I’m Going to Change My Husband With a Predatory Marriage - Chapter 46

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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 46

I gazed at Arpard rather than Count Beltane, my expression tinged with shyness as I spoke.
“Thank you so much for always looking after me and being so considerate, Your Highness.”
If Count Beltane truly believed I had been abducted in a bride theft, he would have spirited me away without hesitation.
‘But I absolutely cannot tell Count Beltane the truth—that it was a fake abduction!’
Given his nature, there was no way he could maintain the deception without revealing it.
‘At the last wedding, he genuinely believed it was a real bride theft and fought with his life on the line.’
That’s precisely why the abduction scene had been so convincingly authentic.
I felt terrible about deceiving Count Beltane, but for his own sake, I couldn’t tell him the truth.
If I asked him to keep silent, he would comply, but this man was absolutely incapable of lying.
A perceptive person might see through it immediately.
So there was only one conclusion.
‘The bride theft happened, but I’ll make it seem like I’ve fallen in love with Arpard and am blissfully happy!’
This was already our official(?) narrative anyway.
I needed to make Count Beltane believe it too.
I clung tightly to Arpard and performed the role of the happiest newlywed bride in the world.
And then I delivered my masterstroke.
“Oh, not Your Highness—darling.”
My tongue felt like it was shriveling as I spoke.
But I had to endure it!
This was for everyone’s sake!
To keep both myself and Count Beltane alive!
Fortunately, the effect was tremendous!
I heard the handmaidens squealing behind me.
“Oh, how romantic!”
“They really do love each other!”
Count Beltane, whom I glimpsed from the corner of my eye, appeared genuinely taken aback.
He seemed unable to imagine that I had actually fallen in love with Arpard.
Then Arpard did something unexpected, deviating from my calculations.
He brought his face close to mine, our bodies already pressed together.
The positioning made it obvious that a kiss was now expected.
Everyone around us was naturally anticipating it, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
‘This bastard is deliberately trying to embarrass me!’
I was accustomed to Arpard’s personality disorder, but his constant provocation was beginning to irritate me.
So I made my move first.
I pressed my lips against his and deliberately broke into a radiant smile.
‘How do you like that? Did you think I’d back down just because you pushed?’
That’s roughly what my expression conveyed.
Arpard clearly understood everything I’d implied. The man’s perceptiveness was remarkable.
However, there was one thing I hadn’t anticipated.
Arpard was laughing genuinely.
‘What? Why does he look so… pleased?’
Was I mistaken?
No, I wasn’t.
While I was momentarily confused, Arpard cupped my cheek and shifted the angle, pressing his lips against mine once more in a kiss.
Unlike my clumsy, provocative peck, this was far deeper… and intensely passionate.
“…!”
The kiss was so fervent that the handmaidens who had been squealing grew flushed and turned their heads away.
Though startled, I couldn’t back down here.
‘I couldn’t lose(?)’
Later, when I was thinking clearly, I couldn’t understand what I meant by that.
But in that moment, I was resolute.
With both arms wrapped eagerly around Arpard’s shoulders, I met his kiss with equal fervor.
It absolutely wasn’t because Arpard kissed so well that I simply melted.
‘Besides, I felt this last time too—why is he so good at this? He definitely has a lover, doesn’t he?’
Thanks to this, the area around the entrance to the Prince’s Palace remained remarkably quiet for quite some time.
Despite the considerable number of people gathered there.
Once we finally separated, I could feel everyone releasing a sigh of relief.
They began acting as though they hadn’t witnessed the embarrassing spectacle moments before.
And Count Beltane, the target of our theatrical performance (?), was utterly dumbfounded.
‘Ah, was that too much stimulation for someone as pure-hearted as Count Beltane?’
In my previous life, when we fled together, his chivalry was so excessive he wouldn’t even hold my hand carelessly.
What Arpard and I had just done was apparently far too much.
I called out to him to check if his soul had properly returned.
“Count Beltane?”
Are you alright? Has your soul returned?
Count Beltane suddenly snapped back to attention.
His expression became complex and subtle—difficult to describe in words. Only for a moment.
Then he asked me.
“Do you… truly love him?”
“Yes.”
I answered without hesitation.
Of course it was a lie, but with my lips already wet from the kiss, it hardly mattered.
And besides, this was all for everyone to live safely and well!
Count Beltane lowered his head deeply.
Then he whispered softly.
“That is a relief, Your Highness.”
The moment the title “Your Highness” left Count Beltane’s lips, my own feelings became momentarily complex and subtle as well.
But Arpard, oblivious as always and for some reason particularly dense today, interjected with foolish timing.
“At last, my consort’s knight has used the proper title. How fortunate.”
Rather than the triumphant declaration of a schemer who had successfully deceived everyone, he looked as smug as a street urchin who’d won a back-alley brawl.
And then he proclaimed as though bestowing an immense favor.
“I hereby confer upon Laenus Beltane, knight of the Crown Prince’s consort, the rank of knight in the Imperial Knight Order. Serve the consort with utmost devotion.”
“…Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Count Beltane was still kneeling, in the midst of swearing his oath as a knight to me.
And Arpard, holding me close, gazed down at Count Beltane with a laugh as though he himself had achieved victory.
I could only find it absurd.
‘It’s not as though he’s suddenly grown younger. Why is he acting so childishly? What a sight.’
In any case, Count Beltane was accepted as a member of the Prince’s Palace without any significant complications.

