MHOW 06

Chapter 06

The day of the wedding had arrived.
As Ares had been advised by Herina, he dismissed all the maids, saying that now, as a married man, he could not be attended to by other women, and changed into his ceremonial attire alone.
It was something he had never done in his life, but he wasn’t foolish, so surprisingly, he managed everything without difficulty.

“This is simpler than I thought. In fact, doing it myself saves time. Even if things return to the way they were, I’ll have to dismiss the attendants anyway.”

For the first time, he realized how much time he had wasted being attended to.
He tidied his hair and placed the veil Herina had prepared over his head.
Under the semi-transparent white lace, Ares’s face could be faintly seen.

“Is this really okay?”

Looking at his ridiculous reflection in the mirror, Ares let out a deep sigh before leaving the room.
If he showed Herina his appearance right now, she would likely insist on finding another way.

Meanwhile, at that time, Herina was busy being surrounded by five maids, getting dressed.
She wore a pure white dress adorned with tightly packed sparkling diamonds, and only after putting on accessories that were even more expensive than the jewels in the empire was she fully prepared.

“Don’t I look more beautiful than you imagined?”
Spinning in front of the mirror, Herina asked Benny, who was standing beside her. Benny gave a thin smile and nodded.

“You’ve always been beautiful, Miss. But today, you really sparkle. It’s as if all the light in the empire has gathered on you.”

Herina nodded in agreement. Her pale, almost white-blond hair and sparkling blue eyes shone without being overshadowed by the extravagant adornments.
Even with such flashy makeup and accessories, her features were not diminished; rather, they looked exquisite, as if she herself were a jewel.

Finally, Herina opened the square leather case on her dressing table.
Inside was a ducal crown from Havinnent, crafted with blue gems that matched her eyes exactly.
As it had been made for dukes for generations, it was not delicate or flashy but carried a noble elegance.

“What should I do…”
“Miss… are you really going to wear this crown? I’m worried about what the nobility might say.”

Benny held Herina’s hand tightly, worried that her mistress might face humiliation for this eccentricity. But Herina’s concern was of a different kind.

Just like this ducal crown, I want the power of a duke for real.
Not just as someone’s lover or a side character in a story, but to be the real protagonist of this empire, of this world.

“Miss, should I bring a new veil? Fortunately, we have a few spares.”
Since rumors had spread that the daughter of a treacherous family had tricked the Duke of Havinnent, Herina was disliked, and Benny hurriedly searched through the piles of clothing.

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

Herina lifted the ducal crown lightly.
Though heavy from the jewels, it felt light in her hands now that she had it.

“Should I tilt it forward, or wear it slightly back? I suppose placing it here would make it most visible.”

Benny let out a deep sigh, watching as Herina worried about the placement of the crown as if her own concerns didn’t matter.
Herina then gently stroked Benny’s head and asked quietly:

“Don’t worry. Where do you think I came from?”
“Busy, busy modern society… the fiercely competitive Republic of Korea…”
Benny mumbled despondently, almost as if brainwashed, making Herina struggle to hold back laughter.

“Yes. I was even a civil servant there. Someone working for the state. Nothing could rattle me easily. And in reality, nothing will happen. Our ridiculous act will soon transform into a romantic pledge.”

Her sudden husband, who had lost all his abilities and regressed in age, might actually be an opportunity.
A special privilege meant for the possessed, allowing her to truly take over the household and display her abilities. Even if this world’s events weren’t intended that way, it didn’t matter.

“They didn’t ask my permission to bring me here or make all this happen. So I don’t need to follow the flow anymore.”

Herina murmured to herself. For a moment, Ares’s 24-year-old face flashed through her mind.
But she felt no great guilt. Ares was merely a tool for her survival, like a quest in a game.

“I’m sorry, but what can I do?”
“Sorry, Ares. Your misfortune has become my opportunity. Though you lost your household in an instant, the strong ducal house you built will serve as the foundation for my story. After all, it seems the protagonist suits that side better.”

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and a servant announced that His Grace, the Duke, had arrived.

“Come in.”

As the heavy door of the dressing room opened, Benny gasped.
Standing before them was the Duke, in a form far more shocking than Herina wearing the ducal crown.

“Oh, you’re wearing it? I was going to help since it’s your first time.”
Though hidden by a veil, the tips of his ears were flushed red, piercing through the white lace and asserting their presence.

“My lady, no… Herina. I couldn’t wait for you.”

The maids had heard of the Duke, but seeing him in person was almost unbelievable, and they couldn’t tear their eyes away.
Sensing their gaze, Herina smiled and spoke:

“Doesn’t it suit you better than you thought? Our Duke has always been handsome.”

Handsome, handsome…
Benny and the other maids covered their mouths, still in shock. Yet strangely, they couldn’t deny it. The Duke was indeed beautiful.
Today, the Duke’s sharp jawline and lean figure gave him a vulnerable yet striking presence, well complemented by the veil.

“Now, leave. We’ll go out in time.”

Seeing Ares’s face, wanting to protest, Herina laughed and sent the maids out. As soon as the door closed, Ares called to Herina in a low voice.

“Lady Obelia.”
“Yes? What is it?”

Ares could hardly hide his feelings of having been tricked.
He roughly tried to remove the veil, but Herina’s hand blocked him faster.

“Why remove it when it’s placed so nicely?”
“I… just realized I’ve been played. So all the talk about eccentric trends was just to tease me. And I didn’t notice…”

Herina laughed, seeing Ares’s face flushed with shame, truly looking like a seventeen-year-old boy.

“Don’t worry. It’s not a joke. Calm down and come here.”

She took his wrist and placed him in front of the mirror.

“How is it? You’re really handsome. At 24, Ares might’ve looked a little ridiculous, but now… you’re beautiful. Is it wrong to say that someone is beautiful?”

Hearing her, Ares finally looked at the mirror he had avoided.
His bride in a pure white dress, himself with a white veil.
But strangely, unlike earlier in his room, it no longer looked ridiculous.
Instead, standing next to the woman, he felt a strange sense of truly being a married couple.

Seeing the expression clearly appear on Ares’s face, Herina smiled softly.

“Now, place the ducal crown on me.”

She handed the crown to Ares, and after a brief look, he nodded and placed it on her head.

“We are becoming husband and wife.”
And, just as this ducal crown symbolizes, on my land where I am the master, you will become the bride.

My puppet baby husband.