“Phoebe, Phoebe…”
With the wedding just around the corner, Asha’s room was in chaos.
Recently, Phoebe had been sleeping more, and Asha had laughed, thinking Phoebe was growing. But today, Phoebe didn’t wake up. At first, Asha thought Phoebe was just sleeping in. But even after baking pastries, she noticed there was no light aura around Phoebe.
In a panic, she called for healers, but they were just as bewildered.
— This bird… its heart… is… missing?
Seeing the healers turn pale and almost cry, Asha remembered that Phoebe was a spirit and sent them away, feeling restless.
<Peach, don’t worry too much. This is… the first time, but…>
Fafnir flapped his wings, trying to comfort Asha. He didn’t know what would happen to his contractor if this girl fell into sorrow. And even if it wasn’t for his contractor, he didn’t want to see this girl cry.
<If you cry… peaches rot…>
<…>
The black chick looked at Fafnir with an incredulous expression and shook its head.
“Kairos, Phoebe has been sleeping more lately. But she’s never not woken up. Do you know why this is happening?”
Kairos couldn’t answer Asha’s desperate question. Meanwhile, a strong wind blew in, almost like a storm, causing the servants to scream and close the windows. But Asha stood up and opened the window. The wind wrapped around her like a shawl.
“Shamal!”
<Oh dear, have you been crying? I’m late.>
The wind gently caressed Asha’s wet cheeks and then clicked its tongue at the small chick in the middle of Asha’s bed, still not waking up.
<Tsk tsk. Unable to handle growing pains properly and making her contractor cry on such a joyous occasion. Can she still be called a great spirit?>
<Growing pains?>
<Is she growing?>
The spirits in the form of chicks tilted their heads in unison, looking at Shamal. Asha, too, stopped crying and looked at Shamal with a blank expression.
“What do you mean…”
<Little Peach, do you remember planting the World Tree in this land after your arduous adventure?>
“Oh… yes.”
<But do you also remember that one of them had to be destroyed?>
“Yes.”
It was the incident with the Noctis Elves in the north. The piece that the Great Elder Raenka had swallowed was destroyed with her soul. Thus, the spirit world and the human world could not be connected without a contract. Communication required effort…
<Do you remember the pot you gave to the old oak tree a while ago?>
Asha’s green eyes widened, and the last of her tears fell.
“That…”
Asha glanced at the still-sleeping Phoebe and then back at Shamal. Shamal’s expression was hard to read, as if he was smiling and clicking his tongue at the same time.
“No, that?”
<That.>
Asha’s mouth dropped open.
“I did plant the seed of the World Tree fruit, but… But it hasn’t even sprouted yet…”
<Why wouldn’t it sprout? A few days ago, Karnov, in caring for the old oak tree’s heart, caused all the garden weeds to sprout.>
Kairos fluttered once and landed again, surprised by the mention of his contractor’s name.
“Sprouted? It’s just sprouted, and Phoebe is like this?”
<Last night, it grew into a fully grown tree.>
“Did Karnov do that too?”
<Overflowing emotions sometimes accomplish great things.>
“What kind of emotions would be so intense that a new World Tree would…?”
Mumbling, Asha shook her head. That wasn’t the important thing right now.
“So, because a new World Tree has appeared and is now complete… Phoebe is in a deep sleep?”
<She couldn’t fully find her true form all this time, right?>
Asha slowly nodded. Phoebe had transformed into a small chick at Asha’s request, but since then, she hadn’t been able to return to her true form.
In times of crisis, she could barely find her true form, but it was always temporary. Once the situation was resolved, she had to use up all her energy and revert to her small form.
<At first, it was probably because she used up all her energy in her first manifestation. If she were like other spirits, she could have regained her true form over time.>
“Then why couldn’t Phoebe…?”
<She was trying to replace the missing World Tree.>
Asha didn’t ask why.
“So, Phoebe has been sleeping more lately because she overexerted herself…?”
<Oh! That’s not the reason.>
Shamal laughed softly and tickled Asha’s cheek. Asha looked at Shamal blankly.
<Little Peach, don’t you understand? That chick values the joy of being with you the most. She wouldn’t sacrifice herself entirely to protect the world. She’s been sleeping more because the World Tree seed started growing. She no longer needs to replace the World Tree, so she’s preparing to find her true form.>
If she had slept more regularly, it would have been fine, but she put it off and ended up like this, Shamal clicked his tongue.
<So, you don’t need to cry anymore. If Karnov saw this, he might pluck every feather off that chick.>
Startled, Asha quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve. But she couldn’t hide her red, swollen eyes.
“When… When will Phoebe wake up? Can she wake up in a few days? Should we postpone the wedding…?”
Phoebe wasn’t just a chick she cared for or a contracted spirit. Even if she wasn’t sick, she couldn’t celebrate with a family member unconscious.
And at that moment, as Asha spoke those words, there was light.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
It was a blinding light, as if a piece of the sun had been brought to create something, filling the palace with an overwhelming radiance.
Everyone stopped what they were doing, looking up and searching for the source of the light.
A greater light spread out.
Simultaneously, a gigantic, brilliant-colored bird appeared over the palace. The bird’s wings covered the entire palace, even blocking the sun, but the shadow cast by the bird was bright due to the light it emitted.
The bird circled the palace a few times before slowly ascending into the sky. It flew higher and higher until it disappeared beyond the clouds.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
[Exclusive! The Sacred Omen Appears in the Capital]
[An Omen to Celebrate the Wedding of the Grand Duke of Pesheranskaya?]
[What is the Identity of the Omen?]
[Extra Edition: The Identity of the Omen Revealed]
[A Great Spirit Descends Upon the Empire]
[Close Coverage: What Happened at the Spirit Ceremony in the Palace Ten Years Ago!]
[The Omen Revealed to Be the Great Spirit of Princess Anastasia!]
[The Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya, the Contractor of the Great Spirit]
[Close Coverage Follow-Up: Interview with the Marquis of Serenetev, Contractor of the Spirit of Discernment]
[Inquiries About Vouchers from the Pastry Shop of Pesheranskaya Skyrocket, Temporarily Disabling Operations at the Vichegda Central Bank]
[“Despite Repeated Notices that the Pastry Shop Will Be Closed for a Month Due to the Wedding…” Vichegda Central Bank President Expresses Frustration]
[From Princess Anastasia to the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya, and About Her Spirit]
[Did Genius Artist Mura Aylau Know About the Great Spirit? The Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya, the Only Muse]
[Master Mura Aylau Demands Correction: “Not in the Past Tense.”]
[The Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya’s Spirit, Known Only as a Little Bird Spirit…]
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
The empire was literally turned upside down.
The grandeur and beauty of the enormous bird were visible even from the furthest reaches of the empire. Except for those who had worked through the night and were deeply asleep, almost every citizen of the empire saw the bird.
The royal family acted swiftly upon seeing the bird. Where did this bird come from? Whose bird is it? Could it belong to anyone? Was it the same bird that blessed Alexei at his coronation and then disappeared? Although the bird appeared incredibly beautiful, it could have been a threat to the empire.
