Chapter 44
―Rustle.
There was the sound of fabric brushing.
The tape measure being pulled out, the faint scrape of something against skin.
Dielo’s ears were fixated far too much on the sounds coming from right behind him.
No matter how much he tried not to, his attention kept being drawn there.
He was struggling to calm himself down.
“I thought it was real.”
Curois’s startled voice flashed in his memory, and he clenched his hands tightly.
It was real.
That’s what he wanted to say, but he had no choice but to step back.
Just laying her on the bed, just covering her with his shadow—
She had looked up at him with those wide, frightened, rabbit-like eyes.
So who was the one who was supposed to be “pure”?
He pressed a hand to his forehead.
Sigh.
When he pulled away, the short breath she let out in relief nearly drove him insane.
When Curois was beneath him.
When she looked up at him with her eyes wide open.
When she smiled and said she trusted him.
No, even before that—
The moment he wrapped his arms around her to take her measurements, and felt that shallow, shaky breath spill against his ear.
From then on, he had nearly lost his mind.
“All done! You can look now.”
Dielo couldn’t bring himself to turn toward the priestess who said so.
If he looked at that serene, utterly innocent face, the things he had been desperately holding back inside might break loose.
“Dielo?”
Only when she called again did he finally turn, slowly.
He really was losing his mind.
Suppressing the heat that boiled inside him.
Dawn’s busyness finally ended in peace.
That meant they had successfully taken measurements and made the ceremonial clothes.
“It’s not perfect, but there are few who could make garments of this quality in such a short time!”
The 47-year veteran artisan spoke with confidence now, unlike at the start.
And he was right.
Whatever inspiration had struck him, the formal attire he created for Dielo was of a quality far beyond what anyone would expect from a fitting.
The same was true for the one who had made mine.
“Truly a master of the craft.”
“As are you.”
Perhaps the tailors had even clashed a little at dawn, because sparks seemed to fly between their eyes as they looked at each other.
That was how flawless my attire turned out to be.
“You are breathtaking!”
“Anyone would call you the sweetest couple in the Empire!”
The people’s praise wasn’t so excessive that it made me cringe.
My gown was white with crimson Argenta-style embellishments.
Dielo, wearing his white uniform embroidered with ornate red stitching, extended his hand to me.
“Shall we?”
At his smooth-voiced invitation, I took his hand in answer.
The chiffon hem brushing my legs was a vivid sensation—though not as vivid as the heat of his hand.
“You look so beautiful!”
As we entered the banquet hall, Elin Cartiel’s exclamation rang out.
Her husband Siete Cartiel, failing to keep up appearances, belatedly added:
“You both look wonderful together.”
Why did that sound so lifeless?
“Are they not the most adorable couple? Hahaha!”
Duke Aloze laughed wholeheartedly, looking positively delighted. He even winked at me.
For once, it wasn’t a warning look, but something like praise—though probably not for my sake, more like his own amusement.
Clearly, the friends who had snuck in as “tailor’s assistants” last night had already spread the word that we’d spent a fiery night together.
Sorry, but all we did was treat wounds.
―Fwoosh!
Just then, light flared in Dielo’s hand.
Since this was an Argenta-hosted event, the finale had to be done with Argenta’s flame.
The fire blooming from his hand rose and spread to the chandeliers fixed to the walls.
In an instant, sparks like fireworks scattered and ignited every chandelier at once.
“Ooooh!”
Applause rang out. But when I looked around, no one seemed particularly surprised.
So it was just polite clapping?
Later, I heard the previous Argenta Duke used to make three phoenixes soar through the air at this point in the ceremony.
No wonder no one was impressed.
And then—
Huff.
I felt it too, so others must have noticed:
The flames Dielo maintained flickered for a moment.
They didn’t go out, but the brightness dipped noticeably before recovering.
That all but revealed his flame control was unstable.
“……!”
Dielo’s face showed a flicker of unease.
And that expression was plain for all to see.
The Dielo I knew was not someone who would falter just keeping up a simple flame.
According to the original story, he was someone who could command flocks of phoenixes, not just three.
Even without awakening as Fero.
So clearly, he was doing this on purpose.
