I Ended Up Snatching a Marriage With the Male Lead! - Chapter 93

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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 shotgun marriage with the male lead.
Chapter 93

“So I do hope that Your Highness the Princess will one day marry someone you truly love, just as I have.”
……
As Selena accepted the flowers in a daze, Kaiden glanced pointedly at Aaron as he spoke.
“Of course, since this is such a grave matter that will determine the course of your life, you must deliberate carefully before deciding. And it would be best if such a decision came after you’ve reached adulthood.”
In front of all the nobles, he was reminding them of what Aaron had done today, while making it clear that no one was to lay a hand on Selena until she came of age.
Ha!
Aaron let out a hollow laugh, his eyes blazing with rage.
“Since you’ve spoken those words before so many, I’m certain they will be kept faithfully.”
The nobles found themselves nodding inwardly at that.
But in Selena’s mind, a certain scene suddenly flickered into view.
‘Could it be……?’

“Is there perhaps a Hunting Competition being prepared by the Imperial Household this year?”
“A Hunting Competition?”

The image of the Duchess—who had asked her that question out of nowhere.
Selena turned toward the Duchess with a bewildered expression.
She merely wore a gentle smile.

* * *

Aaron, his mood now thoroughly soured, declared the Hunting Competition closed and returned to the Imperial Palace without even giving a closing address.
And Lucas, who had been confined, was released.
……
Selena faltered as she looked at her knight in silence.
Lucas was plainly furious.
Having only ever seen that playful expression before, she had no idea what to do.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Lucas.”
Selena could not meet his eyes, her head bowed low.
Lucas asked flatly.
“What exactly are you sorry for?”
“Just… everything.”
Lucas’s brow furrowed sharply.
Honestly, thinking of how his mistress had caused him such worry, he wanted to voice every complaint imaginable.
But seeing Selena so dejected, he found he could not.
“……Forget it. It’s partly my fault for not catching on. And I suppose I must have seemed rather untrustworthy for you to do such a thing.”
“No, that’s not it……”
Selena shook her head firmly.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him—it was precisely because he mattered so much to her.
Lucas, watching the crestfallen princess, let out a long breath.
“But next time something like this happens, I won’t let it slide.”
“Mm…”
It was a presumptuous thing for a knight-protector to say to his mistress, but Selena’s eyes stung.
She hesitated, then approached Lucas and tugged at his sleeve.
“What is it?”
At that, Emilia—standing nearby—shot Lucas an urgent look.
……!
Understanding her meaning, Lucas was momentarily startled.
But he quickly knelt before Selena.
“Forgive me, Your Highness, for a moment.”
And carefully he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
Selena then buried herself in his embrace and began to weep.
Sob… sniffle…
In truth, she had been afraid. Truly afraid.
She’d wanted to tell Lucas how she didn’t want to be sold to the Marquess of Monstera, how she wanted to run away.
Selena wept against Lucas’s chest for a long while, and he awkwardly patted his young mistress’s back to comfort her.
After a moment.
Selena pulled away from Lucas’s embrace.
While Lucas frowned at his dampened clothes,
Selena, embarrassed at having shown such a state, her face flushed, turned to the Duke and Duchess watching nearby and spoke.
“……Duke, Duchess. Thank you.”
“It was nothing.”
The Duke replied matter-of-factly,
“I scarcely did anything at all.”
The Duchess merely smiled softly.
At that, Selena opened her mouth somewhat protestingly.
“But the Duchess didn’t hesitate to take the scalding tea in my stead that day……”
Selena, who had been voicing her discontent with Emilia, suddenly stopped.
A sudden sharp aura emanated from somewhere.
Selena’s gaze flickered toward Valen, standing beside Emilia.
His brow was trembling ever so faintly.
Just then, Emilia stepped forward before her and knelt.
“Forgive me, Your Highness, for a moment.”
And with the handkerchief she held, she carefully wiped away Selena’s tears.
“Oh, Duchess.”
Though embarrassed, Selena quietly accepted Emilia’s touch—gentle as if handling a child.
As Selena’s gaze turned toward Emilia,
Lucas turned to Kaiden with a somewhat awkward expression.
“I’m grateful for your intervention today, Duke.”
At his thanks, Kaiden’s eyes shifted from Emilia to regard Lucas.
“……There’s nothing I did that warrants your gratitude.”
But after a moment of reflection, Kaiden added quietly,
“If you wish to express thanks, perhaps you could refrain from taking interest in other matters?”
At that, Lucas broke into a broad grin.
In the midst of this, the Duke—not one to miss an opening—clicked his tongue silently.
But he quickly shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s a separate matter, Duke. Earlier, you did say this was in return for the information I provided, did you not?”

“You’re welcome to think of it as compensation for that information.”

Kaiden clicked his tongue lowly, as if regretting those words.

* * *

Shortly after, Emilia and Kaiden made their way to the Duke’s House Camp.
But the moment they returned to the camp, Kaiden sent out all the servants, including Laura.
‘What’s this?’
Emilia’s eyes darted about in the chair where Kaiden had seated her.
Then their gazes met.
Emilia spoke with an uncomfortable laugh.
“You must have had quite the exhausting day.”
Yet Kaiden’s expression only grew more troubled.
Soon he spoke in a deeper, graver tone.
“Is what you said in the carriage still valid?”
“What we said in the carriage?”
Emilia tilted her head at the sudden question.
‘What did we discuss?’
As she searched her memory, she blinked and spoke.
“You mean the Championship Prize, perhaps?”
During the carriage ride to the hunting grounds, they’d had a playful conversation to ease the tension.

“When I think about it, you won the competition but won’t receive the prize, will you?”

When she’d asked whether that didn’t seem unfair, Kaiden had thought for a moment, then replied,

“Then you give it to me.”

At Kaiden’s rather brazen words, Emilia’s mouth fell slightly open.

“But all my wealth was given to me by you?”

When she’d protested that he couldn’t be asking for her last penny, Kaiden had answered that he was more than capable of providing for her.
So Emilia had said she understood for now.
“Is there something you truly need from me?”
“There is.”
“What is it?”
Emilia regarded him with curious eyes.
Yet Kaiden did not answer her question; instead, he approached her with a long stride.
“……W-what are you doing?”
When he suddenly seized her arm and rolled up her sleeve, Emilia’s face went pale.
But Kaiden continued to examine her arm closely, his brow still furrowed.
“What’s this about you being scalded by tea?”
“Ah……”
Emilia sighed softly. It seemed he’d overheard what the Princess had said earlier.
‘But why the “being scalded” tone of voice?’
Emilia found it somewhat strange, but she explained calmly to Kaiden.
“I was just hit with some tea that a young lady spilled at the tea party, that’s all.”
“You told me it was nothing serious.”
“Well… it wasn’t serious, exactly……?”
At those words, the furrow between Kaiden’s brows deepened.
“Originally I’d intended to receive something else.”
He murmured with clear displeasure, then looked at Emilia and spoke.
“Forget about the prize. Let’s make a promise instead.”
“A promise?”
Kaiden rubbed her bare arm gently with his thumb.
“D-Duke?”
At the ticklish sensation, she shuddered slightly.
But instead of releasing her arm, he met her gaze and spoke softly.
“That no matter how small the matter, if anything troubles you, you’ll come to me at once and tell me.”

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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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