Arpad was already twenty-three. Actually, she was a bit late to get married.
‘Because all nobles get married in their late teens or early twenties.’
The emperor did not pursue the marriage because he did not trust his son as his successor. He even gave his nephew the title of Duke of Delphine.
‘But arranged marriage and love are separate issues.’
She heard rumors that Prince Arpad had a secret lover in all three of his lives before her return. Although she didn’t know specifically who the other person was. It’s roughly a forbidden opponent. After being taken from her, or losing her, her crown prince went crazy. etc… This was all the information she knew.
“To that child… It looks like the woman she loved was there. I only found out about this after her son died and I couldn’t protect him.”
The person who said those words was Arpad’s father, the current Emperor Walter Istrid, who was right in front of him. Was it in her second life? At that time, she was close to the emperor who killed his crazy son with his own hands and lived in exile in a remote temple. At that time, the emperor seemed like an empty shell. His hair had all turned white. Even though it was only two years from now. Since the information provider was the provider, this was quite credible. So, out of her consideration, she added the ‘right to free divorce’!
She really didn’t know why he was so angry!
‘If it doesn’t exist yet, it might happen later!’
As she blinked, Arpad asked again.
“Why did they bother to include this clause?”
“Your Majesty, too, has someone you love, no, it’s possible for you to have one?”
Then Arpad tilted his head. Then he started telling nonsense that would make you faint.
“Rather, aren’t you trying to set up a safety device so that you can step out at any time?”
“What?!”
What kind of nonsense was this? Arpad acted like a picky customer who saw an insurance fraudster ready to hand over his money at any time. She poured another drink there.
“Isn’t it true that you take what you want from me and then try to run away at any time? Like a scoundrel who abandons a delicate girl!”
“Why did you use that expression earlier?!”
Arpad’s eyes lit up.
“As expected, you only say sweet words and planned to abandon me at any time…!”
She couldn’t bear it anymore and stretched out her hands to silence the man who had been talking nonsense.
“…!”
“…”
It was a little late when she realized that she had stretched out and pressed herself too close to him. When his breath touched her, the inside of his grip tickled. Arpad’s lips were warmer and moister than she expected. Also, when that soft thing gave her a kiss of oath earlier…
‘No, not this!’
She finally got her bearings and shouted. Who knew how to fall for the handsome guy?
“…But that doesn’t work!”
“What’s wrong?”
Arpad asked while she was still reaching out. Thanks to this, his breath tickled her palm strongly.
“Hi!”
Crunch.
It feels like the hairs on her entire body were standing on end. She couldn’t bear it anymore and eventually took her hand away. For some reason, she felt like she had lost and she felt jealous. It was unfair. This clause was not for her, but for Arpad.
‘I would have already met my lover by then.’
That was why. What he declared while smiling provocatively.
“Don’t tell me later thank you for including this clause in the contract.”
At that time, he would have thanked her and asked for a divorce? Arpad then crossed his arms in disapproval.
“What if not?”
“…yes?”
“What if, instead of being grateful for that clause, I am dissatisfied with it?”
Arpad and she both seemed like the types of people who could never bear to suffer losses.
However, the crown prince, who did not know the future, was asking foolish questions.
“That can’t be possible.”
“I don’t understand why you are so assertive.”
If he was dissatisfied with the provision on the right to free divorce, it means that he would not want to divorce. Arpad couldn’t have done that. This was the confidence of someone who knew the future. Arpad, who stared at her with a disapproving expression for a moment, suddenly made a suggestion.
“Then how about modifying the clause a little?”
“How?”
“If I am dissatisfied with the free divorce clause later, the contents of the clause will be deleted. But if I am happy and grateful as you said…”
Was it because of her mood that something was a little strange? It sounded like Arpad was confident that she would later say that she didn’t want to get divorced. That couldn’t be possible. She tilted her head in confusion.
“What if you are grateful and happy about a free divorce?”
“I will give you this villa as alimony.”
“Great!”
She was delighted and slightly modified the terms of the contract.
‘Good! Increasing your wealth is always welcome!’
Knowing the future, it was as if she had already won this bet. That’s what she was thinking at that time.
* * *
After quite a long argument, she finished writing the request contract and signing it. She looked at it with pride.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Of course! How important is this!”
Then Arpad muttered in his voice.
“You have no idea what day today is.”
“What a day! It’s an important day when the contract is confirmed!”
