How to Divorce the Male Lead - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“Oh! Let’s praise the sun god!”

“Oh!”

All the people gathered in the temple reached out their hands towards the statue of the sun god. 

The new priest, dragging his long sleeves behind him, sprinkled the crowd with holy water. Thus, Juliana, who recently recovered from her sickness, was almost wetted by holy water.

However, thanks to Evan, who pulled her closer, the nobleman standing next to Juliana was wetted instead.

The eyes of the nobleman soaked in holy water didn’t look too friendly. However, Juliana pretended not to be aware of his resentful gaze, and as she was fed up with the heat of the enthusiastic people who began to sing the hymn, she fanned herself with her hand as if to chase away the heat.

“What about your body?”

Evan glanced at Juliana and whispered into her ear. Juliana was worried that the new priest would notice as she muttered, “It’s all right.”

“I didn’t expect you to come to the temple as soon as you got out of bed.”

“Oh, it’s only natural for a faithful imperial citizen. I’ve come here to hear the doctrines with my husband. You know how appropriate this action is.”

“…”

Evan squinted his eyes and looked down at Juliana.

Juliana brazenly met her husband’s eyes as if in response to his gaze. Then Evan grinned and said, “The sun god will be pleased. He proved the sanctity of our marriage.”

“He, did he?”

“No, it’s a lie. The god who proved our marriage is Uriel, the god of marriage and purity.”

“…I just couldn’t remember for a second. Of course, I remember.”

The nobleman, who got soaked by holy water, glanced aside at the two whispering people.

Juliana remained silent for a while. And after the hymn was over, she looked at the boring priest and said calmly, “Thanks to your concern, my body got better. I appreciate that.”

“You didn’t know that your faithful limbs refused my visits in a groundbreaking way, did you?”

“Oh, my! Who refused? I was so exhausted and disoriented that I fell asleep. I didn’t even know you were coming to see me.”

“The Duchess has a rash on her feet like prickles, and the fever has made her face look like a red flower, she’s also swollen… If you look at her now, you won’t be able to tell whether it’s the Duchess or Pulrasian flower. One by one, it was all kinds of excuses.”

Anna…

Juliana slightly loosened the muffler that squeezed her neck.

A trickle of sweat ran down her neck. She told her to come up with some excuses, but she didn’t know she said it that way.

All she had to do was to let him know that she was slightly ignoring him, but what Anna said was more like saying, ‘Everything I said is an excuse, so just chew on that.’

Plus, she even used an analogy with a Pulrasian flower. It was a cannibalistic flower that existed beyond the continent. The shape of the devoured person’s face was embedded in its petals. She couldn’t believe she had compared her master to such a hideous and monstrous flower. She was, in a sense, a formidable maid.

Juliana glanced up at her husband and whispered again.

“I, I see. I didn’t expect it to hurt that much.”

“I heard that you didn’t let go of your reading in the midst of that pain.”

“Is that so?”

“What? Didn’t you stay in bed for a little longer so that you wouldn’t have to see me? And reading?” 

“Well, it really hurt! You don’t believe me?”

She was really sick for about two days. That was true. Juliana raised her voice unknowingly and then looked up at the podium.

Soon after, Juliana crumpled her face and buried her face in her muffler.

She wasn’t the only one who chatted, but the terrible priest was staring at Juliana in horror.

At the same time, the priest, who was zealously preaching the doctrine, with a newly bulging vein on his temple, turned his eyes towards Juliana and began to shout to the other believers.

“Oh! Save the poor lamb!”

If I were a lamb, it would have been a long time since I have become a lamb steak.

Juliana lowered her head sullenly. But soon she looked up. It was because her husband’s gaze showed a fervent excitement.

Juliana whispered, eyeing her husband who was brazenly looking at her without pretending to care about the priest’s speech.

“No wonder you don’t believe me. You’ve seen idiots courting me in the newspapers, haven’t you? How pathetic would you think of me? Oh! I have a good idea. Why don’t you divorce your pathetic wife? This is your chance.”

Evan grinned at Juliana, who suggested a divorce.

“How do you find yourself pathetic? The pathetic ones are them. I told you. I’ll get rid of them if you allow me.”

“You mean you would kill them?”

“Didn’t I tell you that my personality is dirty?”

“…keck.”

Juliana swallowed saliva and coughed.

Juliana, who was about to speak again after a short cough, heard, ‘Now! Let’s join our hands together!’ said the priest to the congregation. When he began to encourage them, he stretched out his hands unnaturally.

Now that she entered the temple, she had to follow the words of the priest even if she found it embarrassing. This strange act of bowing to this statue.

The magnificent stone statue only looked down at the people who prayed to it with indifferent eyes. Juliana sighed deeply as she glanced at the statue. The priest seemed to be intoxicated by his faith and muttering something with his eyes closed.

Ouch…

Meanwhile, Evan, who took Juliana’s hand without hesitation, said quietly, “Juliana.”

The priest’s divine voice mingled like a noise between his words. Juliana’s head was spinning at the words of the priest, who shot like a rapid fire.

“God of the Sun. Even today, you are the one who governs all things and lights up the sky.”

Even in the noise, Evan continued calmly.

“If you don’t like their interests now, I can help you. As much as you like, happily. Unfortunately, I don’t know what’s causing you to hesitate—.”

Even today, at the words of Evan, Juliana sighed and thought inwardly.

You know, I was reincarnated. Two months ago I remembered that I was reborn as a villainess who will soon be killed. In two or three months, the heroine will appear, and the guys I entangled myself with will start playing their game. But before that happens, I’m going to clean up the mess that is following me. I’m also going to clean up my relationship with you. Do you really think you can help me?

Juliana was lost in thought.

And no matter how hard she thought about it, she felt like she’s saying crazy things with a straight face.

“Well, you can’t help me. If you do as you do now.”

“Juliana.”

He frowned. Then he led Juliana’s hand toward himself.

“I wish I could see what’s going on in your little head.”

He spoke gloomily over the back of her hand. When Juliana caught a glimpse of his melancholy, she hurriedly braked.

It has been two months since she remembered that she was reborn. His true feelings came straight, but she couldn’t accept his heart.

‘Juliana Auburn’ never appears in the spoiled ending. Because she dies before the happy ending.

“Please help me,” Juliana murmured.

“I want to help. In the way, I know. In the way, I know you won’t throw me away like this. Do you know? Juliana Auburn.”

He smiled crookedly, lifting only one corner of his mouth. When the priest began to recite the Oath of the Lord’s Prayer, he only recited the last verse.

It was the Lord’s Prayer, which meant obedience to the will of God. The oath that came from his mouth did not sound as common as the one that came from the priest’s mouth. Rather, he seemed like a priest who was truly blessed by god.

Juliana dropped her head, but Evan persistently followed her gaze and kissed the back of her hand.

* * *

Translator – DrMementoTiramisu