I Ended Up Snatching a Marriage With the Male Lead! - Chapter 84

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I’d ended up in a fake marriage with the male lead.
Episode 84

“Ahem, well then, I’m relieved to hear it, though I confess I’ve been worried whether my son might have committed some rudeness yesterday.”
At that, Kaiden’s brow furrowed slightly before he smoothed his expression.
“That’s all been settled, so there’s no need to concern yourself.”
It was an oddly phrased response, but the Count thought nothing of it and quickly set his mind at ease.
“Ha ha! Is that so?”
Being of a similar age, the Count assumed the men had perhaps shared some candid conversation over drinks.
“Ah, speaking of which—since the Hunting Competition came up today, are you thinking of participating yourself? The old fellow was awfully keen about it.”
As he spoke, Ernest recalled Monstera, the Marquis who was his own contemporary.
The Marquis had seemed delighted by news of the Hunting Competition, as though he’d been waiting for it eagerly.
Ernest shrugged his shoulders and offered his suggestion lightly.
“Now that you’re married, wouldn’t it make a fine memory to catch game and present it gallantly to your wife?”
At that, Kaiden recalled a conversation he’d once had with Emilia.
When he’d thought to invite her to the ball, he’d seen her react with such obvious distaste that the memory remained vivid in his mind.
By that reckoning, she would surely find the Hunting Competition burdensome as well.
Still, by now he knew his wife well enough to make that judgment.
Without hesitation, Kaiden replied to the Count.
“No, I’ve decided not to participate.”

* * *

Emilia had recently acquired a new daily task.
It was inspecting the mail that arrived at the Duke’s Mansion.
The reason was an invitation to the upcoming Hunting Competition.
Letters from the Imperial Palace were always ornate, so they were impossible to miss.
‘But why hasn’t it arrived?’
Based on the timing of the Hunting Competition as it appeared in the original work, the invitation should have arrived by now.
Eventually, sensing something amiss, Emilia sought out Kaiden’s Office.
“What is it?”
At her sudden visit, Kaiden raised an eyebrow.
Emilia stood before him, hesitated briefly, then spoke.
“Um, Duke. Is there perhaps some event I should attend as the Duchess?”
Kaiden considered for a moment before answering.
“There was one.”
“Really?”
Emilia’s eyes widened.
Seized by an ominous feeling, she pressed him urgently.
“What is it?! Don’t tell me—”
“It was the Hunting Competition.”
“What?!”
Emilia cried out in surprise.
At that, Kaiden set down the fountain pen he’d been holding and narrowed his gaze.
“Since it wasn’t a mandatory attendance, I had already sent word that we would not participate.”
Caught off guard, Emilia’s mind went blank.
Seeing her reaction, Kaiden sensed something was wrong.
“Did you want to attend?”
But Emilia heard none of his words—her mind was elsewhere.
She had already made her own preparations for winning at the Hunting Competition, yet he’d declined to participate?
“You were supposed to win, Duke… you really had to win…”
Kaiden’s eyes widened as he heard Emilia murmur those words while dazed.
In that instant, he sprang to his feet.
When Emilia looked up at him in alarm, Kaiden spoke with absolute certainty.
“I’ll register for the competition immediately.”

* * *

‘That was close—I nearly aged ten years.’
That day, Kaiden returned safely after completing his registration for the Hunting Competition.
Emilia, who had been waiting anxiously, only released a breath of relief once he’d returned to the Mansion and confirmed it.
Then she told him the reason he needed to win the Hunting Competition.
She explained that she’d overheard the Empress’s attendants speaking when she attended the Princess’s tea party, and she outlined the plan she had devised in meticulous detail.
After that discussion with Kaiden concluded,
Emilia took on a new daily task: embroidery practice.
It was customary for a wife to present her husband with a handkerchief she’d embroidered herself if he was competing in the Hunting Competition.
‘This is harder than I expected.’
Emilia looked down at the handkerchief she’d been working on all day.
By the look of her skill, she doubted she could even properly stitch Kaiden’s name, let alone the Family Crest.
Emilia let out a heavy sigh.
‘But there’s no helping it.’
This was her first time doing embroidery.
She glanced sidelong at Laura, who had gone quiet.
……
Laura, who at first had been so eager to teach her embroidery that she’d said ‘Emilia, you’re good at everything, so you’ll be great at embroidery too!’, had long since revised her expectations.
Now it seemed her only hope was that the design would at least be recognizable as a crest.
Suddenly snapping back to attention, Laura tried to cheer her on.
“Don’t worry! A handkerchief made by a loving wife is sure to delight the Master, of course! Ha ha!”
“Laura, did you forget we’re in a fake marriage?”
Emilia corrected the flaw in her logic, and Laura’s mouth shut quickly.
“Oh, right, of course.”
Then Emilia made a humble yet perhaps audacious request of Laura.
“So at least try to look like receiving it won’t be awkward, okay?”
“Y-yes! Let’s do this, Emilia! We can manage at least that much, probably!”

* * *

Not long after, the day of the Hunting Competition arrived.
After finishing her preparations, Emilia stepped outside and looked up at the sky.
Since the Hunting Ground was far away, they had to depart early in the morning, and the sky was still dark before dawn.
“Emiliaaaa—”
Just then, Ivan came out in his pajamas, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
Surprised, Emilia hurried over to him.
“Why are you up so early?”
“Just because.”
Ivan grinned sheepishly.
His expression made it clear he wanted to go along to the Hunting Competition.
But knowing he couldn’t, he’d come out to see them off.
Emilia considered for a moment, then rummaged through her bag.
“Ivan, wait a moment.”
From inside, she pulled something out—an extra handkerchief she’d prepared just in case.
“A handkerchief!”
Ivan’s eyes went wide.
He realized it was the one she’d been laboring over for days.
“Is this mine?”
Emilia smiled softly as she watched Ivan’s hopeful expression.
Though the handkerchief was meant for the Hunting Competition participants, she tied it around Ivan’s small wrist and said,
“Young Lord Ivan, I’m asking you to watch over the Mansion while I’m away.”
“Okay!”
Delighted, Ivan bounced in place, then quickly kissed her on the cheek.
Emilia’s eyes widened, and then she smiled back at him.
In the meantime, Kaiden emerged from the house, ready to depart.
Once Emilia boarded the carriage with Kaiden, she turned her gaze straight to the window.
“Emilia! Travel safely!”
Ivan was now nestled in Robert’s arms, waving the handkerchief-bound hand enthusiastically.
In response, Emilia waved back.
Watching her silently, Kaiden spoke in a low voice.
“I’m the one going hunting, yet somehow it looks as though only you are being sent off with cheers.”
At his words, Emilia turned her gaze toward him and replied with a note of defiance.
“That’s because I’m going to cheer you on. Isn’t that enough?”
“No, that’s not it at all.”
Kaiden gave a short laugh in response.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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