IHTMP 07

I’ll Change My Husband First with an Abduction Marriage – Chapter : 7

That dawn.

Arpad returned to the Crown Prince’s palace.

At his return, the palace servants who had been standing watch were horrified.
“Y-Your Highness!”
“How is it already……!”
“Why?

Are you afraid I’ll go mad, rampage, and tear you all to pieces?”
“Your Highness!!”
The servants were awestruck, yet did not refute his words.

Because in truth, all of them were afraid.

Of when the Crown Prince’s madness might flare again.

Behind his back, a vivid red moon had risen.

The same Crimson Moon that had hung in the sky on the day the late Empress died of madness.

Arpad, sick of the moon that resembled his own eyes, stared at it with loathing.
‘Hardly anyone knows that on nights when the Crimson Moon rises, I spend the night in the catacombs to suppress the madness…….’
But that woman knew and came looking for him.

Even carrying the silver coin for the dead that one must present to find the Mercenary King Arpad.

And that wasn’t all.

He felt the sensation of the pearl rolling in his hand.
‘That woman knew information about the Mercenary King, and information about the Crown Prince, at the same time.’
Information you could not know unless you were certain from the start that the two were the same person.

Each and every one of those were things hardly anyone besides Arpad knew.
‘Information impossible to uncover even if you planted spies throughout the Imperial Palace, throughout the entire mercenary guild—no, throughout the whole continent.’
He could not even begin to guess what was going on.

After sending away every servant filled with fear.

Arpad checked the ‘advance payment’ the mysterious woman had given him just moments ago.

A precious pearl larger than his thumbnail gave off a mysterious light.
‘This is real.

Of course, I already confirmed earlier that she can draw on the divine power of a holy relic, so it’s only natural.’
He took a deep breath and brought the pearl to his forehead.

The holy relic’s divine power reacted to the dragon blood running in Arpad’s veins and began to shine.

But.
“It’s useless.”
Just as she said.

The blessing left in the holy relic could not neutralize or erase this madness that flowed in Arpad’s bloodline.

In the end, the woman’s words were right.

Relying on holy relics had been one of the shallow hopes he’d held onto.

He hadn’t expected much, yet when he confirmed it truly had no effect, helplessness washed over him.

Arpad threw the pearl to the floor.

And remembered.
‘Who in the world is that woman?’
The woman who had come to find him with an astonishing method just a few hours ago.
‘How did she know this would fail?’
A woman whose eye-catching pink hair looked fine and fluffy.

Her deep violet eyes were like violet candy, and her smooth white skin carried a pale pink flush like cherry blossoms.

Despite an appearance so sweet it seemed it would melt with only the touch of a tongue……
“This pearl, and any blessed jewel or holy relic, it’s useless.”
‘Those were very cold words.’
And on top of that, bold, threatening blackmail.

One thing was certain.
‘No matter who she is, that woman is far too dangerous.’
At the very least, it was certain he could not leave her quietly by Ludwig’s side.

If she used that unknown power for Ludwig?
‘The Crown Prince would be replaced at once.’
If so, then in the end, it meant he had no choice.
‘That blackmail disguised as a commission, from the start, wasn’t something I could refuse.’
And the woman was certain of that.

Those violet eyes that had stared straight at him without fear, so eerie it was strange, drew his interest.

They were eyes with a calm madness dwelling within them.

If he saw those eyes once more, perhaps his resolve would become more certain.

Arpad glared at the sky where dawn was breaking and laughed fiercely.

He did not realize it himself, but it resembled a starving beast that had already marked its prey.

In the end, after greeting the morning sun with eyes that never closed, he had the head attendant bring him his white ceremonial uniform.
* * *
There is a proverb I came to hate deeply after my first regression.

Even if you wring a chicken’s neck, dawn still comes.

Because every time I desperately wished the next day would never arrive, that proverb always became reality without mercy.

In the end, the next day came again.
‘The morning of my fourth wedding.’
Aside from the first, I didn’t feel even the slightest thrill or joy.

Of course, there haven’t been many times I greeted my wedding day this quietly in my room.

Right after the first regression, I tried to run to the temple and become a nun, but failed.

And in the regression just before this……
‘I ran away with Sir Beltein, and failed in the most wretched way.’
I heard a voice calling me from behind.
“Hylia.”
I slowly turned my head.
“Ludwig…….”
My lips trembled as I held his name.

Of course, it wasn’t because I’d gotten sentimental or still had any lingering attachment after seeing this man’s face.

Grit.
‘All of a sudden, I want to kick him to death!’
The fingertips holding the bouquet trembled with overflowing rage.

To be honest, there was something I regretted a little yesterday.
‘Because I thought the regressions were over, and because I was paying attention to the possessor, I moved around in such a frenzy.’
And I couldn’t help it, because I was so focused on Arpad.

But once it became the wedding day and I saw his face, killing intent and resentment surged so hard it was difficult to endure.
‘At least once, out of the three regressions, I should’ve smashed that man’s face in!’
But not now.

I couldn’t.

It wasn’t time yet.

Then I heard the pile of bullshit Ludwig was spewing.
“Honestly, do you have any idea how much trouble you caused me yesterday?

Getting a new wedding dress and veil isn’t something you can do easily!”
It felt like something snapped in my head.

He was speaking almost as if he were shouting me down.

I protested in a trembling voice.
“B-But, Ludwig.

I’m not the one who ruined the dress.

