Chapter 4
4
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The cornerstone of the Dekan Empire, Taylor of the Golden Wheat Field.
In the vast Taylor Duchy, so expansive that its end cannot be seen, grows the wheat that feeds the empire's people.
'Let no one starve to death in Taylor's lands.'
According to the principle established by the first Duke, successive Dukes Taylor have always devoted themselves to the lives of their people and have been engrossed in developing agricultural techniques to ensure a stable wheat harvest.
As a result, the Taylor Duchy has become a vast granary responsible for the food supply of the entire Dekan Empire. It was only natural that ears of wheat were engraved on the Taylor family's coat of arms. The Empire's third Emperor highly valued Taylor's contribution and personally bestowed a chapel and a beautiful cloister.
Wearing a wedding dress and veil, Grace Taylor slowly walked through the cloister imbued with Taylor's glory.
The nobles whispered among themselves as they watched Grace.
"She looks just like the late Duchess."
"You never know what might happen. For Princess Taylor to marry a mere Viscount Sachsen…"
"Shhh! This is Her Majesty the Empress's family. It's dangerous to say such things."
Count Sachsen scanned Grace up and down as if appraising her, muttering just like his son.
"She's worth the money."
Meanwhile, Rosette clenched her fists tightly, feeling unfairly resentful. She couldn't bear the fact that people's attention was focused solely on Grace, even for a moment. Rosette's wish to divert attention from the bride was fulfilled by the appearance of another protagonist of the wedding.
"Oh my..."
Someone's exclamation spread like an epidemic.
"Goodness."
Following Grace, the groom appeared. With bluish-purple bruises around his eyes and an expression that couldn't be more ominous.
People involuntarily turned their eyes to the beautiful bride standing at the entrance of the chapel.
"How unfortunate."
No more, no less. That one phrase seemed sufficient.
Yes, how unfortunate.
Walter's adjutant, Joseph, felt the same way. He clicked his tongue softly and asked.
"A scoundrel and Taylor? Did he really send out invitations?"
Walter glanced at him and warned quietly.
"Silence."
Joseph quickly shut his mouth and scanned his surroundings.
The two were hiding in a secluded spot in the garden in front of the chapel, but the problem was Walter Richmond's appearance. His sculpted muscles, honed from fighting Magical beasts on the battlefield, combined with his imposing physique, gave him the air of a war god even in a suit. Unlike the nobles with their neatly combed hair, even his unkempt short hair exuded wildness, causing several noblewomen to blush for no reason.
"Who is he?"
The nobles craned their necks, stealing glances at Walter. Despite being a handsome man who could never be forgotten once seen, he was clearly a stranger today. Even in his tailored suit, there was no crest to indicate his family.
"Could he not be a noble?"
"Would a non-noble be invited?"
Just as someone muttered, the bells announcing the ceremony rang. The nobles, who had been stealing glances at Walter, suppressed their curiosity for a moment and headed to the chapel.
Amidst the wave of people, an old man with snow-white hair muttered.
"He resembles Her Majesty, who is ill."
His son, who was assisting him, was startled and whispered.
"Don't say such things. I'm afraid someone will hear you."
But the old man merely shrugged his shoulders with an indifferent expression.
"If he resembles her, I'll say he resembles her. What else should I say? It's been over a decade since Her Majesty has been able to wake up… Everyone has forgotten her appearance. I thought I had too… If His Highness the Crown Prince were alive, he would look just like that."
"No one thinks that way!"
"Too many things have changed in an instant. In an instant…"
The old man paid little attention to his son's words and stared blankly at Grace's back as she walked towards the bishop.
She grew up so beautifully. So beautifully that it made even an unrelated old man's heart ache. If the late Duke's soul were to see this, he would surely wail and beat the ground.
The Archbishop, who was watching the bride and groom walk towards him from the front, had similar thoughts to the old man.
The groom's bluish-purple bruises around his eyes made him look like nothing more than a thug, no matter how kindly one looked at him. And to ogle the bride so blatantly even as the solemn ceremony began! As the bishop sighed at the pathetic sight, the two arrived before him and knelt respectfully with the help of the priests.
The colorful sunlight filtering through the stained glass stained the bishop's ornate vestments. The bishop personally rang the bell and then dabbed holy water on the foreheads of the bride and groom.
Even then, Jack Sachsen's gaze was fixed on the bride. He looked at Grace's profile, as elegant as a porcelain doll, and pondered.
