The Holy Spirit's Domain
The Valentino mansion was deathly quiet. The atmosphere was so tense it felt like walking on thin ice.
Ever since Josephine Elvester, who had once ruled the estate with an iron fist, had been driven out, Sylvien had summoned every single employee. He had then entrusted the matter to the butler.
“Investigate in exhaustive detail every instance of unfair treatment my wife endured. Not a single thing is to be overlooked.”
“Understood, Your Grace.”
“My knight will be conducting a parallel investigation.”
At those words, the butler’s eyes widened in surprise. Sylvien gestured toward the knight standing behind him.
“Should the knight’s report differ from yours, you will be held fully accountable.”
A chill ran down the butler’s spine.
“Do you understand?”
This was both a warning and a threat. It was a strict order to meticulously document every single thing Canna had suffered without omitting even the smallest detail.
“I will keep it in mind.”
After that, Canna exchanged letters with Sylvien as they proceeded with the divorce.
A few days later, the Supreme Court approved the divorce. Soon after, the Emperor gave his approval as well. Now, only one final hurdle remained: the Great Temple.
The biggest headache of all is still waiting.
When nobles married, they were required to swear an oath before God. They submitted a document to the Great Temple declaring that they would love each other eternally until death.
Therefore, any couple seeking divorce had to visit the Great Temple in person to perform the Holy Union Dissolution Ceremony.
And that ceremony was the problem.
During the dissolution rite, the man had to wear a tuxedo and the woman a wedding dress!
It was meant to force them to reflect on their original intentions before breaking the vow made to God.
Juhwa never even got to wear a wedding dress once.
To have to wear a wedding dress for a divorce when she hadn’t even worn one for the wedding—what kind of tragedy was this?
“Canna. May I come in for a moment?”
Chloe’s voice came from outside the door.
“No, I have to leave for the Great Temple early tomorrow morning, so…”
But the door opened without permission. Chloe strode in boldly.
“I clearly said no. Did you not hear me?”
“I heard you perfectly.”
“Then why did you come in?”
“Because I must stop your foolish decision. Divorce? Think again.”
Chloe spoke coldly, her words sharp as blades.
“Do you really think it will be easy to live as a divorced woman in this empire? Everyone will point fingers at you. And not just you—the entire Addis family will be dragged through the mud.”
Just as expected. She knew this was why Chloe had come.
“And?”
“Endure it.”
“……”
“Most women live their entire lives in cold indifference toward their husbands. Everyone else manages to live that way—why must you be the only one acting so special?”
Canna had lost count of how many times she had heard this speech over the past few days. She was reaching her limit.
“Instead of worrying about me, why don’t you pay more attention to Isabelle? She seemed quite exhausted in both body and mind after her long period of house arrest.”
At those words, the corners of Chloe’s mouth trembled violently.
How dare she say such a thing? Who did Isabelle end up under house arrest because of?!
That shameless little wench!
Well, it was precisely because she was so shameless that she was demanding a divorce.
Once divorced, Canna would reclaim the Addis surname. She would once again live under the same roof as the rest of the family!
“You really have no sense of shame at all.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Chloe spat venom.
“Forgetting the grace with which you were raised and daring to disgrace the Addis name—how can you be so selfish!”
“Am I? Am I being selfish?”
“Yes! Divorce is a disgrace that will be recorded in the family’s history forever! You know that perfectly well…!”
“In that case, lock me in the closet. For about two days.”
Canna smiled sweetly and pointed to a large wardrobe in the corner of the room.
“Isn’t that how you raised children who wouldn’t listen?”
Chloe bit her lip hard. Her eyes froze over with icy rage as she glared at Canna.
“I always knew a day like this would come.”
Chloe ground out each word as if chewing on glass.
“A vulgar wench raised without a mother. I knew you would one day tarnish the Addis name. You filthy piece of garbage!”
Bang!
At that moment, the door burst open with a thunderous crash.
“…Orsini?”
Orsini strode in quickly. His expression was openly displeased.
“Mother. I didn’t realize you were here.”
For a brief moment, a chill ran down Chloe’s spine.
It was a lie. There was no way the sharp-eyed Orsini hadn’t noticed her presence.
“Orsini. Why are you—”
“You were undoubtedly saying something utterly pointless, as usual.”
Orsini cut her off. His tone was ice-cold.
“Stop wasting your energy on useless matters and leave.”
Those words struck Chloe like a brutal slap to the back of her head.
“Now.”
Chloe ground her teeth and staggered out of the room. A massive wave of humiliation crashed over her like a storm.