However, the anxiety quickly dissipated. The colorful birds flew to their contractors and explained the situation, who then clarified it.
Even though it was revealed that the resplendent bird was a great spirit, officially acknowledging it was a different matter. The royal scholars had to delve into historical texts and various records about the existence of great spirits.
Finally, Maxim lifted the veil of a long-standing lie he had maintained for over ten years to protect his niece.
Anastasia had never contracted with just a small bird spirit. From the very first day she was brought to the palace as a child, she had always held the hand of a great spirit, protecting everyone.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Asha slowly tilted her head to the bustling scene before her as she woke up.
<Finally, the peach has woken up!>
<We thought something serious had happened!>
<Asha! Asha! Are you awake? Can you see me?>
“Who… Phoebe?”
It was difficult to tell whether it was a rainbow-colored peacock or another species of bird, but Asha recognized it. The bird cried as it embraced her.
Lise, who was bringing in a basin of cold ice water, saw that Asha had woken up and dropped the basin. Ice water spread over the carpet, but Lise didn’t care and ran to Asha.
“Your Grace! Your Grace! Are you awake?”
Lise’ face was covered in tears. Asha looked at Lise blankly, then gently pushed Phoebe away to check its form.
“Phoebe woke up…?”
The bird, with its large wings and beautifully colorful tail feathers, much like a peacock, had golden irises that shimmered with tears. Sparkling particles of light fell gently from the ends of its feathers, which were a blend of pink, lavender, red, and blue.
Although Phoebe had briefly found its true form a couple of times before, this was the first time it had maintained this form continuously.
<Oh dear, this peach has halved*. What should we do?>
[*T/N: As in, she’s not fully aware of things/her mind isn’t fully there]
<It’s all your fault, so why are you asking?>
From what they gathered, Phoebe regained its true form as soon as it opened its eyes.
However, it had been so long since it had manifested that it couldn’t properly control its power, causing Asha, its contractor, to be affected and fall asleep.
Fortunately, it was literal ‘sleep,’ so Asha was able to wake up feeling well-rested, without hunger, fatigue, or pain, thanks to the spirits around her. But the people around her had been very worried.
As soon as Asha understood the situation, people poured into the room. Her grandfather, family, friends, and acquaintances.
Everyone was so shocked and worried that it caused quite a commotion. Finally, Asha saw her parents’ pale faces and tried to say something, but Yuriev’s loud sobbing made it impossible. Irina, with red eyes, sighed repeatedly and stroked Asha’s hair.
“Even though they said the great spirit’s appearance caused you to briefly overexert yourself and fall asleep…”
“Were you very worried?”
“It’s our princess we’re talking about.”
Irina tried to sound playful but eventually shed a tear and turned her head. Yuriev, still sobbing, clung to Asha, who diligently patted her father’s back.
The elegant middle-aged man, who was now shedding tears before his daughter, had just crushed those with ill intentions or suspicions about Asha’s great spirit with words and logic.
Very few people could withstand the fierce aggression that a half-frayed Yuriev exuded out of worry for his bedridden daughter.
“I’m so glad our princess woke up safely. If not… This father would have killed everyone and then died.”
“Yuriev! You say the most inappropriate things to the child.”
“Others did nothing wrong. I’m really fine.”
Yuriev finally stopped crying and hugged his daughter repeatedly, only letting go at Irina’s urging. After the commotion subsided.
Asha, having drunk about a pot of warm tea, was lying on the bed with cushions, vaguely wondering why Karnov hadn’t come when the door to her bedroom quietly opened.
There were only a few people who could open her door and come in without being guided.
“Karnov! I was wondering if you weren’t coming, but here you are…”
As Asha cheerfully greeted him, she saw the light purple particles pouring in like a tide and fell silent. They were so heavy that they looked like waves rather than light particles.
“Karnov, were you very worried?”
Karnov, who had come close, still said nothing. Kairos, perched on his shoulder, flew up and left the room with Phoebe, who, under normal circumstances, would have proudly taken up a corner of the room but now seemed to be giving them some privacy. Phoebe’s long tail feathers disappeared beyond the window, and Karnov slowly sat by Asha’s side. Asha, who had been about to get up, now looked at him with a startled realization.
“Gasp! Has our wedding date passed? I heard I slept for days; was it actually ten days?!”
Asha covered her mouth, unsure what to do, but Karnov finally sighed and spoke.
“Our wedding is still a week away. But no, that’s not the point right now…”
Karnov tried to respond nonchalantly, but his voice trembled. Asha gently took Karnov’s hand. His hand, touching hers, trembled.
Karnov seemed to have lost some weight over the days she had slept. His fingers were more pronounced, and his jawline sharper than before.
“…Were you very worried?”
“What are you talking about? Not at all. They said it was just a temporary sleep because of that wretched bird, so I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’ The other day I trained with the Imperial Army, and yesterday… Huh, what did I do yesterday…”
Karnov tried to speak casually but couldn’t recall his activities from the previous day, turning his head away to avoid Asha’s gaze.
“Sorry for making you worry.”
“I’m not blaming you. It’s not your fault. And it’s not Phoebe’s fault either…”
He couldn’t blame the spirit who, after many trials and errors, had finally regained its true form. How could he blame someone for an accident in life that wasn’t anyone’s fault?
“…It’s no one’s fault.”
Asha intertwined her fingers with Karnov’s and quietly looked at his profile. There were things Asha could see.
“Then why are you blaming yourself?”
“…”
Karnov wanted to say he wasn’t, but he couldn’t speak.
Asha softly traced Karnov’s fingertips.
“Don’t tell me you’re blaming yourself for making the World Tree seed grow with your power… and causing Phoebe to grow, which led to me being like this…”
“…”
Asha closed her eyes.
“Silly Karnov.”
“…”
Asha pulled Karnov’s hand to her cheek.
“Look at this. I slept so well that my cheeks are soft. So soft.”
Finally, Karnov’s eyes turned back to Asha. She buried her cheek in his large hand and smiled, then turned her head slightly to kiss his palm.
Karnov’s other hand cupped Asha’s face. He kissed her cheeks, forehead, nose, and the hair by her ears. His kisses were clumsy, intense, urgent, and tender, as if trying to grasp her reality. Asha laughed because it tickled, but the kisses continued for a long time.
“I’m right here, Karnov.”
“…I’m not sure.”
Asha threw herself into Karnov’s arms. He easily lifted her onto his lap and buried his head in her shoulder.
“Can I follow Yuriev’s advice…”
“My father? What did he say?”
Asha asked, but Karnov shook his head. His breath and hair tickled her neck, but Asha endured it.
“Thanks to you, Phoebe regained his true form, and people are in an uproar, right? ‘The Grand Duke of Pesheranskaya is the contractor of a great spirit!’ they say.”
“So the palace was turned upside down.”
“Really?”
“It was chaos. They thought a war had broken out.”
“Was it that bad?”
“Yes. You have no idea how envious everyone is of me, marrying the contractor of a great spirit.”
