Even If You Tear Me Apart - Chapter 16
The chapters are split like this so that the TL can update more consistently over time (✿ ＞◡❛)
Ezekiel couldn’t hold back his laughter at that and bit his lip to suppress it.
The Emperor and Empress were famously affectionate, largely because theirs had been a love marriage—though unofficially so.
They had been betrothed since childhood, but neither knew who the other was until they met at a banquet and fell in love at first sight.
The story of how the Emperor kissed the Empress without knowing she was his fiancée was a secret known only to the children of the imperial family.
Anyway, in his younger, more reckless days, the Emperor had been so eager to marry after learning her identity that he became desperate.
But even if they were already engaged, it was still considered scandalous for them to be alone together in those times.
Eventually, at a banquet hosted by the Imperial Palace, the Emperor—eager for a secret meeting with his betrothed—slipped from a terrace and fell.
The one who caught him was a knight in the Imperial Capital at the time: Baron Quilluxia.
Unfortunately, Baron Quilluxia broke his leg in the process.
Though he recovered, he could no longer perform as a knight, so the Emperor granted him a title bound to the imperial family.
It was a non-hereditary title, but it came with several privileges. Including land.
“But in that case, it wasn’t brazen at all, was it? If the title was granted on those grounds…”
“Exactly.”
Étienne nodded. Both of them were familiar with the rights associated with that title.
“That’s why I planned to stop by and tell them. Didn’t think I’d be coming like this.”
Supposedly, it was the daughter who wrote the letter.
Imagining himself meeting the daughter of a baron he’d never heard of made Étienne chuckle.
“How stunned do you think she’ll be when we tell her that title doesn’t even require taxes?”
“I looked into it—they’ve been paying taxes for sixteen years straight. I plan to return the full amount.”
As they spoke, the rain gradually eased. The two of them walked out of the forest in a considerably more relaxed mood.
But their soaked clothes were heavy, and the chill was beginning to set in.
“I just hope Ducal Lady Arbois isn’t suffering in this rain.”
“Ez, you’re worried about that woman even while we’re the ones suffering?” Étienne grumbled.
Ezekiel shrugged. “If Felicia has a hard time, just think about who the backlash will hit. Hard not to worry.”
Étienne’s eyes widened, then he burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! Ezekiel! This is the first time I’ve heard you talk badly about someone!”
Ezekiel laughed with him.
Felicia Arbois, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, had become an even more difficult young lady than before. Her pickiness hadn’t exactly left a good impression on him.
Whenever things didn’t go her way with Étienne, she’d lash out at the people around her, and her temper was so intense that it seemed the maids never had a day without tears.
“Who knows, maybe some poor knight is secretly crying in this rain right now.”
“Ahahaha!”
Étienne gave him a thumbs-up.
But the laughter didn’t last long. Étienne quickly deflated, realizing they were stranded because of his own actions.
“I’ll have to hand out a pouch of gold coins to each of the poor knights when we get back.”
“A fine idea.”
“Sometimes I think, Ezekiel…”
Étienne let his horse walk slowly and wrung out his soaked cloak. Water streamed down the horse’s back.
“…that I truly envy Father.”
“……”
“Felicia’s personality is no joke, but as a Crown Princess, she’s flawless.”
That was true.
She was from House Arbois, the most prominent ducal family in Murenas.
She was wealthy, bold, and brilliant. She had her eyes on Étienne—which he disliked—but as a Crown Princess candidate, she lacked nothing.
But Étienne seemed to have different thoughts when he looked at their parents.
“Still… I keep wondering, don’t I have a fated partner too?”
As the third son of the imperial family, Ezekiel felt it was his duty to speak plainly when his brother said something ridiculous.
“As the future Crown Prince, you’re speaking far too out of turn.”
“Hey!” Étienne raised a playful fist with a grin. “One day you’ll fall in love too, you know. Just like that!”
“Heavens, what a frightening thing to say. I’m trembling.”
“Hey!”
But the joking didn’t last.
As the two arrived at the entrance to the Quilluxia territory, they were met with an unexpected sight.
A collapsed bridge.