How important was this! She obtained a powerful helper named Arpad. It was also tightly tied to me in the form of marriage.
‘This has never happened in my previous life!’
This alone was a big step forward.
“…”
She didn’t know why, but Arpad was rubbing his forehead with a troubled expression.
“Good. It’s the anniversary of that important contract, so I just want to ask you one thing.”
“Ask.”
Now that she had received the contract, she felt quite relieved.
“How did you know about the Mercenary King, and how is it possible and really possible that he would allow me to ascend to the throne without going crazy…?”
He saw her expression and changed his words.
“…I don’t think you’ll ever say things obediently.”
“That’s right. Even if it’s the contract anniversary, I can’t tell you now.”
There was still more suspicion and wariness than trust between him and her. But try sounding like a regression. The result would only increase Arpad’s suspicions about her.
‘After you show me results and evidence and completely trust me… Actually, do I even need to say it?’
Anyway, Arpad would have met his lover by then. Wouldn’t he be free after divorce? It probably didn’t matter if you take care of the Possessor and Ludwig well before that. Arpad frowned and straightened the corners of his handsome eyes again a few times, and then seemed to finally decide on a question.
“What is your exact relationship with him?”
“Yes? Him? Who?”
As she stared, Arpad explained in more detail.
“Three days ago, in the wedding procession, he was the only one who drew a sword in front of me.”
“Ah, Lord Beltane!”
“Okay. What exactly is your relationship with him?”
She tilted her head.
“Just a knight and a lady.”
‘Ah, maybe this time it will be a little different.’
On the first day of her return, she received a heartfelt oath of loyalty from him. So she corrected herself.
“Ah, lord and knight? Well, it’s actually my only article. As you pointed out.”
She still felt a little embarrassed about the situation at that time. In the face of enemies who intervened in the wedding procession, there was only one person who properly drew his sword and tried to protect the bride. Lord Beltane was not the only knight of Delphine who participated in the procession. In the end, the situation itself was proof that her control over her family was weak. But Arpad did not feel satisfied.
“Can you explain in more detail?”
She answered very, very honestly.
“Hmm. A very grateful person? So, who do you want to protect?”
“I’ve already heard that.”
“Is that it?”
She scratched her cheek. She didn’t know what kind of answer Arpad wanted. Then Arpad let out a long sigh, and then he asked outright:
“I ask honestly. Is he perhaps your lover?”
“…what?!”
She jumped up in surprise. But Arpad’s bizarre speculations did not stop.
“It’s the same as why you tried to include a divorce clause earlier. After using me to stop Ludwig, you plan to remarry him.”
She was about to say this was so absurd, but then she remembered the day in her third life when Lord Beltane took her and ran away. That day, he became a knight who betrayed his honor by running away with his bride the day before their wedding. And yet… And yet he…
“Don’t make such a sad face. Even just a little… If I could help you, that’s enough…”
As she remembered his terrible ending, her body involuntarily stiffened. Thanks to this, she completely missed the timing to answer Arpad’s question.
Then, Arpad laughed sharply.
“…it’s okay. There’s no need to answer. A facial expression or silence was a sufficient answer.”
“…”
It seemed like there was some misunderstanding, but it didn’t matter. After all, their relationship was based on a contract. And when Arpad spoke first, he said what he had been worried about.
“Seeing as we have prepared a star palace in advance, we are also checking the situation on the ecliptic side, right?”
“Should I thank you for trusting my abilities so much?”
Arpad, who was openly sarcastic, did not seem to be in a very good mood.
“Yes, in that trustworthy capacity, please check on the well-being of Lord Beltane and my maid Annie.”
“…Don’t you think it’s too shallow to include a maid’s well-being when asking about the mistress’s well-being?”
“It is an insult to an honorable knight to mistake Lord Beltane for a mistress. And this is not an excuse, it is because these two people in the Delphine family are the ones who give for me.”
“…”
“Please do me this favor.”
She lowered her head.
“This is a request that has nothing to do with our contract.”
For a moment, Arpad seemed to be thinking as he touched the corners of his mouth. But he didn’t necessarily refuse.
“…Let’s find out.”
“Thank you.”
This time, she was able to give her thanks selflessly. Meanwhile, Arpad was a bit dumbfounded.
‘Isn’t it too shameless to ask her husband to check on the mistress’s well-being?’
He didn’t believe Hylia’s plea at all.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released in a bit.
Want to read more?
