I’ll Change My Husband First with an Abduction Marriage – Chapter : 14
Arpad is already twenty-three years old.
In fact, that’s a bit late for marriage.
‘Because nobles all marry in their late teens to early twenties.’
The Emperor did not push forward his son’s marriage because he could not trust him as an heir.
Instead, he even went so far as to attach me—backed by House Delphine—to his nephew.
‘But engagement and romance are separate matters.’
I had heard the rumor that Crown Prince Arpad had a hidden lover in all three of my lives before regression.
I didn’t know exactly who the other party was, but.
Roughly, it was a forbidden match.
After she was taken from him—or after he lost her—the Crown Prince went mad.
And so on…….
That was all the information I had.
And then.
“It seems… that boy had a woman he loved.
I only learned even that after my son died, after I failed to protect him.”
The one who said those words was Arpad’s father right before my eyes: the current Emperor, Valter Istrid.
Was it my second life?
Back then, I had once spent time close to the Emperor, who killed his mad son with his own hands and chose to live in confinement at a remote temple.
At that time, the Emperor looked like a man with only an empty shell left.
His hair had turned completely white.
Even though, in terms of timing, it had been only two years from now.
Given who the source was, it was quite credible.
So I added a ‘free right to divorce’ out of consideration!
And yet I truly don’t know why he’s getting angry!
‘If it doesn’t exist yet, it could exist later!’
As I blinked, Arpad asked again.
“Why did you go out of your way to include such a clause?”
“Because Your Highness also has someone you love—no, could come to have?”
Arpad tilted his head.
Then he started spouting nonsense that could make you faint.
“Isn’t it that you’re trying to set up a safety device so you can pull out at any time?”
“What?!”
What kind of nonsense is this?
Arpad was acting like a picky customer looking at an insurance scammer who was ready to take the money and run at any moment.
And he piled on another scoop.
“Are you saying you’ll take only what you want from me and then run away whenever you please.
Like a villain who abandons a delicate maiden!”
“Why are your expressions like that, starting earlier?!”
Arpad’s gaze gleamed.
“So you were planning to suck me dry and throw me away at any time—!”
I couldn’t take it anymore and reached out with both hands to cover the mouth of the man who’d been spouting nonsense nonstop.
“……!”
“…….”
It was only a bit late that I realized I had reached out first and pressed far too close to him.
When our breaths touched, the inside of my grip tickled.
Arpad’s lips were hotter and more moist than I expected.
And that soft feeling reminded me of when we shared the vow kiss earlier…….
No, that’s not it!
I barely managed to pull myself together and shouted.
Who would fall for a handsome face like this?
“…Still, no!”
“What is ‘no’?”
Arpad asked, even as I was still reaching out.
Thanks to that, his breath strongly tickled my palm.
“Hik!”
Twitch.
It felt like all the hair on my body was standing on end.
In the end, I couldn’t bear it and pulled my hands away.
I felt my temper flare up, like I’d lost.
It was unfair.
This clause wasn’t for me—it was for Arpad.
‘Because by then, he’ll already have met his lover.’
That’s why.
With a provoking smile, I declared,
“Later, don’t even think about coming to thank me for putting this clause into the contract.”
When the time comes, you’ll bow and beg me for a divorce.
Arpad crossed his arms, displeased.
“And if that isn’t the case?”
“…Huh?”
“If, when the time comes, far from being grateful for that clause, I have a complaint?”
It seemed both Arpad and I had personalities that could never endure taking a loss.
But the Crown Prince, who didn’t know the future, was asking a foolish question.
“There’s no way.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so certain.”
Having a complaint about a free right to divorce means you don’t want to divorce.
There was no way Arpad would ever do that.
This was the confidence of someone who knew the future.
After glaring at me with a dissatisfied expression for a moment, Arpad suddenly proposed,
“Then how about we revise the clause a little?”
“How?”
“If later I have a complaint about the free divorce clause, then the clause’s contents are deleted.
But if, as you say, I’ll be happy and grateful…….”
Is it just my imagination, or does something about this sound a bit strange?
It sounds as though Arpad is certain he’ll say later that he doesn’t want a divorce.
But that can’t be.
I tilted my head, puzzled.
“If you’re grateful and happy about free divorce?”
“I’ll give you this detached palace as alimony.”
“Deal!”
I giggled and revised the clause slightly in the contract.
‘Good!
More property is always welcome!’
This wager was practically already won by me, who knew the future.
At the time, I thought so.
* * *
After a fairly long war of words, we finished drafting the commission contract and even signed it.
I looked at it with a proud expression.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Of course!
Do you know how important this is!”
