Chapter 10
The once haphazardly cut and uneven hair was now neatly arranged. The stray ends of hair, which had been sticking out in all directions, were now smoothed down into place below the jawline thanks to heated tongs. The style was unconventional for a bride entering the wedding hall, but it perfectly suited her pale skin and round face. Moreover, the bouncy hairstyle highlighted her long, slender neck and smooth shoulders, making her stunningly beautiful. This was what one might call dazzlingly beautiful. She wondered if this was the kind of dramatic hairstyle that women from the Huayue continent used to have, as her mother had once told her about.
“Mother, why did she do that?”
“She was a woman who loved the sea, but her hair was getting in the way of her work.”
“Isn’t it strange to cut such precious hair given by one’s parents?”
“Rachel, happiness comes from self-satisfaction. So, always strive not to be trapped by the foolish social prejudices created by humans.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Recalling her mother’s words, she smiled contentedly. Her dimples appeared charmingly on her cheeks, making her face look as fresh as a ripe apple.
“Little Madam, do you like it?”
“Your skill is incredible. Thank you so much, Joanna.”
“Not at all. Since you are a beauty, any hairstyle would suit you.”
Although Joanna replied nonchalantly, she was greatly relieved. She believed that the decision she made did not go against the wishes of Great Madam while still pleasing the Little Madam.
***
For the wedding of the powerful Duke Edmond of the Merwin Empire, the temple sent a high-ranking priest personally. Being able to stand in a ceremony presided over by the high priest was a luxury and an honor that only a few could enjoy. Therefore, the ceremony was solemn and grand, the speeches lengthy and tedious and the formal questions were endless.
“Stefan Edmond, do you take Rachel Burke as your wife?”
“Yes.”
“Rachel Burke, do you agree to be called Rachel Edmond from this moment on?”
“Yes.”
Even though it was tiring, Stefan and Rachel answered ‘yes’ without a hint of faltering. Despite their seemingly earnest demeanor, the high priest’s expression remained dark. He had been subtly threatened by the Emperor to officiate Duke Edmond’s wedding.
“How dare you reject our Isabel and marry this insignificant marquis’s daughter? If you want the temple to be expanded, you must be careful in your conduct, high priest.”
Unable to hide his discomfort, the high priest bowed his head and asked the bride and groom in a whisper.
“Do you both truly wish for this marriage to take place?”
“Yes.”
Their simultaneous “yes” responses only made him less confident. The high priest’s brow furrowed as he examined Rachel from head to toe. The bride, sporting an entirely new hairstyle, seemed indifferent to modesty and wore no veil. Her excessive adornment of pink diamonds, supposedly extracted from the blood of workers, was also repulsive.
He shifted his displeasure to Stefan, whose appearance was equally exasperating. Despite being a successful businessman, Stefan’s white tuxedo was lavishly adorned with golden embroidery, almost like attire for a crown prince, save for the actual crown. Moreover, his lack of surprise or anger at the bride’s unconventional appearance was suspicious.
“Who prepared this wedding?”
Unlike the lips of the silent Rachel, Stefan clearly named the person responsible.
“Lady Rita Edmond.”
“Good grief… In my 20 years as a high priest, I’ve never seen a wedding like this.”
What could this kind of wedding mean? Although the high priest lived a lifelong celibate, he was well-acquainted with political marriages among nobles. These are contractual unions made to gain status, wealth, and fame, devoid of affection or trust towards the partner. Especially in cases like this, where one family clearly benefits over the other, the expressions of the bride and groom are uniformly indifferent.
The groom looked arrogant, while the bride appeared so intimidated that she seemed small, which was typical. However, these two strayed far from that norm, as if there was something else underlying this marriage.
“Duke Edmond, what is your reason for marrying Miss Burke?”
“Miss Burke possesses all the qualities necessary to become the next Duchess of Edmond.”
Stefan’s answer sounded as if he had no affection or even interest in the bride, causing one of the high priest’s eyebrows to twitch. Though he had chosen his words carefully, it was no different from saying that their marriage was a political one.
The high priest’s gaze shifted back to Rachel.
“Miss Burke, do you agree with the Duke’s statement?”
Stefan’s gaze also fell on Rachel, as he was curious about the bride’s mindset regarding this marriage.
“I may be lacking, but I will do my best in this marriage, High Priest.”
“And what do you think of such an extravagant ceremony as the next Duchess of Edmond?”
