Chapter 02: The 500-Dollar Wedding (Part 1)
“How about holding the wedding at the temple?”
At my suggestion, the Marquess raised an eyebrow.
Traditionally, weddings were held at the Marquess’s estate, where the grand hall would be lavishly decorated and a banquet would follow. The cost for such an event wasn’t small. On the other hand, a temple wedding was much cheaper, as it was usually prepared by lower-ranking priests using simple artificial or paper flowers. Given the Freis family’s generous donations and land offerings to the temple, we had every right to use the Great Temple.
“Indeed, we could use the Great Temple. Arranging a separate reception would be troublesome, though…”
The Marquess seemed to be warming up to the idea, calculating the savings.
“Actually, I was thinking of using the side chapel, not the Great Temple,” I added.
“What? That tiny place? What about the guests?”
The Marquess looked baffled.
“Well, the wedding is about the vows, isn’t it? I think it’s best to keep the ceremony minimal, without guests.”
“Are you saying you’ll hold the wedding alone?”
Bravo.
To the Marquess, not inviting guests meant he didn’t need to attend the wedding either. After all, though I was his daughter on paper, I wasn’t his biological child. He probably didn’t feel any obligation to attend a wedding with no guests. That suited me perfectly—an entirely family-free ceremony.
Seeing how smoothly things were going, I couldn’t help but smile genuinely.
“As long as I have a representative and the vows are exchanged, the marriage will be legally recognized. I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Father.”
“Still, the Freis family has its reputation. This might spark unnecessary rumors,” he said, frowning slightly, though not with disapproval.
“It was the Duke who first sent a representative. If we simplify the ceremony, people will assume both families agreed to prioritize practicality over formality. No one’s pride will be hurt.”
“Father! You can’t possibly hold a wedding in such a place!”
My sister, Ladriel, snapped, gripping her fan tightly.
“Even commoners wouldn’t have a wedding without guests these days!”
Ladriel had already tailored her dress for my wedding. Losing the chance to showcase her beauty must have been a crushing disappointment.
“She suggested it herself,” the Marquess replied.
“She’s just… too naive! Annette is young and doesn’t understand how the world works!”
“I really don’t mind,” I interjected, smiling at the Marquess while Ladriel fumed.
“If we use the chapel, the Duke’s budget will be more than enough to cover the wedding expenses.”
“Hmm.”
“And there’d be no reason to delay the wedding either.”
The Marquess seemed convinced by my final argument, giving me a look of rare approval.
“This is the first time you’ve said something useful for the family.”
Nice!
“In that case, I’ll arrange for the High Priest to officiate the ceremony.”
And just like that, my 500-dollar wedding was settled.
Click.
Leaving Ladriel to fume, I stepped out of the Marquess’s study.
Phew, first goal accomplished!
Letting out a sigh of relief, I turned and froze. A shadow loomed in front of me, and I looked up to see the Marquess’s eldest son and the family’s heir, Ferdinand, staring at me with an unreadable expression. He looked like the Marquess but had a smoother, youthful appearance, with no wrinkles on his brow.
“You’ve done something pointless,” he said in a cold, detached tone.
“Oh, brother! It’s been a while,” I replied, forcing a cheerful voice.
“No one will appreciate your sacrifice. The Duke will only look down on you more when he learns of a guestless wedding.”
His tone was scolding, almost disdainful, but not without purpose. His unexpected words caught me off guard.
He usually ignored me like I didn’t exist.
‘Does he actually care about me, as a family?’
Before I could feel moved, Ferdinand gestured curtly toward the door.
“Move aside. I have business with Father.”
“Of course, brother. Please go ahead.”
As expected.
He gestured dismissively as if I were a nuisance.
I felt a tightness in my neck, but what could I do? I gave a polite, submissive smile and stepped aside. Ferdinand entered the room with the elegance of someone who had lived a privileged life.
‘He must’ve been treated like royalty since birth.’
Thinking about it, I could understand why Ferdinand would look uncomfortable every time he saw me. He probably thought that my very existence had tarnished his noble name.
Even the servants in the household treated me poorly.
A maid walking past me acted as if she hadn’t seen me, her nose in the air.
‘Look at that. Typical.’
