You Promised To Divorce Me - Chapter 26

I silently clenched my teeth.

‘I have to endure it somehow. At least, until Lennox arrives.’

Whether it was to run away or launch an attack.

“Then, enjoy your walk.”

‘Huh?’

“As you said, the weather is chilly, so don’t stay outside for too long.”

But contrary to my expectations, Carinne let me go too easily.

‘What? This is impossible.’

She turned away, leaving me at a loss.

My pulse suddenly went away.

‘Good, that’s good. Let’s get out of here before–’

“By the way, Olivia.”

Carinne—who was walking towards the mansion—suddenly stopped and looked back at me. Her lips drew into a smile with only her head turned. But something felt off in her delicate expression.

“Have you ever entered my room?”

Thump.

My heart sank.

“No. Why would I do that?”

I tried to pretend, but I could not hide the tremble in my voice.

“Yeah, why would you come into my room? Unless you had something to take in secret.”

“…!”

My whole body froze as if it was in ice-cold water.

Carinne noticed. All of it.

‘That’s why I came back to my original body. You don’t have to fool me like you fooled Mary anymore.’

Recognizing her doubts, she took off the mask she was wearing and showed her true colors.

-Olivia! What are you doing!

At that moment, Ash’s lively voice rang in my head.

It was then that the front door opened with a loud noise. People began to rush out through the open door. Everyone in the mansion, not only the Viscount Brienne but also the servants.

The only ones I couldn’t see were Mary and Richard.

My eyes captured the blank white of their eyes. It looked exactly like last night when the Viscount rushed to me.

“Who’s the fugitive?”

“Where is it?”

“I have to grab it.”

The sight of them exchanging words with an evil spirit—like a snake that wanted to wrap its body around its prey and crush it between its fangs—was horrifying.

My survival instinct worked quickly.

My leg—when both seemed to be frozen on the ground—moved on its own and took a step back.

There was a sound of something dropping and breaking under my feet.

At first, the entire mansion was engulfed in silence.

Slide.

Dozens of people turned silently at once, and a dozen pairs of eyes flashed toward me.

-Olivia!

Ash’s cry hit my ears again.

When I came to my senses, I was already running toward the main gate.

“Grab it!”

I heard the sound of a horde chasing after me.

I ran to avoid being caught. Perhaps, I thought, I also threw my bag somewhere.

Nevertheless, the thud of steps behind me was getting closer little by little.

Plus, there was one fact that I overlooked.

‘What kind of stamina is this!’

Olivia’s body couldn’t stand the pressure. No matter how much I ran, I was already gasping for breaths. It was suffocating enough to make my heart stop.

“Hurry, grab it!”

“Grab it! Grab it!”

Leaving the creepy voices behind, I desperately hurried my feet.

I saw the main gate in front of me.

Just a little bit more…

However, just a few steps ahead, my legs gave up and I lost my balance.

‘No!’

With an indescribable fear, I closed my eyes.

When my body touched something warm and hard, and I felt like someone was hugging my back strongly.

‘Why doesn’t it hurt?’

It was right after I noticed something strange.

‘Hold on, hug?’

When I opened my eyes, I saw a man looking down at me with his eyes narrowed. At the same time, a sense of relief flooded in me.

“You came on time.”

It was Lennox.

“You look like you’re in trouble.”

Lennox jutted out his chin behind me.

‘Right, I was being chased!’

I felt like I was hit by cold water when I came back to reality.

“This is not the time to be like this! I have to get out of here right now!”

However, Lennox skimmed through the people running to catch me and pulled one corner of his mouth into a leisurely smirk.

“Really?”

His silent bright red eyes seemed to shine, and then they sank in a daze.

And,

“Gasp!”

A huge and transparent wall erupted between them and us.

The wall was high enough to be Lennox’s boundary.

Blocked by the boundary, they slammed their faces into the wall like crazy. Their madness was incomparable.

But there was no incontinence inside the boundary, and none of them approached me anymore.

