SEM 28

chapter 28

“Kyah!”

As soon as they set foot in the garden, the screams of women rang out. Rozella turned her gaze toward the garden, where gasps and sighs erupted.

Greddy was receiving cheers from the crowd while holding Eliana in his arms. Her white dress shone brightly in contrast to the night sky. Every time Eliana moved, the long train of her dress flowed behind her like the Milky Way.

“So vulgar.”

Rozella muttered as she watched Eliana spin fully embraced in Greddy’s arms. Strangely enough, she wasn’t as angry as she had been when she first arrived at the wedding.

“Enjoy it while you can. That happiness will shatter with just one word from me.”

Rozella believed that Greddy had seduced Eliana on her orders. Though her mood was sour, she was pleased that her obedient dog had once again followed her command without defiance.

Just then—

“Claire.”

Rozella softly called out to a woman with a blue butterfly hairpin as she passed by.

“Your Majesty the Empress?”

When Rozella nodded, Claire stepped closer to her. Rozella adjusted her slightly disheveled appearance and patted her flushed lips, putting on a calm expression to hide the traces of a passionate kiss with a man.

“Where have you been?”

“I was watching the wedding, of course.”

Claire gritted her teeth at Rozella’s nonchalant response. She was furious that the only person who could have stopped Greddy and Eliana’s wedding had simply watched.

“You just watched the ceremony?”

“Well, I came to a wedding, so naturally I watched the wedding, didn’t I?”

“Your Majesty!”

Claire, more upset than anyone else about Greddy’s marriage, teared up. As her eyes filled with tears, Rozella gently patted her shoulder and whispered in her ear:

“Even if Greddy were thrown into your arms right now, could you even keep him there?”

“What… what do you mean?”

Claire had originally been Rozella’s friend. After Rozella became empress, Claire became her maid—something she would never have done had Rozella not promised her a marriage with Greddy.

“You still don’t know what kind of man Greddy is. You’ve got a long way to go. Tsk tsk.”

As Rozella clucked her tongue, Claire’s tears finally fell. Claire was the one who wanted Greddy more than anyone else.

Since she was a child, clueless about everything, Greddy had been her whole world. Even though she knew how he looked at Empress Rozella, she just couldn’t let go.

“……”

“It’s not time yet, Claire. Greddy is too rough, and you’re too soft. If you marry him now, you’ll just be discarded.”

“Because he still loves you?”

Rozella neither confirmed nor denied Claire’s question. But Claire already knew the silence meant yes.

“Why do you think he suddenly decided to marry that seductress?”

At Rozella’s question, Claire raised her head, tears in her eyes.

“No way… You mean he married Eliana Hoffman to keep her from becoming the emperor’s mistress?”

As Claire gasped in horror, Rozella smiled. Claire covered her mouth as if she were about to scream in disbelief.

Because of Rozella’s crafty manipulation, Claire genuinely believed Greddy truly loved Rozella.

“I received his help again this time. Without him…”

Rozella trailed off and lowered her head.

Unlike Rozella’s pitiful expression, Claire’s face was distorted with resentment. Her long-unrequited love had long since twisted into obsession over what she couldn’t have.

Rozella wiped Claire’s tears and smiled.

“That can’t be true.”

Turning her head away from Claire’s disbelieving gaze, Rozella spoke:

“Just wait a little longer, Claire. Greddy will come to understand your heart soon. After all, he knows unrequited love better than anyone.”

At those words, Claire’s tears stopped.

Just like Rozella said, Greddy too was in an impossible love. So Claire believed he would understand her feelings better than anyone else.

“You should head back now, Claire.”

Rozella glanced toward the reception hall where dancing had begun, then turned to leave.

She could bet her entire fortune that Emperor Matteo was somewhere in that garden. She had to return to the palace before he did.

* * *

“Don’t tell me you’re already tired?”

The sound of Greddy’s voice in her ear made Eliana’s skin prickle. Hours had passed since they began dancing precariously on her high heels. Half-leaning into him as they turned, Eliana sighed quietly.

“I’ll be fine after a short break.”

She murmured against Greddy’s chest. The ordeal had started at dawn. It was now well past midnight—she had no strength left. She was relying purely on mental endurance.

“How about we call it a night?”

“What?”

Eliana looked up at him. Under the bright lights, his black hair was impossible to miss.

“Don’t you know how important the wedding night is to a newlywed couple?”

“Well, the Grand Duke certainly was curious about a temptress’s night.”

Eliana lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, while he kept watching a specific corner of the garden.

As expected of a secret wedding held far from the capital, the venue was filled with the decadent pleasures favored by depraved nobles.

Most eye-catching was a maze tucked into a shadowy corner. With its dim lights and open-air design, it was the perfect place for mischief. The guests were ecstatic about such a thrilling space.

And there, in that hidden maze, stood Emperor Matteo.

One hand wrapped around a woman’s waist, his eyes scanned Eliana as if the woman in his arms were her. His touch grew suggestive as his lewd gaze remained fixed on Eliana.

“That filthy look will wear her away.”

Eliana wasn’t even sure what she was thinking. She just didn’t like the way Emperor Matteo looked at her.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Greddy stopped dancing and pulled Eliana tightly to him by the waist. She gasped in surprise.

“What are you doing?!”

The music stopped abruptly. Dancers paused and looked at the couple.

Even from a distance, Emperor Matteo stared while pressing his lips against the woman’s neck.

“I can’t stand just dancing with the bride anymore.”

With those words, Greddy buried his face in Eliana’s neck—mimicking exactly what Emperor Matteo had been doing.

His provocative tone instantly turned up the heat in the atmosphere. Hiding behind their masks, the nobles joined in with filthy remarks.

“The night is getting shorter and shorter. Not that one has to wait until nighttime to tumble in bed.”

“Looks like the Grand Duke’s long unrequited love is finally over!”

Greddy turned toward the source of the voice. It was clearly a jab at Empress Rozella.

“What nonsense! He’s married now—how can it still be unrequited?”

Now, the crowd’s focus shifted from Greddy to Eliana. The temptress who married the Grand Duke after years of him loving his sister-in-law—the Empress—was the center of attention.

It was exhausting, but both Eliana and Greddy were wielding that attention like a weapon.

Eliana bit her lip at the sudden scrutiny. Greddy always wanted her to prove her worth in public like this.

Each breath made her chest rise and fall.

It was a chilly winter night. But the party garden burned hot from the collective heat of the guests.

“Whiiist!”

A crude whistle pierced the air. Greddy’s dark eyes urged Eliana on.

She slowly raised her hands and wrapped them around Greddy’s head. The watchers held their breath, swallowing hard.

“Curious about the night with me, are you?”

Eliana gently caressed his cheek with the back of her hand and smiled seductively.

“That look, with those words—unfair.”

Greddy’s lips twisted cruelly. Though he disliked the situation, the cold touch of her hand against his cheek made his heart jolt.

Without even realizing it, Eliana began to pull away—but Greddy grabbed her hand.

“Ah!”

The wedding rings they had exchanged sparkled on their left ring fingers—a vow of eternal love.

Staring at the ring he had given her, Greddy licked the palm of her hand.

“Ooooooh!”

Eliana’s mask-like expression finally cracked. Only then did Greddy smile.

His heart, which had been aching, now pounded loudly, declaring its presence. By the time he came to his senses, the guests who had witnessed everything were whistling and jeering.

It was, without a doubt, the wedding of the Empire’s greatest scoundrel and its most scandalous temptress.