“We should throw a party for Phoebe too.”
Asha gently stroked Karnov’s back. It seemed like Karnov had made a decision.
“Congratulations, Karnov. You’ve got such a wonderful bride.”
Karnov took a deep breath before lifting his head.
“I wanted to be a wonderful groom.”
“What are you talking about? You’re amazing. I’m so moved. My heart aches.”
“What did I do?”
“There’s just something about you.”
The waves of light purple particles flowing in through the door. And just facing Karnov, who didn’t hide his feelings and wasn’t afraid of her seeing them, was enough.
“I’m glad I woke up before the wedding. I was really dizzy, thinking the date had passed.”
“That made you dizzy? That? I…”
Even knowing she was just asleep, his heart couldn’t be calmed. He couldn’t remember anything from the past few days. Watching the Imperial Army train wasn’t something from the other day but something that happened the moment he saw Phoebe’s true form.
Karnov hurriedly suppressed the words rising within him. No matter what he said, Asha could only respond with “Sorry for worrying you.” Then she would worry even more about him, who had been sleepless with concern for days.
He didn’t want that. So he tried to pretend he was fine, but it didn’t work.
“Karnov. Are you crying? I’m sorry. Really sorry. I won’t get sick anymore. I won’t sleep in anymore. Okay?”
It felt like a knife was stabbed into his heart, Karnov thought. It hurt and was agonizing every time the blade twisted, but he couldn’t pull it out. If he did, he would bleed out and die.
With a blade named love stuck in his heart, he had to pray that no one would pull it out.
Seeing his tears on Asha’s cheek, Karnov realized.
Her grand duchy residence would become his sanctuary.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Phoebe, having regained her true form, didn’t even have time to rejoice before feeling utterly deflated. She had stretched out, feeling full and refreshed after a long time, only to see her contractor collapse.
Hearing that her contractor had cried and worried while she was asleep left Phoebe at a loss.
<Are you still very sleepy?>
Asha woke up at dawn after Karnov had left and she had fallen asleep again. Phoebe’s anxious and worried voice filled the room.
“My goodness. Phoebe, you’ve regained your true form, but your voice has gotten smaller.”
Normally, Phoebe would have boasted that it wasn’t true, but now she couldn’t. The rainbow-colored bird, now the size of a child, rolled her eyes and watched Asha. Asha smiled and reached out her hand. The bird swam into her embrace.
“I woke up early because I slept so well. How about you, Phoebe? Are you okay?”
<Yes! I’m comfortable!>
When she was small, she tried to speak bravely and with dignity, but now that she had regained her true form, her tone was full of affection. Asha didn’t point it out and gently stroked Phoebe as she leaned back on the bed.
“I was really surprised when you suddenly started sleeping a lot. Were you also surprised that I slept so deeply?”
The bird nodded and then began to sob. Asha laughed heartily and patted the bird.
“We should throw a party to celebrate Phoebe’s growth. People outside are in an uproar. Did you hear about that?”
Phoebe knew everything but shook her head. She had heard how much Yuriev had made other officials cry, how many magazines and newspapers had written about Asha and her contractor, and how proud and worried Mikhail and Alexei were of her.
“Now, if we go outside, it’ll be a big deal.”
<Should I turn back into a chick?>
Asha rubbed her cheek against Phoebe, who usually disliked being small but now didn’t know what to do.
“I like Phoebe’s true form the best.”
<Really? Yes?>
“Of course! I slept well, so I’m not tired at all. Should we try something today?”
<Try?>
“Baking bread.”
Asha raised her arm, flexing her muscles.
<No, no! You can’t! If you collapse again, I’ll be fried for sure!>
“Fried?”
<That’s a thing! No bread!>
Baking pastries wasn’t easy, but kneading bread dough was particularly strenuous. Phoebe vehemently protested, almost fainting.
“Okay, I won’t.”
<Today, just lie down! Okay? No, lie down until the wedding. How about that? Good idea, right?>
Asha burst into laughter.
“I’m perfectly fine now. But how about we play together today?”
So Asha spent the day rolling around in bed with the beautiful bird, as if peeking into a piece of heaven.
“So now that we have all the World Trees we need, can everyone talk to spirits without contracts?”
<The World Tree is still young, so it will take some more time. Just like human wounds take time to heal after being stitched up, it’s a similar principle.>
“I see…”
Phoebe shook her head, saying she never thought this was possible. She never imagined that the fruit would bear so easily, sprout, and revive the destroyed World Tree.
“It’s all thanks to Karnov.”
<No!>
“No?”
<It’s all because my contractor is a genius!>
“Really?”
Phoebe seemed determined to say that Asha was the best in the world. Asha hugged Phoebe and rolled around on the bed.
Each time, Phoebe checked to make sure Asha hadn’t fallen asleep again, but Asha was too busy hugging and rubbing her cheek against Phoebe to notice.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
The reception room of the Neustadter mansion in the capital.
Natalya, Lyudmila, and Karnov sat quietly, their teacups the only thing left on the table. Their expressions resembled those of people who had returned home after a long day of hard labor, too exhausted to even think about preparing dinner, and simply staring blankly at the table.
It was no wonder, given how much the three of them had worried while Asha was asleep for those few days. They had only gathered here after confirming that she was safe, finally finding a moment to relax.
However, even though they had a moment to relax and had come together to achieve their goal, they were still mentally drained and sat there quietly, lost in thought.
After finishing their tea, Lyudmila finally gathered the energy to speak and took out what she had brought, letting out a deep sigh.
“What is this?”
“A wedding gift, Duke Sedvoyer.”
“…?”
Karnov looked at the two women with a hint of skepticism.
You two?
Giving me, Asha’s groom, a wedding gift?
It sounded absurd. Lyudmila cleared her throat slightly.
“It is a gift.”
Natalya pushed a small box toward Karnov. He carefully opened it to find a fountain pen adorned with a blue sapphire, neatly placed inside.
Karnov opened the pen’s cap. The gold-plated nib gleamed gracefully. There was also a blue ink bottle, clearly custom-made.
“Wasn’t this the ‘blue’ gift you two were preparing for Her Highness?”
“We were going to give it to her, but then we realized Asha doesn’t need a blue gift.”
A blue gift symbolizes love, trust, and fidelity between a couple. It was a gift with an expensive and significant meaning, implying that he must never wrong Asha.
It was obvious why the two had come together. Lyudmila, having once been entangled with Karnov, wouldn’t have come alone, and Natalya had no desire to see Karnov alone.
“There’s no one more faithful to her than me. It’s a pointless gift, but I’ll accept it…”
Karnov’s words were met with Natalya slamming the table.
“I’m here too! I’m also faithful to Asha!”
“Ahem. Natalya, calm down. I understand what the Duke is saying, but as Natalya said, I am also faithful.”
“Then don’t you two need something blue as well?”
“…?”
“Can it really be like that?”
Natalya blinked. Lyudmila sighed and pulled Natalya down to sit.
“Stop teasing Natasha, Duke Sedvoyer.”
“I was serious.”
