Chapter 8
—!.....!
—It’s been a long time since Stern's wedding, the vows should be sacred.
Now that I think about it, this coincided with the description of the original story.
Lesche Berg was cold and strictly conservative about the sanctity of marriage vows.
Except for the sound of Lina's gasps, the entire room was silent. Seria didn't even see what kind of expression Lina was making. Lesche looked at Kalis, who couldn’t say anything, and spoke.
—Then, please take care of the Saint.
The priests were quite pleased that the icy atmosphere had been broken.
—Yes, Your Highness.
Now, after Lesche leaves, how should she look at Kalis? Seria honestly didn’t know. However, she knew exactly what Kalis was going to say. And his excuse would be that Lina was sick.
She was thinking about how to respond to him...
—Lady Seria.
Then, suddenly she heard a voice. Lesche looked at her and extended his arm.
—Come with me. The Saint needs to rest.
—Seria…!
Kalis called her name, and she looked back. When their eyes met, Kalis’s eyes were filled with a strange anger. But that was all. It didn't change the situation.
If she considered Kalis's dignity and decided to stay, she couldn’t stay long anyway because Lina was sick and needed rest. And Kalis still had to be with her.
Nevertheless, since Kalis had called her by name, she would have to stay with him, her fiancé. But then, Lina let out a groan, and Kalis turned to check on her condition, murmuring her name.
It was then that Seria diverted her gaze and looked back at Lesche. Then, she took his arm.
—Thank you, Your Highness.
She left without looking back.
After bowing to Lesche, Seria went to her room and collapsed on the bed.
As soon as she asked the maids, who had hesitantly offered her a cup of tea, to leave, she buried her face in the pillow and bit her lip hard.
On her arm, the magical crystal bracelet she forgot to take off earlier made a clattering sound. Somehow, she felt like crying, but her mask remained firm. She could only feel relieved by that fact.
‘What luck,’ she thought.
Temporary Marriage
—Are you not sleeping, Lady Seria?
—Oh, Sir Elliot.
The next day, Elliot seemed strangely melancholic. Looking at his expression, it seemed that the rumors had already spread throughout the castle.
The noble ladies of Haneton were friendly with her, but not so with nobles from other provinces. She didn't know what to say at times like this, so she pretended to be okay.
Moreover, only a few days were left until the wedding, she didn’t want to cause more trouble with the nobles.
—Are you going somewhere alone right now? Do you want me to accompany you there?
—It's not necessary, Sir Elliot. I just need to fetch some silver branches.
—Then I will be in the stables.
—Thank you.
—No problem.
Seria entered a warehouse called 'the greenhouse vault.'
It was a spacious warehouse with a faint smell of dust that no one guarded. Since it was a place to select and store only various costly and valuable items needed for the identification of silver branches for glacier inspection, it was very rare for people to enter, as only those with permission could enter. Somehow, that made her feel comfortable.
As usual, she took a branch from a silver tree to test it.
—Lady Seria Stern.
The voice she heard was familiar. She was startled and looked back.
—Your Highness.
It was Lesche.
He had accompanied her to the hallway yesterday. As the situation yesterday was uncomfortable, she didn’t know what to say and went to her room.
She tilted her head and looked up. But while looking at his red eyes, she looked down again. Lesche’s eyes were too fierce and somehow intimidating.
—About what happened yesterday… Can you do a proper inspection today?
—...
—If you go to the glacier just to escape, it's better to do it in a dependency.
Her hand holding the silver branch weakened.
—Don't worry, I will inspect the glacier as meticulously as usual. I will never be negligent.
Lesche’s expression, which seemed sarcastic, changed a bit. When he was about to say something, a familiar voice came from behind.
—...Seria. Are you here?
Her face twisted in an instant.
Without having to see the face, Seria realized it was Kalis. She didn’t want to see his face right now. Before turning around, Lesche spoke first.
—Marquis Kalis Haneton, does my presence seem so insignificant that you don't notice me here?
—Excuse my rudeness, Your Highness.
Suddenly, Kalis pulled her wrist, and Seria couldn’t help but look back.
Here it came, her radar that detected facial expressions limited to a significant person in the original story she developed to live in peace was activated. Kalis was angry at this moment.
