Chapter 84 – Divorce (10)

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“W-What…?”

As I called her ‘exasperating,’ Daphne had a face of no small amount of embarrassment.

“Clearly you said you would divorce me…”

“That’s right. I will divorce you and my father, and unite you with Meursault. I will not break that promise.”

“But didn’t you just say we were ex-exasperating?”

“That is also true. It means you guys shouldn’t just sit quietly and wait only for a happy ending. You asked me just now if I had to go this far…”

I continued with a sneer on purpose.

“If we didn’t go this far, you guys would have trodden water forever. Just like you were pushed into marrying my father. Just like Meursault only watched you marrying another man.”

“…”

Daphne quickly realized what my words meant and, seemingly feeling ashamed, her face soon flushed.

Actually, until before, I had thought of them as simple NPCs, so the thought that it was exasperating to leave the divorce to me did not occur.

Originally, a player is a being who completes quests given by NPCs.

But Luna Moon was my mother.

And when I thought of Safe Zone as a game reconstructing what my mother saw and heard, they looked different.

The thought that they were living people began to dawn on me little by little.

Thus, both Daphne and Meursault deserved to feel ashamed.

Perhaps because they were negligent, my mother might have met her death in this game.

I looked at Daphne for a moment and spoke.

“The fortunate thing is, at least one person has taken a step forward. You seem to know it well too, but Meursault is not the type of guy to do that no matter how much I ordered him.”

This was real.

Meursault resisted for a bit saying it was madness, but after realizing his own ‘exasperation,’ he prepared the proposal on his own.

I didn’t know he would prepare something like a candle heart if left alone, though…

At least, it meant kneeling and sitting in the rain was not my command.

Daphne no longer had a face of resentment toward me.

“Since your face looks like you have fully understood… I will ask again. What shall we do? Shall I send Meursault back?”

“…”

Instead of answering, Daphne stood up and walked outside.

Instead of following Daphne, I leaned against the window and looked down.

* * *

“Meursault…”

Meursault, who was kneeling in the rain, thought at first that he had misheard.

Because he did not expect that the high-born lady he adored would walk out into this rain without even an umbrella, stand in front of him, and call his name.

He was staying here only because he thought it was something he ought to do, and did not actually expect Daphne to come out and see him in response to his proposal.

“L-Lady Daphne…!”

“What are you planning to do by acting like this?”

Of course, the first words that came out of Daphne’s mouth were not an acceptance of the proposal.

“No matter how much Haydam wanted it…! You should have kept to the order.”

“The order…”

Meursault stood up and shielded the top of Daphne’s head with his palm.

Even so, it did not mean they could avoid getting wet since they were still standing in the rain, but he did it because he wanted to do so.

“Is there a need to keep to the order strictly?”

“Pardon?”

“Must one divorce first and then propose? I mean, can’t one propose first and then divorce afterward?”

“What on earth does that…”

Perhaps expecting a common-sense story from Meursault, Daphne stood with a dazed expression for a moment, then knitted her brows.

“Why are you acting like this too, Meursault? Stop talking crazy!”

“I said the same at first. But I was told that marriage is originally a crazy thing.”

“No…!”

“So I’m sorry, Daphne.”

Meursault spoke while offering the ring he held in his other hand.

“If it’s alright, would you join me in this madness?”

“…Surely you aren’t doing that and calling it a proposal.”

“Wouldn’t the last name Pendleton be cuter than Goodman?”

“This is truly the worst proposal…”

“I am sorry.”

“What makes you propose so shamelessly? Did Haydam tell you? That if you proposed, I would accept?”

“But Lady Daphne, aren’t you standing in front of me after walking all the way here in this rain?”

Meursault spoke with a slight smile.

“Seeing you in front of me, I thought that even madness isn’t all that bad. How about you, Lady Daphne? Weren’t you looking forward to it as you walked all the way here?”

“…”

As Daphne only stared blankly at Meursault without answering, Meursault flinched and blushed.

“Ah, o-of course, since it is raining, you might have felt wet and uncomfortable, but—”

“Do you know what, Meursault?”

“Ah, w-what is it, Daphne?”

“It’s not raining behind you.”

“…Pardon?”

Only then did Meursault look behind him and became greatly flustered.

For a clear sky was indeed unfolding behind him.

If he had taken even just one step backward, or rather, if he had turned back even once, he wouldn’t have needed to stand in the rain for tens of minutes here.

Meursault muttered in a hollow voice.

“Abnormal weather has been continuing lately, so this must be the aftermath of it… Ugh?!”

Meursault could not finish muttering and looked at Daphne, who clung to him by wrapping her arms around his neck.

“L-Lady Daphne! What if people see…!”

“Isn’t that rich coming from someone who proposed for everyone to see?”

“That is true, but…”

Watching Meursault, whose ears had turned red, flustered at a distance where the tips of their noses could touch at any moment, Daphne muttered.

“Yes, right. This is why he was my favorite.”

“…Pardon?”

Daphne let go of Meursault and tidied her wet hair as she spoke.

“Since I must go to Hayden now, you should head back too.”

“Ah… then…”

Just as Meursault, thinking Daphne’s words were a rejection, was about to drop his head, Daphne continued.

“I don’t agree that Pendleton is cuter, but since I can’t use the same last name as Hayden, I will go with Pendleton.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ll get divorced and come back. Come what may.”

“D-Does that mean you are accepting my proposal…!”

