Chapter: 04
Above all, the reason the social scene was ablaze was that it had become known that the two were married out of love.
A romantic marriage—rare in noble families.
“I heard Argenta and Alose don’t get along at all.”
“That’s true. The three ducal families have always been like that.”
“But how…?”
So it was only natural that our marriage would become a scandal shaking the empire.
A union between two families practically at odds, like Romeo and Juliet.
Even knowing it would make us the talk of high society, the reason we made it appear as a romantic marriage was simple.
Otherwise, Perro’s existence would have to be revealed to the outside world.
For the three ducal families, who held unparalleled power over elemental forces, the absence of Perro was a fatal weakness—the head of the family couldn’t fully wield their abilities without him.
Therefore, this marriage had to bloom as a sweet romance amidst the hostile atmosphere of the two families.
In short, we had to appear as a very sweet, inseparable couple on the verge of marriage.
“Are you confident you can act like that?”
In the original story, Dielo Argenta failed at this act and became the subject of gossip.
The original narration described it this way:
[This pure, kind-hearted man, incapable of lying, was flustered by Croa Alose’s impulsive actions and spent all his time trailing after her.]
But today, that would never do.
I had no intention of becoming gossip.
In the original, Croa Alose would scold Duke Alose mercilessly for failing to keep even one husband under control.
“That’s…”
Dielo Argenta’s faint, awkward smile was exactly what I had expected.
Then there was only one solution.
“Then promise me just one thing.”
It couldn’t be helped.
Before entering the banquet hall, I moved very close to Dielo Argenta and whispered.
“I’ll lead, so just follow me.”
No awkwardness.
That much, you can handle, right?
The empire’s way of proposing was unique.
Specifically, the procedure for announcing an engagement to others was unique.
I carefully walked so that my white veil would not be lifted, thinking to myself.
“Here comes the young lady Croa Alose of the House of Duke Alose!”
Through the opening doors, I could see the nobles waiting for news of Dielo Argenta.
I couldn’t see them clearly through the white veil, but none of them seemed surprised that I hadn’t entered alongside Dielo.
That’s how the empire’s engagement rituals worked.
Word of Croa Alose and Dielo Argenta’s marriage had already spread among the nobles through whispers.
It was the duty of both families to make it appear as if the information had been leaked “by accident.”
Then, when both families hosted the banquet, the other nobles would attend, pretending not to know anything.
And while observing the bride in her pure white veil, they would speculate on who the groom would be, using it as an excuse to gossip about the two families.
“To think the Houses of Argenta and Alose would be united in marriage…”
“Who would have imagined it?”
“I wonder how the House of Cartiel feels about this…”
Though spoken quietly, everything could be heard.
With two of the three ducal families, previously rivals, now joined in marriage, the remaining Cartiel family’s position had clearly become uncertain.
Thus, attention was divided between me, the veiled bride, and the people of the Cartiel House.
“The Wind Cartiel.”
The Cartiel House, so-called, was experiencing its peak under the strong Duke Siete, one of the top five heads in Cartiel history.
It was common knowledge that the stronger the head of a family, the stronger the knights under their power.
Thanks to the winds controlled by Cartiel, even near the deserts they defended, monsters dared not approach.
“……”
The people of the Cartiel House were speaking among themselves with serious expressions.
One man, appearing to be in his thirties, was likely the current Duke Siete of Cartiel.
True to a family that controls wind, he had a wandering spirit in his youth, allowing him to reach not only the upper echelons of the empire but even ordinary groups of commoners.
Still, in terms of intelligence gathering, he couldn’t compare to Argenta, who had placed his people across the empire over generations.
“Oh, so the bride is here.”
While observing Cartiel, I saw young ladies awkwardly performing their roles.
Meanwhile, nobles from weaker families, without any insider information, were genuinely surprised to see a bride present.
“Who will be the gentleman to lift the bride’s veil…?”
Only the man who intended to become my husband could lift this pure white veil.
And because the prospective bride and groom could not enter together, the bride had to wander the banquet alone until her groom arrived, keeping impatient noble young men on edge.
Who would claim the “treasured daughter” of the Alose House among the empire’s three ducal families?
“Here comes Dielo of the Argenta House!”
Then came the voice of a loud-footed servant.
‘Well then, I’m counting on you later.’
I recalled what I had whispered to Dielo before parting.
‘I’ll lead, just follow me.’
‘That’s okay, right?’
The young man with black hair, who had blushed at my words, entered the banquet hall.