“Anyway, congratulations on your wedding. You must make Asha happy.”
“It sounds like you’ll kill me if I don’t make her happy.”
Natalya quietly clenched and unclenched her fist. Lyudmila cleared her throat a bit more elegantly, implying agreement. Due to her nature, Lyudmila couldn’t respond with a dismissive laugh and a “What are you talking about?”
“Still, when I think about it, trust and faithfulness seem more necessary for Her Highness the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya than for me.”
Karnov narrowed his eyes and glared at the two women. He had always been the one caught between their friendship with Asha.
But now, receiving a gift that practically said, “Cheat on Asha and we’ll kill you with this pen,” was something else!
Lyudmila, looking pleased, laughed softly and pulled Natalya along as they left the mansion. But Karnov’s reprieve didn’t last long. As soon as they left, another pair arrived.
“This is driving me crazy.”
“Is that what you say the moment you see us? How rude!”
“Dimitri, you shouldn’t talk like that. We did come unannounced, so we should apologize first. I’m sorry, Duke Sedvoyer.”
As Dimitri fumed, Ilya quickly apologized with a kind voice. But Karnov no longer fell for Ilya’s soft tone. If he were truly just soft, he wouldn’t have maintained his form among Anastasia and the other royals. It was a different kind of firmness.
“So, what brings you here?”
“We brought a fine bottle of wine, Duke. With the wedding so close, we thought your heart might be uneasy.”
Dimitri grumbled, wondering why he had come to calm someone so disagreeable, but still handed his coat and hat to Karnov’s butler and walked inside.
As Karnov watched Dimitri’s retreating back, Ilya added quickly.
“Please forgive him, Duke. Dimitri feels he has no qualities better than you, and that he couldn’t protect Asha. So he’s been quite sensitive lately…”
“Ilya! I can hear you!”
“Ah, my mistake.”
Karnov shook his head and motioned them inside. Ilya smiled warmly and followed.
When did things become like this? Karnov sighed inwardly.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
A beautiful woman with pink hair wrapped in white silk, and short brown hair scattering on her lap.
“No, really, it’s fine. You already bought the land for the grand duchy residence.”
“But still!”
The owner of the brown hair lifted her head and exclaimed.
“Your Highness, would you like to try this silk?”
Meanwhile, Joel brought another fabric and draped it over Asha. Asha nodded and draped the fabric over her shoulder. The wedding dress was complete, and this was preparation for the dress she would wear at the reception after the wedding.
“All we do is good deeds for others, and what is this… Lyuda! Say something.”
Natalya exclaimed in frustration. It was understandable, as the two had come up with various items to celebrate Asha’s wedding.
They conceded the new item to Karnov, gave the blue item to Karnov, the mothers took care of the borrowed item, and the grandparents handled the old item. So the two were left empty-handed.
“How… how did it come to this…”
“Guys, guys. You bought me the land… that’s more than enough. More than enough.”
“No!”
Lyudmila exclaimed sharply. Asha widened her eyes in surprise.
“We can’t lose to Asha’s groom like this.”
While the two ladies were burning with passion, Joel skillfully brought a few more fabrics and draped them over Asha.
“Is this about winning or losing?”
“We’ll make Asha the most beautiful and happiest bride in the world.”
Natalya said, holding Asha’s hand tightly. Any other lady might have blushed, but Asha sighed.
“I’ll be happy as long as you don’t ride your bike down the railing, Natasha. Really.”
Natalya acted as if she didn’t hear Asha’s words. Then, when Joel and his assistant briefly left the room, Natalya clapped her hands as she looked at the lace fabric draped over Asha’s shoulder.
“Oh! Asha, how about lingerie? Should we make you some pretty lingerie?”
“Natasha! Please!”
“With diamonds and pearls, lace and ribbons, to make it look mature…”
As Natalya spoke, even Lyudmila, who was about to object, seemed a bit intrigued.
“Hmm. It might be nice to decorate it with rose quartz or coral to match Asha’s hair color. Should we make several sets?”
“Guys? Amazingly, I’m listening to you.”
But their plan was thwarted not by Asha’s words, but by Natalya’s realization.
“Oh! No, cancel the lingerie.”
“Yes, I’m really fine…”
“Why, Natasha?”
“It feels like only Karnov Neustadter would benefit, and that makes me uncomfortable.”
Asha and Lyudmila’s faces turned bright red as they thought about what Natalya meant. While Asha flailed her limbs among the fabric and lace, Lyudmila firmly spoke.
“L… Lingerie is obviously for the person wearing it. It’s not for anyone else.”
“But still. Karnov Neustadter would benefit, right?”
“Well, that’s… true… but… if you think that way, wouldn’t the wedding dress also benefit Duke Sedvoyer?”
But Natalya didn’t listen to Lyudmila and was lost in her own thoughts.
“Oh, then… for Asha… should we make… his… underwear…?”
“Natalya Bagration! Please stop!”
Lyudmila couldn’t take it anymore and shouted with a bright red face.
“Sigh. Now that I think about it, it’s not a good idea. Let’s rethink Asha’s wedding gift.”
Asha, with a white and frozen expression, said.
“I’m really, already very happy…”
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Lyudmila and Natalya eventually left without deciding on a gift by the time Asha’s wedding dress was finished. Asha prayed fervently that the two wouldn’t come up with any more silly ideas, but trouble struck from another direction.
When Asha headed to Mikhail’s mansion after hearing he wanted to see her, she had a feeling something was off as soon as she saw the two elders sitting with overly proud expressions.
And when the two elders stood up and opened the cases they had brought, she knew. They had already caused trouble, and there was nothing she could do to reverse it…
“What… what is this…”
Mikhail revealed a beautiful, curved tiara studded generously with pink diamonds, and Tarjei presented a pearl necklace about the size of two adult fingers.
“I heard that old items signify a continuous connection with family. So, I found something very old.”
Tarjei said this as he gestured for Asha to try it on. He meant for her to put it on immediately.
“Don’t you think it will look perfect with your wedding dress? Hm?”
The necklace had a cute, rounded pearl resembling the shape of a plump fig, adorned with a diamond ribbon, and multiple strands of thin pearls around the neck.
“It’s from the Otroph Kingdom era. I prepared it with all my strength for my granddaughter’s wedding.”
The idea that a pearl from a thousand years ago had survived seemed like a joke. Asha, stunned, looked at Tarjei.
“How… how did you get this?”
“I have a pension, you know. And this grandfather is quite wealthy in his own way.”
“…You’re telling me to get married with your pension hanging around my neck…”
As Asha was left speechless, Mikhail pushed Tarjei aside.
“Let’s try this on your head as well. It will blend perfectly with your hair and make you look like an angel.”
“Grandfather, where did you get this…”
“If you come out of the royal palace alive, you can take one treasure from the royal treasury.”
Mikhail looked very pleased with himself.
‘Alive?’
“So I took this, thinking of this day. It’s a tiara that the first empress often wore. It should be me who places it on your head, of course.”
“The first… empress?”
“Yes. So, in that sense, it’s almost from the Otroph era as well.”
