I’m Going to Change My Husband With a Predatory Marriage - Chapter 109

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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 109

A duel… well, not exactly a duel, but a sparring match?
So suddenly?
We women, myself included, were taken aback.
Most shocked of all was the Duchess of Muzen, Aaron’s mother.
The moment she realized her son had challenged the Crown Prince to a sparring match, she rushed over to stop him.
“What discourtesy is this toward His Highness the Crown Prince, Aaron!”
She positioned herself halfway in front of her son and spoke to Arpard with a forced smile.
“This boy may have grown tall, but he still lacks sense. I beg your forgiveness for his foolishness, Your Highness.”
Arpard said nothing. It was the son who defied his mother.
“It is no foolishness, Mother!”
“Aaron!”
“I request this sparring match as a pure warrior! If I could receive instruction from Your Highness, the inheritor of Yulken’s legacy, it would be the greatest honor!”
For the first time, a proper response came from Arpard’s lips.
“I have no talent for teaching others.”
Just as the Duchess thought this was a refusal and began to relax—
“It will be a real sparring match. I won’t be playing around with a sword like some child’s game.”
The Duchess’s face went pale. Unaware of his mother’s concern, Aaron was actually delighted.
“That is exactly what I wish for! As a knight, I too have no desire to play games with a blade!”
“You may be injured or killed.”
“I accepted that risk when I was sworn in as a knight!”
Amid the anxiety and worry of everyone except the two men, an unexpected sparring match was about to begin.

* * *

Arpard possessed his own sword, but Aaron had surrendered his to the Imperial Knight Order upon entering the palace.
Thus, Arpard’s special order had brought Aaron’s blade to him.
In the meantime, both Arpard and Aaron had shed their cumbersome ceremonial overcoats.
They retained only light shirts and trousers, and had even unbuttoned various sections of their garments to prevent any hindrance to their movements.
As a result, the sculpted physiques of these two well-trained men were laid bare.
The noblewomen, before even considering who might win, erupted in admiration for the physical beauty of these young, handsome men.
“The Crown Prince’s arms and legs are truly sculpted as well.”
“And that broad chest of his… it makes one feel… ahem!”
The noblewomen, who had been speaking from instinct rather than reason, soon realized they had said too much before their host(?) and hastily changed the subject.
I didn’t mind it, so why were they acting like that?
It’s only natural for people to admire something beautiful and impressive.
Besides, even knowing the temperament housed within that body, Arpard’s physique was artistic enough to captivate.
‘Does this man never tan? His torso and limbs are the exact same pale shade.’
Arpard trained frequently and had moved about considerably as Gerald.
Unlike Ludwig, who had made a fuss about parasols and hats, claiming that a pale complexion symbolized noble elegance.
Yet ironically, Arpard possessed far fairer skin than Ludwig.
As a result, I admired Arpard’s body as one would gaze upon a work of art—white marble carved in perfect proportions.
Count Muzen Aaron, by contrast, was the complete opposite.
At eighteen, his growth was not yet complete, yet his sturdy muscles were densely packed upon his large frame, impossible to overlook.
Through the sharply defined muscles, blue veins stood out prominently, and I could hear the young maids attending him squeaking with excitement.
“Look, see how the veins stand out on his forearms?”
“And his chest is… incredible. It looks like the buttons might burst, oh my! They actually did!”
“Oh my goodness, what do we do!”
As Aaron spread his chest by rotating his shoulders left and right in preparation, his shirt grew taut and a button burst free, flying away.
The maids, without thinking, repeated “Oh my! Oh my!” before being scolded by their seniors and attendants.
Yet their eyes could not help but shine with excitement, and several of them secretly went to retrieve the fallen button.
The Duchess of Muzen, who would normally boast of her son surrounded by such acclaim, appeared filled with anxiety.
She approached her son as he prepared, attempting to dissuade him several times.
“A real sword duel with none other than the Crown Prince himself—are you in your right mind? Stop this at once!”
I heard Arpard let out a low chuckle from beside me.
“The Countess seems overflowing with confidence in her son’s abilities. She actually thinks he might defeat me.”
The Countess’s reproach toward her son was less about safety and more about concern for disrespect toward the Imperial Family.
Such was the extent of her trust in her son’s abilities.
‘Even so, it won’t work against Arpard.’
No matter how much of a future Sword Master he might become, he stood no chance against one of Imperial blood descended from dragons.
“That’s understandable. He won the tournament at fourteen, after all. He must be even stronger now.”
“I find myself growing a bit petty, seeing her make such a fuss out of fear that he might wound me.”
If she were truly only concerned for her son’s safety, there would be no need to loudly proclaim to everyone how strong Arpard is beforehand.
She was carefully laying the groundwork so that if, by chance, Aaron were to win, she could dismiss it as ‘truly unintentional, I never expected this.’
Just as the Countess stood beside her son, I remained at Arpard’s side.
I had to at least pretend to worry about my husband.
I spoke with concern, loud enough for those around us to hear.
“Please be careful not to get hurt.”
What I really wanted to say, I whispered softly.
“Don’t kill him.”
“I know. Even I have no intention of killing the heir to the Ducal House.”
“He can’t become disabled, and he can’t receive scars that would leave obvious marks.”
“…What about places no one can see?”
“No.”
At that, Arpard clicked his tongue with a sharp “tsk!”
“The Countess is going to become my maid-in-chief. Besides, you only just met the Young Count today—why do you dislike him so much?”
“He’s showing off.”
“…Pardon?”
What kind of creative nonsense was this?
“When he popped the button off his chest earlier, you looked at him too.”
“That was just surprise…”
Arpard lowered his head and whispered near my ear.
“I can do it too. Want me to show you?”
“That’s enough!”
Arpard laughed with crystalline clarity.
He extended his hand and spoke so everyone around us could hear, his tone different from before.
“I shall dedicate my victory to my wife.”
His voice carried absolute certainty of triumph.
“It’s not even a duel, just a sparring match—what are you talking about…”
I reproached him, but I placed my hand in his without resistance.
Arpard pressed a kiss to the back of my hand, then drew his sword and advanced.
Toward Count Muzen Aaron, who stared at him with a gaze burning with tension and competitive spirit.
At last, the sparring match was beginning.

