I Am Trying to Divorce My Villain Husband, But We Had a Child - chapter 7
Episode 7
“Is the makeover finished?”
“It has just been completed, Your Grace.”
Albert quickly glanced at Elisa’s appearance.
The designer anxiously waited for Albert’s reaction.
After observing Elisa for a moment, Albert delivered his verdict in a dry tone.
“Not bad. Truly fitting of the title of the best designer in Ideo.”
“Oh, you flatter me. But, wouldn’t it be impossible without a good model?”
The designer subtly praised Elisa, indirectly expressing her satisfaction with Elisa’s appearance.
“Let’s go then.”
Elisa, accompanied by the designer and maidservants, followed Albert as they left the room.
“Now that you represent the Rubellin family in this position, you must act wisely to avoid bringing shame to our lineage.”
Albert didn’t turn to look at Elisa, but his voice made it clear who his words were directed towards.
“There are plenty of replacement women who could take your place.”
Elisa took a deep breath and silently responded in her mind.
“Since becoming the Duchess, I have already made the necessary preparations.”
When Albert and Elisa arrived at the lobby on the first floor, a commotion could be felt from the upper stairs.
Turning in that direction, they saw Richard descending.
Richard had half of his forehead exposed, and he was wearing a navy blue coat adorned with gold-thread embroidery.
The emblem of Rubellin, a pattern made of gold in the shape of a badge, was attached to the navy coat, similar to the one on Elisa’s chest.
“We are Rubellin.”
It was a symbol that clearly showed their connection to Rubellin.
“Even more handsome than usual… today.”
To the point where the person standing next to him felt compelled to bow.
Elisa gazed at Richard with fascination.
Richard, who usually descended the stairs with a cool gaze, paused when he noticed Elisa below. At the same time, his gaze seemed subtly shaken.
Richard turned his gaze away from Elisa and continued down the stairs.
Even though Elisa was standing next to him, he didn’t glance at her even once.
“Something bothering him?”
Elisa wondered about Richard’s unusual attitude of not meeting her eyes, but soon forgot about it because the carriage arrived.
“Then, please take care.”
The butler and servants bid farewell to the three individuals boarding the carriage.
First, the carriage carrying Albert departed, followed by the one carrying Elisa and Richard.
Elisa stared out the window, watching the passing scenery without a word.
Richard, who had been avoiding her gaze earlier, now seemed to be looking at her more intently, making her uncomfortable.
‘Why is he staring like that? Could it be that I look too pretty?’
Thinking so, a sly smile crept up on her face. She wanted to tease Richard, who always spoke sharply to her.
Elisa chuckled mischievously, coughing lightly, and turned to look at Richard with a playful expression.
“Why are you staring like that? Got something to ask?”
Elisa expected an embarrassed reaction from Richard.
But instead, Richard reached out as if waiting and removed a stray strand of thread stuck to the side of Elisa’s head.
‘Really? Was it actually stuck there?’
Elisa felt a bit embarrassed and wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
“T-Thank you.”
Eager to forget her recent embarrassment, Elisa briefly shook her head, redirecting her thoughts to the question Albert had asked earlier.
“Richard, what can you tell me about the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess?”
In response to Elisa’s inquiry, Richard raised an eyebrow, then answered with a cold tone.
“Trash.”
It was a brief and straightforward response.
After a short while, the carriage arrived at the imperial hunting ground.
When Elisa stepped out of the carriage, the nobles who had already arrived looked at her in unison.
Elisa responded to their gazes with a simple nod. Despite her young age, as the future mistress of the Ducal house, she needed to maintain a certain level of dignity without lowering herself too much.
‘It’s overwhelming…’
Elisa thought of Albert’s words and maintained a calm facade, but the numerous eyes focused on her made her feel uneasy.
“It’s been a while, Your Grace, the Duke.”
Nobles approached Elisa and greeted her.
Elisa responded appropriately. Although she was still young, being the future head of the ducal house meant she didn’t have to lower herself first, but politeness was necessary.
At that moment, two more carriages approached. They bore the emblem of the imperial family.
From the first carriage, the Emperor and Crown Prince alighted, and from the second carriage, the Empress and Crown Princess descended.
As befitting the title of the “Chariot of Crimson Flames,” the hair of the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess had a fiery red hue.
“We greet the blazing flames of Arencia.”
