Chapter 1: A Meaningless Marriage
One day, three years after marrying into the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family, I was summoned by my husband Simon.
He embraced the shoulders of his mistress, the stage actress Isolte Grim, and spoke to me with his chin thrust up in an intimidating manner.
“Gisela, how long do you intend to parasite off the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family?”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t seem to understand that you haven’t fulfilled your important duty.”
Simon shrugged his shoulders in exasperation, and Isolte began to giggle.
I had no idea what duty Simon was referring to or why Isolte was laughing.
“I’ll specially teach it to you, foolish one.”
I clenched my back teeth tightly, preparing for the punishment that Simon was about to deliver.
“You’ve been married into the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family for three years and haven’t been able to bear a child!! In other words, you have no reason to exist in this house!!”
Simon’s words pierced my chest like a sharp dagger.
He continued with a triumphant air.
“A wife who hasn’t borne a child in three years must leave!!”
With that declaration, Simon slammed the divorce papers onto the table.
Can divorce be established just because no child was born in three years?
To answer that question, yes, it is currently recognized in noble society.
Noble marriages are for prospering descendants, so if no child is born in three years, the meaning of the marriage is lost.
Therefore, it is accepted as a reason for divorce.
These three years—especially the year since marrying Simon—felt particularly long.
My marriage to him was a remarriage.
Three years ago, in my first marriage, I was wed to Simon’s brother, Lord Ruben.
My husband Ruben was kind-hearted, intelligent, and fitting for the position of Mecklenburg Grand Duke who oversees the Holy Church.
However, Lord Ruben had a weak body, was always bedridden, and couldn’t even properly consummate the marriage.
I nursed him diligently, but his condition didn’t improve at all, and one year after the marriage, his incurable chronic illness worsened, and he passed away.
The people of the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family blamed me for Lord Ruben’s death, labeling me a grim reaper.
Amid the overwhelming sense of loss that made baseless slander irrelevant, I received an unbelievable proposal from my father-in-law, the Mecklenburg Grand Duke.
It was to marry Lord Ruben’s younger brother, Simon.
Apparently, I knew too much about the internal affairs of the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family, so they couldn’t let me go outside.
I had no right to refuse, and one year after Lord Ruben’s mourning period ended, I married Simon.
However, he had his lover Isolte, and we didn’t even have a wedding night.
Without even being given the opportunity to conceive a child, I was now unreasonably presented with divorce.
“Even if you say I can’t bear a child, I—”
“Shut up, I don’t want to hear your excuses! Hurry up and sign!”
“What about Father-in-law? Does he know about this matter?”
“Of course!”
Simon’s father, the current head, the Mecklenburg Grand Duke, was aware of and permitted my divorce from Simon.
“Then, I have no choice but to comply.”
“Don’t cling pathetically; hurry and sign. Your will doesn’t matter. The divorce is already decided by the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family’s intention, by God’s will!!”
To even bring up God…
Simon’s resolve was firm, and anything I said would be futile.
Resigning myself to obey, I took the pen and signed, and Simon snatched the divorce papers away.
“Isolte, now I can marry you!”
“Hehe, I’m so happy. How many years have I waited?”
My marriage to Simon was only one year.
It shouldn’t have been that long.
The reason they couldn’t marry before a year ago was that Isolte wasn’t of noble birth.
I wondered if marriage would be permitted just because he divorced me—but.
“The child to be born in spring will become a member of the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family, right?”
“Of course.”
Isolte lovingly stroked her own belly.
It seems she is pregnant with Simon’s child.
I gradually understood Simon’s scheme.
He slammed divorce on me using the reason that I couldn’t get pregnant, and after separating, he plans to use the child with Isolte as leverage to marry her.
I was stunned and couldn’t find words.
“Also, you’ll convert your faith.”
“You’re telling me to convert?”
“Yes, that’s right. I don’t want to see your face ever again!”
Simon tore off the pearl necklace, the symbol of my faith.
The pearls scattered like raindrops.
I’ve lived with God’s teachings since I was aware.
To take even my faith from me, who has nothing…
I can’t deal with this anymore.
Rather, it’s a good opportunity.
Simon arrogantly called out “Hey!” to a servant, and a travel bag was presented.
“These are your personal belongings. Take this and get out quickly.”
Simon threw the bag, and since it wasn’t locked, the contents spilled out.
The bag seemed to contain only a simple dress and shoes I wore for volunteer activities, and a diary.
“Um, what about the dowry I brought from my family home…?”
When I married into the Mecklenburg Grand Ducal Family, I entrusted jewelry, land rights, and a silver cutlery set.
Those are my personal property, and they become the marital family’s property only upon the owner’s death.
In case of divorce midway, it’s customary in our country to return the dowry.
“Ah, I’ll take those as compensation.”
“Compensation?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!! Brother died because of you, you grim reaper!!”
“Lord Ruben—”
“Don’t utter Brother’s name!! You’ll defile Brother’s ascended soul!!”
Surely, no matter what I say to him, it’s useless.
I bit my lip tightly and gathered the scattered belongings.
“Get out as soon as possible!!”
Maids surrounded me on both sides, grabbed my arms, and started marching forward.
I was led away like a criminal and shoved out from the back door.
“Kyaa!!”
“Don’t come back!!”
Simon threateningly threw the bag to the ground, then slammed the door shut with a bang, as if rejecting my existence.
From the other side of the door, only Isolte’s triumphant laughter stuck in my ears and wouldn’t leave.