You Told Me To Do Whatever I Want, So What’s the Problem With Living a Happy, Slow Life With My Lover and Kids in Exile?
You Told Me To Do Whatever I Want, So What’s the Problem With Living a Happy, Slow Life With My Lover and Kids in Exile?
She had received a large sum of money, equivalent to what a small fiefdom could earn in five years, and had already spent it on the fiefdom and new business ventures. Even if she refused, Aenor could do nothing about it, as she had no way to immediately repay the money she had spent.
However, she could not go against Elliott's merciless decision to have him leave.
She didn't want to just take it lying down, so she made one last act of defiance.
“...I understand the circumstances. I'm not angry that I was used to support your mistress. But isn't sending me into exile a bit excessive? I haven't committed any crime. At the very least, couldn't you have told me the circumstances before we got married?”
“Would you have married me then?”
“That's...”
She stammered at Elliott's mocking question.
If she had been used for the sake of his mistress, Aenor's family would not remain silent. It wasn't a political marriage; she had been mocked and used for his own selfish desires. Anyone who cared about their family would feel indignant in such a situation.
If Aenor had been told beforehand, she might have refused.
Elliott crossed his arms and snorted, taking her hesitation as her answer.
Sandy, sitting next to her, looked at Aenor with sympathy, her blue eyes flickering with unease, but Aenor seriously doubted whether that was her true feeling.
As she stared at Sandy, Elliott frowned in displeasure and put his arm around Sandy's shoulder as if to protect her.
“What are you glaring at her for!”
“I'm not glaring. Ms. Sandy was looking at me, so I just looked back.”
"You're probably just jealous. Even though she's my mistress, from now on, Sandy will effectively be the mistress of this house. ... Ugh, this is unpleasant. Pack your things and get out."
“…………”
Why did she have to be spoken to like this by someone she had only just met? Aenor trembled and clenched her fists.
It was fine if he had a mistress. It was fine if he didn't love her. But she wanted him to respect her rights as a human being. Was that too much to ask?
Aenor lowered her head, desperately swallowing the saltiness rising in her throat, determined not to let them see her expression, not to let them see her cry.
Elliott dismissed Sandy first, signaling that the conversation was over, and followed her out.
He threw one last word at Aenor.
“Ah, I have no further need of you. You may take a lover, have children, do as you please. But that child will not inherit the ducal house. ...Well, I doubt you'll find anyone in exile, though.”
The heavy door of the office closed.
The silence that followed was as merciless as if it were saying, “Get out.”
The storm had passed. Aenor exhaled heavily, trying to steady her emotions.
Considering living under the same roof as that monster, living peacefully in exile is better. No ties. I'm used to poverty anyway. ...I'll live my life to the fullest, until I forget about them!
Aenor whipped her trembling legs into action and reluctantly rose.
She thought she'd be crushed by despair—but instead, she slapped her cheeks with both hands to spur herself on.
Stand tall.
Not as the pitiful wife being banished, but as Aenor starting a new life, she left the Lindknecht household with dignity.
Ansoq Island, located south of the Shurushuru Sea within the Lindknecht domain.
This place was used as a penal colony for noble criminals.
The Shurushuru Sea was notoriously unpredictable, with swift currents. Once exiled here, it was known as an island one could reach but rarely return from.
While reading the currents was difficult, Ansoq Island itself was relatively warm, rich in natural resources, and fairly livable.
However, it was difficult to procure goods from outside.
While it had the minimum environment necessary for living, it was difficult to develop as a town or a territory.
There was no means of communicating with the outside world, nor any way to safely invite people from outside.
That was the belief until ten years ago.
………….
Ten years later.
A thick envelope addressed to Elliott of the Lindknecht family arrived.
The envelope bore the seals of the Royal Court and the King, and Elliott, judging it to be an important document, immediately opened it to find something he never expected.
