Chapter 9

“My lady,”

“Hmm?”

“Your legs.”

“Oh.”

I stopped shaking my legs when Renee pointed out. It seemed I was shaking my legs since I was nervous.

When I opened my eyes, I was in the bride’s waiting room. I was sitting on the sofa with a bouquet in my hand, wearing my wedding dress. The wedding was about to begin.

“There was no need to rush things this much…”

“What?”

“It’s nothing.”

I shook my head as I put an awkward smile on my face.

Suddenly I recalled one of Apollyon’s men’s words.

‘My lady doesn’t need to worry. All preparations will be carried out thoroughly by the House Theavritte.’

And they kept their words.

All I had to do was to decide on the dress and the people I’ll be taking with me. Even those things weren’t difficult since I was only going to take a few people with me including Serena and Renee.

The guest list that will be invited was taken care of by mother and it was father’s responsibility to check things that were prepared by the Grand Duke, Apollyon supported everything for the wedding both financially and physically.

The ceremony was decided to be held at an outdoor banquet hall in the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor had full authority.

Grand Duke Theavritte Family and the Emperor being on good terms was a well known fact to the Empire’s people. Among them, the current Emperor Blixair Ignit, was especially fond of Apollyon.

He was upset when Apollyon, whom he cherished as brother, was cursed. Failing to get married twice, the Emperor had no choice but to accept this marriage since he said this time things would be done properly.

Since the marriage of the two families was decided, the Emperor had nothing to do but step out. He gave the Royal Outdoor Banquet Hall used by only the Imperial Family or the heroes acknowledged by the Empire as a wedding venue, and as if it was not enough, he assigned the Imperial chefs and servants.

This act was a kind of warning flag for me to not try to run away now that things were set up.

Of course, I had no intention of running away, so I was rather grateful for this situation. I recalled his third fiancée in the novel who got defected a week ago before their wedding. The idea of trying to escape from a wedding that even the Emperor is involved in wasn’t the brightest. Wherever you go everyone would know who the person was.

Now, Apollyon was marrying me. Everyone would recognize me.

Although I took the female lead’s position, I didn’t really care. Was she the only protagonist? I was the protagonist of my own life.

Life didn’t always go as planned. Just like in this case, I had no choice but to change the original novel despite the author’s wish.

Still, you only live once, and it’s too pitiful to live knowing that you’re just a supporting character.

In my past life, I couldn’t avoid becoming a poor civil servant, so I was thinking of living in this world, being rich and having fun.

Shriel, the original female lead, had yet to enter the house as a maid, and she had to stay for about a year before her family, which is a Barony, collapsed. It was better to take action than waste a year.

I was a little sorry that I unintentionally blocked the rise of the status of the female lead. Once she came to the Household as a maid, I had to treat her well. Going around having delicious things together.

No, I hoped that the Barony didn’t collapse at all. Was there even a way to prevent their collapse?

I shook my leg as the hairdresser delicately decorated my hair. If Renee and Serena were to see this action they would scold me however the skirt of the dress was way too voluminous for them to see.

Still, thinking about other things made me feel a little relieved.

“Did you all have a good talk yesterday?”

“Huh?”

“Last night, when everyone slept together.”

“Oh, we did.”

According to one of the Ignit Empire’s unofficial laws, it wasn’t polite for a bride to stay with her family after the wedding day.

So last night, I had to spend the rest of my time surrounded by my family.

I didn’t know if this was intentionally set by the author but their actions were no different than Korean people’s.

The whole family gathering together the day before the wedding and falling asleep while talking, that’s what happened last night.

The whole family brought up Petunia’s childhood memories, laughed and cried all night. Every time Forte cried, he blew his nose so now my trash can was full with his tissues.

Since I wasn’t Petunia, I couldn’t empathize about how they felt with the memories. But the way they looked at me was so warm I couldn’t help but laugh with them.

Petunia’s family were the nicest people. The way the four of us tried to sleep on my bed was what young children would do.

