I’m Going to Change My Husband With a Predatory Marriage - Chapter 7

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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 7

That dawn.
Arpard returned to the Prince’s Palace.
The palace attendants on duty were startled by his arrival.
“Y-Your Highness!”
“How are you back already…!”
“What? Are you afraid I’ll go mad and tear you all to shreds?”
“Your Highness!!”
The attendants were flustered but offered no rebuttal to his words.
In truth, they were all terrified.
Of when the Crown Prince’s madness would strike.
Behind him, a vivid crimson moon hung in the sky.
The same blood-red moon that had been present the day the Late Empress died from her madness.
Arpard glared at the moon that mirrored his own gaze with bitter resentment.
‘Few know that on nights when the crimson moon rises, I spend the darkness in the Catacombs to suppress my madness…’
Yet that woman had known and sought me out.
Even bringing the silver coin for the dead that one must present when seeking the Mercenary King.
But that was not all. He felt the smooth texture of a pearl rolling in his palm.
‘That woman possessed information about both the Mercenary King and the Crown Prince.’
Information that could only be known if one was certain from the beginning that they were the same person.
Each piece was knowledge that almost no one besides Arpard possessed.
‘Even if the Imperial Palace and the entire Mercenary Guild, indeed the entire continent, deployed spies, it would be impossible to uncover such secrets.’
He could not fathom how this had come to pass.
After dismissing all the terrified attendants, Arpard examined the ‘advance payment’ that mysterious woman had given him.
A precious pearl larger than his thumbnail gleamed with an otherworldly radiance.
‘This is genuine. Of course, I already confirmed that woman wielded the sacred power of divine artifacts, so it’s only natural.’
He drew a deep breath and brought the pearl to his forehead.
The sacred power of the divine artifact began to glow, resonating with the dragon’s blood flowing through Arpard’s veins.
But.
But.

“It’s useless.”

She had been right.
The blessing that lingered in the sacred relic could not neutralize or dispel this madness that flowed through Arpard’s bloodline.
In the end, The Woman’s words had proven correct.
Relying on the sacred relic had been one of my shallow hopes.
Though I hadn’t harbored great expectations, confirming that it truly had no effect brought a crushing sense of helplessness.
I hurled the pearl to the floor.
And then I recalled her.
‘Who exactly is that woman?’
The woman who had found me just hours ago through a remarkable method.
‘How did she know this would fail?’
She was a woman with fine, wispy pink hair that caught the eye.
Her deep violet eyes were like violet candies, and her smooth white skin held a delicate rosy hue reminiscent of cherry blossoms.
Despite possessing such a sweet appearance that she seemed as though she would melt at the mere touch of a tongue….

“This pearl, nor any blessed jewel or sacred relic, will be of any use.”

‘It was a remarkably cold statement.’
And coupled with bold, threatening coercion at that.
One thing was certain.
‘Whatever her identity, that woman is far too dangerous.’
At the very least, it was clear she could not be left docilely at Ludwig’s side.
If she were to use that mysterious ability for Ludwig’s benefit?
‘The Crown Prince would change hands immediately.’
Viewed that way, I ultimately had no choice in the matter.
‘That request disguised as coercion—I could never have refused it from the start.’
And that woman was certain of it.
Those violet eyes, gazing at me with a fearlessness that was almost uncanny, intrigued me.
They were eyes harboring a composed madness.
If I were to see those eyes once more, my resolve might become even more certain.
I laughed savagely, glaring at the sky as dawn broke.
Though I did not yet realize it, I resembled a starving beast that had already marked its prey.
Having faced the morning sun with eyes wide open, I had my chamberlain bring my white ceremonial robes.

* * *

There is a proverb I have come to despise since my first regression.
Even if you wring a rooster’s neck, dawn will still come.
Every time I desperately wished the next day would never arrive, that proverb mercilessly became reality.
And so, the next day came once more.
‘The morning of my fourth wedding day.’
Except for the first time, there was not a shred of excitement or joy.
Of course, it was rare for me to greet my wedding day so quietly in my own chamber.
After my first regression, I attempted to flee to the temple and become a nun, but I failed.
And in the regression just before this one…
‘I fled with Count Beltane and failed most miserably.’
I heard a voice calling to me from behind.
“Hillia.”
I turned my head slowly.
“Ludwig…”
My lips trembled as I spoke his name.
Of course, it was not because seeing his face stirred my sentiments or left me with lingering attachments.
Ugh.
‘I suddenly want to punch him in the face!’
The tips of my fingers holding the bouquet trembled with overflowing rage.
To be honest, there was something I regretted slightly yesterday.
‘Because I thought the regressions were finally over, and I was so preoccupied with the possessed one that I moved about in a daze.’
Moreover, I had no choice but to focus too much on Arpard.
But now that the wedding day had arrived and I saw his face, murderous intent and indignation welled up, making it difficult to endure.
‘At least during one of the three regressions, I should have punched that man in the face!’
But not now. I cannot. The time was not yet.
Then Ludwig began spouting his nonsense.
“Honestly, you have no idea how much trouble you caused me yesterday. Instead of offering proper solutions, you just cry. How are we supposed to have a proper marriage like this?”
In just one day, he had regained his swagger and was attempting to gaslight me.
Words I had grown sick of hearing across three previous lives. My teeth clenched.
“Because of you yesterday, how much resentment I harbored toward Eva…”
In the end, Ludwig blamed me for everything, even his quarrel with Evangeline yesterday, and vented his frustrations.
In my past life, they both vented their anger on me, and then reconciled with each other ostentatiously right before my eyes.

