I Am Trying to Divorce My Villain Husband, But We Had a Child - chapter 47

Episode 47

Early in the morning, Arden was watering the flower beds around the temple.

As he moved his hand, clear water gathered and flowed through his palm, gently moistening the ground.

The sprouts soaked in water sparkled under the sunlight. A faint smile crept onto Arden’s lips as he watched them.

“I’ll be able to see your flowers by summer.”

Taking care of the flower beds every morning was one of his duties.

At that moment, heavy footsteps disrupted the peaceful chirping of birds around the temple.

When Arden turned in that direction, he saw the Grand Knight Commander Lufel approaching.

Simultaneously, the smile vanished from Arden’s lips. He had a sense of what news Lufel might bring.

“Your Eminence.”

“What’s the situation?”

“I’ve inspected the area near the western Thearil domain and the northern docks of the island, but I haven’t found any suspicious individuals or items.”

“I see.”

Arden resumed watering the flower beds with a troubled expression.

Even before the Grand Knight Commander returned, he had anticipated that he wouldn’t bring the news Arden hoped for.

The ominous aura around the docks disappeared much earlier than the expected arrival time, indicating they might have missed their chance.

“I’ll expand the search area.”

Without a moment of hesitation, the Grand Knight Commander, with bloodshot eyes from sleepless nights, spoke.

The Knight Order he led consisted solely of individuals dedicated to the temple, not the empire.

Externally, it was a gathering place for faithful servants devoted to the gods. However, in reality, it was where those who wanted to uphold honor without receiving any title from their lineage gathered.

Some nobles mocked them as the “Virtuous Knights,” but Arden treated them all as equals, earning him their unwavering loyalty.

Seeing the tired look on Lufel’s face, Arden objected to the Grand Knight Commander’s intentions.

“No, that’s enough. You’ve done your best. Rest today, and start patrolling the area tomorrow.”

“Understood, Your Holiness.”

The Grand Knight Commander bowed to Arden and withdrew.

Behind him, another figure approached.

A shade of embarrassment appeared on Arden’s face as he saw the newcomer.

Olivia, who had approached Arden, greeted him with a slight nod, her face mirroring his embarrassment.

“It’s been a while, Your Eminence.”

“Indeed, it has been a while, Lady.”

Returning the gesture with a nod, Arden smiled upon seeing Liz, who was hiding behind Olivia’s dress.

She greeted Arden timidly, her voice barely audible, before hiding behind Olivia again.

However, her gaze, filled with curiosity and fear, remained fixed on Arden.

“We shouldn’t stay here. Let’s go inside first.”

Arden asked a nearby errand boy to bring tea and then escorted Olivia and Liz into the temple.

While examining the temple, Olivia, following Arden, frowned upon finding signs of aging in every corner.

“I asked last time that the donations be used solely for the temple, but did you distribute them among the people again?”

“I distributed them to those in urgent need. Helping them is also serving the temple.”

“If you truly wish to help them, create certificates of the gods for the nobles. With that money, they can help and the temple can be renovated. That’s what they do in temples in other kingdoms.”

God’s certificates were documents indicating that the holder had accumulated enough virtue during their lifetime to enter the realm of the gods after death. People believed that burying it with them allowed them to go to the gods after they died.

In other kingdoms’ temples, they sold them for money, accumulating wealth, but the royal family had headaches because of the soaring prices.

Arden chuckled at Olivia’s words.

“You’re suggesting a way to disrupt the island, Your Highness. You’re as steadfast as ever.”

Even as he spoke, Arden wore Julia’s necklace around his neck.

Looking at the heirloom of an old friend, Olivia hesitated before replying.

“…And you remain as steadfast as ever, Your Eminence.”

Finally, the two arrived in the reception room inside the temple and had tea.

During their tea time, Liz, who had warmed up to Arden, eagerly accepted the dried fruits he offered.

After finishing his tea, Arden set down his teacup. It was time to pray.

