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Chapter 2

Autor: Alyssa J
On this day in my last life, I had signed my own name with a heart full of hope.

I thought Dante and I were made for each other. The betrothal between the Wind and Fire clans had held for many years, and everyone said that once we married both clans would be stronger.

And I believed he would come to love me eventually.

It seemed laughable now.

I looked up and asked the High Elder, "The contract only requires the Fire clan heir to marry a woman of the Fire clan. Is that right?"

The High Elder of the Fire clan paused, then nodded. "Yes. As long as both parties consent, the Royal Court will recognize the betrothal."

"Good."

I picked up the quill and wrote Sophia Valen in the space for the bride's name.

The whole Elder Hall went silent.

Sophia was standing at the back, and the color left her face. She could not have expected me to push her out into the open.

Dante froze as well. Then his face darkened. "Evelyn, what are you doing?"

"Giving the two of you what you want." I pushed the contract across. "You love Sophia and Sophia loves you. In that case she is the one who should be your bride."

"Don't be ridiculous." Dante lowered his voice. "Change the name back."

He used the same tone as always, as if I were obligated to obey him.

"The contract goes to the Royal Court tomorrow to be sealed," I said. "If the name isn't changed now, it will be read aloud at the wedding."

Dante's expression darkened further. He wanted to explode, but the presence of the elders held him back.

He leaned in and said through his teeth, "You can't leave me, and you can't leave this betrothal. Don't try to force my hand this way."

I looked at him and suddenly felt nothing at all.

In my last life, I had died at his hands. He believed even my life should make way for his love.

And yet he still thought I was the one coercing him.

"Dante, you've got it wrong," I said. "I simply don't want you anymore."

I handed the contract to the Royal Court clerk myself.

The clerk set the provisional seal on it.

From that moment the wedding had nothing to do with me.

After the elders dispersed, Dante tried to follow me, but the High Elder stopped him. The High Elder was plainly dissatisfied with Sophia too. I saw both confusion and calculation in his eyes.

He knew that the Fire clan had lost not an ordinary bride, but the Wind clan's heir and all the resources she brought with her.

But there was no way back from it now.

I left the Elder Hall before the others. As I reached the door, Sophia called softly after me.

I did not turn around.

In the past, I would have stopped to comfort her, worried that she might feel embarrassed or that Dante might think me petty. Now I saw no reason to bother.

She wanted Dante, and I had given him to her. Whatever came next was hers to bear.
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  • I Let My Fiancé Marry His True Love After Rebirth   Chapter 12

    A year later, the new Wind Bridge between the Wind clan and the Royal Court was completed.I had helped design it myself. It connected Windvale, Duskhold, and the northern trade route. Those who crossed it were no longer only nobles, but also merchants, students, and ordinary elves.My mother smiled broadly as she handed me the ceremonial mallet."You've done well," she said.I used to believe I could call myself successful only if Dante approved of me.Now I knew better.My success needed no man's seal of approval.After the ceremony Alwyn walked me to the end of the bridge.He took out a ring. It held no extravagant gemstone, only patterns of a wind feather and laurel leaves worked into the band."Evelyn," he said, "I don't want to use my royal authority to make demands of you or bind you with a marriage contract. I only want to ask whether you'd like to share the road ahead with me."I looked at him and thought of myself signing the marriage contract in my last life.Back then, I ha

  • I Let My Fiancé Marry His True Love After Rebirth   Chapter 11

    Dante's trial was held in the great hall of the Court.The Fire clan's elders, envoys from the Wind clan, and representatives of the Northern Merchant Guild all attended.The Court produced the mine accounts, the smuggling evidence, the records of the patrol funds, and the ledger Sophia had left behind.Sophia had been guarding herself against Dante for some time.Her ledger contained purchase records for moonberry toxin, the very poison that had killed me in my last life.Those records also bore Dante's signature.I stood in the witness box, my hands trembling slightly.In my last life, no one had investigated after my death. Everyone had assumed that uncontrolled wind currents had killed me.Now the truth had finally been laid bare before everyone.Dante stood chained in the defendant's dock, still watching me."Evelyn, we had happy times too," he said. "Do you really not remember any of them?"Of course I remembered.I remembered him picking up the wind chime I had dropped when we f

