Underwater

Chapter 14: The Outburst

He shouldn't have promised to let her have her school. He had pitched the idea to a few of the ministers, but they were doubtful. They didn't see the point in what she was proposing. Many of the ministers, who were of noble blood and had inherited the position from their own fathers, had developed an attitude of 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it'. In that way, they hesitated to embrace Reina's idea. Delwyn could see the importance in what she was saying, but the other matters requiring his attention somewhat drowned out her idea regarding the school.

It had been a week since the debacle between Reina's and Sylvia's maids. After he had revised the maids' punishments, Sylvia refused to speak with him. She sent one of her remaining maids to tell him she didn't want to have lunch with him for a while.

He sent the jeweler and designers, of course, and she eventually mellowed, sending her maid to ask him to join her for lunch once more. They resumed their lunch dates, but it was clear to both parties that their relationship was no longer the same. Delwyn wasn't stupid. He had stupid moments, sure, but speaking overall, he wasn't that foolish a man. After it had been pointed out by several people, he begun to suspect that Sylvia really did harbor ill intentions towards Reina. If she was just upset at Reina, that would be fine. How could he expect his lover not to hate his legal wife? The secret plotting, however, that worried him. Also, did she really order her maids to hurt Reina's handmaid? He couldn't unite the image of his beautiful, kind, innocent siren with that of one who could be so jealous that she would play a part in harming someone else.

"Your majesty, did you hear what I said?" Reina asked.

He looked up at his wife, who had finished most of her breakfast. She was always hungry after she threw up.

"No. Sorry. What did you say?"

Reina looked at him for a moment. "I'll be leaving the palace today. It's a last-minute decision, so Osharus might not have had time to tell you."

He frowned at her. "Again? This is the fourth day in a row."

She nodded. "Today's trip won't be for long. I'm only stopping by the Magic Academy."

She's so carefree. He snorted inwardly. While he was struggling to persuade the ministers to allow Reina a budget for her school, she was leaving the palace on a daily basis to frolic with her friends.

"Fine. Do as you wish," he grumbled.

She nodded at him, then bit into an Etteli. That action, too, rubbed him the wrong way. Because he knew exactly where that fruit had come from. Marquess Breim's family owned an Etteli orchard, which they sustained with magic so that they could procure the fruit all year round. As such, he regularly brought some for Reina. Delwyn struggled with his annoyance as he watched Reina gorge herself on another man's gifts.

She'll accept his fruits but asks for a school from me. He grumbled to himself.

"I'm leaving," he told her.

She stood up to see him to her door. "Have a lovely day, your highness." She bowed slightly.

As he glided through the doorway, his inner rant continued. Your highness, your highness. He mocked her tone in his head. What is she, one of my subjects? Why does she keep talking to me like that? Does she even know my name?

Reina had never called him by name. Not even once.

Delwyn gritted his teeth as a single document took him nearly half an hour to go through. There weren't enough hours in the day for him to complete his work.