“Oh my, madam, what are you talking about? A woman’s makeup isn’t intended to be liked by a man. The important thing is whether you like your makeup or not.”
“Is that so?”
Valia smiled.
“I really like it too. It’s very pretty.”
Valia did not use flowery words. Her words were simple, and they were filled with sincerity. After having suffered for a week, the designers and assistants looked proud. The amount of money that they would charge Marquess Garth and the good reputation they would get in the future was nothing to scoff at, but seeing that bride happy made them feel satisfied.
“Milady, the bridal carriage has arrived.”
Shaun’s voice could be heard outside. Valia stood up with a nervous feeling. It was customary for the bride to ride alone in the bridal carriage, so Valia must be left alone until she arrived at the Marquess’ manor. After officially becoming the Marchioness, she would be quite busy. However, the designer bowed her head, convinced that Valia would surely call her back.
“Congratulations on your wedding, Marchioness.”
“Thank you. You have done a great job.”
No matter how beautiful she was, she could not follow the customs of high-ranking nobles─she could not wear a new wedding dress. Therefore, there would be many nobles who would find fault with her. Valia was a noble from a foreign country to begin with, she had had enough of unfriendly gazes even in her past.
‘I have to be prepared.’
As she walked out with Shaun as her escort, the view of Valia’s back was resolute.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Marquess Garth’s old residence was located in the capital of the Gel Empire. Befitting his title as a high-ranking noble, the main gate was busy today. The carriages that came in one after another were engraved with a large emblem of nobles. There was another hour left before the ceremony had started, but the guest seats were already filled with people.
Marquess Garth’s marriage itself was a big topic in high society. On the week it was announced, Marquess Garth’s wedding was mentioned every single time at every single tea party and dance party. The heartbreak of the nobles, who had a crush on him or had an eye on him as a prospective son-in-law, also played a part in the spread of the news. Furthermore, as the Marquess moved the wedding date to an unprecedented level, the interest in the wedding exploded.
“How can he rush the wedding so quickly? Who in the world is the bride?”
“Oh my, you didn’t hear about it? A daughter of the knight of the Lisa Kingdom is said to be the Marchioness.”
“A knight’s daughter? Not a princess of the Kingdom?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Not long ago, there was an incident at the Second Temple because of that.”
A lot of nobles already knew that the woman who would become Marchioness Garth was the daughter of a knight from a foreign country. The story of Princess Cassia who failed to recognize the unknown Marchioness and ended up treating her badly was very interesting gossip that had been thoroughly enjoyed during tea time.
However, despite these numerous rumors, the exact image of the Marchioness was unknown. It was just blurry. It was as if she had been covered by clouds or fog.
Some even went to the temple and asked to meet her, but the knights of Garth were stubborn, and so they were turned down. They were curious about the details of the Marchioness but it was a question that would be resolved in a little while anyway.
“But how did a lady of the Lisa Kingdom end up marrying the Marquess?”
Among the many questions they had, that was the biggest one. The Lisa Kingdom was a small neutral country that had never even participated in the war. But how in the world did the daughter of a knight from that kingdom come into contact with Marquess Garth and get married to him?
There were many speculations but none came close to the truth. The nobles looked around, hoping that the wedding would start soon. It was not yet time, so the groom, the bride, and the wedding officiant had not yet appeared.
The bride, Valia, was on her way to the Marquess’ manor in a carriage. And the groom, Schuden, was welcoming guests in a waiting room. Before the wedding, it was customary for neither the groom nor bride to meet guests, but there were guests who were exempted from the custom.
“Marquess, congratulations on your marriage.”
“His Imperial Majesty also offers his congratulations.”
“Thank you, First Prince and Second Prince. I will go and give my greeting to His Imperial Majesty soon.”
They were Gusto, the First Prince, and Elvan, the Second Prince. Since they had not officially started the battle for the throne yet, they were advocating a seemingly amicable relationship.
“I want to meet your bride-to-be. It’s too bad that I can’t do so.”
Originally, it was a formality for the Imperial family not to attend the wedding of a noble. So, no matter how acquainted they were, they would only send a servant to offer their congratulations and gifts. Then, the nobles would visit the Imperial Palace later.
However, the two princes came side by side to visit Schuden.
It was only polite to visit him and congratulate his wedding personally because he was the driving force of the war. But in reality, it was because Schuden Garth was absolutely necessary for the predictably fierce battle for the throne. Even if the princes themselves had no intention of going, those around them would have pushed them to go.
Gusto came in person and Elvan must have been pestered to come.
Schuden knew all of this but he feigned ignorance.
The Emperor was at the age of deciding on his successor. No matter how much he commanded the world, humans could not overcome their natural lifespan. Just like how new wine must be put into a new wineskin, a new King must find new subordinates.
