The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 96

Chapter 96. Someone I’ll Divorce, But (1)

“Emilia?”

Emilia was lying on the bed with her back turned, breathing softly. She didn’t move at all even when he called her, as if she were deeply asleep.

She’s already sleeping when it hasn’t even been that long since dinner? Something felt strange.

“Emilia, I brought wine.”

He called her again, but there was no response from her.

Louid quietly approached the bed. Emilia was fast asleep.

‘What is this….’

With a hollow expression, Louid returned to the sitting room. Sitting on the sofa, he stayed still for a moment in a daze. Sitting alone in the empty sitting room without Emilia, he had nothing to do and, for some reason, felt lonely. This used to be his normal life, yet slowly opening the wine bottle, he drank alone in silence.

In truth, when Louid entered the bedroom, Emilia had been hugging a pillow and pretending to sleep, staying completely still. After seeing him alone with Lina in the greenhouse, it felt awkward to face him.

‘Why am I acting like this? He’s someone I’ll divorce. Let’s not be like this.’

She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, but for some reason, the image of the two of them in the greenhouse kept coming to mind.

‘I’m not someone who suits him. I shouldn’t be greedy. I should only think about becoming independent.’

In truth, someone suited to be the Grand Duchess was a woman like Lady Carrion, who had grown up in a noble family and received a proper education. She was a woman who couldn’t even be compared to herself, who could do nothing but draw clothing designs.

“Ha….”

She let out a deep sigh. The shock she received today refused to fade.

It seemed Louid was drinking wine alone in the sitting room. Normally, she would’ve gotten up right away just to drink wine, but today she didn’t want to.

Emilia tightly closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.

***

Early the next morning, after finishing his sword training at the training grounds, Louid hurriedly prepared to go out in his room. He had a morning audience scheduled with the Emperor.

After finishing his preparations and about to leave the room, he stopped in the middle of the bedroom. His gaze turned toward the door that connected to Emilia’s bedroom.

Is she still sleeping?

When he left the bedroom at dawn, Emilia had been sleeping soundly.

For some reason, today he desperately wanted to see her face as she woke up.

‘Why am I doing something I never do?’

Perhaps because he’d been cared for by Emilia while he was sick, it seemed his mind had become a little strange.

He shook his head and left the bedroom.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke, are you heading out?”

As Louid strode across the first-floor lobby with his long legs, a sharp voice reached his ears. He stopped and slowly turned around.

“Young lady, you’re up early.”

“I’m diligent, so I always wake up early.”

Lina narrowed her eyes and spoke in a coquettish voice.

“It seems Her Highness the Grand Duchess is still asleep.”

“Emilia is….”

Louid was about to say that Emilia woke up late because she was physically weak, but he firmly shut his mouth. Lina’s interest in Emilia suddenly felt excessive.

“You seem quite interested in Emilia, young lady,” he said, his expression hardening.

“I suppose I’m concerned since she’s someone I saved. Hoho. And she’s someone I’ll be serving as a lady-in-waiting in the future as well.”

At Louid’s sharp question, Lina made an excuse. Even though it was early morning, cold sweat formed on her forehead.

“I see. Then I’ll be going.”

“Have a safe trip, Your Highness.”

Lina bowed toward Louid’s back as he strode away. As soon as the carriage he rode in departed, her face quickly turned cold.

‘So he cares about that woman just because she’s his wife. That position was originally mine.’

Lina shot one more glare toward the upper stairs with a sulky expression before returning to the annex.

“Phew….”

A few hours later, Emilia headed to the dining room to have lunch with Lina. Just thinking about having to face someone she disliked every day made a sigh escape her. Lina was already there waiting in the dining room.

“Welcome, Your Highness. I’ve been waiting.”

Lina stood up from her seat and spoke politely.

“Mm, sit.”

Emilia gave a slight nod and went to her seat before sitting down. As the two took their seats, the food began to be laid out on the table.

“Your Highness, I heard there is a beautiful river at the grand ducal manor.”

“There is. But why do you ask?”

Emilia looked at Lina with a puzzled expression at the sudden mention of the river.

Behind the grand ducal manor flowed the Aiden River, a large river that ran through the empire. When the sun set, riding out to look at the gently flowing river created a breathtakingly beautiful view.

