Please Provide Compensation Through Divorce-Chapter 20

Leto, drenched like me, stood deep in thought. Eventually, he grabbed my hand.

"We can't keep going. It's been hours."

"Just a little more."

"Let’s go back to the carriage. If we stay out here, you’ll get sick. The sun will set soon."

There was still a lot to search. The Indigo could be just ahead.

"Then, you go back first. I need to keep looking until sunset."

Leto looked slightly annoyed. He swallowed his emotions and spoke again.

"...I mean you might get sick."

"I’m fine—"

"Stop saying you're fine, please."

His eyes glowed coldly, like when we first met.

"I want to find the herb as much as you do. But you are the empress. Even if you’re not real, you must take care of your body."

He was right. Everything he said made sense. But it felt like a stone had settled in my heart.

‘Even if you’re not real.’

It felt like he was telling me to understand my position clearly.

We stared at each other, the rain pounding around us.

Usually, I would have listened to him. I always had. But not this time.

"I hate losing."

"What?"

"Giving up means losing."

That was how I had survived. I had been criticized for my attitude, but it was the only way I knew to survive.

He looked at me, lips pressed together, seemingly angry.

I knew he cared for me in his own way. But he had just said it himself—I wasn’t real.

"I know I seem stubborn and foolish. But I’m not doing this to impress you."

I touched a leaf. It was either cold or hot. I couldn’t feel it.

"And ignoring a problem that affects hundreds of lives just because of a little rain isn’t what an empress should do. Even if I’m fake."

I turned back to the bushes. If he gave up, I would keep looking.

A large hand enveloped mine. Leto had come closer.

"Sorry for getting angry."

He held my hand gently.

"But, Livia."

"......"

"Every time you say you’re fine, I get angry."

"Why, Your Majesty?"

"Because it sounds like you’ve said it ten thousand times."

"......"

"It makes me upset, not because you’re stubborn, but because it’s sad."

I turned to look at him. Raindrops fell from his eyelashes. He spoke calmly.

"Let’s look together. But you stay here. I’ll search the bushes. If you see anything, let me know. Okay?"

I stepped back silently. Not because I was tired or angry, but because I felt like crying.

Saying I was fine had become a habit. I had no one to help me, so I had to believe I was fine.

It was the first time someone was upset about it. Even I couldn’t do that for myself.

And it felt... like I was someone precious.

Leto silently searched through the bushes. His drenched back looked pitiful.

The sun was almost down. We didn’t have much time. It would be too dark to distinguish the plants soon.

The rain blurred my vision and made me shiver. Everything seemed hopeless.

Then, I saw a familiar plant.

Leaves growing upward. A purple stem in the center. It was unmistakable. It was Indigo.

I grabbed Leto’s arm.

"...I think I found it."

The Indigo field spread out before us. We gathered enough Indigo to make samples.

"Let’s go."

Leto put his arm around my shoulders. We ran toward the carriage.

"We're almost there."

Just as he said, the carriage was in sight. I sighed with relief. All we had to do was get in and leave the forest.

But an unexpected sight greeted us. All the horses were down.

"Damn it."

Leto checked the horses.

"It’s the work of monsters."

"Of all times... Let’s get into the carriage."

"Right. We’ll have to walk out once the rain stops."

We got into the carriage. It was a relief to be out of the rain.

"We need some light."

Leto lit a candle and placed it near me. The slight warmth was comforting.

"Yuton always stocks the carriage with various things."

He opened the storage under the seat. His movements were natural and skilled, probably due to his many adventures.

There were several towels inside. He took them all out.

"Come here."

"Why?"

"Why do you think? Your hair looks like seaweed. It needs to be dried."

Seaweed? Really.

I moved closer to him. He started drying my wet hair. His touch was clumsy but gentle.

"What about you, Your Majesty?"

"A man’s hair dries quickly."

"Really."

I couldn’t meet his eyes out of embarrassment. Letting him take care of my hair felt awkward.

"The guards must be worried."