She knew her son very well.
She knew him very well.
Even Orsini.
First Kallen, and now even Orsini had fallen under the spell of that devilish girl Canna!
Canna is tearing the Addis family apart.
Before that girl arrived, the Addis household had been perfect. A truly harmonious family.
But now, it was completely shattered.
Canna was laughing with blood-red lips as she tore the Addis family into pieces!
“Why did you come?”
“You think I wanted to?”
Orsini sneered as he plopped down on the sofa without permission. The sight made irritation surge through her.
Damn it. Now the sofa’s contaminated with Orsini.
She’d have to replace it immediately.
“I will accompany you as your witness for the Holy Union Dissolution Ceremony.”
“You?”
The dissolution ceremony required at least one witness—usually a family member or close relative. Originally, Kallen had been scheduled to go. Why had it suddenly changed to Orsini?
“Plans changed. An extremely important guest is coming to see Kallen.”
“……”
“Disappointed?”
Orsini mocked.
“After all, you seemed to be having quite a bit of fun manipulating that idiot Kallen. It must be disappointing that you won’t get to continue.”
Canna stared at him intently.
Come to think of it, this guy had already noticed that she still hated Kallen.
This is troublesome.
Of course she planned to discard him eventually, but not yet. Canna pondered for a moment before breaking into a bright smile.
“Why would I be disappointed, Orsini?”
For a second, Orsini doubted his own ears. Her voice was sickeningly sweet.
“Both you and Kallen are my precious little brothers.”
Canna smiled as warmly as spring sunlight. It was a smile Orsini had never once witnessed before.
“We’ve had our share of troubles, but we’re still family. We share the same blood, after all.”
“……”
“In the end, we should forgive each other and live with love.”
Silence fell.
Canna waited with bated breath, her heart pounding with anticipation.
Would he fall for it?
He was simple-minded and had been fooled many times before. Maybe he would fall for it again.
But if he falls for this, he really would be the world’s biggest idiot.
At that moment, Orsini shot up from his seat. He walked straight up to her and stopped right in front. He had simply walked over without warning, yet his massive frame made the approach feel incredibly threatening.
“Don’t pull that kind of cheap trick on me.”
As expected, it had failed. Since she had anticipated this to some degree, Canna replied indifferently.
“Cheap trick?”
“I’m not like Kallen. I have no intention of meekly falling for your lies.”
Well, of course. Any creature with a brain wouldn’t fall for something so obvious.
So he’s not quite at the level of a complete idiot.
Her excitement fizzled out like a dying spark. The smile vanished from Canna’s face like smoke.
“You’ll forgive me and love me? What utter bullshit. You hate me, yet you spout such nonsense.”
Damn it. Orsini muttered another low curse. He looked thoroughly irritated by his own words.
Yet he raised his thorns once more.
“What do you think will happen if Kallen finds out you’ve been toying with him like a puppet?”
Canna let out a small laugh. Was he actually trying to threaten her?
“Who knows? Maybe he’ll kick me out of the house?”
Now that she thought about it, that kind of ending wouldn’t be so bad.
She had accumulated a decent amount of money, and the divorce was right around the corner. Using the fact that she had deceived Kallen as an excuse to leave the Addis family and start her own household seemed like a solid plan.
“I’d welcome it. As you know, I’ve always hated anything to do with the Addis name.”
The finish line was finally in sight. She could begin anew. Just thinking about it made her heart flutter with excitement.
“So feel free to tell him anytime, Orsini. I’ll disappear from your sight whenever you want.”
Two days later, Canna set off for the Great Temple together with Orsini.
The Great Temple upon arrival was far more closed-off than she had imagined.
The building was so blindingly white it bordered on obsessive, and towering walls wrapped around the sanctuary like armor.
Before she could even enter the Great Temple, she was required to undergo a simple ritual.
“State your purpose for visiting the Great Temple.”
“I have come to dissolve the holy union with His Grace, Duke Sylvien Valentino.”
“Swear to God that there is not a single lie in those words.”
“I swear it.”
Then, a silver needle pricked her finger. A single drop of blood fell onto the silver tray held by the priest.
Why do they have to make entry inspection this strict?
Without this process, outsiders could not enter the Great Temple. Not even members of the imperial family were exempt.
Canna pressed a handkerchief to her finger to stop the bleeding, then looked up at the sanctuary.
The majestic structure that seemed to reach the very heavens felt like a god in its own right.
This was the Great Temple.
The domain of the priests, the World Tree, and the Holy Spirit.
This is the place.
The place where her divorce would finally be completed.