Die If I Can't Marry Off My Favorite (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1

Honestly, it was the perfect day for matchmaking.

I clenched both fists tightly and stared straight ahead, eyes wide open. Seated there, with a table between us, was a man.

His hair, tied in a high bun, looked as if it had been woven strand by strand from the darkness of night. His eyes were the deep blue of the ocean.

The man was breathtakingly delicate and beautiful, like a frost-covered ice sculpture—but never once did he appear weak.

An innate dignity radiated from his entire being, an overwhelming aura so intense that commoners dared not even meet his gaze—a natural nobility befitting one born to rule—making him feel as vast and imposing as a great snow-capped mountain.

And that mountain-like man was now….

“…….”

…brewing black tea with the most serious expression imaginable.

“!”

The moment the sand in the hourglass—placed upside down after filling the teapot with water—had completely trickled down, the man swiftly poured the deeply steeped black tea into a cup.

Then, with solemn determination, he reached out and picked up something.

‘Whoa, whoaaa!’

The instant I recognized what that “something” was, I had to bite my tongue hard to suppress a silent scream.

Because what rested in his large hand was none other than… an absurdly tiny, exquisitely designed white milk jug.

“Y-Your Grace.”

“…….”

The man gave no reply. Instead, he began moving with the gravity of someone performing a sacred ritual.

With exquisite care, he poured warmed milk into the teacup filled with black tea. The ratio of tea to milk was precisely 1:1.

Once he’d poured exactly the desired amount, he cleanly cut off the stream of milk with practiced precision. Setting down the milk jug, he then picked up the sugar bowl.

Exactly three sugar cubes—no more, no less. Fewer would be bland; more would be too sweet.

After stirring it well….

“There. Drink.”

…a perfectly balanced, delicious milk tea—tailored exactly to my taste—was complete.

The man stared at me intently, an oddly proud expression on his face.

Unable to withstand his gaze, I lifted the teacup with trembling hands. Though he’d made me milk tea many times before, I still couldn’t help feeling flustered every single time.

After all, this man—Asperan Loakin, sovereign of the Loakin Kingdom and my absolute favorite character—was the epitome of a cold, taciturn northern duke.

‘My Asperan making such sweet milk tea!’

This was the same person who, just a few months ago, had scoffed, “Why would anyone even eat that stuff?”

To dispel the awkwardness, I took a quick sip. The bergamot-blended tea leaves lent a pleasant, refreshing tang to the brew.

Forgetting my earlier discomfort, I honestly exclaimed,

“This is really delicious!”

“Hmm.”

Asperan nodded in satisfaction. Watching him, I gulped.

‘It really does seem like the time has finally come.’

The long-awaited moment to execute the final step toward my ultimate goal.

Countless efforts over the past few months—everything I’d done to earn Asperan’s trust and goodwill—flashed rapidly through my mind.

The position I’d secured as the sovereign’s closest confidante existed solely as a stepping stone for this very instant.

Namely, to push forward Asperan’s marriage!

I leaned forward earnestly and asked,

“Your Grace, may I ask you something? It might be a bit impolite….”

“Ask.”

“Yes, sir.”

I took a small breath to calm my nerves, then blurted out quickly,

“Your Grace… have you ever considered getting married?”

“You first?”

Instead of answering, he immediately shot back a question. Reluctantly, I replied,

“Well… I’d like to, I guess?”

“…Is that so.”

Asperan touched the corner of his mouth. Whether it was my imagination or not, he seemed pleased.

“I feel the same.”

“Oh!”

I’d been worried he’d respond like a stone, but he actually wanted to get married?

His positive answer lifted my spirits. Things seemed to be going surprisingly smoothly. Maybe I should press my luck a little further?

I fumbled out a book from my bag—a volume I’d found in the royal library before coming here—and thrust it toward Asperan.

“I’ve been quite interested in this book lately. Would Your Grace mind taking a look?”

Asperan accepted the book. His blue eyes skimmed the cover, which read:

‘Portrait Collection of Unmarried Loakin Nobles – Women’s Edition, Year 452’

“I’m trying to find your ideal type!”

I added cheerfully, planning to use the book to learn his preferences regarding appearance.

But after staring silently at the cover for a long while, Asperan asked in an icy tone,

“…Ideal type?”

“Yes?”

Whoosh.

Before I could even respond, the book suddenly burst into flames.

“Huh?!”

I jumped up in a panic. But there was no time to save it—the book vanished instantly, leaving not even a speck of ash behind.

“Wh-why…?”

My body trembled involuntarily. This was absurd. Books didn’t spontaneously combust—Asperan must have used magic.

…Yet he acted as if nothing had happened.

‘What’s bothering him this time?’

Then, it hit me.

‘Ah! Could it be because it’s the women’s edition?’

Of course! Frantically, I pulled out another book.

“I’m sorry! I was being too narrow-minded. Here, I also have the men’s—”

Before I could even finish pulling it out, ‘Portrait Collection of Unmarried Loakin Nobles – Men’s Edition, Year 452’ also burned to nothingness.

