#17. A Spark of Suspicion

Lloyd and Kate’s wedding day arrived. Unlike the dragging pace of the marriage proposal request, wedding preparations proceeded at lightning speed after Kate’s pregnancy was revealed. The date was set to allow time for nobles from the provinces to reach the capital, and the palace bustled with preparations until the very last minute.

The Empress insisted that since Aidan’s wedding had been grand and magnificent due to the Hewitt ducal family’s involvement, the wedding of Lloyd, also a prince, should be no less impressive. As a result, the ministers and servants who were preparing the wedding barely got enough sleep.

The palace’s grand hall was decorated with gold and jewels everywhere. Even the chandeliers were replaced with new crystals, making them sparkle more than ever. On the surface, it appeared even more splendid than Aidan’s wedding.

“I wonder if this is appropriate.”

Some noble ladies invited to the wedding secretly clicked their tongues at the extravagance. Everyone in noble society knew about Lloyd and Kate’s situation. Many traditionalists disapproved, saying there was nothing to celebrate about a marriage forced by an unplanned pregnancy without proper courtship.

“His Highness Prince Aidan and Her Highness the Consort have arrived.”

Everyone bowed to welcome them at the entrance announcement.

“Ah…!”

As they straightened up, they couldn’t help but gasp at the sight of the couple. While Aidan looked more handsome than ever in his blue uniform, Karina beside him looked like a fairy who stepped out of a painting. Her sky-blue dress revealed her shoulders with puffy sheer sleeves, and though it had minimal decorations, it flowed like water with her every step. The darker blue flowers adorning the bottom of the skirt seemed ready to release their fresh fragrance.

“She’s so beautiful… Beyond words really.”

Everyone unconsciously nodded at someone’s murmur. Though the dress lacked jewels or elaborate decorations, they couldn’t take their eyes off her. It reflected Karina’s calm personality while maintaining elegance. It was the most beautiful dress they had ever seen, and Karina wore it perfectly.

“Everyone can’t take their eyes off you, as expected.”

Aidan agreed with people’s reactions as he held her hand and walked. He too had lost himself for a moment when he first saw Karina in this dress in the corridor. While the dress she wore to the Hewitt ducal family’s party had been grand and magnificent, this dress was understated but suited Karina so well that he thought a real goddess was approaching.

He had never lost himself looking at any woman before. Even when seeing famous beautiful actresses, he had simply acknowledged their beauty and moved on. But with Karina, he finally understood what it meant to be mesmerized.

‘Your Highness, are you perhaps interested in men? How can you not feel anything seeing such a beautiful woman?’

He remembered smirking at a subordinate’s comment once, but now he could properly deny it. It wasn’t that he preferred men — he had simply never met anyone who made his heart flutter until now.

“Do I stand out that much?”

Karina asked seriously, conscious of people’s reactions.

“Definitely.”

Unable to deny it, Aidan answered honestly.

“That’s troublesome. It wasn’t my intention.”

Karina’s face grew more serious. She worried about causing problems at someone else’s wedding.

“You stand out naturally, regardless of what you wear.”

Aidan smiled and interlaced his fingers with hers. It would have been the same no matter what Karina wore. In fact, at the reception after their wedding, everyone couldn’t take their eyes off her even when she wore a simple white dress.

“The face completes the fashion, you know.”

“What do you mean…”

“Don’t worry. You’re not the only one catching attention.”

As much attention as Karina received, many gazes also lingered on Aidan. He didn’t pale in comparison even when he stood next to Karina, who looked like she stepped out of a fairy tale. His dark blue uniform, matching the color of her dress, emphasized his features even more.

Understanding Aidan’s words, Karina swallowed a small sigh. It wasn’t comforting that they weren’t the only ones standing out. Today’s protagonists weren’t them, so she hadn’t wanted to draw attention, but she couldn’t overcome the dressmaker’s insistence that the dress couldn’t be any simpler.

The Emperor and Empress arrived next. The Empress too was dressed extravagantly befitting her son’s wedding. Her dress and crown were more splendid than ever, making Karina’s concerns seem needless. Thanks to this, the attention on Karina dispersed to the Empress.

After the Emperor and Empress took their seats, the wedding began. The officiating minister announced the entrance of Lloyd and the new princess consort, Kate Spencer, and soon, the palace musicians began playing beautiful music. As music filled the hall, Lloyd and Kate stood side by side at the end. When Lloyd took Kate’s hand and moved forward, Kate slowly matched his pace.

“Ah…!”

A low gasp rose from the crowd. Though they quickly closed their mouths watching others’ reactions, most shared similar feelings. They all watched Lloyd and Kate, today’s protagonists. Attention particularly focused on Kate Spencer’s dress.

Having just admired Karina’s dress, everyone eagerly anticipated what dress Kate would wear. Though they hadn’t intended to compare, the dress chosen by a woman ascending to princess consort position first showed her dignity.

