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Episode 2
Gulp.
With her head tilted back, Sharie swallowed the liquid without thinking.
“Hah… hah…”
After it slid down her throat, the faint sweet scent of wine drifted up through her nose.
As she struggled to catch her breath, a finger gently brushed across her wet lips, almost like praise.
“Keep going.”
Despite having completely stolen everyone’s breath moments ago, Kaisa alone remained calm as he urged her on in a low voice.
The officiant, who had been standing there in shock, sensed the tension and quickly cleared his throat.
“Ahem. With this, I declare the marriage successfully completed.”
From behind them, the orchestra burst into loud horn music.
At the same time, hundreds of attendants scattered flower petals from their baskets.
Barhard was a land known for its brutal cold.
In Snake Tribe territory, where more than half the land was covered in snow, flower petals flying through the air was a rare sight.
It was beautiful enough to captivate anyone watching, but Sharie’s heart felt heavy.
What will happen to me now?
Marriage was not the end. It was only the beginning of her worries.
No one here truly believed this union alone would bring peace between the two tribes.
“Finally, I can rest.”
Why did this man sound so pleased?
Her mind completely blank, Sharie stared up at the tall man looking down at her.
She did not even remember how she walked afterward.
Guided along as if pushed by the flow around her, she suddenly realized they were in a bedroom.
“I am not sure if it suits your taste, but I tried to have the bedroom decorated as best as possible. I hope you like it.”
As he said, the bedroom was overwhelmingly luxurious.
It was so large and high-ceilinged that it looked more like a banquet hall than a bedroom.
The carved side tables and sofas were clearly made from high-quality wood, and the golden decorations gleamed brightly.
And the canopy bed taking up one side of the room was enormous.
Several grown men could probably roll around on it with ease.
Among the Rabbit Tribe, resources were distributed evenly due to their large population.
Sharie, who had lived modestly as an unwanted outcast, had never seen such luxury before.
But no matter how beautiful a place was, if your heart was filled with fear, it felt like hell.
That was when Kaisa reached out his hand toward her.
“Come here.”
A large hand with thick fingers and prominent knuckles.
Sharie stared at the palm roughened with calluses from holding weapons for years.
Kaisa was a man without a single weak-looking feature.
Which also meant he was threatening even without doing anything.
And they had not built even the slightest trust yet.
There was no way she could step toward him easily.
How can someone look so…
Like even a needle would not draw blood from him.
As she stared at his rock-solid body, trying to escape reality, he grew impatient and stepped closer himself.
The problem was that he was too big.
“Eek!”
Half-dazed, Sharie flinched at the massive shadow swallowing her whole.
At her intense reaction, he stopped abruptly.
This is bad.
She realized she had openly shown her fear, but she could not help it.
His calm breathing pouring down over her head felt terrifying.
What do I do?
If she upset him, the fragile peace treaty could collapse and war might break out again.
Fear clouded her vision.
“I am sorry…!”
Just as she was about to drop flat to the ground like a small animal showing submission—
“Bride.”
Kaisa spoke first.
“Are you afraid of me?”
The question itself was polite, but the low tone sent chills down her spine.
“I understand. You went through the wedding without even properly seeing my face.”
Sharie trembled with her head lowered, like a rabbit burying itself in its burrow.
Watching her silently, Kaisa’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.
“But we swore eternity in the name of the Creator Goddess Gaia. I am now your husband. If we are to spend our lives together, we need to get to know each other.”
A gentle hand slowly lifted her veil.
“So do not be afraid.”
The white veil that had blurred her vision was removed, and the world came into focus.
“Look at me.”
Her gaze was briefly caught by his deep black hair, then moved to his face.
Without realizing it, Sharie gasped as if she had witnessed a breathtaking view for the first time.
The book had mentioned that he was handsome.
Seeing him in person was on another level.
Sharp eyes as if carved by a master craftsman, a sensual jawline, a high nose and pronounced brow casting deep shadows across his face.
Looking at the darkness around his eyes almost felt sacred.
His delicate features did not match his massive warrior’s body.
Noticing her stare, he looked back at her.
“Do you like my face?”
“Huh? Yes.”
Kaisa’s eyes widened slightly, as if he had not expected an answer.
A low laugh snapped Sharie back to her senses.
“I am glad to hear that.”
Only then did her cheeks burn as she realized what she had said.
She had answered without thinking and could not take it back.
What did I just say?
She had been terrified moments ago, and now she said she liked his face.
But honestly, his beauty was impossible to ignore.
Fortunately, instead of being offended, Kaisa seemed quite pleased.
“It was worth dressing up, then.”
Seeing his good mood, it seemed unlikely she would be punished for speaking carelessly.
But it was far too early to relax.
Because Kaisa suddenly took off his upper garments.
“Ah… ah! I am so sorry!”
Sharie shrieked and covered her eyes.
There was no reason for her to apologize, but she was so startled that it came out automatically.
“You can look if you want.”
Kaisa sounded calm, but even if he allowed it, Sharie was not bold enough to openly stare.
What is even happening right now?
Her hands trembled so much that her fingers kept spreading apart.
Through the gaps, her eyes were drawn to his body.
Broad shoulders, long arms, a chest packed with solid muscle that looked impenetrable.
His body looked even stronger without clothes.
His perfect proportions were almost like a piece of art.
Before she knew it, her fingers had spread wide open.
After staring far too long, Sharie finally snapped back to reality.
What am I doing again?
What if he gets angry and gouges my eyes out for staring?
As expected, Kaisa had already noticed.
“Have you seen enough?”
Pale with shock, Sharie squeezed her fingers tightly over her eyes.
“I am really sorry. I swear it was not intentional. I will never look again, so please change as much as you like!”
“I am already dressed.”
Kaisa, now fully changed with smooth movements, handed her a robe.
“I will turn around. You should change as well.”
Even with the fireplace lit and thick tapestries on the walls, Sharie had come from the warm southern continent.
The soft white fur robe looked undeniably warm.
And changing out of the heavy wedding dress would be far more comfortable.
Still, given the situation, it was not a comforting suggestion.
“W-why are we changing clothes all of a sudden…”
“Because it is time to go to bed.”
Cold sweat ran down Sharie’s spine.
No matter how political this marriage was, they were newlyweds.
The servants had all left, and the bedroom was completely private.
Is this the moment?
It was obvious what Kaisa would want from her.
“How long are you going to keep standing there?”
His voice sounded playful, but Sharie was too tense to notice.
With someone she had met for the first time today… could she really do this?
For someone as shy as her, it was overwhelming.
As she hesitated, her gaze drifted back to him.
The glimpse of his chest between his collar, firm and well-built, was strangely captivating.
Her heart calmed down almost instantly.
Taking a deep breath, Sharie began to remove her wedding dress.
Layer after layer of fabric slid down over her skin.