Rachel finally understood the intent behind the high priest’s question and looked up at him with as humble a gaze and as polite a smile as she could muster.
“As I am not yet the Duchess of Edmond, I am not in a position to judge this ceremony.”
“Hmm…”
The high priest did not bother to hide his displeasure, feeling that Rachel’s answer was evasive. However, her next words caught his interest.
“But if this ceremony concludes smoothly, I can promise one thing as the future Duchess.”
“A promise?”
“I will donate all the pink diamonds, which are my dowry, to the temple, High Priest.”
“Do… you mean donate?”
Strangely, the high priest’s question was directed not at Rachel, but at Stefan, as if he still couldn’t recognize her as the Duchess and sought the Duke’s approval. However, Rachel responded without regard for the high priest’s attitude.
“Once the ceremony is over, the dowry will entirely belong to the bride. So please use it for the less fortunate citizens of the empire instead of me.”
The high priest’s lips twitched with uncontrollable delight. Yet, he did not forget to glance at Duke Edmond for his reaction.
‘Did the Duke just smile?’
Stefan, who was known for being impassive and expressionless, had smirked at his bride’s absurd statement. Since the future Duchess was donating all her dowry, his reaction seemed to indicate he couldn’t oppose it even if he wanted to. With that, the high priest had no reason to interfere with this marriage. In fact, the sooner the ceremony was concluded, the lighter his steps would be on the way back to the temple.
“I gladly accept the future Duchess’s generous heart for the citizens of the empire.”
The high priest did not refuse the donation of the immensely valuable pink diamonds. Like someone eager to reciprocate a donation, he gestured to a priest standing at a distance to hurry and bring the wedding rings. The wedding would be complete once the bride and groom placed these symbolic shackles on each other’s fingers. Additionally, the future Duchess’s donation would be legally solidified.
With a satisfied expression, the high priest raised his head and resumed the ceremony in a soft voice.
“Groom and bride, please face each other.”
Stefan and Rachel’s gazes met once again.
“Duke Edmond, do you take Miss Rachel Burke as your wife, to cherish and love her for the rest of your life?”
“Yes.”
His answer lacked any sincerity, but it didn’t matter. The high priest’s goal was now singular.
“Miss Burke, do you take Duke Edmond as your husband, to trust and respect him for the rest of your life?”
“Yes.”
When the high priest nodded, the priest who had received the earlier signal brought over the silver tray with their wedding rings. The rings were adorned with large diamonds, but fortunately, they weren’t pink diamonds. Relieved, the high priest blessed the rings with holy water and personally handed the bride’s ring to the groom.
“Groom, please place the ring on the bride’s finger with all the love in your heart.”
While Stefan impassively accepted the ring, Rachel removed her glove and offered him her left hand. The diamond ring, as it slipped onto Rachel’s long, slender finger, looked particularly heavy.
“Bride, please place the ring on the groom’s finger with all the trust in your heart.”
As Rachel respectfully accepted the ring, she gripped Stefan’s long fingers firmly, as if she had something to say. Noticing the signal, Stefan glanced at Rachel, and her lips moved.
“I apologize for disposing of the dowry on my own, Your Grace.”
“As you said, the dowry is entirely yours, so it’s no matter. However…”
When Stefan uncharacteristically trailed off, Rachel looked up at him with a curious gaze.
“You must be prepared for my mother’s reproach.”
“Thank you for your concern, even in this situation, Your Grace.”
Rachel responded with poise, piquing Stefan’s curiosity.
“But how did you know the wedding rings wouldn’t use pink diamonds?”
“How could I have known that?”
“Then you just happened to get lucky?”
“…I suppose.”
Stefan’s gaze grew more intense at Rachel’s enigmatic response. Rachel then slid the wedding ring fully onto Stefan’s finger and gave him a meaningful answer.
“If I had donated the wedding rings as well, I would have been revered as a saint by the temple. But Your Grace would have been branded as a husband married to a wife who sold her wedding rings.”
“It would be absurd to brand a wife as wicked just for that.”
“I’m glad you think so. Thank you, Your Grace.”
Rachel withdrew her hand from his fingers, drawing out her words with a languid smile. Then, she flashed Stefan a dazzling smile.
‘There are many ways to be branded as a wicked wife. Just wait for the wedding night, you mama’s boy still clinging to your mother’s skirts.’
Love.