Chapter 8
Episode 08
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In conclusion, the wedding was a success.
As I had predicted, the weather on the wedding day was viciously capricious, but thanks to preparing enough spare dresses, it proceeded without a hitch, unlike in the original story.
“Take good care of my daughter.”
Duke Alloze looked very satisfied.
He hugged me once, as if I were the most precious thing in the world, and then patted Dielo on the shoulder.
“Of course.”
Dielo smiled back at him.
It was the gentle smile he always wore.
“Let’s bury the long-standing feud between the two families for a while, and treat my daughter only as my daughter.”
Duke Alloze said with a hearty laugh.
He was sickeningly brazen.
Wasn’t it Duke Alloze who deepened the rift of that feud by killing the Argenta Duke and Duchess?
“Of course. Please don’t worry too much.”
Dielo gave me a brief kiss on the forehead. And he escorted me to the prepared carriage.
It was a carriage heading to the mansion prepared at the border of the two territories.
Overlooking both the sea and the forest, it was also our honeymoon destination.
—Click.
The carriage door closed, and the space where only we remained began to shake.
I whispered very softly to him, worried that the coachman might hear.
“It was perfect.”
Dielo, startled by my words, tensed his shoulders.
And he tilted his head slightly towards the driver’s seat as if listening, then raised his index finger to his lips.
‘He might hear.’
He mouthed the words and smiled faintly.
It was a soft smile, completely different from the tense one he had shown earlier.
But he must have had something he wanted to say as well, as he leaned towards me and whispered very softly.
“I’m glad it seems to have gone well.”
As if by agreement, we squeezed each other’s hands tightly once.
Now, all that remained was to help this man, who had become a perfect accomplice, connect with Pero and to fully protect his heart.
I narrowed my eyes and smiled.
Meanwhile, Dielo let out a short breath and fanned himself to cool down.
How shy. My smile deepened.
Don’t worry.
At night, we’ll just hold hands and sleep.
A long-distance honeymoon was out of the question.
Because Dielo was the head of Argenta, he couldn’t be away for long.
Because of this, Argenta built a villa solely for the honeymoon. As if this amount of money was nothing.
And the villa was more than enough to create a honeymoon atmosphere.
“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but exclaim as I reached the top floor of the mansion.
Perhaps it had rained yesterday, as I could see very far with the naked eye.
So I could see the sea that Argenta protected on one side, and the forest that Alloze protected on the other.
The forest swaying in the wind and the sea sparkling in the sunlight were beautiful to see from afar.
If you looked closely, it would be full of monsters, though.
“Do you like it?”
Dielo chuckled softly. I nodded eagerly.
“The breeze is nice, and the view is great. Let’s have breakfast here tomorrow morning!”
“I will tell them to prepare it that way.”
Dielo gave me a light kiss on the forehead.
I clearly felt his lips tremble slightly.
How awkward!
I hugged him tightly. Like a truly happy newlywed couple.
“Your luggage has all been unpacked, madam.”
While I was admiring the view, one of the maids who had been following Dielo and me said.
Some of the maids following us were Alloze maids.
The maids that Alloze had personally selected and sent to help the Duke’s precious daughter adjust would be leaving this mansion in three days.
It looks like surveillance no matter how you look at it?
I thought so, but Dielo readily allowed it.
Thanks to that, we had to tour the honeymoon mansion with all the maids from both families.
But even for us, the time eventually came when we were left alone.
Only we could enter the room where the first night would take place.
“I heard it didn’t take long to build, so I thought it would be small, but the mansion is huge.”
I was only able to relax a little after the maids disappeared.
It was because I had been exhausted from acting like I was in love with Dielo all this time.
When I briefly separated from him to receive a bath in preparation for the first night, I had to act like a fluttering new bride.
“I said it was built generously… but I didn’t know we’d have to walk around this much.”
Dielo smiled awkwardly.
He had already entered the room and was sitting on the bedside, pouring wine.
—Pouring.
The dark red wine seemed to have been prepared for the newlyweds who might be nervous.
When I entered in my gown, he gladly got up to greet me.
“Since it’s there to be drunk, we should drink it, right?”
Holding two identical glasses, he handed one to me and tilted his glass first.
Gulp, the movement of his Adam’s apple was clearly visible.
He was only wearing a light shirt, so it was even more visible.
Perhaps he was feeling stuffy or nervous, as the buttons were undone by two or three, and the black Lily emblem clearly engraved on his collarbone was also clearly visible.
“We should.”
I shook the glass slightly and followed him, taking a sip of wine.
The scent of sweet fruit, with almost no alcohol scent, swirled around the tip of my tongue.
It was pleasantly sweet.