From Aenol... a divorce petition and a claim for alimony...!? Why?! I paid an extraordinary amount for the betrothal gift...! Besides, I sent her to Ansoq Island, so she has no way of contacting her home county in the first place...! How...!
[The petitioner has filed for divorce.]
As the petitioner is unable to appear before this court due to circumstances, based on evidence submitted by the petitioner's representative attorney, a rigorous investigation was conducted by an investigative agency, and as a result, unlawful acts by the other party (violation of Article 7, Item 5, and Article 14 of the Kingdom Marriage Law) were confirmed.
In accordance with the petitioner's wishes, this case is subject to compulsory divorce.
Please note that a document stating the “reasons for the petition” and the “purpose of the petition” is enclosed with the “notification letter”.
[Notification Letter]
In this case, it has been determined that the petitioner, Aenor Lindknecht,
It has been confirmed that the petitioner, Aenor Lindknecht, has been subjected to unjust treatment for 10 years by her husband, Elliott Lindknecht, who is the notified.
In April of the 346th year of the Kingdom, he did not disclose the existence of his mistress before the marriage. He failed to fulfill his duties as a husband (such as providing financial support) and sent his wife, the petitioner, into exile in order to protect his mistress's reputation. He committed fraud by failing to fully disclose the details of their engagement.
Due to your actions, Aenor Lindknecht's marriage has been destroyed, causing her immense emotional distress.
With the approval of the Royal Court and His Majesty the King, you are ordered to pay compensation.
The breakdown of the compensation is listed in the attached document...
Elliott stared wide-eyed at the letter.
How could Aenor, who had been banished on the first day of their marriage and was now in exile, issue a letter approved by the Royal Court and His Majesty?
Elliott's questions only multiplied, but before he could dwell on them, he had something he had to do.
Anyway, worrying about it won't help. I have to go see Aenor right now and get her to withdraw the letter, or it's over for us!
Aenor was supposed to be recuperating at the Lindknecht family villa due to the worsening of her chronic mental illness.
During that time, Sandy took over the management of the household from Aenor, and a capable secretary assigned to Sandy handled the work.
As a result, Sandy was not criticized as a “common mistress,” and their relationship was known in society circles to be harmonious.
Although there were many who attacked them, the heir they had established with Sandy further stabilized her position.
Everything had been going smoothly, but now Aenor's divorce papers threatened to destroy all the trust he had built up, and Elliott had to find a way to get them withdrawn.
Elliott hurriedly packed his bags, clutched the divorce papers, and fled the Lindnecht estate in a panic.
Ansoq Island can be safely navigated if the ship is well equipped and weather conditions are favorable.
It took a little over ten days aboard a ship owned by Lindknecht, which was also used for trade.
When Elliott arrived at Ansoq Island, he was astonished by how different it looked from his memories.
What is this place?! It's not a penal colony, it's a normal inhabited island!
As he tried to steer the ship around the sheer cliffs to the only beach where it could anchor, he saw that there was a mooring area and facilities for that purpose. Various ships and people of various races came and went as if it were the center of a port town.
Various languages from different countries flew back and forth, and in addition to the common language of the Kingdom of Rolopia, he could hear a few languages he couldn't understand.
Familiar white-skinned people. Short, brown-skinned people. Tall, yellow-skinned people.
Although it should have been the Lindknecht territory, it felt like a vibrant foreign trade center. Elliott called out to a short, bare-chested, brown-skinned man nearby.
“Sorry to bother you suddenly. I have something I'd like to ask...”
“Huh? What's up? You need something from me?”
The man, speaking in a slurred tone, looked up at the tall Elliott.
Elliott could tell he was a peddler from some other country, but he couldn't understand the language.
Elliott stammered timidly, but managed to ask with gestures, “Wasn't this a penal colony?” and “Why is the penal colony so prosperous?” However, the man didn't seem to understand, and just tilted his head.
Elliott began to feel increasingly irritated at their inability to communicate, and just as the peddler scratched his cheek in confusion,
A lively-looking child with blonde, permed hair happened to be passing by and spoke to the peddler in a foreign language.
