Brittany heard the news at a tea party where young ladies had gathered together. There she learned that Jeresien, having only recently discovered Kay’s marriage, had flown into a furious rage and gone to the Green Count House.
“What if Miss Jeresien does something to my sister?”
She pretended to be worried, but it was hard to hold back her smile.
“If something happens, it will be a big scandal. Jeresien is truly furious. When Jeresien gets angry, she becomes terrifying…”
One of the young ladies present said so.
“Still, I do feel sorry for the Countess of Green. To marry without even informing the family, without a wedding ceremony, and only secretly registering the marriage… Isn’t that basically being treated like a mistress?”
“A mistress would be better. At least a mistress is loved. But this… Even if it is a political marriage, how could the Count of Green treat his wife so coldly…?”
The daughter of a certain count said those words, though her expression clearly showed she was delighted by the situation.
“Oh, Brittany, I’m sorry. We’re talking about your sister…”
“It’s all right. I’m worried about her too… I wonder if she’s crying all day. She’s always been a bit gloomy. Quiet too. Maybe the Count of Green simply finds her unsatisfactory?”
“That might be it. He married her because she was called the Flower of the Whitlow Ducal House, but if she has no charm and acts gloomy, it must be disappointing. After all, men prefer women who are passionate in bed but sweet and soft the rest of the time, don’t they?”
“But she seemed quite sweet and soft with Viscount Alford.”
The young ladies burst into laughter.
Most of the young ladies gathered here had long set their sights on Count Kayvrant Green. Naturally, they could not help but dislike Iris, who had suddenly seized the position of Countess of Green.
“I wish Countess Jenel had been here as well.”
At one young lady’s remark, Brittany widened her eyes.
“Why Countess Jenel?”
Countess Nellanicas Jenel, the goddess of high society. She was admired by every young lady. After becoming a countess at a young age, she soon came to firmly control high society. There were even rumors that the empress herself wished to receive an invitation to one of Nellanicas’s social gatherings.
The young lady who had mentioned the countess spoke again.
“Before her marriage, Countess Jenel liked Count Green very much. Just recently, when Count Green attended a party, she was sending him quite passionate glances.”
+++ While the young ladies were enthusiastically gossiping about Iris at the tea party, Countess Nellanicas Jenel was quietly staring at Jeresien Green, who sat politely before her.
“I never imagined that you would come to me with such a request, Miss Jeresien. Asking me to help prepare the wedding of Count Kayvrant Green.”
Nellanicas finally spoke in a cool voice. Jen gracefully lifted her teacup.
“Well, considering the reputation of the Green family, it is only natural to ask the goddess of high society, Countess Jenel, when hosting an important party.”
“It would certainly be an honor for the Jenel family to assist with a Green family celebration…”
Nellanicas also lifted her teacup.
“But the parties I host have only reputation, not money. They would not suit a family like the Greens.”
“Oh my, what a dreadful thing to say. You must not know. My brother has said generously that it would be fine to spend his entire fortune preparing the wedding.”
“Oh my… That miserly Count Green said that?”
“Yes. That miserly Count Green said exactly that.”
The two women lifted their teacups to their lips at the same time, exchanged glances, and began to giggle.
Nellanicas set her cup down.
“I really cannot keep this up, Jen. Let’s just talk like we used to at the academy.”
“Agreed, Nells. Watching you pretend to be dignified while drinking tea is not easy.”
Jen and Nells had been classmates in the same major during their academy days, and they had been friends even before entering the academy.
“I was already curious when I heard the rumors about Kay’s marriage. Did he really get married?”
“That’s what they say. No ceremony, just secretly registering the marriage at the government office.”
“What a surprise. Your brother really never changes. He knows absolutely nothing about a woman’s heart, and his head…”
“Is just an ornament.”
Jen finished the sentence Nells could not quite bring herself to say now that she was a countess.
“Anyway, what happened? Of all people, he married Iris, the Flower of the Whitlow Ducal House. Is it true? Did he really marry the Flower of Whitlow?”
“Yes. Really. Truly.”
“Is she beautiful?”
“You saw the portrait.”
“Portraits are often embellished.”
“The portrait doesn’t capture even a quarter of my sister in law’s beauty.”
“Really? Even the portrait looked astonishing.”
“She’s far more astonishing. She shines. Absolutely dazzling.”
“My goodness. Then why… did she marry Kay? Surely not… coercion? Kidnapping? Pressure?”
Unlike the rumors circulating in society, Nells actually disliked Kay intensely.
Since childhood she had frequently visited the Green Count Estate and often encountered him there. Whenever Kay saw her, he would frown as if he had seen something dreadful.
At the time he had just discovered that he was a beastman and was terrified that others might learn the truth, so he feared outsiders coming and going. Nells, unaware of that fact, simply thought he disliked her.
Whenever their eyes met, Kay would turn away without even greeting her. It was impossible not to dislike someone like that. She had even begun to develop a complex, wondering if she was so ugly that merely seeing her made him frown.
As they grew older, things improved somewhat. But every time Kay now greeted her politely, it reminded her of those childhood memories, and she could not help glaring at him with blazing eyes.
“I also think something like that might be the case. But our sister in law is incredibly kind… Apparently she married him because she likes my brother very much. She must be trying to boost his pride.”
“Really?”
“Eyes like a cloudy sky, eyebrows as if painted by an artist, and a jawline like something carefully sculpted…”
“No. Stop.”
Nells covered her ears with both hands.
