Chapter 54
The autumn sun over Bahir was bright and warm.
Luna, holding Baron Alonzo’s arm, stepped onto a carpet of white blossoms.
“My dear, did I ever tell you that my marriage to your grandmother was also arranged?”
“Of course, Grandfather.”
Luna adjusted her bouquet and smiled.
“She was the most beautiful woman in the world. Luna, you’re only slightly less pretty than she was today.”
“Oh, come on. How could I ever compare to Grandmother’s beauty?”
Luna burst into a clear, cheerful laugh. Thanks to her grandfather’s playful tone, the tension that had gripped her body loosened a little.
Meanwhile, a graceful march signaled the start of the ceremony.
Luna and Baron Alonzo began walking slowly in rhythm with the music. At the end of the carpet stood Khalid, dressed in his ceremonial uniform, his gaze fixed on them.
Baron Alonzo glanced at the handsome man waiting for them and leaned closer to Luna, whispering quietly.
“He may be a Grand Duke, but starting today, he’s also my grandson-in-law. If he ever makes you unhappy, you come tell me, understood? I’ll give him a piece of my mind.”
“Would you dare? Someone might overhear—please, keep your voice down.”
When they reached the end of the carpet, Khalid gave the baron a respectful nod and took Luna’s hand.
“Sounded like you were talking about me.”
“Not at all. We were talking about my grandmother.”
Feigning innocence, Luna tugged him along, stepping up onto the platform together. Beams of light poured down from the ceiling, enveloping the bride and groom as fragrant flower petals fluttered gently in the air.
“The ceremony will now begin.”
With the solemn words of the High Priest of the North, the wedding proceeded smoothly. Because the formalities had been greatly simplified, the ceremony reached its final moments rather quickly.
“Lastly, please exchange rings and seal your vows with a kiss.”
Khalid’s gaze lingered on Luna for a long moment. His lips pressed together, his expression deep and unreadable—as if he were lost in thought.
Then, without a word, he slipped the elegant wedding ring onto her finger.
Luna, clutching her pounding heart, followed his lead and placed a ring on his hand. She had thought she’d be fine, but the thought of kissing him suddenly made shyness rush over her like a wave.
Khalid relaxed his posture and gently drew her closer. He tilted his head slightly, bending just enough that his breath brushed against her lips.
In Luna’s clear eyes, the silver-haired man before her shone like a sculpture—so radiant that she felt bound by that brilliance.
When their breaths aligned, her body flushed with heat. Khalid’s kiss was calm, composed, and entirely natural—devoid of emotion, yet tender all the same.
Luna’s face turned scarlet, as if a brush had swept across a blank canvas. The faint sweetness in the air made her dizzy; her head spun. It was only a brief touch of lips, yet her knees felt weak.
Khalid, meanwhile, deepened the kiss slightly for a few lingering seconds, his expression darkening with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
Then, straightening, he asked curtly, “Is that all?”
“Yes. I now pronounce you husband and wife!”
“Waaah!”
The guests erupted into cheers as petals burst overhead.
The High Priest completed the ceremony, writing their names into the thick noble registry and ending with a brief benediction.
Luna awkwardly linked arms with the man who was now her husband as they exited the hall. He seemed just as stiff as she was.
Praying that he couldn’t hear her still-thundering heartbeat, Luna moved forward. The deep toll of bells echoed around them—dang… dang…
Surrounded by blessings and cheers, Luna couldn’t shake the dazed feeling all the way into the early evening, when the reception began.
* * *
“Your Grace, I’m here.”
Luna entered the office to accompany Khalid to the reception—but tilted her head in confusion.
Could someone’s hair grow that much while she was away seeing her grandfather off?
She narrowed her eyes. The man’s back looked different. His once neatly trimmed silver hair now reached the nape of his neck.
Was this someone else?
But no—he was wearing Khalid’s reception attire, and that distinct silver sheen was unmistakable.
“Your Grace…?”
Thinking he was preoccupied, Luna approached quietly. The closer she got, the more distracted she became by his strangely long hair. Without thinking, she reached out her hand.
“You’re here, my lady?”
“…!”
