The Reason I Got Engaged to My Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 80

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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 80

The day of the hunting competition.

I looked around the barracks with my arms crossed.

‘So I have to stay here with Ransel for three days.’

This was practically like being married, even if it was called an engagement.

I must be crazy, absolutely crazy… I shook my head vigorously.

Actually, we’d slept together many times before, and we even slept together at Dr. Henri’s house recently, so there was no reason to be reluctant now…

But sharing the same barracks felt like it meant we’d become family, which made me feel strange.

Meanwhile, Marsha, who had been looking around, asked.

“Miss, where did the Colonel go?”

“Well, the Crown Prince’s barracks?”

“Oh, right! He volunteered to escort the Crown Prince. But why on earth would he do such a thing…”

“I’m tired, Marsha. Get my swan feather pillow from the luggage.”

When I said this while stretching, Marsha disappeared in a hurry like the devoted maid she was, concerned about my health above all else.

‘I can’t tell her the reason with so many eyes watching.’

On the day the hunting competition ends, it would be revealed to the world that the Crown Prince had made a contract with a demon servant.

Making it ‘revealed’ was exactly our plan.

That’s why Ransel volunteered to be just the Crown Prince’s hunting escort.

“We haven’t revealed the threats against the ducal family to the outside, and most people don’t suspect Prince Cael’s death. So people will just think your loyalty to the Crown Prince is admirably strong, something like that.”

Only ambiguous people would be mocked for attending to the Crown Prince at a hunting competition.

Just like how the young ladies praised Sophia at the charity party, even if Ransel sided with the Crown Prince, everyone would do their best to say only good things.

If only to avoid ending up like the Viscount Chartinez family, whose position had drastically diminished after being marked by a noble family.

“And anyway, your reputation can’t fall any lower from being someone who didn’t use contraception, didn’t take responsibility, and left a woman to have a child alone.”

“…That’s true.”

When Ransel heard my plan, his reaction wasn’t particularly satisfactory.

“The Crown Prince himself knows about the threats to the ducal family and the questions about Prince Cael’s death. Will he accept my volunteering?”

“He will.”

Because…

“The Crown Prince is obsessed with getting rid of you right now. He’ll probably make a fuss several times about eliminating you during the hunt.”

I didn’t think Enrif was a particularly smart person. It was questionable whether Enrif alone had really orchestrated everything that happened in the capital.

‘So the threats against Ransel too…’

They wouldn’t be such cunning schemes.

If he kept in mind that there would be danger at least once during the three days, I believed Ransel could avoid it.

Even though my ex-boyfriend couldn’t distinguish between strawberry jam and fresh strawberries, couldn’t even put on stickers that children could do, and often turned into a six-year-old with the tolerance of a mouse tail… he still wasn’t at a level where he couldn’t handle one human consumed by inferiority complex.

‘Until then, I…’

I planned to pick up various rumors in the barracks and get some idea of the Crown Prince’s schemes.

I pumped myself up while patting the swan feather pillow that Marsha had brought.

After the Emperor’s brief congratulatory speech, the hunting competition began.

The path where the young lords rode horses into the forest was bustling.

This was because of the event where young ladies gave embroidered handkerchiefs as gifts, wishing for their partners’ safety – arguably the most important event of the hunting competition.

‘Since I’m nominally his fiancée, I prepared one too.’

I took out a handkerchief from my bosom.

I had pondered what to embroider and just embroidered anything, but even I thought it turned out well.

But honestly, in this hollow engagement relationship, I didn’t want to give the handkerchief myself…

“Our Pipi will give this to Father… anyway, to that person.”

I trailed off and put the handkerchief in Pipi’s chubby hands.

“Abuu, uuu.”

My child, who had recently developed a tendency to grab and examine everything, held the handkerchief firmly.

While waiting at the path holding the baby, I spotted Ransel on a white horse.

Ransel in his family’s formal uniform instead of his navy uniform looked magnificent. The black pants tailored to fit his body wrapped around his beautifully muscled thighs, exuding sexual appeal.

I watched Ransel’s different atmosphere for a moment, then lifted Pipi up.

Ransel, who noticed us, stretched out his arm and took the handkerchief from Pipi’s hand.

It felt like a situation where a couple who had grown distant from each other due to childcare was trying to break the awkwardness by putting their child between them… hmm.

“It’s lilac.”

As Ransel said, what I had embroidered on the handkerchief was lilac.

“How is it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty.”

Despite reaching out to take the handkerchief, Ransel jumped down from his horse.

Then he lightly grabbed the back of my head and pulled me closer,

“Maybe because it’s pretty, you’re good at doing pretty things too.”

He kissed my forehead with a soft peck.

“…?”

I froze at the unexpected situation.

…What was this?

What on earth… no, really, what kind of situation was this?

Unlike my stunned self, Ransel mounted his horse without hesitation.

Clatter, the ground shook as the white horse galloped forward.

‘…Why is he suddenly acting like that?’

I touched my forehead in bewilderment.

The sensation of his lips touching me was vivid.

“They really seem to like each other.”

“Of course, they dated and even had a child together.”

“Couples with children are definitely different.”

Hearing the young ladies whisper “Oh my,” I stood there blankly with a dazed expression.

***

Once the young lords left, the camp became quiet.

Having quickly shaken off the awkwardness from the handkerchief ceremony, I sat in front of the barracks to observe the atmosphere.

I particularly watched the atmosphere around Viscount Chartinez’s barracks, but nothing seemed suspicious.

‘Since this is a golden opportunity for us, they won’t just sit still either.’

The hunting competition.

A rare day when most nobles gathered in one place, and it wouldn’t be strange at all if anyone got hurt.

I got up and pretended to take a walk around the barracks with Lebein.

There would definitely be at least one attempt to threaten Ransel…

Just then, someone approached me.

“You can see everything like this, hmm… young lady?”

It was Relini, the Duchess.

I hesitated, then bowed in greeting.

“Hello, Your Grace. Since we’re only engaged, I think it would be fine to call me something like Count’s daughter.”

“I see. This is the first time we’ve met privately like this, but I’m actually very glad to see you, Young-ae. I’ve heard many rumors about you, and I’ve seen you frequently in the newspapers. I even made a reservation at the boutique…”

“Is that so.”

I nodded calmly.

There had been many people who felt friendly toward me for such reasons.

Relini continued with a pale smile.

“Actually, it also reminded me of Marie, the Viscountess. She was a close friend of our Isephin, our eldest daughter, so she came to the Duke’s Residence quite often.”

“…Ah.”

The real reason that suddenly emerged seemed to be because of Sister Marie.

‘I wonder if I could ask whether Sister said anything strange before she died…’

I hesitated for a moment, then decided against it.

Relini and I were already close enough as ‘Berry.’ There seemed to be no need to act hastily now.

Instead, I smiled bitterly and replied.

“It’s truly wonderful to meet someone who speaks of my sister.”

“Yes, both our Isephin and the Viscountess…”

Were murdered.

Relini couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

The silence continued for just a moment before Relini smiled again and spoke.

“Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask of you, Young-ae.”

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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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