If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 36

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37

 

After that day’s meeting confirmed that Leonhardt was adapting to the ducal house better than expected, the Duchess’s attitude became a bit more intimate.

 

“Oh my, Your Highness has also come to read books.”

 

One afternoon, when Leonhardt entered the study used by the children of House Roderick, the Duchess greeted him with surprise as if it were an unexpected encounter.

 

Even fourteen-year-old Lionel rarely came here anymore, saying the books no longer matched his level.

 

It was a space used at most until early teens, so it couldn’t have been a coincidence to meet the adult Duchess in a study with no books suitable for her to read.

 

‘No wonder the nanny asked if I had any thoughts of going to the study today.’

 

However, Leonhardt, whose social skills had been developing considerably lately, nodded his head obediently.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Me too. What kind of book will Your Highness read?”

 

The Duchess lowered herself to match Leonhardt’s eye level and asked.

 

Leonhardt had originally intended to read a book in a foreign language to study languages.

 

However, content that would be difficult to read even in the Empire’s language for a four-year-old child couldn’t be shown.

 

“That one.”

 

Leonhardt, slightly avoiding the Duchess’s eyes, had no choice but to randomly point at a book in sight.

 

The Duchess’s gaze turned toward the direction Leonhardt pointed.

 

“Oh my… That one is still too early for the Prince to see.”

 

The Duchess made a troubled face after seeing the book’s title.

 

It happened to be a sex education book for teenagers.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

Leonhardt’s cheeks heated up in an instant.

 

“Shall I find a similar book that Your Highness could also read?”

 

At the kind suggestion, Leonhardt desperately maintained a calm expression and nodded.

 

“Yeah.”

 

It wasn’t the best response, but it was the best answer Leonhardt could give with his mind frozen from panic.

 

Fortunately, Leonhardt’s quick thinking was effective.

 

The Duchess, who kindly assumed he just liked the book’s title or appearance, gently took Leonhardt’s hand and headed toward the bookshelf where books for younger children were gathered.

 

Slowly, Leonhardt’s judgment also returned.

 

‘I don’t want a children’s sex education book either!’

 

Leonhardt utilized his excellent dynamic vision to calmly check the titles of books on the shelf.

 

Then he pointed to a book that would reasonably interest a four-year-old boy.

 

“Duchess. I want to see that 【Kong-kong’s Kung-kung Great Adventure】!”

 

Just saying the title made his ears feel hot, but it was better than reading a children’s sex education book at this age.

 

Miela often scolded him saying he had no talent for acting, but given the situation, his hidden potential seemed to emerge.

 

His suddenly capricious acting must have been quite natural, as the Duchess obediently stopped and took out 【Kong-kong’s Kung-kung Great Adventure】.

 

“You mean this one?”

 

“Yeah! The bean drawing on the cover is very cute and I like it.”

 

Leonhardt headed to the bean bag by the window, making an expression as if he had tremendous interest in that book.

 

The Duchess slowly followed behind him empty-handed and stood alongside.

 

“May I read it to you?”

 

The Duchess, who had first pretended to meet by chance and now abandoned even that pretense, pointed to 【Kong-kong’s Kung-kung Great Adventure】 and asked.

 

‘Here I should ask her to read it, right?’

 

After briefly pondering, Leonhardt nodded.

 

“Good.”

 

The Duchess, taking the book again, naturally sat on the bean bag where Leonhardt was about to sit.

 

It was just when Leonhardt was pulling over the bean bag right next to it to sit down.

 

“You won’t be able to see well if you sit there, will you?”

 

The Duchess gently dissuaded Leonhardt and promptly lifted him onto her lap.

 

There was no time to refuse.

 

A body weighing just over 10 kilograms was easily lifted.

 

Leonhardt, who had instantly ended up on his prospective mother-in-law’s lap, was greatly flustered and stammered as he called the Duchess.

 

“D-Duchess!”

 

However, the Duchess only gently patted Leonhardt’s shoulder as if it was fine.

 

‘No, it’s not that this intimate behavior is awkward…! Mother-in-law!’

 

Leonhardt swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

 

The twenty-two-year-old young man’s ego was taking hits every moment, but the Duchess showed no sign of letting him down.

 

‘If I ask to get down…’

 

Leonhardt gauged the Duchess’s mood.

 

Then he belatedly felt that the Duchess was subtly nervous.