The nobles collectively bowed to the Emperor and his family.
Elisa also lowered her head in respect.
“After enduring the harsh winter, seeing your faces on this warm spring day brings joy.”
“Both of Your Majesties seem well, and it warms our hearts.”
Once the Emperor finished speaking, the nobles began exchanging pleasantries one by one.
Similarly, while conversing with the ladies, the Empress noticed Elisa and remarked, “Is this Rubellin’s future mistress?”
“That’s correct,” Albert replied.
The Empress’s gaze became more appraising as she looked at Elisa.
Elisa, as if expected, stepped forward and bowed her head.
“The Elisa of Rubellin greets the mother of Arencia.”
“For a girl from the southern countryside, I expected her to look more like a village girl, but she seems quite proper for Ideo’s lady.”
“Looks quite refined, actually.”
To the Empress’s words, Crown Prince Christian, who was listening nearby, nodded approvingly.
Referring to Elisa, who grew up in Roengreen, as a ‘countryside’ girl was clearly a condescending remark. However, Elisa, without any memories or attachments to the place, didn’t feel much about it.
Of course, regardless of that fact, it was still a bit unpleasant, but…
“Mikaela, why don’t you teach her more about Ideo life?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Somehow, our daughter seems to have a good temperament!”
“Well, it’s only natural for a princess.”
Even hedgehogs like their offspring to be cute. They were a perfect match.
Watching the Empress and Crown Princess interact so affectionately, Elisa stuck her tongue out playfully.
As the nobles finished their greetings to the Emperor and Empress, nearby tables were set up for the banquet.
The dining area was divided between adults and children.
“Come with me.”
Christian took the noble children to the designated children’s area.
Under white awnings, tables laden with delicious food were arranged in a row.
Elisa, about to take her seat, noticed that the other children were not sitting down and looked around curiously.
“Ansel, it’s been a long time. Why haven’t you visited? I missed you so much.”
Christian, with an exaggerated expression of sorrow, clung to Ansel, the son of Count Arden.
Ansel seemed bewildered, and Christian continued, “I’ve been so eager to see you. Why have you been avoiding me?”
Christian acted as if he was deeply hurt, placing a hand on Ansel’s shoulder for camaraderie.
Ansel, appearing fearful of Christian’s actions, kept his gaze fixed on the ground, his body tense, making it clear that this was far from friendly contact.
It was evident to anyone that this interaction did not resemble that of close friends.
Elisa recalled Richard’s words from the carriage, “Richard, what can you tell me about the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess?” and his response, “Trash.”
While other children seemed indifferent to the scene, Richard observed with a cold expression but made no effort to intervene.
“Alright, here’s your seat.”
Christian gestured for Ansel to sit at the designated spot for the children. He then took the seat opposite, the highest one.
“This is my seat. Can you see it well like this?”
“…”
“And next to me is the seat for the Viscount Muret. On the other side…”
Christian was arbitrarily assigning seats to the children, placing those he liked closer to himself and pushing those he didn’t like farther away.
As Christian’s finger roamed between the children, it stopped at Elisa.
“That seat is for the Roengreen girl… No, for the young Lady of Rubellin. It would be better if the Lady of the Little Duchy sits there; I still find you unfamiliar.”
The remark suggested that he would willingly switch seats with her.
‘From an early age, he’s already unpleasant…’
Elisa resisted the urge to confront Christian, reminding herself of Albert’s advice on wise conduct for the sake of Rubellin.
At that moment, Richard, who had been standing beside Elisa, took a seat next to her.
This action caught Christian’s attention, and one of his eyebrows lifted in surprise.
“Richard, isn’t your seat over here?”
Christian pointed to the seat right next to him.
However, Richard replied with a dry tone, “Since my wife is here, wouldn’t this seat be mine?”
It surprised not only the other children but also Elisa.
‘Why is he suddenly on my side…?’
Moreover, the word ‘wife’ he used was a strange term, especially considering he had never referred to her in such a manner before.
Christian, taken aback by Richard’s response, sneered.
“What’s this, are you already head over heels? Just like the other losers.”
Christian laughed mockingly, and the other children followed suit. It was a bizarre sight.
Although Elisa felt an intense desire to confront Christian right then and there, she held back, knowing that it wouldn’t align with Albert’s advice for Rubellin.
Then it happened.