Meanwhile, Cynthia, unaware that her appearance was the epitome of nobility and sanctity, was suffering alone.
‘The cold is secondary, it stings! My eyes hurt! I feel like an ant being attacked by a magnifying glass!’
Unfortunately, sunlight was her weakness.
Thankfully, the light was faint enough that it wouldn’t cause burns.
The light that shone on Cynthia trailed along the wedding aisle and reached Masera, who stood across from her in a splendid formal attire.
Masera stared at the pure white bride, who seemed to emit light herself, with an expressionless face.
To him, Cynthia was nothing more than a presence that cast a dark shadow over his life.
‘If the day comes when that bright face is shadowed because of me…’
Would he feel relieved to see her ruined and broken, or would he feel uneasy?
Beyond his dark thoughts, thick clouds scattered, and sunlight streamed down like curtains in places.
“I was sitting here with a very congratulatory heart, you know?”
“I was the only one who recognized the value of that dress when everyone else was sneering!”
Fearing they would incur divine wrath with impure thoughts, the guests hurriedly began to move their seats to the sunny side.
Cynthia’s shoes, walking along the wedding road that stretched like a path of light, sparkled like glass slippers.
“The Princess must be the reincarnation of the Snow Queen!”
“A Princess blessed by God! I believe! Please let me win the lottery!”
“The Princess is the embodiment of luck! Please let me get a lover!”
The kitchen staff shouted loudly, creating a sacred atmosphere, and others joined in, shouting their wishes.
The designer Maryseiren, who designed the dress, clapped her hands with a moved expression.
She was really lucky. If the weather had continued to be cloudy, her masterpiece would have been nothing more than a plain dress worn at the ceremony.
At the end of the wedding road, Masera, standing with a solemn expression, extended his hand to Cynthia.
“Gah.”
Then he squeezed his eyes shut at the light reflected from the jewel bouquet.
Cynthia smiled and approached him.
‘You’re the one who wanted this. It’s not my fault. Ugh, it’s so heavy.’
Masera, conscious of the surrounding gazes, quickly put on a faint smile.
‘I feel like I’m going blind. I shouldn’t have listened to the designer who said the jewel bouquet would accentuate the dress.’
Unlike their turbulent thoughts, to the guests, it looked like the groom was deeply moved by the bride’s beauty and closed his eyes tightly.
Moreover, a halo spread behind them because of Cynthia’s dress and jewels.
“The goddess is blessing their marriage.”
Dowager Duchess Rukanosa smiled contentedly. Madam Hills and Madam Verace, the dowager’s sisters, did the same.
Helene, outwardly Cynthia’s sister, also maintained a smile.
‘She’s just a fake who used to be a maid, but everyone believes she’s a Princess and praises her. What pathetic bastards.’
“It was sunny throughout our wedding too.”
At Helene’s words, the Dowager Duchess nodded.
“Yes, you two were also blessed by God.”
No one mentioned the fact that it had snowed heavily as soon as the wedding ended.
Meanwhile, Duke Henry Rukanosa was looking at Cynthia and Masera with strange eyes.
‘How do they cause a stir every time?’
Helene, the real royal, did not receive much public attention other than the fact that she was a ‘Bariesa Royal Family‘ member.
Like the saying that you get applause even if your pants fall down in the street if you’re famous, fame is accompanied by wealth and power. This was also the reason why the incompetent Bariesa Royal Family had reigned for so long.
The Duke, who married Helene in pursuit of fame and succession to the throne, sighed.
From a fame perspective, Cynthia was the perfect person.
Not only her special appearance but also her unique bright smile, unpretentious and easygoing demeanor, and the unusual things that happened around her.
She was someone everyone would like.
Brigadier General Masera del Vicente was also a hot topic. His handsome appearance and legendary achievements turned even his origins, which would have been a lifelong flaw, into a heroic narrative.
That is why Grand Ducal Princess Charlotte Yorkshire of the Medea collateral line of the royal family also sent Masera a marriage proposal.