It seemed like the two were competing to see who could get the older item. Asha sighed.
“I mean, at this point, they’re both practically ancient relics. How can I have a wedding with such things…”
“You wrote in your exchange diary on that relic just fine, and now you’re saying this?”
Asha’s face turned red at once. The diary that Karnov had brought was from the Otroph era. He had chosen it because it was something only the two of them could open.
“You knew about that?”
“It happened in the royal palace, so of course.”
“You didn’t read it, did you?!”
“Only you two could open it.”
Asha let out a deep sigh.
Getting married wasn’t as easy as she thought. Her friends wouldn’t tell her what amazing things they were preparing, and her grandfathers brought ancient relics.
But Asha knew it was all because they loved her. Otherwise, why would they use their pensions and the last treasures they could take from the palace for their granddaughter’s wedding?
As Asha smiled in defeat and held the tiara in her hand, the door burst open with a loud bang. There stood Yekaterina, grinning triumphantly with a box in her arms.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
The wedding of the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya and Duke Sedvoyer began. The ceremony was held in the royal palace, a decision made by the emperor who cherished his cousin dearly.
The petals falling from the sky floated beautifully without fully touching the ground. On the bride’s head was the pink diamond tiara once favored by the first empress, and around her neck was a pearl necklace in the shape of a fig from the Otroph era.
The bride’s shoes, commissioned by Yekaterina Neustadter, were made of fine lace that gently wrapped around her feet, with silk lisianthus flowers on the insteps. The straps extending from the heels softly supported the ankles, ensuring comfort even when standing for long periods. The opal decorating the ankle straps was an ancient heirloom passed down through the Neustadter family.
The beautiful wedding dress, created by Joel Alman, had a long train. The veil worn with the tiara was from the bride’s mother, the white lace gloves from the Marchioness of Serenetev, and the star-shaped hair ornament from the Marchioness of Tataricha. These were all lent with the promise of support whenever the bride needed help.
To the sound of a beautiful harp, the groom, dressed in a black uniform, took the bride’s hand. The bride, her face flushed, smiled. Flower girls blew bubbles, and transparent orbs containing tiny rainbows danced among the guests.
The bride and groom walked down the long, beautiful carpet. The bride’s white train glowed as it seemed to merge with the groom’s pitch-black uniform, which could swallow the darkness of night. At the end of the long carpet, the officiant Mikhail awaited.
The groom placed the ring he had prepared on the bride’s hand. The ring, resembling a flower, was made of neatly arranged pearl petals, with pink diamonds on the edges and a bright yellow diamond in the center.
The blessing was brief, but the words of advice were a bit longer, especially the part about not making the bride cry, which brought laughter to the room.
As the couple vowed eternal love, light began to spread through the soft but strong breeze. As the light grew as strong as the sun, a giant, brilliant-colored bird slowly took flight.
The bird, large enough to cast a shadow over the entire garden where the wedding was held, sang in a voice that was high yet soft and beautiful, like a resonant woodwind instrument.
It was the very same bird that had blessed Alexei’s coronation and had recently regained its true form as a great spirit.
With an elegant voice, the bird sang as if speaking to and blessing the bride and groom, then scattered shards of radiant light before returning to its small form and perching on the bride’s shoulder.
From the guests at the wedding to the citizens celebrating outside the palace, everyone cheered simultaneously, causing the ground and sky to shake.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Everyone in the capital saw the Great Spirit blessing Asha and Karnov. The people cheered so loudly that the ground seemed to shake.
At the reception that followed the wedding, people couldn’t stop talking about the Great Spirit.
“I was really surprised. I almost spat out my tea when I saw it for the first time.”
“But what about His Majesty’s spirit… Ouch!”
“Don’t talk nonsense. A lot of people who said silly things got verbally smacked by the Marquis of Bishti. They all went home in tears.”
“Grown adults crying?”
“It’s no joke. They really went home crying.”
“Oh, I see. I’ll stay quiet then. But that was the same bird, right? The one at His Majesty’s coronation?”
“Yes, yes?”
“My goodness… So it really was the Great Spirit blessing His Majesty’s coronation…”
“Her Highness the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya probably wanted to bless His Majesty’s coronation. They are very close.”
“Yes, they are. How close must they be for the wedding to be held in the royal palace? But it makes sense. Her Highness has been by His Majesty’s side since childhood.”
Looking back, she was an extraordinary girl from the moment she first arrived at the royal palace.
“Sigh. Her Highness has done great things since she was young, and now she’s getting married, but my family…”
“I heard your family is getting married soon too?”
“Don’t even talk about it. Suddenly, they don’t want to get married anymore.”
“Why don’t they want to? If they’re happy alone, that’s fine too…”
“I don’t know. They received a love letter, but all the spelling was wrong… They’re a bit sensitive. They used to run around like a rabbit stung by a bee when they were young…”
At that moment, the music became lively, and the bride and groom appeared in light and bright party clothes, along with a beautiful wedding cake.
The cake was shaped like a luxurious and beautiful bird leaning on a white hill. The tail feathers were represented by a row of cupcakes next to the cake.
As the couple thanked everyone and waved, the wedding guests rushed to the cake. Like the engagement cake, this one was also made by Anastasia.
If they missed out now, they would have to wait for the next lottery draw for a voucher to the Pesheranskaya pastry shop. While everyone was in a frenzy, the stars of the show slipped away to a secluded part of the garden.
“We’ve prepared wedding gifts in another country’s tradition, so now let’s follow the empire’s tradition.”
“So? Is that what this is?”
“Yes.”
Natalya, dressed in a splendid tailcoat, raised her chin and answered proudly. Lyudmila stood beside her, and behind them, Asha was smiling.
According to an old imperial custom, the bride and groom had to pass a trial of questions posed by their spouse’s friends. Otherwise, they couldn’t take their spouse home.
Karnov glanced at Evan, who was quietly standing behind Asha. Evan was looking at him with an expression he had never shown before.
“Alright. I’ll start with a question. How many children do you plan to have?”
Lyudmila asked in a stern voice. Karnov bent his arm and made a bowing gesture.
“I will follow the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya’s wishes.”
“What if she says she doesn’t want to have any?”
“Then we won’t have any.”
“Hmm…”
Satisfied with Karnov’s answer, Lyudmila stepped back. Now it was Natalya’s turn.
“If the two of you separate, how will you divide the property?”
“We won’t separate.”
“But if you do?”
“We won’t.”
“I’m saying what if.”
“Even if, it won’t happen.”
“Ugh, you’re so frustrating.”
Natalya patted her chest in frustration. Karnov looked at Asha with a pleading expression. Asha just smiled sweetly. The bride couldn’t give any hints at this moment. Karnov ran his hands roughly through his hair, messing up his carefully groomed appearance, but he didn’t care.
“Fine, if anything happens, I’ll give all the property to the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya. Satisfied?”
“Satisfied? Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve heard you so formal.”
Seeing Asha enjoying the situation, Karnov dragged his dry hand down his face. At that moment, Natalya pulled out something from her waist. It was a half-folded piece of paper.