* * *

Yulken proved to be remarkably capable indeed.
In less than four days from when I made the request, he brought me information about the ‘people’ I had asked for.
But Yulken’s face, as he carried the report, was bruised on one side.
His complexion was ashen.
“Why has your face been damaged like this in just a few days?”
At that, Yulken answered with a very bitter expression.
“I’m afraid I accidentally disturbed a hornet’s nest.”
“Pardon?”
There couldn’t possibly be an actual hornet’s nest in the Imperial Palace, and if he’d been stung by one, he’d be in far worse condition than this.
So this was clearly a metaphor.
I had the attendants bring tea and desserts and fed him generously while asking questions.
Yulken accepted the tea and refreshments with gratitude, though somewhat bewildered.
The way he was eating so hastily… surely this man wasn’t being worked without even proper meals?
“Did you make a poor impression on Arpard?”
After all, there was no one else in the vicinity capable of reducing Yulken to this state.
At that, Yulken let out a long sigh.
“Well, something like that. Haha.”
“What can you do? That man is subtly—no, rather openly narrow-minded and petty.”
At that, Yulken’s expression brightened and he responded. It seemed his color was returning now that he’d eaten a bit.
“Exactly? After all, only you, Your Highness, would take my side.”
Yulken murmured with tears of gratitude in his eyes.
“With such overflowing abilities and yet so kind and considerate—truly, Your Highness, you are far too good for His Highness the Crown Prince.”
I became certain that he must have been thoroughly scolded by Arpard for saying things like this.
But Yulken continued chattering away without pause, never stopping mid-sentence.
“If there’s one thing the Crown Prince does best, it’s bringing our lady to the palace. Otherwise, I would’ve submitted my resignation two days ago.”
“Did you perhaps already submit it, and Arpard just refused to accept it?”
“How did you know?! Truly, our lady! You see through everything while sitting still!”
Well, everyone in the Prince’s Palace knows that much.
It’s common knowledge that Yulken submits his resignation to Arpard whenever something displeases him, only to have it rejected.
Anny had told me as much.
We exchanged a brief conversation—gossip by one name, slander against Arpard by another.
Then Yulken asked me a question.
“As with the other matter regarding the magical artifact craftsman, why specifically do you want information on ‘that person’? She’s the niece of Grand Duke Axion’s consort, but those from the western territories rarely debut in the central high society.”
I knew that well enough.
At the very top of the documents was the name of the person I’d asked Yulken to investigate.
Isephin Solenu.
The young lady of the Solenu Countess, a great house of the western territories.
Over twenty-five years old, yet without marriage or even an engagement—what one might call a lady who had missed her prime.
Moreover, she lived quietly, barely active in the western high society.
Though her family was prestigious, with her current state, few took interest in her.
‘Much like how I once was.’
But I already knew.
This Isephin Solenu could become a tremendous asset to me.
For the preparations of the Artanus Hall banquet, of course.
But there was one more thing.
‘I need to prepare for various contingencies soon.’
Evangeline wasn’t simply sitting aloft in the flower of high society.
She wielded her special abilities as a Possessed to control people from all walks of life, commanding her faction with an iron grip.
To stand against her, I naturally needed many allies as well.
Princess Solenu could be invaluable through her connections, her wealth, and her influence in high society.
In other words, it was simple.
‘A lottery ticket guaranteed to win. Or a coin or stock certain to rise.’
I couldn’t afford to let this opportunity slip away.
‘In any world, more money is always better!’
Today as well, I gazed at the Sharinga petal tea that had been served at my afternoon tea time, then downed it all in one gulp.
Sweet and tangy—it was exactly to my taste.

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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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