The intruder…….”
“Even so, if you’d properly locked the door, nothing would’ve happened!”
Someone said something similar yesterday.
“Even if it happened because our new sister-in-law was careless and didn’t lock the door, don’t be so angry…….”
That bastard seems to have reached a similar conclusion after fighting with Evangeline yesterday.

Since he’s bringing over that same logic word for word.

And perhaps the two of them even made up dramatically by blaming it all on me.

I know well, because in my past life, I saw that spectacle more than once.
“Yeah.

Eva.

How could you be at fault?

It’s Hylia who’s the problem, stealing the position that should naturally be yours.”
“No.

You must be the one suffering most, having to hide your true feelings.”
My blood pressure shot up like crazy.
‘Endure it.

I have to endure.

For now, I must endure, Hylia Delphine!’
It feels like the clock is moving far too slowly.

But I felt like I wouldn’t be able to hold back from showing my anger and hatred, so instead I lowered my head deeply.
“To cry over something like this.

With such a weak heart, how can you fulfill your duties as a grand duchess?”
His dogshit didn’t stop.
“No matter how upset you are over the dress being ruined because of you.

To make your neck look like that, too.

Where in the world is your head?”
He was referring to the cuts and strangulation marks from last night, from Arpad’s blade.

To anyone, my injuries were easy to misunderstand as me failing at making a bad choice.

There had been another uproar this morning trying to hide it with a choker and lace.

I clearly remembered Annie sobbing when she saw me this morning, and how worried Sir Beltein was.

But my fiancé, who should have been the most worried and sorrowful, was busy using it as leverage to corner me.
“To be honest, I’m very disappointed.

Hylia.

To the point I want to reconsider marrying you.”
I knew Ludwig’s way.

He was waiting leisurely now.

For me to apologize and beg.

Just like I always had.

Then he would become the merciful husband who generously forgave my mistake.
‘You think I’ll do what you want?’
I calculated delicately as I dragged out time.

I bit the inside of my mouth until it broke, forced out tears, and then appealed to him again in a choked voice.
“Actually, actually, Ludwig… there was another intruder at dawn.

What do I do?”
“…What?”
Before Ludwig’s flustered reply could grow longer, I spilled it all at once.
“I woke up with a strange feeling, and someone was strangling my neck.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!

After what happened yesterday, I tightened security even more!

And you’re saying there was an intruder?!

You must’ve had a nightmare!”
“Then what about these wounds?”
“You hurt yourself in a nightmare, like an idiot!”
I shook my head and burst into loud tears.
“Do you think I could leave wounds like this on myself?

If it wasn’t an outside intruder’s doing, then it must’ve been an insider’s!”
“……!”
Ludwig couldn’t refute that statement.

Even though I was nearly collapsing from crying, Ludwig didn’t support me.

He only fell into thought with a complicated expression.

I began fanning the suspicion I’d scattered yesterday.
“There has to be someone who wants to interfere with our marriage, Ludwig!

What should I do?”
Ludwig looked anxious.
“That’s absurd.

There can’t be anyone like that.”
Unlike just now, when he’d been eagerly pushing me, his voice lacked confidence.

Sniffling, I replied,
“Maybe there’s someone secretly in love with you.

Closer than you think.”
“…What?”
Ludwig looked visibly startled.

I pressed him harder.
“I’m saying a woman who loves you might want to stop our marriage, even if she has to kill me!”
“…That can’t be.

It’s speculation.”
“Then who else would ruin the dress and try to kill me, the bride?”
“If that’s true, why didn’t you call for someone when there was an intruder at dawn?!”
I lifted my head.

And met Ludwig’s eyes head-on.

Ludwig visibly flinched.
“I did.”
“What?

But no one heard…….”
I sobbed as though I were the most pitiful woman in the world.
“I called you, over and over!”
“What?

What kind of nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Of course, it really is nonsense.

Since I mustn’t get caught meeting Arpad at dawn yesterday, I stayed as quiet as a dead mouse.

But do I really need to tell the truth?

I lied so calmly that I surprised even myself.

It was far too easy in front of Ludwig.

A voice so wretched and pitiful it made even me feel like crying spilled out.
“I don’t know how many times I called your name while being strangled.

But… you didn’t come.”
“No, what in the world are you saying?

Right now?!”
He seemed to be going crazy, beyond furious.

I poured oil on it.
“Were you with another woman, so you couldn’t hear my scream?”
“Hylia!!!”
Unlike just now, at those words he was horrified as if he’d been pricked.
‘There really was a woman, so of course.’
He dismissed my nonsense as hysteria right before the wedding.

And began to get angry.
“Stop crying and get up now, Hylia!”
Ludwig grabbed my wrist and yanked roughly.
“Ack!”
It was hidden by my sleeve, but it was the spot Arpad had grabbed roughly yesterday, leaving bruises.

My scream cut through the air sharper and louder than I expected.

Ludwig panicked.
“W-What is it?”
At that moment.

Through the half-open crack of the door, an authoritative voice, filled with fury, seeped in.
“What in the world are you doing right now, Ludwig?”
Still holding my wrist, Ludwig turned around in shock.

There stood a middle-aged man in a splendid golden robe.

Now that white hair had grown in, his platinum-blond hair resembled someone I’d seen yesterday quite a bit.

Even with a beard he’d grown thickly, it couldn’t fully cover the scar running from his left cheek to his jaw.

But no matter how large the scar, it did not harm the man’s dignity and nobility in the slightest.

Both Ludwig and I knew exactly who he was.
“Your Majesty the Emperor!”