If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 150

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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 150
Crash! Bang!
Within the Crown Prince’s Palace’s most secluded inner chambers, hundreds of gold worth of premium porcelain and decorative cabinets lay shattered across the floor in pitiful ruins.
Crimson droplets of blood scattered across the fragments strewn about.
Prince stood there, breathing heavily, paying no mind to the blood dripping from the back of his hand.
The mask he had worn his entire life had been completely torn away, revealing something grotesque.
His lips were twisted into an eerie contortion, and the blue eyes that had once gleamed with cool clarity were now streaked with bloodshot veins.
“How dare you… how dare you test me? Me?”
The final words he had heard moments ago at the Imperial Palace buzzed incessantly in his ears, clawing at his sanity.
A reinvestigation of the Grand Duke Orcain’s murder. And he was to compete alongside that monster from the Separate Palace to uncover the true culprit.
The Emperor’s intention in proposing this succession trial was transparently obvious.
‘He thought he was giving me an opportunity.’
But viewed differently, it meant that if I failed to resolve this task properly, I would be branded an incompetent heir and ruthlessly cast down.
This much, at least, fell within Prince’s tolerance.
‘But of all people, why that bastard Leonhardt.’
Prince bit his lower lip until it bled.
When Leonhardt had precisely pinpointed that very incident before the Emperor and proposed it as the task, Prince had understood instinctively.
That monster possessed something—he was certain of it.
There was no other reason he could smile with such composure.
It felt like realizing he had fallen into a trap only after his entire body had been ensnared in a spider’s web.
‘This cannot end like this.’
Clenching his teeth, Prince gasped for breath, attempting to regain his composure through deep breathing.
Destroying merely one room had not quelled his rage, but Prince was not foolish enough to indulge in such “hobbies” in this situation.
Finally, having somewhat recovered his usual demeanor, Prince called upon Viscount Perington, who had been waiting in the corner of the room with a pallid face.
“Viscount Perington.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Do you have any idea what might have happened?”
Prince asked, wiping the blood from the back of his hand against a handkerchief with a cold smile.
“Either someone among those we framed and disposed of has talked, or traces were left on the corpse.”
“That… that cannot be! I verified it myself!”
At Viscount Perington’s excuse, Prince’s lips curled upward in a smile.
“Of course it is, yes? If I fall, you, House of Perington, and your daughter Elodie will all perish together.”
At his words delivered in a light, almost melodic tone, the wavering expression on Viscount Perington’s face hardened with venom.
The relationship was already too deeply entangled for him to withdraw.
Confirming that expression, Prince lightly patted Viscount Perington’s shoulder and spoke.
“Search the Underworld thoroughly at once. Check if there are any traces of Leonhardt’s or Roderick’s rats. If you find anything suspicious, slit their throats immediately. No—if there’s even a suspicious district, just burn the whole thing down. It wouldn’t be bad to clean up the Underworld while we’re at it, would it?”
Prince whispered in a low voice.
“Perhaps some faction in the Underworld smuggled in a bomb that leveled an entire street… The narrative can be constructed however we wish.”
Viscount Perington bowed his head with a devastated expression.
“Execute this flawlessly. I must become Emperor, or neither you nor I will survive, understood?”
As if just remembering the final warning he’d issued, Prince whispered softly, “Ah.”
“Just to be safe, we should stock up the apothecary at the Crown Prince’s Palace as well…”
Viscount Perington, who had kept his head bowed the entire time, flinched in surprise and looked up.
Prince merely smiled coldly.

