TMWL 01

Chapter 1

“What exactly are you talking about?”

The man’s low voice scraped against the floor, as though reflecting his foul mood.

He had always been a blunt and taciturn man, but Pesha had never seen him look this angry before.

Because of that, Pesha secretly watched his expression.

With sharp eyes set beneath deeply sunken brows, a high-bridged nose, and strongly masculine features, the man had the handsome appearance of a perfectly carved statue. Yet his expression was frightening enough to ruin that beauty.

Pesha had been staring blankly at his face when she suddenly came to her senses.

No. Why am I worrying about his mood? How much have I done for this territory all this time?

She clenched her fists tightly, gathering her courage.

Then she brought up the words she had wanted to say ever since the day they first married.

“I said we should get a divorce now.”

She had made up her mind about divorce a long time ago.

Since the day they got married.

No, even before they got married!

She had been forced into the marriage almost as if she had been sold off, but she thought their sham marriage had lasted long enough.

After all, there was no way this man wanted to continue such a disgraceful marriage for very long either.

Ever since their marriage, Pesha had worked tirelessly to rebuild this territory, which had once had nothing.

There were many reasons for it, but first and foremost, she had been thinking about the alimony she would demand when they divorced.

I’ll take the alimony and live a peaceful life all by myself.

Even now, that plan had not changed.

Of course, they had never discussed it beforehand. Still, even when the territory had been struggling financially, the man in front of her had never been stingy with money. And there was no denying that her contribution had played a significant role in building up their current wealth.

So she intended to make her demand without shame.

But I never thought I’d run into trouble before I could even bring it up.

Her husband, Owen, stared intently at Pesha’s determined face before asking,

“Why?”

“What?”

“I’m asking why you want a divorce.”

Pesha was slightly taken aback.

Isn’t it obvious?

Neither Owen nor Pesha had entered this marriage of their own free will.

So she thought that, by this point, it was only right for them to go their separate ways.

Pesha rolled her eyes from side to side before answering.

“You didn’t marry me because you wanted to either, did you?”

“……”

“And…”

Was it really okay to say this?

Pesha hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“And you have another woman.”

“…What?”

“I thought the longer I stayed here, the harder it would be for the woman who is truly meant to be your wife. Isn’t that right?”

Owen’s face stiffened.

He looked as though he had never expected her to mention her.

Did that work?

Pesha gave a triumphant smile and began seriously trying to persuade him.

“I’ll explain everything to His Majesty and my father myself. I’ll make sure you don’t suffer any consequences. I won’t even ask for that much alimony. Just a small portion of what you earned this time…”

Bang!

A loud sound came from Owen.

He had shoved the divorce papers Pesha had handed him into the trash can.

Pesha’s eyes widened in surprise.

Owen looked at her with dark, sunken eyes and said,

“If you already know, then this should be easier to discuss.”

Know what? Oh, the woman?

At last, it seemed they were going to have a proper conversation, and Pesha’s expression brightened.

“I’ll make sure your new countess suffers as little as possible! I’ll give her a proper handover, so don’t worry.”

It was the moment she confidently declared this that—

“Pesha Namoi.”

Pesha’s shoulders flinched when she heard him call her name.

And for good reason.

It was the first time Owen had ever called her by her name like this.

What was more, it was the first time he had called her by her husband’s surname instead of her maiden name.

It was her own name, yet it sounded strangely unfamiliar.

Pesha blinked in surprise, and Owen’s pitch-black eyes flashed as he met her gaze.

Then he finally opened his tightly closed lips.

“You were the one I wanted from the beginning.”

Pesha stared at him in confusion.

“Uh… What?”

“I did all of this for the sole purpose of making you Pesha Namoi. And now you’re talking about divorce?”

A sinister smile curled at the corner of Owen’s mouth.

“There’s no way I’m going to divorce you.”

“Lord Namoi. I heard you resolved the dimensional rift in the east again. I’m always amazed by your bravery.”

The entire country was in a festive mood.

A hero had appeared in the Empire, which had suffered through years of war, shining like a ray of light.

Count Owen Namoi had barely appeared before driving back the army of the Kingdom of Clapton, the Empire’s long-standing nuisance.