“Since I’ve come all this way, I’d like to enjoy the beautiful scenery together with Your Highness. Would that be alright?” Lina said with a bright smile.

With me? She probably wants to go with Louid….

It seemed Lina’s purpose for coming here was Louid. But Emilia couldn’t say that out loud. She let out a quiet sigh without showing it and answered.

“Very well. The scenery is beautiful at sunset, so let’s go see it together this afternoon.”

“Yes, thank you.”

That late afternoon, Emilia rode out with Lina to the Aiden River to see the scenery.

***

“Louid!”

“Asher!”

After going to the imperial palace, Louid met the Emperor and then met Asher, and they had lunch together. While eating with him, he listened to the recent situation of the kingdoms that paid tribute to the empire.

On the continent where they lived, aside from the empire, there were many large and small kingdoms. Among them, the Kingdom of Billiot was the largest and most threatening. The other kingdoms also required constant attention. That was why he frequently met with Asher, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to exchange opinions.

“I told you to come visit my residence with Her Highness.”

The Dalton Count’s estate where Asher stayed when he was in the imperial capital was located near the imperial palace. Every time they met, Asher kept urging Louid to visit with Emilia.

“Alright, I’ll visit soon.”

“You must come.”

“Alright.”

As Asher spoke with Louid, he observed his friend with a thoughtful gaze. When Louid talked about Emilia, his eyes were completely different from the early days of the marriage, when he disliked her as the granddaughter of Duke Berthe.

He didn’t seem to realize it himself, but those were clearly the eyes of someone in love. Even if it was unrequited. The Emilia he had seen was definitely a woman one couldn’t help but like.

With a subtle smile, Asher spoke, “I have to report to His Majesty tomorrow. Can you give me the documents on the Kingdom of Beiro I asked for last time?”

“The documents are at the manor. I forgot.”

He remembered that he hadn’t brought the documents he had instructed Eddie to prepare. Tomorrow happened to be a day he wouldn’t be going to the palace.

“Then I’ll send my aide. Have him bring them when you leave the palace.”

“Alright.”

Outside the dining hall, Damian was standing by on guard.

“Greetings, Your Highness the Grand Duke.”

As Louid exited the dining hall after finishing his meal, Damian greeted him in a firm voice.

“So you’re the young man who taught Emilia how to make wine.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“You looked delicate, but you’re quite spirited.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate him. He’s completely different from how he looks. Almost like Her Highness,” Asher said with a proud expression.

Come to think of it, he resembles Emilia quite a bit.

Louid looked closely at the young man’s blond hair tinged with pink and his delicate, almost feminine features. His pale skin, sapphire-blue eyes, and long eyelashes all closely resembled Emilia’s.

Did she take a liking to him because he looks like her?

For some reason, he didn’t dislike the young man either.

“Ah, Emilia will be pleased to see you today.”

“…?”

At Louid’s words, Damian widened his blue eyes and looked at Asher as if asking what he meant.

“Today, you’ll be going to the grand ducal manor to retrieve something. You’ll ride in the carriage with His Highness the Grand Duke, so make your preparations,” Asher said with a smile.

“…Yes, understood.”

Damian’s heart pounded like someone who had just finished a sprint.

I’ll get to see Her Highness the Grand Duchess again!

That was the reason he became Count Asher’s aide, but the thought of actually seeing her again felt like a dream.

While assisting Count Asher, Damian learned many things. Horseback riding, swordsmanship, archery, and more. What he had only seen in books at the tower was completely different from learning it in reality.

He learned quickly as well. Even though he only studied during the spare time when he wasn’t assisting Asher, he picked up many skills rapidly. It was all thanks to Count Asher’s consideration.

“Lucian, if you want to assist me, you need to be skilled in many things, just like a guard knight. Especially swordsmanship, horseback riding, and archery. Make sure to train diligently.”

“Yes, understood.”

Though he had a desire for achievement, Damian never neglected his training because he wanted to show a dignified side of himself to the Grand Duchess someday. In just a few months, he became fairly skilled with a sword.

Thinking that he would show her how much he had improved today, Damian’s heart wouldn’t calm down.

A few hours later, he boarded a carriage with Louid and headed toward the grand ducal manor.