Staring straight at Clyde’s face, which was glowing as if he’d put immense effort into it, Beatrice widened her eyes.
‘Fine! Let’s just close our eyes and go for it.’
It was a mountain they had to cross at least once anyway. Think about it.
Today, of all days, was their wedding. If she showed even a tiny bit of her usual disgust and made it obvious, what if people got suspicious and went, “What the, do they even love each other? You guys are fakes!”?
‘I already threw myself on the floor in front of my family and told the enemy who killed me that she’s the best ‘Sister.’ I can’t let us get caught over something like this.’
If Clyde had heard her, he would have scoffed and called it a useless worry, but her motivation was certainly clear.
Steeling herself, Beatrice grabbed her veil with one hand and stole one last glance to the side.
There, she saw her family members, looking joyful and harmonious, completely unaware of her inner turmoil.
‘…Ha! They’re grinning from ear to ear! To think they were jumping up and down just a moment ago saying this kind of snatch-and-grab wedding was absolutely out of the question!’
Phew, that’s enough.
‘I’m truly making a grand sacrifice for my family.’
Even if her insides were churning, it was better to see them laughing like that than to see them meet a miserable end.
Naturally placing her hand on Clyde’s shoulder, she slowly closed her eyes.
Perhaps because her vision was blocked, the sensation of Clyde approaching felt exceptionally loud. As they had agreed beforehand, he drew close as if to kiss her and whispered in a low voice.
“…What’s this? This wasn’t in the plan. Why’d you suddenly close your eyes? It’s creepy.”
“It’s because I don’t want to see your face from this close, why.”
“Why? This is a face that ranks among the most handsome in the Empire, you know? It’s a net profit if you look at it from this close.”
The fact that he knew it was even more annoying.
Instead of answering, Beatrice put strength into her hand and pressed down on his shoulder. As if he wasn’t even worth responding to.
Just as the two were about to stop precariously at a distance where their lips were—as promised—barely touching.
—Bang!
Along with the sound of a chair being kicked back, a sharp voice rang out from among the guests.
“Ha. I was going to wait like a refined lady, but have you thrown procedure to the dogs? Blessing and proclaiming their union immediately without even asking if there are objections? By whose authority!”
The woman who jumped to her feet had her face hidden by a wide-brimmed hat and a dense lace veil, but it wasn’t hard for Beatrice to figure out who she was.
In fact, everyone in this room likely knew her identity.
Because, well……
“Ha! I thought someone was playing a prank to get on my nerves again. To think this ridiculous situation is actually real.”
The person who snatched off her hat and tossed it aside was none other than Valoa Edberose Crawford, famous for all the wrong reasons!
The only daughter of the Emperor’s brother, Archduke Alec, she was a notorious troublemaker and a scoundrel.
A menace who would throw a vicious fit at anyone who crossed her mood, regardless of who they were, to the point that the petitions sent to the Emperor by the nobility easily numbered in the dozens.
The problem was that for about a year now, she had been loudly targeting Clyde Dalton.
‘Not a day went by without her sending a proposal letter to the Duke’s estate, and she even took it upon herself to publicly declare at the New Year’s ball that Clyde belonged to her, warning the young ladies away.’
Naturally, Beatrice, who was close to Clyde, had received her fierce warnings as well.
“You there. The yellow-haired one from the Hartwell family. I’m sure I spoke clearly enough. If you dare covet what’s mine without knowing your place, I’ll crush you like brick dust, so keep your distance.”
“….”
That was it. Because of her mother’s outburst—telling her that if she was just going to loaf around the house, she should go deliver the documents her brother left behind—she had stopped by the Imperial Palace and met with that disaster.
At the time, Valoa had cornered her against a wall as if she’d been waiting for that very moment and crushed a brick with her own hands right before her eyes.
‘I thought she was a real madwoman back then, too!’
Silently horrified by Valoa’s golden eyes, which looked even more unhinged than she remembered, Beatrice nudged Clyde.
“…What is this? Why is that woman here! Did you call her, by any chance?”
“….”
“Oh, no way. You didn’t, right?”
Beatrice’s suspicion was valid. Valoa was at the very top of the wedding blacklist!
Unless he was insane, there was no way Clyde would have invited Valoa.
‘But why isn’t he answering? It’s making me nervous.’
