Chapter 6 Who Said I Did It For Their Sake

• The next morning, Elinor de Clermont, accompanied by her maid Anna, boarded the carriage and headed straight for the royal palace in the city.
• Hohenzollern Castle lay quite far from the palace, and it wasn’t until noon that the carriage finally stopped before the grand golden gates. Under the scorching sun, the stone pavement radiated heat, but Elinor and Anna stood still like statues, unmoving.
• Half an hour passed, yet the palace gates remained tightly shut, and no summons came for Elinor.
• Sweat soaked the back of Elinor’s white dress, beads trickling down her forehead and falling silently onto the hot stone.
• Anna whispered with concern, “Miss Elinor, His Majesty the King is busy with state affairs and may not have time to see you. You didn’t eat much last night and skipped breakfast this morning. I’m worried you won’t hold up. Shall I fetch you some bread?”
• Elinor shook her head slightly. “No need.”
• “Miss Elinor, you’re here to ask His Majesty for a divorce decree. You shouldn’t harm your body. Starving yourself for Earl William and his mistress isn’t worth it!”
• Elinor’s expression remained calm, a faint smile touching her lips. “Who said I did it for their sake?”
• “Then what are you doing it for, Miss Elinor?”
• Elinor fell silent for a long moment, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. Anna sighed softly, thinking she was overwhelmed with sadness.
• Inside the palace, the Master of Ceremonies, Paine, entered the grand hall for the third time to report, “Your Majesty, Lady Elinor is still waiting outside the palace gates…”
• The King sat across from a man in a black silk robe, engrossed in a chess game. His face was stern and aloof, his deep eyes cold like night stars, difficult to meet.
• The King lifted a piece from the board and sighed, “I heard William plans to remarry when he returns to the city?”
• Paine hesitated, “Yes, Your Majesty. Earl William intends to marry Baroness Isabella, placing her on equal footing with Lady Elinor.”
• The King frowned, “How could the Clermont family raise such a weak daughter! I granted her a marriage decree with William to give her confidence, but she not only agreed to William marrying Isabella, that mistress of his, she’s now asking me to acknowledge their marriage! Truly spineless!”
• “Your Majesty, the guards have advised Lady Elinor to leave many times, but she refuses. She’s been standing outside the palace gates for over an hour, unmoving. It seems she won’t see you today, and she won’t leave.”
• “Hmph, daring to threaten the king of this country!” The king gritted his teeth in anger. “Useless woman—she deserves to be toyed with by the House of Hohenzollern!”
• Paine smiled apologetically, “Whether she sees you or not is entirely up to Your Majesty. Even if Lady Elinor starves herself to death outside the gates, it has nothing to do with you.”
• The king’s expression twisted with complex emotion. “This girl really gives me a headache!”
• He had hoped Elinor would stand her ground and refuse the marriage between William and Isabella, giving him an excuse to avoid the match. But she was so unexpectedly weak.
• His gaze deepened as he toyed absentmindedly with the chess pieces, lost in thought.
• The man in the black robe spoke coldly, “Father, in terms of achievements, no family matches the Clermonts—except Moblack.”
• The king was taken aback, then sighed deeply. “Indeed…”
• He remembered Elinor’s father—the Duke of Clermont. When he was still a prince, the king had ordered him to accompany the army to hone his skills. The Duke had personally taught him. At that time, Elinor had been a little girl of five or six, with snow-white skin, round cheeks, and eyes like blue gems—adorable beyond words.
• The king had treated her like his own, showering her with love.
• But this little girl had grown up foolish—willing to sever ties with her family to marry into the Hohenzollerns.
• Now, even Duke of Clermont…
• “Never mind,” the king sighed. “It’s the path she chose. Whatever she wants, I will grant.”
• As long as she doesn’t regret it.