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# 1
Prologue
“Let’s divorce.”
A low voice echoed through the luxurious bedroom of the Crown Prince’s palace.
“The sooner the better.”
Water dripped from the ends of dark gray hair. Between the strands tangled with slender stems of aquatic plants, pale purple eyes wavered quietly.
Women unanimously said these were eyes one couldn’t help falling in love with. Eyes that were heavy like a sky struck by lightning, elegant like a deep forest lake, yet precarious like dawn sky just before a downpour—eyes that made one’s heart stir.
“Tell them you’re divorcing me because I have some unforgivable flaw.”
His face was overall flowing with sharp lines. A straight nose bridge that looked as if drawn by a brush soaked in light, neat lips, and below them, a perfectly symmetrical jawline that gave a sharp and straight impression.
Ash Rihart, who until just a few weeks ago monopolized the popularity of social women with his handsome appearance, had unexpectedly become an Omega after his manifestation.
The blue eyes that had been quietly following him as he wandered around the bedroom stopped. Faint cracks formed on the fine forehead revealed beneath the blonde hair neatly slicked back with pomade.
“…How can you talk about divorce before we’re even married, Ash.”
Despite the gentle and soft voice, his tone was so emotionless it was like frost. He was a beautiful man who seemed molded from a dazzling sun, of a different caliber from the person before him.
Sion Estein. The Crown Prince who would lead the future of the Estein Empire was scheduled to hold a grand wedding ceremony with Ash, the second son of the Duke Rihart family, today.
As the Duke’s second son with no definite future yet determined, Ash would elevate his family’s honor by becoming the Crown Prince’s consort, while Sion, who had been doubted of his qualifications as Crown Prince for being born out of wedlock, would strengthen his position by securing an alliance with the Duke Rihart family.
That was certainly the case until Ash’s former lover appeared and caused a scene.
A coldness with not even a trace of excitement that should exist between an engaged couple about to be married flowed between the two.
Chapter 1. Marriage Blue
“You two really make such a beautiful couple just by looking at you.”
Countess Seymour smiled brightly as if painted. Just a few weeks ago, she had a history of creating various “coincidences” to match Ash with her daughter, and she was very skilled at hiding her true feelings.
“You flatter me.”
Ash, taking a sip of the sweet sparkling wine, responded with proper courtesy.
“Really, you never know what life has in store. It’s a shame for me, of course. I’ve always wondered who this wonderful young man would end up marrying, and in the world… His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Countess Seymour laughed with a peculiar exclamation mixed with equal parts regret and relief. Half regret for losing Ash as a desirable son-in-law, half relief that he manifested as an Omega before becoming deeply involved with her daughter.
If such a thing had happened after he became involved with her daughter, they would have fallen into all sorts of rumors and ridicule for quite some time. For similar reasons, she felt some sympathy for Ash’s lover—no, now ex-lover—Adeline Flora.
“Your wedding news was beautifully published in yesterday’s newspaper. Did you see it? These days, I feel like I’m living in a novel. A true love rarely seen in reality…”
“Are you enjoying the banquet?”
Ash gently cut off her gossip. He had heard enough about what people had been saying about their marriage for the past fortnight.
‘Love of the century,’ ‘The Crown Prince’s devoted love,’ ‘The fruition of a romantic first love,’ and so on… Headlines that made him want to vomit just by hearing them.
Reading Ash’s intention to avoid the topic, Countess Seymour also smiled without adding more words. Even the sweetest love songs become tiresome when heard too often.
“Of course. Could there be another day as perfect as this? The beautiful Lilac Palace seems to shine even more because of your union.”
This annex, which had the official nickname ‘Lilac Palace’ due to its beautiful landscaping, is famous for its spectacular view of lavender-colored lilacs blooming everywhere regardless of the season, and is mainly used for major imperial events and hosting distinguished guests.
Ash looked around the garden, which was at the peak of freshness as she said. The surface of the artificial lake reflecting the sky like a mirror, the purple flowers fluttering like butterflies in the gentle breeze, the lilac fragrance spreading dizzily along the bright sunlight… Every part was dazzling.
Although the ceremony was hastily prepared in just two weeks, everything was so perfect that it was hard to believe, and the guests filling this place were busy praising today’s celebration as if they had no worries.