The times were slowly moving forward for a new world. The day was not far off when a large number of young talents would be hired. Among them, Schuden was undoubtedly one of the most powerful. He was a noble who achieved the most at a young age. Even though Schuden was not friendly, he still got a lot of banquet invitations every time.
“By the way, Marquess, I heard High Priest Philemon is attending.”
“Is it real, Gusto? The High Priests are so stubborn that they don’t attend weddings even if they are offered a carriage made of gold. Did you donate a fortress built with gold or something?”
“It’s not like that.”
Schuden knew that the High Priest could not refuse the invitation to his wedding. The origin of this wedding was the oracle after all. Perhaps even if Schuden demanded that all the High Priests of the temple attend his wedding as the condition of the wedding, they would have had no choice but to comply.
“Hahaha. The capital will be flooded with the tears of the Gel Empire ladies. Moreover, it’s a wedding where the High Priest will officiate.”
“The wedding officiant is a regular priest. The High Priest will just be attending as a guest.”
“The High Priest is just a guest?”
The Princes’ eyes widened. Even while talking about such an unprecedented thing, Schuden stayed calm. He glanced at his watch.
“I must go welcome my bride.”
“Oh, we held on to the new groom too long.”
“Let’s meet next time you come to the Imperial Palace.”
“Will do. Excuse me first. Thank you for coming today.”
Schuden’s attitude was not trivial but he also did not act subserviently like other nobles. Yet neither First Prince Gusto nor Second Prince Elvan thought he was cocky. Because Marquess Garth was a man with the strength and ability to do so.
“Shall we go back to the palace, Gusto?”
“We shall.”
Gusto and Elvan were smiling at each other, but in reality, the situation surrounding them was not so smooth. Any noble involved in politics knew for a fact that the one who won over Schuden first would be one step closer to the throne.
However, Marquess Garth did not show any kind of friendship to either side. He just did his part in moderation. This was the reason why the supporters of the First Prince and the Second Prince made such a huge fuss.
“I wonder what kind of person Marquess Garth will be getting married to today.”
“I wonder that too, Gusto.”
Their eyes were headed towards the noisy patronage.
The Marchioness from a foreign country. Whether she wanted it or not, she was a new variable and opportunity for noble politics. The tea party invitation letters for her were already noticeably piling up.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The bridal carriage was the so-called flower carriage.
Led by two white horses with red flowers and ribbons, four bridesmaids, and eight escorts, they moved from the bride’s house to the groom’s house. Since it was considered good manners for the guests to arrive before the bridal carriage, the bustling front gate was as quiet as a mouse.
Instead, Schuden was waiting at that front gate.
Even though it was not as flashy as a woman’s wedding dress, a man’s tuxedo was also a garment that had a lot to care about. Since it was customary for the bride and groom to wear a white formal dress, Schuden was also wearing a white tuxedo.
The left lapel of the tuxedo was fitted with a boutonnière1. Since the most important factor in the wedding attire was ‘neatness’, his reddish-blonde hair was slicked back with the style of a pomade. Above all, the most eye-catching thing would be Schuden’s physique; his tall height, wide shoulders, and manly figure that was tightly woven with solid muscles.
“The carriage is here.”
The bridal carriage stopped not far away from Schuden. It was the groom’s responsibility to escort the bride directly. Schuden strode along, and the bridesmaids opened the carriage door.
“…”
Schuden offered his hand into the carriage. A very short moment of silence had passed. A woman’s hand gently rose over his hand. The wedding did not mean anything in particular. However, from the hand that was lightly placed, the memory of a while ago came to his mind.
At that time, she was shaking.
She fell down.
When Valia fell down at that time, he caught her almost on reflex. This time, Schuden held out his other arm as if he was hugging her because he thought she might fall down again. However, overshadowing his worries, this time she did not fall and landed properly. Rather, the silvery-gray eyes blinked as if asking what was with his hand that blocked her body.
Schuden cleared his throat.
“Well, it’s been a while.”
“Yes. It’s been a while.”
Schuden had never felt difficulty talking to others. Other people were often too impatient to talk after him, and even if that was not the case, he was good at speaking. Even if he talked without thinking deeply, he could still come up with an answer that was appropriate for the situation. But now, perhaps because he was a little flustered, he could not continue talking naturally as usual.
“…You look pretty.”
Schuden flinched after saying that. He was flustered when the words suddenly came out of his mouth. In fact, Schuden had never complimented a woman for being pretty in all his life. When the women who received jewelry from him wore it and asked him whether they looked pretty, he would just answer yes. That was all. The women were satisfied with that one word from him.
