Chapter 3

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 3

Chapter Title: The Ruined Wedding Dress

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Crown Prince Arpad was a man destined to clash repeatedly with his father the Emperor, only to succumb to the hereditary madness plaguing the imperial family and die in the end.

I had once witnessed the sea of blood he unleashed after turning into a deranged murderer.

'I nearly died by his hand that time.'

But the only one who could stand against Ludwig, backed by the Emperor's favor, was him—with his legitimate claim to the throne.

Besides, I had crucial information gained from my third life.

Information that came at the cost of unimaginable agony.

'I know how to stop Crown Prince Arpad from going mad.'

That didn't mean I could rush out right now and seek him.

'Someone's coming soon.'

Two people, at different times.

This was a moment I was experiencing for the fourth time now.

And since it happened right after my regression, of course it was seared vividly into my memory.

I remembered especially well everything that would unfold from tonight until the wedding.

I gauged the time roughly, then hid the paper knife in the secret compartment of the jewelry box.

I flung open all the windows and doors.

And after the first person I'd been waiting for entered the room, a good while later...

I screamed loud enough to echo through the entire mansion.

"Kyaaah!!!"

Anyone with functioning ears had no choice but to hear it.

Everyone had no choice but to come rushing to my room.

A familiar man's voice was laced with uncharacteristic bewilderment.

"What in the world is this...?"

He had been my husband in all three of my previous lives, but this flustered, embarrassed tone was a first.

"How am I supposed to deal with this...!"

'So it was always nothing but lies and pretense in front of me.'

I shifted only my eyes toward the source of the voice.

There stood a handsome man, striking though not quite on the Crown Prince's level.

Dull gray hair, and reddish-brown eyes that in my first life I'd only thought beautiful.

My husband in three lives, the man who used me up and discarded me—my sworn enemy.

Grand Duke Ludwig Kielern.

The Emperor's nephew and Crown Prince Arpad's rival.

Currently my fiancé, and by tomorrow morning, he would become my husband.

He exploded at me.

"How did your dress end up like this? The wedding's tomorrow! What the hell am I supposed to do about it?!"

He jabbed his finger accusingly between the ruined wedding dress and me.

'Ah, that angry expression and accusatory tone feel so familiar.'

I'd seen them plenty in my past lives.

I threw myself into the act with full force.

I squeezed out tears and sobbed loudly.

"I-I'm sorry, Ludwig. It's the dress you gave me, and I couldn't protect it."

Wahhh!

Even to my own ears, it was a heartbreaking wail that filled the room.

And deliberately, I repeated "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" like a madwoman.

Just like a bride in despair over her ruined dress the day before her wedding.

Ludwig, who had been berating me, suddenly looked awkward instead.

He'd ended up bullying the biggest victim, who was only blaming herself.

Then a sweet woman's voice tickled my ears.

"Enough, brother. Our new sister-in-law must be regretting it more than anyone. Please don't be so harsh."

A voice I knew all too well.

'Goodbye, original story's heroine.'

I nearly cursed out loud. My whole body trembled like a leaf. Thank goodness I was pretending to cry.

'What the hell!'

Her words alone made it sound like I was the one who'd shredded the wedding dress.

'...Oh, right. That was me.'

I'd gotten so caught up in the performance that I'd almost forgotten.

But confessing to it would be insane, so of course I had no intention of doing that.

While I wept buckets, the owner of that syrupy voice had sidled up beside Ludwig.

I peeked through my fingers at the nauseating sight.

"Even if it was new sister-in-law's carelessness for not locking the door, don't be too angry. The bride's the one who's saddest about the dress like that."

"You're too kind for your own good, Evangeline."

There she was: Evangeline—or rather, the possessor whose real name I didn't know.

She twirled her honey-blonde curls and beamed radiantly.

Even with her fiancé—me—right there, she gently stroked the furious Ludwig's shoulder to soothe him.

It wasn't behavior anyone would show toward another woman's man.

Especially not from someone who called him "brother" and me "new sister-in-law."

'Brother, my foot.'

