If I Don’t Get Married I’ll Die

I finally made a crack.

“Something terrible will happen sooner or later because of what you are planning.”

“Something terrible?”

“Something that you dreadfully do not want. The snowy mountains of Lonheim will be stained with blood again.”

Then you’ll get caught and killed by Andrea while you try to protect Lonheim.

That last part I omitted.

Talking about the death of the person concerned would only cause unnecessary retaliation.

I added a detailed explanation instead.

“You plan to sell the gold mine to Count Elbern to raise money and build an army.”

His expression didn’t change much but based on his silence, I could tell he was surprised.

Because he heard the plan that no one should have known, directly from my mouth.

“Count Elbern will use it to join hands with Andrea. The Count doesn’t actually want the gold mine. He wants to station troops there. He may look clumsy but he is cunning.”

“Let’s assume that all you’re saying is true. Why would he plan such a thing with Count Elbern?”

“Because Andrea, who will become the next emperor after getting rid of me, hates you, Marquis.”

Andrea may have spent a lot of time around me to make me crazy, but that also meant I spent a lot of time with Andrea.

I knew a lot more about Andrea than I thought.

Andrea hated Kalius to the point that it was strange.

He obviously had no contact with Kalius, and Kalius was often out in his territory or on the battlefield, so he wouldn’t even have run into him.

‘In my past life, Andrea tried to kill Kalius whenever he got a chance.’

That was one of two reasons I chose Kalius.

With a firm resolve, I looked up at the man in front of me.

‘I will save this man with my own hands.’

From Andrea, who was desperate to kill Kalius, and save him somehow.

In this life, my goal is to thwart everything Andrea wants to achieve and take away everything Andrea wants to have.

And the first step to reach that goal is to marry and save the man who Andrea hates so much.

‘If I said I was marrying Marquis Rodrian, Andrea would jump up and oppose it.’

I can’t wait to see Andre’s crumpled face.

Kalius tilted his head.

“Weren’t you on good terms with the prince?”

“There must be a ‘rumor’ of that. Just like there are rumors that I’m crazy and rumors that you cannibalize.”

“…..”

I stared at Kalius with a proud face.

“It’ll do you better to choose me, Marquis.”

I said confidently.

But Kalius didn’t accept it easily.

“According to what the princess said, why would you want to marry me for a worthless gold mine?”

His sharp eyes peered deeply into mine, as if he was curious to know my intentions.

“What will the princess gain through this marriage?”

It was an easy question.

I answered without hesitation.

“I want to leave this place.”

I can’t help it if he doesn’t believe how important this is to me.

I looked at him with firm eyes.

“I thought you could take me as far as possible.”

At that, he smiled as strangely as he had before.

“If you want to run as far away from here as possible, Lonheim is indeed the place to go.”

The word ‘run’ came out of his mouth.

I could tell from his words that he decided to trust me.

At that moment, I saw Andrea’s attendants coming out of the banquet hall.

They must be looking for me.

I hurriedly said to Kalius.

“Come see me if you’re willing to accept this deal.”

I really didn’t have time.

I could see some of Andrea’s attendants approaching the garden.

“Later then.”

He then grabbed me as I turned to hide in the shadow of a tree.

“I’ll ask you one more question. Why does the Princess covet that gold mine?”

I replied impulsively.

“I want to make a flower garden.”

“…..a flower garden?”

“Like I said, I love flowers.”

Flowers with value that couldn’t be compared to gold in the future.

The hand holding me loosened.

Then something wrapped around my shoulders. Without me noticing, he had taken off the coat he was wearing.

“…..?”

I looked up at him, embarrassed by the unexpected kindness, and he said calmly.

“Your clothes are wet.”

Was it just my illusion or did he seem warmer when he said that?

“Th-Thank you. Bye.”

How to behave in such a situation was something that I hadn’t thought of in advance, so I bowed stiffly and left as if I was running away.

Using the shade of the wall where the moonlight did not reach, I headed for my palace.

I could faintly hear Kalius’ low, bewildered laughter behind me.

***

After Chloe left, Kalius, who had remained behind, stayed for a while, his eyes fixed at the spot where she had left.

“I was worried because I heard rumors that you weren’t well.”

A smile spread across his lips as he recalled the sly expression on her face when she said that she would make a flower garden.

It was a completely different attitude than the chaotic aura she gave off a while ago.

“You grew up to be a fun person, Chloe.”

What Chloe said was shocking.

How did she know all of that?

But he wondered what was wrong with her.

At first, he was wary, thinking that she was trying to blackmail him with his weakness, but hearing her trembling voice made it clear that she was on guard.

“Nervous. Like she’ll be eaten.”

He lowered his gaze slightly, still with a smile on his lips.

But disappointment was hidden underneath his eyes.

“I’m sad that you didn’t recognize me.”

