Chapter 17: 17
Cyrus, wearing a face that had completely given up, made several proposals to Dorothy regarding their divorce.
Cyrus would pay a small amount of compensation, and if asked by those around them about the reason, she was free to state publicly that he was at fault.
If they happened to meet somewhere in the future, they would exchange only the bare minimum of greetings, and Cyrus would not approach her any further than necessary.
“Um, by divorcing me, your backing within the Imperial Palace might…”
“To be honest, Count Miller’s name was rather weak to begin with, so now Noah-sama and the Marquis of Feremeren, Frederica’s father, are acting as my patrons.”
“Therefore, even if I divorce, there will be no significant impact.”
At some point, Frederica had already spoken to her father, the marquis.
Dorothy had met the marquis within the Imperial Palace, and as expected of Noah and Frederica’s father, he was a dashing gentleman.
It was a small secret that she had felt a brief sense of admiration for him.
“I-I see.”
Being told that the Miller family name was weak was true, yet it still made Cyrus feel complicated.
Having the Feremeren marquisate as her backing meant that Noah, who had quietly come to stand beside Dorothy before anyone noticed, also held the right to protect her.
By the honor of his house, he had the right to protect Dorothy, who was now under the protection of his family.
More than that, judging by his demeanor, it was clear that his feelings went beyond mere obligation.
There truly was no longer any place for Cyrus.
Dorothy had become a woman beyond his reach.
Swallowing many emotions, Cyrus signed the divorce papers.
“Your Majesty, a report has come in regarding the former Princess Belinda from my subordinates.”
Eugene stopped his hand and looked toward Lucien.
“Annoying, but has she been found?”
“No.”
“However, information that seems troublesome has surfaced.”
At Lucien’s words, Eugene’s brow twitched.
“If it’s troublesome, you could handle it yourself, you know?”
“I refuse.”
“Give up.”
“Tch.”
If Lucien judged it that way, then it was probably something Eugene should know as well.
Honestly, he did not care what happened to the woman who had caused Aurelia suffering, but it would be irritating to be dragged into even more trouble later simply because he had been ignorant.
Resigned, Eugene prepared himself to hear Lucien’s report.
“It seems Belinda was acting together with a group dressed in black.”
“A group in black?”
“What sort of group?”
“It’s not entirely clear, but they appear to have flowed in from around the Kingdom of Joya.”
“From Joya?”
“Yes.”
“And one of them reportedly had two large black circles lined up on the back of his hand.”
“…The mark of blood and pleasure.”
“This is truly troublesome.”
“So they still have survivors.”
“Most likely.”
“It cannot be denied that there were survivors from the group that General Nasser and Prince Leonard hunted down and destroyed.”
“There were five or six of them, and that number could easily survive in hiding.”
It was the cult that once followed the youngest prince of the Kingdom of Joya, believing that the people of Joya were supreme beings, and that the best way to grant their wishes was to offer high-ranking foreigners as sacrifices.
They were the ones who had previously attempted to sacrifice Emerine, General Nasser’s daughter and now the wife of Prince Leonard, as an offering to their god.
Most of them had been captured or sent to their god at that time, but it seemed some still remained.
The proof of membership among them was the two black circles placed side by side.
Under the doctrine that offering blood to their god would grant all pleasures in this world, they marked their bodies with those two black circles.
If pleasure could be obtained in exchange for blood, they could have simply offered animal blood and drowned themselves in carnal desire, but their doctrine conveniently allowed many interpretations of pleasure, from physical to mental, leaving each person to decide what constituted their own pleasure.
Some found pleasure in driving others into ruin, while others delighted in tormenting them mentally.
Those with the black circles on the backs of their hands were the ones who saw it as their duty to send sacrifices to their god, taking pleasure in the sense of accomplishment and the sight of blood itself.
“That group survived in the shadows for many years, so they’re skilled at hiding.”
“It wouldn’t be strange if some survived.”
“…Have the recluse in the Grand Library investigate all past records related to them.”
“Have him look for places they revered as holy sites outside Joya, and places they hid in the past.”
“Yes.”
Though they were a group that offered sacrifices to their god, they had maintained a certain degree of organization and fixed gathering places.
If Eugene remembered correctly, the locations where sacrifices were offered were also fixed.
Many had been discovered and destroyed, but not all of them.
“I don’t care what happens to Belinda, but I want to avoid those people regaining power.”
“Contact Joya as well.”
“I will also issue orders to General Nasser to search.”
“Good.”
Since his only daughter had once been abducted as a sacrifice, General Nasser regarded that group as something that had to be eradicated.
The Kingdom of Joya, where his youngest brother had somehow become a central figure, had sent Prince Leonard to Nasser, and together they had destroyed the group.
He had believed their power as an organization was gone, but perhaps that assumption had been mistaken.
“Just when Emerine finally married and things settled down, there are always those who want to stir things up again.”