“This man seems to be asking why this place is so prosperous even though it's a penal colony.”
“Is that so! Even if it was a penal colony, that was ten years ago, right? Now it's famous as a sugar-producing region, so everyone comes here to buy it... Can you tell him that, kid?”
“Got it.” “...Even if it was a penal colony, that was ten years ago, right? Now it's famous for sugar production, so merchants come to buy it. That's what he said, old man.”
“Old man...?! I'm only 35!”
"My mom's 29... Compared to her, you are an old man, so it fits. Besides, you're 35 and you can't even speak Hebma... If you're coming to this island to do business, you'd better bring an interpreter or learn the language, Uncle. Even my stupid dad can speak it."
The child stood behind him with his hands clasped behind his back, pouting. Elliott fought the urge to punch him as he listened to the cheeky little brat's words.
Getting emotional is something I can do anytime, but right now I have to take care of my top priority.
Meeting Aenor and figuring out why this island has ended up like this.
To gather information without arousing suspicion, I crouch down to the eye level of the boy in front of me.
“Are you from this island?”
“Yeah, I was born and raised here.”
“So you have a mother and a father?”
“What kind of obvious question is that? Of course I have a dad and a mom!”
The child grimaced in puzzlement. Elliott inwardly clicked his tongue, wondering if his series of strange questions had made the boy wary.
But the child continued talking regardless. He seemed to be quite talkative.
“Uncle, you use the common language, so you're from Rolopia? Judging by your clothes, you're a noble. My mom and dad are nobles too. I don't know their names, though.”
“I see... This island is a place of exile for noble criminals. It must be difficult for them to answer.”
“Noble criminals?”
“When nobles commit crimes, under the kingdom's laws, they can't be executed unless it's an extremely serious offense. So exile is the punishment for those who commit grave crimes.”
“Huh. But that was before I was born, right? I don't think my mom and dad are involved. People who are hated aren't going to be liked by everyone around them.”
“Hmm, so your parents are liked by those around them?”
“Yeah. I mean, it's thanks to my mom and her friends that we can do business with the outside world, and my mom runs this town.”
“Is that true?”
“Yeah.”
Perhaps because he was a visitor from outside, he became more talkative.
Elliott didn't miss the boastful words that slipped out.
“If you don't mind, could you take me to your mother? I am Elliott Lindknecht, the lord of this island.”
The boy tilted his head in surprise at Elliott's introduction. But he replied with a faint “Oh, I see,” introduced himself as “I'm Liam. Just call me Liam,” and urged Elliott to follow him.
The streets of Ansoq Island were filled with surprises.
Leaving the harbor and climbing the paved island road, he found a lively market behind an entrance adorned with town signs.
Under the open roof with no doors, he saw fruits with a luster and freshness he had never seen even in the kingdom, strange fruits with thorns, exotic ornaments, tableware, paintings, and everything else imaginable.
Elliott's common sense, which had been that a penal colony would be inconvenient and difficult to live in, with people living alone and lonely in ramshackle huts, was overturned by the sight before his eyes.
What was surprising was that everyone spoke not only the common language but also various other languages fluently.
Occasionally, there were misunderstandings, but in those cases, they would call out to someone nearby who could speak the language and ask them to interpret.
Such a community had been formed.
Seeing even the children freely speaking the languages of other countries, Elliott lowered his gaze to Liam.
“Are all the people here nobles?”
“Of course not. They're all commoners. There are probably some nobles, but that kind of status doesn't matter here.”
“Then how can they speak so many languages without having private tutors?”
“There's a school on the island, so adults and children who want to study go there between work. People with money make donations, so people who are struggling financially or don't have money can attend almost for free. Because of that, there aren't enough seats in the classroom, so on nice days, we take the blackboard outside and have class together.”
“Where do you get the staff?”
“No idea. The old folks who've lived here longer than us know a lot, so volunteers from around here teach. Mom and Dad know the details better than I do, so why don't you ask them?”
