Chapter 139

My head was foggy.

“…With this, I declare the two of you husband and wife.”

‘…Looks like someone’s getting married.’

Even as I listened to the words of Bishop Hille, who was officiating, I just stared blankly at the guests.

“Please bless the newly born couple, Shion and Serena.”

‘Shion and Serena… Serena? But I’m Serena?’

A thunderous applause erupted.

There were many guests.

Not just in number, but they were individuals who were nothing short of being called the dignitaries of the West.

It was enough to make Guildmaster Veranio, who prided himself on walking with his shoulders squared in Merion, feel intimidated.

Facing so many guests, I was simply bewildered.

I couldn’t immediately recall why I was here, why I was in a white dress, or why I was holding Shion’s hand so tightly.

Shion took my hand without hesitation and led me.

The gold-based wedding suit suited him very well.

“Let’s go, my lady. We have to greet the guests.”

“…Yes? Yes……”

It was only as I was being led away that I slowly came to my senses.

‘…That’s right, I married Shion?’

A lot had happened.

Del Conti had fallen, and Verchello had been revived.

I was still nineteen, but as of today, I was a married woman.

My partner was Shion, a man whose intentions I still couldn’t fathom.

‘How did it come to this?’

I didn’t dislike it. No, in fact… It was quite nice.

It would be a lie to say my favorable feelings weren’t inflated by the various benefits Shion had brought to my family.

He had, after all, returned things to Verchello that were unimaginably large.

However, that wasn’t the decisive reason I felt favorably toward Shion.

Then, if asked why I felt favorably, well, even thinking about it myself, nothing specific came to mind.

Except for one thing: I never felt uncomfortable.

Whatever we did, it always fit well.

Our tastes in food and hobbies were similar.

From how we enjoyed our leisure time to even the way we buttered our bread, we were strangely alike.

It was as if he was someone who had already lived with me for several years.

Of course, that’s common sense-defying nonsense.

We grew close without any room to feel strangeness.

Living busily as the head of Verchello, I had no connections with the opposite sex.

But then Shion suddenly made his move, and while I was flustered, we got engaged, I received the Del Conti family as a wedding gift and when I opened my eyes, it was now, with the wedding ceremony over.

‘Why is this person so calm?’

While my mind was in turmoil, Shion showed no sign of wavering.

I couldn’t help but feel a little sulky.

However, I didn’t realize that I hadn’t sulked at anyone since I lost my father and became the family head.

Nor did I realize that I had unconsciously squeezed Shion’s hand tighter.

Shion seemed very accustomed to playing the part of a husband.

He led me by the hand, introducing guests, being introduced, exchanging polite greetings and promising to meet again, then on to the next table.

“Mushat. Thank you for coming, Meh. Serena, you should say hello too.”

“I am Serena de Verchello. It’s a pleasure, Mr. Meh.”

I greeted him with ‘Mushat’, and Meh also greeted with ‘Mushat’.

Thanks to having stayed up almost all night memorizing the faces and names of the guests, I avoided any embarrassment.

“You must have had a hard time memorizing so many guests. You did well.”

Shion whispered in my ear.

“Could you bear it for just a little longer? Princess Masiet has been very eager to see you.”

“I’m fine.”

I answered in a small voice as well.

But I couldn’t help being nervous.

Masiet mo Maesh.

The one and only daughter of the king of the powerful nation of Maesh.

Famed for her brilliant mind and outstanding talent, she was often compared to the Empire’s Leniar de Volmark.

‘What kind of person is she?’

Shion walked with long strides, still holding my hand. He stopped in front of a table. It was packed tight with plates of meat dishes.

“Thank you for coming, Princess Masiet.”

“Oh my, Viscount Rampo.”

It was a freckled girl.

“It’s so hard to see your face, you know?”

“I dared not look upon the princess’s face.”

“For friends, you say such disappointing things.”

Brown hair and brown eyes.

A chicken leg in one hand, a mug of beer in the other.

Laughing cheerfully in a manner so different from a princess in a fairytale, yet strangely exuding an air of dignity—she was Princess Masiet, the first in line to the throne of Maesh.

“So you are Serena? I’m Masiet mo Maesh.”

