Abby's wedding took place in the garden of her new home. The mansion that Cecilia had bought for Abby was large and spacious enough to have a garden attached to it.
“Abby.”
"Your Highness!"
In addition, Abby was dressed almost like a noblewoman. It was unusual considering that commoners usually wore the best clothes they had to hold ceremonies. Of course, that was also Cecilia's power.
“Thank you for coming. I don’t know how to express my gratitude to His Highness the Grand Duke.”
Of course, Diego, who could have dressed up Abby with his own money, was still acting all grumpy. But when Abby and Madame Monte glared at him, he had no choice but to keep quiet.
“You're pretty.”
“Thanks to Your Highness. Really, I don’t know what to say...”
Abby answered, sobbing. Cecilia let go of Eden’s hand that she was holding and hugged Abby tightly.
“I just want you to be happy.”
Abby smiled brightly and answered that she would do so.
“Now we need to prepare the meal.”
The priest approached and spoke. Cecilia sent Abby away with a smiling face.
“The meal is about to begin, so all guests please be seated.”
Soon after, the wedding began in a small garden. A high-ranking priest personally officiated the marriage between Abby and Diego.
“Write the names of two people here.”
Abby and Diego swore eternal love and signed their names on the pledge book. Cecilia watched them proudly.
“Do you want to get married again?”
Eden spoke, gently running his thumb over the back of Cecilia's hand.
"No."
Cecilia flatly denied it. She had no desire to relive the moment of confusion and despair she had felt when she realized she was going to marry him again.
“If it were a wedding with another man, then maybe.”
When Cecilia threw out a joke that sounded serious, Eden quietly smiled with the corners of his lips curled up. However, his eyes didn't waver at all as if he didn't really think it was funny.
“The two have pledged their eternal love in the name of God. The guests here will be witnesses to their sacred engagement.”
The high-ranking priest spoke as he held up the pledges the two had signed. It seemed as if the sky had suddenly become overcast, and they were trying to wrap up the wedding as quickly as possible.
“This concludes the wedding ceremony.”
The moment the high-ranking priest announced the end of the wedding, there was a thunderous roar, the sky flashed, and rain poured down.
“Cecilia.”
Eden hurriedly reached out his hand. Cecilia grabbed his hand and stood up. Eden moved under the eaves with not too fast a pace, in case Cecilia tripped over the hem of her skirt.
“I was sure the weather would be nice today.”
But even in that short time, her body became soaking wet. Cecilia looked at the wet spots on her ivory dress and burst into laughter.
“Oh, what is this?”
Diego and Abby, the main characters of today, were taking shelter from the rain under the eaves and laughing, so it didn't seem that strange.
“Your Highness, are you okay?”
Cecilia asked Eden with a faint smile.
"...Yes."
Eden answered in a low voice. Only then did Cecilia realize a few things.
Their bodies were pressed against each other because of the short length of the skirt. The two palms touched Eden’s chest. The sound of a heartbeat that was not buried in the sound of the pouring rain, whose name she couldn’t tell. The straight gaze poured down on her as if they were the only two people left in the world.
“Cecilia.”
Strangely enough, it was difficult to avoid that gaze, even though she knew it was burning brightly with desire for her.
“...Eden.”
It was the moment when Cecilia whispered his name. Eden lowered his head as if he could not resist the impulse. Cecilia unconsciously applied strength to the tips of her fingers that were placed on Eden’s shirt chest. It was the moment when the shirt crumpled with a faint rustling sound.
“Your Highness!”
Her eyes widened at the sound of Eden being called. Enon was looking for Eden in an urgent voice.
“Now we need to prepare the meal.”
The priest approached and spoke. Cecilia sent Abby away with a smiling face.
“The meal is about to begin, so all guests please be seated.”
Soon after, the wedding began in a small garden. A high-ranking priest personally officiated the marriage between Abby and Diego.
“Write the names of two people here.”
Abby and Diego swore eternal love and signed their names on the pledge book. Cecilia watched them proudly.
“Do you want to get married again?”
Eden spoke, gently running his thumb over the back of Cecilia's hand.
"No."
Cecilia flatly denied it. She had no desire to relive the moment of confusion and despair she had felt when she realized she was going to marry him again.
“If it were a wedding with another man, then maybe.”
When Cecilia threw out a joke that sounded serious, Eden quietly smiled with the corners of his lips curled up. However, his eyes didn't waver at all as if he didn't really think it was funny.
“The two have pledged their eternal love in the name of God. The guests here will be witnesses to their sacred engagement.”
The high-ranking priest spoke as he held up the pledges the two had signed. It seemed as if the sky had suddenly become overcast, and they were trying to wrap up the wedding as quickly as possible.
“This concludes the wedding ceremony.”
The moment the high-ranking priest announced the end of the wedding, there was a thunderous roar, the sky flashed, and rain poured down.
“Cecilia.”
Eden hurriedly reached out his hand. Cecilia grabbed his hand and stood up. Eden moved under the eaves with not too fast a pace, in case Cecilia tripped over the hem of her skirt.