As the conversation ended, Liam's mother appeared—along with the largest, most luxurious mansion on the island, known as the Lord's Residence.
It had an old-fashioned, stone-built feel, yet considering it was a structure on a remote island, it was still quite lavish.
Beyond the pointed, black-painted iron railings and gates lay what appeared to be a home garden. The yard was covered in various shades of green.
In one corner, a woman wearing a straw hat held a little girl's hand while bending over with one hand to prune cherry tomatoes.
“Mom!”
As soon as Liam spotted her, he left Elliott behind and ran to hug her from behind.
“Whoa! Liam. Where'd you go? Dad was mad at you for skipping sword practice.”
“When Dad gets angry, his voice is so loud and scary... I think I'll go play some more. Where's Dad, though?”
“I'm right here. Liam, you've got some nerve trying to run away from me.”
As Liam trembled at his father's presence, his father appeared from the opposite field and glared at him with a fierce expression.
Liam tried to flee, but his father, who had completely read his son's move, had won. Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, he completely cut off Liam's escape route.
“You skipped your training again to go play...! Going out to play is fine, but how many times do I have to tell you to do what you're supposed to do before you go play?!”
“Oh, but weren't you like that when I first met you?”
“Was I?”
“Don't talk about the past in front of the kid...! It's embarrassing, you know.”
The man stood beside the woman and nudged her chest with his arm.
Seeing the woman quietly smiling, Liam suddenly remembered and spoke up.
“Ah, I brought her because Mom said she had business. She was going on about some nonsense about being the island's lord or something... Hey, Uncle, this is my mom!”
“Oh, my... I'm terribly sorry about my child. Did she cause you any trouble?”
“Not at all. I'm grateful she guided me since I was about to get lost. More importantly, I have something I want to ask—”
The woman took off her wide-brimmed straw hat. She tied her yellow-green hair back in a ponytail and blinked her amber eyes. She was a graceful woman who looked too young to be a mother.
That woman definitely existed in Elliott's memory.
No.
“Aenor!?”
“Duke...Elliott Lindknecht.”
It was the person Elliott had been searching for.
The moment she recognized Elliott, her friendly smile vanished, replaced by a stony, impenetrable expression.
Her gaze, reminiscent of the cold winter sea, clearly did not welcome Elliott's visit.
The change in her expression was noticeable even to the her son, Liam. Even her daughter, Norn, who was holding her hand, also noticed it.
The man next to her—Liam's father—shook his blond, curly hair, which was identical to Liam's, and hid behind his back as if to protect Aenor.
Liam's eyes darted around anxiously at the unusual tension.
“Mom?”
“...I'm sorry. Liam, thank you for bringing our guest. I need to talk to this man, so could you look after Norn?”
“But...”
“Dad and I need to talk to this gentleman. Ed, is that okay?”
Ed nodded at Aenor's words.
“Are you really sure it's okay?”
Liam tugged at Aenor's sleeve. Aenor hummed in acknowledgment, then stroked Liam's anxious head. After closing his eyes contentedly and letting her stroke his head as she pleased, he took Norn's hand and disappeared into the depths of the garden.
Aenor took several deep breaths to compose herself, then turned back to Elliott.
"I have a pretty good idea what this is about. It's about the documents, isn't it? Please come this way. I'll invite you in this time, but next time, please go through your attorney. There's no point in sending documents through the court."
Elliott felt irritated at Aenor's cold and dismissive tone, even though they were husband and wife. As he glared at Aenor's back as she showed him around the mansion, he felt uncomfortable with the difference between her dignified and resolute posture, like that of a mother, and the timid Aenor he had seen on their wedding day.
Who was this man? Was Aenor really Liam's mother? Had she ignored her husband, taken a lover, and had a child?
And why had she brought up divorce at this moment? Elliott had so many questions he wanted to ask Aenor.