"They’re fine. They trust me and will wait. Your brothers are the problem. I hope they don’t cause a commotion at the guild."

I nodded weakly. The sound of the rain made me feel queasy. I felt dizzy and cold.

"You’re shivering."

"The dress must be thin."

I didn’t want to appear weak. I didn’t want to make him worry. But my voice trembled on its own.

Leto touched my forehead. His hand was big and warm. It made me close my eyes.

"Your skin is like ice. Your lips are pale."

"I’m fine."

"Stop saying you’re fine."

Ah, right. He didn’t like hearing that.

"Yes. For some reason, I’m getting colder. I’m dizzy."

"See, you can say it just fine."

He picked me up and placed me on his lap. He wrapped his arms around me. I was too cold to be surprised.

I rested my head on his shoulder. It felt comfortable. His embrace was warm.

"It’s strange. Why aren’t you cold, Your Majesty?"

"I’m trained for it. I’ve spent nights on icebergs."

"During the Northern Conquest?"

"Yes."

"Knights are amazing."

"Not always. Every morning, some were dead. Especially those who were injured."

He said it so calmly, like it was nothing.

I understood the situation. They probably had no proper treatment or medicine.

He spoke softly.

"Don’t get sick, Livia."

"......"

"I can’t do anything if you’re sick."

Why was he telling me this? Was he thinking of the dead knights?

The rain pounded painfully in my ears. I needed something to hold onto, mentally and physically.

Clinging to anything, I asked,

"The sound of the rain is too overwhelming. Could you tell me a story? It might help me calm down."

Leto was silent. Maybe it was too much to ask.

"...If you don’t want to, that’s okay."

"The only story I can think of is really boring. But do you still want to hear it?"

I nodded. Anything would do.

"My mother was always sick."

Leto’s mother, Ianna Seth. She died when Leto was just ten.

"Before she died, I argued with my father to call a doctor. Even if it meant bringing one from abroad. But my father went to the temple instead."

"......"

"I later learned that my father went to discuss bringing a doctor. But the High Priest spoke of the goddess’s curse, and my father chose to pray."

"Then your mother—"

"She died the next morning."

"Ah..."

"It’s a terrible feeling. Not being able to do anything for someone precious."

I hesitated to console him. Instead, I gently hugged his back. He hugged me tighter.

"I’ve lost too many already. My mother, my comrades."

"......"

"So don’t get sick."

His strong, steady heartbeat calmed me. My shivering stopped, and my body relaxed.

As I drifted off to sleep, I had to admit something I had been trying to ignore.

…Leto likes me.

The carriage was silent. Outside, the rain still poured.

Leto looked down at the sleeping Livia in his arms.

She was completely asleep, her breathing soft and even.

He touched her forehead. Thankfully, it was warm. Her lips had regained their color.

“Haa...”

Only then did Leto relax.

He carefully laid her on the seat and sat on the floor, watching her.

‘Who knew we’d go through this just to get some herbs?’

The sourc𝗲 of this content is frёeωebɳovel.com.

He still found it hard to believe that she was making medicine from these unknown plants.

But if Livia said it, he could believe it. She had surprised him many times before.

Today was no different. Leto was genuinely amazed.

Not because she looked pure and radiant.

Not because of the strange allure he felt when he saw her bare back.

Not because he was impressed by her sense of duty as an empress.

Leto gently held her scarred hand.

This delicate hand that had pushed through dirt and plants, disregarding her own injuries. This reckless hopefulness.

This hand was so human, and because it was human, it was beautiful.

‘Who would dare compare this woman to a goddess?’

Leto kissed her hand and murmured,

“What should I do about you?”

Saying he liked her?

That wasn’t scary. What was scary was how those words kept trying to escape his mouth.

For instance, back then.

Trust me. I’ll never let you be lonely.

If the monsters hadn’t appeared then, if he had confessed his feelings,

‘Would you still insist on a divorce?’

“Divorce...”

That was his fear. That she would run away if he pushed too hard.

He gently brushed her hair back. He kissed her forehead.

“That can’t happen.”

“...”

“Never.”