Chapter 9

Ding.

Judging by the ringing in my own head, Gerald’s jaw must have hurt just as much.

Naturally, I assumed he would finally put me down.

But he continued holding me tightly in his arms.

I was about to launch another attack when he leaned his head back to avoid it.

Then, in the firm, brief tone one might use to calm a stubborn child, he said,

“Enough.”

“Put me down.”

As I huffed in irritation, he let out a long sigh.

“I’m only doing this because it’ll be troublesome if you slip and postpone our wedding night.”

“What do you mean by ‘troublesome’?”

“If we don’t consummate the marriage tonight, His Majesty and the rest of the imperial family will have to stay here until tomorrow night.”

“Why?”

“Because the wedding rites aren’t considered complete until we officially declare that the couple has spent their first night together.”

Spend another entire day with the Emperor, the Empress, and the rest of the imperial family?

So that’s why.

There was no way he’d done this out of concern for me.

Absolutely not.

“I don’t think I’d slip…”

I answered meekly, but instead of replying, he carried me over to a nearby shelf, took out a robe with one hand, and draped it over my shoulders.

Still holding me, he walked to the bathroom door and courteously opened it.

Only then did he loosen his grip.

I carefully lowered both feet to the floor.

“I’m sorry.”

I bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.

Without responding, he strode across the bathhouse, flung open the door he’d entered through earlier, and disappeared.

The performance was over.

I’m doomed.

He must think I’m a complete idiot.

Sigh… Maybe I should make up for that disastrous first impression during the wedding-night ceremony.

* * *

Sinclair’s bedroom in Schlesen Castle.

The maids busied themselves putting the finishing touches on Sinclair’s appearance.

They dressed me in a thin night robe and applied light makeup.

But after everything that had happened in the bathhouse, my composure had long since flown off to another galaxy.

Knock, knock.

“Yes?”

A maid entered.

“Your Grace, Her Majesty the Empress wishes to see you briefly before the wedding-night ceremony.”

“The Empress?”

Frankly, I had no desire to see her.

The memories that resurfaced when I’d greeted my older sister—Kenneth, now the Empress—earlier still lingered vividly.

“Family? You destroyed my family, and now you dare say you want to be part of it? Especially as the daughter of a witch!”

Kenneth’s dark blue eyes were colder than the winter sea.

Darkness swallowed Sinclair whole.

“Please… save me… Please…”

Tiny fists pounded desperately against the wardrobe door.

---

“This is my younger sister, Sinclair. She’s very quiet… and such a good child.”

Kenneth smiled sweetly during a tea party as she introduced Sinclair.

Moments later, Sinclair was running through an unfamiliar hedge maze, crying.

---

“Even if you become part of House Jeyer thanks to me, I wonder whether you’ll be able to keep that title.”

Sitting in the Empress’s palace, Kenneth set down her teacup with a frigid smile.

From the fragments of Sinclair’s memories that occasionally surfaced, Kenneth was every bit as two-faced as Yan.

In front of others, she was the perfect older sister.

Behind closed doors, however, her words and icy gaze crushed Sinclair’s spirit.

If Yan abused Sinclair’s body with violence…

Kenneth murdered her mind with words.

“Your Grace?”

The maid waited for my answer again.

Thankfully, I’d dismissed all the attendants earlier.

If those previous maids had still been here, the Empress probably would have barged in as rudely as that ill-mannered Yan.

“I’m busy preparing. Tell Her Majesty I’ll pay my respects later.”

“Yes…”

The maid backed out of the room.

Why does she want to see me before the wedding-night ceremony?

She’s involved in Theodore’s assassination attempt too, isn’t she?

The novel had portrayed her as the Empire’s most elegant empress and a wise mother.

But I couldn’t blindly trust the author’s descriptions.

Fortunately, Sinclair’s memories were becoming my lifeline.

Our poor Crown Prince Alfred…

How did you manage to grow into such a righteous man under the tyrant Emperor Herace and that hypocritical Empress?

“Your Grace?”

Sigh…

This wasn’t the time to worry about someone else.

“Yes?”

The maid presented a velvet tray.

Several blossoms of the same flower, each in a different color, rested upon it.

“They’re lisianthus flowers, symbolizing eternal love. Which color would you like to wear?”

Eternal love…

It felt unexpectedly fitting.

According to the novel, the Karikas territory had been built atop the former Demon Realm—a stronghold of demons.

Naturally, I’d imagined it as the Empire’s most terrifying region…

A forsaken land beyond human civilization.

Yet now that I was actually here…

It was surprisingly romantic.

The husband performed the purification ritual for his bride.

The bride adorned herself with flowers symbolizing eternal love before their wedding night.

Does eternal love really exist?

Well…

Alfred certainly embodied that kind of pure, everlasting devotion.

But that was possible because this was a novel.

If love in the real world remained that faithful forever…

That alone would make someone’s life a success.