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Good. I did not want to finish describing him either. Anyway, Countess Nellanicas Jenel. I am counting on you. Make sure neither the young ladies nor the married women dare open their mouths. Make them so intimidated they cannot even look directly at my sister in law.”
Nells, who controlled high society, understood exactly what Jen wanted.
She unfolded her ornate fan and said,
“Tell her to prepare to be astonished, Miss Jeresien.”
+++ The reception room of the Green Count Estate.
Kay sat lazily in his chair, watching the young priest seated across from him.
The priest had clearly only just finished his apprenticeship. Even when Kay entered the room, he remained seated.
Apparently he did not know what kind of treatment Kay received in the Holy Kingdom.
“His Holiness the Pope is greatly displeased by the recent rumors surrounding the Green family.”
The priest looked directly at Kay as he spoke.
“As you know, Count Green, the Guardian Relic House receives the protection of the Holy Kingdom. Therefore its conduct and reputation must remain upright. Surely you understand that the evaluation of the Green family affects the Holy Kingdom itself.”
Sending such a newly ordained priest who knew nothing of proper etiquette toward the Green family meant the pope was not especially interested in this matter.
Most likely the priests had been gossiping about it, and the pope had sent this inexperienced young priest simply because he found it bothersome.
“Furthermore, the marriage was conducted without obtaining the pope’s permission, which has already caused His Holiness great concern. We cannot simply stand by while these unpleasant rumors spread across the continent.”
“I did not realize that marriage was a personal matter that required the pope’s permission every single time.”
Kay murmured the words.
The priest raised his eyebrows.
“What do you mean by that? You, of all people, should know better! Why do you think the Green family receives such treatment? Naturally it is because His Holiness holds your family dear. The pope is like a father to the Green family. Have you forgotten that?”
Dear to him.
This priest must have scored terribly during his apprenticeship examinations.
The pope did not cherish the Green family.
He needed them.
The Green bloodline was the only one capable of touching sacred relics that would kill others if handled improperly. The only family able to locate and preserve dangerous relics was the Green family, the Guardian Relic House.
Yet this arrogant priest seemed to think the Green family held that role simply because the pope favored them.
“Of course His Holiness is like a father to me. But what a shame. Even my actual father did not know about my marriage. Not until a few days ago.”
The priest’s eyes wavered at those unexpected words.
“Th that… Even so, that is different. The count must show greater respect to His Holiness than to your own father.”
“So? What does the Holy Kingdom want me to do?”
“The judgment is that the Countess of Green is not a legitimate wife. You married without the pope’s permission, and soon afterward filthy rumors have begun spreading, damaging not only the Green family’s reputation but the honor of the Holy Kingdom as well. Therefore His Holiness commands that you divorce the Countess of Green and remarry a woman from the Holy Kingdom personally chosen by His Holiness.”
“Oh?”
Kay’s eyes narrowed.
“Really? His Holiness said that personally?”
“Indeed!”
Kay knew perfectly well that was impossible.
Most likely the words had come from one of the high priests instead.
Did this priest even understand how dangerous it was to falsely claim the pope’s command?
Instead of pointing that out, Kay leaned back leisurely and crossed his legs.
“And what if the rumors about my wife circulating in society are not true?”
“I understand that the count may wish to trust a beautiful woman called the Flower of the Whitlow Ducal House. But you must see the truth. Articles concerning the countess have appeared not only in vulgar magazines but in reputable newspapers.”
“Articles are not always the truth. Those rumors began in a scandal sheet. Some newspapers publish stories without verifying them if they think they will sell well.”
The priest felt frustrated that the conversation was going nowhere.
Whether the rumors were true or not, the disgrace of the Countess of Green was about to stain the reputation of the Holy Kingdom itself.
Why could this count not understand that?
‘So this is the famous Count Green. I wondered what kind of man he was. Nothing special at all. Completely bewitched by a woman. If only his younger brother, Sir Eldhert, had inherited the title instead…’
“I do not believe my wife committed any of the acts being spread about in society. This is my household matter. Even His Holiness cannot interfere with my family affairs. Leave, priest. If you do, I will pretend today never happened.”
“Ha!”
The priest was dumbfounded by Kay’s arrogance.
In a situation like this, he should have been flattering the priest and asking him to bring good news back to the pope.
Instead he was speaking of pretending the meeting had never happened.
“Count Green, you seem to be misunderstanding something. This is the will and command of His Holiness. It is not something you can refuse so easily—”
The priest could not finish his sentence.
Kay slowly rose to his feet.
Behind him, black energy surged.
It had a tangible presence, as if it might swallow the priest whole and grind him to pieces.
“Marriage is a vow made to God, not to the Holy Kingdom or to the pope, priest.”
Kay’s voice was low.
Yet strangely it seemed to thunder in the priest’s ears.
“You say that by order of the pope I should sever a vow sworn to God? Without reason? Is it truly the pope’s command that I break my promise to God?”
Cold gray blue eyes pressed down upon the priest.
The priest could not breathe as he stared back at Kay.
He was afraid to meet his gaze.
But he could not look away.
If he did, those terrifying eyes felt as if they would shatter him.
He felt as though he might die without even realizing it.
“I it it is not without reason…!”
“Insolent priest!”
“Ugh!”
The priest felt as though he might wet himself.
Fortunately, at that moment the crushing black force pressing down on his shoulders vanished completely.
Kay was sitting calmly on the sofa again as if nothing had happened.
It felt like a nightmare.
The black aura behind Kay had disappeared, and his eyes had returned to their earlier languid calm.
“Very well, priest. If that is truly the will of His Holiness, then I shall divorce her.”