“I was greatly indebted to you during the Harvest Festival, Your Highness. It is an honor to meet you.”

“It’s fine. It was because of a debt I owed Viscount Rampo.”

Princess Masiet grinned.

When she pulled up the corners of her mouth, her freckles stood out even more.

She had a very tomboyish impression.

I asked cautiously.

“You call him Viscount Rampo?”

“Because he absolutely refused to tell me his name was Shion.”

The princess snorted and raised her beer mug.

She offered a glass to Shion as well, and seeing the princess practically fuming, he couldn’t possibly refuse and took the glass.

After downing the beer in one gulp, Princess Masiet shook the empty mug over her head and said.

“He mentioned in a letter that your raspberry-colored eyes were beautiful. I remembered how he wouldn’t fall for my advances no matter how much I flirted, so I wondered just how beautiful they were.”

The freckled princess stared at me. The pure white dress suited me well.

“Congratulations. They are a truly beautiful raspberry color.”

“Thank you.”

I realized I had many things to ask Shion.

Just when had he been talking about me? Shion awkwardly avoided my gaze.

“Anyway, you must come visit Maesh. A friend of Shion is a friend of mine.”

“I certainly will.”

“If you don’t come within half a year, I will send soldiers.”

“Haha……”

“Oh my. You think I’m joking?”

Shion and I left the giggling freckled princess behind.

It was because someone at the next table was calling Shion’s name over and over.

“Shion, Shion! The groom of the day!”

“Why do you keep calling me? I was talking with Her Highness the Princess.”

“How disappointing. Is talking with the princess of Maesh more important, or is having a drink with me more important?”

“Do you have to ask?”

The red-nosed old man giggled.

He was clearly already quite drunk.

Five empty wine bottles were rolling around under the table.

I wondered where in that skinny, frail body there was room for five bottles of wine.

The old man did not hesitate and held up a glass in each hand.

Both were full of wine. He offered one to Shion.

“Anyway, have a drink, come on!”

“Please spare me. I still have much to do.”

“Ah, but you drank with the princess of Maesh……”

The old man sniffled.

“Then I’ll just drink them both.”

Without hesitation, he downed the wine in both hands in one go.

His already red nose turned even redder.

Along with the smell of alcohol, a tipsy cheerfulness emanated from the old man’s mouth.

Shion held his nose and shook his head.

“Serena. This is Master Madwir.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Madwir… Madwir?”

I snapped my head up.

My eyes were trembling as if in disbelief.

“Could it be, could it be… are you the Master Madwir I know?”

“Well now, how do I know which Madwir the new bride knows?”

“Master Madwir Mol Meder, the court painter of Erta……”

“Then that’s me.”

Though I’m not one to be called Master.

Madwir quickly downed another glass of wine.

He gulped it down without any snacks.

“Oh my goodness!”

I raised my voice without realizing it.

“I’ve read your art catalogues countless times! It’s been my lifelong dream to see your works with my own eyes!”

“Ehem?”

Madwir Mol Meder tilted his head.

He chortled with his flushed face.

He looked more like a street drunkard than the great master who had painted countless masterpieces, including <Portrait of the Widow Queen>, but to me, he just looked like an infinitely noble artist.

“Is there any work that remains in your memory, new bride?”

“Uh, they’re all good… where should I start……. That’s right, <Jacob Climbing the Ladder>! And, and… <View of the Umba River from the Giant’s Citadel>!”

“…Oho! You know how to please an old artist. To pinpoint the works I struggled to paint but failed to gain recognition for.”

He poured wine into an empty glass and offered it to me.

Shion tried to stop me, but I didn’t refuse.

To be able to drink wine given by Madwir Mol Meder! Watching me gulp down the wine, Madwir grinned mischievously.

“Shion, you pestered me so much about wanting to hold an exhibition in your gallery, now I see why, eh?”

“Let’s pretend you don’t know, Master Madwir.”

“Come to think of it, the gallery’s name is Lamponé? Didn’t that mean raspberry?”

“…I asked you to pretend you don’t know.”

“Ah, I get it. What good would it do for an old painter to get on his patron’s bad side.”

The old man nudged Shion in the side.

