Almost at the same time, in Frankfurt to the south, the atmosphere within Duke Schmidt's grand yet ancient residence was utterly different.
The warm, pleasant afternoon sunlight streamed through tall stained-glass windows, spilling into a small sitting room furnished with thick carpets, comfortable sofas, and exquisite tea tables.
The air carried the fragrance of premium black tea and freshly baked pastries. Lady Eileen had now once again become the rightful mistress of this estate. She, too, held a brief report on Karl's divorce, and clear surprise and concern showed on her well-maintained face.
"Reinhardt, look..." Eileen handed the report to Duke Schmidt, who had just finished his morning duties and entered to rest. "Karl... he actually dissolved his marriage to the princess? This... this is so sudden. What will the Empress Dowager think? Will the Royal Capital..."
Duke Schmidt accepted the report and merely gave it a cursory glance, without showing much surprise. He removed his coat and handed it to an attendant, then sat on the sofa opposite Eileen. Picking up the tea his wife had poured for him, he gently blew on it. "There is no need to be too surprised, Eileen. I had anticipated this."
"You anticipated it?" Lady Eileen set down her own teacup and asked anxiously, "But... this was a marriage to a princess! The Empress Dowager had pushed hard to arrange it in the first place. By doing this, hasn't Karl completely offended both the royal family and the Empress Dowager?"
Duke Schmidt took a sip of the rich, fragrant tea before speaking slowly. "A political marriage is easy to forge, but difficult to sustain—especially when it loses its original value, or even becomes a burden."
"Karl and Princess Louise had no emotional foundation to begin with. From beginning to end, the Empress Dowager