“I was sure the weather would be nice today.”
But even in that short time, her body became soaking wet. Cecilia looked at the wet spots on her ivory dress and burst into laughter.
“Oh, what is this?”
Diego and Abby, the main characters of today, were taking shelter from the rain under the eaves and laughing, so it didn't seem that strange.
“Your Highness, are you okay?”
Cecilia asked Eden with a faint smile.
"...Yes."
Eden answered in a low voice. Only then did Cecilia realize a few things.
Their bodies were pressed against each other because of the short length of the skirt. The two palms touched Eden’s chest. The sound of a heartbeat that was not buried in the sound of the pouring rain, whose name she couldn’t tell. The straight gaze poured down on her as if they were the only two people left in the world.
“Cecilia.”
Strangely enough, it was difficult to avoid that gaze, even though she knew it was burning brightly with desire for her.
“...Eden.”
It was the moment when Cecilia whispered his name. Eden lowered his head as if he could not resist the impulse. Cecilia unconsciously applied strength to the tips of her fingers that were placed on Eden’s shirt chest. It was the moment when the shirt crumpled with a faint rustling sound.
“Your Highness!”
Her eyes widened at the sound of Eden being called. Enon was looking for Eden in an urgent voice.
***
The wheels of the carriage Cecilia and Eden were riding began to roll. Cecilia opened the curtains covering the carriage windows and looked outside. Quite a few people were walking around on the street.
“Why is His Majesty suddenly looking for us?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
Eden answered with a troubled face. Usually, the Emperor only had business with Eden. That was a different matter from the Emperor accepting Cecilia as his family and finding her cute.
Moreover, if they come to the place she went out to...
“It’s an extra edition!”
Just as she was guessing why the Emperor had summoned her, a voice shouting that there was an extra edition was heard. Cecilia instinctively guessed that it had something to do with the Emperor's summons.
Naturally, her gaze turned to the window. Beyond it, she saw a boy wearing a round hat. The papers scattered by the boy as he ran quickly fluttered down and landed among the people.
“Is there anything worth publishing in an extra edition?”
Eden shook his head at Cecilia's question. It meant that he didn't know. However, Eden must have been curious about what was going on, so he knocked on the door of the carriage and stopped it.
“Just wait a moment.”
And leaving the coachman where he was, he got out of the carriage. Cecilia watched Eden pick up the paper that had fallen on the floor through the open door.
“It was something related to Count Casper.”
After glancing over the contents, Eden returned to the carriage with a complicated expression on his face. As the carriage started to move again, Cecilia accepted the paper Eden had handed her.
[The Fall of the Historic Count Casper House!]
It was an article about Count Casper who had taken out a bank loan to invest in a business to pay off his gambling debts but was scammed and went bankrupt. It didn't seem like anything special.
“Why is His Majesty suddenly looking for us?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
Eden answered with a troubled face. Usually, the Emperor only had business with Eden. That was a different matter from the Emperor accepting Cecilia as his family and finding her cute.
Moreover, if they come to the place she went out to...
“It’s an extra edition!”
Just as she was guessing why the Emperor had summoned her, a voice shouting that there was an extra edition was heard. Cecilia instinctively guessed that it had something to do with the Emperor's summons.
Naturally, her gaze turned to the window. Beyond it, she saw a boy wearing a round hat. The papers scattered by the boy as he ran quickly fluttered down and landed among the people.
“Is there anything worth publishing in an extra edition?”
Eden shook his head at Cecilia's question. It meant that he didn't know. However, Eden must have been curious about what was going on, so he knocked on the door of the carriage and stopped it.
“Just wait a moment.”
And leaving the coachman where he was, he got out of the carriage. Cecilia watched Eden pick up the paper that had fallen on the floor through the open door.
“It was something related to Count Casper.”
After glancing over the contents, Eden returned to the carriage with a complicated expression on his face. As the carriage started to move again, Cecilia accepted the paper Eden had handed her.
[The Fall of the Historic Count Casper House!]
It was an article about Count Casper who had taken out a bank loan to invest in a business to pay off his gambling debts but was scammed and went bankrupt. It didn't seem like anything special.
***
“I heard you called.”
Eden and Cecilia bowed their heads before the Emperor. The Emperor's face, which was usually smiling, was expressionless, as he had only been blessed recently. He seemed somewhat annoyed.
"Yes."
The Emperor answered briefly. Aster, who was standing next to him, also had an embarrassed expression.
“There’s been some trouble at the border. Eden, I think you should go.”
“What’s the problem...”
Eden asked in a puzzled voice. The Emperor's gaze, which had been blankly watching his son, slid over to Cecilia.
“Driton’s Mines.”
It was a topic that she could not say she did not know. However, Cecilia blinked with an innocent expression. The Emperor watched Cecilia’s face for a short time as if observing her, then turned his eyes away again.
“It seems that a conman has taken up with Count Casper. He invested all his fortune in the redevelopment of an abandoned mine and lost it.”
It was unfortunate, but it wasn't something that required Eden and Cecilia to come all the way to the palace.
