Chapter 18.3

The Aftermath of a Big Fight: Cermiane’s Point of View. (3)

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn’t have any siblings other than you, does he? That means if he ascends to the throne, he won’t have any family members around him. It’s only natural to want reliable family members by his side.”

It was a perspective that I didn’t have. This was probably because she had a lot of trusted relatives. She had parents, siblings, in-laws, and close friends who grew up with her in the Marquisate and were like family. In contrast, I only had my mother. I refused to be treated as family by Their Majesties and His Imperial Highness, which was why I didn’t easily think of relying on family. That’s why I couldn’t tell Ralphine my true identity. Ultimately, that decision is now haunting me.

I never thought that His Imperial Highness was concerned about what would happen after he ascended to the throne. But now that I’m in this position, I understand. If I were the Crown Prince or the Emperor, I would want someone I could trust by my side. His Imperial Highness has been paying attention to me and interacting with me for so long for that reason. In that case, being a knight was not enough.

“And, I suppose they wanted you around in case something happened to His Imperial Highness, like it did this time. It would make the succession smoother.”

Yes, that’s right. His Majesty the Emperor had expressed his concerns and had repeatedly asked me to return to the Imperial Family. Humans can die easily when it’s their time to die. This is especially true for His Majesty, who lost two of his children in unexpected accidents. He must have been strongly concerned about the possibility of losing another successor.

“I never thought of it that way.”

I was at a loss. Seeing me like that, Ralphine also held her head in her hands. The two of us could only worry about what would happen from now on.

“So, that’s why the Emperor was happy when he found out I was a Marquis’ daughter?”

“Yes. His Majesty had proposed several marriage proposals with high-ranking nobles to me, but I declined.”

As I spoke, Ralphine stared at me with her golden eyes and asked, “So why did you marry me, a high-ranking noble? Was it also for the sake of your return to the imperial family?”

Ralphine suspected that the reason why I had fervently proposed to her was because she was a Marquis’ daughter, which would make it easier for me to join the imperial family. I was genuinely surprised by her thinking.

“I never thought of you as a high-ranking noble.”

Upon hearing my words, Ralphine looked like she understood everything. I didn’t want her to think that I had any ulterior motives, so I quickly continued speaking.

“When I fell in love with you, I didn’t care about your social status. In fact, meeting you made me less concerned about social status,” I told Ralphine, explaining the reasons for my previous feelings of depression and being trapped by my own social status before meeting her.

And then Ralphine appeared, and I described how striking, moving, and beautiful she was. I wanted her to understand that my love for her was not based on something as small as social status, but rather because she had helped me break free from the constraints of my birth, my mother’s teachings, and the social shackles that held me down.

I took Ralphine’s hand. What I was about to say was a once-in-a-lifetime gamble. We had spent a good year building a solid marital relationship, and we should have loved each other to some extent. There was nothing left but to trust that bond.

“I’m truly sorry I kept it from you. I just wanted to live happily with you here. I never even considered making you do anything you didn’t want to. But I think it’s my duty to fulfill the wishes of my father and brother.”

First, I sincerely apologized to Ralphine. She would forgive me if I apologized honestly. After that, I left the choice to Ralphine.

“If you’re angry at me for breaking our promise and don’t want to be part of the royal family, then we can divorce.”

Ralphine’s expression froze. I became anxious. I knew Ralphine hated the noble life very much. If that feeling was stronger than the love she had for me and she wanted to live freely, there was a high possibility that she would shout, “Alright, let’s divorce!” and end the bond we had built as a couple.

I smiled but was extremely nervous inside. I felt like a criminal awaiting judgment. The fact was that I had lied to Ralphine and deceived her, making me a criminal who had married her. It was like waiting for her condemnation.

Ralphine suddenly looked down. My anxiety grew bigger. Her shoulders seemed to be shaking a little. Was she crying?… But my wife wasn’t such a weak maiden.

“Ral…?”

“You dare to make fun of me?!”

Ralphine’s golden eyes glinted with a mix of red and shone like burning flames. But that wasn’t all. Her hair flew up as if it was following her emotions, emitting a phosphorescent light. Something like a mirage rose from her trembling shoulders, giving the illusion of distorted space. This was probably the release of magic power.

Ralphine was furious. Incredibly furious. She often got angry over small things, but this was probably the angriest I had ever seen her. I flinched under her glare. Even though I was able to handle Red Bear’s attacks calmly, Ralphine was undoubtedly more terrifying.

As soon as I flinched, Ralphine reached out with tremendous speed and grabbed the collar of my shirt. With unbelievable strength, she lifted me over the table and carried me.

“You foolish husband!”

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