Chapter 13
Before Kalis married her, they performed a ceremony of the covenant officiated by the high priest.
As a preliminary ritual for the Stern wedding, he had to immerse both hands in specially prepared holy water to become Stern's man.
The pact ceremony was like the baptismal ritual.
They were ready to marry, but that didn't mean they were immediately bound to each other. The step where one truly connected with the other person was the official wedding. That’s why Lesche could marry her immediately after a brief alliance ceremony.
The same went for Kalis... He, who had already made a pact, was also theoretically able to marry any Stern. Although there were usually only one or two Sterns on the continent, Lina was also a Stern.
—You chose to marry Lina... I guess that’s why you're alive. And in much better shape than me.
—…..
She didn't know what expression she had as she looked at Kalis. However, since she was trembling with a sense of betrayal, she might have had a horrible expression on her face.
—I was vomiting blood and didn't even think of anyone else but you until I was on the verge of dying. But you already had a temporary marriage with Lina to live.
What had she been waiting for? Who had she been waiting for?
Seria slowly brushed her face with both hands. Slowly she ran her hands over her face. Along with the feeling that her fragile and fatigued areas were firmly pressed by the flesh of her hands, she felt a white flicker. And then complete darkness.
Immediately after, Kalis's wavering eyes focused clearly.
—Seria.
—I don't want to waste the time I spent falling in love with you, Kalis.
Kalis's face was surprised, then he spoke in a pleading tone.
—Seria, you can be angry with me. But my marriage was a temporary marriage, and you also temporarily married the Grand Duke. Am I wrong?
—And?
—Let's divorce, both of us will divorce and remarry.
—…..
—I will prepare the grandest wedding ever. We can start from the beginning. We have time, so...
—Time?
She stared into Kalis's wavering eyes.
—All you need is time?
Even if he has time now, what's the point? Seria wondered.
—I lost my heart for you, but do you need time?
—Seria!
She shook off Kalis's hand that still held her tightly and left the room barefoot and only in slippers.
It was something she would never do normally.
Seria was a villainess, but she was a perfect aristocrat, and she didn't want to change immediately and be suspected. But at this moment she felt it was useless to keep up with those things.
She almost died even though she had been trying to live well.
‘What have I been seeking?’
—Seria!
Kalis chased her and grabbed her wrist. His grip was too strong to resist.
—Let me go!
Then the knights, who had been watching the situation with serious faces at the door, grabbed his arms and held him back. Kalis, who was caught in an instant, exclaimed in anger.
—What are you doing right now? Don't you know who I am? Let me go right now!
—Sorry, Marquis.
—Sorry.
Kalis looked at her with both arms held. However, Seria turned and ran down the hallway without looking at him, who was once her fiancé.
The hallway was very cold. Seria grabbed her shawl and sighed as she walked down the long corridor. She wondered what she would be doing now if the wedding had continued as originally planned.
“I would have been busy,” she thought, “getting ready to attend the reception for the nobles who attended the wedding.”
She must have been all over the place now. Obviously, none of that mattered now.
The wedding ceremony was with Lesche, but the reception would really be held in the name of Kalis and her.
Would Lesche take Kalis's place at the reception that bears another man's name?
Unethical or not, that was Lesche's nature. Having thought this far, she could make her next plan. Lesche Berg must have helped her for a reason. Then she would ask him why and decide what to do later.
There is nothing original about it.
She no longer knew. Even after she died and came back to life, it didn't change what she had seen and done.
She couldn't meet Lesche in her current state. She was wearing slippers and a shawl over white pajamas. Moreover, her arms hurt.
When she rolled up her long-sleeved pajamas, the bandage was stained with more blood than before.
“The blood keeps coming out.”
The pain came late and she frowned. She forgot to change the bandage because Kalis entered like a storm. To change her clothes, she would have to return to her room. But no matter how much she thought about it, Kalis would be waiting in front of her room. And she didn't want to meet him now.
The feeling of Kalis's betrayal was too much to bear.
Should I go through the window?
The only way to get back to the room without running into Kalis was through the window.
As she contemplated, she looked for a window in the corridor.
As usual, there was a window in a castle. As she took a step, she encountered a familiar face.
—Oh, my lady!
It was Linon, the chief aide. He looked at her outfit and scolded her.
—Do you think we live in the warm southern region of the country? Winter in the central region is such a ruthless season...
Linon hurriedly tried to take off his coat to cover her, but he stopped halfway. As if he were frozen in place, he began to murmur and ramble.
—My lady? Now that I think about it, I'm actually weaker than I thought... If I catch a cold, half of Berg's estate would be paralyzed, so I doubt...
—Who asked you to take it off?
—But if you catch a cold, I'll be in trouble again.
—Ahh... you’re so unique.
In the original story, Linon was described several times as a great talent. He was a graduate of Altair Academy, where it was difficult to enter and even harder to obtain a diploma. And Lesche Berg, who has such a talented aide, was truly incredible.
—First of all, Lady Seria, please go back and reassemble your outfit. Then we’ll go together to the main castle. My master's work should be done by now.
—Did His Highness call for me?
—No.
—Then why?
She asked Linon, pretending not to know.
—Don’t you have much to say to His Highness?
—I think you're a mind reader. All right, let's go.
—I hear that a lot.
Linon followed her with a smile.
She couldn’t go through the window with the Grand Duke's chief aide in her company. However, she wasn't willing to appear weak in front of Linon, who wasn't even close to her.
“What do I do if I feel uncomfortable seeing Kalis?”
She wanted Kalis to be away from the room, but...
—Seria!
As expected, he was still waiting in front of her room.
Standing in front of the door with his arms crossed and a hard look on his face, he walked past her and headed towards Linon, who walked beside her. Kalis's face quickly cooled.
—What's going on here?
Linon seemed puzzled.
—What do you mean? Isn't it a knight's duty to accompany a lady?
—That's enough. I’ll escort her from here.
—Oh, Marquis. Sorry, but I can't do that.
—Why not?
—It's a world where people would fight if they took their partners at the ball. I can't fight the Marquis, right?
—…..
Kalis, who understood Linon's words, his face hardened.
Linon wasn't a knight. In other words, he couldn't duel on par with Kalis, who was knighted. Instead, if there were a duel, Lesche would have to fight on behalf of Linon.
Wouldn't that be a devil's gift?
It was Linon's talent to make ridiculous logic seem to make sense. Even so, if Kalis were a sane aristocrat, he should resign at this point.
—If that's the condition to escort Seria, I'm willing to comply.
—Marquis? Are you serious?
—Do I look ready for a duel now?
Kalis's voice contained irresistible nervousness. It must be directed at Seria. In fact, he kept looking at her.
It wasn't even funny. However, she decided not to pay attention to it.
—Wait here, Linon.
—Seri-...
—I need to change my clothes.
Kalis took a step back without speaking further. And Linon bowed his head.
—I will do as you wish, my lady.
She entered without looking back, then pulled the cord and called the maids.
After quickly putting on a comfortable inner dress with a cape, she seriously thought about going out the window once more. However, her arms hurt, so she opened the door and went out.
—Seria, let's walk together. Let's talk.
Kalis stood in front of her as if he had been waiting.