“I will positively review the exhibition.”

“Thanks a lot.”

Shion pulled me away.

I wasn’t a lightweight with alcohol, but perhaps because I was tired, my face had turned the color of a raspberry after just a few sips of wine.

“Come this way, my lady. We have many guests waiting for us.”

Serena and Shion greeted many people.

Every one of them was someone she had never even imagined meeting.

For instance, the owner of Shaebo Confectionery from Maesh, the clan of forest keepers from Schmeizen, the lord of Konland, and so on.

The guests from Merion were divided into two groups.

There were those who were intimidated by the sight of dignitaries representing the West tripping over themselves, with Guildmaster of Etceteras Veranio belonging to this group.

And there were those who saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and eagerly went around trying to build connections, with the twin merchants Sansio and Susanna being the prime examples.

‘Shion…….’

I stared intently at the back of Shion, the man who was now to be my companion.

The rising tipsiness brought a strange heat.

He led me by the hand without showing any sign of fatigue.

‘It still doesn’t feel real, but they say you are my husband now…….’

I was curious.

What kind of person was Shion before he met me?

Why did he know me so well, and why did he help Verchello and me so much?

And why was he keeping his own past so tightly under wraps?

‘…But why is it that I know you even less now?’

***

The night deepened.

The reception had gone beyond heated and had become a paradise for drunkards.

Princess Masiet and Madwir engaged in a drinking contest, staking their pride, and the result was Meh’s defeat.

The two drunkards, sensing that they wouldn’t reach a conclusion, had grabbed the easy target Meh al-Hmed and forced him to drink.

Meh, being a straight-laced man, couldn’t refuse a single glass and drank them all down, then passed out muttering, I’m completely ji-oteu, jo-teu…

Sansio and Susanna got on a table and performed a fantastic twin dance.

It didn’t look like something they had practiced for just a day or two.

Guildmaster Veranio watched Susanna and let out a gasp as if to say, how can a person be so beautiful.

Bishop Hille saw the sight and just shook his head.

Maintaining the bare minimum of order at the reception was Conteano Del Conti.

Hired as an accountant, he did his best to serve Verchello.

Everything from his family had been taken, and even his son’s fate was uncertain.

Yet, his appearance of working silently was respectable enough for those who knew the circumstances.

“You should go in now, my lady.”

“How long are you going to call me ‘my lady’?”

Serena’s cheeks were flushed.

The wine she had been offered, one glass after another while making her rounds, had accumulated quite a bit.

Looking at Serena slurring her words, a deep smile formed on my face.

“I’ll try, Serena. Go on now. The rest of this seems to be just boring business talk.”

“…Ah, I suppose I should.”

I motioned to Conteano.

He called two young handmaidens to help Serena.

Then, quick-wittedly, he retreated.

I looked around the reception hall.

People of all kinds had gathered, laughing and talking.

Every one of them was either famous, high-ranking, or rich.

But they gave me no particular feeling.

Even if it was the princess of Maesh, if she was not helpful to my destiny, she was nothing.

I took a wine glass in my hand and gently sniffed its aroma.

My face immediately contorted.

Why do people drink this stuff?

I walked out onto the balcony and scattered the contents haphazardly.

There was already someone on the balcony.

He looked to be about fifty and seemed to be getting some fresh air alone.

I filled the empty glass with water and greeted him cheerfully.

“Have you been well?”

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

“You’re too kind.”

I locked the door between the reception hall and the balcony.

“Did you know? The Verchello estate was so old that a lot of money was spent on renovations. This balcony alone, for instance.”

“It doesn’t look like that much money was spent.”

“What you see on the outside isn’t everything. I put a lot of effort into things like barriers to prevent conversations from leaking out. As I have quite a few secrets.”

I, the regressor prince, smiled with my eyes.

“What I mean is, you can speak comfortably here, Grand Duke Pret.”

“That phony smile is the same as ever, Shion.”

“Our promise is also the same.”

I, Shion Pollinglight, showed him my open palm.

“I have completed the deal. I brought down Del Conti in one year.”

I wanted to receive my rightful due.

“So, Grand Duke Pret, I must receive what was promised.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep