If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 113

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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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Chapter 113
In the past, Leonhardt believed himself hopelessly inadequate for Miela, convinced that her family opposed him for this very reason. He had wallowed in despondency alone.
Yet after his regression, stepping back to observe the situation more objectively, he finally understood the true reason Roderick and his family could not bless his marriage to Miela.
They simply loved Miela far too much.
‘Had I known sooner, I wouldn’t have let my spirits flag and made Miela anxious on my account.’
Leonhardt forced the corners of his mouth upward, smiling bitterly.
Having said everything he needed and wanted to say, Leonhardt quietly awaited the others’ response.
Whatever their reaction, at least he would harbor no regrets now.
Yet even so, he found himself bracing against the urge to crumble once more.
Though he had improved considerably, his habit of anticipating the worst had not entirely vanished.
But Roderick’s family’s response proved far more positive than anything Leonhardt had imagined.
“We all know the Prince cares for Miela deeply. …It seems Miela feels the same way.”
Aimers began with a sigh, then explained in measured tones.
“Just as when Lionel became engaged, or when Lester received his knighthood, I suddenly realized that Miela, who had always seemed like a child to me, had grown up. But I never intended to oppose it from the start.”
Aimers, once more clarifying the true reason they had not fully celebrated the engagement, smiled toward Leonhardt.
“Thirteen is admittedly too young for an engagement. Sixteen would be another matter.”
Lionel too offered a rare jest.
Only then did the bitterness fade from Leonhardt’s smile.
“Even the Duke might have felt differently had he met Lady Ravis earlier.”
“That’s true. Lionel pestered Merlin to let him propose the moment she agreed to court him.”
Bianca spoke playfully, then rose and settled into the seat beside Leonhardt.
“Congratulations.”
Bianca offered the warm congratulations Leonhardt had hoped for, then embraced him gently.
Save for his earliest childhood, Leonhardt had no memory of being held by anyone like this.
Leonhardt felt embarrassed by Bianca’s sudden embrace, yet he did not resist.
It was the sort of affection one could only receive in youth.
Bianca lightly stroked his hair and added softly.
“Truth be told, we all hoped that if Miela were to marry anyone, it would be the Prince.”
Leonhardt paused, glancing around as if to confirm what he had heard.
“Really?”
“Yes!”
Bianca affirmed decisively, and Aimers, Lester, and Lionel echoed their agreement.
“Because we want to become family with the Prince, even on paper.”
Bianca’s tone was every bit as tender as Miela’s own.
Leonhardt felt truly like a child.
Somehow flustered, his heart tickling strangely, he could only dart his eyes about when Bianca added.
“We are already family, after all.”
“Your family is here.”
The comfort Miela had once offered echoed in his ears.
“Yes. That’s right.”
Leonhardt smiled broadly and gave his affirmation.
Because I had realized his family was not just me alone.

* * *
So I had finally obtained the engagement permission I desperately sought.
‘Either way, I got it, didn’t I?’
Even if I failed to ruin Prince’s wedding, this was already a gain I had no regrets about.
That’s why I could smile brightly even while attending Prince’s wedding ceremony.
Since I didn’t want to stay at this venue any longer than necessary, I deliberately departed a bit later with Leonhardt, so most of the other guests had already arrived.
The families who had departed just a little earlier in a different carriage from us seemed to have just taken their seats.
The structure was such that guests of higher status and closer relations to the bride and groom were seated in the front rows.
Though we had no prior acquaintance with the bride and groom, Roderick—one of only three ducal families in the entire Empire—was positioned in approximately the second row of the guest section.
However, Leonhardt and I walked hand in hand slowly toward the very front row of the guest seating.
That is, the front row where the bride and groom’s families were seated.
“Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the Empress, and Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
“It’s been a while. You’ve become even more beautiful.”
Until the moment I exchanged greetings with the Emperor while smiling brightly, everyone seemed to think I had come merely to greet the Imperial Family.
Faint whispers about how I was drawing attention with an unnecessarily late entrance could be heard, but most people didn’t seem to take it seriously.
‘Now comes the real part?’
Leonhardt, who had offered a perfunctory greeting with an indifferent expression, immediately called for a servant.
“There’s one chair short.”
“Pardon?”
Confusion crossed the servant’s face as he looked at the chairs arranged in exact number to match the Imperial Family’s members.
Of course, a seat for Leonhardt, the Prince, was naturally prepared in the first row, but my seat was in the second row where my family was.
However, Leonhardt ordered the servant to bring my chair with an expression suggesting he didn’t understand why the servant was bewildered.
“Miela has no chair to sit in.”
The servant, who had become an unwitting actor in our performance simply because his eyes had met Leonhardt’s at that moment, wore a perplexed expression as if he couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.
“Leon, Miela is….”
The Emperor attempted to say something to mediate the situation, but Leonhardt cut off the Emperor’s words at a very opportune moment.
“She’s going to be my fiancée, so of course she should sit beside me.”
From the moment Leonhardt asked for my chair to be brought, all eyes in the wedding ceremony hall had turned toward us.
The act of those who had been trying to appear natural by continuing conversations with people around them to hide their attention completely faltered at Leonhardt’s words.
A sudden silence fell over the wedding ceremony hall, which had been filled with beautiful musical melodies and cheerful conversation.
Everyone looked utterly bewildered, shocked by the sudden bombshell announcement and struggling to comprehend the situation.
Leonhardt continued with his words, still maintaining an expressionless and indifferent face.
“Ah, I suppose I hadn’t informed you yet. I’m going to become engaged to Miela. …Soon.”
I thought I had prepared thoroughly, but since this was my first engagement, there were things I had overlooked.
‘I forgot about this.’
Leonhardt, who was somewhat weak at improvisation, did stumble slightly over his words in confusion, but it wasn’t particularly awkward.
Everyone was so shocked that they had no time to mind such minor awkwardness.
Who had been the catalyst for this?
The silence that had filled the Wedding Ceremony Hall gave way to the murmur of voices once more.
Naturally, the warm and cordial atmosphere punctuated by laughter from moments before had completely vanished.
Instead, it resembled the confused murmuring of people caught in shock.
The situation was unfolding exactly as we had anticipated.
The gazes of the assembled guests fell not only upon Leonhardt and me, but upon our families as well.
However, since our families had already discussed this matter beforehand, they simply stared ahead with expressions that seemed to ask, “Why are you all so surprised?”
Leonhardt steadfastly ignored the attention directed toward him and delivered the final blow with his words.
“Still, now that I have informed you, that should suffice, should it not? Your Majesty, you yourself desired that Miela and I become engaged.”
The flustered Emperor inadvertently muttered to himself.
“I may have said something to that effect, but…”
The hearing of nobles was remarkably acute in moments such as these.
The Emperor’s voice, though not particularly loud, seemed to thunder through the Wedding Ceremony Hall.
Thanks to this, our engagement announcement completely transcended the realm of a mere childish prank.
The guests began to discuss what impact our engagement would have on the succession.
Leonhardt and I exchanged glances and smiled knowingly at this unexpected assistance.
The Crown Prince’s wedding was collapsing in real time.

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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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