The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 121

Chapter 121. The Note He Sent (2)

Seeing Ian’s expression brighter than usual, Louid felt even more uneasy, but he didn’t show it outwardly.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Ian, who had entered the audience chamber, bowed his head and paid his respects.

“I heard the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Billiot has died. I offer my deepest condolences to the king and the people of the kingdom.”

Louid, seated in the place of honor, spoke with a solemn expression.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“After the funeral, you will need to succeed to the position of Crown Prince, so I will permit you to return to your country. You do not need to return to the empire. The matter of the hostage will be discussed again later with the Kingdom of Billiot.”

Louid ordered Ian to return home.

“I will do so. Thank you, Your Highness.”

Nothing could be read from Ian’s polite demeanor as he offered his thanks.

Damian would also go to the Kingdom of Billiot as part of the condolence delegation to assist Asher. After receiving instructions from Asher to prepare for departure, he immediately went to the Crown Prince’s palace. There was something he needed to deliver to Emilia.

“Welcome, Damian.”

After dismissing the attendants, Emilia greeted him warmly.

“Emilia, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’ll be going to the Kingdom of Billiot as part of the condolence delegation as well.”

“Is that so?”

Emilia’s expression darkened. She had already heard from Helen about the death of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Billiot.

Will the Kingdom of Billiot be safe? She had only just met Damian after twenty years, and the fear that she might lose a blood relative again suddenly overwhelmed her.

“You’ll come back, right?” she asked with a troubled expression.

“Of course. Don’t worry. When I return, let’s leave the palace together. It’ll take about fifteen days.”

The Kingdom of Billiot was as vast as the empire. However, its capital was not far from the border. If they rode fast instead of traveling by carriage, it would be possible to make the condolence visit and return within fifteen days.

“I see. Come back safely.”

Despite his reassurance, Emilia’s expression didn’t brighten.

“If something happens and you have to leave the imperial palace alone before then, go here.”

Lowering his voice, Damian showed her a map he had secretly brought. The map had the names of each region and detailed route markings. A star was marked at the very southern end of the empire by the sea.

“This is also Count Dalton’s territory. The count doesn’t know we’re going there. There aren’t any other houses nearby, so it’ll be easy to find. There’s one caretaker, and I’ve told him my sister might come. I’ve also arranged for a false identity, and I’ll give it to you when I return.”

“Thank you.”

“The caretaker is elderly and has poor eyesight, so he didn’t even recognize me after seeing me several times. He won’t recognize the Crown Princess either.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Damian was meticulous by nature. In that sense, he even resembled Duke Berthe. Of course, Damian would hate hearing that.

“Don’t worry about me. Just come back safely.”

“Alright. You be careful too.”

Holding back her tears, Emilia gave her brother words of concern and farewell as he prepared to leave on a long journey. Damian also calmly held her hand.

With Damian, she was no longer alone. She couldn’t imagine being alone again. Since his return would coincide with Louid’s border inspection, she decided she would leave the palace as soon as Damian returned.

After Damian left, Emilia calmly began preparing to depart.

“I’m going to take a nap, so don’t let anyone come in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After ensuring that no servants would enter her room for a set period of time, Emilia placed the jeweled accessories Louid had given her deep inside the wardrobe in the dressing room. What she received from him was not truly hers.

Instead, she packed the doll her father had bought for her.

Holding the doll in her hands, she looked around the space she had lived in with a bitter expression.

She wanted to take something that could serve as a memory of Louid, but aside from the jewelry, there was nothing.

‘Let’s not regret it. I’m just going back to the beginning. Not as the Grand Duchess, not as the Crown Princess, but as my original self.’

Though she had grown up lonely, confined in the tower, she now had a sibling bound to her by blood, so she was no longer alone.

If something urgent happened, she planned to ride the horse tied behind the Crown Prince’s palace, which Louid had shown her during their first meeting, and go to the place marked on the map.

