Allozé, Argenta, and Cartiel.
Weddings involving any of the three ducal houses were always unique. That’s why their unions were a constant hot topic in high society.
“I wonder how extravagant this one will be.”
Each of the three houses—who commanded water, fire, and wind—held weddings infused with their unique elemental flair.
And now, a wedding between two of those houses? It was bound to be more extravagant than ever.
—Fwoosh!
The hall where the soon-to-be-married couple would make their entrance was dimly lit.
Gentle flames from upside-down candles cast an ethereal glow.
They were likely Argenta’s flames.
“Ohh…”
“As expected from House Argenta.”
While some guests whispered in awe, others stayed silent.
They were those close to Cartiel, the wind-wielding house uninvolved in this union.
Grouped around the Duke of Cartiel, they quietly observed the situation.
—Ssshhhh…
Then, between the hushed tension, water began to flow slowly along both sides of the wide aisle.
A channel that had been prepared in advance.
It was clearly created using the power of House Allozé.
Guiding the water was none other than the Duke of Allozé, seated in the bride’s family section.
“Congratulations, Your Grace. What a fortuitous union.”
“A blessing like this… remarkable…”
People flocked to him, eager to get even a brief moment of recognition.
The Duke of Allozé accepted their greetings half-heartedly, his eyes fixed on the aisle the bride would soon walk down.
Croa Allozé.
He murmured the name of his illegitimate daughter in his mind.
It seemed she’d made it to the wedding, after all.
If only she could seduce Dielo Argenta just a bit more deeply, steal away his potential…
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
If they could put an end to this weak generation of Argenta and claim Argenta’s flame powers for Allozé…
Then Allozé would become the undisputed greatest of all houses.
A silent, sinister smile tugged at his lips.
✦ ✦ ✦
—Tap.
My foot, clad in a pristine white shoe, stepped onto the staircase.
I could see the noisy, buzzing crowd of guests.
Since the bride and groom were to enter from opposite ends of the aisle and meet in the middle, the Duke of Allozé would be…
There. He was easy to spot.
He was watching me intently with sharp eyes.
With my face hidden under the veil, he wouldn’t be able to see me, but I could clearly see his.
“Succeed.”
In the brief moment our eyes met, he mouthed the words before turning away.
He must still believe everything’s going according to plan.
In other words, our plan—mine and Dielo’s—was still undiscovered.
Next to the Duke sat the young duke, Pentas Allozé—Croa’s older brother.
They wore expressions of joy and pride.
To outsiders, they would look like a loving father and brother at a cherished wedding.
But their heads were likely brimming with sinister schemes.
As expected of Allozé, who would stop at nothing for power. Reaching for Argenta wasn’t enough—they surely had their eyes on Cartiel as well.
Since the original novel was told from the perspective of a maid from House Allozé, there was no way I wouldn’t know all this.
“But the groom’s family section…”
Their faces were one thing, but something else nagged at me.
Even if this was a contract marriage—
“It’s still a wedding.”
The protagonists of the day should be celebrated. A time for family and blessing.
Yet the groom’s family section sat cold and empty.
Only a bouquet of chrysanthemums rested there—reserved by imperial law only for direct relatives.
Because they were no longer in this world.
And the real issue?
It was the Duke of Allozé—seated opposite—who had murdered the Duke and Duchess of Argenta.
What a tragedy.
…Did Dielo know?
“…”
I recalled the gentle smile Dielo had worn.
No matter how I looked at it, he didn’t seem to know.
In the novel’s early chapters, there was no hint that Dielo was aware of his parents’ deaths.
And if he really did know… would he greet the daughter of their murderer with such warmth, even for a contract marriage?
“He couldn’t…”
I muttered under my breath.
Even if Dielo did know now, it wasn’t a situation where he could call off the wedding.
Poor thing.
I bit the inside of my lip and firmed my resolve.
That’s right, Dielo! When the time comes to kill the Duke of Allozé, I’ll lend you a hand!
I would definitely help him get his revenge.
So even if this wedding was painful for him…
I hoped he could endure it.
Clenching my fists, I stepped forward again.
—Click.
The moment my white shoe touched the aisle—
—Shhhhh…
The water in the channel rose and sparkled under the soft light.
“…”
“…”
And slowly, from the opposite end of the glowing aisle, Dielo appeared.
As he walked, the chandeliers decorating the channel sides lit up with flames, following his steps like vines.
—Click, click.
