Chapter 60

“So, what’s this big news?”

At Dante’s question, Nigel—who had been sprawled flat on his back—shot upright.

His belly stuck out, yet the movement was impressively nimble.

Covering his beak with one wing, Nigel cleared his throat. “Ahem!” Then he announced,

“The Duke of Winterberg entered the dungeon! Looks like he’s in there scouting right now!”

“I see.”

Unlike Dante, who took it in stride, a sharp ringing filled my ears from the sheer shock.

‘Raul is nearby…?’

My heart began to pound again, erratic and unstable.

Not my reaction—Muriel’s.

I clutched the left side of my chest and squeezed my eyes shut.

‘Muriel, you idiot. After everything he did to you, you still can’t let Raul go?’

Just then, a system notification chimed inside my head.

Ding!

‘…It’s not lingering attachment?’

“……”

Taking the system’s advice, I carefully examined the emotions surging through me.

‘If it’s not attachment… then what is this…?’

Frustration. Something boiling over. A stabbing pain in my heart, like needles piercing through.

‘…Resentment?’

A tangled mess of injustice and anger.

Toward the man who hurt her—

A lingering regret that she never properly got her revenge.

‘…So that’s what it was.’

No matter how soft-hearted she had been, in truth—

‘She wanted to repay him in kind.’

She had tried to close her eyes and accept it all, to let it go.

But perhaps the bitterness buried deep inside her had never truly washed away.

“…Muriel, are you alright?”

Lycian’s voice came from beside me.

I turned to look at him.

Worry was written plainly across his face.

“……”

The moment I saw him, the molten anger and resentment slowly cooled.

And my heart settled.

As if by magic.

I gave him a faint smile and nodded.

“Mm. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look well.”

“I’m okay.”

In truth, I wasn’t.

But words have a strange power. Repeat them often enough, and at some point, they start to feel real.

“I’m okay.”

I said it again, squeezing Lycian’s hand tightly.

As I held his gaze, I recalled the promise I’d made to myself.

‘Don’t let the past hold you back.’

The words resonated in my chest, echoing against my heartbeat.

Letting out a quiet breath, I curved a small smile on my lips and turned to Dante.

It was time to finally say what I’d come for so early in the morning.

“Actually… Lycian and I were thinking of going to see the dungeon today.”

Dante lifted a brow at that.

Keeping my tone even, I continued,

“I have to return to the farm tomorrow.”

If not today, the soonest I’d be able to see the dungeon would be a week from now.

There was too much waiting for me back at the farm.

Since I wanted to see it sooner rather than later, today was perfect.

‘Even if I run into Raul…’

It’s fine.

I won’t run or hide like before.

“……”

Dante studied me in silence for a moment, then shrugged and spoke.

“That works out nicely. I was planning to show you the dungeon today anyway, Muriel.”

“…I see.”

“That is, if you don’t mind crossing paths with the Duke of Winterberg. It’s not exactly my decision to make.”

His tone was casual, but his eyes were carefully assessing my complexion.

I offered him a small smile and answered firmly.

“I don’t mind. I’ll have to see him soon anyway.”

“Oh? May I ask why?”

“Obviously—to divorce him.”

Since the topic had come up, I asked Dante if he could prepare the divorce papers for me.

He agreed readily and said he’d have them ready by today. Truly a capable Guild Master.

“Still, if you’re divorcing the Duke of Winterberg, shouldn’t the Duke of Tierney’s household be informed? There’s also the matter of division of assets.”

“…The Duke of Tierney won’t concern himself with me. And as for assets…”

When Muriel married Raul, the dowry she brought consisted of thirty gold bars, fifty silver bars, and sixteen pieces of jewelry.

Ordinarily, it would have been more than ten times that amount—ornaments, a castle, land, and more assigned to the bride.

But the Duke of Tierney, who had no intention of showing sincerity toward this marriage, drastically reduced the gifts under the pretense that he would ‘one day take his daughter back.’

Naturally, Winterberg had taken it as an insult.

‘They must have thought they were being slighted. Raul, and his vassals…’

That likely contributed to the way Muriel had been mistreated in Winterberg Castle.

Though that hardly justified their cruelty.

“As for asset division, there’s no need to worry. He can keep it all.”

“If that’s what you want, Muriel. Though personally, I’d recommend squeezing as much out of him as possible.”

I gave an awkward laugh at Dante’s comment.

“You’ll submit the divorce petition to the temple in Winterberg territory? Not Tierney?”

“Yes. It doesn’t matter where, but the temple in Winterberg is closer.”