Driven by a sudden foreboding, Beatrice whipped her head toward Clyde. The moment she confirmed Clyde’s face, Beatrice’s eyes widened slightly.
“Valoa Edberose Crawford.”
It wasn’t his usual expression. As he muttered the other’s name in a low tone, a significant amount of hostility could be felt from him.
‘…What’s with him all of a sudden?’
He wasn’t like this even when dealing with Princess Elodie.
Startled by Clyde’s unfamiliar attitude, Beatrice reflexively grabbed his hand. Clyde’s hand was somewhat cold, unlike usual.
Of course, it wasn’t a good choice. Seeing the two with their hands joined, Valoa began to fly into a rage.
“Take your hands off right now!”
“Lady Crawford! What is this outrage at someone else’s wedding…!”
“Outrage? Is it an outrage for me to take back what’s mine? I told you Clyde Dalton is going to be mine!”
Like a person consumed by fury, she trampled the hat she had thrown down and began to stride toward where the two were standing.
Just as the two families were about to step in to stop the situation that seemed to be heading toward catastrophe.
“Valoa, that’s enough!”
Princess Elodie, who had been sticking close to Kaylan’s side as if she were already a member of the Duke’s house, blocked her path.
Coming out into the aisle as if to protect the two, she spoke with a firm expression.
“The reason I granted your request to attend the wedding was to give you a chance to gain closure. But if you act like this, what becomes of my reputation?”
Crazy! So it was the Princess who let Valoa into the wedding hall!
Beatrice’s gaze landed on Princess Elodie, who looked quite solemn.
“Sister, move. You think I can’t hit you just because you’re my Sister?”
“I can’t move. For the sake of these two, for you, and for my uncle—no, the Archduke.”
“Ha! You’re really going to block me?”
“Yes. I’d rather you blame me. After all, I am the one who helped between them so these two could see their love bear fruit!”
Look at her go.
‘Anyone listening would think the Princess was the one who linked the two of us… no, the two families.’
She likely spoke those words calculatedly, hoping people would perceive it that way.
It was a truly clever way of speaking, as irritating as it was. And that attitude and expression full of resolve were…
‘Isn’t she just using Valoa as an excuse to build up an angelic image for herself at the same time?’
Because if she utilized the fiery-tempered Valoa, the contrast would appear even more stark.
She might not have known in the past, but now that she knew everything, the princess’s ulterior motive was clear as day.
Seeing the goodwill blooming in the eyes of the guests and the family members, Beatrice put a bit of strength into their joined hands. It was because if she didn’t consciously apply pressure, a hollow laugh might leak out.
‘Wow, what an extraordinary talent. I suppose one has to be at this level to successfully destroy families, huh?’
Though they had intentionally offered up the bait to achieve their own goals, she hadn’t expected her to milk it this thoroughly.
‘But it’s quite a relief that the Princess before my eyes seems to be the same person I knew.’
She had humanly worried just a tiny bit—truly as small as an ant’s eyelash—about whether it was right to hold the current Princess accountable for her past sins, but there was no longer any need for that.
If the Princess truly cared for the two, she wouldn’t have orchestrated things so that she herself would be the center of attention at this wedding where they were supposed to be the protagonists.
It seemed Clyde felt the same ridicule toward this play, which was only visible to those who knew everything.
“…Amusing.”
Muttering so softly that it could only be heard by Beatrice who was stuck right next to him, he put a bit of strength into their clasped hands and then let go.
“Stay here for a moment.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
Instead of answering Beatrice, Clyde walked over to the Princess’s side. Then, he spoke firmly, as if he could not allow it.
“No. There is no need for Your Highness to shoulder such a heavy burden.”
“Clyde?”
“You simply indulged our selfishness just this once and allowed Lady Crawford’s presence out of the goodness of your heart; we cannot allow you to be inconvenienced like that.”
While pretending to protect the Princess, he turned his gaze back to Valoa and continued speaking.
“And Lady Crawford. As I told you every time I refused, I am not yours. I am a person, not an object or a prey, so how could I be someone’s possession?”
“Right. And I told you every time, too. That such rebellion is quite adorable. I don’t need your permission. If I say you’re mine, then you’re mine.”
“Then you’ll have to take that up with His Majesty directly. Because under His Majesty’s approval, we have officially become a ‘married couple.’”
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