Time fortified by will passed quickly.

Finally. At last, the painting that had been worked on every day for half a year without rest was completed.

Valentin stood at a distance, looking at the huge completed paintings. Then he took off the apron that had become like a part of his body from wearing it for so long. In the gesture of dropping the removed apron to the floor, there was a glimpse of the lightness of finally pouring out all the many regrets and emotions.

Valentin dusted off his hands.

Though he knew he shouldn’t, he wanted to have a meal with Reynard after a very long time.

After the day they argued, once Reynard realized Valentin was absorbed in painting and had entered a state of concentration beyond normal daily life, he started coming home late again. Valentin knew that he would return home with a tired body in the early hours, always drinking brandy or whisky, and the light in his room would only go out around 3 or 4 AM.

It was information that Dawson had difficulty relaying, saying he had barely heard it from Powell.

To be in a position where he had to hear news about his husband from servants because they had been using separate bedrooms for so long. They never imagined such days would come during their happiest newlywed period. They only thought they would live happily sharing a bedroom and inner room for life. Losing the child was enough to destroy their very lives to that extent.

He knew that sometimes Reynard would quietly come into his bedroom late at night and just gaze endlessly at him sleeping.

But the moment he acknowledged that touch and they made eye contact and conversed, it felt like the sadness and barely suppressed emotions would well up and spill over again, so he couldn’t open his eyes.

But today was different.

Valentin returned to his room and diligently washed off the smell of turpentine and paint that had soaked into his body. Then he dressed in a very bright and formal outfit for the first time in a while. He found beautiful clothes like the pale sky blue formal wear they had matched for their wedding reception. Dawson happily served him, bringing out and laying out those clothes for the first time in a long time.

“Are you sure my husband hasn’t gone out today?”

“Yes. Since it’s the weekend, he didn’t go to headquarters, and I heard he won’t be going out separately either. He’s probably in his office now.”

“Good.”

Valentin left the room with a slightly flushed face. Then he quickly walked to the west wing where Reynard’s office was located.

When he climbed the marble stairs and turned the corner, he encountered an unexpected sight.

“Oh…?”

He witnessed Evener and Lady Sabina Akal just coming out and closing the door to Reynard’s office. Perhaps they heard Valentin’s voice, as they also turned their gaze this way.

The gazes of the three omegas met in the quiet corridor.

Evener just stared intently at Valentin without saying anything. It was a strange look. It seemed to contain hatred, or some complex emotion opposite to that. Stunned by that gaze and unable to politely greet him first, Valentin faced him briefly before Evener quickly composed his expression.

“Hmph.”

“…?”

He passed by Valentin without a word or any greeting.

Lady Akal, caught in between, floundered not knowing what to do before curtsying to Valentin and quickly disappearing after Evener. Valentin blankly watched as they went down the stairs, received their hats, and left the mansion.

‘Has the matter already progressed this far….’

Well. It had already been two seasons since Valentin shut himself in the house like an eccentric, focusing only on painting. The Emperor’s patience must have reached its limit.

He could guess why the two had come to see Reynard today. Evener must have also received orders from the Emperor. The Emperor of the Empire couldn’t go around playing matchmaker himself. Thinking of that, only a deflated, empty laugh came out. What on earth was I thinking coming here….

It seems he had forgotten his position in the joy of completing the painting.

“Haa….”

Another bitter laugh escaped his lips.

Valentin turned around quickly. As if he had never come there, lifting his heels. As if his heart had never been even slightly buoyant. He left that place quickly like that.

As soon as he returned to his room, he passed by Dawson who was looking at him with a bewildered expression. He threw off his fine jacket and cufflinks and rummaged through a drawer to pull out a file folder.

This one with brilliant gold decorations engraved on it was what Valentin had secretly taken from Reynard’s office before. Inside were divorce application papers with the Emperor’s signature. The other blank half of the paper was now filled out too. It was signed with Valentin and House Wiche’s signatures agreeing to the divorce. He had been secretly preparing it step by step since the day he decided on separation and spoke of it.

And today was undoubtedly the appropriate day to hand this over. Now that the painting he had worked so hard on was also completed.