Marriage procedures were managed by the temple. Divorce was no different.

Both spouses’ signatures were required on the divorce petition.

‘Raul will sign easily enough.’

That part didn’t worry me.

In the original story, he would only fall into deep regret after Muriel fell ill. For now, he was probably eager to divorce her.

‘And I don’t need to worry about the Tierney family either.’

To them, I was nothing more than a tool that had outlived its usefulness.

Where do tools go once they’re no longer needed?

Straight to the trash heap.

And once something’s thrown away, no one spares it a second thought.

…That’s all.

‘Though if they find out I possess the power of purification, who knows how they’ll react.’

I’ll finalize the divorce before that. Everything after can be dealt with later.

‘The remaining variable… is whether the temple might raise an objection.’

In that case, they would summon both spouses separately, hear detailed accounts, and three priests would reach a unanimous conclusion.

If they decided the couple should try to live together a bit longer, a six-month reflection period would be imposed.

‘If things don’t go well and I have to wait another six months…’

I’ll have no choice but to call on my lifeline—Lord System.

That means you’re on my side, right? Got it. Thanks.

“Then shall we head out to see the dungeon before noon? A walk along the shore, perhaps lunch at a nearby restaurant—sounds perfect.”

Dante rose from his seat as he suggested it.

Smiling brightly at him, I took Lycian’s hand and stood as well.

“Sounds good. Let’s go right now!”

---

Swoooosh—

Waves rolled onto the sandy shore, crashing into white foam.

At the end of the coastline, beneath a dizzying cliff.

A palace as white as snow stood tall, half-submerged in the shallow sea.

‘So that’s….’

The newly appeared dungeon.

They’d said it was shaped like a palace—and it truly was.

‘There’s something ominous about it. This won’t be an easy conquest….’

At first glance, it resembled the Taj Mahal in India.

But there were no surrounding gardens—just a single, stark-white palace rising alone.

We stood at a moderate distance, observing the dungeon.

A dungeon that wasn’t in a rampage state wasn’t dangerous to approach, but still—better safe than sorry.

As I stared at the white palace, curiosity struck me.

“What’s the inside like? It’s hard to judge just by the exterior.”

“Indeed. Once you enter through the main gate… there’s a garden.”

“A garden?”

My eyes widened in surprise.

“Quite literally a garden. Soil, grass, trees, sky. Everything looks real.”

“Wow… I’m curious what it looks like.”

“If you’d like, you’re welcome to accompany the guild members during the next subjugation. As long as you know the locations of the traps in already explored areas, it’s not particularly dangerous.”

At that, I fell into thought before speaking.

“It’s not just combat personnel who go during subjugations, right?”

“Correct. The support team goes as well. Sometimes we have to camp inside the dungeon for up to a week… and without Allen, things fall apart. In more ways than one.”

As expected, Allen really was the circus tamer—and their mom.

‘Support team, huh… I might actually be able to help….’

Lost in thought while gazing at the snow-white palace, I suddenly noticed a commotion near the dungeon’s main gate.

‘…What’s going on?’

Blinking rapidly in confusion, I exchanged glances with Lycian and Dante.

They looked just as curious.

So I ran ahead first.

“Excuse me! What’s happening?”

When I reached the area near the main gate, more than dozens of people had gathered in a noisy cluster.

‘Most of them are injured….’

They glanced at me briefly, then replied with grim expressions.

“It’s dangerous—please don’t come closer. The monsters suddenly went berserk during the subjugation…”

“…I’ve never seen monsters that large or that vicious…”

“What if it triggers a flood? Did we provoke something?”

“Calm down! We need to save the injured first!”

As I listened in, I recognized the familiar emblem embroidered on their capes.

‘That crest….’

A sprig of mistletoe, a white owl, crossed sword and shield.

The crest of Winterberg.

“Healer! Is there a healer?!”

“We’ve exhausted our divine power…”

“What kind of healers are all useless trash! Damn it!”

“Th-That’s too harsh, isn’t it?!”

“What about potions? Any top-grade or high-grade left?”

“S-Sorry, we used them all earlier… we only have mid-grade potions left.”

Some shouted with grave faces. Some were on the verge of tears. Others hung their heads, guilt written across their features.

Only now did I realize—I’d seen these faces before.

‘…Raul’s vassals.’

And at the center of the circle they’d formed—

One man, limp and unmoving.

An enormous amount of blood had poured from him, soaking the sand crimson.

The moment I recognized that pale face, my expression darkened.

‘…Raul.’