The sun shone through the lace curtains, illuminating the garden with its fresh green leaves. Aenor faced Elliott in the reception room on the third floor, which offered a good view of the garden. Two long sofas faced each other along the wall, with Aenor on the wall side and Elliott on the entrance side. Then Ed arrived late, carrying three glasses of ice water.
“I apologize. Normally, her seat would be by the window, but because the sun is so strong today, I would like to ask your permission to sit here instead.”
Elliott nodded. Ed sat down next to her, knowing that he was sitting in the opposite order from the usual seating arrangement, in order to shield Aenor from the sunlight streaming in through the window.
The sunlight was so strong that Aenor had been squinting, but thanks to Ed, a shadow fell over her, and her expression softened.
She smiled at Ed in gratitude for his thoughtfulness, and he patted her on the back.
“By the way, about that divorce paper, what was that all about?”
Seeing the two of them, Elliott showed his displeasure at their blatant flirting despite her having a real husband.
Even though he was troubled by the document he had been presented with, he brought up the main topic in a tone that suggested he was in a position of authority.
Aenor and Ed locked eyes—her amber, his aqua—and shrugged their shoulders as blatantly as if dealing with a troublesome customer.
"It means exactly what the letter says. Duke Lindknecht, divorce me. For the past ten years, I've maintained only the title of your wife. I did it out of duty to you, because I received a large dowry. That's why I endured everything—being brought to this island, the harsh life—all while dreaming of freedom from you. I am certain that duty is now fulfilled."
“What duty?! You said it after we married! What do you think I paid that fortune for? To protect my life with Sandy!”
“So you think it's acceptable to destroy someone's life like an ambush for that purpose?”
“But you're living here quietly now, aren't you!”
“How could I defy you? With my lowly position, the only way to escape your grasp was to leave. If I'd clung on and stayed, I'd only have lived a miserable existence as a human being. You never listened to me anyway. So I accepted being sent here because I thought it was better than that. ...It's awful, isn't it? Having to maintain a marriage with someone you hate forever.”
“If you call it a marriage, then what about the man next to you? You're not going to tell me he's your lover, are you?”
“Yes, just like yours. I'm her lover.”
This time, Ed declared it proudly.
He straightened his hunched back, which had been bent to observe Aenor, and filled the air with a powerful aura that showed no remorse.
This rubbed Elliott the wrong way.
“How could you say that? So, you're divorcing me to be with some random guy you met there?”
“Yes. Because you're in the way.”
She conveyed her feelings clearly, with a hint of scorn.
Ten years. Ten years. Separated from my family, unable to contact them properly, I arrived on Ansoq Island. Starting from nothing, I finally managed to live a peaceful life. This man, for ten years, as if he had forgotten me, never once contacted me. He didn't even provide me with the minimum necessities of life as a husband. I truly believed my life was disposable. Even when I desperately tried to move forward, every time I remembered that abandoned past, I felt so frustrated and miserable that I tried to kill myself countless times. ...I don't expect him to understand, but surely he wouldn't even try to understand.
Aenor, who felt not even a shred of sympathy for Elliott, who was acting like a victim and stiffening his body, sighed, thinking, “He really is only concerned with himself.”
“You said it yourself, didn't you? ‘You can have a mistress or a child, do whatever you like. But that child will not inherit the ducal house.’ I'm not saying my children should inherit the ducal house, and I've lived according to your conditions for the past ten years. Is there a problem with that?”
“Where is there a woman who would actually take a lover and have a child?!”
“Why is it acceptable for a man to have a mistress, but not for a woman? You were allowed to have a child with Sandy, but I'm not even allowed to have a child with the man I love and live quietly? ...I bet you've been very happy these past ten years.”
Elliott thought back on the ten years since he had sent Aenor away.
Of course, he had been happy. He had forgotten about Aenor, and the happy times he had spent with Sandy and their son, Eddie, would not have been possible without Aenor's sacrifice.
Sandy, who would normally not have been accepted in high society, had finally established her position in aristocratic circles thanks to Aenor's mental illness and the pretense that she had been given the authority of a duchess.