Lind did not matter, but Joya bordered the Empire and held considerable territory, so Eugene would have preferred it to remain stable.
“Don’t tell Aurelia for now.”
“Call the chancellor and Noah.”
“We’ll devise countermeasures.”
“Yes.”
After Lucien left the room to summon them, Eugene let out a deep breath.
No matter how many times they were crushed, people like that always resurfaced.
Throughout history, they had appeared on the public stage again and again, only to vanish.
‘No use dwelling on it.’
‘This time, I’ll erase them completely.’
Alone in the room, Eugene made that vow.
“Noah-sama, thank you very much.”
“Because you were with me, Cyrus-sama didn’t say anything unreasonable.”
If Dorothy had faced Cyrus alone, things surely would not have gone so smoothly.
Even if he had not opposed the divorce outright, he might have delayed the discussion.
With Noah present, however, Cyrus had worn a look of resignation.
He seemed to have finally realized that a marriage that had been broken from the start could not be redone.
“Yes.”
“He still seemed to have lingering feelings for you, Dorothy-dono.”
“Lingering feelings?”
“Unfortunately, I have none.”
“Haha, that’s the spirit.”
“Yes.”
“There is one thing I am grateful to Cyrus-sama for.”
“Because I was always being swept along, I’ve now learned to think properly about myself.”
From now on, no matter what her blood relatives said, she was no longer afraid.
She could refuse things she disliked.
She had a job, and with the Feremeren marquisate as her backing, she no longer needed to rely on her family.
“I’m glad I was able to serve Her Majesty the Empress.”
“I can’t thank Frederica enough.”
“And I thank you as well, Noah-sama.”
Frederica, who had remained her best friend since the day they met, and Noah, who cared for her even if at his sister’s request.
She had been indebted to the siblings of the Feremeren family in every way.
“I would like to repay you somehow, but unfortunately there is little I can do…”
With Frederica, she could go eat sweets in the capital together or accompany her shopping, but she had no idea what she could do for Noah.
“Um, is there anything I can do for you, Noah-sama?”
She could manage something like a massage, a shoulder rub, or a small errand at most, but Dorothy wanted to repay him in any way she could.
Noah thought for a moment, then faced her.
“…Would anything truly be fine?”
“If it’s something I can do.”
“I would rather avoid anything painful, though…”
“Don’t worry.”
“I wouldn’t make you do anything unreasonable.”
Whatever she had imagined, Noah chuckled at Dorothy’s slightly troubled expression and looked at her with gentle eyes.
“…It may be unfair to say this to you just after your divorce, but I have feelings for you now.”
“What?”
“Simply put, I’ve fallen for you.”
“It was almost love at first sight.”
At Noah’s words, Dorothy froze, unable to say anything.
‘Noah-sama is in love…?’
‘With whom?’
‘With me?’
‘At first sight…?’
To be honest, she could not believe it.
Dorothy’s self-evaluation was low.
She truly believed she was not someone beautiful enough for Noah to fall for, just an ordinary person you could find anywhere.
She had believed that she and Noah lived in completely different worlds.
“N-Noah-sama, teasing me is…”
She had meant to say ‘please stop.’
But Noah’s gaze was completely serious, with no hint of jest.
“I’m serious.”
“I want you.”
“Won’t you search for our happiness together with me, over this lifetime?”
“…Noah-sama…”
Not happiness solely for Noah, nor happiness solely for Dorothy, but happiness they would seek together, bound by a mutual vow.
That was what Noah was offering to search for over his entire life.
“I…I…”
She had just divorced and had only just resolved to seek her own happiness, so Dorothy was thrown into confusion.
Yet Noah had said he wanted to search for happiness together with her, not with anyone else.
Not imposing happiness, but searching for it together.
“There is happiness you find alone, but surely there is also happiness that exists because two people are together.”
“So, will you give me permission to stand right beside you?”
“…Ah…um…”
Just as Dorothy was about to say something, Lucien appeared, looking for Noah.
“Excuse me, Dorothy-dono.”
“Sorry, but His Majesty is calling for Noah-dono.”
“May I take him?”
“Um, Noah-sama isn’t exactly mine to—”
She stopped herself mid-sentence when she caught a glimpse of Noah’s slightly sad expression in the corner of her eye.
“It can’t be helped.”
“Dorothy-dono, I’d like your answer another day.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Think it through carefully.”
“If you wish, consult my sister as well.”
“I want you to decide for yourself.”
“…Yes.”
Hearing her reply, Noah smiled and left with Lucien.
Left alone, Dorothy’s mind was overwhelmed by everything that had happened at once.
Her face flushed red as she sank down where she stood.
She covered her face with both hands and took a deep breath.
“…This is too much.”
“I can’t think about anything today…”
Fortunately, there was no one else around to see her like that.
Dorothy remained there, unable to move for quite some time.