Chapter 147

Chapter 147

However, the priestess’s first words were enough to surprise him.

“We don’t have much time, so I will get straight to the point. Is it true that you have decided to annul your marriage?”

“…”

Lucius was silenced by the unexpected question.

It was because the fact itself felt so unfamiliar, even more than the situation in which the story of the annulment of the marriage came from the mouth of a stranger.

“No matter what you do, even if you devote yourself to the point of pain for me… In the end, you get nothing because I have no intention of continuing this marriage with you.”

He remembered his words from before and the type of mindset he had back then when he made that decision. But what he said in the past felt so distant as if someone else had said it.

Lucius belatedly came to his senses and expressed his displeasure. He evaded the question by asking one in return. “Where did you learn of this matter?”

However, his tone was very harsh that it made the priestess angrier.

“Are you still not acknowledging it? The lady told me this herself.”

“I don’t see why I should admit what you may have only presumably heard from Deatrice.”

“I am giving you a chance,” the priestess countered. “A chance to make up for your mistakes.”

Lucius, whose face had long turned cold, visibly showed the discontent he had been holding back from their conversation. It was because he couldn’t stand the priest’s arrogance, so he laughed at the absurdity of someone he didn’t even know who had the audacity to ‘give him a chance’ in his relationship with his wife.

He chuckled derisively, “And who on earth are you to even suggest such a thing?”

As if the priestess had guessed his feelings, he was less reckless than the first time.

“I am fully aware that I do not know everything about the relationship between a husband and wife, especially between longtime lovers. But you must be aware of the risks of pursuing this case. An annulment for you would be more or less of a chance for you to enter another marriage, but not to her.”

She took one step closer to him and watched him solemnly.

“Don’t you see? Your decision is driving a person off a cliff because the road laid before her is barren and there’s nowhere else she can go. How is going to Alhen any different from a life sentence?”

It bothered him that she even mentioned a specific place, but the issue she was talking about was all in the past anyway.

Without abandoning his displeased attitude towards the holy servant, Lucius said, “I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with my wife, but it just seems a bit strange for a priestess. Isn’t it a bit worldly for someone like you to worry about a mundane woman’s life?”

After saying that she should simply stick to her temple duties, Lucius showed a rather cheeky smile. If it had been this far, it seemed that he would not mix up his words even if he was out of luck, but the priest just frowned as if she didn’t understand.

“I’m only saying these as a word of caution because I’ve been through it myself,” she frowned in response. “Being a priest is never easy. If one clearly has other options, then I suggest not to punish oneself with this kind of life.”

“What?”

It was a really strange answer. They noticed that they were not connecting, but he still couldn’t easily accept what the priest said.

Lucius told Deatrice to live in a foreign country and that he would definitely give her plenty of money. At that time, there was no need to think about the kind of life that would follow her.

He simply assumed Deatrice would live a life similar to how she lived before—in a mansion with servants scurrying about. But the implication of the priestess’s words meant that Deatrice dreamed of a life completely different from what he had imagined.

“Did Deatrice herself say that she wanted to become a priestess?”

“Yes, she exchanged letters with the temple on multiple occasions.” The priestess fixed her glasses on her nose bridge, “Didn’t you know? She even donated and had already finished all preparations.”

“Donated?”

It was so absurd that he even laughed. But the memories woven in his head added credibility to her words.

The attendant said that the money from Deatrice’s coffers had decreased by a lot and mysterious letters continued to be delivered to Dixie’s house. She seemed to be hiding something there. Suddenly, he remembered that Deatrice had pushed something into the desk drawer before they left for the trip.

When Lucius asked what it was, Deatrice said it was a gift for him.

Don’t tell me…

No.

Lucius pushed away the thought but asked the priestess nevertheless. “Where did you hear the story? When did she talk about these?”