At that instant, the man turned and spoke.
The deep, resonant voice that struck her ear was not Khalid’s.
The man—whose light blue eyes were almost identical to Khalid’s—smiled gently and took her hand.
Then, with a soft kiss, pressed his lips to the back of it.
Startled, Luna jerked back, her skin tingling where his mouth had touched. Every instinct screamed that this was not her husband. And yet… he looked exactly like him.
What in the world…? A hallucination?
Luna’s mind flashed back to the illusion in that old grimoire that had once resembled her. But the man before her was far too vivid—too alive to be magic.
Her heart began to pound wildly. Whoever this stranger was, she needed to get away.
“Cedric, stop fooling around and greet her properly. You’ve startled my wife.”
“Your Grace!”
“Well, there you are.”
Khalid leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, frowning.
“And you—let go of her hand. If you don’t, I’ll cut it off, crown prince or not.”
“Whoa, whoa! Is this the same cold block of ice I used to know? Look at you now—such a doting husband! Hahaha!”
Cedric laughed heartily and released her hand.
“Y–You’re the Crown Prince?”
“Did that scoundrel make you uncomfortable?” Khalid asked, pulling Luna gently toward him.
“N-no. We just met. But… why was His Highness wearing your reception outfit?”
“I’d very much like to ask him why he wasted such an expensive transformation potion just to impersonate me.”
“What’s the harm? Thanks to that, I got to see a side of your wife I hadn’t before. It was fun.”
Cedric shrugged, voice laced with mischief.
“In that case,” Khalid replied dryly, “I should show you what real fun looks like.”
As his hand drifted toward the sword at his waist, Cedric coughed dramatically, then sighed and pulled out a small vial from his pocket.
He drank it in one gulp, and in seconds, his clothes shimmered—transforming from Khalid’s ceremonial outfit to the regal attire of the crown prince. His silver hair turned a brilliant platinum, gleaming under the light.
“Lady Bahir, I am Cedric Orr. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“I’m Luna Bahir. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Luna bowed politely, studying him. With the teasing gone, the natural grace of his royal bearing surfaced.
Those sky-colored eyes—clearly a family trait—were sharp, commanding, yet bright with humor.
“In truth, my lady, I came to say something about him.”
“About His Grace? What might that be?”
Cedric’s lips curled into a smirk, unable to hide his playful nature.
“This fellow here—he’s prickly, short-tempered, stubborn, and impossible at times. But deep down, he’s got the gentlest heart and—ow!”
“That’s quite enough.”
Cedric winced and stumbled back—Khalid had smacked him smartly across the upper lip.
Luna stifled a laugh. It really did seem that people around the Grand Duke had a habit of inviting trouble upon themselves.
The Crown Prince’s frank, cheerful personality felt surprisingly easy to get along with—especially the way he mocked her husband.
“I even came early to wait for you two. You’re not ditching me already, are you?”
Cedric rubbed his lip, then fell into step beside Khalid.
“So tell me—how on earth did this marriage happen? Honestly, I still can’t believe it even after seeing it.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Oh, come on. Give your dear cousin something. The palace is buzzing with gossip, and I need a decent excuse before His Majesty starts grilling me.”
Luna’s ears perked up at that.
His Majesty—the Emperor—asked about our marriage?
There was no way they could tell the truth about that illicit purification request that had tangled them together.
While Luna silently panicked, Khalid suddenly stopped walking. He turned toward Cedric, a faint, wicked smile tugging at his lips.
“If His Majesty is so curious, I suppose I should tell him.”
“W–Wait, tell him what exactly?” Luna tugged nervously at his sleeve.
Surely he wasn’t about to say everything…? Even if they were close in age, wasn’t that too dangerous?
But Khalid only gave her a sidelong glance, perfectly calm, and said with deliberate ease,
“Our first meeting was in a bathhouse. Before I knew it, dawn had broken. After that, marriage seemed only natural.”
“…!”
“What?!”
Cedric’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between them.
Luna’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly, heat rushing to her cheeks until her entire face felt like it would explode.
Her whole body went hot. That bathhouse incident—
We agreed to pretend it never happened, you infuriating man!
