The Reason I Got Engaged to My Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 13

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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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Episode 13

It was a leisurely afternoon at the Blin Estate.

“Hmm.”

I nodded with satisfaction as I looked in the mirror.

In the mirror was a woman with short red hair.

‘It’s worth the price.’

I had tried using the disguise stone as a test, and the effect wasn’t bad.

I fiddled with the necklace.

‘What’s left is to introduce this appearance to high society…’

While creating a commoner identity was easy, a noble or royal identity was impossible.

So the method I came up with was to start a business targeting nobles with a fake identity.

What I’m best at is dealing with young ladies…

‘I should create a perfume brand.’

After catching the murderer and everything was over, it would be good to connect it with Piacce Lux too.

The most important thing in this plan was naturally the perfumer.

The perfumer I had in mind was a woman who had made a name for herself as a genius perfumer in the past but disappeared for no reason.

Scouting a genius might be greedy, but she was absolutely necessary to succeed in a short time.

And to make ‘her’ my person…

“Miss!”

Just then, Marsha came running.

“Well, just now in front…!”

She must have been running from somewhere, as her labored breathing and flushed cheeks were noticeable.

‘What’s going on?’

Before I could wonder for long, what followed was…

“I met the Colonel!”

“Huh?”

“He was asking me all sorts of things!”

“…What?”

I shot up from my seat.

“What did he ask?”

“How you spent the past year, whether you met anyone, whether there’s anyone lurking around you since returning to the Capital.”

“…”

Facing my stunned self, Marsha added with a triumphant tone, “Ahem.”

“But don’t worry! I kept my mouth shut tight.”

…Well, that’s fortunate at least.

Instead of responding, I looked out the window.

A silver-haired man was standing in front of the main gate.

‘…Right, let’s settle this once and for all.’

I impulsively grabbed my coat and headed out.

I didn’t know when Marsha might slip up, and I didn’t want to see my ex-boyfriend’s face anymore. Let’s settle this today.

And so I arrived at the main gate in one go.

As soon as I approached, Ransel turned around and his eyes widened.

“Mary?”

I was about to get straight to the point but hesitated.

This wasn’t a conversation to have in such an open place.

After some hesitation, I led Ransel inside. Ransel obediently followed my lead.

Finally arriving at the empty garden, I quickly got to the point.

“Why are you interrogating my maid on your own? Why are you scaring someone else’s timid servant and causing a fuss?”

When I snapped at him, Ransel responded indifferently.

“It wasn’t an interrogation, just questions. Since you don’t seem inclined to tell me, I said I’d find out myself. What’s the problem?”

“What more do I need to tell you?”

“I said I wanted a careful answer.”

So what is that careful answer supposed to be, exactly?

Just before I was about to shout irritably, Ransel naturally changed the subject.

“Or something else would be fine too. Like saying you’ll make that child our child.”

I shot him a sharp look. How many times do I have to say no?

“Just say that one thing quickly. I’m quite busy right now.”

“Busy with what…”

“I need to find that one-night stand and kill him before the situation gets any weirder.”

?

“Why are you suddenly talking about killing?”

“Given your cautious personality, a one-night stand doesn’t make sense. It must be someone you knew before.”

His gentle voice instantly turned the atmosphere cold.

Ransel showed a fresher smile, having run out of patience.

“…It really was a one-night stand. Don’t look for him since it’s a waste of time.”

“That guy probably doesn’t think he’ll be safe either.”

“I said don’t look for him.”

“Soon my name might appear in the newspapers bigger than yours.”

“I said don’t look for him.”

Because I reflexively blocked every word he said, my responses became shorter too.

‘…He seems serious right now.’

It seemed like things were escalating beyond what I could handle.

“So think carefully, Mary. I don’t know who I might mess with.”

His face hardened with murderous intent toward a fictional person who didn’t even exist.

The plausible possibility occurred to me that Ransel might mess with someone completely unrelated to this matter.

Of course, I couldn’t reveal the inside story of this matter to an outsider.

But still…

“If you don’t really want me to do something terrible, stop it here, princess.”

Was it because I was tired of the meaningless conversations that had gone on for days?

Or had I finally faced the reality that I couldn’t shake off my ex-boyfriend’s influence?

“…Sigh.”

I let out a deep sigh.

Actually, Ransel wasn’t the type to be suspected as a murderer. He wasn’t loose-lipped either.

With the premonition that things might really escalate beyond what I could handle, I finally made up my mind.

“You can never kill that one-night stand.”

“Can’t kill him? What if I use that as an excuse to dump you? How can you say something so bold?”

“You won’t even be able to find him.”

“How can you guarantee that?”

“Well…”

I looked around, then quietly spoke.

“Because Pipi isn’t my child.”

And so came the silence.

“…”

Cold water was poured over Ransel’s face, which had looked ready to devour me at any moment.

“…”

“…”

“…”

It was when only the chirping of oblivious birds filled the air.

Ransel laughed as if he found it absurd.

“What a refreshing answer. Well, let’s hear more.”

He seemed to have decided not to believe my words. This was maddening.

Ransel continued with a voice that emphasized each syllable, as if driving in a nail.

“Let’s see whose child it really is, when the child resembles you so much.”

“…”

Should I reveal more here?

After my somewhat impulsive statement, Ransel flashed a murderous smile at me as my rationality belatedly kicked in.

“Why can’t you answer?”

“The answer is…”

“I want to hear what excuse you’ll make up to protect that one-night stand partner of yours, hm? Come on, tell me.”

Is this bastard insane, really?

‘Ha, right. It’s my fault for deliberately deceiving him.’

It seemed I wouldn’t be able to stop this guy who’d completely lost his mind unless I explained everything.

“That child is my niece.”

Facing the man who was thoroughly misunderstanding about someone else’s child, I began a long story.

Everything that had happened from when Sister entrusted Pipi to me until now.

“…”

During my explanation, there was no particular reaction from Ransel.

It was the same even after the story ended. He had the face of someone continuing careful thought.

I waited anxiously for Ransel’s reaction, then turned my head away with a ‘whatever, I don’t care’ attitude.

“I don’t know, believe it or don’t, do whatever you want.”

I must be crazy, I’m crazy.

A belated reality check hit me.

Ransel watching me was still composed as ever.

As expected, he doesn’t seem to believe my words one bit…

“Finally giving me a sincere answer, princess.”

…Or not?

***

Ransel looked at my dumbfounded expression and laughed carelessly.

“Didn’t you tell me to believe you? Why are you reacting like this?”

“…Well, pretending your sister’s child is your own isn’t exactly a normal situation.”

“Yeah, I’m well aware.”

I felt awkward at his unhesitating agreement.

I cleared my throat with a cough.

“How much did you know?”

His reaction hadn’t been particularly surprised, which bothered me.

“I had guessed that it wasn’t your child.”

…It seems I was the one who looked like a washed cotton candy raccoon.

To put on such a murderous act while knowing everything – it was absurd.

“How did you figure it out?”

Ransel’s explanation went like this.

On the night we reunited, Larientha had told him that I left as soon as I heard news of his departure.

Given my cautious personality, a one-night stand in a foreign land didn’t make sense, which led him to guess… that it might not be my child.

“…”

It was an absurd yet plausible reason.

This is why I shouldn’t date. He knows me dangerously well.

I shot back at Ransel primly.

“There could have been a more gentlemanly approach.”

Instead of barging in and acting like a madman.

“True. But I’m not particularly gentlemanly, as you well know.”

I looked at Ransel with coldly disappointed eyes and sighed.

Though the fact I’d hidden so thoroughly was revealed anticlimactically, I still felt relieved inside.

“If you’re satisfied with hearing a sincere answer, then leave now. And don’t come looking for me again.”

I gestured dismissively. Our business was done, so this was the end.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the type of person who could see off a badly-ended ex-boyfriend with a smile.

But Ransel didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.

“Wait.”

Instead, he spoke up.

“You still haven’t answered the other question.”

“…What answer?”

Ransel spoke in a calm, gentle voice.

“Last time you said you were discussing with the servants because you had no one to use as the child’s father.”

“…I did say that.”

Why is he suddenly bringing this up? I began to feel ominously uneasy.

“You’re failing to recognize the perfect candidate right in front of you.”

“Who’s the perfect candidate?”

A strange smile crossed Ransel’s face.

“Me, of course.”

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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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