You are at the End of the Downfall

The wedding day approached with an indifferent bride and a surprisingly enthusiastic groom.

Lusenford, led by the Grand Duke, was preparing its best to welcome the new Grand Duchess. In Ostein, Kaela’s father was making the most fuss. He checked everything multiple times, insisting that nothing should be missing from his motherless daughter’s wedding preparations.

Amidst all this, only the bride had no opinion. When asked by the groom’s side what she wanted, she gave frustratingly indifferent answers, saying anything was fine.

Peon, feeling guilty about the first wedding he barely remembered due to his deliberate indifference and personal anguish, wanted to do better this time. Though Kaela was unaware, he put great effort into every detail out of remorse.

However, he found it increasingly difficult to maintain his composure.

Has anyone ever remarried the woman they killed with their own hands?

****

The woman walking quietly down the aisle on her father’s arm was a radiant spring bride.

She didn’t match at all with the ruler of the gloomy, melancholic winter-laden North.

Indeed, she didn’t fit. Her cheeks were a shy rose color, her long-lashed eyes held the clear sky, and her sharp nose and lips as red as her cheeks fit neatly on her small face.

The wedding dress and veil enveloping her delicate frame were exceptionally long, symbolizing Ostein’s wealth and Lusenford’s glory. The woman was beautiful.

“I’ve never seen such a hasty wedding, but they’ve managed to get all the essentials in place.”

“The Duchess of Monde didn’t come, did she?”

“If she came, she’d be executed on the spot. How dare she show her face here?”

Whispers brushed past the ears of the man marrying the same woman for the second time. These were sounds he hadn’t heard at the first wedding.

Peon realized for the first time today that the bride walking towards him had no expression. What was it like before the regression?

The indifferent husband couldn’t even remember. It would have been fortunate if the unhappy bride, forced into marriage, hadn’t cried as she was dragged to him. Now, even with one of the empire’s wealthiest fathers, she was still an unhappy bride.

“How will a delicately raised noble lady manage in that cold place?”

“Surely there were better suitors… His Majesty really…”

“Only the Grand Duke of Lusenford benefits from gaining a wealthy wife. And His Majesty can send less financial support.”

The solemn organ music was clearly a celebratory wedding march, but to the new bride’s ears, it sounded like a funeral dirge.

Has anyone ever remarried the man who killed them?

Despite all her refusals and resistance, Kaela was once again marrying the Grand Duke of Lusenford on a bright spring day. She walked quietly down the path to her death, like livestock calmly being led to the slaughterhouse, knowing this was the road to her demise.

“Kaela. It was my dream to walk with you like this. I’m so happy today.”

Adeo, who walked with her to the end of the aisle, smiled kindly. Amidst the piercing gazes, only the bride’s father showered his daughter with sincere devotion and affection.

For Kaela, this wedding held no meaning, so she felt nothing. It wasn’t her first wedding, but her second, and to the same man no less. How could she be nervous?

Flowers symbolizing a happy marriage, gold coins sewn into the shoe soles representing a wealthy union, the long dress and veil signifying the groom’s love.

Kaela, who once attributed meaning to each of these things, now knew it was all pointless. She had learned from her last marriage that making such a fuss achieved nothing.

The young bride who had lost her father tried to at least keep up appearances to avoid criticism. But with no adults to look after her, there were naturally many things to be faulted for, and she cried alone often.

This time, however, the bride didn’t fret. She had a father who was pushing through with sheer quantity, exclaiming, “It’s my daughter’s wedding!”

She had a father who was happy to hold her hand and walk with her until the very end. So Kaela could, just once, genuinely smile back at her father.

“May you both be happy.”

Peon felt ashamed before the Duke of Ostein, who said both his daughter and Peon should be happy.

“We are gathered here today to bless this sacred union…”

He was committing another unforgivable sin against Kaela. The man who had foolishly ended a sacred marriage was now desperately holding on as the marriage began anew, feeling like he might lose his mind.

From this moment, Ostein and Lusenford were one. He mustn’t waver. He should only think about achieving his goals without faltering this time, while also protecting Kaela.

‘No, I should protect her and then let her go.’

He kept forgetting about letting her go. He had to let her go. His only bride standing beside him was too beautiful and noble for him. He kept conveniently forgetting that he didn’t deserve her.

Now that he was confident he could protect her, the easy thought of just keeping her dominated his mind first. While he had no intention of hiding his true nature after the regression, he still needed to maintain courtesy before Kaela and keep his promises.

He had promised to let her go, so he had to keep that promise.

The wedding, held while the Empress was incapacitated, was quiet and solemn, not extravagant but impressive in its grandeur.

Peon, who only remembered his previous wedding as annoying, irritating, and humiliating, hoped Kaela wouldn’t feel the same about this one.

“It feels more like a ceremony praying for the Empress’s recovery than a wedding.”

He heard the northern people, known for not fearing the Emperor, making sarcastic remarks. It was a jab at the Emperor, who only now realized he was old, faced with the crisis of possibly losing the Empress.

He hastily sought a Crown Princess for Gregory, who held the empty title of Crown Prince, and also sorted out Peon’s long-overdue marriage. It was all the Emperor’s unilateral decision.

“At least I can face the Empress now.”

The Emperor’s attempt at a congratulatory speech after the wedding and during the long reception was predictable. Drunk on his own act of playing the ‘father’ and ’emperor’, he seemed to believe that doing so would somehow wake the Empress.

“I was worried about having nothing to show for when she soon wakes up. But you two have done a great thing. Now I can face her with some pride.”

As if the Empress would care about these formalities after enduring nothing but violence and abuse from the beginning. Of course, Kaela just responded politely like a naive doll, saying “Yes, yes” in front of him.

The hastily married couple would stay briefly at the Royal Palace before heading straight to Lusenford.

With the Grand Duke’s heavy responsibilities, they couldn’t afford a separate honeymoon, so the journey to Lusenford would serve as the new bride’s honeymoon. For Kaela, it was a familiar route, so she wasn’t particularly interested.

“I’m worried because she’s a bit frail. Please take good care of her.”

Adeo’s face was filled with concern for his daughter as he reluctantly said, “Please take care of her” in this situation.

“I’ll do my best. I ask for your support as well.”

Peon bowed sincerely only to Adeo, not the Emperor, and despite being a newlywed groom, he couldn’t bring himself to smile.

“Be happy.”

Leaving behind the wishes for happiness from the Emperor, the main cause of all their misfortunes, the newly wedded couple boarded the carriage.

Kaela must have been the most tired and exhausted person, having woken up at dawn to prepare, going through the wedding ceremony that started in the morning, and enduring the long reception until now.