Contract Marriage Rewritten
Chapter 11
As the banquet drew to a close, knights stepped into the hall. They had come from various regions to collect relief goods.
Everyone wore proud smiles as they looked over the donated goods.
Only a fraction of these would ever reach the common soldiers; most would become bribes for superiors. The knights sent to collect them might secretly slip something expensive into their own coats as well.
Laniakea waited anxiously for Hyperion’s knight.
Hyperion’s knight, who had entered before she realized it, showed no change in expression upon seeing a single handkerchief and a few gold coins that amounted to little more than mockery. He seemed thoroughly accustomed to such treatment.
Instead, his eyes widened slightly at the handkerchief, and he bowed respectfully to Laniakea.
At the sight, the nobles murmured loud enough for them to hear.
“I heard there were quite a few casualties last year, weren’t there?”
“Is it not the fault of the one leading the Knight Order? Just look at the regions governed by Her Majesty the Empress’s family. There, everyone fulfills their duties splendidly without a single person getting hurt.”
It was utter nonsense.
Compared to a safe territory virtually right on the Capital’s doorstep, it was only natural that knights stationed in a harsh wasteland—where barbarians and monsters descended at every turn—would suffer far more injuries.
Yet they spoke as if the knights and Hyperion were simply incompetent.
Laniakea approached the knight as he quietly gathered the handkerchief and the few gold coins, and spoke.
“I… didn’t know there would be a donation drive at today’s banquet. If I had known, I would have prepared more…”
“It is quite all right. His Imperial Highness has already completed solid preparations for this winter. That is why relief goods are always checked and sent right back.”
He meant that they never accepted them in the first place.
A few weeks after the banquet, while listening to the ministers’ conversation in a corner of another banquet, Laniakea learned that Hyperion had indeed returned the meager gold coins.
‘He must have thrown the handkerchief away.’
It was nothing special, so perhaps the knight had kept it for a while before discarding it somewhere.
Thinking that, she had never given the handkerchief another thought, never imagining he would have kept it all along.
Laniakea hastily grabbed the handkerchief in his hand.
She felt a sudden jolt of fear that his words about cherishing it might be a sarcastic dig at how she had sent virtually nothing back then.
“I was unaware of the banquet’s donation drive and foolishly offered up a mere handkerchief. I am sorry.”
With that, she tried to quickly snatch the handkerchief and tuck it into her pocket, but contrary to her expectations, Hyperion did not let go.
A brief tug-of-war over the handkerchief ensued between them.
Naturally, the victor was Hyperion. A slight tug of his strength was enough to send Laniakea’s body stumbling forward.
Flustered, she let go, and Hyperion swiftly tucked the handkerchief into his pocket as if hiding it before steadying the swaying Laniakea.
Guiding her back to her seat, he continued the conversation nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened.
“If you are not returning to Priatra, what were your plans after the divorce?”
At his question, Laniakea recalled the reason she had wanted to see him.
“Well… I actually wanted to see you because I had something to say about that.”
Laniakea fidgeted with her now-clean fingers and parted her lips hesitatingly.
“I would like to remain in the Empire after the divorce if possible. Of course, I don’t mean staying in the Imperial Palace—I wish to move somewhere far in the provinces and live quietly. But… embarrassed as I am to say this, though I tried to save in my own way, the budget I have left isn’t sufficient…”
Laniakea’s voice grew softer and softer.
The budget allocated to her Detached Palace had been terribly tight. Without the Empress’s benevolence, it was difficult to even procure a new dress for a banquet.
She could simply skip banquets, but when the Empress summoned her, she could not refuse.
Truthfully, she knew the Empress was intentionally inviting her to banquets.
Inviting her despite knowing she lacked the means to buy new gowns or jewelry was surely a way to make her cling to the Empress’s favor.
Fortunately, the Empress had stopped summoning her a year ago.
While she had managed to avoid spending more on banquet attendance that way, she could not avoid spending on the maintenance of the Detached Palace.
A lack of funds was no excuse to cut the servants’ wages. Thus, she let go of all who wished to transfer to other palaces and maintained the Detached Palace with the bare minimum staff.
Lucy helped with many tasks, but they were still short-handed, so Laniakea often helped with the chores herself.
In particular, because Lucy broke furniture so often, Laniakea took over the cleaning of Hyperion’s bedroom in the Detached Palace entirely. Since no one used it, it only required dusting, which wasn’t difficult.
Around that time, the Empress’s maids had paid a sudden visit, whispering among themselves at the sight and casting glances of mixed pity and contempt at Laniakea.