Kate’s dress was covered in large jewels everywhere. The jewels sparkled in the light with her every movement. Large teardrop-shaped jewels adorned not only the skirt but also the center of her chest. With so many jewels, the dress looked heavy.

Too much extravagance could become poison, and Kate had failed to find the right balance. Some high-ranking noble ladies openly frowned.

“The dress is wearing the person rather than the person wearing the dress.”

Aidan muttered to himself. Though it was meant as a private comment, it was loud enough that Karina jabbed his side. It seemed likely that not only she but nearby nobles and the imperial couple had heard it.

Though Karina scolded Aidan, even to her eyes, Kate’s dress seemed excessive. Even if you consider that she was today’s protagonist, the cost of so many jewels on one dress must have been astronomical. The dressmaker who prepared so many jewels in such a short time deserved respect.

She had heard Kate asked the palace dressmaker for the most extravagant dress possible, but this was beyond expectation. It would have been better if either the Empress or Lloyd had provided guidance on appropriate limits, but apparently, no one had advised her.

‘All actions and attitudes of the imperial family will be examples for the nobility. Therefore, you must maintain dignity but never show wastefulness.’

Duke Hewitt had warned Karina about extravagance above all before her marriage to Aidan. He said she should be especially careful about unnecessary waste since she would live without want in the palace, as that would set an example for nobles and commoners.

Unfortunately, the Spencer family apparently hadn’t provided such guidance. Perhaps they had chosen extravagance as a reaction to their recent poor financial situation.

“The groom’s face is souring.”

Aidan added another comment as he watched Lloyd escorting Kate before the Emperor and Empress. Only then did Karina look at Lloyd’s face. As Aidan said, it was not only stiff but occasionally grimacing. His whole body showed his displeasure with this marriage.

“Your Highness wasn’t much different.”

She replied quietly enough for only Aidan to hear. That was before his soul changed, so Aidan too had been unwilling about marrying Karina and maintained a stern expression throughout their wedding.

“True. I wonder why. Despite having the most beautiful person in the world as my bride.”

His response, like he was talking about someone else, almost made her laugh. She barely contained it to just a slight twitch of her lips.

It really was someone else’s story to Aidan.

“I wish this had happened before I married you. You must have been more beautiful than anyone at our wedding.”

Aidan expressed genuine regret. Again, Karina only quietly exhaled while looking down.

The most beautiful bride in Griffith Empire’s history.

That was the praise Karina received on her wedding day. But what good was being the most beautiful? Karina became the first princess consort in Griffith Empire’s history to be stood up on her wedding night.

The worst wedding she never wanted to experience again. That’s how Karina remembered her own wedding.

Perhaps that’s why watching Lloyd and Kate’s wedding stirred complex emotions. She felt slight, very slight sympathy for Lloyd and Kate who had to go through an unwanted wedding. If Aidan’s soul hadn’t changed, she would have been in a similar situation.

Now though…

When she unconsciously turned to look at Aidan, he immediately turned to meet her eyes. A gentle smile naturally spread across his face. His eyes gazing at Karina were infinitely tender. Anyone could see, even Karina could feel, how much this man treasured her.

Thanks to this man, everything had changed. The horrible three years of marriage had taken a completely different direction.

“I wish you wouldn’t look at me like that.”

As she stiffened her face and tried to turn away, wondering how long he had been staring, Aidan leaned in and brought his lips to her ear.

“You’re so beautiful today that my heart races even when you’re still. When you stare at me like that, it tests my self-control.”

It took a moment to understand his meaning. After giving him a slight glare for his frivolous words, she turned away, but somehow her nape and cheeks felt hot. Watching her slightly reddened profile, Aidan kissed her cheek with a mischievous smile, as if he couldn’t handle how pretty she was. As always, he paid no attention to other people’s gazes.

The ministers and servants took Aidan’s sudden display of affection in stride. Since he regularly showed his affection for Karina without restraint, such scenes had become too familiar to them.

The nobles who had only heard rumors about Prince Aidan’s deep affection for Princess Consort Karina watched the couple with curiosity. Even to them, Aidan’s inability to take his eyes off Karina while wearing a gentle smile was refreshing. Since imperial family members usually had political marriages, it was rare to see a prince looking at his consort with such obvious adoration.

Lloyd noticed Aidan and Karina while walking hand in hand with Kate. His gaze naturally fixed on Karina. She looked even more beautiful than usual today. The sky-blue dress suited her perfectly. Compared to her, Kate beside him seemed to be merely trying to hide her plainness behind numerous jewels.

Why couldn’t that woman be mine? Why did I have to lose her to someone like Aidan? If only Karina had chosen me, everything would have gone smoothly.

It was all because of Aidan. That man’s very existence was a nuisance to him.

Lloyd failed to notice, as he was too fixated on Karina, that Kate’s troubled gaze was directed at him.

*