Chapter 2: The Empty Seat Beside Me

“What did you say?”

“I said, let’s get a divorce.”

I answer Rihanna as I slip the retrieved ring into the pocket, repeating the question.

I can almost feel the wind growing colder.

Maybe it’s just my imagination. Since I can’t explain it properly, I’ll just chalk it up to my feelings.

Rihanna’s twisted expression clearly shows her bewilderment.

Even though her fiery hair and eyes gave her a resemblance to a blazing flame, that ice-cold, emotionless face of hers was finally cracking.

“You’re not going to ask something as trite as ‘Why?’ are you?”

Rihanna holds her breath and keeps silent. Her eyes quiver slightly—seems I hit the mark.

“We’re not really living like a married couple anymore, are we?”

We sleep in separate rooms, barely talk, and have lost all sense of care for each other.

“I think our feelings have cooled enough for us to let go.”

To be honest, I was confused at first as well.

I mean, I couldn’t understand why Rihanna, who was already dead in my previous life, was still wearing her wedding ring.

Could it be that she still had feelings for me?

Or had she only come to appreciate what she’d lost after we parted ways?

I had all sorts of questions.

But after spending just this one day, I realized none of that mattered.

‘Whether Rihanna still has feelings left for me doesn’t matter at all.’

What’s more important is—

‘I don’t love you anymore.’

A cool smile, as refreshing as a sigh of relief, spreads across my face. The knot carried over from my previous life is finally untangled.

Rihanna’s feelings aren’t all that matter. Mine are important, too.

Because we’re a married couple, after all.

“Isaac...?”

I take a step closer and speak softly.

“You’ve worked hard all this time, putting up with a lousy husband.”

I hope she can just shrug off any lingering regrets or resentments.

That way, starting a new life won’t feel so burdensome.

‘This should be enough, right?’

I’ve torn myself down by calling myself a lousy husband. That should suffice.

Rihanna’s distorted expression gradually returns to normal.

She lets out a short sigh—“Hoo.“—and then says, very businesslike:

“Father has started saying that we should have a child soon.”

“A child?”

It’s so out of the blue that I find myself momentarily stunned.

This wasn’t something I’d heard in my previous life.

Back then, I’d have been missing one leg thanks to that chandelier and would probably be in front of a physician right now.

Whatever the case, Rihanna continues.

“Father never really trusted his eldest son, Lohengrin, but it seems he’s planning to confirm him as the next successor during this year’s Sword Festival.”

Lohengrin, the eldest son.

He’s a year older than Rihanna and used to torment me quite frequently.

He’s also part of the reason why Rihanna and I have no children even after four years of marriage.

If Father couldn’t trust his eldest son, there was always a possibility that his daughter, Rihanna, might have to carry on the family line.

‘The mere fact that he considered handing over the title to his daughter, despite having a second son, says it all…’

It’s a testament to Rihanna’s competence, and also an indictment of the Helmut men’s incompetence.

“So Father’s finally made up his mind?”

“Even though he’s someone who values skill above all else, Lohengrin still outshines me in certain ways. If I were to become the head of the family, it’d be like confirming Lohengrin’s incompetence politically.”

“So now he wants you to have a child?”

“If there was a chance I’d become family head, being pregnant would come with too many limitations. But now that Father has clearly decided on Lohengrin, it seems he’s fine with me being pregnant.”

“Ah.”

“That means we don’t have to keep sleeping in separate rooms anymore.”

As Rihanna calmly explains all this, a sudden suspicion arises in me.

“Is this what you were so nervous about telling me all day?”

“I wasn’t nervous.”

Rihanna, looking even more expressionless, stares at me.

“Don’t lie. Didn’t I tell you before? When you’re nervous, it looks like you’re angry.”

“…….”

At my words, Rihanna pokes her cheek with a finger.

Her tightly pressed lips remain silent, admitting her nervousness without a word.

“I see. Well, that’s good then.”

“Good?”

Rihanna’s usually impassive face wavers again at my words.

“The timing’s perfect, right? Find some honest, dependable man other than me. Just live your life that way.”

If I ended up with a child now, it wouldn’t be so easy to get a divorce.

“Divorce usually reflects poorly on the wife, right? But if you claim the husband was at fault, it’s not so clear-cut.”

“…….”

“Say I was a kleptomaniac, or had a taste for blood, or some bizarre sexual preferences. Any reason you give will make people see you as the victim.”

“…….”

“Besides, you’re Helmut’s daughter. A minor blemish won’t cause you much trouble.”

“Why?”

Unable to hold back any longer, Rihanna, who had kept her mouth shut until now, finally speaks.

“Do you really want to divorce me that badly? What’s the reason?”

“Because I don’t want to stay in Helmut any longer.”

