“It’s not what you think!” I shouted, trembling slightly.
The bruise was one I had treated properly at first. But for some reason, it hadn’t faded yet. Oh, right—Kasion did tell me to keep using cold compresses and herbal remedies, but I had neglected the treatment in all the chaos. As a result, the bruise still lingered faintly.
“Did you and the duke connect without me knowing? Ah, so that’s why the duke couldn’t hit Lord Serhen hard that day…”
“No! It’s just a bruise I got from bumping into a wooden mannequin at Veloire, and it hasn’t healed fully yet.”
“Ah… I see.” Lireania sighed, sounding disappointed. “But what should we do? Will makeup cover it?” she asked, concern evident in her voice.
I was worried too. Even if we covered it with makeup, it might still be noticeable. It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding, and I couldn’t go around explaining it to everyone.
“We’ll put on a thick layer of powder. As long as you don’t sweat or get wet, it should be fine.”
“The bridesmaids don’t do anything too strenuous, so it should be okay, right?” I asked.
“Hopefully,” Selvia replied with a serious expression. But Lireania still looked uneasy.
“But normally, you don’t put makeup on your body.”
That meant that people’s attention would be focused there. Someone with sharp eyes might even spread strange rumors.
“In situations like this, you need to divert attention,” she advised.
“Divert attention?”
“Yes, first, you need to make your eye makeup more glamorous.”
As expected, Lireania was more mature than I was. In his situation, she calmly suggested an alternative.
“And what else?”
“It would be best if your partner could help cover it.”
Lireania took my arm and linked it with hers, but since we were about the same height, she couldn’t fully hide it. However, with Kasion’s larger frame, he could probably conceal it better.
“Ahaha… haha.”
Ah, I had completely forgotten. Since he is the groomsman and I’m the bridesmaid, we would have to stand together during the wedding. He would likely be coming to fetch me soon.
* * *
The wedding ceremony was held at the temple. Thanks to the Mellin Merchant Guild’s generous donations, the temple had prepared an extravagant wedding. The fact that the duke’s family had sent priests to oversee the ceremony also played a significant role.
“Why are you so nervous?” Kasion asked as the carriage neared the temple.
I couldn’t exactly tell him it was because of him.
“It’s just this wedding took a lot of effort to prepare.”
“Yes, you did insist on pushing through with it.”
I pouted when no one was around. Whose fault was all this anyway?
I couldn’t let my guard down just yet. It was true that Kasion’s focus had shifted away from Lireania, but still… The story unfolding now was entirely different from the novel I’d read. As long as I stayed cautious, as long as I didn’t fall for his temptations…
I glanced at Kasion. He was dressed impeccably as if to impress for his best friend’s wedding. He looked even more dashing than he had at the last ball as if he were deliberately trying to captivate me. His jawline looked sharper, as he had lost some weight from fasting, adding to his allure. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“Isn’t Viscount Kainum unusually quiet? I expected him to cause a scene by yesterday. Do you think he’s planning something for today?” I quickly changed the subject when our eyes met, bringing up the detestable figure instead.
“Didn’t Serhen tell you?”
“Tell me what? Did something happen?”
Kasion frowned briefly, then replied with a determined look, his expression full of malice. “That b*stard won’t be causing any trouble. He won’t ruin Serhen’s wedding either.”
“Of course. With Kasion there, it’s only natural.”
“Natural?”
“Yes, you are the strongest, most dashing knight in the empire…”
I unknowingly praised him, and Kasion’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. His hand rested under his chin as he grinned.
What’s going on? He was fully dressed in his formal attire, yet somehow, he still looked incredibly seductive. Like a colorful flower luring a butterfly. Or maybe like a hydrangea that changes colors as it blooms.
“W-Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Your makeup is heavier than usual.”
I was relieved he didn’t mention the bruise on my collarbone, which meant the makeup had done its job.
“Does it not suit me?”
“No, you look beautiful. So much so that I want to keep seeing it every day.”
Suddenly, he revealed his possessiveness.
“W-What are you saying?”
Oh no, my face felt like it was turning red. It made me seem like I was already falling for him. And I knew how dangerous his possessiveness could get.
