IHTMP 12

I’ll Change My Husband First with an Abduction Marriage- Chapter : 12

Isabelle spoke as if sighing.
“But now, the world thinks Grand Duke Ludwig’s marriage has already fallen apart.”
“…….”
The bride had been abducted without even entering the wedding hall, and three days had passed.

Even if the bride returned right now, no one could guarantee her honor.

The Emperor, too, already thought Ludwig’s marriage was effectively over.

Moreover, he had already witnessed something.
‘It looked like Ludwig was treating the bride roughly.’
It was true he was considering his nephew as an alternative in place of his son, who could go mad at any moment.

But if he had known in advance that something like that would happen, he wasn’t sure he would have pushed the marriage forward.

Yet his thoughts couldn’t continue any deeper.

Because there was an obstruction beside him.

The Empress said,
“I’m truly worried, Your Majesty.

About Arpad.”
“…….”
“Has he truly been completely consumed by the madness?

If not, it makes no sense for him to commit such an outrageous act.”
That was also what the Emperor feared most.

The Empress naturally lifted her teacup.

With that alone, her long, richly draped sleeve slipped back, revealing her bare arm.

There was a large, vivid scar there.

The Emperor knew well how that had come to be.
‘It’s the trace of the wound from ‘that time.’

Back when Arpad first showed signs of madness…….’
His heart grew heavy.

The result of a rampage by a child barely ten years old had been that severe.

Because of that day, the Empress could not properly raise her right arm.

Since she had been the Crown Prince’s wet nurse and was originally a maid of the late Empress, Isabelle and Arpad had once been close.

But the Emperor couldn’t blame the Empress for the distance that grew between them after that incident.

Because it was the symbol of the debt the Emperor owed the Empress.

The Emperor understood the Empress’s intention in deliberately lifting her uncomfortable arm and showing the scar.

It was to remind him of Arpad’s madness.
‘It’s only natural that the Empress, who experienced that madness firsthand, cannot trust Arpad…….’
Just as the Emperor himself could not.

The Empress continued, pricking at the Emperor’s most tender weakness.
“After all, the Crown Prince has inherited the late Empress’s madness 그대로…….”
“Watch your words!”
The Emperor, enraged, slammed the armrest.

The Empress bowed her head as if contrite.

But her purpose had already been achieved.

The Emperor had already begun to think of one woman.

The only woman he had loved in his entire life, the mother of his son,

And his former wife, who died of madness, leaving a great scar on his face.

The Emperor closed his eyes as if in pain.
‘Arpad… resembles her too much.’
That was the reason he could not trust his only son.
* * *
When Empress Isabelle left the Emperor’s reception room,

Two people were waiting.

Grand Duke Ludwig, who had been shouting so everyone could hear.

And Evangeline, standing by his side almost like a wife.

Evangeline approached the Empress with a bright expression.
“Mother.

What did His Majesty say?”
Evangeline was the daughter the Empress had borne before marrying the Emperor.

That was why she grew up in the Imperial Palace receiving treatment nearly equal to royalty.

Even so, she could not become complete royalty.

The Empress shook her head.
“He didn’t say anything in particular.

For now, since neither Arpad nor the bride has appeared, it seems he can’t decide what punishment to give.”
Ludwig let out a groaning sound.
“How can he do that?

Whether or not the parties are present, isn’t the crime obvious!

As expected, His Majesty is taking his side because he’s his real son……!”
“Hold your tongue.”
The Empress coldly cut Ludwig off.
“The only one who can control Arpad is His Majesty.

Be careful with words that could invite the Emperor’s wrath.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
He ground his teeth, choked with a sense of defeat.

Beside him, Evangeline’s muttering could be heard.
“…Why would Brother Arpad, of all people, choose that woman…….”
Empress Isabelle looked at her anxious-seeming daughter with reproachful eyes.

But since Ludwig was there, she couldn’t say it openly, so she redirected the topic.
“More important than that is the world’s evaluation and rumors.

His Majesty will be influenced by that, too.”
Over the past three days, the Empress had used all her strength to amplify negative public opinion about Arpad.
‘This incident is nothing more than a happening caused by madness.’
‘Therefore, the marriage between Ludwig and Lady Delphine must be carried out properly.’
And so on.

