Episode 9
“Miss,”
“Yes?”
“Your legs.”
“Oh.”
I stopped swaying my legs in response to René’s words. I must have been shaking my legs without realizing it due to nervousness.
When I closed my eyes and opened them again, I found myself in the bride’s waiting room. I was sitting on the couch holding a bouquet, dressed in a wedding dress. The wedding ceremony was about to begin soon.
“It’s not like we’re roasting beans over a campfire…”
“What?”
“It’s nothing.”
I awkwardly smiled while shaking my head.
Suddenly, I recalled the words spoken by the representative of Apollion.
“Do not worry. All preparations will be thoroughly carried out in the name of the Theabrite family.”
And those words had become a reality.
All I had done was choose a dress and select servants to accompany me to the palace. Since I only planned to bring a few people, including Selena and René, it wasn’t difficult.
The guest list was prepared by my mother, and my father was responsible for double-checking the preparations made by the Ducal family. Apollion provided full support for everything needed for the wedding.
It was decided that the banquet would be held at the outdoor venue in the palace, with significant influence from the Emperor.
It was a well-known fact among the Empire that the Imperial Family and the Theabrite Ducal Family had a close relationship. Among them, Emperor Blixxerth Eygsenith particularly favored Apollion.
Emperor, who cherished Apollion like a younger sibling, was deeply saddened by his curse. After failing in marriage twice before, he was determined to have a proper wedding ceremony this time, and the Emperor had no choice but to support him.
When the marriage between the two families was decided, the Emperor took a bold step. He offered the palace outdoor venue, typically reserved for nobles or imperial heroes, for the wedding ceremony. Not stopping there, he even provided the royal orchestra and chefs for the occasion.
This was not only to boost Apollion’s prestige but also a kind of warning directed at me. It was like saying, “Now that everything is set, don’t even think about running away.”
Of course, I had no intention of escaping, so I was rather grateful for the situation. I remembered the third fiancée from the original work who fled a week before the wedding. To even think of running away from a marriage involving the Emperor’s intervention was absurd. Frankly, with that kind of backing, I knew I would be well taken care of wherever I went.
Now that Apollion was going to marry me, well, everyone would find their own way.
Although I ended up being pushed into the role of the female lead in haste, I wasn’t particularly concerned. So what if you’re the protagonist? In my life, I’m the protagonist.
Life never goes as planned. I had to twist the original plan set by the author, who was like a god, in my own way.
Still, since life is only lived once, it seemed pitiful to simply accept being a mere supporting character.
Unable to avoid the role of a poor noble student in the present life, I intended to live this life in this world as fun and diligently as possible.
Anyway, the female lead Sonia hadn’t even entered as a maid yet, and her noble family would take at least a year to decline, considering their original status as a Marquis family. It was better to do something than waste a precious year.
I felt a bit sorry for unintentionally blocking the rise in status of the original female lead. Once she entered as a maid, I would treat her well. We could even go out to eat delicious food together.
No, first, I hoped her household wouldn’t fall. Wasn’t there any way to help the declining Marquis family?
As I felt the delicate touch of the hairdresser decorating my hair, I twitched my ankle. René or Selena might have said something if they had seen, but it was not visible due to the full skirt of the dress.
Still, thinking about various things eased my tension a bit.
“Did you have a lot of conversations yesterday?”
“Hmm?”
“Last night, you spent the night with four of them together.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
According to Ignite Empire’s etiquette, it was considered inappropriate for the bride to be with her family on the wedding day. Therefore, last night, I had to spend the remaining time surrounded by my family.
Whether the Count’s people were ordinary or extraordinary, their behavior was no different from that of ordinary people in South Korea.
On the eve of the wedding, just like a family gathering in the bride’s room, chatting until they fell asleep, last night we were similarly engaged.
Family members reminisced about Petunia’s childhood episodes, laughing joyfully one moment and wiping tears the next. Every time Forte cried, my trash can quickly filled up with tissues.
Since I wasn’t Petunia, I couldn’t empathize with their memories. But the warmth in their eyes as they looked at me made me smile involuntarily.
Petunia’s family were truly kind people. Their efforts to sleep together in my bed made them seem just like children.
It was truly amusing when my father tried to pull up the blanket but ended up falling to the floor. Even though I wasn’t really Petunia, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being deeply loved.
Yet, on the other hand, a sense of melancholy crept in. While not as harmonious as Petunia’s family, I also had a family back in South Korea. Dad, my older sister, and my younger brother.