“……”
“……”
After tilting our glasses, our eyes met for no reason, and we burst into laughter as if we had promised to do so.
“Come this way.”
Dielo gestured to me.
The bed, lit by soft lights, was neatly arranged, with only a few traces of where he had been sitting.
I could also see that the canopy for the newlyweds, who might be shy, was slightly lifted and tied.
I slid down one of the cloths tied like a curtain.
—Swish.
The heavy curtain that had been tied up swayed and came down right in front of me.
With the curtain covering half of the bed, we sat facing each other on the bed and burst into laughter again.
Finally, it was a comfortable place with just the two of us.
“Well, then.”
I gently took his hand with the hand that wasn’t holding the glass.
“The work for tonight is done.”
Then I let go of his hand again. Because we decided to just hold hands and sleep.
Dielo, who was looking at his fingertips at my words, chuckled again.
I shrugged at him as he clenched and unclenched his hand.
“Of course, I have no intention of breaking my promise. Just in case you’re suspicious.”
Not that he would suspect me. I said, looking into his blue eyes.
The real Pero is coming in two months anyway.
I just won’t say it because I have nothing to say if you ask me how I know that fact.
I only need to endure for two months in Argenta.
No, I might stay a little longer, but at least having to be conscious of Duke Alloze and match my words and actions like this is only until two months later.
“Until the real Pero comes, let’s do well, you and I.”
I raised my glass to Dielo.
Dielo gladly followed my toast.
—Clink!
The sound of the glasses lightly clinking rang out cheerfully.
After I emptied my wine glass first and placed it on the bedside table, Dielo placed his down as well.
—Swish.
While I was drawing the remaining curtain, the light noticeably dimmed.
This is probably a flame maintained by Argenta’s Power.
When I turned around after drawing the curtain, Dielo was already lying down.
He had only slightly lifted one side of the blanket and was supporting his hands under the soft pillow.
“Come here.”
He patted the spot next to him.
His blue eyes, sparkling in the soft light, even looked innocent.
—Rustle.
The sound of the fabric brushing was particularly loud in my ears.
When I lifted the blanket and lay down, I could see his eyes very close.
Only I was reflected in his light blue eyes.
I hope it looks like this to other people too.
As I stared at his eyes, Dielo blushed and turned his gaze away.
“Are my eyes that strange?”
“No, they’re pretty.”
I blurted out.
Dielo turned back to me. He seemed a little surprised.
“Huh?”
“Even if we’re not a real couple, I can still say they’re pretty, right?”
I pointed under his eyes with my index finger.
“They’re pretty, those eyes. Like the sea.”
Dielo smiled at my words.
“The actual sea is much darker and deeper than this.”
“Still. The sea looks like that from afar, doesn’t it? When it’s hit by sunlight.”
He smiled again.
His eyes, covered by the shadows as he smiled softly, finally looked a little darker.
“The sea from afar, that’s true.”
Dielo readily nodded.
I looked at his eyes and suddenly murmured.
“This kind of honeymoon is nice too.”
It wasn’t that I hadn’t imagined a honeymoon filled with passionate love.
But given the situation of a contract marriage, it wasn’t bad to have a cozy chat in this soft atmosphere.
As long as I’m comfortable, that’s all that matters.
“I’m glad you’re satisfied, Lady Krua Alloze.”
I shook my head.
“I’m not a lady anymore.”
“Ah……”
I whispered to him, who had widened his eyes slightly.
“To really look like a couple, we have to seem somewhat close, right? So let’s practice.”
I pressed my index finger against his lips.
“Calling my name.”
“Ah,”
Perhaps because it was an unexpected skinship, he paused.
I chuckled softly.
“We’ll have to touch each other more often and closer outside. Are you going to be this surprised every time?”
If that happened, the rumor that we were a passionate newlywed couple would disappear completely.
I couldn’t leave it like this.
I pulled his hand and placed it on my cheek.
“Let’s practice this from now on too.”
“Yes?”
A ripple ran through his eyes, which had been as calm as a lake.
If we’re going to do it, we have to do it right!
“Touching like this.”
I took his hand that was placed on my cheek.
“You don’t have to feel sorry for any reason.”
He’s the kind of person who apologizes for stealing Krua’s first kiss in the original story.
That’s why I made a preemptive strike.
“Don’t hesitate and act like newlyweds. Like you really love me.”
At my words, his hand moved slightly. His hand gently and carefully caressed my ear and cheek.
Perhaps it was because he was an Argenta, but his hand contained a strange heat.
“……”
Dielo, who had been looking at me with his blue eyes for a moment, opened his mouth.
“…Krua Alloze.”
And his softly moving lips touched my index finger.
A strange sensation ran through the tender skin next to my index finger.
