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Chapter 14
“Do you really think so?”
“Do you not?”
“…My feelings are a bit complicated.”
Given the person involved, she couldn’t feel at ease.
Sol looked at her as she complained, then said bluntly,
“Did you love him?”
“What? Of course not!”
Rosetta immediately rejected the absurd claim, then added after a brief pause,
“Sorry. I suppose it doesn’t look good to you that I’m this concerned.”
“It’s fine.”
Smirking, Sol lifted Rosetta’s chin with his fingers.
“Either way, you’ve become my Valerie. In every sense, the one at a loss is them.”
At his unexpected words, Rosetta fell silent.
It almost sounded like marrying her was his great fortune.
“……”
Sol watched her lips move slightly, then released her chin.
Standing up, he said,
“You just need to enjoy yourself. I’ll handle everything.”
“Handle everything…?”
“Look forward to it. I’ll become a peacock more dazzling than anyone else.”
The man who declared he would turn himself into a trophy was full of confidence.
“Did you really send return gifts?”
Rosetta couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
‘Why is he preparing wedding return gifts?’
Return gifts were supposed to be given by the bride and groom to guests as a token of gratitude.
So why was the bride’s sister’s husband doing it?
But Sol looked completely unbothered. He even nodded proudly.
“I told you, didn’t I? I’d become the most dazzling peacock in the world. The return gifts are part of that.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry.”
He smiled as he escorted her.
“I’m sure I prepared something good.”
“Of course. If it’s from you, it must be good. The guests will probably like it too.”
“That’s not it, Rosetta.”
He lightly tapped her nose and chuckled.
“I didn’t do it. You did.”
“…?”
Rosetta blinked up at him in confusion.
Sol slowly stroked the back of her hand.
“Do you think people would see it as something I sent? They’ll assume it was prepared by the bride’s sister—you.”
“!”
Only then did Rosetta understand.
‘He did it to protect my dignity.’
Julieta Pavinu, the bride of today’s wedding, was marrying her half-sister’s former fiancé.
Once guests learned this, they would inevitably gossip.
They would say she must be suffering inside. But if extravagant return gifts were given, no one would dare speak carelessly.
Normally, such gifts symbolized goodwill toward the marriage.
But if they were lavishly prepared not by the families, but by the bride’s sister’s husband—who had once been the bride’s sister’s fiancé—
‘They’ll interpret it as: “Thanks to you, my wife was able to marry me.” Something like that.’
Of course, once the news spread, both nobles and commoners would eagerly dissect the scandalous family tree.
‘The most entertaining things are fires and fights.’
And among fights, romantic entanglements were the most entertaining.
Rosetta sighed and turned away from Sol’s confident smile.
‘Why is he smiling like that?’
Just seeing him smile made something in her chest stir.
When they boarded the ship, a crew member approached.
“Welcome, Your Grace the Protector of the Nation, and Lady Valerie. The Count of Pavinu is waiting for you.”
They were led to the bridal waiting room.
Inside, Count Pavinu greeted them warmly.
“Ah, my dear son-in-law!”
“Thank you for the welcome.”
Even after hearing “son-in-law,” Sol Rike did not address him politely.
His cold tone made the Count’s expression twitch, but he quickly laughed it off and extended his hand.
“I should be the one thanking you! Your presence honors us. Was your journey comfortable? This place is quite crowded, so I worried. I imagine many recognized you along the way.”
“I’m used to it.”
“Ahahaha! Of course you are.”
Then the Count added,
“Ah, yes. Your return gifts have already been distributed. The packaging was so beautiful! We were going to give them after the banquet, but since there’s a cruise party, we thought it better to distribute them early.”
“I’m glad you liked them.”
After shaking hands, Sol simply smiled while the Count continued talking excitedly.
Then the Count turned to Rosetta.
“Oh, Rosetta! My precious daughter!”
He hugged her warmly and whispered into her ear:
“How is it that you don’t even send word to your father?”
Rosetta smiled just as brightly and replied softly:
“And how is it that you don’t explain anything to your daughter either?”
They pulled back, still smiling.
“You didn’t expect Julieta’s marriage to be arranged so quickly, did you? Was there a reason to rush it? And arranging such a luxurious cruise… I wonder how you managed it.”
“Isn’t it better when happy occasions overlap? I simply wanted to bless my only daughter’s happiness.”
So you won’t tell me anything.
“Of course, Father. I came to congratulate her, didn’t I?”
They smiled, but their eyes were cold.
When the Count’s grip tightened, Rosetta subtly broke free while pretending to hold his hand.
“By the way, Father, you kept your promise to me, right?”
“Of course! Do you not trust your father?”
At her question about moving her mother’s coffin, the Count reacted sharply.
Rosetta lowered her gaze.
“Of course I do. I just wanted to check.”
Satisfied, the Count softened.
“After the ceremony, we should have a family meal.”
“You’ll be busy with preparations. There’s no need to trouble yourself.”
“Nonsense! It’s for my daughter!”
“….”
Since when?
Rosetta smiled silently.
From across the deck, guests began to murmur as Rosetta and Sol appeared.
“Oh my god, that’s Sol Rike!”
“They said he’d attend—he actually came!”
“Doesn’t he look completely unfazed?”
“Wait… is that really the Count’s eldest daughter? She’s stunning…”
“The Count really has it made. First the Iglesi, now the Genomegarde line…”
Sol ignored the whispers and walked forward.
No one dared approach him due to his cold expression.
Rosetta was able to sit in the front row without being stopped.
But she could feel the stares on her back.
‘Should I have let my hair down?’
She suddenly regretted tying it up.
If she relaxed even slightly, they would notice everything.
She straightened her posture.
Then, a cold touch brushed her cheek.
“!”
She turned quickly.
Sol was holding a glass of champagne.
“Have a drink.”
“I’m fine.”
“Do you know what your face looks like right now?”
Rosetta reflexively touched her face.
Sol smiled faintly.
“Like an ex-lover who came to ruin a wedding.”
“….”
“You should stick to your own words.”
Rosetta bit the inside of her cheek.
It was a warning.
He was reminding her of what she had said earlier—that she never loved Dierego.
So she shouldn’t act emotionally.
Rosetta took the glass and drank it in one go.
After a sigh, she muttered,
“Fine. I am nervous. But not for the reasons you think.”
“Not for that reason?”
“I didn’t even end up in this marriage willingly. Dierego disappeared from the wedding, and then suddenly reappeared saying he would marry Julieta. I need to understand what’s going on.”
She leaned closer, whispering near his ear.
“I’m not nervous because of him. I just want to know how someone accused of possession managed to return alive.”
At her explanation, Sol’s earlier sharp expression softened.
He leaned his head onto her shoulder.
“Well, it is strange. He was under suspicion, after all.”
Rosetta stiffened at the sudden weight on her shoulder.
Behind them, someone gasped.
Sol continued calmly.
“The Imperial family led the anti-possession measures. Emperor Cesare personally dealt with the previous era when possession incidents were at their peak. They wouldn’t easily let something like this go.”
He tapped her arm lightly.
“In the past, possessors caused chaos using their so-called ‘knowledge’ of this world—claiming it was a book or a game. Propaganda, manipulation, even murder attempts. They even tried to overthrow the Empire by seducing mages from the Mage Tower.”
He spoke casually, but the history was grim.
“In response, Emperor Cesare carried out ruthless purges. He was even called the Emperor of Vengeance.”
Rosetta nodded slowly.
“That’s why I’m concerned.”
Sol smirked and straightened.
“By the way, Rosetta.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you really satisfied with just this much?”