Everything was going so smoothly. Only the hearts of the parties facing the ceremony were at odds.
“…Oh my.”
It was then. Countess Seymour’s expression subtly changed as she looked over Ash’s shoulder.
“Ash.”
As if sensing something from the voice calling him from behind, Ash quietly turned his head after placing his drink on the tray of a passing server.
Adeline. The name of the person who was his lover until very recently lingered in his mouth.
“Well, I should go greet His Majesty. Have a good time.”
Countess Seymour quickly bowed to Ash and withdrew. With Adeline’s appearance, several ladies’ gazes had already turned this way, and Countess Seymour also blended among them, joining the crowd of spectators.
Naturally turning his body to face away from the lake, Ash greeted Adeline.
“Adel.”
Adeline looked at Ash standing against the background of the water surface sparkling in the spring sunlight. Dressed in a white tailcoat matching the Crown Prince’s, he was brilliantly perfect. While she felt completely crushed inside, he alone remained noble and elegant, which made her feel resentful.
The consideration of deliberately turning his body to hide her from people’s gazes was not welcome today. Although she was behind him, there was no way Adeline couldn’t feel the blatant gazes being poured on her.
“…Since when?”
Adeline quietly opened her mouth.
“Since when have you been deceiving me?”
Although she didn’t want to be a spectacle while everyone was watching, her voice was shaking so severely that it was difficult to hide her feelings.
“I’m sorry.”
What came back to her was just a calm answer without any change in tone. Doesn’t he know that in situations like this, a clean apology without any excuse makes the other person even angrier? Adeline wanted to hear something other than an apology from him.
“How, how could you do this to me…?”
“Calm down, Adel.”
There are many eyes watching. He bent his waist slightly and whispered softly into Adeline’s ear. His tone was as if he was concerned for her with sincerity, without any other ulterior motives.
That voice was so affectionate that Adeline’s anger, which she had been trying to suppress, surged.
“What did you do while I was gone?”
For a romance with a man who has the nickname ‘Lover of a Hundred Days’ because he never dates a woman for more than three months, it seemed unexpectedly long.
But in the end, Ash gave her the worst breakup.
“Did you ever think about me who had to suddenly hear about your wedding news from abroad?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you have anything else to say? How can you always be so…!”
The collar of the tailcoat, which had been clean without a single wrinkle, was crumpled in her delicate hand. The sound of people murmuring quietly was heard around. Just as Ash gently wrapped her arms and turned his body to lead her more inside.
“Oh my, oh my…!”
“Oh dear…!”
Short exclamations from the ladies stirred. The entangled bodies couldn’t withstand the acceleration and tilted over the surface of the lake. Adeline, who was excited and grabbed Ash’s collar, had slipped her foot.
“Adel.”
Ash reflexively wrapped her waist, but the body whose center of gravity had already shifted fell into the lake. A large wave rose from the lake that swallowed the two adults.
Screams erupted here and there from people. Sion’s blue eyes, who was having a ceremonial conversation with guests a little distance away, quietly gazed in that direction.
“…”
Fortunately, the depth of the artificial lake was not too deep. However, looking down at Adeline in his arms, Ash realized a more serious problem had occurred.
At the end of May, a spring day looking towards the beginning of summer. Women’s dresses are very thin around this time. The muslin dress that had been beautifully fluttering in the wind like dragonfly wings now miserably clung to the skin, explicitly revealing the woman’s silhouette.
With a calm but not slow movement, Ash immediately took off his tailcoat and wrapped her body. Oh my, what should we do… People’s sighs were heard around as he lifted Adeline up.
Although his tailcoat might have covered about half of the disaster, the legs revealed between the clinging skirt could not be hidden.
Ash, who was holding Adeline’s shoulder with one arm, reached out and grabbed a tablecloth nearby. All sorts of decorations and crystal glasses on the table broke and rolled with a loud noise, but no one cared about the noise.
After wrapping her delicate body tightly with the white tablecloth, Ash supported her waist and the back of her knees and picked her up. He brushed past the Emperor’s fierce gaze near the lakeside and momentarily met Sion’s blue eyes behind him.
Only a suffocating silence flowed in the garden, which until just a moment ago was full of murmuring sounds.
Ash left the garden through that silence with a calm attitude.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