***

After parting with Kalius and leaving the garden, I hurriedly adjusted my collar against the strong wind.

The coat was so large that it was almost like a blanket on me.

It was still late summer, so the wind wasn’t too cold, but my body, which struggled a lot from the cold, quickly lost heat despite the lukewarm wind.

It felt cold every time the wine-soaked hem of my skirt clung to my leg.

‘I’m glad my nightgown is thick.’

The coat on me helped, but the thick nightgown also aided to keep me warm.

I’m probably the only one who’s wearing such thick nightwear this season.

Thanks to this, I was able to go out quietly without having to call maids to change my clothes.

If I had been wearing my summer nightgown, I wouldn’t have been able to go out with only that on because my body would be seen through.

‘In the first place, there’s no way that the maids Andrea attached to me would have let me go.’

Andrea was terrified that his sister, who had lost her sanity, would get in the way and harm the dignity of the imperial family.

I was initially very grateful that he attached maids to me, an imperial princess who did not even have a lady-in-waiting.

The maids carefully stood next to me and watched over me without leaving me alone for a moment. Their persistence was truly admirable.

‘That’s why it was so hard to sneak out.’

How strict was the surveillance?

I was proud to break through that and secretly come out to the banquet hall.

‘How will Andrea react when he hears that I appeared at the banquet hall?’

Thinking of Andrea, I gritted my teeth.

Andrea was the only person I thought I could turn to and follow but he deceived me. My heart constricted at the sense of betrayal.

“I’m not going to do the same thing like an id**t. And… I’m going to get my revenge.”

I will make you feel the same pain and suffering I received.

And as I was making that promise.

“What happened at the banquet hall for them to say such harsh words?”

A young voice came from behind the columns in the corridor.

He was a skinny boy who looked to be about 12 years old.

The child wore ragged clothes that didn’t match the imperial palace at all, and on his waist was an old sword with several chips.

Despite the appearance of a young child whose features have not yet matured, he was clearly going to be a handsome boy in the future.

His golden eyes that were shining brightly, were full of confidence. The boy’s smile gleamed.

I knew the boy.

It was Cal, an old friend of mine with a body that never grew.

“Cal.”

He was shocked to see my wine-stained nightgown.

“Are you okay?”

I smiled bitterly and nodded.

I don’t know how he sneaked into the imperial palace each time, but Cal secretly entered the imperial palace through a secret passage only he knew and became my companion.

From the first time we met when we were ten, until the day I died.

He was the only friend who stayed by my side without anyone knowing.

“Everything went well as planned. This stain was also part of the plan.”

I had no choice but to have drinks spilled on my nightgown so that I could go out with Kalius without suspicion.

“People looked at me so much that I felt weird. I thought no one would notice if I secretly went during a hectic time.”

“Wasn’t that too naive?”

“It was wishful thinking.”

“Wishing is a bit too much. How could people just pass by the princess who appeared in her nightwear?”

I shrugged.

“Everybody says I’m crazy, but isn’t it normal for crazy people to do crazy things? This outfit suits me perfectly.”

Cal laughed mischievously.

“That does make sense.”

Then he asked in a quiet, serious voice.

“But what if Marquis Rodrian rejects you?”

Cal was aware of my plans.

But just because he was aware didn’t mean that he knew why I made such plans.

‘No matter how close I am to Cal, I can’t confess that I gained the memories of my previous life and came back from the dead.’

If I were to say that, even Cal, my only supporter, might really think I’ve gone mad.

From Cal’s point of view, it would’ve been strange that I suddenly changed and declared that I would view Andrea as my enemy, but I was grateful that he supported me without saying anything.

Cal hated Andrea, so he supported me without questioning me.

“He can’t refuse me.”

He must have been tempted by my suggestion.

‘Because he’s in dire need of a helping hand.’

Cal didn’t look like he was convinced, but he let it go.

“But why that man? You don’t even know Marquis Rodrian.”

“His…”

“…..?”

Another one of two reasons I chose Kalius.

“I like his face.”

“Eek!”

Cal’s twisted face was funny.

I laughed when I saw his expression.

“You’re going to seduce him for that reason?”

“Can’t I?”

“Didn’t you hear the whispers of Andrea’s maids? That man bathed in the blood of the people he killed on the battlefield. That’s why the smell of blood on him doesn’t go away.”

“Maybe that’s his special skin care routine? I saw him earlier and his skin looked really nice. It looked soft.”

Cal’s mouth dropped in amazement.

It was cute and funny, so I burst out laughing a little.

“Sorry, I’m kidding. I don’t care what people say. I already know it. People will only believe what Andrea will say and they’ll continue to gossip that I’m insane.”

Cal nodded his head, agreeing with my words.

“So… whatever, what the hell does it matter anyway? It’s really not just because of his face…”

I stared blankly at Cal’s face.

“That person looks like you.”