No matter where I was, being ignored seemed to be a constant. I shook my head as I walked along the Marquess’ long corridor.
‘It’s already been two weeks.’
Two weeks since I found myself in this world, having somehow transmigrated into the novel The Saint Becomes the Duke’s Wife.
I had been on my way home from work when, for some unknown reason, I ended up in this world. I couldn’t recall what had happened exactly, but I had been under a lot of stress that day.
Well, whatever.
However, I was adapting to this new world surprisingly well.
Perhaps it was because I had grown up without much support. The thought of returning home didn’t bother me much.
As the third child out of four, I’d always been in an awkward position—neither doted on nor particularly wanted.
We weren’t dirt poor, but keeping six people decently fed was no small task. My older siblings were favored because they were the first-born and first daughter, and my younger brother was the baby. But I, the third child, was practically ignored.
I was neglected as a child, and once I graduated from high school, I had to survive on my own.
Still, I struggled hard to break free from that harsh fate.
Thanks to that, I graduated from a decent university and landed a respectable job at a medium-sized advertising agency.
I thought life would finally change, but social life was no easier.
Pleasing clients, appeasing my boss, and begging contractors—all while drowning in endless overtime. My only solace was reading a couple of web novels during my free time.
Well, it’s no wonder I ended up here.
Anyway, when I realized that I had been transmigrated into the novel, I didn’t feel too happy about it either because I had become a minor villain: Annette Freis, a foolish character who only appeared briefly in the novel’s early chapters.
‘Even in this world, I’m still the third daughter among two sons and two daughters.’
At first, life here wasn’t bad—in fact, it felt quite refreshing.
I was enjoying this life where I didn’t have to go to work at dawn or leave late, staring at the moon.
This new life, free of endless deadlines and stressful work, seemed like a luxury to savor.
Until one fateful day, when my stepsister, Ladriel, greeted me with her usual smug smile.
“The Grand Duke says he’d rather marry me than you. What do you think about that?”
In that moment, I realized that my peaceful life here wouldn’t last long.
This world had a flow, just like the original story.
The Saint Will Become the Duke’s Wife was the story of a saint named Constein, who survives the struggles between the temple and the royal family, marries Duke Kyle, and becomes a great duchess.
In this story, Annette was an insignificant villain who has no presence or popularity. She was simply a character who torments Constein out of jealousy and resentment, only to meet a tragic end.
‘Right now, the story is in its earliest stages.’
Annette was forced into marriage with the Northern Grand Duke, Loic, by her father. But after their wedding, Loic doesn’t even bother to summon her to the north.
Annette, left behind in the capital, spends her days picking fights with Constein, ruining her own reputation. Less than a year later, the Grand Duke annuls the marriage on the grounds that they never consummated it.
With nothing to hold her back, Annette appeared on Constein’s wedding day, trying to harm her, and was executed by hanging, eventually forgotten in the novel.
Annette was a character designed to add minor trials to the saint’s life.
But that won’t happen this time. I won’t reject the marriage, nor will I stay here.
The Freis’s estate was beautiful, with its grand mansion, elegantly furnished rooms, and fine dresses.
But to me, accustomed to modern comforts, everything here felt peaceful, yet boring.
The maids never made eye contact with me, and my family only spoke to me when they had something to argue about. My stepmother and younger brother, who was at the academy, I had never even seen.
Even as an unmarried noblewoman, my movements were severely restricted—I couldn’t go out freely.
‘I need to marry the Grand Duke to escape this prison.’
Life in the north might have its own challenges, but even as a nominal duchess, I’d have more freedom than I do here. Plus, I’d avoid Constein entirely and escape my original tragic ending.
But above all, there’s one reason I’m eager to leave.
‘I’m curious! About a grand northern castle—how could I not go there after ending up in this world?’
A territory surrounded by snowy mountains, a majestic castle with towering spires, a charming medieval village, and, of course, the cold and handsome Grand Duke Blenheim described in the novel.
Just imagining it made my heart race.
Thankfully, the wedding was already decided. All that was left was to hold the ceremony and depart for the Grand Duchy.
‘But there’s still some work to do.’
To ensure a smooth departure, I need to prepare carefully. I can’t afford to let my guard down until I leave this place for good.
As I quietly thought about the preparations, I hummed a little tune.
