Chapter 11: After the Wife Was Gone
“My lord, please sign this divorce document.”
“…!”
Urged by the head steward Said, what was presented was not the divorce document Harid had prepared himself, but the one Electra had already signed.
It was only natural, since the document Harid had prepared was still tucked away in his clothes.
“…You will not sign it?”
“It’s not something to sign when the person herself isn’t here!
That signature could be a forgery!”
“It is the lady’s own signature.
She signed it in front of all of us servants.
Are you accusing everyone who works in this manor of lying, my lord?”
“…What did you say!?”
Harid’s irritation only grew stronger.
Why did it feel as though they had anticipated every argument he might make and prepared countermeasures in advance?
“Do you know who your master is?
I am the one who employs you!”
“…And what exactly do you mean by that, my lord?”
“It means you should act as I wish!”
“…As you wish, my lord?”
“Yes!”
“…In that case, I believe your wish would be for you to sign the divorce document and take responsibility by submitting it to the office yourself.”
“W-what about that—!”
“The woman waiting in the reception room even now.
Do you not wish to be united with her?”
“Th-that is…!”
That was exactly right.
Today, Harid had intended to divorce Electra and be united with Livia.
It was just that he had expected to be the one to bring up the divorce, and for Electra to cling to him in tears when she heard it.
Never had he imagined being divorced in such a humiliating way, as though he himself had been cast aside.
“What do you wish to do, my lord?
That young lady over there, Livia, was it?
If you truly intend to be with her, then promptly signing and submitting this divorce document would be the sincere way to act toward her.
Or did you intend to make her your mistress, and merely wished to show her Lady Electra’s face?”
“N-no…”
That was it.
He would sign the document and submit it immediately.
It would all be over.
That had been his plan from the start.
And yet, he could not accept it.
Irritation welled up within him.
He felt angry about letting things end like this.
That was all…
“My lord, do you feel guilt?”
“…Guilt?”
“Infidelity can be called a sin.”
“That’s not—!
I truly love Livia—!”
“Love does not serve as a pardon.
Would you be able to say proudly before other nobles that you divorced Lady Electra on such grounds?
I believe it is you who would be looked upon with disappointment.”
“Gh…!”
The exchange between the head steward and Harid continued after that.
But the more they spoke, the more Harid only embarrassed himself and exposed his own disgrace.
The servants listening nearby lowered their opinion of him further and further.
“Should I convey your current attitude honestly to that young lady as well?
You hesitate so much over the divorce that perhaps it would be for her benefit to know.”
“Stop it!
…Damn it!
I’ll sign it, alright!”
It was nothing like he had imagined, but Harid was forced to sign the divorce document with Electra.
After confirming the signature, Said accepted it.
“Will you submit it to the office yourself?
I have a letter of authorization as the lady’s proxy, so I am able to submit it.”
“…Why do you even have something like that?”
“It was prepared by Lady Electra.”
Having divorced his wife Electra, Harid then went on to formally become engaged to Livia.
“Harid-sama.”
“Ah, ah, Livia.
Don’t worry about it.
It looks like I’ll be able to divorce Electra without issue.
It seems I won’t trouble you either.”
“…Will you not be able to meet your wife?”
“No.
It seems she left the house a month ago already.”
“…I see.
I wanted to apologize to her.
Where is she now?”
“Where?
No, that would be…
Said?
Where is Electra now?”
“I do not know.
The lady left the manor without telling us her destination.”
“…How irresponsible!”
He let the complaint slip out without thinking, but every time Harid spoke, the atmosphere among the servants grew colder.
“But surely you’re worried, aren’t you?
Shouldn’t you look for her, Harid-sama?”
“Y-yes.
I am worried.”
“…………”
“Said, search for Electra.
Divorce may be unavoidable, but we were husband and wife.
Leaving without even a final conversation is strange.”
“…Understood, my lord.”
And so, Harid entrusted the search for Electra to the head steward.
After that, he tried to compose himself and spent time with Livia.
The servants watching them could only feel deep disappointment.
“…Head steward.”
“Yes.
I suppose the thoughts of one who commits adultery are bound to be distorted.”
“It’s frightening to think what might have happened if Lady Electra had not prepared letters of introduction for all of us in advance.”
“…Indeed.”
Head steward Said reflected.
At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before Harid tried to dismiss any servants he found displeasing.
However, over the past two years, everyone who had lived in this manor already possessed the letters of introduction Electra had prepared.
They would not struggle excessively to find new employment.
She had ensured that the servants could escape at any time.
As though she had known from long ago that things would turn out this way.
“That woman named Livia.
The fact that she suggested deliberately seeking out Lady Electra gives me a bad feeling.”
“…Yes.
I felt uneasy about it as well.
Do you see it that way too, as a woman?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think her intent was?”
“…I don’t know if there’s some deep scheme behind it.
But at the very least… I think she wanted to boast to Lady Electra.”
“Boast?”
“Yes.
About being chosen and loved as a woman.
Rather than some grand plot, it gave me a rather shallow impression.”
“…I see.
Then I would rather not let her meet Lady Electra.”
“Yes, I agree.”
“We can’t flee immediately either.
As long as my lord properly considers the people of the territory…
No matter our personal feelings, we will continue to serve.”
“…Yes.
Because the happiness of the people was what Lady Electra wished for.”