How To End This Marriage-Chapter 113: Disparate Realities

Six months have passed since Duke left for war. I haven’t received any letters from him, or perhaps he has been sending letters, but they haven’t reached me. I’m uncertain. However, I’ve observed the duchess acting furtive whenever our paths cross.

While lost in my thoughts, a maid interrupted, "Madam, the people have come to meet you."

"What is it? Is there any issue?" I inquired.

"I’m not sure, madam, but they seem very worried," the maid replied.

Worried? For what reason? I wandered and walked toward the mansion’s hall, where I found several people crowding at the entrance, attempting to enter while the guards struggled to stop them.

"What is it? What is the issue?" I asked as I ran outside.

"Duchess, what kind of rule is this? If we had known that bringing you to our state would leave us hungry, we would have done our best to stop you," the people shouted in anger.

"Hungry? What do you mean? I don’t understand the reason behind your words," I said.

"Yes, if it isn’t hunger, then what? We haven’t been getting supplies, and the guards won’t let us meet you. What kind of ruling is this? Are you trying to make us disappear from the state?" they questioned.

"First of all, calm down, all of you."

"I’m not sure what you guys are saying, but I have always been accurate when it comes to supplies. Everything has been sent to every corner of Ablia, so how could you not get supplies when others did?" I asked.

"How would we know?" they shouted at me instead, while the maid came forward and whispered in my ear.

"Madam, I think their worry is right," she said, leaving me confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Madam, the supplies have been decreasing rapidly. Since the war broke out, the supplies have been irregular. It’s becoming difficult to maintain supplies for the mansion and send them to the villages simultaneously," she explained, adding to my growing concern.

"Give them the supplies meant for the mansion," I said, surprising everyone.

"Madam, this is so unfair," the guards protested.

"I know, but do you want people to point fingers at the duke who is fighting at the war to defend his empire? If you want to, you can. But I can’t. For me, this is not ruling; I’m only here to keep the mansion and the state safe for the time being," I said, reiterating my order.

"Bring out all the supplies needed for these people. I want no more complaints regarding this," I stated before walking inside the mansion. In the corridor, I faced the glaring duchess, a sight that had become familiar over the months.

"You failed to manage your duties, right?" she taunted.

"You are clearly aware this is not my fault," I retorted.

"It’s not about whose fault it is, but you have failed in your duties as the duchess and the madam of the mansion, which is evident today," she remarked.

"Oh, did I? Whose fault is it? Aren’t you the one who sent the duke to war? Didn’t you foresee this issue beforehand? The lord of the mansion has been sent to war, so how do you think the coins will be managed in the mansion while overseeing the entire state? If the empire isn’t doing well, the state will suffer," I argued.

"Accept your defeat, Bernice!" she declared.

"I won’t hesitate to accept my defeat if it weren’t the same case for you as well," I said, walking toward the study.

As I walked to the study, I spread the budget ledgers in front of me, examining them to gauge how long the coins would last for both the people and the mansion.

"Is this going to be sufficient for the people and mansion? I doubt it. There will be an issue at this rate if no one is going to get proper food for the time being at least," I said, my brows furrowing with a sudden challenge crossing my mind.

"I would like to meet the emperor!" I decided.

Without delay, I announced my departure and immediately boarded the carriage.

"Madam, this is such short notice. If you go now, how will we manage the rest?" the maids voiced their concern.

"I will be fast. I will be as fast as I can," I reassured them as I was escorted to the carriage, with knights guarding me on either side.

It was my first time going to the palace, and I wasn’t sure how long it would take. However, I wanted it to be as early as possible. The more delay, the more Ablia would suffer, something I couldn’t let happen. Thoughts raced in my mind as I nervously bit my own nails in frustration.

"Driver, faster!!! We have to reach sooner," I urged the driver.

"Yes, duchess, I’m trying," he replied. Glancing out the window, I noticed that the knights looked exhausted. The horse’s speed began to slow down, forcing me to decide between two options: go fast without caring for anything or slow down and rest somewhere for the sake of the knights and horses.

My mind battled between these options, and eventually, one gave in.

"Stop!!!" I ordered.

"What is it, Madam?" they asked.

"Find a shelter! We will take a break!" I said.

"But, Madam, won’t it delay your work?" one of the knights asked.

"I know very well what is going to happen. Don’t argue much. Just do as I’m saying. Stop here and find a shelter to rest properly," I instructed, closing down the windows.

"Yes, Bernice, you have done well," I mumbled to myself, but as I remembered the faces of those maids and guards, my hands started trembling in worry.

I waited inside the carriage, hearing the running sounds outside as the knights searched for a shelter.

"Madam, we have found a place. I have checked; there is no risk in that place, so you can rest there," the knight said, guiding the driver to the location. The knights lit up the area and organized food and water supplies, returning with pouches full of fruits and water.

"Madam, here!!" he said, handing me some to eat. I realized I hadn’t had anything since morning, and my stomach growled as soon as I saw the fruits. I chuckled at myself, devoured the fruits, and lay inside the carriage. Sleep eluded me; worries filled my head, making me anxious and nervous.

"Time passes fast. Or the people will be hungry," I mumbled, looking outside all night until morning took over the night.

"Madam, we can depart now!!!" an energetic knight informed me, and the horses looked fine.

"Now, can we speed up?" I asked.

"Yes, we will!" they said, preparing for departure. Many hours had passed, and I grew increasingly worried. I wanted to reach the palace as fast as possible, or the plans for sending supplies to the village would face further delays.

Worry wouldn’t help, so I stayed calm, trying to stop my legs from shaking. Soon, we arrived at the capital. The vibrant cityscape contrasted sharply with Ablia.

"Madam, we have reached!!!" the driver informed me, and the knights, despite sweating nonstop, opened the carriage door to escort me.

"I apologize for making this," I said, bowing my head.

"No, no, no, the duchess shouldn’t apologize to us. We will be the sinners if you do so," they said, making me raise my head.

"We will be here, duchess," they said, and I headed toward the palace, where people stared at me abnormally.

"North duchess?" one of them came to confirm.

"Yes!" I answered.

"I apologize for asking this way, but I haven’t recognized you. As you have never made any public appearance," he said.

"There is no need for this. I’m the one at fault. I should have sent a letter before my arrival," I said.

"You?" I asked.

"Oh, I apologize. I’m the marquis of the east region. Nice to see you, duchess," he bowed, and so did I.

"It was nice to see you as well," I said.

"So, any urgent matter to discuss that you have come all the way here?" he asked.

"Yes! I have come up with an urgent request on my hand. I don’t know if other regions have been suffering or not, but Ablia has been suffering so badly that I want to talk to His Majesty the Emperor regarding this matter, or we will suffer badly," I explained.

"What do you mean, duchess? Why will Ablia suffer?" he asked, leaving me confused.

"Is your region receiving proper treatment from the capital? Because we haven’t been. After the war broke out, the supplies we are getting have decreased so badly. We have no more resources to sustain the mansion. Without a solution, people will die of hunger," I explained.

"Supplies? Why? We have been receiving them fine, though," he said, deepening my confusion.

What is this confusion? Why have both states been treated differently?