“Oh my, madam, what are you talking about? A woman’s makeup isn’t intended to be liked by a man. The important thing is whether you like your makeup or not.”
“Is that so?”
Valia smiled.
“I really like it too. It’s very pretty.”
Valia did not use flowery words. Her words were simple, and they were filled with sincerity. After having suffered for a week, the designers and assistants looked proud. The amount of money that they would charge Marquess Garth and the good reputation they would get in the future was nothing to scoff at, but seeing that bride happy made them feel satisfied.
“Milady, the bridal carriage has arrived.”
Shaun’s voice could be heard outside. Valia stood up with a nervous feeling. It was customary for the bride to ride alone in the bridal carriage, so Valia must be left alone until she arrived at the Marquess’ manor. After officially becoming the Marchioness, she would be quite busy. However, the designer bowed her head, convinced that Valia would surely call her back.
“Congratulations on your wedding, Marchioness.”
“Thank you. You have done a great job.”
No matter how beautiful she was, she could not follow the customs of high-ranking nobles─she could not wear a new wedding dress. Therefore, there would be many nobles who would find fault with her. Valia was a noble from a foreign country to begin with, she had had enough of unfriendly gazes even in her past.
‘I have to be prepared.’
As she walked out with Shaun as her escort, the view of Valia’s back was resolute.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Marquess Garth’s old residence was located in the capital of the Gel Empire. Befitting his title as a high-ranking noble, the main gate was busy today. The carriages that came in one after another were engraved with a large emblem of nobles. There was another hour left before the ceremony had started, but the guest seats were already filled with people.
Marquess Garth’s marriage itself was a big topic in high society. On the week it was announced, Marquess Garth’s wedding was mentioned every single time at every single tea party and dance party. The heartbreak of the nobles, who had a crush on him or had an eye on him as a prospective son-in-law, also played a part in the spread of the news. Furthermore, as the Marquess moved the wedding date to an unprecedented level, the interest in the wedding exploded.
“How can he rush the wedding so quickly? Who in the world is the bride?”
“Oh my, you didn’t hear about it? A daughter of the knight of the Lisa Kingdom is said to be the Marchioness.”
“A knight’s daughter? Not a princess of the Kingdom?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Not long ago, there was an incident at the Second Temple because of that.”
A lot of nobles already knew that the woman who would become Marchioness Garth was the daughter of a knight from a foreign country. The story of Princess Cassia who failed to recognize the unknown Marchioness and ended up treating her badly was very interesting gossip that had been thoroughly enjoyed during tea time.
However, despite these numerous rumors, the exact image of the Marchioness was unknown. It was just blurry. It was as if she had been covered by clouds or fog.
Some even went to the temple and asked to meet her, but the knights of Garth were stubborn, and so they were turned down. They were curious about the details of the Marchioness but it was a question that would be resolved in a little while anyway.
“But how did a lady of the Lisa Kingdom end up marrying the Marquess?”
Among the many questions they had, that was the biggest one. The Lisa Kingdom was a small neutral country that had never even participated in the war. But how in the world did the daughter of a knight from that kingdom come into contact with Marquess Garth and get married to him?
There were many speculations but none came close to the truth. The nobles looked around, hoping that the wedding would start soon. It was not yet time, so the groom, the bride, and the wedding officiant had not yet appeared.
The bride, Valia, was on her way to the Marquess’ manor in a carriage. And the groom, Schuden, was welcoming guests in a waiting room. Before the wedding, it was customary for neither the groom nor bride to meet guests, but there were guests who were exempted from the custom.
“Marquess, congratulations on your marriage.”
“His Imperial Majesty also offers his congratulations.”
“Thank you, First Prince and Second Prince. I will go and give my greeting to His Imperial Majesty soon.”
They were Gusto, the First Prince, and Elvan, the Second Prince. Since they had not officially started the battle for the throne yet, they were advocating a seemingly amicable relationship.
“I want to meet your bride-to-be. It’s too bad that I can’t do so.”
Originally, it was a formality for the Imperial family not to attend the wedding of a noble. So, no matter how acquainted they were, they would only send a servant to offer their congratulations and gifts. Then, the nobles would visit the Imperial Palace later.
However, the two princes came side by side to visit Schuden.
It was only polite to visit him and congratulate his wedding personally because he was the driving force of the war. But in reality, it was because Schuden Garth was absolutely necessary for the predictably fierce battle for the throne. Even if the princes themselves had no intention of going, those around them would have pushed them to go.
Gusto came in person and Elvan must have been pestered to come.
Schuden knew all of this but he feigned ignorance.
The Emperor was at the age of deciding on his successor. No matter how much he commanded the world, humans could not overcome their natural lifespan. Just like how new wine must be put into a new wineskin, a new King must find new subordinates.
