Chapter 2
The waiting room fell into a silence so profound it was as if it had sunk deep into a sea of stillness.
“And stop touching up your makeup. If you put on any more, your face will be thicker than armor.”
With those words, Roshanne brushed away the maids’ hands and stood up. It was her first time wearing heels so dizzyingly high, but thanks to her exceptional sense of balance, she didn’t waver.
‘My ankles feel ticklish…’
The soft hem of the dress brushing against her ankles felt unfamiliar. It was utterly different from the sensation of reigning over the dying.
Roshanne glided toward the door as naturally as butter melting in a hot pan.
“Duke, then I’ll assume that’s settled and explain it directly to the viscount myself…”
“Roshanne! Where do you think you’re going right now!”
Startled by her bold stride, Duke Railaten grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.
“Ah!”
At the same time, Roshanne cried out, her face contorting in pain.
Shocked by the loud scream, Duke Railaten’s eyes widened as he hastily released her shoulder.
And Roshanne, who had let out the cry, looked just as surprised as she examined her own shoulder.
‘Why does this hurt?’
Even on the battlefield, she hadn’t felt pain often. She’d never screamed when shallowly cut by a sword.
Yet, just like when she gripped the hot teacup earlier, and now too.
It hurt so much she could barely endure it.
Something had changed.
“It didn’t seem like I grabbed that hard, but you’re making such a fuss…”
“Duke. Take my hand.”
“What?”
Cutting off Duke Railaten’s words, Roshanne turned her body and then casually gripped his hand in a handshake, as if it were her prerogative.
It resembled the family scenes often seen at weddings. If not for the complete lack of affection in their eyes.
“Roshanne. You’ve been acting arrogantly since earlier…”
“You can handle this much, right? Duke.”
“What are you going on about… Ugh!”
Duke Railaten couldn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he let out a thick, short groan and clamped his mouth shut.
It was because of the increasing pressure from the hand gripping his.
Duke Railaten clenched his jaw and scrutinized Roshanne. Her impassive expression showed no change at all.
He tried to pull his hand away, but for some reason, it wouldn’t budge.
With so many eyes watching, he couldn’t stomp his feet in frustration; all he could do was tremble.
The only thing he managed was to lower his face, which had turned beet red.
‘…My strength seems fine.’
Roshanne thought calmly as she watched the quivering Duke Railaten.
‘So, is the problem only with the body’s defenses?’
She wondered if this was the price for gaining freedom—something she had to accept. Of course, Roshanne herself would have given everything for that freedom.
Having confirmed that her ability to exert force was intact, she could have released his hand, but she didn’t.
“…Duke.”
What the original owner of this body had desired until the end wasn’t revenge. It was the longing to be loved.
Yet Roshanne didn’t loosen her grip on the duke’s hand.
“Today’s marriage was to solidify your family’s standing.”
“You, you stepped forward yourself…”
“Yes, I stepped forward and said I’d marry. But it was you who pushed me to say that. From now on, I’d prefer if you didn’t involve me in your gains.”
“Ro, shan…”
“Pushing someone who’s about to die off the cliff yourself is still murder, isn’t it?”
Duke Railaten couldn’t respond, his bloodshot eyes bulging. It seemed like petty pride.
“If marriage is necessary, there’s you instead of me. You still seem in your prime.”
He should understand this much. He was someone with an astonishingly sharp mind, after all.
With that, Roshanne slowly released the pressure and let go of his hand. The duke then cradled his aching hand and bit his lip hard.
“It didn’t seem like I grabbed that hard, but you’re making such a fuss.”
Roshanne echoed back the exact words the duke had said moments ago, then turned away.
As an uneasy atmosphere settled over the waiting room, the maids hurriedly bowed their heads and retreated.
Thanks to that, this time she was able to leave the waiting room without interruption.
‘First, I need to sort this out here and figure out exactly what’s going on.’
Roshanne set off in search of today’s protagonist, her groom, Viscount Zichelia.
As she crossed the hallway, warm sunlight pierced her eyes through the window.
In that moment, Roshanne came to a sudden halt, as if shackled in place.
Chirp chirp.
Birds flew freely across the blue sky.
The last sky Roshanne had seen was covered in ashes, devoid of light, with only red embers scattering—like a landscape of utter destruction.
But the sky unfolding before her eyes now was impeccably clear, without a single speck of dust. White clouds drifted lazily across the vivid blue expanse.
It was a landscape as beautiful as a painting.
“Ah…”
A sigh of awe escaped her parted lips.
Forgetting entirely that she needed to cancel the impending wedding, Roshanne stood there, utterly entranced.
