LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2 - The Empty Seat Next to Me
✦ Chapter 2 – The Empty Seat Next to Me ✦
「Translator – Creator」
“What did you say?”
“I said, let’s get a divorce.”
I answered Rianna, placing the retrieved ring into my pocket.
The wind felt unusually colder, but maybe that was just my imagination. Or maybe not.
A cold gust of wind set chills down my spine. Or perhaps it was just my imagination. I had no logical explanation for the sudden shift in temperature, so I dismissed it as a figment of my guilt.
Rianna’s features contorted in a mix of disbelief and confusion. Despite her fiery hair and eyes, her typically cold demeanor had finally shattered.
“You’re not going to ask why, are you? That would be so clichéd.”
Rianna held her breath and kept silent, though her eyes trembled ever so slightly—a direct hit.
“We both know we haven’t been living as husband and wife should,” I continued.
Separate rooms. Strained silences. An unspoken lack of consideration for each other.
“I think we’ve both grown indifferent enough to each other to let go,” I concluded.
To be honest, I was initially confused as well.
I couldn’t understand why Rianna, even in death, had continued to wear her wedding ring.
Did she still harbor feelings, or was it the weight of what we lost that made her hold on?
These questions plagued me for a time, but as I’ve relived this life, I’ve realized their insignificance.
‘Whether Rianna had lingering feelings, it wasn’t important.’
What mattered more was-
‘That I no longer love you.’
A liberating, cool smile spread across my face.
The knot that had tied me down from my previous life had finally been undone.
Rianna’s feelings weren’t the only ones that mattered. Mine did too. We were, after all, partners in this farce of a marriage.
“Isaac…?” She whispered, taking a hesitant step towards me.
“I apologize for burdening you with a good-for-nothing husband.”
Regret. Resentment. I wanted her to let go of it all. A clean slate for both of us to move on.
‘This should be enough, right?’
After all, I had demeaned myself, calling myself a good-for-nothing husband.
As if on cue, Rianna’s expression softened, returning to its usual impassiveness.
Exhaling a short, exasperated breath, she utters in a clipped, business-like tone, “Father has been pressing for grandchildren.”
“Grandchildren?”
Her words caught me off guard; this was new.
I don’t recall this from my previous life.
Back then, I would be nursing a mangled leg, courtesy of a rogue chandelier, waiting for the physician.
Regardless, Rianna continued.
“Father hasn’t had much faith in the eldest son, Roengrin, but it seems he’s planning to name him the next successor after the Sword Festival.”
Roengrin. The eldest son, a year older than Rianna, and a constant thorn in my side.
And the reason why, even after four years of marriage, Rianna and I remained childless.
It was a possibility.
With their doubts about their eldest son’s capabilities, the Helmund family might demand that Rianna, their eldest daughter, inherit the family’s legacy.
‘The fact that they considered passing it to Rianna, despite having a second son…’
It was a testament to Rianna’s competence, a stark contrast to the perceived inadequacy of the Helmund men.
“So, has your father finally made up his mind?”
“As much as he values ability above all else, even he must admit Roengrin is the better choice, politically speaking. If I were to become the head, it would put me in a difficult position, having to constantly compensate for Roengrin’s shortcomings.”
“And that’s why he wants you to have a child now?”
“Precisely. If I were to become pregnant, it would limit my options. It seems he’s finally settled on Roengrin as his successor. “
“Ah.”
“So, there’s no need for us to have separate rooms anymore.”
Rianna delivered this news with an air of detachment, but something about her demeanor struck me as odd.
“Have you been tense all this time just to say that?”
“I wasn’t tense.”
Rianna stared at me, her expression more rigid and impassive than ever.
“Come on, don’t lie. You always get that grumpy look on your face when you’re nervous. I told you that ages ago.”
“…………”
At Isaac’s words, Rianna poked her own cheek with a fingertip.
Her tightly closed lips silently affirmed that she was indeed nervous.
“I see, that’s good.”
“What’s good?”
Rianna’s expressionless face wavered again at my words.
“The timing couldn’t be better. You’re free to find yourself a capable husband and live a fulfilling life.”
What if a child was conceived? I wouldn’t be able to divorce easily.
“It’s usually the wife who faces scrutiny in a divorce,” I explained. “But if the fault lies with the husband, well, that changes things considerably.”
“…………..”
“Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that I have unsavory habits—a penchant for thievery, perhaps, or a fondness for blood, or maybe even some… peculiar sexual proclivities. I’m sure people would be far more understanding of your situation if they knew the truth.”
“…………”
“Besides, as the daughter of House Helmund family, I doubt a minor scandal would tarnish your reputation.”
“Why?”
Rianna, who had been keeping her mouth tightly shut until now, finally couldn’t restrain herself.
“Do you really want a divorce that badly? What’s the reason?”