Ludwig’s eyes gleamed like a beast’s.
‘I will never let you take her from me so easily, Arpad!’
He was deliberately pretending not to know the fact that she had already been abducted.
* * *
Only after a slapdash wedding ceremony did I finally escape the state of crumpled tissue.

Looking at myself reflected in the mirror, I truly looked incredible.
‘To kiss me when I look like this.

The Crown Prince is something else.’
And the priest who officiated the wedding is something else, too.
‘And to think, this is also the first time I’ve held a wedding looking like this.’
Because until now, my weddings had always been held grandly, splendidly, solemnly—at least on the surface.

A simple wedding with only the priest besides the groom and bride.

But my heart felt more at ease and my mood better than ever.
‘Good.

At last, I’ve taken the first step toward escaping that bastard!’
Besides that, I was also overjoyed that I could finally wash properly and change clothes for the first time in three days.

When I soaked my body in hot water, it felt like I was melting into mush.

Once even the paperwork marriage was finally settled, worries bubbled up like soap bubbles.
‘Ah, is Sir Beltein alright?’
Since being abducted in an abduction marriage came first, I couldn’t look after Beltein, too.

Does it make any sense for a kidnapped bride being dragged away to bring her knight along?

‘He’s even injured…….’
And he must be terribly worried about me.

Because he thinks I was truly kidnapped by Arpad.

Considering his inflexible personality, he might even try to take responsibility and cut his own throat.
‘No way… surely not?’
I thought I needed to act as quickly as possible about this.

And on top of that, worries about Annie as well.
‘Annie will definitely think I was abducted in an abduction marriage, too.’
She’ll be incredibly worried.

But since not knowing the truth is better for their own safety, I couldn’t tell them beforehand.

There wasn’t time, either.
‘At least Sir Beltein escorted me to the catacombs, and Annie saw that I was plotting something, so I can only hope they’ll pick up on it to some extent.’
That was my limit for now.

Now that the seal was stamped, I just needed to return to the capital as quickly as possible and clean up the aftermath.

While my head was busy with worries about the two of them and thoughts about what came next,

Maids with skilled fingertips scrubbed me squeaky clean, dried me soft and fluffy, changed my clothes, and brought me to the bedroom.
“Please have a happy night.”
“May you have sweet dreams.”
Somehow, the words sounded meaningful.

When I came to my senses, I had been delivered alone into a bedroom decorated with red silk.

In the room, a single enormous bed sat squarely at the center in an extremely suggestive way.

It was almost the size of a small room, like I could roll around ten times and still not fall off.

A red canopy surrounded it in a square, so I couldn’t see well inside, but I could tell the size at a glance.

The scented candles burning softly and releasing fragrance from every side, the roses placed in the vase on the side table over there, too…….
‘Overall, it’s a very indecent atmosphere.’
So much so that my face heated up without my meaning to.

If this marriage had been an ordinary political marriage, I might have entered the bedroom with firm resolve.
‘But it isn’t, is it?’
From our very first meeting (in this life), the groom and I had been in a gloomy underground tomb.

Rather than whispering sweet nothings, we’d exchanged my threats and Arpad’s blade first.

It wasn’t a romantic relationship at all.

It was closer to an alliance for survival.
‘But there’s no way the maids in this detached palace would know that… it can’t be helped.’
In any case, after three days of forced marching, I was at the limit of exhaustion.

Embarrassment and everything else forgotten, I yanked open the bed curtains.
“Soft sheets!

Pillows!”
That was all that mattered… or so I thought?

The moment I saw inside the bed, I froze stiff.
“What is this supposed to be?”
And for good reason—on the pure white bedsheets, there were heaps of rose petals scattered everywhere, romantic to an excessive and problematic degree!

And as if answering my question, an ominous sound came from behind me.

Kiiik—
The sound of the bedroom door opening.

Right after, hot steam rushed in,

And because it was so absurd, I heard a chilling sentence.
“As expected, my bride is very proactive.

Unable to endure even the short time it took for me to come…….”
“What are you saying right now?!”
I spun around and shouted, then immediately turned my head back again.

Because at the open doorway, for some reason, Crown Prince Arpad stood there damp and wet, half-naked in nothing but a red robe.

He began walking toward me—toward the bed—just like that.

Why are you doing a model walk in just a robe?

And toward me, no less?
“Wh-Why… why… why did you come?”
At my stupid question, Arpad answered, his eyes curving beautifully.
“Because it’s our first night.

My bride.”