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Chapter 48…….
Maybe it was because she had seen Etisha suffering from Guama disease symptoms twice.
She had seen all those expressions of pain. Since she was a woman who would die even if left alone, he wished she could live the rest of her time as comfortably as possible, without pain or injury.
“…Duke.”
Etisha stared quietly at Kayen’s furrowed brow. Then, as a sudden realization struck her, she lowered her lashes.
“Thank you for worrying about me.”
Looking at Kayen, who was sincerely concerned for her health, she felt foolish for having kept saying she was fine.
“And I’m sorry for constantly saying I was fine. You were saying those things because you were worried about me, but I didn’t take care of myself at all. I guess I’ve gotten into the habit without realizing it.”
I’m fine. I’m not in pain.
Etisha had always repeated those words, comforting herself.
Otherwise, she could never have survived until now. There had been too many things around her that caused her pain, and in order to endure each day on that thorn-covered path, she had no choice but to become numb to the suffering.
“You’re right, Duke. I’ll get treatment first. And then… let’s go to the chapel.”
“…”
“Let’s go to the chapel… and the two of us will get married.”
As soon as Etisha finished speaking, the ring’s light grew even stronger.
The glow that had been like a small lamp now blazed like a torch lighting the way for their future.
Etisha smiled brightly at Kayen.
“As I thought, Duke Kayen, you really are a good person.”
Generous, kind, gentle, considerate, good…
At those words, Kayen let out a silent, wry chuckle.
A good person, huh… How many times had he heard that from Etisha until now?
He had always replied that she was mistaken, but now he could no longer deny it.
To Etisha, he was indeed a good person. Better than anyone else.
“Miss Etisha. There’s just one thing I’d like to make clear.”
“…Yes?”
“I am only a good person to one person — you, Miss Etisha.”
“…”
“I have had many enemies and been in many dangerous situations. Especially on the battlefield, there was no room for considering a man’s character.”
Kayen gazed deeply into Etisha’s eyes. The wry smile he’d been holding in had now turned serious.
“In other words, the cause and effect are reversed. It’s not that I’m a good person, so you think well of me. It’s because you think well of me that I become a good person.”
Kayen opened a drawer on one side of the bedroom. He took out some basic first-aid supplies and began tending to Etisha’s hand.
Judging by how practiced he was, he must have used such supplies often. Etisha wondered why a duke would keep such things in his bedroom, but when she remembered that his specialty was swordsmanship, she stayed quiet.
“Does your arm feel numb, or is the bandage too tight?”
“No… It’s fine.”
Kayen treated Etisha’s hand with the utmost care, as though handling a newly sprouted leaf. Etisha simply looked at him, her ears turning red.
Her heart felt as if it were tumbling down again.
Thump. Thump. Thump…
She felt as though she had fallen off an irreversible cliff.
The chapel of Wintel Castle was dark and quiet.
It was strange for such a grand ceremonial hall to be so silent. Perhaps it was even stranger because, in a short while, this same place would be filled with countless guests for a grand ceremony.
Etisha and Kayen walked together along the long carpet toward the pulpit at the front of the chapel.
In the dim surroundings, only that pulpit glowed faintly, illuminated by moonlight streaming through the round window in the ceiling.
It was like a stage lit up, waiting for the appearance of the main characters.
A stage for the two of them alone.
“…”
“…”
They stepped onto the pulpit together and faced each other.
Though there were many ceremonial steps to a wedding, the most important was the marriage vow.
The vow in which husband and wife pledged themselves to each other.
In the Ignivan Empire, whether the vow was made was equivalent to whether a marriage existed.
If two people made a sincere vow, they were recognized as married even without a ceremony. Conversely, without a vow, any marriage was considered invalid.
“…It feels strange.”
Etisha lowered her head slightly.
Her heart was restless and unsettled. Because once this was done, there would be no going back.
Once they made the vow, they would truly be husband and wife.
Even if it was a contract marriage, even if it was fake — they would still be husband and wife.
Knowing that made Etisha feel strange.
“Miss Etisha. Have you had a change of heart?”
Kayen studied her expression.
“If you dislike this method, we can find another plan, even now…”
“No, it’s not that. I just…”
Etisha bit her lip. She pondered how to explain the feeling, but no words came.
How could she possibly say that if she became his wife, she wouldn’t be able to treat him the same as before?
“It’s nothing. Just a strange thought that popped into my head.”