She was hailed as the flower of high society, but she was merely a marquis's daughter. The simple reason she could call the imperial Ludwig "brother" was this:

'She's the daughter from the Empress's previous marriage.'

It would normally have drawn opposition, but the current Empress had been a maid to the previous Empress.

She'd even been personally chosen by the previous Empress as the Crown Prince's wet nurse.

Because of that, the Emperor had elevated her to Empress so she could care for his son.

Of course, even he hadn't foreseen that she would one day drive a wedge between him and his prince.

In any case, that meant Evangeline, the Empress's daughter, was afforded treatment nearly equal to royalty.

Having grown up together since childhood, she even claimed Ludwig was like a cousin.

She used that as an excuse to call him "brother" first and dub me "new sister-in-law."

To me, who knew what they really were... their behavior was...

'...Revolting.'

Calling him "brother" like they were cousins, only to cheat because "no blood relation anyway."

'Well, being a possessor, maybe she didn't care.'

Whatever. It wasn't my problem.

Judging by those clingy hands, they were probably already deep—or about to be again.

'This time, I'll dump both those trash heaps in the bin at once.'

Grk. My jaw clenched unconsciously, and I tasted blood on my lips.

But Ludwig didn't notice a thing—not his fiancée bawling her eyes out, not the blood on her lips.

He was too busy flirting with Evangeline.

I kept crying until my body went limp, then staggered as if collapsing.

"Ah...!"

I fell perfectly into Ludwig's arms, all natural-like.

"Hilia!!"

Only then did Ludwig notice my state and reach out to support me.

Evangeline, shoved aside like discarded trash, couldn't mask her expression for a moment.

In that instant, I landed my masterstroke.

I burrowed pitifully into his embrace and cried out,

"It's scary, Ludwig!"

"Huh? What suddenly...?"

I gazed up at him through tear-soaked eyes.

I hadn't yet suffered at the hands of this adulterous pair, so I was at my peak beauty.

The time when whispers called me the continent's greatest beauty.

No one could resist a beauty's tears.

Not even with his mistress standing right there.

I could see Evangeline failing to fully hide her jealousy and sense of defeat.

Pretending not to notice, I focused solely on Ludwig.

"You heard someone ruin the wedding dress, that's why I screamed, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Your scream was so loud that me, Evangeline, and all the servants outside rushed in."

He sounded a bit irritated.

Definitely not the tone for comforting a heartbroken fiancée.

"Actually... before coming into the room, I saw it!"

"Saw? What... oh, you mean you saw the culprit?!"

I trembled violently, feigning terror, but nodded anyway.

Ludwig's rage took shape. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me like I was the culprit—as if I really were one, which I was—and yelled,

"Who was it? Tell me now! I'll kill the bastard!"

This wasn't just any dress; it was for our wedding.

Finding a fitting replacement the day before was a huge issue, but with the design already public, any sudden change would spark endless rumors.

A hothead like Ludwig had every reason to blow up.

To his fuming self, I replied in a voice thick with fear.

"I didn't see their face. They fled too fast. But... I know it was a woman."

"...A woman?"

I lobbed the next bomb with innocent ease.

"It's so scary, Ludwig!"

I burrowed deeper into his arms and shouted loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"What if someone's trying to sabotage our marriage? Someone who hates me and wants to shatter our happiness—and they're close by. It's terrifying."

"...!"

He tried to play it cool, but I felt Ludwig flinch.

'That's right. Someone like that is nearby. Right in front of us, actually.'

And I was certain Ludwig and Evangeline were exchanging panicked glances right now.

Something like,

'No way it was you, Evangeline?'

'Of course not, brother!'

Even before she revealed she was a possessor, Evangeline had acted like anything of mine was rightfully hers.

I'd even heard her say once,

"It was always going to end up like this. Ludwig from the start, the Crown Princess position—they were mine. I just let you hold them temporarily."

Ludwig couldn't possibly be unaware of that.

The one person most opposed to this wedding, with every motive to ruin the dress.

Really, there was only one candidate.

Ludwig's mistress, Evangeline.

He had no way of not suspecting her.

'Perfect. I've planted the seed of doubt.'

I smirked to myself, nestled in Ludwig's now-rigid arms.