I am grateful. Everything worked out perfectly because Aenor went to Ansoq Island.
So why, after ten years of finally grasping this happiness, would I now try to destroy it? But I could never say that out loud.
If she did, it would be like admitting to everyone that the theory she had justified until now was something she had gained at the expense of Aenor. Precisely because she was aware that it was an inhumane act, no matter how harsh Aenor's words were, Aenor had every right to say them.
Elliott pleaded with his eyes. Just reconsider, he begged.
Aenor slowly shook her head.
“Elliott, I'll say it again. You are standing in the way of my freedom to live as a human being. Ed said it was okay for me to be his mistress, but I want to get married so that I can proudly call myself his wife and Liam's father. For ten years, I have lived with a frown on my face so as not to cause you any trouble. So, if you feel even the slightest pity for what happened ten years ago, then please, divorce me.”
“Are you sure? Even if it's just a formality, you're a duchess. It's a high position that you can never attain again.”
“I don't need a position. As long as Ed and the children are by my side, I don't need anything else.”
With such a strong and clear refusal, there was no room for negotiation.
Elliott searched for a way to somehow revoke the divorce. Only the person who filed for divorce could overturn the documents accepted by the royal family and the court.
Elliott turned to Ed, who had been listening quietly to their conversation.
"What about you? You made a move on a woman who had a husband, even had a child with her. Have you no heart? ...Divorce from a nobleman will tarnish her reputation. If she ever returns to the mainland, Aenor will be pointed at and whispered about. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
Ed shifted his light blue eyes uncomfortably. He showed a moment of hesitation, but continued nonetheless.
"I once had a fiancée, but I fell in love with another woman. I was a fool who mistook a momentary lapse for true love and publicly humiliated my fiancée. I know I have no right to say this. But Aenor told me she would accept even a fool like me. ...No matter what happens from now on, I will protect Aenor with every weapon at my disposal. If people point fingers, then I'll be the target."
Ed declared with strong determination. He had the inner strength of a noble and the dignified, powerful words of royalty. And then there was his light blond hair, shining in the sunlight, and his clear, light blue eyes.
Elliott searched his memory for the familiar appearance. Yes, it was about eleven years ago.
An incident occurred at the party held before the Third Prince's engagement ceremony.
It was that incident where Prince Ed, on the very day of his engagement ceremony, escorted Baroness Tina Yaya instead of his fiancée, Lady Lydia Hazel, and declared the engagement broken.
At the time, Prince Ed was a troublesome prince—arrogant, lazy, haughty, and known for saying “Women only need to be pleasant.”
The incident, where he publicly humiliated Lydia, deeply troubled King Rolopia. Lydia's family, the Hazel Marquises, were influential nobles with strong diplomatic ties.
Ed, who had touched two thunderbolts, was disinherited and sentenced to exile, a dark chapter in the kingdom's history.
The place of exile was none other than Ansoq Island. It was on Ansoq Island that Ed met Aenor and fell in love.
He was a disinherited prince, sentenced to exile, a criminal, so to speak. The sight of this great sinner holding hands with Aenor made Elliott want to clutch his head in despair.
“The mistress of a criminal, a former member of the royal family, is his child...!? How low must you sink? How can I be inferior to a guy like that...!”
“He didn't kill anyone or steal anything. He did something unforgivable, but his crime of causing a disturbance has been settled with exile, and the settlement money and apology have been resolved between the parties involved. ...Please choose your words carefully.”
Elliott muttered in a faint voice, “He's still an exiled criminal,” to Aenor, who coldly declared that there was nothing to hide.
As he searched for a desperate excuse, he remembered the face of Liam, who had guided him here earlier.
For them, children were precious. If harm came to those precious beings, would they reconsider? With a glimmer of hope, Elliott spoke.
“What would happen if the children found out?”
Aenor's eyebrows shot up at what could be taken as a threat.