“Because I don’t want to be a part of Helmund family any longer.”
My answer was instant, devoid of hesitation; the truth is, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.
“………….”
“Rianna, the name Helmund may conjure images of a beautiful rose, but to me, it’s nothing more than a crown of thorns.”
There was nothing left to say.
And frankly, with that sex-crazed lunatic, Alois, lurking somewhere below the balcony, I was eager to make my escape.
“I’m feeling rather tired after all that wine. I’ll go to bed first. I’ll speak separately with father-in-law.”
Stepping inside, I surveyed the disheveled ballroom, remnants of the night’s festivities scattered about.
A wry smile touched my lips.
‘The servants will have a hard time.’
I’m sorry.
This will be the last time.
“Wait.”
Rianna suddenly grabbed my wrist.
I stopped and glanced back at her, curious.
“Hm? Why?”
The conversation seemed to have ended smoothly,
and I smiled gently to ensure a pleasant closure.
In contrast to my smile, Rianna’s expression revealed rare anxiety.
“I’m afraid divorce is out of the question. Father would never allow it.”
“He’s never been fond of having a commoner as a son-in-law who can’t even handle a sword properly. He might even be pleased.”
“Don’t be absurd. Father believes our marriage is a happy one.”
“That can’t be true. Even the head of the family must be aware of the situation.”
“You seem to think social dynamics are simple, Isaac. This isn’t some game where throwing mud at yourself absolves me of any blame.”
“Hoo.”
At this rate, she’d give me a thousand reasons why a divorce was impossible. A sigh escaped my lips, stopping her tirade in its tracks.
“Rianna.”
I dropped the smile from my eyes.
My gaze turned icy, piercing through Rianna.
“Your brothers call me a worm who can’t even wield a sword. They often summon me for sparring just to beat me up. I’ve gotten used to it.”
“……………”
“To your sister, I’m nothing more than a glorified servant to boss around. I’m the one who handles her messes, big or small, discreetly, of course.”
“…………..”
“Your father doesn’t care about any of it. From the start, he never paid any attention to me. A son-in-law who can’t wield a sword isn’t worthy of the Helmund name.”
“Isaac.”
“And lastly, the wife I thought would always be on my side… chose to stand by and watch.”
“Isaac, that’s not-“
A bitter laugh escaped my lips,
a mix of derision and humiliation.
“Are you going to make excuses? Say you had your reasons? Rianna, do you know what you should have said here?”
“…………..”
“An apology.”
Rianna’s lips closed into a thin line.
An apology now would be like putting a band-aid on a severed limb, utterly useless.
Too little, too late.
“Still don’t understand, do you, Rianna? In this grand illusion you call the Helmund family—”
… there is no place for me.
I forcefully pulled my arm free of her grasp.
“And another thing…” I added, rubbing my wrist as a humorless smile stretched across my lips. The next words that left my mouth, laced with a coldness that surprised even me, “Husband and wife don’t hold hands. It’s revolting.”
❖
Rianna lingered on the balcony long after Isaac had gone, lost in thought.
“Sister?”
The voice of her younger brother, Alois, startled her.
She resisted the urge to turn around, not wanting him to see her face. What expression did she wear? She didn’t know, and she didn’t want anyone to see it, whatever it was.
“Haha. Quite a few things happened today. Especially the chandelier falling suddenly was quite surprising.”
It was, indeed.
The chandelier that almost fell on Isaac.
Had he not skillfully avoided it, there could have been a serious accident.
“Shall we-”
“Alois.”
“Yes, sister? Is there anything I can do for you?”
Alois always followed her well since the old days.
However, Rianna felt strangely uncomfortable about it.
“Leave me alone.”
“Sister? Did something happen with Brother-in-law today-”
Rianna remained silent, her silence a clear warning for him to drop the subject.
“Very well, sister. I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”
Alois offered a polite bow and retreated back into the bustling ballroom.
As she stood alone on the balcony, she felt a strange sense of calm wash over her.
And then.
When she had calmed down a bit, she returned to her room.
The room was much tidier than usual.
One of the things she took special care of was the rose in her favorite flowerpot, ensuring it never wilted.
She tossed the prepared candles and matches on the table into the trash.
Riana began to take off the dress she had painstakingly put on today.
A maid should have helped her, but it was already late, and she had sent them all away a long time ago.
No, she had told them not to come near her room from the start.
A full-length mirror, strategically placed in the corner of the room, caught her eye.
And under her partially discarded gown, she caught a glimpse of the black lingerie she wore. It was a daring, provocative style she wouldn’t normally be caught dead in.
“…………”
Without saying a word, she headed straight to bed.
Two pillows were laid out.
One she used herself.
The other one.
Lay there emptily, waiting for an owner who would not come.
END of CHAPTER