“If I take care of that guy’s problem…” Kasion leaned toward me with a meaningful expression, causing me to press my back against the carriage seat. He smirked at my reaction. “Will you marry me?”
“Are you crazy?” I responded seriously to his sudden question.
Right, that book must be just a quack. What happened to the man from the book who was supposed to be clever, luring people in with schemes and subtle manipulation? Now, he was blatantly trying to seduce me, and this wasn’t the first time either. I had fallen for it before. It took me a while, but I finally understood—changing one’s fate could even alter someone’s personality.
“If I send you a proposal letter, it won’t be Serhen who tears it up, but you.”
“I wouldn’t tear it. I’d just return it politely.”
“You don’t have a lover… So are you rejecting me because you’re scared of me?”
“It’s not like that. Who marries their own family?”
Kasion fell silent for a moment. “That’s a bit of a shock.”
“And I just want to continue living as Mellin.”
“I’m good at waiting.” He laughed softly, not pressuring me any further.
Just then, the carriage jolted slightly. Right, it was the carriage shaking, not me. I lowered my head, trying to avoid looking at him. If I kept this up, I might end up like a moth flying into a flame.
* * *
There was still some time before Serhen and Lireania arrived. As the bridesmaid and groomsman, Kasion and I greeted the guests at the entrance of the temple.
“Lady Mellin, congratulations on the marquis’s wedding.”
“Thank you.”
“But…”
Almost every guest who greeted us glanced at us with curiosity.
“You two seem to get along so well.”
“Will you be next?”
“No, that’s not…”
“Oh gosh, what a shame. I thought the marquis was getting married first because Lady Mellin’s match had already been decided.”
I had expected comments like this. Though they were polite to our faces, I could see people whispering and glancing at us from afar. Judging by the way they pointed at me, it wasn’t anything good.
Could they see the bruise? Panicked, I moved slightly closer to Kasion, trying to hide behind him.
“There’s no need to pretend to care about Ariel,” Kasion said in a low voice when our eyes met. His voice wasn’t the only thing that had darkened—his expression was fierce.
“Ariel will become independent once the marquis is married. If necessary, the marquis will bestow a new title upon her to support her new life.”
His lips curled into a crooked smile.
“With the empire’s only duke and the wealthiest marquis’s family backing her, wouldn’t it be wise to align yourselves properly? Rather than pretending to care while gossiping behind her back.”
…That was a bit much. Now, it sounded like I would receive a new title and start my own household or business. Of course, I had considered doing something productive with my past-life knowledge. I couldn’t just rely on the marquis’s family forever, and I didn’t want Serhen to keep worrying about me as if I were a child.
At that moment, a rat scurried into the wedding hall.
“Oh, Duke. Still trailing behind Lady Mellin, I see?”
It was Aenix, once again flanked by his siblings.
“What’s the problem with a groomsman standing at the entrance of the wedding hall?” Kasion asked, his hostility clear. He didn’t even bother pretending to be polite.
“Hey, Duke. You’re not planning to ruin your best friend’s wedding, are you?”
Aenix smirked as if he had come just to cause trouble at Serhen’s wedding.
“Oh, that’s right. Groomsmen are supposed to ward off bad luck, aren’t they? Are you trying to take on all the bad fortune meant for the marquis?”
The crown prince seemed intent on picking a fight with Kasion, drawing the attention of everyone around us. If they clashed now, the wedding would be ruined before it even started.
“Oh my, Crown Prince. Instead of sharpening your words, how about we have a constructive conversation about the empire’s future? I heard those barbarians are making ridiculous demands again.”
Diana interjected, stepping between them. She then grabbed my hand.
“Lady Mellin, let the men talk politics. Let’s have some fun instead. After all, you’re the only one who knows the love story between the marquis and his bride.”
“Uh, well…”
A ‘fun’ time with Diana sounded like a nightmare in multiple ways.
“Lady Mellin, if you’re going to be with my sister, may I escort you for a moment?”
At that moment, even Dertis joined the fray.
Before I could react, Kasion stepped in front of me. Even though I was standing behind him, I could feel the shift in his demeanor. The innocent prince had provoked Kasion’s possessiveness and obsession.
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