Then Arpad muttered in a sulky voice.
“You really have no sense what day it is.”
“What day could it be!
It’s the important day the contract is finalized!”
Do you know how important this is!
I got my hands on a powerful helper named Arpad.
And I bound him tightly to me through marriage.
‘Something that never happened in my previous lives!’
That alone was a huge step forward.
“…….”
For some reason, Arpad was rubbing his brow like he had a headache.
“Fine.
Since it’s such an important contract anniversary, I’ll ask just one thing.”
“Go ahead.”
With the contract safely in hand, I felt quite comfortable.
“How you knew about the Mercenary King, and how it’s possible for you to make me ascend the throne without going mad, and whether it’s really possible…….”
He looked at my expression, then changed his own words.
“…you don’t look like you’ll tell me that easily.”
“That’s right.
No matter what kind of anniversary it is, I can’t tell you right now.”
Between him and me, suspicion and wariness still outweighed trust.
And if I started talking about regression.
It would only deepen Arpad’s suspicion toward me.
‘After I show achievements and evidence and he fully trusts me… do I even need to say it?’
Anyway, by then Arpad would have met his lover.
Wouldn’t I be divorced and free by then?
If I take care of the possessor and Ludwig properly before then, it doesn’t matter either way.
Arpad furrowed and relaxed the corners of his handsome eyes several times, then finally seemed to choose a question.
“What exactly is your relationship with that man?”
“Huh?
That man?
Who?”
When I stared blankly, Arpad explained in more detail.
“The one who, three days ago, was the only one in the wedding procession to draw his sword before me.”
“Ah, Sir Beltein!”
“Yes.
Him.
What exactly is he to you?”
I tilted my head.
“Just a knight and his lady.”
Ah, maybe this time it could be a little different.
Because on the first day of regression, I received from him an oath of loyalty with real feeling behind it.
So I corrected myself.
“Ah, lord and knight?
Well, he’s practically my only knight.
As you pointed out.”
Even now, that scene was a bit embarrassing.
To think that in a procession full of people, only one person properly drew his sword to protect the bride before an intruder.
Sir Beltein wasn’t the only Delphine knight who participated in the procession.
In the end, that situation itself was proof that my grip over my house was pitifully weak.
But Arpad didn’t seem satisfied.
“Explain in more detail.”
I answered very, very honestly.
“Um.
A person I’m very grateful to?
So someone I want to protect?”
“I’ve already heard that.”
“Because that’s all there is?”
I scratched my cheek.
I really don’t know what answer Arpad wants.
Then Arpad let out a long sigh and asked bluntly,
“I’ll ask honestly.
Is he, perhaps, your lover?”
“…What?!”
I jumped in shock.
But Arpad’s strange assumption didn’t stop.
“The fact you tried to include that divorce clause earlier, too.
After you use me to block Ludwig, aren’t you planning to remarry him?”
I was about to say it was absurd, but the day in my third life when Sir Beltein ran away with me came to mind.
That day, he became a knight who threw away his honor by running away with the bride on the eve of her wedding.
And yet… and yet he…….
“Don’t make such a sad face.
If I could… be of even a little help to you, that’s enough…….”
When his dreadful end surfaced in my mind, my body stiffened without me realizing it.
Because of that, I completely missed the timing to answer Arpad’s question.
Then Arpad laughed sharply.
“…Enough.
No need to answer.
Your expression and silence are answer enough.”
“…….”
It felt like he’d misunderstood something, but it didn’t matter.
Because we’re a relationship formed by contract.
And since Arpad had started talking, I took the chance to say what I’d been worried about.
“Seeing you prepared this detached palace in advance, you’ve been checking the situation in the capital too, right?”
“Should I say thank you for trusting my abilities that much?”
Arpad’s open sarcasm didn’t make him look in a very good mood.
“Yes, with those sufficiently trustworthy abilities, please check on Sir Beltein and the maid Annie.”
“…Don’t you think it’s too shallow to slip a maid’s well-being in while asking after your mistress?”
“Mistaking Sir Beltein for a mistress is an insult to an honorable knight.
And this isn’t an excuse—those two are people within House Delphine who are on my side.”
“…….”
“Please.”
I lowered my head.
“This is a request unrelated to our contract.”
For a moment, Arpad looked as if he were thinking, rubbing at his lips.
But he didn’t refuse outright.
“…I’ll look into it.”
“Thank you.”
This time, I could say it plainly, without ulterior motives.
Meanwhile, Arpad was a bit dumbfounded.
‘Asking her husband to look into her mistress’s well-being—how brazen.’
He didn’t believe Hylia’s protest at all.
