If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 60

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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 60

“Yes, it seems you’ve been doing well too, brother.”

When Leonhardt emphasized the word ‘brother,’ Prince’s smile, which had been bright, cracked for a moment.

Perhaps because he was still young, he got scratched by even trivial attacks, and he was clumsy at hiding these scratched feelings.

‘Just from this much.’

Leonhardt’s smile deepened as he kept the annex fire incident deeply etched in his memory.

However, to other people, it seemed like Prince and Leonhardt were having quite an affectionate conversation.

A hint of relief appeared in the Emperor’s awkward smile.

“Come here.”

The Emperor, having composed his troubled emotions, welcomed Leonhardt like an affectionate father.

“You’ve grown so much in the meantime.”

The Empress Dowager also gave Leonhardt a caring greeting, not to be outdone.

‘Compared to my newborn period, I’ve probably grown about twice as much.’

Leonhardt sneered inwardly.

That was because Prince was the only imperial family member he had encountered after his regression.

In other words, it had been four years since he met both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

If Leonhardt hadn’t regressed, four years would have been his entire life.

Even for adults, four years would have been quite a long time, yet these people were acting as if there was no gap at all.

It was ridiculous.

‘If it weren’t for the rumors about awakening Divine Blood, they would have continued pretending not to know.’

Even the Empress’s attitude of looking straight ahead with a sullen expression was the best among them.

‘At least this one is honest.’

Leonhardt cast his gaze toward the Empress while suppressing his true feelings with a mask-like smile.

The Empress, who instinctively turned around at the gaze touching her cheek and made eye contact with Leonhardt, was startled and averted her eyes.

The Empress’s complexion turned pale in an instant, like someone frightened.

Leonhardt was pleased and looked away for her.

The Empress was the one who most fervently believed the rumors that he was cursed.

It was said that when Leonhardt was not long born, there was a period when his abilities were uncontrolled.

The first person to experience Leonhardt’s abilities at that time was the Empress, his birth mother.

Since then, the Empress had regarded Leonhardt very ominously.

It was also the Empress who ordered an investigation, thinking there would be something wrong after seeing Leonhardt’s eye color, which was completely different from his parents’.

‘And the investigation result that came out was a fragment of a prophecy book saying that someone with red eyes would bring ruin to the Empire.’

The Empress truly believed in that prophecy book.

The source of the rumors that Leonhardt’s red eyes were cursed was also the Empress Palace.

‘Though it was the Nobility Faction who used those rumors to attack the Emperor…’

While Leonhardt was lost in thought, the Emperor cut through the prolonged silence.

“Come here and sit down.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Leonhardt, who emerged from his thoughts and greeted insincerely, slowly approached the seat the Emperor indicated and sighed.

‘Sigh.’

The feeling of climbing onto a high chair for children in this atmosphere and situation was very unpleasant.

‘I need to grow up quickly.’

Once Leonhardt settled into his seat, the meal began.

The Emperor and Empress Dowager took turns talking to Leonhardt.

“The weather is getting cold, how is your health?”

“I’m healthy.”

“I heard you were interested in horseback riding and swords, so I sent a few colts with good bloodlines. Did you see them?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Leonhardt answered their questions politely but insincerely while eating food that tasted like nothing, as if emptying it out.

Time felt like it was flowing very slowly.

Though it wasn’t a pleasant mood, Leonhardt endured steadfastly while thinking of Miela.

“I’ll prepare digestive medicine. Make sure to chew thoroughly.”

“Your family is here.”

His fingertips, which had been growing cold, only warmed when he thought of Miela.

Thus, the long and tedious meal time ended.

Though everyone who shared the meal was exhausted, it wasn’t over yet.

The Emperor had called Leonhardt aside separately.

This was the real purpose of creating this occasion.

‘Here it comes.’

Fortunately, the Emperor brought up the main point quite directly.

He wanted the young boy to understand clearly.

‘To summarize, it’s about the proper attitude a prince who cannot become emperor should take.’

Since it was exactly as expected, Leonhardt pretended to understand appropriately as planned.

The Emperor was greatly relieved.

However, the one he actually needed to control wasn’t Leonhardt.

Prince, who had returned to the Crown Prince’s Palace first by the Emperor’s order, had regarded the private meeting between Leonhardt and the Emperor as a threat from the beginning.

When he returned home, that is, to Duke Roderick’s Mansion, Miela was really there waiting with digestive medicine.

“You’re not really having indigestion, are you?”

Miela examined his complexion carefully, then spoke worriedly and held out the digestive medicine.

“I told you to chew slowly and thoroughly.”

The nagging that came back like scolding was only warm.

Leonhardt felt his frozen heart melting and took the digestive medicine Miela offered.

Perhaps she had been holding it for a long time, as Miela’s body temperature had transferred to the glass bottle, giving it a lukewarm warmth.

Leonhardt, who naturally wore the smile that had only come consciously while at the Imperial Palace, asked playfully.

“Is this really for children?”

“Ah?”

Miela let out a single exclamation and remembered the precaution she had briefly forgotten.

“That’s right, you should only take half!”

Leonhardt chuckled and drank exactly half of the digestive medicine.

The medicine, which had artificial sweetness added to mask the bitter taste, was definitely not delicious.

However, it was better than the formal dinner the Imperial Palace chef had made with all his might.

‘If it was something Miela gave me, I would have gladly taken even poison.’

“Are you okay now?”

Miela asked as soon as Leonhardt put down the half-remaining digestive medicine.

‘No matter how skilled the Ducal House’s physician is, the medicine doesn’t take effect immediately after taking it.’

However, since he really did feel better, Leonhardt obediently nodded.

“Much better.”

“That’s a relief.”

Miela sighed with relief and smiled.

It seemed she had been deeply worried while waiting, unable to go with him.

Though she was treating him the same as usual, her glances of concern kept touching him.

Leonhardt sweetly accepted Miela’s worry and thought.

‘There’s another way to feel better instantly, other than medicine.’

Though he knew it was greed, it wasn’t easily given up, perhaps because Miela had been giving him little openings since his regression.

‘Get a grip, Leonhardt Arcadia.’

He had sufficiently experienced the price of excessive greed in the first round.

He couldn’t ruin it again.

Leonhardt cut off his greed as decisively as if cutting it away.

However, perhaps it was a reward for enduring unpleasant time.

“You worked hard.”

Miela approached him first and gently stroked his hair as if to comfort him.

Pat pat.

Just like when stroking a butterfly that particularly liked rough touches, her rough hand movements disheveled his neatly styled hair.

Miela made a troubled expression as if thinking ‘This isn’t right?’

That expression was so cute and lovable.

Miela looked up at the Sky for a moment, thinking about something, then carefully rearranged his hair again with a face that seemed to say ‘I didn’t do it on purpose.’

However, his naturally somewhat curly hair wouldn’t easily return to its original state with a child’s soft hands.

Leonhardt held back his urge to laugh out loud.

If he laughed now, Miela would definitely get upset.

Instead, he pulled Miela into his arms and buried his face in her delicate shoulder.

His body trembled slightly as the laughter he couldn’t completely suppress leaked out.

“Leon?”

Miela seemed to interpret this differently.

Her voice calling his name was full of concern.

Leonhardt buried his face even deeper into Miela’s shoulder, unable to answer for fear his laughter would show.

Kind Miela simply moved her hand down from arranging his hair and hugged Leonhardt back.

Even after his laughter stopped, Leonhardt didn’t let go of Miela for a very long time.

‘This is addictive.’

The greed that had been suppressed for so very long wouldn’t easily subside once it had stretched and awakened.

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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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