I Won't Stand in Your Way, But No Reconciliation (1)
Today had been an excessively long day. There was one more major event scheduled for the afternoon.
Riding the carriage prepared by the queen, I left the Royal Palace and headed straight for the Laphone Family Estate.
Last Sunday, after finishing my adventure and returning home, Ashley was waiting for me.
"Honey... I missed you."
"Hello, miss. It's been a while. What brings you to our house...?"
"W-why are you suddenly using formal speech? Are you drawing a line, treating me like a stranger?"
"On the day you filed for divorce and we left the court, you told me to treat you according to your status."
"H-ha, don't! I must've been crazy! Treat me like you always did! Please, I beg you!"
I set down the luggage I was carrying on the living room floor and undid the button choking my neck.
"Why are you here?"
"I wrote in the letter. Tomorrow, our family is holding a commemorative party to officially announce our liberation from the curse. There, we'll reveal in detail all the devoted efforts you made to lift our family's curse over the years. So you won't feel wronged."
"Do I really have to go?"
"You absolutely must. It's practically a event for you, not our family."
In this world, news spreads so slowly it can take years for a single piece of information to circulate. Even living in the same King's Capital, people often hear months-old news belatedly. There are probably still folks who believe I lost to Vera. People who think I'm still limping on my leg.
That's why I needed to show up at social gatherings and big events to spread the word widely. Returning to the Laphone Family Estate felt awkward, but I had a decent relationship with the family head, Hireger. I figured I'd just attend the event, correct the false rumors, bask in the glory, and leave.
"Alright. I'll go."
And so, here we were now. The carriage carrying me was galloping energetically toward the Laphone Family Estate.
"Please come again!"
"Yes! Thank you!"
"Take care!"
"Goodbye."
Late afternoon. Sophia emerged from the clothing store with her daughters. It had been a rare family shopping trip.
"Mom, wasn't that lingerie you just bought too sexy? Why red of all colors?"
Her 18-year-old eldest daughter, now an adult, asked while linking arms with her mother as they walked. Selma, Sophia's firstborn, whom she'd had at 17. The girl was so skilled in cooking that she'd become a restaurant head chef at a young age.
"What's wrong with it? A mom like me deserves some nice lingerie too."
"Did you get a boyfriend or something?"
"Boyfriend? Look at you. Where would I find time for that? I'm always going house-guild-house-guild, just work."
Her second daughter, Susan, chimed in from behind.
"Mom, if you get a boyfriend, I won't say anything about dating, but don't bring him home. If you're gonna live together, move out."
17-year-old Susan was currently job-hunting. She was scraping by with part-time corpse-cleaning work for widows.
"You two should hurry up and find yourselves a man each. With no men in the house, you're turning into the man of the family. How are you supposed to get married acting like that?"
"There's no man around, so we have to chop wood and carry heavy loads."
"You need money to get married."
"Huh? Mom, look at that!"
A grand mansion in the bustling district. Countless carriages were lined up in front of its main gate. The surrounding streets were crowded with elegantly dressed people.
Selma and Susan stopped in their tracks, letting out gasps of admiration.
"Looks like there's a party today."
"I'm jealous. I wanna go to a place like that."
Sophia stared blankly at the gate alongside her daughters. Suddenly, one person flashed in her mind.
This is the Laphone Family Estate. Where that man's ex-wife lives...
The area grew noisy in an instant. A splendid carriage was entering amid the crowd's fervent gazes.
"Whoa...! Lady Aquina's here too!"
"It's Aquina!"
"Congrats on ranking second in the queen's mentions last week!"
Aquina, the Adventure Empress. Until Naru reemerged, she was the kingdom's top hero! And now this legendary figure was attending the Laphone Family's party.
With the celebrity's arrival, the nobles' excitement surged.
"This party's gonna be fun!"
"Gotta talk to Lady Aquina!"
Unlike the other carriages queued up, Aquina's sped straight through the gate. Inside, Aquina—clad in a form-fitting evening dress—sat with her legs crossed, showing off her alluring thighs.
"...Earlier. I got a bit shocked. A ceremony with the queen?"
A middle-aged gentleman sitting diagonally across from her let out a short sigh at her quiet words.
"I didn't expect Naru to meet the queen so soon."
"Maybe I should've taken the queen's commission myself."
