Pristin couldn’t help but be greatly embarrassed when she finally arrived at the empress’s palace. Even though it was a dark night, the area around the empress’s palace was as bright as day. It wasn’t until they entered the palace that Pristin realized the reason for the brightness.
“Your Majesty, what is all this…”
Since she hadn’t been able to visit the empress’s palace frequently before the palace relocation, she hadn’t seen the changes. In her absence, the garden had been filled with even more flowers, especially roses, which she loved.
And beneath each rose tree, there were numerous scented candles. That was what made the place appear so bright. Pristin turned to Jerald with a touched expression.
“Did you prepare this for me?”
“As the last event before the wedding.”
Jerald looked at Pristin tenderly and asked,
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s so pretty.”
Pristin nodded with a big smile.
“I almost hate to let this moment pass.”
She wished she could capture this scene in a painting.
Pristin strolled around the rose trees with a look of wonder.
“When did you manage to prepare all this?”
“Right after our wedding was decided, in a rush,”
Jerald admitted sheepishly, his expression earnest.
“I wanted to do something. I wanted to express what this marriage means to me.”
“What does it mean to you?”
“Just what you see right now.”
“That’s too abstract. I need a more explicit expression.”
“A more explicit expression…”
Jerald pondered for a moment before meeting Pristin’s gaze and smiling.
“It’s so wonderful that I feel like I wouldn’t have any regrets even if I were to die tomorrow.”
“That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think?”
“True. I just mean that this moment feels that perfect to me.”
Jerald smiled low and kissed Pristin lightly on her forehead.
“Why die, I’ll live a long, long life with you, here.”
“That sounds too good to be true,”
Pristin murmured, smiling brightly.
“I’m already happy to think of our children being born, growing up, and playing here.”
“Yeah, but I think the garden is a little small for five of them.”
“What? Five children?”
Pristin asked in surprise.
“You want to have five children, Your Majesty?”
“Though I suppose more would be better.”
“My God. Five is too many.”
Pristin looked serious and considered, then spoke up.
“Well, we’re both still young, so I guess it’s possible.”
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Don’t get serious.”
Jerald laughed lowly and embraced Pristin from behind.
“It’s enough for me to have one. I know how hard it is to have kids.”
“I can think of three, though five is a bit much.”
“I’m kidding. I don’t want to make you suffer.”
“Aren’t you thinking too much of me?”
“Because I love you. More than anyone else in the world.”
Jerald buried his face in Pristin’s shoulder and whispered,
“I don’t want to put you through a hard time again, I don’t want to make you sick.”
“…”
“You’ve already been through that so many times because of me.”
“It’s not because of Your Majesty.”
Pristin shook her head and denied Jerald’s words.
“It was just my fate, how it was meant to be.”
“…But.”
“Maybe the same thing will happen in the future.”
Pristin moved her hand and clasped Jerald’s behind her.
Then, turning her head back, she smiled and locked eyes with Jerald.
“But we’ll be together now, so whatever happens, we’ll get through it.”
“That’s right. You’re not alone anymore.”
“No matter how dark it gets around you, Your Majesty. I’ll help keep your world bright,”
Pristin promised Jerald with a deeper smile.
“Like the candles that lit up this garden.”
“…Me too. I will make sure that your world continues to be bright.”
I’ll make sure of it.
With that promise, Jerald gently kissed the side of Pristin’s neck.
“With you, I think I can keep it bright.”
“Of course.”
Pristin turned around and kissed Jerald’s lips first.
“I love you, Your Majesty.”
The whispered declaration of love was so lovely that Jerald couldn’t resist kissing Pristin, who was pulling away, back, their lips locked in a deep kiss, their breaths moving across each other’s lips.
Pristin smiled lightly and wrapped her arms around Jerald’s waist in an equally tight embrace.
“I’ll make you happy.”
Coming from him, not anyone else, it didn’t sound the least bit like an empty promise. Pristin smiled as if she believed it, and once again lightly bit Jerald’s lower lip.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
And finally, the next day.
“My sister looks so pretty today.”
It was the day of the wedding. Christine stood in front of a beautifully dressed Pristin and asked admiringly,
“You know how pretty you are right now, right?”
“Well, it’s my wedding, so I should be pretty.”
“I know. How could I not know when you look this good? How are you feeling?”
The snow-white bride fiddled nervously with her bouquet.
“…Nervous.”
“Gosh, I thought you relaxed a little last night thanks to His Majesty.”
Pristin asked with a startled look at the words,
“How did you know I met His Majesty?”
“Huh? Didn’t you meet him last night on a walk?”
“No, I mean, how did you know that?”
“Because your face was so much brighter when you came back than when you left.”
“…”
“Of course, I thought, you must have met His Majesty.”
…Did she make it so obvious? Embarrassed, Pristin coughed involuntarily.
“Before I fell asleep last night, I thought I’d be fine… but now that the wedding is less than an hour away, I’m nervous again.”
“I don’t remember my sister being this nervous.”
“We’ll see when you get married. I bet you’ll be just as nervous.”
“Oh, no. Well, I’m not going to be an empress.”
Christine giggled and reassured Pristin,
“Don’t tremble, take a deep breath. Or shall I call His Majesty?”
