Episode 1
After the wedding ceremony ended, the wedding reception began.
I changed into my second dress, which had a gradient from navy blue to sky blue. Since we had to eat and drink together, dance, and enjoy the banquet during the reception, it was more practical than the white wedding dress.
When I descended the stairs leading to the banquet hall, Kaiden welcomed me.
“Marion.”
As I took the hand he extended, music soon rang out. With everyone’s eyes upon us, we performed the dance we had practiced all this time. Somewhere, I heard the sound of a camera going off.
Once the dance of the protagonists, us, ended, Lucas and Stella soon took the stage as well. As the high-ranking figures began dancing one by one, the other nobles also became absorbed in dancing with their partners.
Kaiden and I decided to take a short break.
“You wore your hair half-up? It suits you.”
Kaiden complimented me as he brought me a drink. I felt a little embarrassed.
“Is it okay? It’s my first time with this kind of style….”
“It’s cute, though.”
“…….”
An awkward silence passed.
I don’t know why, but the closer the wedding drew, the more peculiar the atmosphere between us became. Even now, after the ceremony had taken place and we were in the middle of the after-party, this atmosphere only grew more intense.
‘No. Actually, I do know the reason.’
I thought while cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘Because tonight will really be our first night―!’
That’s right! Our first night!
The historic night that a newlywed bride and groom spend together after getting married!
People thought we were practically already a married couple even before our wedding, so there had been none of the mischievous jokes usually directed at a newlywed bride and groom right after their ceremony. But my inner thoughts were different.
‘What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!’
I was utterly confused. Wouldn’t you be? In fact, today was the first time I had even properly kissed someone! It was only a peck, but still!
Ah, artificial respiration doesn’t count. That was a medical procedure.
Anyway, whenever I thought about what would happen tonight, my heart pounded so hard that I jumped whenever my eyes met Kaiden’s. That abnormal behavior only worsened as the night grew deeper.
‘…I’ll be able to do it well, right?’
I secretly glanced sideways at Kaiden and observed him.
Standing beside me, he was truly enormous. His face was a head taller than mine, and even the hand he was holding completely covered mine. And I remembered that his chest, which I had briefly felt before, was also quite impressive.
I suddenly lowered my gaze and looked at my own chest.
“…….”
When I raised my head.
…Am I really an attractive partner to him?
While doubts were springing up inside me, Lucas approached.
“Marion. You look really beautiful today.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
When I expressed my thanks with a curtsy, Lucas made a disappointed face.
“Couldn’t you call me by my name? Now that everyone calls me Your Majesty, I feel like I’m going to forget my own name.”
This man was saying something dangerous. Although imperial authority had weakened considerably compared to that of the previous emperor, that was still something he shouldn’t say.
“Your joke is going too far. Haha.”
When I laughed it off, he extended his hand to me and asked me to dance.
“I’d like to ask the newlywed bride for one dance.”
“It would be my honor.”
I was about to naturally hand the champagne I was holding to Kaiden, but when I didn’t feel him take it, I turned around with a puzzled expression. Kaiden was glaring at Lucas with a wary gaze.
Lucas gave a small chuckle.
“Why are you glaring at me like that? Is that how a newlywed groom should look?”
Kaiden reacted sharply.
“After what Your Majesty said last time, I can’t help but be wary.”
I alternated between looking at the two of them with a bewildered expression and asked,
“What did you say?”
Lucas smiled sweetly.
“The Archduke seems quite jealous, Marion. Ah, should I call you the Archduke’s wife now? Does that bother you too, Archduke?”
“…That is for Marion to decide.”
“What do you think, Marion?”
“Please call me whatever is comfortable.”
When I shrugged once, Lucas said, “All right,” and took my hand. At that, murderous intent emanated from Kaiden’s eyes. Lucas gently provoked him.
“A man who is too possessive is easily disliked, Archduke.”
“…Mind your own business.”
“Then again, I suppose I should be careful. I’m always ready to wait for an opportunity.”
“Let go of that hand.”
I heard Kaiden grind his teeth with a crunch. But Lucas paid no attention.
“A jealous man is also easily disliked.”
It seemed the battle of nerves between the two would drag on, so I eventually intervened.
“Come on, why are you two acting like this? Archduke, I’ll go dance one song with His Majesty. Here, take the glass.”
