IELNDMH - Chapter 152 < That We Will Go Into The Sunset Side By Side > END

A few weeks later, Cedric and I visited the Vatican again.

It was exactly one year since our divorce was announced and the day of our wedding.

The grand banquet hall in the annex next to the Vatican building was used as a wedding hall for nobles, where they made their marriage vows with the Pope's blessing.

That opportunity was finally given to us, who received permission from the Pope.

News of our remarriage soon spread throughout the empire, and thanks to this, Cedric and I received public attention.

Today, the day of the wedding, this could be seen just by looking at the onlookers and newspaper reporters camped out in front of the Vatican from early morning.

Meanwhile, the room is decorated as a bride's waiting room next to the banquet hall.

When I had finished preparing everything, I stood in front of the mirror.

With my hair up and decorated with white flowers, and wearing a light pink wedding dress, I looked more vibrant and beautiful than ever.

'I'm finally marrying Cedric...'

It was around this time that I realized it all over again and was combing my hair.

Knock, knock.

I turned my head when I suddenly heard a soft knock.

Then a familiar face greeted me.

“...Adrian?”

“Your Highness.”

Adrian came closer with a gentle smile on his face.

It had been a long time since we had met since the real Rebecca's soul disappeared along with Lobelia's body.

I heard that after that day, Adrian returned from a short trip to neighboring countries.

The stated reason was the expansion of the family's business, but I realized that it was actually Adrian's effort to forget his troubled mind.

For a long time, I had been gradually noticing that Adrian's feelings for me were not actually affection, but deep pity stemming from guilt toward Rebecca.

'Besides, he must have felt uneasy because he watched with his own eyes the ending of his true master, whom he was truly worried about. Moreover, he must have felt a lot of guilt that it happened because of him...'

I looked up at that pitiful man.

Adrian, standing in front of me, looked a little gaunt, but still beautiful.

For a moment, he made eye contact with me and smiled softly.

Adrian slowly opened his mouth.

“You look really beautiful today, as always.”

“Thank you, ah... I guess when I become a Grand Duchess again, I will call you Count Monter from then on, right? You also have to show courtesy.”

Adrian smiled and nodded his head at my words.

“It’s a little disappointing, but if it’s convenient for you, please do so.”

"Thank you. I was always grateful.”

He slowly shook his head.

"No. Before and now... I always feel sorry for Rebecca.”

“...”

“I attended to sincerely bless the future of the two of you. From now on, there will be no one, including myself, to stand in the way between His Highness and Your Highness.”

Adrian's face looked much more relaxed than before as he said that.

But even for a moment, a faint look of bitterness spread across his face as he slightly lowered his gaze.

“Now ‘her’...Because she is no longer in this world.”

After Adrian said those words, he was lost in thought for a moment.

Then, as if he finally came to his senses, he blinked his eyes and smiled softly.

“So, please always be happy even to others, Your Highness.”

***

Cedric and I, holding hands, finally stood in front of the open door of the grand banquet hall.

Inside the ceremony hall, people from both the human world and the demon world were waiting to congratulate us on our marriage.

Among them, a familiar face was seen first.

Bianca was shaking her legs excitedly, and the nanny sitting next to her was smiling at Bianca while holding Lucas in her arms.

Mina, wearing a pretty dress, smiled and whispered to her lover Anton.

Vincent stood farthest away from the humans and could not hide his dissatisfied expression.

As I smiled softly at them, Cedric, who had been watching me the whole time, asked softly.

“Aren’t you nervous?”

Cedric, dressed in a black wedding tuxedo with his hair stylishly tied up, looked breathtakingly handsome.

I can’t believe that such a wonderful man really becomes my husband today.

With my heart trembling once again, I held his hand tightly.

And then he took a long breath.

"Little bit. I'm nervous because it’s the day I've been waiting for all this time.”

When I said this and smiled slightly, Cedric lightly kissed my cheek as if he thought I was cute.

"I'm with you."

The blue eyes that met each other shined clearly.

“Now and always, I will be by your side.”

The voice that said that was more serious than ever.

As I was looking at the beautiful man, I heard a trumpet sound announcing the Pope's appearance.

It was the sound announcing the start of the wedding.

Eventually, Cedric and I slowly entered the ceremony hall with the help of the young priests.

Everyone's eyes turned to us at once.