At least today, for my own sake…

I wanted to choose a beautiful flower myself.

After all, I’d have to fight for survival in this unfamiliar place.

I held the flowers against my hair one by one—

White.

Pale pink.

Purple.

And white petals tipped with purple.

The pure white blossom matched Sinclair’s violet hair, fluorescent pink eyes, and porcelain skin the best.

Elegant.

“I’ll take this one.”

“Are you ready, Your Grace?”

At the servant’s voice, the maids glanced nervously at me.

I wanted to shake my head furiously.

But instead…

“Do you have any strong liquor?”

“…!”

The head maid’s eyes widened.

Then, as though she completely understood, she nodded.

She returned moments later carrying a bottle and a glass.

I started to pour myself a drink…

Then abandoned the glass altogether and drank straight from the bottle.

Gulp.

Ugh.

It was even stronger than the Chinese liquor the school chairman used to pour me.

A burning sensation scorched my throat.

My stomach ached sharply.

Damn it.

Still…

If I wanted to survive the end of this miserable day, I needed at least a little liquid courage.

During the wedding night, the imperial family would remain in the great hall, praying for the couple’s union before the gods.

Meanwhile, the High Priest and priests would pray in the adjoining chamber.

After everything was over…

We would have to present the cloth proving the marriage had been consummated.

Sleep with a man I’d only just met?

No sober person could possibly manage that.

I drained the bottle, handed the empty one back to the maid, and ordered,

“Open the door.”

The head maid fastened a luxurious silk cloak over my thin chemise.

The youngest maid opened the door.

Standing outside was Gerald, waiting quietly in his robe.

He extended his arm.

I lifted my chin proudly, placed my hand on it, and allowed him to escort me toward the bridal chamber.

Inside my head, I repeated the same words over and over.

I am Sinclair.

I am Sinclair.

It felt like another wedding ceremony.

Inside the hall, the imperial family had divided into two groups along the central aisle.

The men stood on one side.

The women stood opposite them.

At the front of the men’s side stood Emperor Herace.

Facing him at the head of the women’s side stood Empress Kenneth.

Directly ahead of us stood the High Priest holding a censer.

To his left were priests and priestesses dressed in immaculate white ceremonial robes, solemnly holding long rosaries with both hands.

“Finish before the rosary completes one full circuit.”

Gerald lowered his head slightly and whispered.

I unconsciously faltered.

My body wanted to shrink back.

But instead…

I lifted my chin even higher and straightened my back.

Because cowering…

That was exactly the image the Empress wanted to see.

“We pay our respects to Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress—the sun of the Empire and the source of life upon its lands.”

I curtsied deeply.

Gerald, on the other hand, merely inclined his head in a brief nod.

The High Priest stepped forward and addressed the assembled guests.

“Let us seek the blessing of the Heavenly God, Orlesion, upon the union of Grand Duke Gerald von Jeyer and Grand Duchess Sinclair von Jeyer.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Thunderous applause filled the hall.

“Your Graces, please follow me.”

Swinging the censer like a pendulum, the High Priest led us down the long corridor.

Portraits of former emperors who had conquered the Demon Realm lined the walls.

Beside them hung paintings depicting the history of their conquest.

Gerald and I followed behind him.

Behind us came the priests and priestesses, chanting sacred prayers.

The soft rustling of ceremonial robes echoed through the corridor.

Even the members of the imperial family quietly recited the prayers from behind.

The High Priest opened the door on the right.

Inside stood only a grand canopy bed.

Gerald took my hand and stopped at the entrance.

The High Priest circled the bed once, swinging the censer as though performing a sacred ritual around a pagoda.

Then he extinguished the candles one by one…

Leaving only a single candle burning on the bedside table.

Finally, he returned to stand before us.

“We shall now begin the wedding-night rite.”

He extended one arm.

Gerald took my hand from where it rested upon the priest’s sleeve and led me toward the canopy bed.

Then he stopped and looked back.

The High Priest bowed silently before closing the door.

“Phew…”

I instinctively let out a sigh and started to flop onto the bed.

“It isn’t over yet.”

Gerald caught me gently by the waist and whispered.

“Hm?”

“The High Priest, the priests, and the priestesses will enter the adjoining room.”

“And then the small window in the wall will be opened.”

“What?”

As I looked around in confusion, Gerald indicated one side of the room with a glance.

Sure enough…

There was a tiny window built into the wall, much like the screen in a confessional booth.

“Even when it opens, there’s nothing to worry about. A wooden lattice with tiny holes blocks the view.”

“They won’t be able to see us.”

“They’ll only hear us.”

“Oh…”

Only then did I finally understand and nod.

At that very moment…

Rrrrk…

The little window slowly slid open.

The High Priest lowered his head respectfully and spoke.

“Your Graces… please get onto the bed.”

At last…

The trembling ceremony of our wedding night had begun.