“Yes, Eva. It’s not your fault at all. It’s Hillia who is the problem, stealing the position that should rightfully be yours.”
“No. You must be suffering the most, having to hide your true feelings.”

As these (so-called) memories came flooding back, my blood pressure surged uncontrollably.
‘Compose yourself. You must endure this. Now is the time to hold back, Hillia Delphin!’
The clock seemed to move impossibly slowly.
Yet I found it impossible to suppress my rage and hatred, so instead I hung my head low.
“You’re crying over a few words? How can you fulfill your duties as a Grand Duchess when your heart is so fragile?”
His nonsense continued without end.
“Even if you’re upset about the wedding dress, this is too much. Your neck is marked like that. Where is your mind?”
He was referring to the wounds on my neck—slashed by Arpard’s blade and bruised from strangulation the night before.
To anyone’s eyes, my injuries looked perfectly like a failed attempt at a poor choice.
I’d had to conceal them with a choker and lace trim, which had caused another commotion this morning.
This morning, when Anny saw my condition, she wept bitterly, and Count Beltane was deeply concerned—a memory now vivid in my mind. He hadn’t known in the early hours of yesterday because it was dark and I had hidden it.
But my fiancé, who should have been most worried and grieved, was too busy using it as a weapon against me.
“To be honest, I’m quite disappointed. Hillia. Disappointed enough to reconsider our marriage.”
I knew Ludwig’s methods well.
He was now waiting patiently.
For me to apologize and beg his forgiveness.
As I always had.
Then he would become the magnanimous husband, mercifully forgiving my mistakes.
‘Do you think I’ll do what you want?’
I carefully calculated and dragged out the moment.
I bit the inside of my mouth until I could squeeze out false tears, then appealed to him again in a trembling voice.
“Actually, Ludwig… there was an intruder at dawn. What should I do?”
“…What?”
Before Ludwig’s bewildered response could grow longer, I poured out the entire story.
“I woke up because something felt wrong, and someone was strangling my neck.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! I had security reinforced yesterday! An intruder? You must have had a nightmare!”
“Then what about these wounds?”
“You must have hurt yourself while having a nightmare, you fool!”
I shook my head and wept openly.
“Do you think I could inflict wounds like this on myself? If it wasn’t an outside intruder, then it must have been someone from within!”
“…!”
Ludwig had no rebuttal to my statement.
Even as I nearly collapsed from crying, Ludwig didn’t support me.
He simply stood lost in thought, his expression troubled.
I began to fan the flames of suspicion he had kindled yesterday.
“There must be someone who wants to sabotage our marriage, Ludwig! What should we do?”
Ludwig looked anxious.
“That’s impossible. There’s no way such a person exists.”
Unlike moments ago when he had pressed me aggressively, his voice now lacked conviction.
I responded with a sniffle.
“There might be someone who secretly admires you. Closer than you think.”
“…What?”
I watched Ludwig’s visible shock register across his face.
I pressed him harder.
“A woman who loves you might want to kill me just to stop our wedding!”
“…That’s impossible. You’re speculating.”
“Then who destroyed the dress and tried to kill the bride? Why?”
“If that were true, why didn’t you call for help when the intruder broke in at dawn?!”
I lifted my head and met Ludwig’s gaze directly.
I watched him flinch visibly.
“I did call.”
“What? But no one heard…”
I spoke like the most pitiful woman in the world, my voice trembling with sobs.
“I called for you countless times!”
“What? What nonsense are you spouting suddenly?”
Of course, it was nonsense.
I had to stay silent as a mouse yesterday at dawn when I met Arpard—I couldn’t let that be discovered.
But did I really need to tell the truth?
I lied with a composure that even surprised myself. It was far too easy in front of Ludwig.
My voice emerged so sorrowful and pitiful that even I felt tears welling up.
“With my throat constricted, I called your name over and over. But… you never came.”
“No, what are you even saying right now?!”
He seemed furious, driven to madness and exasperation.
I poured fuel on the fire.
“Were you with another woman and couldn’t hear my screams?”
“Hillia!!!”
Unlike before, he flinched at this accusation, clearly caught off guard.
‘Since there actually is another woman, it makes sense.’
He dismissed my ravings as pre-wedding hysteria.
And he began to grow angry.
“Stop crying and get up, Hillia!”
Ludwig grabbed my wrist and pulled roughly.
“Ow!”
Hidden beneath my sleeve, it was where Arpard had gripped me harshly yesterday, leaving bruises.
My cry was sharper and louder than expected, cutting through the air.
Ludwig froze in alarm.
“What, what is it?”
Then.
Through the half-open doorway, an angry, commanding voice seeped in.
“What in blazes are you doing, Ludwig?”
Ludwig turned in shock, still gripping my wrist.
Standing before us was a middle-aged man adorned in a resplendent golden ceremonial robe.
His platinum hair, now streaked with silver, bore a striking resemblance to someone I had seen the day before.
Even his substantial beard could not fully conceal the scar that ran from his left cheek down to his jaw.
Yet no matter how prominent the scar, it did nothing to diminish the man’s majesty and nobility.
Both Ludwig and I knew exactly who he was.
Your Majesty!

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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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