“…”
“And… you really are fine with this marriage, aren’t you? You need this, right?”
She bit her lip a little harder as the reason she had proposed this marriage came back to her.
Because she was terminally ill.
After she died, Kayen could name his mistress’s child as his heir and live happily with her for the rest of his life…
Then, without hesitation, Kayen answered.
“Yes. I intend to marry you now, Miss Etisha.”
“…Ah.”
Etisha was grateful for his certainty, yet also felt a small pang of dislike.
“Then let us make the vow.”
Facing each other, they held hands.
In the empty chapel, Kayen’s voice alone rang out quietly.
“I, Kayen Wintel, with the blessing of my father and mother, and of their fathers and mothers, take Etisha El as my wife, and vow to uphold the courtesy and trust between husband and wife.”
Etisha followed with her vow.
“I, Etisha El, with the blessing of my father and mother, and of their fathers and mothers, take Kayen Wintel as my husband, and vow to uphold the courtesy and trust between husband and wife.”
And with that, they truly became husband and wife.
They had skipped all the other steps — it was an incredibly brief and simple wedding. Hardly believable for the great Duke and Duchess of Wintel.
There were no guests, no officiant, the chapel was pitch dark, and Etisha was in a thin robe over her chemise, her left hand wrapped in bandages.
Kayen, at least, was still in his uniform from work, rather than in sleepwear, but it was no more fitting for a wedding.
Etisha blinked at him, feeling oddly detached.
Marriage… They had really gotten married just like that.
Now, even if Larienne tried to threaten her using Guama disease, it wouldn’t matter. She was already married.
And her ties with Viscount Heinz’s family were truly severed. She had a new family now.
Her name was now Etisha Wintel.
The Duchess of Wintel…
Etisha Wintel…
“Now, we will seal it with the vow’s kiss.”
…Huh?
Etisha snapped to attention.
“K-Kiss?”
“Yes. It’s customary to kiss after making the vow.”
Well, she knew that. But why skip all the other steps and not skip this one?
She stared blankly up at Kayen. Even in the dark, his handsome face seemed to glow as it slowly drew closer.
It was like that moment earlier, when the curtain fluttered at the window.
Everything was slow, everything eternal, everything beautiful.
Etisha could have avoided his approach, but she didn’t. Instead, she slowly closed her eyes.
How… how did it come to this…?
She couldn’t think of anything. Her head was full of Kayen. Kayen, kiss, Kayen, kiss, Kayen…
But the lips that seemed about to touch hers brought no sensation.
“…?”
She cautiously opened her eyes.
Kayen’s sculpted face had stopped just in front of hers — close enough that the slightest movement would close the distance.
“D-Duke…?”
What… what was this?
She called to him in a bewildered voice. Kayen just stared at her, frozen, his gaze intense enough to melt her.
“On second thought…”
“Yes…”
“Since there’s no one watching, perhaps there’s no need to kiss…”
“O-Oh… I see…?”
“Skipping it might be… no, I… never mind.”
Kayen’s eyes showed confusion. It was hard to believe — the always-cool, always-confident Kayen looking like that.
In fact, he seemed even more unsettled than she was.
“I don’t know why I’m like this.”
“…”
“I’m sorry.”
Why… why was he apologizing all of a sudden?
Etisha parted her lips slightly. Kayen gritted his teeth, his gaze lingering on her mouth, then spoke again.
“I’m sorry, Miss Etisha.”
Wait… sorry for what exactly?
What did he have to apologize for?
Suddenly saying they should kiss, then suddenly apologizing — it was a strange day in many ways. She cautiously looked at him. He was still very close.
“I’m not sure what you’re apologizing for, but I’m fine.”
“…”
“I don’t mind at all.”
At that, Kayen gritted his teeth again.
“…I see. So you don’t mind, Miss Etisha.”
“Yes…?”
“No. If you’re fine, then that’s what matters.”
“…?”
“We should return to the bedroom.”
Kayen stepped back from her. Watching him pull away left her with an unexpected feeling of regret. Regret… Wait. Regret? Etisha’s eyes trembled slightly.
This wasn’t even a real wedding, and there was no need to kiss — so why would she feel regret?
Her face flushed.
“Y-Yes, you’re right. Let’s go back.”
“Yes. It’s quite late. You should get some rest.”
“You too, Duke. You must be tired…”
And so, without a vow’s kiss, they returned together to the third-floor master bedroom.
But the real problem began now.
One bed, two people.