“Are you saying you'll involve the children too, Milord?”
“I didn't say that. But with a father like that, I feel sorry for the children. In exchange for revoking the divorce, I'll allow you to return to the mansion. So, call off the divorce.”
“That's—”
For the first time since arriving here, Aenor was at a loss for words.
She hadn't expected him to bring up the children. She revised her opinion of Elliott, wondering if he had always been this heartless.
She didn't mind him saying whatever he wanted about them, but it was different when it came to harming their children. At this point, Aenor's resolve wavered.
It was obvious which she would prioritize: her child's safety or her own desires.
Frustrated, she clenched her fists in her lap, and Ed placed his hand over hers to calm her.
“...Go ahead.”
“Huh?”
“Ed...?”
This time, Ed glared at Elliott with quiet anger in his light blue eyes.
Ed, who had remained silent, finally revealed his anger at the conditions offered in exchange for the child's safety and at how Aenor was being treated like a fool.
Elliott was taken aback by Ed's serious passion to protect someone, which was not a child's tantrum.
"I was indeed disinherited, but I did not sever my relationship with my father. That's why I was able to easily reach an agreement with the court and get the divorce papers drawn up. ...So, if you want to go ahead with the divorce as agreed, let's settle this amicably. But if you want to fight, shall we fight? You and I, both disinherited, will be the subject of rumors and gossip, and we'll see whose story gets criticized. Which of our stories will hold up in court? When we lose, which of us will be left feeling truly miserable?"
On one side was a man who, on his wedding night, sent his wife into exile, hid her existence for ten years, and lived as he pleased with his mistress. On the other side was a man who was exiled for breaking off his engagement, became his wife's lover in exile, fathered a child, and lived there for ten years.
Having a mistress is not illegal in itself. Anyone can have one, as long as they properly notify the authorities and follow the proper procedures. But that was not the case with Elliott. He hid the existence of his mistress and neglected Aenor, the official duchess.
The Kingdom of Rolopia is an aristocratic society. Scandals involving aristocrats and commoners are particularly severe. When it came to which side public opinion would lean toward, it was naturally Ed.
Ed was a former prince, even if he had been disinherited. Aenor was a noble. Elliott was a noble, but Sandy was a commoner. Looking at the situation, it seemed that Sandy, a commoner, had conspired with Elliott to insult Aenor's interests, rights, and dignity as a person.
There was no way he could live freely in aristocratic society from now on.
Ed was painfully aware of this. Tina, the woman he had chosen as his new fiancée, was also born to Baron Yaya's concubine. Even after the engagement was broken off, he was subjected to endless and blatant slander while under house arrest in the castle until his sentence was carried out.
"The divorce papers have been accepted by the court. And the crime of hurting Aenor for ten years will never be erased. You'd best spend the rest of your life paying for the damage you caused over those ten years. ...Well, that's all I have to say. Take those papers and return to your domain."
“...Papa, are you done?”
As the conversation concluded, the door opened on its own.
There stood Norn, looking up at Ed and the others with reserved respect, and Liam, holding a tray with three apple pies for the guests.
Seeing Ed, Norn shook her yellow-green hair and trotted over, clinging to Ed's knee.
“I told you not to come when we have guests, didn't I?”
“Sorry, Dad. I said I was bringing the guest some sweets, and Norn just followed me...”
“I see. Thanks. But since the guest is leaving now, how about we all share that apple pie?”
“Really!?”
“Yeah. But your sword training later will be doubled. That's punishment for skipping this morning's session.”
“Ugh, Dad, you monster, you monster!”
“Before that, you were halfway through pruning the cherry tomatoes, right? Finish that first. Looks like bad weather tomorrow, so we need to get it done today.”
“Right. ...Alright then, Aenor. Let's go.”
“Yes.”
After the family conversation, Ed picked up Norn and stood up, taking Aenor's hand.
Aenor's expression softened as she gazed at Ed. Ed let go of Aenor's hand and patted Liam's head, who was holding the tray with a fatherly look on his face.