Moments like this showed me: this man wasn’t bad at acting after all.
After all, hadn’t he lived his whole life pretending to be weak? That sort of role must come naturally.
The only role he couldn’t quite pull off was that of the “sweet newlywed husband.”
“…I thought it was real.”
But recalling last night, I felt my cheeks warm.
Though… it doesn’t seem fake anymore.
When had he gotten so good at this?
“Turn slightly, please.”
“Now your shoulder…”
Those brief touches while he measured me—
Strangely heated, tinged with something more than they should have been.
That warmth… wasn’t unpleasant.
I was unconsciously fanning my face when—
“This meeting was a valuable one. Until we gather again in three years, may there be no discord among our three houses.”
Dielo’s voice rang out.
Of course, that was a scripted line.
“No discord,” my foot—there was plenty of discord already.
Anyway, as soon as his words marked the official close of the meeting, Cartiel rose.
“Until next time.”
As he passed us, he murmured clearly under his breath:
“Seems you are no longer afraid of flame, Duke Argenta.”
Without waiting for an answer, he left.
Duke Aloze also patted my shoulder with a satisfied look.
“I’ll look forward to hearing good news.”
Clearly meaning the “news” that the lilies were no more. With that, his household departed too.
When we were finally alone, I couldn’t take my eyes off the direction they’d gone.
“‘No longer afraid of flame’? Really?”
In other words, he thought Dielo couldn’t control fire at all but had just barely managed.
Even if Siete Cartiel was a strong and capable head of house, those words were an insult.
When I muttered this, Dielo answered gently, not angry at all:
“It’s a fair thing to say.”
This soft pudding of a man!
When I turned to look at him, his calm gaze met mine with a faint smile.
Then he said something I hadn’t expected.
“As a child, I was afraid of it.”
“…What?”
My eyes widened. Was he serious?
He nodded.
This wasn’t in the original story.
Of course, the novel didn’t show everything in the world, but this was truly unexpected.
“It’s something well known among the bloodlines of the great houses.”
But as an illegitimate daughter, Curois hadn’t known. He leaned closer, voice low.
“I had no ability at all until I was six.”
“…What?”
Seriously? The man who could command phoenixes even without Fero—had been powerless?
“But because I was Argenta, my father forced me to try moving flames.”
He even left him inside burning buildings, he said.
Yet the boy had never been able to control the fire.
“That’s…”
That was no different from an ordinary child!
And they left him inside fire? I was speechless with fury.
Dielo’s eyes softened with a gentle smile.
“It’s in the past. It’s fine.”
Don’t pity me, Curois.
His calm whisper was steady.
“It’s not pity…”
It was anger! How could anyone do that to a child?
The original story never claimed the former Argenta Duke and Duchess were good parents, but I’d at least thought they had the basics.
Apparently, they were nothing but trash.
I pressed a hand to my forehead.
And so the meeting ended, and the carriages lined up for the long return to our territories.
Until every household departed, we played the part of a perfectly sweet couple.
“Then, I look forward to seeing you again on happier terms.”
Siete Cartiel gave his farewell and boarded his carriage without looking back.
Meanwhile, we stayed pressed close to one another.
“You’re not too tired, are you?”
“I’m fine.”
Of course, we didn’t forget to whisper softly to each other.
“We were up so late last night.”
True enough—busy with fittings.
“Don’t talk about that out here…”
I raised my fan to cover my face, feigning fluster.
“Ah.”
Feigning a careless man, he cleared his throat as if realizing he should watch his words.
And Duke Aloze, who pretended not to see but saw everything, left with a deeply pleased face.
―Clatter!
At last the final carriage left.
When it was truly just the two of us, I couldn’t help saying it.
“Dielo.”
“Yes.”
His usual calm gaze met mine.
I looked at him with genuine admiration.
“Your acting isn’t just improved—it’s like you’re a completely different person.”
Of course, I whispered it quietly.
Dielo, looking at me practically nestled in his arms, chuckled softly.
“Is it cold?”
He slipped off his outer garment and draped it over me, then leaned in to murmur:
“I told you, I can’t act.”
This is what you call not being able to act?
Honestly, this man’s humility never ends.
