“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
Outside the door, she could hear people moving about busily, while the distant bells of the cathedral rang faintly.
The most important stage of her life, filled with both blessings and expectations.
Odely went over the order of the ceremony in her mind, carefully checking every possible variable that might arise.
‘I won’t let anyone interfere with this wedding.’
There were clear reasons why this wedding had to proceed safely and perfectly.
One was the presence of the imperial delegation. Another was that she had to defeat the Cardel family to carry out her future plans without a hitch.
So…
It certainly wasn’t because of some deeply personal reason, like not wanting to ruin her final wedding with Ludville.
‘Sigh…’
Odely let out a breath, tightly clenched her fists, and then relaxed them.
Her heartbeat was so strong that she could feel it painfully through her dress.
In this lifetime, she would make sure to protect him.
Just as he had always done for her.
She was willing to do anything to keep him alive.
Even if she herself wasn’t there in the end.
****
The bells of the Grand Cathedral rang out majestically.
Its towering spires reached toward the sky, and the golden bell tower stood proudly against the light.
Brilliant sunlight streamed through the windows, pouring over the pure white wedding dress.
The doors opened, and Odely appeared between the arched windows decorated with light.
At that moment, the guests held their breath.
“Truly, a Cardel…”
Someone let out an involuntary gasp of admiration.
Odely embodied the very ideal of the Cardel family.
She looked as if the Saintess of Sacred Blood, who had once purified the Emperor’s curse, had been reborn.
It was enough to make the Grand Duke of Exception’s choice of the Grand Cathedral as their wedding venue seem not like an act of extravagance or arrogance, but an absolutely brilliant decision.
That was how sacredly beautiful she looked.
‘Why has the Cardel family kept such a woman hidden until now?’
‘Even if she is frail, shouldn’t the Cardels be proud to show her off?’
Everyone had the same thoughts.
Her silver hair showed through a transparent, shimmering veil.
The silk dress flowed like waves, moving gracefully with every step she took.
Her sky-blue eyes gazed calmly ahead, and not the slightest hint of emotion disturbed her pure white face.
With every step Odely took, silence naturally fell over the Grand Cathedral.
The choir began to sing, but everyone’s eyes remained fixed on her alone.
Odely walked up the stairs and made her way toward the altar.
Standing before it was Ludville, dressed in black formal attire.
For a moment, Odely almost stopped walking without realizing it…
But she quickly regained her composure and continued forward at an even pace.
His golden hair, which was usually stained with blood, shone as brilliantly as the sun today.
Beneath his neatly combed-back hair were sharply defined features, as finely sculpted as a statue.
His face was undeniably handsome, yet his usual expression gave him the air of a soldier who had just returned from the battlefield.
His features were as sharp as a blade.
His massive frame and solid muscles gave him an overwhelming presence.
Among his black formal clothes, the only things that shone were his golden buttons and epaulettes, their heavy brilliance displaying the authority of a Grand Duke.
He carried the imposing presence of a god of war brought to life from mythology.
Until that moment, the guests had still been suspicious.
They couldn’t believe that love was the reason he was standing at the wedding altar. Surely, he had some other purpose.
“…”
But the cold, rigid expression on his face changed in a strange way the moment he saw Odely approaching.
His eyes remained fixed on her, as if he were someone caught in the lingering image of a distant memory.
A faint light appeared in his eyes, which had been as dark as an abyss, seemingly allowing no room for emotion.
The guests sensed it instinctively.
He was mad.
But if that wasn’t the face of a man who had fallen in love, then what was?
At that moment, the dazzling colors of the stained-glass windows poured down over the two of them.
The scene looked as if it were recreating an ancient myth, in which light and darkness had once faced each other in a sacred sanctuary.
Like the Saintess of Light and the cursed king who lived in the shadows.
Complete opposites.
Despite being so different from each other, the two looked strangely perfect together.
As if they had been born for each other.
Like two people bound by a single, unbreakable fate.
****
The bells of the Grand Cathedral rang out majestically.
Its towering spires reached toward the sky, and the golden bell tower stood proudly against the light.
Brilliant sunlight streamed through the windows, pouring over the pure white wedding dress.
The doors opened, and Odely appeared between the arched windows decorated with light.
At that moment, the guests held their breath.
“Truly, a Cardel…”
Someone let out an involuntary gasp of admiration.
Odely embodied the very ideal of the Cardel family.
She looked as if the Saintess of Sacred Blood, who had once purified the Emperor’s curse, had been reborn.
It was enough to make the Grand Duke of Exception’s choice of the Grand Cathedral as their wedding venue seem not like an act of extravagance or arrogance, but an absolutely brilliant decision.
That was how sacredly beautiful she looked.
‘Why has the Cardel family kept such a woman hidden until now?’