At the same time, I began to remember the many things we had overcome before reaching this point.

The surprising first meeting, was the times when we doubted each other but were shaken by each other. Nevertheless, we finally willingly became each other's family.

When I thought of those moments, my heart pounded and my eyes became moist.

Cedric seemed to notice me and held my hand a little harder.

When I looked up slightly, I saw his beautiful face gently looking at me.

I responded to Cedric with a smile and finally looked down at our joined hands.

Big, strong hands.

I held on tightly to the hand that I would rely on and be with for the rest of my life.

And then we started walking slowly towards the ceremony hall.

Every time I stepped foot, my eyes were filled with the faces of grateful people.

That was when I reached the podium in the banquet hall.

As always, the Pope welcomed us with a friendly smile.

“It is always beautiful to see lovers who truly love each other.”

The Pope said, giving both me and Cedric a warm look.

“Thank you, Holy Father.”

As Cedric softly greeted him, a soft smile spread across the Pope's wrinkled lips.

Soon, under the leadership of the priests, the guests stood up.

The hall became quiet and soon the Pope's sacred speech began.

“We stand here today to bless this beautiful couple. They took a difficult path to reach each other and finally reached each other.”

“...”

“But it must also be a path that God himself prepared for their meeting. I am truly proud of these people who have finally experienced happiness after holding hands and passing through the arduous test created by God.”

A series of warm words congratulating our marriage.

The Pope spoke as if he knew all the times we had endured.

The day I suddenly came to an unfamiliar world and my first meeting with the cold Cedric.

The days when we finally confirmed our feelings for each other, even the times when we couldn't reach each other.

While the Pope's congratulatory speech continued, all those moments passed by like a flash of light.

When I finally couldn't hold it back and started crying, Cedric looked at me sadly and wiped away my tears.

Meanwhile, the Pope's long congratulatory speech was already coming to an end.

And finally, the final words were spoken, officially acknowledging our marriage.

“Cedric Twins and Rebecca Twins. In my capacity as Pope, I hereby declare that you have become husband and wife with the blessing of God.”

At the same time as the declaration, thunderous applause poured out in the ceremony hall.

Cedric and I couldn't hide our smiles of joy.

Eventually, we turned around and walked back toward the exit, and words of blessing and flower petals poured in from here and there.

"Congratulation! Your Highness the Grand Duke, Your Highness!”

“You two are so beautiful!”

“You can’t break up with us now!”

By far, the ones who were most excited and congratulated were the mixed-race demons.

Gray Zone's chief, Devon, tried his best to stop them, but he soon seemed to have decided that stopping these happy people was not enough, so he stopped.

Then, he couldn't hide his joy and kept clapping.

It was the same for Bianca and Mina.

The girls continued to blow flower petals with joy, with faces that were happier than anyone else's.

“Your Highness, you must now return to the Mansion of Light!”

“Take me too, Your Highness!”

As I was laughing at the girls bursting into laughter, another face came into view.

They were Emperor Letitz and High Priest Diat.

Emperor Letitz was looking at us happily and smiling.

Then, he poked High Priest Diat's arm with his finger.

High Priest Diat still had a blunt expression with his lower lip sticking out, but in the end, he gently raised the corner of his mouth as if he had no choice.

We exchanged greetings with familiar faces and finally reached the exit.

We stopped in front of the door and looked into each other's eyes.

Cedric was looking down at me, and soon a captivating voice flowed from his lips.

"I love you."

Cedric's lips touched my cheek.

He whispered softly again close to my ear.

“No matter where your soul is, you are the only one I will always want and love.”

His whispers were infinitely sweeter.

I looked up at him, unable to hide my happiness.

“Me too. If it was my destiny to meet you that made me come back this long and difficult path to this unfamiliar place, I don’t feel it difficult at all.”

“Rebecca...”

Cedric's eyes twinkled wide.

I looked at him with a smile and spoke softly.

“And even if my life had to repeat itself, I would gladly go down that path again as long as I could meet you.”

Cedric immediately embraced me with his wide arms, and our lips found each other.

Countless flower petals flew around us as if they were butterflies, and the cheers of the people blessing us became even stronger.

We separated our lips, touched the tips of our noses, and smiled happily.

And at that moment, we realized it together.

No matter when or how we meet, we will always be in the same place, looking at the same place, and setting off side by side.

— Completed

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