"It's regrettable, but with her reputation for ruthlessness, fully siding with her side in the current situation would be tricky. For reputation management, we had no choice. Heroes are best off maintaining a good, virtuous image between good and evil. And rather than cozying up to one political faction, balancing both sides and staying neutral keeps you out of factional strife and active."
"But if the queen crushes the opposition and ascends as the official queen, we'll be left in limbo. Then the noble patronage coming to me will slowly shift to Kang Naru one by one."
During the two years Naru was down, she'd enjoyed the hero treatment. The fame, glory, privileges—she didn't want to lose a single one.
In my world, she's already queen.
The people cheer her name uniformly: Aquina, Adventure Empress.
But the fallen hero Kang Naru had reappeared, threatening the throne she'd occupied for two years.
Annoying.
Assassination or the like never crossed her mind. As a hero, as an adventurer, she burned only with the will to crush him fairly with pure skill.
Kang Naru.
Aquina flashed an ambitious smile. Let's clash soon. I'll take the same commission you're slated for next. And we'll see who's superior, who's faster.
"We've arrived."
The carriage halted. Aquina straightened her elegantly styled hair and waited for the door to open.
"Kang Naru won't come, right? He used to be connected here."
"After the divorce? No way he'd show. The Laphone Family's patronage is with us anyway."
"Ah, we can tell by the sponsors. Gotta take good care of them. It's tiring, but we have to hit these events. Can't leave sponsors feeling neglected."
The door opened soon after, and the Laphone Family butler welcomed Aquina courteously.
Elsewhere, Alicia and her entourage—two female students fawning like maids—were strolling lightly through the garden in beautiful dresses.
"Oh, a party! Such a glamorous party! This suits me way better than stuffy school life!"
"Lady Alicia shines brightest at night."
"You're the center of attention wherever you go. So enviable."
Alicia smiled radiantly and headed for the hall where the banquet was held. As she and her fresh, vibrant friends passed, men stared in awe. Some even turned back while walking with their dates.
"Everyone, go easy on the cake. You'll gain weight."
"Ah, craving that cold-set cheesecake today."
"Remember we have academy tomorrow. You wanna wake up with a belly pooch ruining your dress fit?"
"We're here. Everyone, compose yourselves like proper ladies."
Entering the hall with its high ceiling and ornate chandeliers, they heard sweet music and chatter.
Alicia smiled and plucked a wine glass from a passing butler's tray.
"I like it."
"After the Laphone Family's big announcement, there'll be a ballroom dance for men and women, right?"
"We here to hunt men? Just to enjoy the vibe."
"I love it most when guys ask me to dance at parties."
"Heard what the Laphone Family's big announcement is?"
"No clue. We'll find out when the time comes."
"My parents mentioned something about being freed from the curse."
"The Laphone curse? Horrific. How do you live never seeing rivers or seas?"
Alicia sipped her wine contentedly. At that moment, the butler from outside entered the hall and bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Sir Naru, son-in-law of the Laphone Family, has arrived!"
Alicia's eyes widened, her ears perking up.
"S-Sir Naru?! Cough! Cough! That awful assistant professor? Cough!"
The bustling crowd in the hall parted to both sides, creating a central path. Soon, Naru appeared, impeccably dressed.
As he walked in, people smiled and watched with keen interest.
"Sir Naru! Saw you with the queen in the ceremony today! Impressive!"
"Ooh, Sir Naru came too? Thought he divorced?"
"Look at his leg! Walking properly!"
Just as expected. Everyone was hugely interested in me. Probably because of the ongoing divorce with Ashley. It was a bit overwhelming.
Let's just get through the event quick and bail.
Ashley, who had been chatting with people from afar, heard of my arrival and grabbed her voluminous dress skirts with both hands, rushing over.
"Honey! You came?"
She beamed with endlessly affectionate warmth, doting on her husband. Honey? As if. Suddenly, I recalled her screaming at me like I was a bug.
Back when I endured all sorts of humiliations.
Marrying someone like you was the biggest mistake of my life! Don't touch my body! Get out!
Sigh. Coming back to the Laphone Family Estate I'd tried to forget stirred up all those bad memories.
"Thank you for coming."
"Yeah."
"I thought about you all day."
"Really?"
Ashley. Don't get too happy. I'm here to officially declare there's no way I'm reconciling with the Laphone Family today.