She was truly a stunning beauty. He was sure he was meeting her for the first time today, but why did he feel like he had seen her somewhere before? And why did his eyes seem to hurt more when he was near this woman?
The Viscount frowned at the throbbing pain, and the bishop's brow furrowed as well.
What kind of guy is this! He didn't like the way he was blatantly staring at the bride throughout the ceremony.
A small murmur was also flowing among the honored guests.
"What is it, suddenly a love story?"
Joseph, who was watching the ceremony from afar, muttered, and Walter chuckled. His gaze, like the Viscount's, was also fixed on Grace. He couldn't figure out what the audacious Princess had hinted to him, now that the ceremony was almost over.
Meanwhile, the ceremony proceeded quickly, and now only the oath remained. It was a ceremony in which one asked and promised before God to commit to the marriage with a pure body and mind, and to love and devote oneself only to one's spouse for the rest of one's life.
The bishop glanced coldly at Jack Sachsen and decided to skip the question about purity. It would be ridiculous to ask someone who already had six illegitimate children about the purity of their body and mind.
"Jack Sachsen, do you swear before God to take Grace Taylor as your wife and cherish and love her for the rest of your life?"
The Viscount, who had turned to look at the bishop for the first time since entering the chapel, swore with a seemingly serious expression.
"Yes, I swear."
The bishop's gaze turned to Grace. He asked her a question, as she had been listening to his words all along with an unwavering, elegant posture.
"Grace Taylor, do you swear to enter into this sacred marriage with a pure body and mind?"
This was a very old question. A question that everyone invariably answered 'yes' to, a question that had become a mere formality, just like applying holy water to the forehead.
Grace slowly raised her eyes. In the bishop's eyes, which were looking down at her, she saw herself in a wedding dress. Moving her gaze a little further back, she saw the statue behind the bishop.
The past flashed through her mind.
'Princess. The most important thing in hunting is waiting for the right moment.'
As the bride remained silent, murmurs began to spread again among the honored guests. The bishop cleared his throat to draw her attention.
"Ahem."
The god, who had been looking down at her with an indifferent expression at every moment, was simply looking down at her today as well. Grace looked up at the god and declared.
Oh God, now is the time.
"Grace Taylor, do you swear to enter into this sacred marriage with a pure body and mind?!"
The bishop's voice, now louder, echoed through the round chapel. All eyes were on Grace.
Grace felt as if she were standing alone in the middle of enemy territory. A chill ran down her spine, and at the same time, a fire that she had been suppressing until now seemed to surge up, making her chest burn hotly.
She took a deep breath, bracing her stomach firmly. And finally, she opened her mouth.
No, she drew the sword she had been hiding until now.
"No. There is someone else I love."
At the new bride's shocking declaration, a silence spread through the hall as if someone had poured ice water. Count and Countess Sachsen gasped and widened their eyes, while Duke and Duchess Taylor also covered their mouths with both hands, at a loss for words.
They were not the only ones who were flustered. Jack Sachsen, who had six illegitimate children, glared at Grace with wide eyes, and the bishop also coughed several times in embarrassment.
There's no precedent!! No matter how hard he racked his brain, it was definitely the first time in the history of the temple.
As the murmuring grew louder, the flustered bishop eventually pretended not to hear and hastily continued with the next question.
"Grace Taylor, do you swear before God to take Jack Sachsen as your spouse and cherish and love him for the rest of your life?"
The bishop looked at Grace with earnestness.
Please, just say yes!
But contrary to his wishes, Grace Taylor slowly turned her head and stared quietly at the Viscount. Her composure and elegance clearly conveyed her feelings.
The eyes of the murmuring honored guests followed the bride to the groom. They nodded involuntarily.
"...Oh dear, what did he do the night before the wedding to have such bluish-purple eyes..."
"...I don't think I could love or respect him either, if I were her."
The Viscount's increasingly rough breathing also added to the weight of the feelings placed on Grace.
"Bishop! What are you doing! Proceed with the ceremony!!"
Unable to bear it any longer, Count Sachsen stood up and shouted. The bishop also wanted to end the ceremony somehow and quickly tried to move on to the next step.
But Grace was faster.
"Therefore, I don't think I can love this man."
Her clear voice struck everyone's ears. The bishop closed his eyes and sought God.
Oh, God. Why do you give me such pain?
"I cannot love even a single hair on Jack Sachsen's head."
The moment Grace drove in the wedge, the violence of the notorious scoundrel burst out unexpectedly.
"You dared to have an affair with another man before the wedding, how dare you say whether you can love me or not?!"