“Never mind, I’m sure he’s equally busy and preoccupied, so why call His Majesty…”
“Countess.”
At that moment, Aruvina came in from outside. Pristin asked, startled,
“Is it already time to enter?”
“No, His Majesty is here.”
“His Majesty? Right now?”
“Yes. Actually, I went to His Majesty earlier.”
The culprit was Christine. Pristin stared at her in bewilderment. But Christine looked at her as if she deserved a pat on the back.
“What do you think? Are you thankful for me?”
“You…”
In the end, Pristin sighed briefly and laughed with an expression that said she couldn’t stop her.
“Yeah. Honestly, I’m kind of grateful.”
“Then I’m going out now, so have a good time and relax, Sister.”
Christine, who playfully tapped Pristin on the shoulder, left the waiting room, and Jerald came in soon after. Pristin smiled, a little relieved.
“…Your Majesty.”
“I heard you’re very nervous.”
Jerald was looking quite dapper as he emerged into the waiting room. Of course, he always set Pristin’s heart aflutter with his dashing good looks, but this was a wedding, after all, and he looked even more handsome than usual.
It was when Pristin was staring blankly at Jerald’s appearance.
“I guess I wasn’t good enough yesterday. I need to make amends.”
“…”
“Pristin?”
“…Ah.”
Pristin snapped out of it and glared at Jerald, who chuckled at the sight.
“Why, I’m so handsome that you can’t get your head around it?”
“Yes,”
Pristin answered meekly with a smile, and Jerald, who had asked her the question, flinched and was surprised.
“You’re so cool today. My heart is pounding like it was when we first met…”
However, Pristin didn’t finish her sentence and froze. Suddenly, Jerald leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.
The suddenness of the kiss startled Pristin, who looked up at Jerald with confused eyes. Jerald looked back at her with a look of helplessness.
“You’re so beautiful, I couldn’t help it.”
“Oh, my…”
“You’re stunning tonight, to the point of making my heart race.”
Despite her bewilderment, a smile crept onto Pristin’s lips. Just as she was about to kiss Jerald back.
“Wait a minute. Let’s stop here.”
“You were the one who said you liked it.”
“I only managed to restrain myself to a kiss on the forehead.”
Jerald said with a resigned tone,
“If I kissed you on the lips, your makeup might smudge.”
“…”
“I can’t take it anymore.”
“You’re not patient enough, are you?”
“That’s always what happens when it comes to you.”
Jerald smiled as if he meant it.
“How are you now? Are you still nervous?”
“Well… I’m not sure now.”
Pristin said, gently making eye contact with Jerald.
“But I have Your Majesty by my side, so I guess I’m okay.”
“That’s a relief. It’s worth coming,”
Jerald said, sitting down next to Pristin.
“I’ll keep you company from now on. Anytime, anywhere, until you get tired of it.”
“That’s exactly the life I wanted, Your Majesty.”
Sincerely.
The two locked eyes and smiled fondly at each other.
“Your Imperial Majesty.”
Aruvina’s voice came from outside. Jerald knew it was time for them to leave.
“Oh, no. I just sat down.”
“We can’t stay a little longer, can we?”
“No, we can’t. I can’t wait to get down the aisle.”
Jerald stood up first and reached for Pristin’s hand.
“Come with me, Pristin.”
Pristin stared at Jerald’s outstretched hand, then took it with a smile.
It was warm and soft.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“His Majesty the Emperor and Countess Rosewell are entering.”
Pristin entered the ceremony holding Jerald’s hand tightly. Many people’s eyes were on them in an instant. The stares made Pristin even more nervous, but she soon calmed down and walked side by side with Jerald.
They made it safely to the front of the podium. The ceremony began, but neither of them could really concentrate. They were both acutely aware that once the wedding vows were completed, they would truly be husband and wife.
“Our most exalted sovereign, His Majesty the Emperor, we ask you…”
As the time for the wedding vows drew near, Pristin felt as though her heart might burst from excitement.
“Do you vow to take Pristin Rosewell as your wife, and to always cherish and love her through joy and sorrow?”
“I swear.”
“This time, I ask Countess Rosewell.”
At last it was her turn. Pristin, with a nervous expression, alternated her gaze between Jerald and the officiant.
“Do you vow to fulfill your duties as Empress of the Limburg Empire and to be faithful to His Majesty for your entire life?”
“…Yes,”
Pristin answered in a voice filled with overwhelming emotion,
“I swear.”
“With this, I declare you both husband and wife.”
At last, Pristin and Jerald were officially married, and a thunderous applause erupted from all around. As Pristin stood there in a daze, someone gently took her hand. Turning her head, she saw Jerald smiling at her.
“I love you, Pristin.”
At that moment, her heart fluttered. An indescribable, intense feeling rose up to her throat, making her momentarily forget how to breathe. After a while, she slowly managed to lift the corners of her trembling lips into a smile. At the same time, Jerald moved closer and cautiously kissed her. The sweetness spread from his lips throughout her entire being.
“…I love you, Jerald,”
Whispering in a voice full of emotion, Pristin thought about how eagerly she anticipated the countless stories they would write together in the future.
And that was the end of the main story, everyone! There are 7 side stories so look forward to more! We’re almost to the end.
Thanks for the translation =)