“Sign this.”
“What… is this?”
His words became short out of disbelief, but Natalya continued without scolding.
“It’s a notarized document confirming that if you separate, all property goes to Asha. You can sign it with the fountain pen we gave you.”
It seemed they had prepared for this day. The paper already had everything written on it—names, dates, conditions…
Karnov looked at Lyudmila and Natalya in disbelief but signed it aggressively, not wanting to delay any longer.
Natalya smiled with satisfaction, folded the document neatly, and placed it in Asha’s hands, then she and Lyudmila stepped aside.
But it wasn’t over. Karnov gestured to Evan.
“What are you waiting for? Ask your question.”
Evan, who hadn’t expected his turn to come, hesitated for a moment but then gathered his courage.
“How long do you plan to live?”
“…”
“…”
As silence filled the air, Natalya laughed hysterically, and even Asha was a bit surprised, her eyes wide open. Karnov rubbed his forehead.
“Until the day the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya leaves this world.”
“What are you talking about? You have to live longer.”
Asha added, but Karnov pretended not to hear. Evan smiled faintly and stepped aside.
With the groom’s turn over, it was now the bride’s turn. Karnov looked nervously at Alexei, who was ready to question the bride as his friend.
“Can’t you let this go? You have no idea what I went through to bring Asha here.”
Alexei laughed loudly. Karnov grumbled, but he had to shut his mouth at Alexei’s whisper.
“You’re the one who wants this over the most, aren’t you?”
“…”
“What are you two talking about? Ask the question already, Alyosha!”
Asha called out confidently. Alexei smiled gently, kissed Asha’s forehead, and asked his question.
“What was the first nickname I gave our princess?”
“Huh? My nickname… um… Pea?”
Asha tilted her head, and Alexei smiled and lightly pushed Karnov’s back.
“Alright, my sweet little pea. This man is now yours.”
“What? Alexei, how can you do this?”
Karnov exclaimed but quickly grabbed Asha’s hand.
“Just wait till you get married.”
Pretending to be upset, Karnov quickly led Asha away, their departure hurried and anxious. Alexei, standing behind, slowly waved with a smile.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Asha lay on the bed, blinking blankly. She had been so busy that she felt like her mind was completely gone.
The feeling of wearing the wedding dress, the maids’ hands fixing her hair, the nervous walk, fearing she might trip over the dress, her grandfather’s face as he officiated, Phoebe crying over the cake, other spirits teasing and comforting Phoebe, and then…
“You must be very tired.”
Karnov quietly closed the bedroom door as he returned from attending to the guests until the end. He looked out past the curtains. This wasn’t Asha’s room in the royal palace, nor his room in the ducal mansion.
The scent of new wooden furniture filled the bedroom of their newly built grand duchy residence. Everything was unfamiliar to him, especially Asha lying sprawled on the bed.
Asha blinked and murmured.
“I feel… blank. Like a storm just passed. The engagement ceremony wasn’t like this…”
Back then, she had stayed in the royal palace even after the ceremony because it was her home.
As Asha ran her hand over the unfamiliar bedding, lost in thought, Karnov took off her shoes and sat down beside her with a thud.
“Did you eat anything during the ceremony?”
“My cake… and a bit of champagne…”
The refreshing sparkling wine was from Pasapo Lefkadiya. The elders drank it like water, exploring if any shaslings wine was hidden among the bottles. Asha had only had a few glasses while calming a nearly crying Yuriev. She thanked Yekaterina silently; she had managed to handle the grandfathers, allowing Asha to survive.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Then how about something savory instead of sweet?”
Asha quickly nodded, burrowing into the sheets. She thought she wasn’t hungry, but the thought of a specific menu made her mouth water.
Karnov chuckled softly and called for the servant to bring sandwiches with peppered ham, rich cheese, and hearty herbs, grilled warmly.
“When will I get my things?”
Asha said, taking a big bite of the sandwich. Karnov poured tea into a cup and asked back.
“What things?”
“I need to clear out my room in the palace. I was so out of it that I didn’t bring anything. Shunivalen and Phoebe are still there, too.”
Phoebe and Kairos, the spirits of Asha and Karnov, and the spotted cat Shunivalen were to stay in the palace until Asha and Karnov returned from their honeymoon, following Shamal’s strict warning and advice.
“You probably won’t be able to get your things from your room.”
Karnov said calmly as he started on his sandwich. Asha paused, eyes wide open.
“What? Why? Can’t I after we’re married?”
“No, Alexei won’t let you take it. He’ll keep your room as it is. So, when we fight, you’ll have somewhere to go, right?”
Karnov seemed to have taken to heart the idea that Asha might leave the house if they argued. Asha stuffed her cheeks with the sandwich and smiled.
Karnov shook his head in defeat and placed a teacup in front of Asha. They ate their sandwiches voraciously, quenched their thirst with tea, and then lay side by side on the bed.
“Are we… married now?”
“Ugh, cough, cough!”
Karnov sat up and started coughing violently. He drank several cups of cold tea to calm down.
Finally composed, Karnov glanced at Asha with a slightly red face. Asha, wrapped in the sheets, laughed with half her face hidden.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Aren’t we married now, Duke Sedvoyer?”
“We are married.”
“So, should I call you ‘Your Grace’ now?”
“…Is that how it works?”
Asha burst into laughter again. Karnov quietly moved closer. In the silence, faint, joyful noises could be heard from afar.
The servants were busy cleaning up the remnants of the wedding, welcoming the new owners of the grand duchy. Candlelight flickered in the dim room. A night breeze gently blew in through the slightly open window.
“Our trip is tomorrow, right, Karnov?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Wasn’t it tomorrow?”
“I just postponed it by a day.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think?”
Karnov leaned closer to Asha. Asha mischievously laughed and pulled Karnov onto her with a shout. The candlelight flickered wildly.
“Why do I think? Why did our Karnov postpone the trip by a day?”
“I think Your Highness knows.”
“Oh! Did the girls buy you underwear?”
Karnov’s expression changed.
“Why are you saying something like that on such a wonderful day? It’s not like this will happen twice in my life…”
“So they didn’t.”
“Even if they did, would I accept it?”
“Don’t be so prim.”
Asha playfully tapped Karnov’s nose. This time, Karnov pulled Asha close and leaned over her, supporting himself with his arms. Asha blinked in surprise.
“Karnov, when did you get so big?”
“I’ve never been smaller than you since I was born…”
“I don’t know… Suddenly, you seem so much bigger, and now I’m a bit embarrassed.”
“Embarrassed? Or ashamed?”
“Embarrassed…”
Karnov lowered his head and kissed Asha’s cheek. Asha’s face turned as red as a peach.
“I’ve kissed your cheek more than a thousand times.”
“Every kiss from now on is special…”
This time, Karnov’s neck turned a bit red. Asha, with a determined look, cupped Karnov’s cheeks with both hands. She bit her lip, about to do something, then…
“Can I brush my teeth first?”
“…Damn. I shouldn’t have eaten the sandwich.”
