Chapter 4
Chapter 04
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Above all, what fueled the social circles was the fact that the two were known to have a romance marriage.
A sweet romance marriage rarely found in noble families.
"I heard the Argenta and Alloze families originally didn't get along."
"That's right. The three Duke families have always been like that."
"But how..."
So, it was only natural that our marriage became a scandal that shook the empire.
Like Romeo and Juliet, a marriage between two families that were almost hostile.
Knowing that it would become a hot topic in society, the reason we announced our relationship as a romance marriage was simple.
Otherwise, we would have to reveal Pero's existence to the outside world.
For the three Duke families, who held a unique position by wielding powerful elemental forces, it was a fatal weakness that the head of the family could not fully exert their abilities without Pero's existence.
So, this marriage had to be a sweet romance that blossomed from the hostile atmosphere between the two families.
In short, we had to appear as a very sweet engaged couple who were madly in love with each other.
"Are you confident you can act like that?"
In the original story, Dielo Argenta failed to act the part and became the subject of gossip.
The original description went like this:
[This pure and kind man, who couldn't tell a lie, was busy following Krua Alroze around, overwhelmed by her capricious behavior.]
But today, that wouldn't do.
I had no intention of becoming the subject of gossip.
Because Krua Alroze would be bombarded with nagging from Duke Alloze for not being able to control her husband.
"That's..."
Dielo Argenta's reaction, a faint smile as if he was in trouble, was as expected.
Then there was only one way.
"Then promise me just one thing."
I had no choice.
Before entering the banquet hall, I approached Dielo Argenta very closely and whispered.
"I'll lead, so just follow me."
Don't be awkward.
Can you do that?
* * *
The empire's proposal method is unique.
To be precise, the process of announcing the engagement to others was unique.
I thought carefully as I walked, making sure the white veil covering my face didn't come off.
"Krua Alroze, the Duke's daughter of the Alloze family, enters!"
Through the opening door, I could see nobles waiting for news of me and Dielo Argenta.
It wasn't clear because of the white veil, but there were those among them who were wondering why I didn't enter with Dielo.
That's because that's the empire's proposal method.
In any case, the fact that Krua Alroze and Dielo Argenta were getting married was already known among the nobles through behind-the-scenes information.
It was the job of the two families, who were the parties to the marriage, to 'pretend to leak' that fact.
After that, when the two families lead and host a banquet like this, the other nobles pretend not to know and participate.
And while looking at the bride-to-be wearing a pure white veil, they start talking about the behind-the-scenes stories of the two families under the guise of guessing who the groom who will take the bride-to-be is.
"The Argenta Duke family and the Alloze Duke family will form a relationship through marriage."
"Who would have imagined it?"
"I wonder how the Kartiel Duke family feels..."
They were talking relatively quietly, but I could hear everything.
Since two of the three Duke families that had been keeping each other in check were connected through marriage, it was certain that the position of the remaining Kartiel family had become unclear.
So, people's attention was divided between me, the bride wearing the veil, and the people of the Kartiel Duke family.
'Kartiel of the Wind.'
The Kartiel Duke family, called that, was enjoying its heyday thanks to Siete, the most powerful head of the Kartiel family in the history of Kartiel.
It was common sense that the stronger the head of the family, the stronger the knights who received Kartiel's power.
It was said that thanks to their strong winds, ordinary monsters couldn't even approach the desert near Kartiel.
"..."
The Kartiel Duke family members were talking among themselves with serious faces.
The man in his 30s among them must be Siete, the current Duke of Kartiel.
As a family that handles the wind, he had a wandering habit in his childhood, and thanks to that, unlike a Duke, he had direct access not only to the upper echelons of the empire but also to commoner groups.
However, even so, his information gathering ability would be inferior to Argenta, who had planted his people in various parts of the empire over several generations.
"Oh my, the bride is here."
While I was examining Kartiel, I also saw the young ladies who were putting on awkward acts.
In the meantime, the nobles from humble families who came without any behind-the-scenes information were really surprised that there was a bride.
"I wonder which gentleman will lift the bride's veil..."
The only person who can lift this pure white veil is the person who wants to be my husband.
And since it is implicitly impossible for the bride and groom to enter together, the bride must walk around the banquet hall alone until the groom arrives.
While making the unmarried noble young men anxious.
Who will take the 'precious daughter' of the Alloze Duke, one of the three Duke families of the empire?
"Dielo, the Duke of the Argenta Duke family, enters!"
At that time, I heard the loud voice of the servant.
'Well then, please take care of me later.'
I recalled the conversation I had with Dielo before we parted.
'I'll lead, so just follow me.'
'That's, okay, right?'
The black-haired young man, whose cheeks were blushing at my words, was entering the banquet hall.
"Oh my goodness."