“Are you hurt?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Did you finish packing anything?”

“Oh, right.”

I turned my head and found Ash.

-I’m here, Olivia.

I felt something sitting on my shoulder with a voice spreading in my head.

As I turned my head, I saw a plump white body.

-You didn’t get hurt either, right?

-Of course not.

The shape of his confidently stretched-out chest was even intriguing.

-Just because I ran a little like you doesn’t mean I’m hurt. I have wings, so I don’t need anything.

-What?

-Speaking of which, why don’t you check your physical condition? I’ll take this time to strengthen my stamina.

Ash winked playfully.

“That’s the bird I saw last time.”

Thanks to Lennox, who spoke just in time, I couldn’t respond properly to his teasing.

“Your Highness has a good memory. You must’ve had a glimpse of him.”

“It’s not polite if I can’t remember the top contributor of our marriage.”

Ash had dropped the article about Lennox looking for a marriage partner at an exquisite time.

-Olivia! Don’t reveal my identity to the Duke! Okay?

-How about ‘you’re just a bird?’

-Not in any way!

Lennox’s eyes, which were watching us, shined as they narrowed sharply.

He couldn’t hear our conversation, but he felt something strange.

“As you can see, he’s a smart bird.”

But doubts were just doubts. Unless there was evidence, it was enough to play innocent.

“I can take him to the Duke’s residence, right? I’ll make sure he won’t bother you.”

As she asked, he turned to study the bird before slowly pulling into a meaningful smile.

“Of course. Since you’re raising it, should I get you a few birdcages?”

-No! Say you don’t need it. I hate being trapped the most in the world!

Ignoring Ash’s shocked expression, I nodded.

“Just one.”

-Olivia!

-Can’t you see Lennox is suspicious? I’ll take you out when there’s no one, so be careful not to get in trouble,

I snapped at him as I smiled brightly at Lennox.

“I’d like a generous size, please.”

“Of course,” replied Lennox with an unexpected smile.

Ash’s dissatisfied cheeks swelled up.

-Are you getting revenge on me?

-What revenge?

-You’re upset because I told you that you have poor stamina!

Oh, poor stamina?

I raised one eyebrow as I smiled.

-Ash, will you say that again?

When he saw my fierce expression, he shivered.

-I, I was just saying to take care of your health…

The bird quickly lowered his tail as if he just lost his anger.

The conversation ended smoothly.

Suddenly, feeling a gaze, I turned my head to where it was coming from.

‘Carinne.’

Standing still, she looked at us with nothing distracting her. Her dull face—devoid of any warmth—was like an inanimate object.

“…”

Biting my lips gently, I turned away from Carinne.

I could feel her persistent gaze enough to stab my back, but I tried to play cool.

With whatever I packed, I was eventually running away from her now.

Someone might regard me as cowardly and incompetent.

“Let us leave, Your Grace.”

But nevertheless, I wanted to live.

Earnestly.

*** 

The Duke’s residence was much larger than I expected.

Even after we passed through the main gate, the mansion appeared only after a long ride in a carriage.

‘This is the Duchy of Kravant…’

I imagined a dark castle-like mansion, but surprisingly, the duchy gave me a feeling of a quiet villa.

There was even grass on both sides of the road with regular neat plantations of shrubs and flowering plants to make your eyes happy.

The smooth water from the fountain reflected the shining sunlight.

The guest room that I was going to use temporarily was also very comfortable.

“Wait a little bit. I’ll have the servants move your luggage to your bedroom as soon as the construction is finished.”

“It’s great here. I can just stay here.”

It was much better than my own room.

It was a moment when I could feel Kravant’s wealth that he said he didn’t need my dowry.

“You’d like the new room even more.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Not long after, Lennox and I were sitting face to face for tea.

“I want to hear it now.”

The teacup clattered as he placed it on the plate. The sound was probably made on purpose.

His red eyes looked at me.

“What happened at the Brienne mansion.”