Home/I ended up having a surprise marriage with the male lead/ch 92

Chapter 92

"What is this..."

Aron's eyes wavered in confusion.

He released Selena's arm and strode quickly toward the Duke of Valen.

His eyes bloodshot, Aron gritted his teeth and demanded.

"How... how did this happen, Duke?"

Kayden raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise.

"Is there a problem, Your Highness?"

Just then, urgent hoofbeats approached, and Marquess Monstera appeared.

He stared at the game piled beside Kayden, his eyes wide.

"Th-this...!"

He dismounted and marched toward Kayden.

"Your Grace!"

He called out in a furious voice.

"These are my game!"

But Kayden answered calmly.

"How are they yours, Marquess? Did you put a name tag on them?"

"Th-that's not—!"

The Marquess ground his teeth.

How on earth had he found and collected them all?

"These are just humble catches I worked hard to bring for my wife. It's rather troubling to be accused so baselessly."

Kayden frowned in displeasure.

The Marquess was left speechless.

Even from a distance, Emilia could see that Kayden was being quite shameless.

I'm glad he found them all, but...

Those catches were indeed stolen from the Prince's side.

Emilia recalled the time she'd been racking her brain over how the Prince planned to make Monstera win.

Once she understood the method, she could prepare a countermeasure.

But the answer came from an unexpected place.

While visiting Kayden's study, she'd noticed a document with a peculiar title:

A Collection of Firewood for Burning Flies

Naturally, she was dying to know what was inside.

So she asked with curious eyes.

"What exactly is this document?"

Kayden, though a little reluctant, explained.

"...It's a record of the Farizian family's corruption."

"Ah, that explains the title."

Remembering Kaliana's story, Emilia understood immediately.

"May I take a look?"

The title was intriguing, and she was curious about what Kaliana had uncovered.

Kayden readily agreed.

As she read through it with interest—

This...

Something caught her eye.

It mentioned that the Farizian side had secretly supplied the imperial household with a now-banned ore.

And that ore was the very cause of the magic sinkhole that had nearly caused a major disaster in the capital.

Of course, it was only later discovered that the ore could cause sinkholes.

This ore, mainly used to trap game, had been banned since the previous Emperor's reign due to other dangers.

But because it hadn't been properly disposed of and was left in the old hunting grounds, it had caused the sinkhole.

But if this ore was recently supplied in secret...

It was clearly being used for something shady.

And that "something" was likely related to the hunting competition.

At that, Emilia was sure—Aron's plan was to capture game in advance and hide it around the hunting grounds.

If he killed them outright, it would be too obvious.

So they would be kept barely alive and hidden in secret spots.

Her eyes lit up. From then on, she studied the hunting grounds map, marking all the likely hiding spots.

She couldn't pinpoint the exact locations, but having the general areas was enough.

Because she had a reliable ace.

Later, she handed the map to Kayden after he'd returned from registering for the competition.

"According to Lucas, the magic flow is tangled where the ore is placed. You can sense it too, can't you?"

That was it—the man who could sense the underground magic reacting to the ore was right here.

So based on the map, he could track down the exact locations of the hidden game.

But something about her words must have struck him as odd—Kayden let out a short laugh.

"When on earth did you prepare all this?"

Even if she'd only pointed him to the likely spots—

...He's thorough.

He could have won even if he'd skipped a few spots.

But Kayden had taken everything, down to the last one.

Watching the mountain of game, Emilia looked a little overwhelmed.

Judging by Monstera's reaction, it seemed Kayden hadn't left a single one.

He must have intended to thoroughly provoke both Monstera and the Prince.

While she was lost in recollection, the argument between Monstera and Kayden continued.

"Y-you must have stolen the game I caught!"

Kayden sighed.

"Then why not ask His Highness to investigate whether your claim is true?"

Monstera's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

Naturally, if the Prince investigated, he'd side with him.

After all, those catches were indeed prepared for him!

The stag with the unusual antlers, the white-furred wolf—all of them!

But then Kayden added.

"Ah, of course, for fairness, we should bring along other nobles to the spot where I supposedly stole your game."

"Wh-what?"

"Is there any reason not to?"

"W-well..."

They couldn't very well take other nobles on a tour of the hunting grounds—it would only expose the whole scheme.

The Marquess chewed his lip.

But he couldn't just let the Duke walk away with his game...

Just then—

"That's enough."

Aron, who had been glaring at Kayden, murmured quietly.

"B-but Your Highness!"

Monstera called out, flustered.

"I said enough, Marquess."

At Aron's warning tone, Monstera flinched.

He couldn't let the Marquess keep running his mouth.

The fool would surely blurt out something incriminating.

If it came to light that the competition was rigged and the winner was predetermined, there would be no greater disgrace.

Even with the Empress and himself backing him, they couldn't afford that.

Meanwhile—

Bwooo—!

The horn signaling the end of the hunting competition sounded.

And without even checking, it was clear who the winner was.

---

"Sh-shall we announce the results... Your Highness?"

The servant, glancing nervously at Aron, stammered.

Aron clenched his fist and hissed through his teeth.

"...Do it."

The servant cleared his throat and announced loudly from beside the podium.

"Th-then, I will now announce the winner of this hunting competition!"

He looked at Kayden and continued.

"His Grace, the Duke of Valen!"

"Wooow—!"

The nobles who didn't know the truth either clicked their tongues in regret or congratulated Kayden.

The servant approached Aron with a tray.

Unable to hide his displeasure, Aron lifted the winner's medal from the tray.

And pinned it to Kayden's chest.

"Congratulations, Duke."

Having to reach up because of his short stature was humiliating.

Suppressing his anger, Aron forced a smile and spoke to Kayden.

"However, you're already married, and I believe you have no eligible relatives."

"Yes, that's correct."

As Aron opened the subject, Kayden calmly affirmed.

Aron continued, feigning regret.

"Then the prize I prepared seems unnecessary. Instead, perhaps another..."

But Kayden cut him off.

"No, Your Highness."

His gaze fell on the flower on the tray—a moonlit blossom symbolizing Selena.

It was the flower that should have been given to Monstera along with Selena.

Kayden gently lifted the flower and turned to Selena, who stood there dazed.

He offered it to her.

The nobles murmured at Kayden's unexpected move.

Kayden spoke calmly.

"As Your Highness said, I already have a beloved wife and no other relatives."

He glanced at Aron and let out a short laugh.

"I shall return the right to choose regarding marriage to Her Highness the Princess."

Selena's eyes went wide.

"So I hope that one day, Your Highness will also marry someone you truly love—just as I have."

Back   Next