* * *
I paced anxiously through the center of my room, biting at my nails, before finally taking a deep breath to steady myself.
It had already been an hour since Leonhardt left to answer the Emperor’s summons.
According to the scenario we’d devised, today should have seen the completion of a perfect trap to strangle Prince’s windpipe.
But the opponent was the Emperor—weak and evasive as he was.
I couldn’t shake the worry that he might shield Prince to the very end, clouding his judgment as always.
“Why isn’t he coming back?”
Finally, I heard familiar footsteps in the corridor.
Bang!
“Leon!”
The moment the door opened, I sprang forward as if launched.
Leonhardt stepped in front of me, spreading his arms as if I might stumble.
As if inviting me to fall into his embrace.
‘I’m not some toddling child—I wouldn’t lose my balance over this.’
A soft laugh escaped me, but after a moment’s hesitation, I threw myself into Leonhardt’s arms.
He immediately embraced me in return, greeting me with a faint smile.
“I’m back.”
Seeing that serene face, the tension that had been wound tight suddenly released, and curiosity exploded within me.
“What happened? What did the Emperor say?”
As I bombarded him with questions, Leonhardt met my gaze directly and answered calmly.
“The situation differs somewhat from our plan, but it’s actually turned out better.”
“What do you mean?”
“His Majesty has ordered a competition to determine the succession to the throne.”
Leonhardt drew out the moment as if relishing the suspense before whispering.
“The task is to reinvestigate the murder of Grand Duke Orcain. Whoever finds the true culprit first will be given the position of Crown Prince.”
I silently cheered within.
It was as if we’d laid a trap that forced Prince to place the noose around his own neck.
He had to investigate the very murder he himself had committed.
“How remarkable that His Majesty made such a brilliant and helpful decision.”
Leonhardt laughed at my wide-eyed surprise and whispered while playfully tugging at my earlobe.
“I suggested it. I said it would be the perfect task.”
Though he spoke casually, the slight upturn of his lips seemed to be waiting for praise, as if asking ‘Didn’t I do well?’
‘This man is becoming increasingly adorable.’
Stifling a laugh, I wrapped my arms around Leonhardt’s neck and pulled him close.
“You really did brilliantly! Perfect, Leon! You’re a genius!”
As I pressed kisses to his lips, I felt a faint vibration through our connected bodies.
I giggled against his mouth, my face still alight with laughter.
“Finally, I can see the end of this tiresome curse.”
“Indeed.”
Leonhardt, who had agreed with me, suddenly wore a worried expression.
“But… are you truly all right?”
“About what?”
He certainly wasn’t asking if I felt regret about the curse ending.
When I asked in confusion, Leonhardt exhaled softly and laid bare his concerns.
“If I win this competition, I’ll become the Crown Prince. And someday, I’ll become Emperor.”
“Of course. Once Prince loses his succession rights, you’ll be first in line for the throne.”
When I spoke as though stating the obvious, Leonhardt’s expression grew gloomy.
“You don’t want to be Empress.”
Understanding his concern well enough, I met Leonhardt’s gaze and smiled brightly.
“And you don’t want to be Emperor either, do you?”
Leonhardt was conscientious and deeply responsible, but he was not the type to hunger for power.
When I asked playfully, Leonhardt answered with a serious face.
“But I must become Emperor.”
The Imperial Family’s bloodline had grown remarkably thin.
The person next in succession after Leonhardt was a distant relative, roughly seven degrees removed from him.
While Prince becoming Emperor would certainly be the worst outcome, that distant relative—third in line—becoming Emperor would be the second worst.
‘With blood that diluted, there’s no avoiding questions of legitimacy.’
Whether Leonhardt renounced his claim and became a son-in-law to Roderick, or fled to a foreign land, chaos would persist.
Therefore, setting aside Leonhardt’s personal preferences, his becoming Emperor was truly the best path forward.
‘He could simply occupy the throne and be done with it, yet Leon must be conscientious about it too.’
While I was lost in thought for a moment, the timid little rabbit had apparently begun digging another enormous burrow.
I could tell from the pitiful expression on his face.
‘Oh dear.’
I cupped Leonhardt’s cheeks in both hands and spoke as though driving a wedge into his heart.
“I still don’t want the position of Empress. But if you must be Emperor, then I will be Empress.”
I had never intended to spend my life merely in love.
At my resolute tone, the sorrowful look faded somewhat from Leonhardt’s face.
I smiled boldly and arrogantly as I asked.
“So what should you say in this situation?”
Leonhardt, whose perceptiveness had grown remarkably sharp, immediately gave the correct answer.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes!”
I answered as though I had been waiting for this, and extended my hand as though entrusting myself to him.
“Now give me back my ring!”

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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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