It Feels Like I’m About to be Divorced, But my Husband is My Favorite

Chapter 33

“Is the groom, Euclid Rudion, and the bride, Evgenia Basilian, correct?”

The wedding ceremony in the temple began with the confirmation of the couple’s identities.

Damian, clad in a long, pure-white priestly robe embroidered with golden patterns, addressed me and Euclid in a voice as clear as the autumn sky.

His silver hair and sapphire-blue eyes gave him an aura of holiness, perfectly embodying the noble and beautiful descriptions in the novel. He was known for his extraordinary divine power, becoming the youngest High Priest in history. His reputation was bolstered by his incorruptible integrity and unwavering commitment to service.

At first glance, his kind and serene demeanor seemed to align with Euclid’s image.

But…

‘Not at all.’

Unlike Euclid’s golden eyes, which exuded the warmth of an afternoon sun, Damian’s deep blue gaze was as cold as winter and as sharp as a blade.

This didn’t mean he was a villain, though. He wasn’t arrogant like the Crown Prince or obsessive like Richard. Rather, his rigid sense of duty and unyielding nature stemmed from his position as High Priest.

‘Still, something feels off.’

Perhaps it was the lingering thought that the heroine was rejected by him. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to like Damian. And maybe, the feeling was mutual.

“I couldn’t hear your answer clearly. Are you the bride, Evgenia Basilian?”

Why was he asking again with such an unsettling tone?

Feeling a chill down my spine, I replied louder, “Yes.”

Part of me felt guilty, but honestly, the intensity of Damian’s gaze was so sharp it made me instinctively lower my voice. There was even a hint of faint anger in his look—it wasn’t my imagination.

‘Could it be my black hair that bothers him?’

True, all the Basilian family except Melissa had black hair, but that shouldn’t matter…

Of course, I had another reason for feeling uneasy. Still, I forced myself to maintain a neutral expression, pretending to search for alternative explanations.

I wanted to avoid his gaze, but I feared it would raise more suspicion, so I kept my eyes locked on his.

“Then, let us proceed with the wedding ceremony.”

Thankfully, Damian declared the start of the ritual without further objections.

‘Finally, I can breathe a little…’

Or so I naïvely thought.

‘…What is this?’

“In the name of the goddess Hesseirin, I solemnly implore you: abandon your misguided beliefs and seek atonement.”

“……”

“The goddess will never forgive those who defile this land with deceitful words like snakes. Before evil spreads and disrupts the world, always repent and pray for peace. Only then will salvation come in the end.”

Was this how a temple wedding ceremony usually went?

It’s still a wedding, so shouldn’t the message be about cherishing and loving each other until your hair turns gray?

Feeling suspicious, I discreetly glanced around from behind my veil. Other priests were exchanging nervous glances as they anxiously observed Damian.

My suspicion turned into certainty.

The word “atonement” had already come up twice. It seemed Damian was taking to heart Evgenia’s infamous reputation.

‘But what kind of speech is this?’

If he had urged me to cleanly settle my past and devote myself to my husband from now on, I might have nodded and agreed. But this…

Thinking of the Duke of Basilian, who had found solace in Damian officiating the ceremony instead of holding a grand wedding, I felt a surge of irritation toward Damian for spouting abstract nonsense instead of offering a proper blessing.

“Do you understand?”

There he went again, staring directly at me and demanding an answer.

As Evgenia predicted, Damian’s bizarre officiation caused an increasingly awkward atmosphere in the temple.

The Duke of Basilian, who already had a frosty demeanor, now looked even more grim due to the High Priest’s incessant pressure on Evgenia.

The duke, who had felt melancholic about sending his daughter off that morning, had been deeply moved upon seeing her in her wedding dress.

The scene vividly recalls the day Evgenia was born.

Unlike the joy of welcoming her elder brother, Sionel, her arrival brought a unique happiness that brightened each passing day.

He wanted to give his daughter everything precious, including his deepest affection.

However, as she grew older, Evgenia began to distance herself from her family.

After her mother’s death, their relationship grew even more strained, turning into a nightmare where they lived as strangers.

He had resigned himself to the belief that such times would persist indefinitely. So, when his daughter suddenly apologized, it felt like a dream.

Though he couldn’t fully believe it, he thought, At last… at last, it’s time to close the distance between us.

It gave him hope—hope that their relationship could improve, even if it didn’t become perfect.

Alexis, too, seemed more hurt by losing the chance to mend their bond than by Evgenia failing to share her marriage plans with him.

But above all, Duke Basilian was most concerned about Evgenia’s married life.

Though he had long deliberated and reached the conclusion that her obsession with the Crown Prince, Kaiden, could no longer be ignored, his decision to push for her marriage came with heavy contemplation. Thankfully, she, too, desired to marry.

Still, to be honest, Duke Rudion was not to Evgenia’s taste.

Of course, one couldn’t deny he was an exceptionally handsome man, far beyond imagination.

Yet, the Crown Prince Kaiden had a rugged, masculine charm befitting a war hero—arrogant, stoic, and imposing.

By contrast, Duke Rudion was refined and elegant, with a calm and gentle demeanor, the complete opposite of the Crown Prince.

As her father, however, Duke Basilian was far more satisfied with Rudion as a son-in-law.

From their very first meeting, Rudion’s courteous manners had left a good impression, and seeing him again in the capital only deepened that sentiment.

Perhaps that was why he did something he wouldn’t have done with anyone else—he laid bare his vulnerabilities, including the pain Evgenia had endured, and sincerely asked Rudion to take good care of her.

Duke Rudion, who had always tactfully ignored matters involving the royal family and the Crown Prince, responded with his characteristic humility, providing much reassurance.

His consistent demeanor inspired trust, and even Evgenia’s reactions during the dinner, though subtle, didn’t seem entirely negative.

It felt like everything would fall into place as long as the wedding proceeded without issue.

But then…

‘What on earth is wrong with the High Priest?’

As a central bureaucrat and high-ranking noble, Duke Basilian often interacted with High Priest Damian and was well-acquainted with his true nature.

Despite his outwardly gentle appearance, Damian was far more stubborn than he seemed. But today, something was especially amiss.

Damian’s icy blue eyes, filled with disdain, were fixed on Evgenia, exuding a chill that went beyond discomfort—it felt like outright contempt.

Though the Basilian ducal house was firmly loyal to the Emperor and shared close ties with the royal family, they had never before clashed with the temple.

In fact, the Basilians were the empire’s most generous benefactors to the temple.

How could he justify this humiliation?

A dry laugh escaped from Sionel, seated next to the Duke. He crossed his legs and folded his arms, exuding disbelief.

Sionel had always doted on his younger sister, despite pretending otherwise. From the day Evgenia was born, his affection for her had been clear.

And Alexis, known for his fierce protectiveness, would have retaliated against anyone who insulted his sister. Had he been present, he might have disrupted the wedding entirely.

“You must humbly accept the fate determined for you,” the High Priest declared, his words a mix of a sermon and a rebuke.

The atmosphere grew tense as the temple attendants, sensing the oddity, hesitated to intervene.

Then, a voice no one expected rang out within the stillness of the temple.

“What if my destiny is to forge my own path?”

The words, calm yet resolute, emerged from behind the bride’s veil.