… What?
“So with Wilhelm Rosenberg, the groom.”
What…
“Bride Anastasia Barantes, I hereby officially acknowledge your marriage.”
There was no mention anywhere that the male lead was this handsome!
“I solemnly declare that these two are married.”
Anastasia stared blankly at the man in front of her with a puzzled expression. Wilhelm Rosenberg, the male protagonist of the world in this novel.
‘… No, if you think about it, there was one line that mentioned he was handsome.’
It seems that the modifier “the most handsome man in the empire” appeared at a time when it was worth forgetting.
However, what attracted him to her as the male lead was his friendly personality rather than his hard-to-find appearance.
‘The problem is that even the face is too much of my taste…’
Anastasia was in trouble. In fact, her heart was already beating fast the moment she saw him.
The day before, she wanted her father to lay the rice cakes for the future* in advance, saying, ‘Well. I am also worried whether I will be able to love the Emperor.”
*TN: rice cakes are put out in hopes of good blessings
‘What do I do… I think I fell in love with this man at first sight.’
Anastasia swallowed her dry saliva and then looked at the man who put her ring on her, expressionless.
‘… It is very likely that Wilhelm has no feelings for this marriage.’
It was probably because he would have met the former Anastasia before her possession at least once. He would have heard bad news as well.
‘Oh, that’s a big deal. I started with my score down from the beginning. How can I change the way you think about me?’
… Anastasia was stunned when she realized that she was completely ignoring what she had promised before entering the ceremony.
‘My goal is to leave safely…’
No, is there a rule that says you have to follow the original?
‘I also succeeded in changing the reputation of Anastasia, who was the worst. Destiny belongs to those who act, doesn’t it?’
Anastasia quickly changed her mind.
Although she was concerned about an oracle that would fall after three years of her marriage, it may not come down if she changed the contents of the original story.
‘If I were to become the heroine of this novel, it might be different again, right?’
Yes, you only have one life, you have to do what you want!
‘More than anything else, my heart is beating too fast to ignore…’
To be the wife of such a handsome man. Just that fact alone, Anastasia’s heart was beating as if she had run.
~~~~
At the reception that followed, Anastasia returned to receive wedding congratulations from numerous guests, and finally took her first steps at the Empress’ Palace.
“Welcome, Empress. I am Helena Rochester, who will serve Your Majesty in the future.”
“Nice to meet you, Duchess of Rochester. I wish you all the best in the future.”
When Anastasia greeted her with a smile, Mrs. Rochester gave her a slightly startled expression.
‘I heard she’s changed a lot, but…’
She wasn’t very close to the Barantes, so she hadn’t met Anastasia since she changed.
She had been hearing stories from those around her that Anastasia had suddenly changed as if she had become someone else.
However, considering the personality pointed out her hairstyle was one from her childhood from the first meeting, she thought she might just be pretending…
‘She really seems like a different person.’
Mrs. Rochester felt in anticipation that she might be able to truly serve the woman in front of her eyes.
“Are you tired? You better take a bath first.”
“Thank you, madam.”
And as she was served by her maids in her bathtub, Anastasia realized one important fact too late, and her heart raced like it was going to explode.
‘Wait a minute, I’m married, so tonight…’
In an instant, Anastasia’s face turned red.
Oh my God, it’s the first night on the first day she fell in love!
‘Oh, what? I’m not yet mentally ready…!’
Before the wedding, there would be no feelings for each other, so it was her plan to pretend that they had done the night and move on.
But since she fell in love with Wilhelm, she didn’t want to stick with the plan, and she had no desire to hate him.
“Your Majesty the Empress, His Majesty the Emperor has come.”
And by the time Anastasia was happy to accept tonight’s fate, Wilhelm arrived.
Anastasia looked at Wilhelm, who was approaching with her trembling heart.
He was simply wearing a nightgown, but the look was unbearably sexy.
Anastasia greeted him as she struggled as his robe opened slightly and her eyes turned to his bare chest exposed.
She said, “I see you, Your Majesty, Sun of the Empire.”
“Sit down.”
Anastasia did so calmly. After a while, the two of them sat down and started drinking from their glasses.
There was an awkward silence, and Anastasia was wondering what to say to make the atmosphere better.
“I think it would be better to say it in advance.”
Wilhelm spoke first. Anastasia looked at him, blinking her round eyes.