Grand Ducal Princess Charlotte, who attended the wedding, sat upright with a haughty expression.
‘I was wondering how amazing the person he rejected me for was.’
She was quite offended by being rejected by Masera, a commoner. Her plan was to raise her royal rank by marrying a war hero.
“Now, the bride and groom, please share a kiss to seal the vows.”
The slightly excited voice of the Commander-in-Chief, who officiated the wedding, was heard.
Cynthia whispered to Masera, who came close and lifted her veil.
“Are we really doing it? Or are we pretending? Or…”
“Close your mouth.”
Masera, who tried to say ‘close your eyes’ glitched, then sighed weakly.
He couldn’t fool the eyes of so many guests. Especially if there were reporters.
‘Ah, I see he wants me to close my mouth, so we’re pretending!’
Cynthia, who roughly understood that, pursed her lips tightly.
“Close your eyes.”
At Masera’s low voice, Cynthia gently closed her eyes.
‘But how do I pretend?’
Cynthia, who had never kissed anyone in her past life, was wondering for a moment, but then a scent like a tree at dawn approached, and a warm warmth touched the corner of her lips.
She thought that even a man as hard as iron had a soft side, but she realized it was his lips and flinched in embarrassment.
‘Is this some high-level technique that’s both kissing and not kissing?’
Her lips quickly parted, and applause poured out, Cynthia was slightly dazed.
All her attention was focused on his firm arm wrapped around her waist.
Then, Masera’s closed eyes slowly opened.
Seeing him so close that their noses almost touched, Masera’s eyes looked even more mysterious. If you looked at them quietly, they were like a sea that emitted colorful light.
“You’re pretty.”
At Cynthia’s words, which she whispered without realizing it, he flinched and hurriedly pushed her away.
‘But they way you act isn’t so pretty…’
Cynthia, who muttered inwardly, naturally turned to the officiant as she was pushed away.
And the jewel bouquet toss that everyone was looking forward to was omitted for safety reasons.
* * *
When the ceremony ended, the weather was clear and sunny as if nothing had happened.
I could feel that the way people looked at me had changed subtly.
It was like they had actually witnessed a miracle worker who could levitate and use teleportation.
“Lady Cynthia, let’s go change into your reception dress.”
I went to my room, put on a light pink dress and cape, and was about to go to the reception hall when Carlos approached.
“As your brother, I’m going to escort you to the banquet hall.”
“Okay.”
I nodded in agreement for now.
At Carlos’s gesture for her to step aside, Dahlia bowed lightly and left.
He escorted me and lowered his voice.
“It must be hard to accept the situation of marrying another man right now. Still, I’m grateful and glad that you’re doing your best.”
“My best?”
“Trying to win that man’s heart, I mean.”
Carlos smiled as he clasped my hand. As if it were a reward for someone who was working hard for him.
Would the real Cynthia have been happy with his words?
“I did try. But it’s not that hard?”
I looked up at him with a blank face and added.
“And it’s not just me who’s trying, Brigadier General is too. Relationships between people are something you have to work at together. Not taking advantage of and using someone who is devoted.”
Carlos, who was silent for a moment at her sniper-like remarks, opened his mouth.
“It seems like your heart has been swayed a little because he’s been nice to you, but are you sure that the Brigadier General really cares for you?”
Carlos continued in a resentful voice.
“There’s a rumor that he plans to divorce you after he gets what he wants and remarry the Grand Princess of Medea.”
* * *
Major Rodriguez, who was coming around the corner of the hallway, stopped when he saw Carlos and Cynthia.
Then he unintentionally overheard their conversation.
“…You’re just a disposable plaything to be discarded when you’re no longer useful. To the Brigadier General, and to father.”
It wasn’t something a brother should say to his sister.
Major Rodriguez had been feeling a strange sense of kinship with Cynthia for a while. It wasn’t just because their external features were similar.
A life of trying to be useful in order to survive in a world where there is no place for you.
It was because he knew that Cynthia was no different from him.
