his carelessness. But how many people out there would have micromanaged that much? Who would actually have checked to see if I’d been given my medicine?

I couldn’t help the giggle that slipped out of me. He’s so softhearted. No wonder he eventually lets the empress live.

In the novel, Caesar was unable to say no to his younger brother, the second prince, when he asked Caesar to let his mother live. Caesar and the second prince had an amicable relationship. He kept the empress alive on the condition that she quietly live out the rest of her life in the countryside. Still, she got to live.

While reading the book, his kindness had frustrated me, but I was grateful now that I was Carnelia. I could worry less about my head falling off.

Anyway, I was relieved that he’d brought up the empress first. It made it easier to segue into the next topic.

“On that note, strictly speaking, I am one of the empress’s people. I’m here in the palace on the empress’s recommendation, and I met with her just now, too.”

Caesar silently ate a spoonful of sorbet.

“But I’m on your side. You can be sure of this. I’m your wife. I’ll always be on your side.”

“What nice-sounding words.”

“They’re not just nice-sounding... How can I prove it to you?”

I put down the bowl in my hands and leaned toward Caesar. He flinched but didn’t back away. The empress could not find out what I was about to say to him. I whispered in his ear.

“I know you’re learning proper swordsmanship outside the palace.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What about the lesson I just received?”

He seemed to think I was asking leading questions. Oh dear. What a suspicious boy. Too bad I already read the novel.

“The empress has caught onto it. I just heard about it. I bet you’ll find yourself watched soon. So...”

Caesar didn’t respond.

“You need to hide your skills to some extent—at least when you’re being watched. One day, that can become your hidden card.”

I drew back from his ear. Anyone watching would find me strange if I whispered to him any longer.

“I warned you.”

“I have no idea what’s on your mind... I don’t know which is your real side.”

“Why do you have to overthink it? You only have one thing to remember.”

I grinned.

“I will always be on your side.”

So please provide me with an ample settlement when we divorce later on.

I left the prince’s palace shortly after. My steps were light.