I stared helplessly at my empty hands. Suddenly, a large, firm hand entered my field of vision—Asperan’s.

His cool fingers gently tilted my chin upward.

His blue eyes, locked onto mine, shone with an intensity that felt as if they could swallow me whole.

“Shuria.”

He called my name in a low voice. I stammered in reply,

“Y-yes?”

“You may do anything you wish, and desire anything you want. But remember one thing.”

“One thing…?”

His thumb slowly brushed my cheek. His deep, pleasant voice settled softly against my ear.

“Never mention anyone else in front of me.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t let your eyes wander to others. Focus only on me.”

“Wha—?”

Though I gasped in shock, Asperan’s gaze remained stubbornly insistent. Helplessly, I found myself nodding.

“O-okay….”

“Good.”

Only then did Asperan finally sit back on the sofa, his expression satisfied.

He cut a walnut pie into bite-sized pieces and offered one to me. Reflexively, I opened my mouth and accepted it.

“Is it good?”

He asked in a voice that sounded unusually gentle.

But I couldn’t answer. While my body moved on its own, my mind had gone on strike long ago and lay sprawled far away.

‘Don’t mention anyone else…?’

Then… how was I supposed to arrange a match for him? How could I introduce someone suitable and witness his happy wedding?

‘Damn it!’

A despairing scream echoed from deep within me.

My name is Shuria. In my past life, I was Jin Nuo Ran.

I was destined to die if I failed to marry off this man—Asperan Loakin—within three years.

‘Let’s Change Fate’—abbreviated as ‘LCF’—was a completed romance web novel, originally serialized for free online, and my absolute favorite after ten years as a romance novel reader.

To be perfectly honest, LCF’s storyline itself wasn’t particularly special.

It followed the all-too-common trope: a female lead reincarnated as a villainess after death tries to survive by being kind to the male lead, only to end up obsessively pursued by the now-grown male lead due to misunderstandings and mistaken assumptions.

Yet LCF earned its place as my favorite novel for one reason alone: it contained my all-time favorite character.

Asperan Loakin—the male lead Ulysses’ cousin and the northern sovereign ruling the Kingdom of Loakin, the land of snow.

Every time he appeared, his beauty alone warranted at least five lines of praise. He possessed overwhelming charisma, irresistibly sharp wit, and the power to instantly resolve every frustrating plot point—a truly flawless character.

However… Asperan suffered from painfully scarce screen time.

In a novel nearing 300 chapters, he appeared directly in only five episodes.

Compared to other side characters who even got their own romantic scenes with their partners, his treatment was so inadequate it made my teeth grind in frustration.

Though I was furious, I obviously couldn’t whine to the author like a petulant child demanding more Asperan content.

So I had no choice but to rewatch his few appearances at least fifty times each, nursing my sorrow in silence.

But the resentment I’d suppressed for so long finally exploded the day the final chapter of LCF was uploaded.

In the last chapter—featuring the wedding of the main couple—Asperan didn’t appear at all! Not even once! Despite being the male lead’s only remaining blood relative!

I wailed like a puppy whose chew toy had been snatched away, sobbing uncontrollably in the middle of the night. Before I knew it, my fingers were furiously typing a comment under the final chapter:

[Author, why is Asperan’s screen time so low? Is it because he’s single? Please, just let my boy get married too! Seeing him walk down the aisle and singing at his wedding is my greatest life wish!!!]

It was behavior I’d never exhibit in my right mind—but at that moment, I was both furious and slightly drunk.

Perhaps as punishment for such shameless, petty behavior…

The very next day, I was hit by a truck that ran a red light, ending my short 22-year life.

And as if that weren’t enough…

“Even if Emperor Ulysses is as powerful as they say, how could he possibly know about something happening in this remote village?”

When I opened my eyes, I found myself dropped right into the post-completion timeline of my favorite novel, ‘Let’s Change Fate.’

“So everyone keep quiet. This girl will be thrown to the monsters the moment the gate fully opens, just as she said!”

The body I’d possessed was fated to be sacrificed to monsters.

[Mission! I want to sing at your wedding!

Marry off Asperan Loakin, Sovereign of the Loakin Kingdom, within three years!

Failure: Asperan Loakin remains single for life; Jin Nuo Ran’s soul is permanently erased.]

Due to some bizarre mission window, I’d suddenly become a terminally ill soul on borrowed time.

I stared blankly at the translucent window hovering before my eyes.

My ten-year romance-novel-reader brain whirred rapidly. Understanding the situation unfolding before me wasn’t difficult.

Hmm. Still, for the sake of formality, I probably ought to scream once.

“Kyaahhhhhhhh!!!”

“What, what’s this? Young master, this girl suddenly started talking?!”

“J-just lock her up for now! We have to wait until the gate opens!”

Amid my ear-splitting shriek and the crowd’s murmuring,

my second life began.