SMC 02

Chapter 02

(2) A Sudden Marriage

“My mother found this marriage for me, so how bad could it be?”

At that, even her father widened his eyes in surprise.

“So you’ve finally come to your senses!”

Her stepmother’s son and daughter—her step-siblings—also chimed in together.

“You made a really good choice, sister!”

“Yeah! It’s a Count’s family!”

A count or whatever. Sending me to some huge troublemaker and acting proud about it… They’re all the same.

Watching them become lively the moment she agreed to marry, Roan suppressed a laugh inside. Even if she stubbornly held on here, she would only suffer. It would be better to step back for now and slowly come up with another plan.

“I think so too.”

If she refused to marry here, she might end up being sent to a monastery instead. She had heard that noble daughters who lost their minds or became troublesome were often locked away in strict and harsh monasteries for an unknown period of time.

Roan shuddered at the thought. She had to avoid that at all costs. Whether it was a count’s house or even a slave’s house, escaping this place first was the answer.

She had spent her whole life longing for a family, but she also knew that when family became your enemy, there was nothing harder to deal with.

Roan gulped down the sweet grape juice and smacked her lips. Still, since it was a count’s household, at least the food should be better than here.

Once Roan made up her mind, the wedding happened in the blink of an eye.

No—was it really okay for things to move this fast? This was supposed to be a noble marriage, after all. Everything was done so quickly it felt absurd.

At this rate, it seemed like that man was quite a headache even in the Glister Count’s family. To think they wanted to tie together the troublemaker from this house with the troublemaker from that house… they must have been really desperate. Roan let out a small chuckle.

“What’s making you so happy?”

Leira, the daughter brought by her stepmother, chattered beside her.

“Even if that man looks hideous, it’s your wedding day, so at least don’t faint.”

Was that meant to comfort her or mock her?

But words like that only worked if the other person reacted. Roan didn’t care at all.

“That won’t happen.”

For now, her goal today was simple: finish this ridiculous wedding quickly and completely leave the Hartwood family.

Leira seemed to think Roan was bluffing, covering her mouth as she giggled.

“Sorry, sister. That moment suddenly came to mind.”

That moment—she must be talking about when the man showed up drunk and covered in a mess.

Roan hadn’t seen it herself, but she could imagine. She had dealt with plenty of drunken troublemakers during part-time jobs.

She swallowed a dry laugh.

As long as he’s not the kind of man who hits women, that’s enough.

She just wanted to finish this wedding, loosen this tight dress, and enjoy some fragrant, delicious food.

“Congratulations on your marriage, noona.”

Her stepbrother, Laiky, came up to greet her. Roan glanced at him. Judging by his smirk, his intentions didn’t seem much different from Leira’s.

“Take care, Leira. Laiky.”

She spoke in a faint, slightly sorrowful voice—no reason to disappoint them. Then she picked up her bouquet and followed the maids toward the ceremony hall.

The wedding was held in the largest temple in the territory, as befitting the family’s status. A priest stood on the platform, looking down at them.

It’s not that different from modern weddings.

Worried she might make a mistake, Roan lowered her head modestly like a shy bride and stepped forward.

Despite this being a union between the Glister and Hartwood families, the number of attendees was surprisingly small. It felt like they just wanted to quickly get rid of their respective burdens.

Both me and him.

Roan suddenly felt a bit sorry for the man she was about to marry. At least her “family” wasn’t real—but he had likely been treated like this by his real family all along.

Still… he brought it on himself.

She let out a small sigh, staying alert in case the groom showed up drunk again.

Then—

“Gasp…!”

“What is…?”

Suddenly, the hall grew noisy.

Standing at the front with her veil on, Roan felt the strange shift in atmosphere but couldn’t see what was happening.

What’s going on?

Was that troublemaker causing a scene again? She tensed up, but didn’t feel any danger.

Unable to hold back her curiosity, she slightly lifted her veil and looked behind her.

Oh my…

Roan couldn’t help but gasp.

The man entering the hall wore formal attire, his face full of displeasure.

Shining silver hair. Blue-violet eyes. Refined yet strong features and physique.

Roan glanced at Leira, whose mouth hung open in shock. Laiky looked just as stunned.

No way…

Before their eyes could meet, Roan quickly turned back to the front.

Thank goodness.

At least he wasn’t drunk and covered in filth this time. Just how terrible must the first meeting have been for the “real” Roan to try to run away with a bad childhood friend?

And besides—

No matter how rotten he is inside, with a face like that, I can endure anything.

He was unbelievably handsome—even just to look at.

That good-looking troublemaker, her husband Alexis, walked up and stood beside her. His presence alone made it hard for Roan to breathe.

This feeling…

What was this overwhelming aura?

It was something she had never felt before. Even without looking directly at him, the energy radiating from him was so strong it almost made her body ache.

What is this?

Since it was her first time experiencing something like this, she could only tilt her head in confusion.

Maybe it’s because I’m in someone else’s body… in another world.

Roan closed her eyes tightly and clutched her bouquet. For now, she just needed to get through this moment safely.

“Priest.”

A low, deep voice suddenly echoed.

Roan’s eyes widened.

“What should I do…!”

“Even his voice is amazing!”

Alexis spoke.

“Whatever the procedure is, it doesn’t matter to me or this woman, so please finish it as quickly as possible.”

Wow, what decisiveness.

Unbothered, Alexis spoke casually as if throwing the words out.

“If this woman faints again in the middle, it’ll just be annoying.”

Roan let out a hollow laugh.

Looks like the ‘real’ Roan fainting left quite an impression on him.

At this rate, she might faint for a completely different reason.

If I had known he looked like this, I would’ve come to this wedding much happier!

Unaware of her complicated thoughts, the priest looked at her with pity—as if she were a poor sacrifice—and began the ceremony reluctantly.

“This marriage lacks love…,” he seemed to think, though he said nothing aloud.

“Considering the bride’s condition, we will proceed as quickly as possible.”

The priest recited the ceremony at high speed, as if speed-reading scripture.

Roan, suffocated by the tight dress, the veil, and Alexis’s overwhelming presence, couldn’t focus on a single word. She just kept replying “Yes, yes,” like a parrot.

“…Thus, under the blessing of the Almighty God, these two are now united as one—”

The priest’s voice sounded distant.

At the same time, Roan felt something ominous.

No way…

Her vision began to spin.

No!

Leira mocked her. Alexis mocked her. If she fainted again here—

Why is this body so weak?!

She had lived alone in hardship before and never fainted even once, no matter how malnourished she was. But this body—

“Wa…!”

She tried to endure, but it was hopeless.

In desperation, she reached out and grabbed—

“…What are you doing—”

Alexis’s arm.

Wow… his arm is really solid.

With that final thought, Roan lost consciousness.

As she collapsed, her veil slipped away—and the last thing she saw was the flustered face of the silver-haired man looking down at her.