‘What? Why? Why is he angry?
—I haven't seen my fiancée for a while, so I’ve been looking for her.
Kalis smiled, but only the corner of his mouth lifted.
—But I didn’t know she would be here with Your Highness. It's a rare place to be.
As Kalis said, only Lesche and Seria were there. However, the way he said it as if there was a problem…
—Marquis Haneton. Who gave you permission to enter here?
Lesche’s voice sank threateningly.
—I never granted you access to the vault.
Unlike Seria and the owner of the castle, Lesche, Kalis had never been granted access to this vault. It was a very delicate issue among common nobles, and not to mention the nature of the Grand Duchy of Berg.
—I'm sorry, Your Highness. I lost my temper for a moment and made excuses.
Kalis apologized in a stiff voice.
—When I return, I will pay the usual compensation immediately. Otherwise, if you are not satisfied with the amount, let me know. I will be happy to pay.
—Oh, will you? You have a lot of nerve.
—That is not the case.
—You seem to be mistaken.
Lesche looked at Kalis coldly.
—The punishment is not something you can decide. Follow Berg's traditional punishment.
—So, the traditional punishment is...?
—Cut off one of your wrists. Can you do it?
Kalis looked at Lesche with fury.
—I didn’t know you wanted my wrist. Do you want to declare war between provinces?
—I think war is what you want, not me.—Lesche spoke.
The atmosphere between the two became hard enough to cross the danger level. It felt like a real war would soon happen. A war in the middle of winter would definitely cause numerous casualties and deaths on both sides.
With two fingers, Seria gently pulled Kalis's shirt sleeve. Both pairs of eyes shrank toward her hand at the same time.
—Your Highness, even though my fiancé has been very rude, it would be too harsh for the knights who have to take care of the winter glacier if we wage war over something like this. I beg you to give Stern the generosity and let him go once.
Lesche arched his eyebrows.
—My fiancé will swear never to do this again. He will apologize courteously. Won't he?
—.....
—Won't he? Kalis?
Kalis looked at her incomprehensively and slowly bowed his head to Lesche.
—I was very rude. Your Highness.
Kalis’s apology that followed was, fortunately, impeccably courteous. Lesche had an unknown expression, however, he looked directly at Seria the entire time Kalis apologized.
—You have a great fiancée.
He spoke briefly with that usual expressionless face, then quickly turned and left.
In an instant, Kalis and Seria were the only ones left in the spacious and quiet vault.
—Seria…
—I have nothing to say.
She tried to pull her wrist that was still held by Kalis, but he didn’t let go. Usually, she would get angry and scold him, but she couldn’t do it at this moment. She couldn’t understand why.
The image of Kalis looking at Lina with pity kept floating in front of her eyes. Lina’s voice and the reaction of looking at her reflexively left a sticky mark on one side of her chest.
When had the emotions she tried to ignore accumulated so much?
—If we finish before midnight today, you don’t have to celebrate that sacred wedding, Kalis.
—Finish?—Kalis’s eyes widened.—Cancel Stern’s wedding. Does it make sense? Seria!
—Why doesn’t it make sense!?
—Right now… You are angry, it's easy to say that.
—Is it easier for me?
—Okay. Please calm down. Seria, you are talking about breaking a marriage because I took care of a sick patient. Seriously?
—Seriously?
—She is a sick person. She is the representative of God from a completely different world, with no one else to trust but me. Can't you understand that much?
—I understand.
—Do you? You got angry, grabbed another man’s arm, and left without even looking at me.
—You did all that first with Saint Lina!
—Lina was sick! How is it the same!?
Her head seemed to be steaming.
—It is different. At least I didn't call the Grand Duke by his name in front of people.
For the moment, Kalis knew he had made a mistake. Seria gritted her teeth softly.
—Let me go!
—Seria!
She twisted her hand and tried to free herself from Kalis’s grip, but it was useless. She was being irrational. Finally, the anger rose to her head. She clenched her other hand and hit it hard on the wooden shelf next to her.
Boom! With a loud sound that seemed to hurt, Kalis’s eyes widened.
—Seria!
