If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 88

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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 88

‘To do that…?’

No particular ideas came to mind.

There was a reason my plan had become as sloppy as ‘stick close to him like this and naturally marry him as soon as Leon becomes an adult!’

‘What more should I do here?’

Well, I wasn’t quite the ‘adorable baby angel whose very existence is lovable’ that my family often claimed, but I was originally the type who easily won others’ favor.

On top of that, I had the status of Young Lady, so there was no need to make special efforts to win someone’s favor.

‘Even so, I’m willing to make an effort. I really am!’

But what if Leonhardt already likes me?

If you asked Leonhardt who his favorite person was, the answer would definitely be me, right?

‘It’s just that he doesn’t love me passionately…’

I glared at Leonhardt for no reason.

No matter how much I thought about it, all I could do in this situation was stick to him until we were sick of each other.

‘Then I’ll just do that. Whatever!’

The conclusion I reached after long contemplation felt somewhat anticlimactic, but I was confident it was the right answer.

And fortunately, spending time with Leonhardt was very easy for me.

Especially since we had many occasions where we needed to have private conversations just between us.

‘The great famine in the South is next year.’

I thought about whether there might be another suitable excuse as I stepped down from the carriage with Leonhardt’s escort.

The day right after we arrived home.

We each claimed a bean bag in the ‘children’s study’ that we favored when discussing first-life stories.

Each holding a fairy tale book as a cover story in case someone came in.

As I was twisting my body this way and that to get comfortable, practically buried in the soft bean bag, Leonhardt took off his outer coat and handed it to me.

“You look cold.”

“I’m not cold, but. Thank you.”

It was only slightly cool, but I obediently accepted and put on Leonhardt’s outer coat.

Leonhardt, who had been quietly watching this, asked in a casual tone.

“Do you like that outfit? …It seems like you wear it often.”

“Oh, yes!”

Momentarily flustered, I nodded somewhat unnaturally in affirmation.

I was slightly embarrassed since I had worn it today because it was the outfit Leonhardt had once complimented as pretty.

‘I thought he wouldn’t notice.’

Now that he had developed awareness, his observational skills seemed to have improved too.

‘Well, it makes sense that Leon would notice.’

My dressing room was full of new clothes, so even wearing different outfits daily, I outgrew them before trying everything on.

But I had already worn this pale yellow frilly dress four times.

Even Leonhardt seemed to recognize it by now.

‘I should stop wearing this one now.’

It was embarrassing because it seemed like proof that while I had only recently realized my feelings, my subconscious had been very honest.

“You said it was pretty too.”

When I grumbled out of embarrassment, Leonhardt smiled faintly.

“You’re pretty in everything though?”

His increasingly skillful compliment made my cheeks heat up.

‘He said he’d make an effort, and he really does seem to have become more caring and affectionate.’

As the words he’d said back when he didn’t know my feelings flashed through my mind, I felt like I’d lost all my sleep for tonight.

‘Ugh, embarrassing! Why did he have to say such things.’

Still…

“I’ll make an effort, so give me a chance.”

Come to think of it, Leonhardt wasn’t completely uninterested in romance either.

‘He just needs to have that romance with me.’

Delighted by this unexpected gain, the corners of my mouth naturally relaxed.

Ahem, ahem! I shouldn’t be doing this…

“I know that too.”

I hurriedly composed my expression and changed the subject.

Fortunately, there was a perfect topic to switch to.

“…That aside, Caspian’s awakening has relieved a great worry.”

As soon as the topic of the southern famine began, Leonhardt’s relaxed expression instantly became serious.

“It’s divine blessing.”

A smile of relief appeared on our faces, having long agonized over this problem.

The biggest cause of the southern famine was drought.

An unprecedented drought in history, where not a single drop of rain fell for three whole months from spring to early summer, the harvest season.

‘It’s not like we can make it rain.’

After my regression, what Leonhardt and I focused on in preparing for the southern famine was reducing the damage.

‘We need sufficient amounts of water and food.’

We somehow managed to solve the food issue, but the problem was water.

‘More precisely, there is water, but the problem is finding a way to make it usable?’

This was due to the South’s unique geographical conditions.

The South’s nickname was the Land of the Sleeping Red Dragon.

It got this nickname because there’s a large volcano in the middle that has now stopped being active.

‘There’s a legend that red dragons make their lairs inside volcanoes.’

Because this large volcano erupted long ago, the entire land was made of volcanic soil with very good drainage.

‘On top of that, there are only small streams, with no large rivers that could serve as water sources.’

Fortunately, the South had a climate where light rain fell very frequently.

‘Thanks to that rainwater and advanced farming techniques, the South could become a granary.’

But when rain didn’t come for a long time like this great drought, the impact was much more severe than in other regions.

The land dried up quickly, and the few streams alone couldn’t supply all the water needed for daily life.

The question of where all that rain that fell every three or four days went, absorbed by the volcanic soil, was the beginning of my conceived drought solution method.

‘That rainwater must be pooled somewhere and become groundwater, right?’

As a result of secretly investigating with Leonhardt, our hypothesis was correct.

We even found content in a paper left by a renowned geologist stating that the groundwater in the South was sufficient not only for this great drought but also to not worry about droughts in the future.

The only problem was that it was dozens of meters below the bedrock.

‘Finding where the groundwater is located was as good as solved after Merlin became an advanced water spirit contractor.’

Next, the problem was drilling through the thick bedrock layer and drawing up the water, but this was also solved with Caspian’s awakening.

“I was really worried we might have to prepare explosives.”

Since the only method we could think of before Caspian’s awakening was rather rough, we were at a standstill, but it really was divine blessing in the literal sense.

“If we had done that, House of Roderick would have been accused of preparing for rebellion…”

Just imagining it was so bothersome that I shuddered, and Leonhardt smiled gently.

“How fortunate.”

“We were lucky.”

“No, it was all your doing, Miela.”

“Huh?”

It was an unexpected compliment.

However, Leonhardt had his own logic.

“Because you’re the one who awakened Merlin and Caspian.”

When I met those red eyes full of affection and trust, it felt like someone was tickling my heart with a feather.

“Those two originally had the talent of spirit contractors.”

When I said this while slightly avoiding his gaze, Leonhardt’s smile deepened.

“That’s right, those kids had certain potential. But what decisively changed their fate was you, Miela.”

Leonhardt hesitated briefly before adding.

“…Of course, my fate too.”

I could tell without even looking.

‘My face must be incredibly red right now.’

Around the time I returned to my shameless attitude after avoiding Leonhardt out of embarrassment, Lester’s birthday approached.

“Lester, happy birthday! This is my gift for you!”

I lightly kissed Lester’s cheek on his birthday and handed him the present.

“Thank you, Miela. I’ll treasure it forever.”

Since I’d been spending most of my allowance elsewhere since last year, this year’s gift was also a handwritten letter and something I made myself.

‘It’ll probably be like this until next year too. Sorry, Lester.’

However, Lester looked moved and delighted even upon receiving the crudely made sword ornament.

Seeing him only gently touch it with his fingertips as if worried it might break, I felt a slight sense of guilt.

‘Later when I earn money, I’ll buy you a really wonderful gift.’

I had given similar birthday presents to other family members, but there was a reason I felt particularly sorry toward Lester.

Among the family, Lester was the most simple-minded and easiest to guide in the direction I wanted, so I had thoroughly used him while preparing for the great famine in the South.

‘For example…’

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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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