“But it was really delicious.”
“That’s true…”
After the exhausting event, the ham and cheese sandwich they devoured together was like honey.
Asha and Karnov stood side by side in front of the two wash basins the servant had brought, each with a toothbrush in their mouth.
Brush, brush…
Brush, brush…
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
While brushing their teeth, they also washed their faces and changed out of their uncomfortable clothes into matching pajamas. The two of them, now in their new pajamas, rinsed out the washbasins and then flopped onto the bed.
“Hmm… Maybe brushing our teeth was unnecessary?”
Now that they were clean and changed, the atmosphere felt a bit too fresh and clear. Karnov chuckled at Asha’s comment. He laid on his side, looking at Asha, then suddenly frowned and lifted her hand.
“Do you have something against me?”
“Why? It’s cute and nice.”
On her right ring finger was a very thin, silver-thread ring. Inside the ring was an engraving that read, “Asha, Natasha, Lyuda. In eternal friendship.”
It was a friendship ring made from a small piece of ‘Bagration Silver,’ a metal passed down through the Bagration family, finely crafted with a tiny sapphire in the center. It was old yet new, blue in color, and since all three wore the same ring, it was as if they were lending it to each other. Lyudmila and Natalya had been so proud when they gave it to Asha.
Seeing that Asha liked the ring, Karnov pouted. Asha laughed at him.
“Why~? Are you jealous?”
Karnov nodded with his lips tightly shut. Asha kissed him on the lips to soothe him. Soon, Karnov cupped Asha’s cheeks and began to kiss her. After a long while, when Asha’s cheeks were flushed and she was out of breath, Karnov let go and smiled.
“Feeling better now.”
“Ugh!”
“Ugh?”
“You’re so lewd!”
Asha, her face red, shouted and turned away. Karnov laughed out loud and quickly climbed on top of her.
“We haven’t even started yet.”
“How do you know what’s next, Karnov?”
“Huh?”
“Have you done it before? Have you?”
Asha asked haughtily, her face still red. Karnov, feeling the heat rising in his face, smiled and leaned closer.
“What if I don’t know? Will Your Grace teach me?”
Asha, rolling her eyes, pulled Karnov to her side. Karnov obediently followed her lead. This time, Asha climbed on top of him.
“Watch closely, Duke Sedvoyer.”
Asha began to diligently unbutton Karnov’s pajamas. At first, she held one of his hands down on the bed while using the other to unbutton, but when that didn’t work well, she used both hands.
Karnov, half-sitting up, watched her blankly.
“Are you done?”
“Not yet…”
As Asha struggled with the last button, Karnov wrapped his arms around her and laid her back on the bed.
“Thank you for the demonstration, Your Grace. Is it my turn now?”
“What?”
Asha looked down at her pajamas and suddenly felt indignant. Unlike Karnov’s buttoned pajamas, hers were tied with ribbons. A simple pull would undo them all.
“I worked so hard!”
Feeling wronged, she glanced at Karnov’s chest and quickly turned her head. Then, filled with frustration, she tried to push Karnov aside…
“Asha, wait…!”
Thud!
“Eek! Karnov! Are you okay?”
“…”
Karnov, lying on the floor next to the bed, looked up at Asha with a vacant expression. They had been rolling around, but it seemed they had only rolled in one direction.
Asha hurriedly got down to the floor. She lifted Karnov’s head and checked his back and waist, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
“That scared me…”
“Were you as scared as I was when I got thrown out of bed?”
“S-Sorry.”
Asha smiled apologetically. Karnov looked at her and pulled her arm. Asha fell onto Karnov, listening to his heartbeat. It was a bit faster than usual. Asha chuckled softly.
“The servants will think the grand duke and duchess had a very intense night…”
“…”
Lying still on the floor, listening to each other’s breathing, their eyes turned to one spot. The pile of gift boxes stacked like mountains.
They were gifts from the guests at the wedding, congratulating the couple. Seeing Asha’s eyes sparkle, Karnov kissed the corner of her eye and stood up with her.
“Shall we open the gifts?”
Asha nodded eagerly. They sat side by side in front of the pile of gifts, tearing off the wrapping paper and looking inside.
“Oh… they sent a Lily of the Valley tea set like this!”
Asha was surprised by the first gift they opened. It was a wedding gift from Prince Nothea of the Kirelete Kingdom. It was said to never be taken out of the kingdom, yet he had managed to send it.
— Congratulations on your marriage. Please forgive my absence.
“Prince Nothea must really be becoming a king. Impressive.”
Asha admired. Karnov naturally pushed the tea set aside and said,
“Maybe we should build a railway with the kingdom.”
“Wouldn’t everyone be against it? What if a war breaks out?”
“With me here, what’s the worry.”
“…!”
Asha clutched the front of her pajamas.
“Karnov, you were so cool just now.”
“…Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing you.”
After that, her friends’ gifts followed in succession. Arten dedicated the piece he had performed at the wedding to her. Pasapo Lefkadiya sent a certificate stating they had made a commemorative wine for her wedding, to be delivered in 20 years.
Baroness Saratov, partnering with the Marchioness of Tataricha, finally succeeded in cultivating shaslings berries on a large scale. They gifted the first orchard to Asha as a wedding present.
Irina and Yuriev restored a fairy tale book they had made for Asha when she was little and gifted it to her. Asha decided to publish the fairy tale book, and Baroness Saratov would somehow handle the distribution.
Maxim and Valery, unable to decide on a gift until the end, secretly obtained the location of Asha and Karnov’s travel destination and bought them a villa there.
And Dimitri and Ilya…
“Isn’t this the latest Senet Mehen?”
They gifted a small game where you roll dice to claim territories on a fictional land. The dice were made of ivory, and the game pieces were polished rose quartz and onyx.
Asha’s eyes sparkled with a competitive spirit. She had never let anyone win at a game before. Seeing Asha’s determined look, Karnov shook his head and set up the game board on the table.
Placing two game pieces on the board, Asha spoke with firm resolve.
“Let’s make a bet.”
“A bet?”
Karnov’s expression became defensive. Asha laughed mischievously.
“The loser has to undo one button.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Karnov quickly fastened the buttons on his pajamas that Asha had almost completely undone. It was the first time Asha realized how swiftly buttons could be done up.
“Karnov! I had them all undone!”
“You don’t have buttons!”
“I… I’ll untie the ribbons.”
“I’m not going easy on you.”
“I’m not the kind of person who plays to lose.”
And so, the game that would determine the fate of the grand duke and duchess’s first night as newlyweds began.
The game pieces landed on the stiffly laid-out game board with a cheerful sound. The dice were placed in the center of the board, and they even brought a candlestick to brightly illuminate the table.
Clatter, clatter, the dice rolled. Thud! Thud! The sound of the pieces being placed echoed. The pieces representing Karnov and Asha began to battle for territory.
After the first round, Asha, with a triumphant expression, said,
“Undo a button.”
“…I did.”
The dice rolled.
Roll, roll, roll, roll.
“Button.”
