"Oh, thank you."
"You kept your promise."
Brandt pretended not to hear me.
"You deceived me so much, but of course, you have to keep this much."
That's what he said, but just the fact that I showed up safely at the ceremony seemed to soften Brandt's heart. I thought he would be calmer, but once I was in front of him and in his hands, he looked relieved. I could feel the anxiety and anxiety that had been deeply engraved in my eyes fading.
"Are you feeling well?"
He asked, unable to take his relentless gaze. I touched my cheeks and nodded.
"Thanks to you, it's okay. I'm awake."
I was about to take care of the Incident at the pond belatedly, but Brandt suddenly reached out to me. I just stared at him, and he looked at me.
"We should go to Virgin Road."
"Already?"
"You would have hoped that this moment would come as late as possible, but unfortunately, it's already that time."
I thought that if I delayed the delay, this person would be grumpy again. I quickly put my hand on his palm and stood up at the same time. Seeing the day when he bounced like a spring, Brandt's eyes widened and then sank again.
Holding the bouquet in one hand and Brandt's big, hard hand in the other, I left the bridal waiting room. From the floor outside the waiting room, there was a path filled with small jewels on the edge and pink petals in the middle to the door of the main ceremony.
According to aristocratic young men, Brandt sold several castles and Islands of the Duke family for this wedding ceremony. Only then did I realize the scale, and I mixed gratitude and regret. In the end, words that were not meant to be said popped out.
"Jewelry is laid on the floor. It's too much."
"It's too little for the hospitality that a person who will be his wife should receive."
Brandt replied without blinking an eye.
"I know that Prince Albrenovic did not participate in the rehearsal, but every time Edita practiced, he stopped by the Temple of Mua every time."
Prince Fabio's voice overlapped Brandt's face. My heart was pounding.
'I went to see the bride.'
He took my hand and stepped forward. I was surprised and kept pace with him.
We walked side by side to the main ceremony hall while stepping on the petals. The attendants standing in front of the main ceremony hall saw us and opened the door. When the door opened, music to welcome the bride and groom came out with bright light.
Brandt let go and held out his arm, and I put my arm around him.
I finally walked down a pure-looking white virgin road with golden embroidery. With Brandt.
Lively music played in the reception hall. Unlike the main ceremony, it was lighter and had a festival-like atmosphere.
"Edita, now you are the Duchess."
The Emperor shook my hand with a solemn expression. It was partly because there were many people around me, but now that I was married, I didn't think I would see any intimate expressions of affection that were burdensome. I was surprised that I felt regretful about that fact.
After leaving the Emperor, I sat at the chairman's table and tasted the food, or glanced at the people who were already drunk and dancing among themselves. They were making full use of our reception as a social venue.
I inadvertently looked at Brandt standing next to me. I don't know how long he had been looking at me, and my eyes met like a puzzle. He turned his head away
'What is it? Just did that...'
Brandt looked incomprehensible. It seems that the current situation is unbelievable. It was not pain, but a kind of joy. It was the most difficult expression I had ever seen on his face. I looked at Brandt, ready to risk making eye contact with him again. Brandt grabbed my wrist without looking at me.
"Uh, where are you going?"
"Everyone is dancing. It's not polite for the organizers of the reception to stand still."
My heart was pounding. Although I didn't mention it separately, I learned to dance with all my heart and sincerity from a talented instructor who was specially invited as part of the bridal class. And as a result, with all my heart and sincerity, I turned my feet into disfigurements.
"Why do you look like you're chewing on a worm?"
'That's because I'm worried about you.'
I couldn't bear to answer and took a position with him. Maybe the god of dance will suddenly descend and save me, or even him, at this moment.
The moment the music that was playing ended and the next music began, we moved on together. And boom!
"Ugh..."
Brandt was stepped on by the sharp heel of my shoe and let out a low moan. There was no such thing as a dance god to save us.
I couldn't lift my head because I was sorry. However, contrary to my heart, the shoe stepped on his foot again. Brandt's throat convulsed. He tried his best to hide his pain, but the dancer became more and more nervous and defensive.
"Hey, are you doing well?"
Unable to hold back, Brandt gritted his teeth and whispered.
"...I am sorry. I'm trying too."
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"No. I don't. I practiced a lot."
"Practice... You did it?"
"That's also very hard."
His conquest was deeply saddened. However, the step changed and stepped on Brandt's foot again.
"Oh...Really."
Sighing, Brandt gave strength to the hand that held my arm and waist.
'Huh? What is it?'
As soon as I thought about it, he lifted my body slightly. The wind made me lean forward, and I was hugged by Brandt.
"What, what are you doing!"
"I have to live too."
He embraced me with strength and continued to dance naturally on the outside. My feet, covered by the long reception dress, were spinning in the air, but our dance was so natural that no one noticed it.
But I was more nervous than when I was dancing with my feet. Brandt's forearms and chest, which had grown muscles from exerting strength, were too blatant. It felt more embarrassing than being naked and bare-skinned.
"Relaxed."
Brandt noticed that I was nervous and whispered in my ear.
"Isn't it comfortable..."
How can you be comfortable in a body like this!
Then Brandt suddenly made a quick spin.
I screamed at the sudden and loud movement and leaned against Brandt's chest. I heard a low laugh overhead.
"That's how I keep holding on."
Brandt's muffled voice didn't seem to belong to the man who had just laughed.
The moment I thought I had heard an auditory hallucination, I realized that I was holding his collar tightly without realizing it. Just as I was about to be startled, Brandt moved again without warning. This time, I couldn't even shout and grabbed his collar tighter.
