Chapter 220

Chapter 220

He was wrong. There was no sign of Lila in the office.

Lacias was usually good at guessing these things. Why was it different with Lila? He was about to head to Hir’s room when the ominous feeling returned. The headache would leave only after he’d seen Lila’s face.

What is it?

Lacias opened the office door. As he’d sensed, there was no one in there. The office was extremely clean, for some reason. Not a single document in sight. Nothing except a letter on the table.

A letter?

Was it a letter from someone to Lila? Lacias grabbed it and began to read.

Dear Lacias, the letter said.

He frowned. She wasn’t the recipient. She’d written the letter.

He continued reading with a poker face.

Lacias, by the time you find this letter, I should be somewhere else, starting a new life. Did you know that our contract ended? I really hope I was a big help while it lasted.

Lacias stared at the words, emotions arising within him. His teeth ground together.

Please take care of Hir. I’m sure you’ll be a good father. I’ll be cheering you from far.

Even in the letter she’d left him, she was concerned about Hir. A cold smile appeared on Lacias’s face. The more he read, the more his emotions subsided. The cold air in the office seemed to grow heavier.

I signed the document already. So now…

Document? He frowned. There was a stiff paper attached to the letter.

Divorce me.

It was a divorce paper. One filled with Lila’s signatures.

He let out a soft chuckle. “Lila…”

The table was the first thing he destroyed. Then he took the paper in both hands.

And ripped it in half.

He watched the pieces fall to the floor. “There’s no way I’m letting you go.”

“Please wait.” His laughter failed to reach his eyes. “I’ll make sure you can’t try anything like this when I get you again.”

***

Was this how college students felt leaving their loving parents and life?

Lila was quite bored and downhearted. She’d been so busy when she lived at the duke’s castle, she’d never gotten used to a life of leisure. She’d tried baking, changing the interior, and even installed the fireplace. Still, handling this alone time was difficult.

It seems I am still a Korean at heart.

Even if one moved to a different world, one’s personality seldom changed. Whenever she wasn’t doing anything, she contemplated the acceptability of doing nothing.

“I want to see Hir,” she muttered. “I want to see Lacias. I want to work. I don’t want to rest.”

If she’d known she would be this bored, she might have reconsidered her actions. It seemed her head had hardened from all the work she’d had to do.

A life of not being able to say goodbye to my people when I leave.

She was the perfect example of a runaway, living in another country and leaving her loved ones behind.

“It’s only been a week,” she mumbled.

It had been a bit less boring when Hizette was here, but she hadn’t had the chance to be bored, since she’d been so busy running away.

Should I meet other people? Any neighbors? She shook her head at the thought. She still needed to live quietly for a bit.

Lila hugged her knees. And thought for a while.

Is Lacias really looking for me? He might not care about those who leave. Maybe he’s living a normal life, like the Duke Lacias Wipere I read about in the book?

She hoped that he was. That he wouldn’t look for her. But, for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. As she sat alone in the quiet room, she felt herself growing more depressed. Lila considered taking a walk to lift her spirits. She pulled on a sweater with a large hood, in case she needed to cover her face.

The Nixon Kingdom’s street was quite lively. And cold.

Lila hugged her arms to her chest. I think I need a thick jacket for sure. Having a fireplace had made her forget how cold it was. The thick jacket was a necessity, not a mere choice.

“I should go get one while I’m out,” she said.

The clothes store was at the main plaza. It was some distance from Lila’s house, but she needed to get it before the weather got any colder.

The cold helped clear her mind, and she arrived at the plaza in no time.

Let’ see. Where’s that store?

She knew it was around here somewhere, but this was the first time she’d come outside alone. She glanced around, and a wooden board around the huge fountain caught her eye. At first glance, it looked like there was some sort of map on it; as she drew nearer, she noticed the cluster of papers.

I should take a look at that, she thought. It might make it easier to find the store.

Staying outside for a long period of time was enough to make her uneasy. Lila hurried over to the board—and that was when she saw it. Something beyond her imagination.

What…what is this?

It was a wanted poster. And the portrait on it was Lila’s.