Meursault, whose expression brightened for a moment, suddenly realized something and asked with an anxious look.

“…Surely you don’t mean you are going to see the commander right now and ask for a divorce? I actually deserted my post without permission—”

“I didn’t say I would be the one facing the consequences.”

“No, L-Lady Daphne!!”

Watching Daphne run toward the commander’s residence in a fairly stable posture.

Meursault thought that today might become the anniversary of his death.

* * *

Although it had become an untimely romance fantasy story.

Commander Hayden accepted the divorce readily, surprisingly, when Daphne requested it.

Although he did hold Meursault responsible for deserting his post.

‘Was Daphne’s heart truly the most important thing?’

In the end, the divorce would have been easy if Daphne had requested it first.

The reason Daphne feared divorce so much was that she thought if she lost power, she would lose Meursault’s heart along with it.

Because she had thought that what Meursault wanted was her background.

‘He always said his dream was to marry the most noble woman in the zone, so it was understandable.’

But Meursault proposed in front of Daphne’s house, prepared to lose even the position he had built up with effort.

Despite the fact that he might incur Commander Hayden’s anger.

That moved Daphne’s heart.

Of course, that candle heart event was enough to cool down even a thousand years of love, but…

Perhaps the rain that fell right at the perfect timing put out all the flames, having the effect of making it look even more pitiful.

Daphne seemed to have fully felt his sincerity from the fact that Meursault, who was cautious in everything, made such an irrational decision without even the mind to avoid the rain.

‘Anyway, since I must have rubbed the commander the wrong way with this, I should keep quiet for the time being.’

Thinking so, the moment I grabbed the doorknob of the office to open it today as well to ease the commander’s mood.

“I didn’t know Daphne had feelings for you too.”

The commander’s sluggish voice heard from inside.

“How many children will you have?”

‘Ah?’

I slowly let go of the hand that was holding the doorknob.

Next, Meursault’s voice, which sounded just as embarrassed as I was, heard from inside.

“Pardon? A-Children…?”

“It’s not like you won’t have any, right? A child who resembles half of you and half of Daphne will surely be outstanding.”

‘Is he now…’

Is he asking Meursault how many children they will have with the wife he just divorced?

“W-We haven’t even officially held a wedding yet. N-No, in the first place, children are not a matter for me to decide alone. Of course Lady Daphne’s child will be outstanding in every way, but…!”

Meursault also seemed to be rambling, unable to hide his embarrassment.

‘Is this… a kind of grilling?’

But the commander was not of a personality to hold a grudge once he decided to divorce.

Next, the commander’s peaceful voice heard.

“Well, of course it’s a matter to decide in consultation with Daphne. But don’t you have an ideal number of children in mind?”

“U-Um…”

Meursault seemed to ponder for a moment, then carefully gave an answer.

“I… think… about one.”

“One? That’s unexpected. I thought you liked children.”

“Me?”

“Don’t you hang out well with Haydam?”

“Uh… if you look at it that way, I don’t think I like children very much.”

‘Look at him.’

The commander’s low laughter heard from inside, followed by a question.

“One child… I see. Do you wish that child to be a son or a daughter?”

‘Hearing it like this, it sounds like questions an elder relative asks during holidays…’

Since only curiosity was felt in the commander’s voice and not a shred of malice, Meursault also seemed to ease his mind, as his answering speed quickened.

“I hope it will be a daughter who resembles Lady Daphne.”

“Good. That was an excellent answer.”

Though I didn’t know what made him so pleased, the commander spoke in satisfaction.

“It’s a promise, Meursault.”

“A promise?”

Meursault asked back, puzzled.

“I’m sorry, but… regarding what?”

“That once you marry, you will have only one daughter who resembles Daphne.”

Unlike just a moment ago, a chilly voice flowed out.

“It means I will not permit any more than that.”

‘I wondered why he was asking about children so tenaciously…’

He seemed to be worried that Daphne and Meursault’s child would threaten my position in the future.

Although it was a warning he could naturally make as a commander…

‘Hearing it directly doesn’t make me feel very comfortable.’

However, contrary to the uncomfortable feeling, Meursault answered simply without showing any particular displeasure.

“I understand what you mean. There will be nothing to worry about. For I have already pledged loyalty to you, and I intend to be loyal to Master Haydam.”

‘Meursault…’

Even though he is a crazy bastard who eventually married his superior’s wife, he really has loyalty.

I thought the conversation would end warmly there, but unexpected words flowed from the commander’s mouth.

“Come to think of it, you promised to find a companion for Haydam?”

“Did you know?”

Of all things, that conversation had to enter the commander’s ears.

“If you permit, I would like to find a good marriage partner for Master Haydam.”

“I trust you will find a child worthy of Haydam. Of course…”

The commander spoke in a warm voice.

“I would welcome even a child of yours and Daphne’s. For your child is not a stranger either.”

“Your Excellency…”

‘…Wait, what?’

Why is the conversation flowing that way?

‘This isn’t right!’

This won’t do. If I don’t stop them now, I’ll become the protagonist of ‘Your girlfriend hasn’t even been born yet.’

Just as I was about to throw open the office door, prepared to be caught eavesdropping.

“Absolutely not.”

Meursault’s firm voice struck down like lightning.

“…What?”

“Why would I give my daughter to a cold-blooded person like Master Haydam… why would I?”

…This bastard Meursault?