There’s no hesitation in my answer.

In fact, it feels like I’ve been waiting for this moment.

“…….”

“Rihanna. Helmut might sound like the name of a beautiful rose to outsiders, but to me, holding it in my hands just means its thorns are digging into my flesh.”

I’ve said my piece.

And since Alois, that perverted sex fiend, is secretly spying on us from below the balcony, I don’t feel like staying here any longer.

“I drank some wine today, so I’m feeling tired. I’ll head in and get some rest. Let’s inform Father-in-law separately.”

I walk inside, casting a bitter smile at the messy banquet hall left behind by today’s event.

‘The servants are going to have a tough time cleaning up.’

I’m sorry. But this will be the last time.

“Wait.”

All of a sudden, Rihanna grabs my wrist.

I stop and glance back at her.

“Hm? What is it?”

Our conversation had ended so cleanly.

I smile gently, hoping for the best possible ending.

In stark contrast to my smile, Rihanna’s expression reveals a rare hint of anxiety.

“I’m sorry, but divorce is impossible. Father will never allow it.”

“He never approved of a son-in-law who couldn’t even swing a sword properly. He might actually welcome the idea.”

“It’s too sudden. Father thinks we’re getting along just fine.”

“That can’t be. As the head of the family, he must have some awareness.”

“……The social scene isn’t as simple as you think. Just because you’re covered in a bit of filth doesn’t mean I come out perfectly clean.”

“Ha.”

I sigh. If I keep listening, she’ll give me reasons all day long. At my sigh, Rihanna’s lips fall silent.

“Rihanna.”

I drop the smile from my eyes.

In an instant, a chill sets in, and my gaze pierces straight through Rihanna.

“Your brothers call me a worthless bug who can’t even wield a sword. They frequently summon me for sparring sessions just to beat me up—I’ve gotten used to it by now.”

“…….”

“Your younger sister treats me like a servant. I’ve handled all her errands, big and small, even those that had to be kept secret.”

“…….”

“As for Father, he never cared one bit about any of this. He’s not interested in me at all. To him, a son-in-law who can’t wield a sword isn’t worthy of being called a Helmut.”

“Isaac.”

“And finally, the wife I believed would take my side until the end… in the end, she chose to stand by and do nothing.”

“Isaac, that’s—”

A sneer formed at the corner of my lips.

Within that hollow laugh lurked utter contempt.

“Are you going to make excuses? Say there was a reason for it? Rihanna, do you know what you should’ve said right now, at the very least?”

“…….”

“An apology.”

Rihanna pressed her lips together.

At this point, offering an apology would be like trampling on her own foot just to put out a sudden fire.

It was already too late.

“Don’t you get it yet? Rihanna, here in mighty Helmut—”

There was never a place for me.

I roughly brushed aside Rihanna’s arm.

“And one more thing.”

I rubbed my wrist and managed a bitter smile.

The next words that slipped out were shockingly cold, even to my own ears.

“Married couples holding hands and such—it’s disgusting.”

****

Rihanna lingered at the banquet hall balcony for quite some time.

“Older Sister?”

A voice came from behind, it was Alois, the third son.

Rihanna deliberately tried not to turn her head.

She didn’t know what kind of expression she was wearing.

But she didn’t want anyone to see it.

“Ha, haha. We’ve had quite a number of incidents today. The falling chandelier was particularly startling.”

He wasn’t wrong.

The chandelier had dropped toward Isaac. If he hadn’t dodged with some luck, it could have been a serious accident.

“So, I was wondering if you’re going to return soon—.”

“Alois.”

“Yes, Older Sister? Do you need something?”

Alois had always followed her well.

Rihanna felt oddly uncomfortable about that.

“Leave me alone.”

“Older Sister? Did something happen today with Brother-in-law—?”

Rihanna did not answer.

With her silence, she warned him not to speak further.

“Then I’ll head in first, Older Sister.”

With a polite bow, Alois left.

Rihanna remained there alone, lost in thought for a while.

After she’d calmed down a bit, she returned to her room.

Inside was much tidier than usual.

She took pride in caring for a single rose in a cherished flowerpot, ensuring it never withered.

She tossed the scented candle and matches on the table into the trash bin.

Rihanna slipped off the dress she’d worn with such care today.

Normally a maid would help, but it was late, and she had long since dismissed them.

In fact, she had ordered them not to come near her room at all tonight.

The full-length mirror caught her eye.

Half-removed, as if torn off, the dress revealed black lingerie underneath—provocative lingerie she usually wouldn’t spare a glance at.

“…….”

Without a word, Rihanna headed straight for the bed.

Two pillows lay there.

One for herself.

The other remained there, left behind, waiting for its absent owner who would never come.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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