“My, how grown he looks.”
“The Duke of Argenta has changed so much.”
“Oh…”
His white uniform had deep blue decorations, symbolizing the infinite seas that Argenta controlled.
The decorations matched the pale blue of his eyes.
With his jet-black hair neatly combed, hiding any dazzling light, Dielo walked straight toward me.
The time had come.
I smiled beneath the veil.
Skilled or playful grooms in other stories might wander elsewhere first to make the bride impatient before approaching her.
But Dielo Argenta didn’t know such games.
—tap tap.
He walked straight to me and stopped right in front of me.
“……”
The nobles, who had made way for him, now held their breath around us.
“Croa.”
Dielo’s slightly trembling voice echoed through the hall.
Perhaps it was his awkward acting, but it seemed to ignite the surrounding nobles’ curiosity.
He truly looked like a shy groom.
“Yes, Your Grace, Duke Argenta.”
I looked up at him, and his fingertips lightly touched my white veil.
Contrary to the novel’s depiction of him as weak, his hand was strong, with sturdy veins.
—flap.
When I nodded at his knock on the veil, he finally lifted it.
He lowered himself beneath the veil that had covered my neck, entering close to me.
“……”
“……”
Beneath the veil, all other light faded, and my reflection appeared in his pale blue eyes.
Even knowing it was staged, my heart raced.
In this banquet, only the two of us knew the secret of this marriage.
From this moment, we were accomplices.
“Please be my bride, Croa Alose.”
His low voice echoed through the quiet hall.
He came closer and lightly kissed the tip of my nose.
—smooch.
A sweet sound filled the hall.
“Dielo.”
I whispered softly.
Dielo leaned in and kissed me again.
It was a brief, gentle kiss, only grazing my upper lip.
In the original story, this was the kiss that made him the subject of gossip.
At a moment where the groom was supposed to show his possessiveness, he kissed the bride reluctantly and then withdrew from the veil.
Of course, he had his reasons.
[…I can’t just take the first kiss of a young lady who doesn’t even have feelings for me.]
He had said this in the original story.
But now, that wouldn’t do.
I placed a hand gently on his shoulder as he tried to pull away.
“……!”
I whispered to him, eyes wide open.
“I’m okay.”
A tiny whisper, a voice that would only carry and vanish beneath the veil.
When he slightly opened his mouth, I said:
“You promised to follow my lead.”
I raised onto my toes and brought my face closer.
“So, deeper.”
I wrapped one hand around his waist.
This time, I pressed my lips lightly onto his upper lip, stealing his breath.
He opened his eyes wide, surprised by the sudden kiss.
It was a deep kiss, enough to warm the space beneath the veil.
“My goodness!”
Cheers erupted.
To those outside the veil, unable to see us clearly, we appeared as the sweetest couple about to wed.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
I whispered again, almost lips brushing:
“Be bold.”
Dielo’s hands hadn’t fully embraced my back yet.
I slid my hand down his back, wrapping my arms around him.
“!”
Naturally, we drew closer.
Finally, Dielo’s arms fully encircled me.
“Love me.”
We were supposed to appear as a newlywed couple in passionate love, weren’t we?
Quickly.
The last thing I saw was his pale blue eyes, sparkling in a strange light.
What was he thinking?
Before I could dwell on the thought, he surged into me.
“!”
Resolute, his arms tightened around my waist and back.
Before I could even draw a breath, he claimed it entirely.
A kiss so intense it almost left my legs weak.
“……!”
My mind went hazy.
After a long, indistinct number of minutes, he gave me a brief moment to breathe and whispered:
“Like this?”
Another whisper, audible only beneath the veil.
His pale blue eyes, meeting mine, trembled slightly with an apologetic expression.
I struggled to catch my breath, looking into them.
“Don’t think I’m stealing your first kiss. This is what I want.”
He looked slightly startled at my words.
Understandably so; he must have read my thoughts.
I pulled him in closer once again.
Deeper.
Today, we had to fool many people.
Before I could finish speaking, Dielo’s strong hands cradled the back of my head.
“Ah…!”
For a moment, we could forget this was a contract marriage—he penetrated me deeply.
Even through the layers of fabric, I could feel the fiery closeness and intensity.
“Waaaah!”
Above us, the nobles cheered and applauded.
[Dielo Argenta and Croa Alose, overcoming the deep animosity between their families, fall into passionate love.]
The beginning of a scandal that would shake the empire from this day forward.