He had also wiped out all the foreign tribes scattered around the border who preyed on small villages. In the east, which had been considered almost a dead land after repeated monster invasions, he had even destroyed entire groups of monsters.

He was a symbol of the end of the war.

He was the hope of the Empire.

“To gain such a hero during my reign is a joy beyond words.”

The Emperor, seated upon his throne, praised Owen lavishly for his achievements. Yet, unlike his words, his voice was utterly devoid of warmth.

The man kneeling on one knee before the throne, still wearing his military gear, gave a short reply.

“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”

“You’ve achieved more than enough to stop being modest. The moment I heard of your victories, I began thinking about what reward I should give you.”

“……”

“Then I remembered that you are already past the proper age for marriage, yet you are still unmarried.”

At the Emperor’s words, the atmosphere in the hall, where a party was being held, began to stir.

At the same time, everyone’s gaze turned toward a woman who stood there frozen stiff.

The Emperor continued speaking regardless.

“It is partly my fault that you have remained unmarried all this time. I kept giving you one important mission after another without giving you any time to think of marriage. So I discussed the matter with several trusted officials.”

The moment word spread that Owen Namoi had reclaimed the eastern lands, a rumor had quietly circulated through every corner of high society.

It was a rumor filled with both ridicule and pity: some noble young lady would become the wife of Owen Namoi, a man of common birth.

“After hearing various opinions, I came to the following decision… Duke Rydell.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At the Emperor’s summons, Duke Rydell stepped to his side.

The Emperor patted the Duke’s shoulder and said,

“The Duke of Rydell here has graciously agreed to offer his daughter.”

At that moment, Pesha Rydell, the Duke’s daughter, who had been dragged to the party by her father as though she were being led to a slaughterhouse, squeezed her eyes shut.

“Therefore, I shall bestow upon you Pesha Rydell, daughter of Duke Rydell, as your wife.”

The Emperor’s declaration, which Pesha had desperately hoped would never come, had become reality.

Absolutely not!

Pesha, who had been standing among the crowd at the party, hurried toward the Emperor, bowed her head deeply, and shouted,

“Your Majesty! Please, take back your words!”

It was an unexpected outburst.

The Emperor’s eyes widened, while the nobles who had been quietly whispering began murmuring loudly.

“Pesha!”

Of everyone present, the most shocked was Pesha’s father, Duke Rydell.

He grabbed Pesha by the arm and dragged her back as he scolded her.

“What do you think you’re doing?! How dare you refuse His Majesty’s command?”

Rebelling against the Emperor?

For the head of the prestigious House of Rydell and a loyal servant of the Emperor, such behavior was completely unacceptable.

But Father is the loyal servant. I’m not.

Pesha had an important reason she could not back down.

“Your Majesty! I don’t want to marry Lord Namoi. I… I would rather become a nun than get married!”

The furious Duke Rydell gripped Pesha’s shoulder so tightly that it hurt.

“How much longer do you intend to disgrace your father?!”

As though he could not bear any more humiliation, he shouted before turning to the Emperor and apologizing.

“Your Majesty, I failed to raise my daughter properly. I will educate her thoroughly and send her to Lord Namoi, so please do not withdraw your command.”

The Emperor seemed briefly taken aback by Pesha’s refusal to marry, but after receiving Duke Rydell’s apology, he cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Then, as discussed beforehand, I shall take it that the House of Rydell has agreed to this arrangement.”

It was a one-sided decision that completely ignored Pesha’s pleas, despite her being the person directly involved.

She had resorted to such an extreme measure in an attempt to undo a marriage arrangement made without her consent, yet all of it had been in vain.

Pesha desperately turned her gaze away before suddenly noticing Owen Namoi, who was still kneeling on one knee with his head bowed.

Pesha’s shoulders flinched.

Come to think of it, that man heard everything.

Being dragged to the party straight from the battlefield, without even having time to change out of his battle gear, must have been humiliating enough for him.

And then she had gone and rejected the marriage on top of that.

There was no way he could be in a good mood.

Yet despite the humiliating situation, he remained completely motionless, as though rooted to the spot.

For a moment, Pesha felt a little sorry for him.

But really, it was like a mouse worrying about a cat.

There was no other way it could be.

Owen Namoi might kill me.

And he might do it horribly.