Chapter 158 – Hoping For Happiness (1)

Sovieshu lied to his mother. Navier had eaten the drug-laced cookies.

“The side effects do not manifest with everyone.”

After Sovieshu finished his story, he pressed his hand against his temple and closed his eyes.

“Until adulthood, I thought I would be fine as I had only eaten it once. My mother had used a lot of the drug, but Navier and I were healthy and young. Our diet had also been replaced with ingredients that would neutralize the drug’s effects.”

But they had no baby.

“After I became an adult, I wondered if the reason we had no children was because the drug affected the Empress or me, or both.”

After Rashta became pregnant, however, he became certain it was the Empress that was barren.

The High Priest looked on soberly at Sovieshu’s story. The Empress had not become pregnant, all because of a drug she had unknowingly consumed years ago. That was enough to assume her infertility.

In addition, the incident involved the former empress, Sovieshu’s mother. She had already been embroiled in a series of scandals, and had caused a number of concubines to suffer greatly. Another scandal could not be placed upon her, and Sovieshu had to keep his mouth shut to protect her honor.

The High Priest thought it unusual at first that the former empress did not break up the young couple, even though her future daughter-in-law may be infertile. The average empress likely would have had the Crown Princess replaced as a precautionary measure. It seemed that the former empress may have harbored a soft spot for Navier. The High Priest was convinced of this.

“I cannot give up my only flesh and blood. I have to protect my child.”

At Sovieshu’s heavy words, the High Priest gave a sigh.

***

I kept staring at the printed words before me, but I couldn’t make any sense of them. I read the document over again. Everything would be settled soon; who knows how things would turn out. My mind kept straying towards wondering what kind of conversation the High Priest and Sovieshu were having.

Three hours later, when I received word that the High Priest wanted to see me, I felt a strange sense of relief.

‘He’ll come.’

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

“Why is the High Priest visiting you?”

Countess Eliza had informed me that he had arrived, but her expression was uneasy.

“I do not know…I’ll have to see him first.”

Countess Eliza nodded and went out of the room. After a moment, the door opened again and the High Priest entered. I remembered how he looked when he had teased Sovieshu and I as we made our wedding vows, but this time his beard was white from the years.

He closed the door, but he did not approach me immediately. He simply fixed me with an observant stare. His eyes, although warm, trembled beneath his wrinkled visage. I smiled at him awkwardly, and he murmured, “You know,” then his shoulders and chest suddenly dropped as if he finally figured out how to breathe. He had been worried about how to tell me that Sovieshu wanted to divorce me.

“Please come here.”

I stood up from my desk and pulled out a chair for him. He walked forward with heavy steps, deciding on the right words to say.

“So it came to this.”

“Yes.”

“Empress Navier. The two of you were very close.”

“It was just a sandcastle.”

The High Priest pressed his lips together. He wanted to object and say that that wasn’t true at all, and in a sense, I thought the same way. All the smiles Sovieshu and I shared were not built of sand.

But that was already in the past. He had found new love, and I was just a passerby.

The High Priest placed his hands on the table and clenched his fists several times. Meanwhile, Countess Eliza brought in coffee and cookies, looking on at the scene with anxious eyes. She left the refreshments on the table, but the High Priest did not touch the food.

“It’s not too sweet.”

I invited him to eat, but he shook his head. No, he gave a hard stare at the cookies and gripped his chest.

‘Does he hate cookies?’

His reaction was more intense than I expected. Should I have the cookies taken away? As I thought of what to do, he spoke again, informing me of the reason why Sovieshu applied for divorce.

“Emperor Sovieshu has stated the grounds for divorce are because the Empress’ brother, Lord Koshar, pushed the Emperor’s pregnant concubine, kidnapped and harmed Viscount Roteschu to find out the concubine’s weaknesses, as well as bribed fake parents to scam her.”

“That’s all nonsense.”

“…And because the Empress is infertile, Emperor Sovieshu must protect the concubine’s baby.”

“Again, that’s nonsense.”

The High Priest gave a sigh, but I spoke in a more firm tone before.

“I cannot accept any of it.”

Even if I knew Sovieshu was preparing to divorce me in advance, I could not accept such insulting reasons. I had to say no, even if it would not have much effect on the divorce proceedings.

The High Priest gave another heavy sigh, and he put his hands together in a pleading gesture.

“Why have you two grown so far apart?”

“There is only one reason.”

“One?”

“The Emperor’s heart went to someone else. That is all.”

The High Priest exhaled, then looked at me with grave eyes.

“I will proceed with the divorce process, but this will not be easy for you. Do you understand?”

Instead of answering, I responded with a soft laugh.

Afterwards, the High Priest left. I ate all the cookies he left untouched, then sat back down at my desk. My heart was calm even though the High Priest had come here to deliver me bad news. No matter how dreadful the situation was, I always kept my composure. Fortunately, it was not difficult to focus on my work.

Late evening arrived, and a maid came to inform me that Sir Artina had returned. I set my pen down in surprise. Sir Artina? The timing was late, but I had no other choice.

I hurried out into the parlor room, and I saw Sir Artina standing there with a face lined with exhaustion. His hair, which was usually clean and neat, was muddy and tangled.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

I sat Sir Artina down in a chair. I wanted to ask immediately if he had delivered the letter, but he looked in terrible condition. The lady-in-waiting asked if we would like coffee or tea, and Sir Artina, instead of speaking, gestured to her in affirmation. As soon as the lady-in-waiting left, he finally spoke.

“Marquis Farang had taken off so fast, and it had taken longer than expected to catch up to him. But I managed to deliver it to him before he crossed the border.”

“Deliver? The letter?”

“Yes.”

“I immediately came straight back, but if Marquis Farang was travelling at the speed he did then, he would have crossed the border into the Western Kingdom…in fact, he may even be in the capital by now.”

I felt like I was about to burst. Finally, finally, the letter was delivered!

And yet…

It was too late. The High Priest came and the interview ended. The divorce court would be held soon. King Heinley could not make it all the way here in time.