Would my family in South Korea react the same way if they heard about my marriage? What had become of my body in the present life? These gloomy thoughts briefly crossed my mind.
I now believed that there was absolutely no chance of returning to the original world. Nothing had happened in nearly two months, and I was adapting quite well to this world.
There’s a reason for everything, they say. There must have been a reason for me to be reincarnated in this unfamiliar place.
…Well, or not.
Marriage was supposed to make you feel this ambivalent. I chuckled softly as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. It was a smile that somehow looked bittersweet.
“Miss, your hands are so cold.”
René murmured as he held my hand. His touch was very delicate, careful not to tear the lace gloves.
“Oh, really. Should I bring you a cup of herbal tea?”
Selena, holding my other hand, asked. They must have seen my darkening expression.
“It’s okay. Drinking tea will remove the lipstick. We’re starting soon, so just endure it for a little longer.”
I replied with a grateful smile at their consideration. Ah, they were such kind people, like angels.
Except for Sonode, Petunia was really fortunate. Both her family and the servants were like that. They were completely different from the other characters in the novel.
“If you’re uncomfortable at any point, please let us know immediately.”
“Yeah, got it.”
Still, I was relieved that Selena and René could accompany me all the way to the Duke’s residence.
“When do you think the camera will be invented?”
“I heard they’re heavily investing in development at the Marquess of Noctian’s estate. So let’s just quietly wait.”
Selena gently chided René in a calm voice.
“It’s really regrettable. We must preserve our young lady’s fairy-like appearance for posterity.”
René grumbled with his lips pouting. His sulking somehow eased my tension.
“René, that was a good quip. You’ll get a bonus this month too.”
“Oops!”
I didn’t mean to say something like that… René muttered under his breath, covering his cheek with his hand. His ears were slightly red.
“The ceremony will begin shortly! Please wait!”
An attendant from the outdoor venue poked his head into the bride’s waiting room, shouting. It seemed that despite being a member of the royal household, he was unfortunately tasked with overseeing weddings unrelated to the royal family.
Even so, wouldn’t say something like being an unscrupulous employer who will replace salary with ‘passion pay,’ right?
T/N: I dont know what passion pay is
I took Selena and René’s hands and stood up. The boutique staff, dedicated to their jobs, carefully arranged the folds of my dress and the decorations on my head every time I moved. Thanks to them, I was in perfect condition without a single wrinkle.
‘In the end, I’m getting married without even seeing the groom’s face.’
The atmosphere in the waiting room suddenly became awkward at my muttering. I hadn’t intended to create such an atmosphere.
“B-but you’ll see him in just 10 minutes!”
René tried to cheerfully reassure me, but the awkward atmosphere wasn’t easily dispelled.
Still, I thought we’d have time to chat with each other. Instead of conversation, however, I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Apollion’s hair.
Even the family members were not pleased with this. In Count Ingledove’s residence, they showed displeasure at the rudeness of the Duke’s residence.
But since the Duke’s side had taken the first step to compromise, they couldn’t complain about anything.
“The Duke is very concerned. There are many unfounded rumors about the curse. It seems he’s worried about the emotional scars you may have received…”
They pitied him so much, how could I be angry? The naturally kind Ingledove family quickly understood Apollion’s situation, their faces showing sympathy.
It was even said that Apollion, who was trying to hold a wedding despite his circumstances, was remarkable. While weddings were essential events in noble society where dignity was valued, it seemed that the situation wasn’t very favorable for Apollion, so they thought about skipping it.
My parents said they saw him a few times during the matchmaking meetings. So I was hoping to see him before the ceremony.
Of course, knowing the original work, I already knew what he looked like. But would seeing him in person be the same as reading about him in print?
As he was wearing a mask, I wouldn’t be able to see his face properly, but that wasn’t what I was curious about.
What I was curious about was his body, his perfect physique described in great detail in the book.
Apollion’s physique in the novel could be considered perfect. He was described as having a tall, robust stature at 186cm, with broad shoulders, thick thighs, and sexy erect muscles.
How did I know that erect muscles were sexy? I read it in a steamy 19+ spin-off novel.
When the female protagonist and he shared love, it was all about his erect muscles, his muscular glutes!
I may not know the names of muscle groups very well, but I could tell that his muscles were well developed and his skeleton was good.
…But today’s the wedding night, isn’t it?