I quickly handed the drink to Kaiden and went to the stage with Lucas. Kaiden’s face looked dark, but the waltz began, leaving me no time to worry about it.
As I moved my feet for quite a while, I asked what I had been curious about.
“What did you two talk about?”
“Hmm? About what?”
“You said the two of you had something you talked about last time.”
“Are you curious, Marion?”
“Yes.”
When I nodded, he brought his lips close to my ear. I concentrated to hear what he was saying.
“The Archduke knows about what happened between us.”
Between us?
“What?”
He came even closer and whispered.
“That I confessed to you.”
I looked at him with surprised eyes. Lucas’s face was right in front of me, but I wasn’t bothered by it. I simply couldn’t understand.
“You told the Archduke about that? Why?”
If you thought about it, wasn’t it the story of Lucas getting rejected by me? Why would he go out of his way to tell someone that he had been rejected?
Lucas gazed steadily at me with a smile on his face and said,
“Just because. I wanted to get under his skin a little.”
…I didn’t think that would get under Kaiden’s skin. He really was an incomprehensible person.
When the song ended, Lucas kissed the back of my hand and, saying he was disappointed, asked me to dance one more song. I smiled and refused with a curtsy. He said,
“Live well, Marion.”
I smiled and nodded.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“I told you to be comfortable.”
I couldn’t do that. There were so many people around.
“I’ll do that when we’re somewhere private. Thank you for looking out for me.”
Come to think of it, the original story ended with Lucas and Stella getting married. But there was no trace of any romantic atmosphere between the two of them now.
‘It feels more like comrades-in-arms or friends? Their relationship did become different from the original story, too.’
From now on, they would create their own lives as they saw fit.
As soon as I turned my head after saying goodbye to Lucas, I locked eyes with the Demon King. When I subtly looked away, Bled was floating around near his shoulder, passionately saying something.
‘That Bled guy… He’s desperate to become a True Dragon.’
The Demon King didn’t seem bothered at all, but…. He continued to follow me with his eyes. Was it my imagination that he seemed to be wanting something? Feeling burdened, I looked away.
‘I should go to Kaiden.’
But this time, Marquis Fernandi asked me to dance.
“Marion. Won’t you dance one song with me too?”
“Of course!”
I happily danced with him as well. Dancing with my one and only blood relative felt quite different.
…Come to think of it, there was also the Demon King, my biological father. That hot gaze I kept feeling was extremely uncomfortable.
Wait, could that gaze that seemed to want something actually be because he wanted to dance with me? With a question mark floating in my mind, I secretly glanced at the Demon King now and then, when the Marquis spoke to me.
“Come visit often.”
He meant that I should come visit Fernandi territory. I readily nodded.
“I will.”
“And let me know if you have good news.”
Today was my wedding day, so what did he mean by good news? I was bewildered.
“Good news?”
“Yes.”
The Marquis spoke with a wistful expression.
“If you put your mind at ease, a new life will soon come to you.”
It felt like I had been caught off guard. I answered while sweating coldly.
“Ah, haha. Hahaha. Th, thank you.”
“Hmm. This time, the former Archduke is waiting.”
Next, I naturally ended up dancing with the former Archduke. I was inwardly relieved to have escaped from the Marquis, but an even greater attack came flying at me.
“My dear.”
“Yes, Former Archduke.”
“I heard that the medicine made by a spiritually gifted shaman from the south is supposed to be very good for the body. I had a dose prepared, so try taking it sometime.”
“Thank you. But I’m really completely recovered now. You don’t have to worry!”
“Of course, I know that.”
I was busy following the dance as the former Archduke led, so I failed to notice how his expression had become filled with eager anticipation.
“But I hear there’s a rumor that the medicine also helps you conceive a child quickly.”
I almost twisted my ankle while dancing.
“…Ah, haha. Th, that’s so.”
I barely managed to raise the corners of my lips as I answered. My voice was trembling.
Perhaps unaware of my condition, the former Archduke laughed heartily with a proud expression.
“This grandfather will support you in every way, so don’t worry about a thing. Just sleep well and eat well! Hahaha!”
“Ah, hahaha….”
Because he looked extremely proud, I had no choice but to force myself to laugh.
The grandfathers’ enthusiasm for great-grandchildren was extraordinary. The former Archduke in particular had remarkable initiative and had already had the medicine prepared.
I thought while cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘Ah, I have to have a child.’
☆☆☆☆