"The Duke of Argenta has grown up so much."
"Oh..."
The pure white uniform had dark blue decorations.
As if symbolizing the Endless Sea that Argenta was blocking.
The decoration also went well with his light blue eyes.
Dielo, who neatly arranged his jet-black hair that seemed to hide any dazzling light, was heading straight for me.
The time had come.
I smiled under my veil.
Originally, skilled or sly grooms would pretend not to find the bride and wander around before coming to the bride.
To make the bride anxious.
But Dielo Argenta was someone who didn't know such things.
- Tap, tap.
He went straight to me and stopped in front of me.
"..."
The nobles who had made way for him were now surrounding us and holding their breath.
"Krua."
Dielo's slightly trembling voice echoed through the banquet hall.
It was probably because his acting was awkward, but that seemed to ignite the hearts of the surrounding nobles even more.
Because he really seemed like a shy groom.
"Yes, Your Grace, Duke Argenta."
When I looked up at him, his fingertips lightly touched my white veil.
Unlike the novel's assessment that he had a weak personality, it was the hand of a strong man with firm tendons.
- Flap.
When I nodded to him, who touched the veil as if knocking, his fingertips finally lifted the veil.
He lowered his body and came inside the pure white veil that covered up to my neck.
"..."
"..."
Under the veil, I could see all the other light being blocked out, and my figure being reflected in his light blue eyes.
Even though I knew it was a staged situation, my heart was pounding.
Because only the two of us knew the secret of this banquet and this marriage.
Because we were accomplices from this moment on.
"Please be my bride, Krua Alloze."
His low voice echoed through the quiet hall.
He came a little closer to me and left a light kiss on the tip of my nose.
- Smack.
A sweet sound echoes through the hall.
"Dielo."
I whispered softly.
Then Dielo came a little closer to me and kissed me.
It was a light kiss that only tasted the upper lip and then fell away.
This was also the kiss that made him the subject of gossip in the original story.
Because in this place where the groom had to show his possessiveness towards the bride, he kissed as if he had no choice and left the bride's veil.
Of course, he had a reason for that too.
[...It would be difficult to steal the first kiss of Lady Krua, who doesn't really have feelings for me.]
In the original story, he clearly said.
But it was difficult to do that now.
I lightly placed my hand on his shoulder as he tried to step back.
"!"
I whispered to him, who had widened his eyes.
"I'm okay."
A very small whisper, a voice that would only echo and scatter inside the veil that confined us.
It was when he slightly parted his lips.
"You said you'd follow my lead."
I said very quietly, raised my toes, and brought my face close to his.
"So, deeper."
I wrapped one arm around his waist.
This time, I took his breath away by lightly holding his upper lip in my mouth.
He seemed flustered by the surprise kiss and widened his eyes.
It was a deep kiss that made the area under the veil feel a little hot.
"Oh my goodness!"
Cheers erupted.
To the people around us who couldn't see the inside of the veil, we would be the sweetest engaged couple.
But this alone was not enough.
I whispered at a distance where our lips were about to touch.
"Boldly."
Dielo's hands hadn't even wrapped around my back yet.
I ran my hand down his back with the arm around his waist.
"!"
Then, naturally, we got closer.
Only then did Dielo's arms, which had been wandering in the air, wrap around me.
"Love me."
We're a newlywed couple who fell in love after a passionate love, right?
We have to look like that, right?
Quickly.
The last thing I saw as I whispered that was his light blue eyes, sparkling with a strange light.
What was he thinking?
While I was wondering for a moment, he rushed at me.
"!"
As if he had made up his mind, his arms were completely wrapped around my waist and back.
Before I could even take a breath, he invaded me and completely took my breath away.
It was such an intense kiss that my legs felt weak.
"!"
My head seemed to be dizzy.
After a long kiss that might have lasted for several minutes, he gave me a brief moment to breathe and whispered to me.
"Like this?"
That too was our own whisper that only echoed under the veil.
The blue eyes facing me were trembling slightly as if they were sorry.
I barely caught my breath while looking at those eyes.
"Don't think you're stealing my first kiss. This is what I want."
He seemed a little surprised at my words.
Well, it was only natural since it would have seemed like I was reading his mind.
I hugged him again.
Deeper.
Because today, we have to deceive many people.
It was before my words could continue.
Dielo's strong hand wrapped around the back of my head.
"Ah...!"
He penetrated me so deeply that I momentarily forgot that this marriage was a contract marriage.
So close and intense that I could feel the burning heat even through several layers of fabric.
"Wow!"
Above us, the cheers and applause of the nobles poured down.
[Dielo Argenta and Krua Alloze, overcoming the deep emotional rift between their families and falling into passionate love.]
From today, it was the beginning of a scandal that would shake the empire.