Valentin stared at it blankly before handing it to Dawson with an expressionless face.

“Give this to my husband.”

“Understood.”

Not knowing what was inside, Dawson received the file folder while trying to compose his still stunned face. Then he left the room to deliver it.

Left alone in the empty inner room, Valentin slumped down on the sky blue couch. Then he nervously pulled off the fine tie wrapped around his neck.

*

The night was already deep, and it had been a while since he went to bed, but his mind was too complicated to fall asleep.

‘They’ll probably make a well-matched pair…’

Even if not a loving relationship, they could live respecting each other like couples in other noble families. They were both attractive and good people. Valentin thought this while lying in bed in his nightclothes, looking at the moonlight shining through the window.

‘Reynard needs to accept the divorce soon…’

There was no use clinging to just the shell of a relationship without a future. Unable to sleep, Valentin hit his pillow again and again, readjusting his position. He had lost count of how many sighs he had let out.

Knock knock.

Just then, there was a sound of someone knocking on the bedroom door from outside.

“It’s me. May I come in?”

Instead of just sneaking in as usual, he was knocking, probably having heard the sound of him rustling and abusing his pillow just now. Valentin sat up in bed and cleared his throat.

“Come in.”

At the mistress’s permission, Reynard quietly opened the door and stepped into the bedroom. Valentin quietly watched as he approached, illuminated by the moonlight. His face was much more gaunt and scruffy than when they had last faced each other.

‘…But still handsome.’

Valentin quietly examined his husband’s face that he was seeing after a long time.

“I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“No. I wasn’t sleeping.”

“…I see.”

Reynard naturally pulled over a stool and sat by the head of the bed. It was a smooth action, as he had always done when Valentin was lying ill. Somehow that familiar sight made him smile wryly.

How much must he have lain in bed like a patient during their one year of married life for this to be so familiar. Indeed, he didn’t suit this position. As a companion to a strong Dales person indeed. Valentin shook his head without realizing it.

“I saw what you delivered to me this afternoon.”

It seemed Dawson had delivered the documents well. But Reynard didn’t ask or inquire in detail about how they had come into Valentin’s possession. He just stared at his still delicate husband with eyes that had turned completely dead.

“…I’ll accept the divorce request.”

A rough voice leaked from his dry throat. It was completely dry and dull as if there was no moisture at all, but there was no strength. His voice just came out futilely and dissipated in the air.

It seemed as if the pain of the person who had barely forced out those words had squeezed out. Valentin saw pain flash across Reynard’s face as he said he would accept the divorce.

Yes. It couldn’t have been easy.

Even Valentin, who had prepared his heart for a long time, felt this heartache.

He never dreamed that such a nonsensical situation of separating because of love would befall him.

But knowing it was right. Though he chose this path knowing it was the best way for them to move forward normally towards the future, it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. He too found their separation achingly regrettable to the bone.

“I’ll submit the papers soon. Once the acceptance procedures of the witnesses involved in our marriage are completed, it will be processed quickly.”

Then their divorce will be perfectly concluded.

The Emperor’s signature, which was thought to be the most difficult, was already there. And the signature of Viscount Wiche was the same. The only remaining signatures were those of Grand Duke Howard and the Archbishop who had officiated. The process would probably proceed quickly.

“…Thank you.”

He put insincere gratitude in his mouth. Yes, Valentin. You did well. You did the right thing.

Reynard frowned as he looked at Valentin saying thank you, but quickly hid it. As he always had, he habitually reached out to stroke Valentin’s hair, but then realizing their situation, he clenched his fist and returned it to its place. Then, as if trying to shake off the familiarity of such things, he dusted himself off and stood up.

“I’m sorry for disturbing your rest. Please go back to bed soon.”

Valentin unconsciously called out to his husband as he was about to turn around.

“Reynard.”

He had unknowingly grabbed the hem of his clothes.

His mind went blank and he swallowed dryly.

“What is it?”

One of his eyebrows that Valentin always caressed, saying how handsome and cool he was, rose crookedly again. Seeing that, he spoke impulsively. Perhaps what had always been harbored and suppressed in his heart had burst out.

“For the last time…”

“…?”