“Did you undo a button?”
“Undo your button.”
Roll, roll! Roll, roll!
“Huh?”
They were so engrossed in the game that they didn’t notice the morning sun rising. Suddenly, Asha paused while moving her piece.
She realized she had placed it incorrectly.
“Oh no. How can you take back a move once it’s made, Your Grace?”
Karnov’s hand firmly pressed down on Asha’s.
“N-No… Wait a minute. I wasn’t taking it back. It barely touched.”
“It touched. Should I once again mourn Your Grace’s conscience?”
And with that move, the game began to spiral out of control.
“I just realized I only have one ribbon on my clothes.”
“Hmm, what?”
Karnov pretended not to hear.
Roll, roll!
The dice rolled relentlessly. Asha stomped her feet. She tried moving her pieces around, but she couldn’t overturn the game once it had tilted.
As they approached the final roll of the dice, Asha urgently grabbed Karnov’s hand.
“Karnov, you said you liked me, right?”
In other words, she was asking if he could let this one slide. Karnov smiled and gently removed Asha’s fingers one by one.
“I said I like Your Grace’s lime pie.”
“What!”
Asha’s face turned bright red with anger.
And finally, the last dice rolled.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Asha woke up, feeling the afternoon sunlight warm her cheeks. The cozy warmth enveloping her body was pleasantly comforting.
“Awake?”
As she struggled to open her half-swollen eyes, she saw a pair of violet eyes smiling at her. It was Karnov.
“Mmm…”
Nodding, Asha awkwardly sat up and looked around. Dice and game pieces were scattered, and empty bottles lay on the floor. She finally recalled the events of the early morning.
They had made a bet to undo each other’s buttons and ribbons, but they got so engrossed in the game that they both fell asleep on the carpet, half-dressed in their pajamas.
Having gone through the wedding and the subsequent reception, they had spent the night locked in a battle of wits…
Asha stared blankly at the blanket tangled in the middle of the carpet like a nest.
“My first night…”
“I think I’m the one who should be upset.”
“My first night like this!”
“I’m more upset!”
Karnov was about to explain how he had waited and anticipated for years but decided against it, thinking it would sound too sinister. Asha wrapped herself in the blanket again and flopped onto the carpet.
“Ugh…”
“Don’t laugh…”
“Did you catch me?”
Asha peeked out and laughed. Karnov shook his head, lifted her onto the bed, stretched, and called for the servants.
While Asha buried herself in the blanket, the servants quickly tidied the messy bedroom and asked if they should prepare a meal. Karnov said,
“Something refreshing and clean, not ham and cheese sandwiches.”
“Understood.”
Asha giggled. The servants brought in a fruit salad made from juicy fruits and a chilled mint tea brewed with honey.
Holding the fruit salad bowl, Asha said,
“After our trip, I was thinking of holding a wedding for my parents… What do you think?”
“Yes, they didn’t have the chance when they were younger. It would be nice to do it once.”
“And I want to throw a party for Phoebe and Kairos. Especially for Phoebe, who found her true form but couldn’t do anything because I collapsed.”
Karnov briefly thought it sounded like a pet adoption anniversary party but brushed it aside.
“That sounds good too.”
“Oh! And I want you to give Evan some career advice.”
“…Me? Even if I do, he’s already grown into a proper knight. Why does he need career advice?”
“Evan’s been insisting on becoming the head of the grand duchy guards. Please talk to him.”
“Just let him do what he wants.”
“Karnov! Don’t be so dismissive!”
“Doing what you want is the best.”
“But leaving the Imperial Knights to become a mansion guard…”
“Guarding a mansion isn’t easy.”
“That’s not what I meant. Do you know what Evan said? If he can’t be the head of the grand duchy guards, he’ll become a guard at the Pesheranskaya pastry shop.”
Asha said seriously, clutching her forehead. She looked very distressed. Karnov chuckled.
“Just let him do it.”
“Karnov!”
“Alright. I’ll talk to him. I will.”
“Make sure to talk sincerely. Lately, Evan doesn’t listen to me at all. It’s like he’s going through puberty.”
Puberty…
Karnov had many things to say but held them back, remembering it was the day after the wedding.
“Is there anything you want to do after the trip?”
“I don’t know about after the trip, but there’s something I want to do now.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t do it because you’re eating the fruit salad.”
Asha’s face turned red. She paused for a moment, then aggressively scooped up the fruit salad and asked,
“Isn’t there anything else?”
“Hmm…”
Karnov lifted Asha into his arms. Asha hurriedly clutched the fruit salad bowl with both hands. Karnov wrapped her in a blanket and held her close, pondering.
“Well, I think I’ve done everything I wanted to.”
At this moment, he had achieved almost everything he desired. Karnov had no particular wishes other than seeing Asha become a little happier every day.
Asha squinted her eyes. Come to think of it, Karnov didn’t have any particular hobbies. If helping her with her work and spending time with her could be considered a hobby, then that was his hobby.
“That’s not okay!”
Despite Asha’s firm words, Karnov just shrugged and ate the fruit salad Asha was spooning. Asha mechanically fed Karnov the fruit salad while thinking.
Something Karnov enjoyed that wasn’t related to her work…
Asha raised her spoon high.
“Magistrum Academy! You could become a professor there! What do you think?”
“…”
Karnov’s expression turned sour as he wiped the fruit pieces off his cheek. He had no idea where the idea of becoming a professor had come from.
Asha passionately explained.
“When you were teaching Evan, you seemed to enjoy it and have a knack for it.”
“Who are you looking at? Are you even looking at me?”
“I’m sure of it. Listening to adults’ advice isn’t a bad thing. I understand why Sir Wilhelm kept urging you to teach at the academy.”
Karnov furrowed his brow.
“…That was over ten years ago.”
Shortly after Karnov and Asha met, then-Commander Wilhelm Elmin had tried to make fifteen-year-old Karnov an academy instructor.
“That’s why I’m saying it. It was meaningful advice even after ten years.”
Karnov wanted to ask Asha if she still remembered that time but held back. Instead, he asked something else.
“So, you’re really telling me to become a professor there?”
“You’d be great at it. You taught Evan well.”
“I didn’t really teach him anything. The knights handled it.”
“I’m not just talking about technical skills. You can tell Evan relies on and follows you more than me.”
“No…”
That’s not following me…
Karnov wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t when faced with Asha’s bright, green eyes, sparkling like newly sprouted leaves. After a moment of silence, Karnov pushed the empty fruit salad bowl aside.
“Karnov?”
“Alright. Fine. Magistrum Academy… I’ll try being a special lecturer.”
“Great, great!”
Asha clapped her hands in delight. Karnov gently pushed Asha onto the bed.
“Now that we’ve finished the fruit salad and heard Your Grace’s words…”
As he pressed Asha’s nose, her face turned bright red. She boldly wrapped her arms around Karnov’s neck and kissed him loudly on the lips.
Slowly, the sun set, and the moon rose. Particles of light overflowed from the bedroom, spilling out onto the terrace, through the curtains, and into the gaps of the drawers.