As Ed left the reception room with the children, Aenor turned to Elliott, who was sitting there dumbfounded, and said.
“I can't forgive you, but if it weren't for Ansoq Island, I wouldn't have been able to meet Ed like this. For that, at least, I am grateful to you. ...So, in order to not dislike you any more than I already do, it would be helpful if you could agree to the contents of the documents.”
“Thank you for coming all this way. Please take care on your return journey.” Aenor bowed deeply, then quietly closed the door to the reception room.
He slumped his shoulders, disappointed that his visit hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. He felt complex emotions he couldn't put into words, knowing that the wife he had abandoned was now building a happy family with the man she loved and their child.
Elliott, perhaps tired, hunched his back and began to prepare to leave, knowing he couldn't stay seated forever.
I must hurry back to the mainland and appoint a proxy lawyer here as well. I need to devise a plan to protect Sandy and the children from the rumors that will surely start circulating.
As I kept strategizing in my head, my gaze drifted out the window. In a corner of the garden, painted in shades of young leaves and earth tones, Ed and Aenor were happily holding hands. Further ahead, Liam and Norn were playing chase. The sight was incredibly happy, sweet, and ordinary—a family untouched by strife.
Bonus ① The King
——Six years ago, in a chamber of the royal castle of the Kingdom of Rolopia.
A letter and a pouch arrived at the king's hands.
A sudden letter from his son, exiled to the penal colony.
What could it say? Knowing Ed's character. would it demand the revocation of his disinheritance? The king sighed heavily.
He considered discarding it, but he couldn't bring himself to throw away a letter from his own son, flawed though he might be. He opened it.
Inside was an apology for the engagement scandal five years prior. An announcement that he had met a beloved woman on Ansoq Island. And that a child had been conceived with her. An explanation that Ansoq Island produced sugar, the raw material for luxury confections, and a request to permit trade from the island. A plea to recognize a certain woman's ownership of Ansoq Island, and if possible, to assist in securing her divorce.
That, in summary, was what the letter said. Opening the drawstring pouch revealed it filled with pure white sugar crystals. Licking the sugar that clung to his finger, an elegant sweetness spread throughout his mouth.
I was surprised to see Ed, that proud man, writing such a humble letter and even including an apology. I wondered if someone else had written it for him, but the handwriting, like a worm crawling across the page, was unmistakably Ed's.
That Ed—who hated studying, was careless with women, yet behaved as if he were destined for the throne. Seeing him request cooperation not for himself but for others, combined with the sugar's sweetness, the king couldn't hide his smile.
Some people change when thrust into harsh environments, and Ed was a clear example of this. His foolish actions six years ago couldn't be excused with a simple apology, but his willingness to change his ways was commendable. Even though he'd been disinherited, the fact that he now had a grandson he didn't know about meant the king, as a father himself, couldn't avoid meeting Ed.
The king, now willing to hear him out, sent an envoy to Ansoq Island to hear Ed's story.
――Upon learning of Duke Lindknecht's outrageous act and Aenor's circumstances, the king promised he would not hesitate to offer his support when the time came.
Moreover, the success of large-scale sugar production on Ansoq Island held the potential to transform the island's future, which had previously held value only as a penal colony. It was anticipated that full-scale sales could make it a cornerstone of domestic industry.
If that happened, a fortune could be made from an island once deemed worthless. Achieving such a feat would make it easy for Ed and his team to seize Ansoq Island from the Lindknecht Ducal House, and their influence would become impossible to ignore.
Achieving a great accomplishment that benefits the nation would render nobles managing provincial territories insignificant.
The Lindknecht Ducal House, owning port cities and thriving in trade, possessed considerable economic power within the nation. Yet precisely because of this, their lack of proper deference towards the royal family had become glaringly obvious.
If they could be humbled, nothing could be better.
Having received this triple piece of good news, the king let out a strange laugh, alone in his chambers.
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