They clicked their tongues and left, gossiping that the Crown Princess was wielding a broom and duster with her own hands.
Afterwards, the Empress’s Palace sent a pittance of an additional budget along with new cleaning supplies. It was blatant mockery.
‘Not that it really hurt my feelings, though.’
At the time, Laniakea had distributed the money sent by the Empress to Lucy and the other servants.
Compared to other palaces, she had rarely been able to provide bonuses, so she felt glad to at least compensate them this way. And the tiny amount that remained was tucked away in a drawer.
Yet despite saving so diligently, it wasn’t even enough to rent a small house.
Seeing Hyperion lapse into silence again, Laniakea spoke in a hurry.
“I didn’t spend it recklessly! I tried to be frugal in my own way…”
“I know. The Empress allocated an absurdly meager sum to you.”
Hyperion stood from his seat and walked to his desk. Picking up a stack of documents from atop it, he sat back down before Laniakea.
“I reviewed everything. The baseline budget was calculated using standards from decades ago, and the quarterly supplementary budget was never disbursed. It is truly a marvel that you managed to maintain the Detached Palace with this.”
Hyperion clicked his tongue in frustration as he spoke.
Laniakea found his words puzzling.
He had only arrived at the Imperial Palace yesterday. Between attending the funeral and being swarmed by all manner of ministers seeking an audience, he would have been overwhelmed.
He couldn’t have had time to sleep, so when on earth had he examined those documents?
“I was able to get by somehow. Though there was never any surplus since it wasn’t generous… That is why I would be in a difficult position if Your Highness demanded a divorce. According to the Marriage Contract, I cannot take anything with me other than the money I have saved so far. So, shameless as it is, I was hoping to ask for a little assistance after the divorce.”
“…….”
He remained silent at Laniakea’s words. Then, after a long pause, he opened his mouth.
“How much support were you planning to request?”
“Well…”
She hadn’t settled on a specific amount. She had merely intended to ask for enough help until she could secure a house outside.
When Laniakea failed to answer right away, Hyperion set down the documents he was holding and spoke.
“If you do not divorce, you will have no need for such concerns.”
He was right. If they didn’t divorce, she would live as Empress. The Empress of the Empire would never have to worry about finding a place to lay her head.
“Still… I believe I am far too lacking to become Empress.”
She understood that he might want a powerless empress. Even so, the position of the Empire’s Empress was entirely unsuited to her.
No matter how she looked at it, she would be of no help whatsoever to Hyperion or the Empire.
“Why do you think that?”
“Why? What could I possibly accomplish? Embarrassing as it is to say with my own mouth, my kingdom will be unable to offer Your Highness any aid. And compared to other distinguished young ladies, I have far too many shortcomings.”
These were not words of false modesty. While she had received basic education as royalty, it was truly just the basics.
Compared to noble ladies who had studied relentlessly from a young age under the Empire’s renowned professors to succeed their families or participate in state affairs, she could even be called ignorant and have no excuse.
It had been the same after becoming Crown Princess. The other imperial consorts had harbored dreams of becoming Empress, mingling extensively in high society and learning everything they could.
But for Laniakea, dusting the Detached Palace, tending a tiny garden, and reading books had been her entire life.
For someone like her to become Empress? Just the thought felt suffocating. It was never a position meant for her.
Perhaps noticing the tension hardening Laniakea’s expression, Hyperion picked up the documents once more and said,
“I understand your feelings for now. However, I ask that you please reconsider just once more.”
“…….”
“I have no intention of holding you by force. If you do not wish to remain here a moment longer, I will respect your wishes.”
At his reassurance, Laniakea’s face finally brightened.
“I do not think my mind will change, but… I only ask for the bare minimum for my settlement funds. In return, could you please… provide generously for my maid and the other servants of the Detached Palace?”
“I have no intention whatsoever of sparing expense for those who served you. I will provide for them handsomely so that no one has any complaints.”
His answer put Laniakea even more at ease.
“I shall take my leave now. I am sorry for taking up so much of your time when you must be so busy.”
“Not at all. I was the one who requested this meeting. Thank you for coming when you must still be so shaken.”
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by a servant’s voice.
“Your Highness! His Majesty the Emperor is looking for you!”
At the mention of the Emperor, Laniakea hurriedly stood and bowed her head.
Hyperion gazed at her for a moment, then excused himself, set the documents down, and stepped outside.
Laniakea also hurried back to the Detached Palace. Breathing a sigh of relief upon returning to her familiar room, she thought:
‘I might be able to leave the Imperial Palace sooner than I thought.’
Yet that very night, as if mocking Laniakea’s expectations, an incident occurred.