 

‘…She was also making an effort.’

 

In a situation where he needed to become close with the people of House Roderick, it wasn’t easy to refuse an extended hand.

 

‘I am four years old… Four years old…’

 

When Leonhardt gave up on escaping while brainwashing himself, he felt the Duchess’s relief.

 

“Well then, let’s begin!”

 

The Duchess began reading the fairy tale book in a much brighter tone, acting out the characters.

 

“The small bean called Kong-kong because it was round and tiny always wondered about the world outside the bean pod…”

 

‘I’m not particularly curious though.’

 

Bored from the beginning, 【Kong-kong’s Kung-kung Great Adventure】 felt as long as a history book.

 

Becoming a son-in-law loved by his mother-in-law was too difficult a task.

 

‘Should I try the easier side first?’

 

While the Duchess read the book, Leonhardt’s plan was revised once more.

 

Leonhardt’s next target was Lester.

 

‘This one is also a bit prickly with people who aren’t family, but he’s much easier to handle.’

 

He already knew how to become close.

 

‘He’s a sword fanatic, so I just need to engage with sword talk.’

 

Since Leonhardt was also very interested in swordsmanship, it wouldn’t be difficult.

 

Thanks to this simple strategy, in the first round, Leonhardt and Lester were able to maintain a relationship that seemed reasonably close.

 

That is, until he proposed to Miela.

 

‘Actually, I thought Lester would congratulate me and Miela’s marriage, if no one else would.’

 

He was disgusted with the first round’s Lester, who had suddenly become prickly as if thinking his sister had been stolen.

 

He was better than Lionel, who seemed not to acknowledge the marriage with Miela at all, but this one was equally difficult to deal with.

 

‘A similar situation will probably unfold this time too… Let me solve the immediate problem first.’

 

Leonhardt glanced at the clock and headed to the training ground.

 

Today was the day he learned swordsmanship from Lester.

 

“Your Highness, you’re here?”

 

Lester, who had finished his morning training and was taking a brief rest, waved his hand and greeted him.

 

“Hello.”

 

As Leonhardt entered the training ground with a blunt greeting, Miela waved her hand lightly and greeted him casually.

 

“Hello, Your Highness.”

 

Under the parasol-equipped chair was a half-empty glass of apple juice.

 

It seemed she had been there for quite some time.

 

‘What’s going on?’

 

Leonhardt just nodded to acknowledge Miela’s greeting while thinking.

 

Seeing his gaze continue toward Miela, Lester explained the reason instead.

 

“Ah, Miela’s geography class was canceled today. She said she had nothing else to do, so she’d watch the training.”

 

Miela nodded lightly as if confirming Lester’s words were correct.

 

“Is that alright with you too, Your Highness?”

 

Lester belatedly asked for Leonhardt’s opinion.

 

‘I’m not really in the mood for it.’

 

Twenty-two-year-old Leonhardt was a considerable master who, aside from abilities, had almost no one in the Empire who could match him in swordsmanship.

 

However, that was past glory.

 

His younger body had limitations even while retaining all his memories.

 

‘So at best, I’m just a four-year-old with quite a bit of talent.’

 

When even showing only his cool side wouldn’t be enough, he didn’t want to display any clumsy moments.

 

But Miela was watching this way with interested eyes.

 

Upon hearing that today would be light sparring, she had even clenched her fists toward Leonhardt, cheering him on to do his best.

 

Seeing that completely changed Leonhardt’s heart.

 

‘Anyway, Miela knows about my childhood.’

 

Instead of the current him who had grown strong through repeated breaking and mending, she knew his past self who had been weak and fragile.

 

Since he had already shown her plenty of clumsy moments, showing one more wouldn’t matter.

 

And he wasn’t entirely without confidence.

 

Leonhardt lightly gripped and released the wooden sword adjusted to his height.

 

‘Even with physical limitations, I have more experience than Lester.’

 

He wouldn’t make a completely disgraceful showing.

 

‘Landing one good hit by watching for an opportunity should be possible.’

 

When Leonhardt agreed, Miela stepped forward to act as referee.

 

Whiik.

 

A clear whistle sound like a bird’s chirping was heard.

 

Then Lester’s sword immediately flew over and lightly struck Leonhardt’s head.

 

Bonk.

 

It was the price for overlooking that he wasn’t the only one who wanted to look cool in front of Miela.

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