“Count Casper, who found out about it too late, went there and found the mine owner running away, so he pointed a gun at him.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue briefly. No matter how much he thought about it, he felt displeased, and his hands caressing the handles of the golden chair were dry.
“As you know, Driton’s mines border Benia.”
Eden nodded. He knew it too.
“The mine owner was near the border. And Count Casper had his gun pointed at the land.”
“What happened to Count Casper?”
Eden asked. Since the Emperor had summoned them, it was unlikely that the foolish Count Casper would be alive. Even if he was very lucky and alive, he would be on the verge of death.
“He was shot and killed by a soldier from Benia.”
Her slow heartbeat quickened a little. Cecilia tried to calm herself by holding her hands together.
"...Yes."
This was a matter that went beyond discussing Count Casper's recklessness and stupidity. A nobleman of a country was shot by a foreign military and died in his own country. If Benia did not apologize, this was a serious matter that could escalate into a problem between nations.
“I heard in Venice that they will not apologize for killing him.”
In Benia, they made it clear that they would not apologize for Count Casper's unexpected death, citing the fact that the incident was caused by his own misunderstanding.
“I understand why they’re doing that, but...”
The Emperor sighed softly and muttered.
Even without that, his relationship with Benia had deteriorated rapidly since the discovery of gold mines on Laner Island. No one had pushed him to make the agreement, but he was just frustrated.
If the situation had been the other way around, he would have been angry, but he had nothing else to say, and things had become complicated, and he was annoyed. As the Emperor, he had the responsibility to resolve the incident of 'a nobleman of Wyatt being killed by a foreign soldier on Wyatt's land'. This was a matter of sovereignty.
“Owen Casper begged me to preserve his father’s last honor.”
“...”
“But I heard Cecilia’s name in it, so I called her along to ask her a question.”
One day, Cecilia heard her heart sink as if it was the day she heard Count Nova falsely accusing her of her father's infidelity.
There must be no misunderstanding or suspicion...
A deep-rooted aversion to being suspected raised its head. Cecilia quietly raised her trembling head. The Emperor's cold eyes were staring straight at her.
Eden and Cecilia bowed their heads before the Emperor. The Emperor's face, which was usually smiling, was expressionless, as he had only been blessed recently. He seemed somewhat annoyed.
"Yes."
The Emperor answered briefly. Aster, who was standing next to him, also had an embarrassed expression.
“There’s been some trouble at the border. Eden, I think you should go.”
“What’s the problem...”
Eden asked in a puzzled voice. The Emperor's gaze, which had been blankly watching his son, slid over to Cecilia.
“Driton’s Mines.”
It was a topic that she could not say she did not know. However, Cecilia blinked with an innocent expression. The Emperor watched Cecilia’s face for a short time as if observing her, then turned his eyes away again.
“It seems that a conman has taken up with Count Casper. He invested all his fortune in the redevelopment of an abandoned mine and lost it.”
It was unfortunate, but it wasn't something that required Eden and Cecilia to come all the way to the palace.
“Count Casper, who found out about it too late, went there and found the mine owner running away, so he pointed a gun at him.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue briefly. No matter how much he thought about it, he felt displeased, and his hands caressing the handles of the golden chair were dry.
“As you know, Driton’s mines border Benia.”
Eden nodded. He knew it too.
“The mine owner was near the border. And Count Casper had his gun pointed at the land.”
“What happened to Count Casper?”
Eden asked. Since the Emperor had summoned them, it was unlikely that the foolish Count Casper would be alive. Even if he was very lucky and alive, he would be on the verge of death.
“He was shot and killed by a soldier from Benia.”
Her slow heartbeat quickened a little. Cecilia tried to calm herself by holding her hands together.
"...Yes."
This was a matter that went beyond discussing Count Casper's recklessness and stupidity. A nobleman of a country was shot by a foreign military and died in his own country. If Benia did not apologize, this was a serious matter that could escalate into a problem between nations.
“I heard in Venice that they will not apologize for killing him.”
In Benia, they made it clear that they would not apologize for Count Casper's unexpected death, citing the fact that the incident was caused by his own misunderstanding.
“I understand why they’re doing that, but...”
The Emperor sighed softly and muttered.
Even without that, his relationship with Benia had deteriorated rapidly since the discovery of gold mines on Laner Island. No one had pushed him to make the agreement, but he was just frustrated.
If the situation had been the other way around, he would have been angry, but he had nothing else to say, and things had become complicated, and he was annoyed. As the Emperor, he had the responsibility to resolve the incident of 'a nobleman of Wyatt being killed by a foreign soldier on Wyatt's land'. This was a matter of sovereignty.
“Owen Casper begged me to preserve his father’s last honor.”
“...”
“But I heard Cecilia’s name in it, so I called her along to ask her a question.”
One day, Cecilia heard her heart sink as if it was the day she heard Count Nova falsely accusing her of her father's infidelity.
There must be no misunderstanding or suspicion...
A deep-rooted aversion to being suspected raised its head. Cecilia quietly raised her trembling head. The Emperor's cold eyes were staring straight at her.
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