If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 57

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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 57

After that day, Leonhardt somehow tried to act ‘affectionate and caring’ toward me.

I wondered if he was practicing with me for his future successful romance.

‘Well, it’s not like I can’t accept it.’

If there was one thing I noticed while observing Leonhardt acting somewhat differently than usual, it was ‘Your way of speaking really was the problem.’

“You not being able to stand seeing me lift anything heavier than a fan or handkerchief, and knowing what I like and dislike in advance to take care of me – that was always the case.”

Reducing and adjusting lessons to spend even a little more time with me… well.

In the past, he was such a busy person that it wasn’t noticeable, but he had made efforts back then too.

Besides that, Leonhardt basically had good manners and took care of people well in small ways.

So if there was anything different in his behavior from before, it was at most doing things again while being cautious – things I had told him not to do because our relationship had soured and they were annoying.

What made me realize that Leonhardt was making some effort was his way of speaking.

He tried to give me at least small compliments every day, and he also tried to fix his habit of always giving short answers that made it hard to continue conversations.

‘I wish you had done this sooner…’

If he had, our relationship wouldn’t have gone to such ruin.

‘Well, that doesn’t mean Leonhardt was a bad husband though…’

Thinking about it now, Leonhardt was quite an affectionate and caring man in his own way.

‘He just occasionally ruined everything with his words.’

But now that the factor that used to completely waste all the points he had accumulated was gone, his caring and affectionate actions seemed to stand out more.

‘If he continues like this, he’ll definitely become closer to being affectionate.’

But effort doesn’t completely change a person.

Even while being cautious around me, Leonhardt ultimately didn’t give up on getting his divine blood officially recognized.

‘I guess that stubbornness can’t be helped.’

At this point, I was half thinking ‘it’s your pain, not mine,’ and half thinking it would be better to trust and support Leonhardt’s decision since things had come to this.

While these two thoughts confused me, time flowed at its own pace and everything was being prepared step by step.

“Dozens of children almost died because of that prank!”

At a meeting gathered to discuss the aftermath and compensation for the annex fire incident.

Aimers was greatly enraged.

In a situation where apologies wouldn’t be enough, Conrad and the Kailyn family were only making ridiculous excuses.

Nothing but absurd words like it was an accident from children’s pranks, or a mistake.

“That’s right! How is that a simple mistake?”

“My child gets startled just seeing candlelight! If the water elementalist hadn’t happened to awaken…”

The other victim families were equally furious.

Thanks to House Roderick subtly leaking information, everyone had already figured out the circumstances of the incident long ago.

Although there was no direct evidence of the Crown Prince’s involvement so he couldn’t be held responsible, not a single person intended to just let it go.

Their anger naturally turned toward Conrad and Kailyn’s families, who were hiding the source of the Ignis Salamander.

“We’re not saying this to avoid responsibility. We’re just saying this incident stemmed from a very unfortunate accident and asking you to take that into consideration.”

“We also deeply feel responsible for this incident.”

Despite the serious situation, the people from both families had no choice but to repeat the same words like parrots.

If the matter escalated and the fact that the Crown Prince was involved in this incident became known, it would truly be the end.

The two men, who had turned pale belatedly, prostrated themselves and begged for forgiveness, but the offensive that had begun didn’t stop.

Aimers watched the situation with cold eyes.

In a way, Conrad and Kailyn might have just been victims used by the Crown Prince, so Roderick mediated the situation by having Conrad and Kailyn pay compensation to each family.

But that was only a nominal price.

The person who had to pay the real price was someone else.

Even after the situation was settled, the intense interest in the incident showed no signs of cooling.

Rumors circulating in whispers began to randomly damage the Crown Prince’s previously flawless reputation.

‘This much isn’t bad, but…’

Aimers wasn’t satisfied.

Roderick doesn’t easily forget either favors or grudges.

Their revenge was actually just beginning now.

It was lunch that we were eating alone together for the first time in a while, as all the other family members had schedules.

I was eating cream parsnip soup when I asked as if something had just occurred to me.

“So when is the day you’re going to the temple?”

Leonhardt seemed flustered when I suddenly asked, having pretended not to know while showing my displeasure all this time.

“Huh, what?”

“Why are you surprised? Did you think I’d just watch forever?”

When I responded sharply and frowned as if urging him, Leonhardt diligently chewed and swallowed the food he was eating, then answered with an unexpectedly gentle attitude.

“They said they’re still watching for the right timing.”

Leonhardt, who had habitually given only a short answer to the main point, belatedly added an explanation.

“The atmosphere isn’t quite right, after all.”

They had dealt an indirect blow to the Crown Prince’s reputation, and Merlin, a high-level water elementalist who appeared for the first time in hundreds of years, had also become a person of House Roderick under the pretext of sponsorship.

At this point, even an Emperor who was favorable to Roderick had no choice but to show his uncomfortable feelings.

‘Not to mention the Empress, who never liked Roderick in the first place.’

Thanks to the Imperial family’s subtle checks beginning, they hadn’t yet revealed that Leonhardt had awakened divine blood.

‘Well, it seems like rumors are circulating secretly anyway.’

Since it was something that could deal a major blow to the Crown Prince’s unrivaled position, it was circulating much more secretly than the rumors about the annex incident.

I organized the current situation in my head and answered as if making a judgment.

“I think it would be better to postpone it until other issues die down too.”

Among the cards Leonhardt possessed, ‘divine blood’ was the most powerful trump card.

“Since you can only use it once, you need to get as much as possible out of it.”

“Right.”

Perhaps feeling that my attitude had softened considerably, Leonhardt nodded with a clearly brightened face while still being cautious around me.

‘Ridiculous.’

I held back the urge to say something out of annoyance.

Instead, I laid out what I had been thinking about step by step.

“Let’s make the timing for announcing the awakening of divine blood the New Year Festival. Among the events you could attend, that’s the biggest.”

The New Year Festival was an event to pray to the main god Jainov for peace and well-being in the new year.

As one of the Empire’s three major events, many nobles attended, and since the temple presided over the New Year Festival, it was also good for getting the awakening of divine blood officially recognized.

Leonhardt, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded obediently.

“I heard the temple is very worried about the declining number of believers, so they’ll be very pleased.”

The Emperor wouldn’t like something that would ruin the already solidified succession structure.

Even if they announced that Leonhardt had awakened divine blood, he would try to bury it or minimize it as much as possible.

‘I can’t stand to see that happen.’

For that, they needed the help of the temple, which desperately needed miracles that could gather believers.

“And I’m still thinking about the specific method, but I’d like it to be stimulating enough to interest even ordinary citizens of the Empire.”

“Stimulating…”

Making a big fuss wasn’t Leonhardt’s way.

Perhaps instinctively not liking it, Leonhardt made a troubled face.

But he agreed that a public opinion battle was necessary to secure even a slightly advantageous position.

“Just trust me on how to make it stimulating.”

I patted the back of Leonhardt’s hand soothingly.

During the four years I lived as Empress after marrying Leonhardt, I had to work very hard to dominate high society.

‘I didn’t have Mother’s subtle charisma, and I lacked the sense to lead new trends, but…’

I was confident in one thing: making even people who didn’t like me unable to take their eyes off me.

When I smiled confidently, Leonhardt smiled along with me.

‘Oh dear, not knowing his own future.’

However, Leonhardt wasn’t the only one who smiled without knowing the future.

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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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