“I will always respect and cherish you as a woman of the oracle chosen by the goddess and as my empress.”
He suddenly made this confession…?
As Anastasia struggled to control her heart, which started beating fast again, she looked at Wilhelm.
But right after his next words, Anastasia’s heart plunged to the ground with her.
“But if you want love as a romantic relationship between a man and a woman, that would be difficult.”
“… Your Majesty.”
“Let me tell you, just in case you misunderstand, it’s not like I have a woman in mind. Just…”
“I know.”
He was just saying that because he is the main character of this novel.
“Your Majesty is not that immoral.”
It is the author’s intention for him to fulfill the minimum obligation to his ex-wife, who he would someday divorce.
‘… No.’
She wanted to change the fate that was given to her. She wanted this man to look at her, not the female protagonist.
Wilhelm’s candid confession ignited her deep desire, which Anastasia herself was unaware of.
“So Your Majesty doesn’t expect my heart, is that what you want to say?”
“You must have been forced to become the Empress by the oracle.”
Wilhelm spoke to Anastasia in a tone of understanding.
“So I didn’t know, but maybe you had someone in mind.”
“…”
“If you want, you can meet with someone else. However, other people’s eyes are a little concerning…”
“No, Your Majesty. I have no one like that.”
Anastasia dared to cut off the Emperor’s words and spoke firmly.
Wilhelm looked a little startled, but he thought of her original nature and soon took it easy.
Meanwhile, Anastasia bit her lip once and confessed.
“I like Your Majesty. No one else will ever come in my heart.”
Wilhelm’s eyes widened at the straightforward confession. Like someone who never thought he would hear such a thing.
When she saw that, she understood the setting of the original, but it was a little ridiculous.
No, he didn’t think she’d fall for his looks?
“I think it would be better to tell you in advance.”
“… Empress.”
Wilhelm opened his mouth in a slightly bewildered voice.
“I’m sorry, but I.”
“I know.”
Not wanting to hear his refusal again, Anastasia quickly shut Wilhelm’s mouth.
“How can you love someone you have only seen a few times from day one? I don’t want that.”
“… Then?”
“Just give me a chance, I mean?”
Anastasia replied with a smile.
“I want to tell you to not fully close your heart. I hope you at least have the heart to be dragged along if I pull Your Majesty. I mean, please don’t force me out.”
“… Well.”
Wilhelm predicted skeptically.
“Even so, I don’t think it will change anything.”
“It’s still better than deliberately pushing me away. I won’t be hurt either.”
“…”
“Anyway, we are a couple now, so I hope you can open your heart to me a little more.”
“… Okay.”
Wilhelm nodded after a while.
“I know what you mean. I’ll try.”
But as he said that, Wilhelm felt he was lying. Can emotions really flow in the direction of effort?
He was skeptical, but he couldn’t speak his true feelings in front of a woman with pure eyes, saying that she liked him.
“But it looks like it’s going to be hard tonight.”
It was the first night he would just go emotionally if he hadn’t heard anything. But he couldn’t hold the woman that had a heart for him that way.
Prior to their duties as a couple, it was not polite.
Anastasia calmly agreed with his decision. She knew Wilhelm well, so she had some insight into his thoughts.
“Can we still hold hands and sleep?”
“…”
Wilhelm was bewildered by her reluctant way of asking, but he soon nodded his head.
In response, Anastasia smiled broadly and stood up from her seat. And when he looked where she went, she came to him and suddenly held his hand tightly.
“… Why are you holding my hand already?”
“I want to go to bed with Your Majesty.”
If you looked at it literally, it was a pretty bizarre statement. The expression of the woman who said that was so bright that he felt like he was becoming trash.
Wilhelm, who was about 1.5 times the height and weight of Anastasia, was dragged by Anastasia helplessly.
Then the two of them laid down on the bed together. Anastasia clasped Wilhelm’s one hand, she said as she stared at him.
“Then you must be tired. Get a good night’s sleep, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, the Empress also…”
“Let’s meet in our dreams.”
Throwing a stone into the calm lake casually, Anastasia smiled once more brightly.
And Wilhelm, who saw Anastasia like that, felt confused.
‘Was Anastasia Barantes originally this kind of woman?’
Somehow, it was a moment when he was a little worried about the future.