* * *

The sparring match was relocated to the training grounds of the Prince’s Palace.
Imperial Knights belonging to the Prince’s Palace rushed over after hearing whispers of the event, gathering to observe the duel.
Clang!
The sound of steel striking steel cut through the air of the training grounds.
Crack!
The flooring, crafted from solid granite, split under a single kick, sending fragments scattering in all directions.
Knights stepped forward to shield the onlookers, preventing any injuries.
Yet the crowd’s astonishment was unavoidable.
“Eek!”
“D-Dangerous…!”
While the startled Noblewomen cried out, Hillia watched with keen interest.
Opportunities to witness Knights of this caliber exchanging blades were rare indeed.
Moreover, before my regression, Aaron and Arpard had never sparred or dueled against one another.
Compared to the word “sparring,” the situation was far more intense, and several of the Noblewomen appeared genuinely frightened.
The Knights stationed nearby all observed the duel with passionate intensity.
Count Beltane was no exception. The man who always appeared grave and composed now visibly struggled to contain his excitement.
For Knights, witnessing combat between exceptional warriors was itself an invaluable lesson.
Count Muzen Aaron, who had won the tournament at fourteen and would soon claim the title of Sword Master—he was already hailed as the strongest among ordinary humans.
And Arpard, of the Imperial Family with dense dragon blood coursing through his veins, had been at the level of a Sword Master since birth.
The clash between these two superhuman beings was truly the dream battle for all Knights.
I felt satisfied watching Count Beltane observe this duel and grow as a Knight.
Then it happened.
A shadow crossed Count Beltane’s face, where excitement and yearning had been blazing moments before.
After all those emotions burned away like flames, what remained was ash—mere residue.
Defeat, inferiority, and… unmistakable despair.
I had known Count Beltane for a long time and could read his expressions well.
Yet now I doubted whether I had truly seen what I thought I saw.
The emotions were so utterly… incongruous with the Count Beltane I knew.
He had always been upright and just, the very model of a Knight.
“…!”
I hastily turned my gaze away.
I felt as though I had witnessed something I should not have.
My heart raced anxiously, fearful that Count Beltane might realize I had seen him.
It seemed he would not wish for me to discover those negative emotions he had just revealed.
Then it happened.
Clang—!
One blade shattered, and the match was decided.

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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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