The times were slowly moving forward for a new world. The day was not far off when a large number of young talents would be hired. Among them, Schuden was undoubtedly one of the most powerful. He was a noble who achieved the most at a young age. Even though Schuden was not friendly, he still got a lot of banquet invitations every time.
“By the way, Marquess, I heard High Priest Philemon is attending.”
“Is it real, Gusto? The High Priests are so stubborn that they don’t attend weddings even if they are offered a carriage made of gold. Did you donate a fortress built with gold or something?”
“It’s not like that.”
Schuden knew that the High Priest could not refuse the invitation to his wedding. The origin of this wedding was the oracle after all. Perhaps even if Schuden demanded that all the High Priests of the temple attend his wedding as the condition of the wedding, they would have had no choice but to comply.
“Hahaha. The capital will be flooded with the tears of the Gel Empire ladies. Moreover, it’s a wedding where the High Priest will officiate.”
“The wedding officiant is a regular priest. The High Priest will just be attending as a guest.”
“The High Priest is just a guest?”
The Princes’ eyes widened. Even while talking about such an unprecedented thing, Schuden stayed calm. He glanced at his watch.
“I must go welcome my bride.”
“Oh, we held on to the new groom too long.”
“Let’s meet next time you come to the Imperial Palace.”
“Will do. Excuse me first. Thank you for coming today.”
Schuden’s attitude was not trivial but he also did not act subserviently like other nobles. Yet neither First Prince Gusto nor Second Prince Elvan thought he was cocky. Because Marquess Garth was a man with the strength and ability to do so.
“Shall we go back to the palace, Gusto?”
“We shall.”
Gusto and Elvan were smiling at each other, but in reality, the situation surrounding them was not so smooth. Any noble involved in politics knew for a fact that the one who won over Schuden first would be one step closer to the throne.
However, Marquess Garth did not show any kind of friendship to either side. He just did his part in moderation. This was the reason why the supporters of the First Prince and the Second Prince made such a huge fuss.
“I wonder what kind of person Marquess Garth will be getting married to today.”
“I wonder that too, Gusto.”
Their eyes were headed towards the noisy patronage.
The Marchioness from a foreign country. Whether she wanted it or not, she was a new variable and opportunity for noble politics. The tea party invitation letters for her were already noticeably piling up.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The bridal carriage was the so-called flower carriage.
Led by two white horses with red flowers and ribbons, four bridesmaids, and eight escorts, they moved from the bride’s house to the groom’s house. Since it was considered good manners for the guests to arrive before the bridal carriage, the bustling front gate was as quiet as a mouse.
Instead, Schuden was waiting at that front gate.
Even though it was not as flashy as a woman’s wedding dress, a man’s tuxedo was also a garment that had a lot to care about. Since it was customary for the bride and groom to wear a white formal dress, Schuden was also wearing a white tuxedo.
The left lapel of the tuxedo was fitted with a boutonnière1. Since the most important factor in the wedding attire was ‘neatness’, his reddish-blonde hair was slicked back with the style of a pomade. Above all, the most eye-catching thing would be Schuden’s physique; his tall height, wide shoulders, and manly figure that was tightly woven with solid muscles.
“The carriage is here.”
The bridal carriage stopped not far away from Schuden. It was the groom’s responsibility to escort the bride directly. Schuden strode along, and the bridesmaids opened the carriage door.
“…”
Schuden offered his hand into the carriage. A very short moment of silence had passed. A woman’s hand gently rose over his hand. The wedding did not mean anything in particular. However, from the hand that was lightly placed, the memory of a while ago came to his mind.
At that time, she was shaking.
She fell down.
When Valia fell down at that time, he caught her almost on reflex. This time, Schuden held out his other arm as if he was hugging her because he thought she might fall down again. However, overshadowing his worries, this time she did not fall and landed properly. Rather, the silvery-gray eyes blinked as if asking what was with his hand that blocked her body.
Schuden cleared his throat.
“Well, it’s been a while.”
“Yes. It’s been a while.”
Schuden had never felt difficulty talking to others. Other people were often too impatient to talk after him, and even if that was not the case, he was good at speaking. Even if he talked without thinking deeply, he could still come up with an answer that was appropriate for the situation. But now, perhaps because he was a little flustered, he could not continue talking naturally as usual.
“…You look pretty.”
Schuden flinched after saying that. He was flustered when the words suddenly came out of his mouth. In fact, Schuden had never complimented a woman for being pretty in all his life. When the women who received jewelry from him wore it and asked him whether they looked pretty, he would just answer yes. That was all. The women were satisfied with that one word from him.