  • I Let My Fiancé Marry His True Love After Rebirth   Chapter 10

    Sophia died.When the news reached the Court I was going over the summer route budget.She had died in the wine cellar of Emberlight Manor with a fire-blade wound in her chest. The Fire clan servants said that she and Dante had argued violently the night before.I put my pen down and sat there a long time.Sophia had done many things to hurt me.Yet I still could not rejoice in her death.She thought she had won love, only to be killed by the man she wanted most.The Court sealed the portals at once and sent guards after Dante.That evening he came to the palace himself.There was blood on his clothes, yet his expression was calm. His first words were, "I want to see Evelyn."I saw him in the interrogation hall.A wall of magic-sealing crystal stood between us."Did you kill Sophia?" I asked."Yes," he answered immediately. "She refused to leave and threatened me. She wanted to destroy me."I said nothing.He stepped up to the crystal wall, his voice suddenly urgent."Evelyn, now that

  • I Let My Fiancé Marry His True Love After Rebirth   Chapter 9

    The investigation into the Fire clan grew more serious.To cover the shortfall from the mines, Dante secretly diverted funds from the patrol. When Sophia discovered that the household coffers were empty, they quarreled repeatedly.Their arguments echoed through almost the entire manor.Dante came to me again.This time, he brought the dewberry pie I used to enjoy."I remember you like this," he said.The sight of the box felt bitterly ironic.In my last life, while I was busy checking his accounts, he never remembered what I liked and never remembered my birthday.Only after losing the Wind clan's support did he remember such details."Sophia deceived me," he complained. "All she can do is spend money. She is useless at everything else. Evelyn, you are still the one who belongs at my side.""Wasn't she your true love?""I was too young then.""No," I said. "You weren't young. You were greedy."His face froze."You wanted Sophia's obedience and my abilities. You thought everyone would k

  • I Let My Fiancé Marry His True Love After Rebirth   Chapter 8

    Six months later the Wind Corridor reopened.I consolidated the merchant guilds, repaired the floating-island watch posts, and established a new patrol fleet. The Royal Court formally placed the Corridor under my authority.Whenever people mentioned me in the past, they began by calling me Dante's betrothed.Now they call me Director Evelyn or the Royal Court's Chief Advisor.I love the feeling.Not because I have finally outshone Dante.It is because I am finally myself.Alwyn often comes to the Corridor Office.Sometimes he comes to discuss work. Other times, he simply sits by the window until I finish my paperwork. He never rushes me or uses his authority as king to pressure me into anything.One night I dreamed of my last life again.I dreamed of the moonberry wine and the fire blade piercing my chest. I woke with my palms slick with cold sweat.Alwyn happened to be waiting outside.I did not want him to see how shaken I was, but all he did was ask, "Would you like to take a walk o

  • I Let My Fiancé Marry His True Love After Rebirth   Chapter 7

    Married life did not go as well for Dante as he had thought it would.The first thing Sophia did after moving into Emberlight Manor was replace all the old household stewards. She considered anything sent by the Wind clan unlucky and refused to meet representatives of the Northern Merchant Guild.She did not understand the accounts or the territory, and she would not learn.Dante defended her at first.At a banquet, he declared that Sophia was the woman he had truly wanted to marry. He believed that if he appeared devoted enough, every problem would resolve itself.But accounts do not improve because of love.After the Northern Merchant Guild withdrew, the Fire clan's income plunged. The patrol ran short of funds, and the mines came under Court audit. Yet Sophia kept spending money on jewelry and balls.Once, Sophia dipped directly into the Fire clan's reserve fund to pay for a birthday celebration. By the time Dante noticed, there was no longer enough money to pay the patrol.The patr

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