‘Even if she is frail, shouldn’t the Cardels be proud to show her off?’
Everyone had the same thoughts.
Her silver hair showed through a transparent, shimmering veil.
The silk dress flowed like waves, moving gracefully with every step she took.
Her sky-blue eyes gazed calmly ahead, and not the slightest hint of emotion disturbed her pure white face.
With every step Odely took, silence naturally fell over the Grand Cathedral.
The choir began to sing, but everyone’s eyes remained fixed on her alone.
Odely walked up the stairs and made her way toward the altar.
Standing before it was Ludville, dressed in black formal attire.
For a moment, Odely almost stopped walking without realizing it…
But she quickly regained her composure and continued forward at an even pace.
His golden hair, which was usually stained with blood, shone as brilliantly as the sun today.
Beneath his neatly combed-back hair were sharply defined features, as finely sculpted as a statue.
His face was undeniably handsome, yet his usual expression gave him the air of a soldier who had just returned from the battlefield.
His features were as sharp as a blade.
His massive frame and solid muscles gave him an overwhelming presence.
Among his black formal clothes, the only things that shone were his golden buttons and epaulettes, their heavy brilliance displaying the authority of a Grand Duke.
He carried the imposing presence of a god of war brought to life from mythology.
Until that moment, the guests had still been suspicious.
They couldn’t believe that love was the reason he was standing at the wedding altar. Surely, he had some other purpose.
“…”
But the cold, rigid expression on his face changed in a strange way the moment he saw Odely approaching.
His eyes remained fixed on her, as if he were someone caught in the lingering image of a distant memory.
A faint light appeared in his eyes, which had been as dark as an abyss, seemingly allowing no room for emotion.
The guests sensed it instinctively.
He was mad.
But if that wasn’t the face of a man who had fallen in love, then what was?
At that moment, the dazzling colors of the stained-glass windows poured down over the two of them.
The scene looked as if it were recreating an ancient myth, in which light and darkness had once faced each other in a sacred sanctuary.
Like the Saintess of Light and the cursed king who lived in the shadows.
Complete opposites.
Despite being so different from each other, the two looked strangely perfect together.
As if they had been born for each other.
Like two people bound by a single, unbreakable fate.
*****
‘It’s almost time.’
Sitting in the front row of the VIP section, Gavin quietly watched the two of them come together.
The wedding vows would begin soon.
Odely was standing beside Ludville.
Right in front of the altar, at the exact center of the magic circle.
It was the spot where all the Grand Cathedral’s barriers and the sacred artifact they had secretly prepared were focused.
Gavin turned his gaze to the side.
Veloa wore a gentle smile.
Every time Odely took another step toward the center of the magic circle, Veloa’s eyes lit up.
She was looking forward to the chaos that was about to unfold.
The moment when her plan would work perfectly…
‘Now.’
Odely had reached the exact center of the circle.
‘Perfect.’
Everything was in place.
The magic circle, which the Cardel family had secretly entered the Grand Cathedral to tamper with in advance, had been designed to react only to purification power, the unique energy possessed by those with purification abilities.
In particular, it had been adjusted to activate whenever a purification ability user became nervous.
Naturally, Odely would be nervous throughout the wedding ceremony.
The Grand Duke of Exception was standing right beside her, and every guest’s attention was focused on them.
Even someone who was extremely confident in their ability to remain calm would surely feel at least a slight tremor on their own wedding day.
That was all they needed.
And then…
‘The power will go out of control.’
The magic circle on the floor would soon begin to shake, and beams of light would shoot all the way up to the ceiling.
The plan even included causing some members of the imperial delegation to suffer shock reactions.
After all, the more important the guests were, the closer they sat to the barriers.
However, Gavin and Veloa would remain unharmed because they had worn special protective equipment.
The previous night’s banquet had also been part of the plan. That was why Gavin had deliberately hinted that Odely’s “new ability” was unstable.
It had been a way of laying the groundwork for today’s events.
In the end, they had suffered humiliation and been forced to withdraw, but that didn’t matter.
Public opinion was going to be turned upside down today anyway.
Everyone who had attended the banquet had heard Gavin’s words, and that was enough.
‘Once the power goes out of control, I’ll use the chaos to reclaim my position as the Savior.’
That was why he hadn’t killed Odely yet.
If he killed her right away, there would be no way to restore his reputation.
He intended to turn this wedding, attended even by the imperial delegation, into the stage for his triumphant return.
‘Come on. Activate.’
Gavin quietly clenched his fists on the armrests of his chair.
He waited for the moment when beams of light, trembling barriers, and the out-of-control power would all burst forth before his eyes.
The moment when the stage would begin, announcing that Cardel’s “Messenger of God” was still as powerful as ever.
He stared at Odely and slowly counted in his mind.
One, two, three…
And then…
…Nothing happened.
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