For the first time, truly.
For the first time, she felt the reality of being alive.
Tears threatened to spill over. A whirlwind of emotions she couldn’t even name churned within her.
Resentment surged toward the being that had stolen this beautiful world from her for hundreds of years, mingled with gratitude for being able to see this sky she thought she’d never behold again.
“Huh…”
Instead of shedding tears, Roshanne bit her lower lip hard and gripped the dress tightly in both hands.
She couldn’t cry every time she faced something this beautiful.
After forcefully composing her overwhelming emotions, Roshanne headed toward the hall where the wedding ceremony would begin.
As she drew closer to the hall, cheerful laughter mingled with lively music reached her ears.
‘Such… beautiful sounds…’
It was nothing like the grating shrieks that had assaulted her ears until now. In Roshanne’s life, filled only with pleas for mercy, sobs, furious shouts, and despair, this harmony was like a beam of light.
‘Will I ever… be able to laugh like that with others?’
Today’s wedding was slated for cancellation soon, so she wouldn’t be able to join in, but surely there would be a chance next time.
Roshanne steadied her lingering regret with a deep breath and opened the door to the hall.
At that moment, all eyes from those enjoying themselves inside turned toward Roshanne.
In an instant, the music cut off abruptly. The hall fell into silence at the sudden appearance of the bride.
“Wow.”
What broke the stillness was none other than Roshanne’s exclamation of wonder.
Forgetting all decorum, Roshanne’s mouth hung open in astonishment.
The gem-encrusted chandelier sparkled high above like the stars she had longed to see, and the fresh flowers adorning various spots exuded the warmth of life, not death.
At the tip of her nose lingered not the nauseating stench of blood, but the mouthwatering sweetness of desserts.
Overwhelmed by this entirely new scene, Roshanne instinctively covered her mouth with her palm in sheer delight.
Of course, as a hero summoned by the emperor, she had entered the imperial palace countless times, but those spaces weren’t prepared for her, so she had never felt this surging emotion before.
In Roshanne’s eyes, this wedding hall prepared for her seemed even more perfect than the palace.
As she stepped onto the carpet, it felt plush, like walking on clouds.
It was worlds apart from the sensation of racing across stone-strewn ground.
“Oh dear, how pitiful. She must be shocked because the wedding hall is so spotless.”
“There aren’t even many fresh flowers, the chandelier is like that, and the gems… Viscount Zichelia really overdid it—or rather, underdid it. Preparing a hall like this.”
“Even if one side of her bloodline is lowly, she’s still a duke’s daughter in name. Look at her smudged makeup; she must have come after a good cry.”
“What’s the point of the lady’s wedding? The important thing is that Duke Railaten and the Zichelia viscountcy are joining hands. Everyone’s here just to make an impression on Duke Railaten.”
Entranced by the glittering hall, Roshanne completely missed the murmurs directed at her.
By the time she hurriedly focused, everyone around her was already smiling plausibly at her.
‘…They seem happy.’
From the memories that had entered Roshanne’s mind, the gazes people directed at her were mostly hostile.
But that was on other days.
Today was her wedding, at least for now, and these were guests invited to it.
At the very least, today they must all be offering congratulations.
Having never properly experienced people before, Roshanne concluded simply.
‘Even if the wedding is canceled, if I’ve received congratulations, I should offer thanks.’
“You all seem to be enjoying yourselves.”
With her face stiff from tension, Roshanne greeted the people.
As the hero protecting the empire, Roshanne had always been revered. She even spoke casually with the emperor who summoned her, so she didn’t realize that her current manner of speech was problematic.
Still unaccustomed to her new environment, Roshanne gazed indifferently around at the people.
“To receive such hospitality in a hall this splendid and beautiful.”
The people flinched oddly.
“I’ll never forget today, no matter how long I live. I’ll remember it forever.”
“…!”
“Never forget, huh? Ahem.”
“Lady. We didn’t mean it like that…”
It was utterly different from the usual Roshanne, who had always shrunk her shoulders in timidity. Her rigidly set face felt strangely eerie.
Her bold demeanor, as if she had nothing to fear. People were bewildered by the sudden change.
‘What’s going on? Does she have some backing now? That’s why the timid girl is standing tall.’
‘Did she snag some big shot?’
‘Maybe seeing his daughter about to marry made Duke Railaten realize her value?’
‘She must have gone mad before the wedding. Look at her speech.’
People exchanged quick glances, making wild assumptions on their own. Of course, not a single one was correct.
“Everyone, you can go home today. I don’t need any more congratulations than this.”
Roshanne murmured indifferently as she looked at the people.