“Who did you come to pray for today?”

Olivia was about to mention her family, but she thought of someone else and smiled.

“Today, I think I’ll pray for a new friend.”

—

In the early morning, a boat from Arden docked at the nearby harbor.

Elisa, Richard, and Anne arrived at the Duke’s mansion after riding the carriage all day and arriving late at night.

As soon as they entered the mansion, all the servants and knights, including the butler Grayson, greeted Elisa tearfully.

“Madam!”

The loudest voice among them was, of course, Thompson’s.

“Madam, you don’t have to worry about Rubellin, but we can’t do without you. Please don’t leave us.”

“That’s right. Your Highness is still inexperienced in managing the estate.”

“We’d probably be in trouble for life without you, Madam.”

Agyle chimed in to support Thompson’s words.

Richard glared at his insolent subordinates who criticized him to his face, but he didn’t say anything, perhaps because of Elisa’s presence.

Elisa felt a mix of discomfort at their departure without a word and gratitude for their warm welcome.

And she, too, was genuinely glad to see them again.

“I’m sorry for causing you all worry.”

“We’re relieved that you’re safe, Madam.”

Grayson smiled warmly and welcomed Elisa.

“The evening chill hasn’t faded yet. Don’t linger here. I’ve prepared some simple food you can enjoy.”

Elisa headed to the dining room with Richard. Several dishes were set on the table.

There was salad with ricotta cheese and tomatoes, sweet and sour grapes, apple juice, and bread without butter for Elisa, who struggled with her appetite.

Elisa felt uneasy, but she started eating, appreciating the effort put into the meal. Fortunately, the salad and fruits suited her palate.

The problem was the bread.

Since she started having morning sickness, she couldn’t even stand the smell of bread. And as usual today, the baby in her stomach rejected it.

“Ugh….”

Unable to suppress her nausea, Elisa rushed out of the dining room.

“Elisa!”

“Madam!”

Watching Elisa with worried eyes, Richard and Anne followed her out.

As soon as Anne offered her a bucket, Elisa threw up.

Richard, looking exhausted, embraced the crumbling Elisa.

“…I’m sorry, Elisa.”

Elisa stayed weak for a moment before she struggled to stand up.

“Finish your meal, Richard. I’ll go upstairs first.”

Supported by Anne, Elisa went up to her room.

Richard watched her worriedly as she left, biting his lips with concern.

‘Trying to handle this alone.’

He felt relieved that he didn’t miss her, but he also felt guilty for not being able to do anything despite being by her side.

Thompson and Agyle approaches Richard, who was watching Elisa.

“When did you secretly make an heir without telling us?”

Thompson’s joke without tact made Richard’s gaze turn icy.

Seeing Richard’s reaction, Agyle nudged Thompson with his elbow.

Thompson realized it was not the time for jokes and cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Anyway, the point is, we need to support Madam.”

“…?”

“Your Highness is not in a stable condition yet, so it might be burdensome to hold a grand party.”

“And she can hardly eat.”

Grayson, who was nearby, also interjected upon hearing their conversation.

But Thompson waved off their concerns as if they were nothing.

“It doesn’t matter. What’s needed for this party isn’t food or items.”

Richard, Agyle, and Grayson looked at Thompson with puzzled eyes.

Thompson’s casual gaze was directed at Richard.

—

Elisa finished a quick shower and came out.

Anne applied oil to Elisa’s body and dressed her in a light, airy nightgown.

But something was different today.

The nightgown was a bit fancier than usual, and her hair was neatly braided to one side.

‘Something’s up….’

Elisa wondered as she entered her bedroom.

At that moment, she could immediately understand why Anne paid more attention to her nightwear than usual.

Glowing stones were placed throughout the darkened bedroom, surrounded by scattered flower petals.

“It’s beautiful….”

As Elisa stood at the entrance of the bedroom, admiring the surroundings, the door behind her opened.