If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 138

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

Chapter 138
After that day, I began my wedding preparations in the most ostentatious manner possible.
I had to make the situation irreversible before the Emperor could change his mind and claim this wasn’t what he intended.
Surprisingly, when I announced that I would likely be married around next year, everyone acted as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Even my own family accepted it with expressions that seemed to say, “Well, it was bound to happen eventually.”
‘In truth, considering how openly I’ve been displaying my affection, it was stranger that we weren’t even engaged yet.’
I attended every social gathering I could with him as my partner, and we dated as naturally as breathing.
It was simply a continuation of everything I’d been doing, with the addition of announcing our marriage and receiving congratulations.
Once I officially announced our engagement at several social events, most people began approaching us as though they’d known all along, leaving nothing but the “receiving congratulations” phase.
“Prince, Lady Roderick. I hear you’ll be marrying soon? Congratulations!”
“Thank you, Young Lady.”
I smiled brightly and replied to the Young Lady wearing a butterfly-shaped mask.
Since she was rather oblivious and dull, always the last to hear High Society gossip, if she knew about the wedding, it meant practically everyone did.
I whispered to Leonhardt with a satisfied expression.
“Now I won’t have to attend every single gathering I’m invited to.”
Fearing the Emperor might change his mind, I had attended nearly every event to which I received an invitation.
No matter how extroverted I was, attending social gatherings almost daily had been rather taxing on my stamina.
I had already sent confirmations to several invitations, but it seemed I could enjoy a more leisurely schedule starting around the week after next.
“I wish you’d made that decision before today.”
Leonhardt, wearing a white half-mask, complained in a low voice.
“Even if you’d made that decision before today, we still would have come to the Masquerade Ball, wouldn’t we?”
Because this is fun!
My eyes sparkled as I countered, and Leonhardt released a faint sigh.
He knew all too well that, given my nature, I absolutely would have.
“At least I had your mask prepared to be something reasonable.”
I laughed while touching the fluffy rabbit ears attached to my mask.
The plain white half-mask Leonhardt wore, decorated with nothing in particular, was the kind of design that at least four out of every ten male nobles would be wearing.
“I wish your mask had been reasonable too.”
Leonhardt smoothed out the texture of the rabbit ears pressed beneath my hand, grumbling.
“This is reasonable! It’s just cute, isn’t it?”
After compromising again and again, I had ultimately chosen a white half-mask with fluffy rabbit ears as the accent.
The original plan had actually been matching couple rabbit masks.
Leonhardt had rejected even this compromise, so I ended up wearing it alone, but…
“You’re adorable.”
Leonhardt chuckled and replied.
The way he lightly touched the rabbit ears of my mask with his finger suggested that while he disliked wearing one himself, he quite liked mine.
“You would have been adorable in it too.”
“You would have looked cute wearing it?”
I whispered softly, unable to let go of my lingering attachment as I’d brought along his matching rabbit mask.
The rabbit ears suddenly seemed to glow intensely hot, and Leonhardt startled in surprise, pulling his hand away from the mask and firmly denying it.
“That’s not it.”
He seemed unwilling to accept his own cuteness.
“Come on. Just try it once!”
As I pouted my lips in disappointment, Leonhardt’s resolve wavered, and he whispered softly.
“Only when we’re alone together.”
“Deal!”
Having achieved my objective, I smiled happily and nestled into Leonhardt’s embrace.
Chuckle.
A soft vibration of suppressed laughter transmitted through our touching chests.
Then he gently wrapped his arms around me in return and tilted his head slightly to kiss the rabbit ears.
“Not there.”
I cupped Leonhardt’s cheek and placed a light kiss on his lips.
Though it was merely a fleeting touch, a trace of lipstick remained on his lips, which I wiped away with my thumb.
The Masquerade Ball had only just begun, and the atmosphere remained somewhat chaotic.
Attention quickly turned toward us.
“My goodness…”
“How lovely.”
Envious exclamations from Young Ladies my age and warm admiration from the older Nobles reached our ears.
Leonhardt, who had been displaying affection as naturally as when we were alone, suddenly became flustered.
‘How bashful.’
Of course, I was well aware that we were at a Masquerade Ball.
Since I didn’t mind being seen, I remained perfectly composed.
“You promised?”
As I met his eyes with a radiant smile, Leonhardt smiled back.
“Yes.”
Then, from among those warm gazes fixed upon us, a voice spoke—louder than a whisper ought to be.
“Why? Why are you all standing here?”
It was the Young Lady wearing the Butterfly Mask whom we had greeted moments before.
To the somewhat oblivious Young Lady’s question, the Young Lady wearing the Feather Mask—apparently an acquaintance—responded with ventriloquism.
“Just… looking.”
Even offering a subtle glance in our direction.
She seemed concerned that if she didn’t answer, the other Young Lady would ask again, this time even louder.
The Butterfly Mask Young Lady, who had been moving about searching for interesting spectacles to draw crowds, suddenly fixed her gaze upon us.
“Aha!”
Again, it was far too loud for a whisper.
The others, who had been pretending to converse with acquaintances while stealing glances at us, now began staring openly, emboldened by her voice.
“But why are the Young Lady and the Prince here together? Did the Prince propose to the Young Lady? Or… did you two have a quarrel?”
She spoke with such cheerful clarity.
This time, she didn’t even pretend to whisper—her words rang out perfectly audible.
‘A proposal here?’
And why would Leonhardt and I suddenly fight?
We get along so well.
I should have pretended not to hear, but I couldn’t help but react.
When I turned to Leonhardt as if seeking his agreement, he stiffened his expression as he always did when caught off guard, visibly flinching.
Then he stared at the Butterfly Mask Young Lady with an expression of unmistakable resentment.
Like someone caught preparing a surprise proposal.
He seemed not to have heard the remark about us fighting at all.
Huh?
“Haha, oh! It seems an acquaintance of mine just arrived. Do enjoy the Masquerade Ball, Young Lady.”
The Feather Mask Young Lady, who had been standing right beside me and thus caught in the same gaze, ultimately decided to ignore the Butterfly Mask Young Lady and leave.
“Oh, really? Let’s go together!”
The Butterfly Mask Young Lady said she knew that person too and wanted to greet them, so she followed the Feather Mask Young Lady.
The sight of her dropping a bomb and then cheerfully disappearing was all too familiar.
‘She said she likes that Young Lady because Lester comes to mind.’
I let out a soft laugh and shrugged my shoulders.
It meant that the Butterfly Mask Young Lady’s tactless remark hadn’t hurt my feelings at all.
The onlookers, who had been subtly observing my reaction, relaxed and naturally dispersed.
I glanced at Leonhardt’s expression.
Leonhardt was so deeply lost in disappointment that he hadn’t even noticed me looking at him.
‘I should pretend not to know.’
I gently rolled my eyes away, withdrawing my gaze.
‘So he was thinking of proposing.’
I found it oddly fascinating.
In truth, I had never expected to receive a proper proposal from Leonhardt.
Even before the regression, he was the type to send only a formally written proposal letter in response to a single mention of marriage.
Since this was the second time around, I had even steeled myself for the possibility that he might handle it even more carelessly.
‘Even so, Leon has no excuse.’
It had already been three weeks since I reluctantly obtained the Emperor’s permission for marriage!
I was genuinely disappointed inside!
…But apparently that wasn’t the case.
Still, what could he possibly be preparing that’s so grand?
Even as I told myself not to expect anything since it was Leonhardt, I couldn’t help but feel my hopes rising.

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