Hello, Readers! I am celebrating my birthday with extra chapter updates, so please enjoy this special chapter release of 4 bonus chapters! 🥳

(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 3/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before my Birthday: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

Merrien, having finished her preparations, carefully took a step while holding her dress hem.

With the maid Rica’s support, she was trying not to fall in her high-heeled shoes that she hadn’t worn in a long time.

“Saint… You’re truly so beautiful.”

“Haha. Thank you, Rica.”

Rica, seemingly tireless, would exclaim in admiration like a pressed button whenever their eyes met.

‘I’ll let it slide just this once.’

After being sulky earlier about feeling betrayed, Merrien immediately perked up.

Although Rica was the most devoted maid to Merrien, this was the first time she’d given such a nostalgic and sparkling gaze, as if a parent watching their grown child, so it didn’t seem like empty words.

Merrien, who had been fidgeting under the maids’ endless shower of compliments since leaving her room, now responded quite naturally.

And for good reason.

“…Why am I so pretty?”

She couldn’t help but admire herself when the maids told her to confidently check herself in the mirror after finishing her preparations.

The elegant sky-blue dress emphasized her waistline while featuring frills at the hem that added a touch of cuteness.

Her pink hair, which she sometimes found annoying for being too curly, was beautifully styled and matched perfectly with the dress’s frills.

‘The dress color seems similar to Ariel’s eyes.’

She was even getting pleased with herself, getting carried away with such thoughts.

But as she walked carefully, her eyes suddenly caught sight of Ariel.

“…!”

Having apparently finished his preparations, Ariel was waiting in front of the carriage bearing the House Hartez crest.

His expression was somewhat displeased, likely thinking about what had happened in the early dawn, but Merrien didn’t even notice this.

She hurriedly covered her gaping mouth.

‘I can’t let my makeup get ruined after putting in so much effort.’

Ariel was wearing a sky-blue suit that matched Merrien’s dress deliberately, and it complemented his blue eyes perfectly.

When she stopped halfway up the stairs as if broken, he turned his head sensing her presence.

In the end, the number of broken people increased by one.

Ariel gazed up at her blankly.

If even the maids had praised her endlessly, how beautiful must she have looked in his eyes?

[♥ 140]

[♥ 143]

[♥ 145]

Ariel smiled broadly, completely forgetting that he should avoid Merrien’s gaze when his heart rate jumped.

Fortunately, Merrien was too busy hiding her own wildly beating heart to notice this.

Ariel was the first to regain his senses.

He strode over to Merrien, who was still standing there dazed, and extended his hand.

“Let’s go.”

Merrien almost blurted out “I like you” at his suddenly close smile, but managed to hold back.

It was fortunate she was still covering her mouth.

However, she couldn’t prevent her cheeks from turning red.

She placed her uncovered hand on his, trying not to show it was trembling. But amusingly, Ariel’s hand was shaking too.

Moreover, despite having come up the stairs himself to offer escort, once she placed her hand on his, he walked looking straight ahead without even glancing at her.

Unable to hold back anymore, Merrien spoke up.

“…Why are you trembling?”

“Because you’re pretty.”

Ah, she shouldn’t have asked. The response was a direct hit.

“…You, you look handsome too.”

Though it was surely meant as a joke, Merrien lowered her head and conveyed her sincere feelings.

Even if she couldn’t confess, she couldn’t hide at least these words.

She absolutely couldn’t bring herself to look at Ariel’s face.

For some reason, no playful joke came back from Ariel.

They headed to the carriage in silence. That awkwardness lasted longer than expected.

***

The carriage bearing the House Hartez crest arrived in front of the imperial banquet hall.

As soon as the carriage door opened, Ariel jumped out as if he’d been waiting and offered his hand for escort.

Now Merrien naturally placed her hand on his.

“……”

“……”

But surprisingly, they hadn’t exchanged a single word since being in the carriage.

The guard knight returned to the carriage with just a bow, sensing the strange atmosphere between the two.

Fortunately or unfortunately, not even passing servants, let alone nobles, could be seen until the two reached the entrance of the banquet hall.

Thus, they showed their invitations to the guard who blocked their path at the entrance.

Although Ariel had burned his invitation right after receiving it from Forcite, he had magically restored it under Merrien’s pressure.

“…D-Duke Hartez and Saint Merrien are entering!”

When the guard, unable to hide his surprise after checking their invitations, opened the door.

The hall, which had been buzzing loud enough to be heard outside, fell silent in an instant.

Even though the large banquet hall doors weren’t fully open yet, the noble ladies and young ladies visible through the gap were openly staring this way while hiding their faces behind fans.

Merrien unconsciously swallowed as dozens of gazes suddenly fixed on her.

‘…So that’s why there was no one outside the banquet hall.’

Though they weren’t even late. The nobles had already arrived inside to observe the two.

It wasn’t just imagination – gazes stuck to them with each step they took.

Merrien had to fight not to shiver as goosebumps covered her entire body.

The owners of those persistent gazes were struck speechless upon finally seeing Duke Hartez, whom they had only heard about in rumors.

After all, they hadn’t expected him to possess such beautiful features.

He appeared too confident and full of smiles to be considered sickly.

Before the nobles could even finish forming their impressions of Duke Hartez, their gazes shifted to the woman entering while holding his hand.

Merrien, who until a few months ago had been the empire’s only Saint. Any high-ranking noble or wealthy aristocrat had likely visited the temple at least once to see her.

Back then, she had worn worn-out holy robes, but now, how well she must have been treated at the Hartez mansion.

Her face, though beautiful before but unattractively thin, had filled out pleasantly.

…The issue was that these two were wearing coordinated outfits and accessories as if openly declaring ‘we’re dating.’

The hall, which had been quiet for a while, began to grow increasingly noisy after the two walked to the center.

“…It seems those rumors were true.”

“No wonder the Duke’s condition has improved.”

“Then what about His Highness the Second Prince…?”

What…?

“Don’t mind them, Merri.”

“Ah, okay.”

Though she hadn’t intended to listen. Merrien realized she had already been tuning in to the voices that had lodged themselves in her ears.

Looking up at Ariel, who had been pretending to smile for who knows how long, she tried to ignore the sounds she was hearing.

Before long, a group of young ladies who had been whispering the loudest, as if wanting to be heard, kept staring until they finally couldn’t resist approaching.

The one who appeared to be their representative stepped forward and curtsied.

“Duke Hartez, it’s a pleasure to meet you. And Saint, it’s been a while.”

This confident young lady. Looking at her bright yellow crown, Merrien vaguely recalled the name of this annoying young lady who frequently visited the temple.

“It’s such a shame that the High Priest couldn’t attend the banquet, being busy working for the temple’s sake.”

Whether aware of this or not, the cunning young lady placed her hand on her cheek and made a regretful expression.

Not just this young lady, but the other young ladies who had hesitantly approached also began glancing at Ariel and blushing.

‘…Why are they blushing?’

Unlike them, Merrien’s face almost turned grim.

Though she quickly remembered this was the imperial banquet hall and forced a smile.

“Yes, it’s been a while, Lady Marist. I’m not sure about the High Priest either, as it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen his face.”

“…My, you remember me, Saint.”

When Merrien actually remembered her name, Baroness Marist fluttered her fan as if surprised.

“Of course. You visited the temple frequently.”

‘While using me as an emotional dump about your constantly changing boyfriends and paying the High Priest for it.’

She couldn’t understand how this person had the nerve to come to greet her.

Merrien mouthed ‘boyfriends’ so that only she could see.