It was amusing when father tried to take the blanket on him and fell to the floor. Even though I wasn’t the real Petunia, I felt that I was being loved.

Yet all of a sudden a bitter thought came to my mind. Although we weren’t as close as Petunia’s family, I too had a family in Korea. A dad, sister and a younger brother.

Would my family react like this if they heard that I’ll be getting married? What happened to my body in my previous life? Depressing thoughts flooded into my mind.

I don’t think I can return back to my original world. Nothing changed in the last two months and I’ve adjusted well to this world.

Wouldn’t they say everything happens for a reason? There must be a reason why I possessed this body.

Well… probably.

I didn’t know marriage would make you feel this restless. I slightly smiled at my reflection in the mirror. For some reason, the smile looked bitter.

“Your hands are too cold, my Lady.”

Renee said as she rubbed my hands. Her touch was rather careful in order to prevent the lace gloves from tearing.

“Ack, that’s right. Would you like me to bring you a cup of herbal tea?”

Serena asked, holding my other hand. Everyone seemed to notice that my expression turned gloomy.

“There’s no need. The lipstick will be erased if I drink tea now. The ceremony will start soon so I’ll hang on a little more.”

I replied to them, smiling because of their consideration. Ha, nice people like these are angels.

Petunia was a really lucky character expect for being entangled with Sonot. Her family and the people around her were nothing like the other characters in the novel.

“If my Lady is uncomfortable with anything, you’ve got to tell me, all right?”

“Yes, I will.”

It was fortunate that I could take Serena and Renee with me to the Grand Duchy.

“When will the thing called ‘camera’ be invented?”

“I heard that Marquis Noctian is in the middle of developing it. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Serena soothed Renee with a calm voice.

“What a shame. I will have to keep this fairy-like appearance of my Lady in my memory.”

Renee murmured. Her whining made me a little less nervous.

“Ack!”

Renee bit her tongue as she placed her hands on her cheek. Her ears slightly turned red.

“The ceremony will begin soon! Please be ready!”

“Yes.”

One of the servants shouted while sticking his head into the bride’s waiting room. Even though he was a servant for the Royal Family, he seemed to be in charge of the wedding.

I stood up holding both Renee’s and Serena’s hands. The boutique employees carefully arranged the hem of the dress and decorations on my head each time I moved. Thanks to them, I was in perfect condition without much effort.

“I’m getting married to a man that I’ve never seen before.”

The atmosphere of the room suddenly went solemn after the words I’ve told myself. I didn’t wish for such an atmosphere.

“B-but my Lady will see him in ten minutes!”

Renee tried to brighten up the mood yet the atmosphere that already went solemn couldn’t be restored.

I thought I’d have time to have a talk with him. Far from talking, I couldn’t even see a strand of Apollyon’s hair.

My family was dissatisfied with this as well. Count Inkledov felt unpleasant because of the Grand Duke’s rudeness.

“The Grand Duke must be concerned. There are quite a lot of rumors about his curse. He must be afraid that I might hurt him…”

How could he stay angry when I told him things this pitifully. The Count who is already good natured understood Apollyon’s situation and felt guilty.

The wedding was an essential event in the aristocracy, where one had to show off dignity, yet what Apollyon was doing right now wasn’t that at all.

My parents said that they saw him a few times. So I was expecting to see him before the wedding.

Of course since I’ve read the novel I knew what he looked like. However, would what you imagined and something real be the same?

Seeing him in person would be more impressive than hearing hundreds of things about him.

I wouldn’t be able to see his face properly because of his mask yet it wasn’t his face that I had high hopes for.

All I was curious about was his impressive body, which was described in the book with great detailing.

Apollyon’s appearance in the book was quite magnificent. He was 186 centimeters tall, with broad shoulders with muscular body.

How did I know he was muscular on his hidden parts? The novel I’ve read was Rated-18.

When he made love with the heroine, it described his muscles and abs very well!

I didn’t know much about the muscles names and their places but I knew he had a lot of them.

…Aren’t I going to see them tonight?