With the guests now silent, only the sound of our footsteps echoed.
Dielo walked toward me with a composed expression.
Slightly flushed cheeks and a somewhat nervous smile revealed his gentle nature.
“Don’t be too nervous.”
I mouthed the words to him.
I didn’t know if he understood, or if anyone else saw it.
But it didn’t matter.
This much could pass even between a real couple—not just contract ones.
“…”
Perhaps he understood—Dielo’s face relaxed a little.
Then, our eyes met in front of the Duke of Allozé.
“I hereby commence the wedding ceremony between Duke Dielo Argenta and Lady Croa Allozé.”
The officiant’s voice echoed.
The words that followed were the typical ceremonial lines.
“May the divine bear witness to the sacred bond of these two souls…”
No one truly cared about those words. All eyes were fixed on us.
Did these two truly fall in love and marry?
Wasn’t their engagement just a ruse?
Among the crowd, some surely harbored such doubts.
Two pillars of the empire, bound by marriage—suspicion was inevitable.
“…”
Above all, I could feel the burning gaze of the Duke of Allozé.
These guests, that duke—they were all people Dielo and I had to deceive.
From this moment forward, we were truly… accomplices.
“…Please give a warm blessing to the bride and groom.”
The officiant’s final words rang out.
And the hall lit up fully.
The chandeliers surrounding the aisle, and even the seamless lights embedded into the walls, flared to life with Argenta’s magic.
—Ssshhhh…
Behind us, small sprouts emerged from the water channel.
Blessed by Allozé’s water magic, the vines grew instantly and formed an arch over Dielo and me.
—Drop, drip.
Lilies dangled just above Dielo’s head.
And then sparkling droplets began to fall gently around us.
—Drop.
A cold drop touched my exposed shoulder, and I flinched slightly.
Colder than expected.
Just as I thought that—
“…!”
I noticed something.
So close now, I could see something glowing faintly through Dielo’s shirt, near his collarbone.
It was likely the white lily mark—a seal that suppressed the family head’s powers.
If a ferro erased that lily, the powers of the head would surge.
But if someone who wasn’t a ferro tried to erase it, their powers would stagnate and never grow again.
That lily… was what Dielo and I had to protect.
“My lovely bride.”
Dielo’s blue eyes sparkled in the light.
As if not to startle me, he gently touched the edge of my veil and slowly lifted it.
Unlike the engagement ceremony, where we kissed beneath the veil, this time—
—Slide.
Dielo removed my veil and pulled me into a firm embrace.
The cold droplets bounced off his arms.
“Ah…!”
This kiss wasn’t hidden. Which meant… we couldn’t afford to mess it up.
As if he knew that, Dielo kissed me boldly.
Bold enough to catch me off guard, even though I expected it.
Still, it didn’t last long.
“Ha…”
As we broke apart, still so close our noses nearly touched, we locked eyes.
Thankfully, the aisle was wide enough for us to exchange whispers.
“Shouldn’t it be sweeter than that?”
His breath tickled my cheek.
Even knowing it was all an act, the warmth in his breath made my ears burn.
Of course it burned. It was instinct.
No need to suppress it.
It would only help our performance.
“Yes.”
Of course. I nodded slightly.
If you’re too shy, I’ll lead.
I rose on tiptoe and wrapped my arms around his waist.
That’s when—
“Then this time, I’ll take the lead.”
Dielo whispered.
Huh?
My eyes widened.
Unlike before, he kissed me again—this time with the passion of a different man.
His arms around my shoulders and waist wrapped me like vines.
“…!”
His leg slipped between mine, even beneath my wedding gown.
I had no time to see the guests’ reactions.
Breathless, my vision blurred. The electric sensation of his touch overwhelmed me.
Thump—my knees buckled, and he caught me.
And then, suddenly—
“Oh my!”
“Kyaaa!”
He lifted me up in his arms.
Gasps of surprise rang out among the guests.
“Thank you, my lovely bride.”
Thank you for marrying me.
He blushed as he whispered.
That must’ve been embarrassment from such unfamiliar acting.
You’re doing great!
His voice was quiet, almost too quiet—but judging by the audience’s reaction, some clearly heard him.
It was better this way. More natural than loudly announcing it on purpose.
As praise, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
Smack—a light kiss on his lips.
“Waaaaah!”
A spectacular wedding, unlike anything seen in decades.
With a grand performance to match.
It was more than enough to satisfy the crowd.
Cheers and applause rained down around us.
