SPWHC 33

Chapter 33

When I spoke gently, both of them quickly closed their mouths.

I rose from my seat and took Friedrich’s hand.

Friedrich looked up at me with eyes wide in surprise.

“It’s the day before the wedding, so the duke should yield a little.”

Joachim openly showed a disappointed expression, and I let out a small laugh as I helped Friedrich stand.

A cool breeze blew once we stepped outside. It wasn’t very cold at night anymore.

As we slowly walked through the rear garden, Friedrich was unusually silent. I quietly asked him,

“Are you uneasy?”

Friedrich looked at me.

“We’re actually getting married tomorrow.”

“…I’m nervous.”

He answered in a small voice.

“Guess that counts as being uneasy too.”

“Do you remember what I said at the beginning?”

I stopped walking and turned to him.

“That once I achieve my goal, I’ll set you free.”

“…”

“That still stands. So you don’t have to take things too seriously.”

“…What if I want to take it seriously?”

Instead of just nodding as I expected, he asked something entirely unexpected.

Startled, I looked at him. He bit his lip, then suddenly dropped to one knee in front of me.

“In Kiel, no one marries as a joke. I was born and raised in Kiel.”

Friedrich looked straight into my eyes.

“What I mean is… I want to take this marriage seriously.”

“It’s only because this marriage is forced on you.”

“It’s not forced.”

He gave a faint, bitter smile and suddenly pulled something from his coat. A ring. Not gem-set—thread.

To be exact, a ring knitted from thread, woven like a vine.

I blinked at it, baffled.

“No man prepares a ring for a bride he’s being forced to marry.”

Friedrich murmured, gently taking my hand.

My left hand, suddenly held, felt burning hot. I flinched reflexively.

But he didn’t let go. His grip was soft but unwavering, his gaze fixed on me.

As if asking—pleading—for me not to pull away.

He carefully took my ring finger and slid the ring on.

The soft texture of the thread made my heart ticklish. I lifted my hand slowly and observed the ring.

Up close, the stitching was even more delicate. How did he even think to knit something with ordinary thread?

White thread braided like vines, dotted with tiny orange blossoms that resembled the color of my eyes—exquisite handiwork.

“…I’m sorry,” Friedrich said quietly. “I couldn’t give you something expensive.”

“What are you talking about?”

I let out a soft laugh and crouched so our eyes were level. Friedrich looked at me blankly.

“No one else in the world has received such a heartfelt wedding ring. Thank you, Friedrich. I’ll be careful with it.”

“You don’t have to be gentle with it,” he replied quietly.

“You can lose it, too. I’ll just make you another one.”

“I should treat it carefully. This must’ve taken you a lot of trouble to make.”

I shook my head as if it were ridiculous and looked into his eyes.

The moon was unusually bright that night, and only then did I notice that his face looked paler than usual.

The stark whiteness of his skin contrasted with the faint flush around his eyes.

I found myself staring at the contrast in silence.

Then my gaze drifted up and met his. His clear eyes—clear as a lake—shifted, gradually filling with a different light.

Watching that change gave me a strange sensation. As though it weren’t my soul but Renée’s body moving on its own, my shoulders leaned toward him.

Our faces drew close enough that I could feel his breath against my lips. Heat spread through me; my breathing quickened.

Without thinking, my fingers slid behind his neck. He shuddered at the touch.

The jolt of his reaction was like cold water to my mind.

…Get a grip.

It’s not a forced marriage?

If I took his words at face value, I’d be a fool.

He was the prince of a defeated nation, one who should’ve been executed long ago. I was the princess of the victorious empire, the one who held his life in my hands.

All his survival depended on this marriage. How could he possibly speak his true feelings?

“…Here.”

I let out a dry laugh and brushed the back of his neck as if dusting something off.

“You’ve got something there.”

“…”

Friedrich looked at me, a little stunned. I smiled lightly, as though it were nothing.

“My eyes are good, right?”

He looked at me with a gaze I couldn’t quite decipher.

His eyes were so clear that at times it felt like I could read everything inside him—but sometimes so clear I couldn’t measure their depth at all.

What was he thinking? Was he reassured? Or… disappointed?

I took his hand and helped him up. His gaze remained fixed on me.

“Let’s go back. Big day tomorrow. We should sleep early.”

I wanted to know what he truly felt, but for now, there was no way to find out. Honestly… was there even any need?

Morning of the wedding day arrived.

The preparations weren’t all that different from those for a victory banquet.

Only one thing had changed: the dress and the jewelry.

The wedding gown and veil Friedrich had once crafted for my doll now appeared before me in full scale.

In reality, it was far more intricate than the doll version, and putting it on took quite a while.

“How do I look, Elsa?”

I asked, my face slightly flushed with excitement.

Elsa stared at me for a long moment, then gave a faint smile.

I widened my eyes at her.

“Wait—you smiled?”

“…Is that such a surprising thing?”

“Yeah, it’s the first time I’ve seen you smile.”

Her expression turned slightly embarrassed, and I grinned.

“So you’re admitting it, right?”

My beauty today. I lifted the veil dramatically, full of pride.

Elsa let out a soft laugh and nodded.

“You look beautiful.”

Her words made my smile grow even more triumphant.

“Your Highness, Prince Friedrich has also finished preparing.”

“Ah… right?”

His name froze me for a second.

“Well, should we head to the carriage? I know the main character is supposed to appear fashionably late, but I shouldn’t be late to my own wedding.”

“There’s still plenty of time.”

“O-oh… right?”

Her suspicious stare made me force a laugh.

Before she could question me more, I headed to the carriage Friedrich and I would ride together.

When we reached the colonnade, a man stood with his back to us, framed by a snow-white carriage.

Even from behind, tall and wearing a black formal coat, it could only be Friedrich—even if I were tumbling backward, I’d recognize him.

Damn it. Why does he have to look handsome even from the back?

“Friedrich.”

I schooled my expression and called to him. Friedrich immediately turned around.

With the sun at his back, a halo-like light crowned his head.

His face glowed white as if a reflector board were shining on it. For a moment, I felt dazed—and even my ladies-in-waiting fell silent.

“Your Highness.”

He greeted me with a fresh, radiant smile.

His complete lack of discomfort over last night made me feel oddly conflicted, but I quickly smiled back and spoke casually.

“You look really good today.”

“Do I please you?”

“Of course. I’m worried others might like you too much.”

He gave a faintly puzzled smile, then held out his hand to me.

“In the end, I belong to Your Highness.”

I froze. Then realized it was just an escort gesture and took his hand.

“How do I look? Was your work on the doll worth it?”

Friedrich shook his head. The unexpected answer made me blink.

“I thought I wouldn’t be surprised since I’d already seen it on the doll… but I was wrong.”

He looked at me steadily, without blinking once.

“You are always more breathtaking than anything I imagine.”

It had to be flattery—yet I didn’t dislike hearing it. Dangerous.

So this must be how the foolish tyrants who ruined nations under the spell of legendary beauties felt.