Thanks to Louid and Jamie’s harsh training, she could now ride well enough to make it there on her own.

Only if it’s truly dangerous. Let’s stay calm and wait until Damian returns.

Even so, her heart wouldn’t settle, so she decided to leave Louid a letter. Sitting at the desk, she held the pen, and after a long time, she finally completed it.

In the letter, she wrote a clear reason for the divorce so that Louid would not try to find her.

[Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am infertile, so I cannot bear you an heir. I am leaving behind the divorce agreement and departing, so please submit it to the temple. Thank you for your consideration all this time, and I am truly sorry for not keeping my promise. Emilia Richert.]

She kept the contents short and concise. And she left no room for emotion.

She also signed the divorce agreement that would be submitted to the Grand Temple, so that Louid could proceed with the divorce on his own even without her. In the Richert Empire, infertility of a royal spouse was sufficient grounds for divorce due to the matter of succession.

Emilia placed the sealed letter and the divorce agreement in the lowest drawer of her desk, then locked it so that no one could open it. She planned to leave the key in Louid’s desk drawer when she departed.

‘Maybe I really am infertile.’

Considering that no child had come after nearly a year of marriage, it might truly be the case.

Perhaps it was fortunate that there was no child. She had agreed to the contract to divorce after bearing an heir, but she could not have left a child behind.

After finishing all her preparations, she called her close maids one by one.

“Helen, you’ve worked hard all this time. Go visit your hometown.”

She gave Helen a long one-month leave to visit her hometown. After the founding festival, during the harvest season in autumn, it was common to give servants leave.

“I don’t really need to go, Your Highness.”

Perhaps she hadn’t expected to be given leave, Helen waved her hands and looked flustered.

“You should visit your parents. Go on. Take it.”

What Emilia held out to Helen was a bulging velvet pouch. It was filled with gold coins.

“Yes, understood.”

Helen reluctantly accepted the pouch. But her expression showed no joy at all.

She did the same for Lucy, giving her gold coins and telling her to visit her hometown. Lucy happened to have a sick family member, so she gratefully accepted the offer.

She also gave gold coins to the three young ladies, including Lina, and told them to return to their respective territories and enjoy their leave.

“Your Highness, I will return to the palace.”

Unlike the two young ladies who looked pleased, Lina spoke with a sullen expression. For the past few days, she had been wearing a dissatisfied look for no apparent reason.

“No, you should rest as well. I’ll be fine with just the maids.”

“Then since my home is the closest, I will come to the palace from time to time even during my leave.”

“Do as you wish.”

Lina rarely listened to others anyway, so Emilia didn’t try to persuade her further.

***

A few days later. After returning from the greenhouse, Emilia was strolling through the garden of the Crown Prince’s palace.

How pretty.

The greenhouse of the Crown Prince’s palace was filled with wildflowers she liked. The petals were white with yellow centers. She brought her nose close to a flower and inhaled its scent. The fresh fragrance of the wildflowers cleared her heavy mind. Aside from those, the greenhouse was also filled with various colorful blooms.

‘How wonderful it would be to give birth to a child who resembles a wildflower.’

A child with black hair and blue eyes, a child with platinum blonde hair and red eyes.

What am I thinking?

Startled by her own passing thought, Emilia shut her eyes tightly. It seemed she had unconsciously wished to have Louid’s child.

‘No. Let go of your greed, Emilia.’

She shook her head and left the greenhouse.

“Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent a note.”

When she returned to the bedroom, Lina brought her a note, saying it had been delivered by a servant from the main palace.

A note from Louid?

Louid had told her not to come to his bedroom for the time being so she could rest. Lately, he had also been so busy that they couldn’t even share meals together.

And yet, for him to suddenly send a note. She quickly checked the condition of the note without Lina noticing. Lina might have opened it. Fortunately, the note was neatly folded and secured with a gold thread, showing no signs of being opened.

“Good work. You may leave.”

After sending Lina out, Emilia unfolded the note with a curious expression.