'Wouldn't people think it was strange if we danced so close?'
Something flashed through my head.
'No. We got married. No one will find it strange.'
When I thought so, my body relaxed strangely.
I looked up at Brandt. He who was silently leading me responded with eyes that asked, "Why?" I lowered my head in embarrassment, and I could feel him flinching.
It felt like playing hide and seek. It's close and trembling, but I don't hate it.
The guests gave worried glances at the Duke and his wife, who had returned from dancing early and were resting. What people really had to worry about was Brandt's feet, but they tried their best to pretend not to know.
In any case, those who seized the opportunity earlier than expected approached us, to be precise, to put a stamp on Brandt.
"The Duchess's affairs are very busy. In comparison, the wedding ceremony is just child's play.
Madam Murray's words came to mind. They said that there is nothing free in the world, and if this were a children's prank, the ladies would be amazed at how they endured every day. And the Duke, Brandt, who saw the government affairs many times more difficult than the Duchess, seemed to be a truly superhuman person. Isn't he in charge of managing his own estate, socializing in the capital, and even serving as the chairman of the Privy Council? In addition, he recently returned from an expedition to Arendt.
He was still being greeted by people a little away from me. The Emperor and other major imperial family members had long since returned to the palace, but the nobles who had gathered like clouds were anxious to talk to him even a little more. Thanks to this, he was next to me at first, but was pushed away by the crowd and pushed to that place.
'It was said that those who want to wear a crown must bear the weight.'
A person in a red robe greeted me as I swallowed my sigh.
"Congratulations, Duchess."
"Thank you."
When he heard my answer, his eyes widened.
"The Duchess treats me like the first person shr has ever seen."
Hmm. Do I know someone?
I looked at his face again. Of course, even if I looked at it that way, of course, I couldn't know.
'How do I know this man!'
At this point, the fact that Edita lived only in a villa felt like a huge fraud.
"Becoming a Duchess seems to show elegance in your actions. I thought I would get an invitation to the wedding ceremony from you, but why would Her Highness send it to me? It's natural for you to keep your distance from me. I was short-sighted. If you become a Duchess, you shouldn't hang out with anyone."
The man deliberately said with a smile on his lips. In a tone that pretended to be intimate, I did not hide my discomfort.
That's right. There was no way the wedding ceremony would end smoothly. My head was stuck like a person wandering around in a trap where I couldn't even catch a clue. It was then that a savior appeared to me.
"Just seeing the slightest trace of the deceased's relationship makes it difficult for the Duchess. You don't understand that feeling too much, Your Excellency, Count of Serie."
It was Stefano who answered the man's sly words instead. I couldn't hide my joy. I didn't expect him to be invited here. The invitation in my name was sent by the Imperial Family Administration on my behalf, so I couldn't tell who was coming, and there were so many people at the ceremony hall and venue that I couldn't distinguish the attendees one by one.
Stefano bowed his head to me and whispered quickly as he got up.
"That man is a friend of the late His Excellency the Baron of Orleans."
I hurriedly looked at the Count of Serie. I could see the corners of his mouth twisting through Stefano's shadow.
"Sir Stefano is still full of confidence. I see that you mistakenly think this is a place where you can intervene."
"What do you mean by that?"
I heard a voice behind me that didn't contain life. Due to the quarrel of the Count of Serie, the air that was about to heat up sank without a trace.
"If you didn't hear it wrong, I think you are fearlessly making Inappropriate remarks to my wife in front of me."
Before I knew it, Brandt was standing next to me and staring at the Count of Serie. I didn't stare at him, and I didn't raise my voice. But it was intimidating.
The Count of Serie's face disappeared as if it had been swept away by a vacuum cleaner. He hurriedly bowed to Duke Albrenovic.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I was immersed in old memories and was rude."
"If you are immersed in old memories only twice, your throat will run away."
"..."
I was surprised by his bloody words. I had been scared of him for getting angry and driving me to a dead end, but it was the first time I had seen him tremble so much.
"Madam, I was presumptuous. Please forgive me for being rude."
The Count Serie's thighs trembled as he apologized to me. But that was nothing more than an apology to Brandt. To me, the one who attacked me as if there was nothing to fear in the world, and the one who insulted Stefano without hesitation, was sincerely obeying Duke Albrenovic.
'Brandt may be a more terrifying person than I think.'
I knew what a great family the Albrenovic family was, and I had heard that Brandt himself was so good at martial arts that he made great achievements on the battlefield. However, even though he would drive me from behind, he did not lose his manners externally. He was also polite when he embarrassed Princess Lena in Liesel's garden. It felt strange that I had just looked into his peeled inner self.
"Are you tired?"
I was lost in thought, and I was surprised by the breath that wrapped around my ears. The softening voice made my thoughts disappear in pieces.
"You look bad."
The man, who couldn't be worse than this, asked me worriedly. Even if it wasn't for the man's affair, Brandt was exhausted from dealing with so many nobles.
"I think it's time to get out of it."
As if waiting for that, Brandt grabbed my wrist tightly.
It was a tradition for the bride and groom to disappear secretly during the reception. The purpose was to allow the couple to have a private time on the first night of their marriage. The partygoers deliberately ignored the two departing shadows.
We climbed into the carriage, which was waiting outside.
As I was feeling the wagon swaying, I realized that we had just come together for the first time. I was thinking about telling him about it, but when I saw Brandt in deep thought, I stopped. So we went to the palace without saying a word.
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