The small spark ignited in Clareta’s heart soon spread uncontrollably.

A dangerous fire blazed in her eyes.

‘Let’s see if you can stop this too.’

Clareta approached a young lady who was absentmindedly admiring the ceremony hall and whispered quietly in her ear.

“Did you know? Eve Hesse, who was adopted, actually used to live in the slums.”

“What?!”

The impressionable young lady couldn’t help but listen to her words.

“What did you say? Is that true?”

The young lady, excited by this new stimulation, asked Clareta again.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

Other young ladies gathered nearby focused on them, wondering what was happening.

“Well, Duke Archild is in quite a pitiful situation.”

“Why? Please tell us why!”

“The person becoming Duke Archild’s bride, you see… they say she isn’t pure.”

“Oh my, oh my.”

Speaking a bit louder so others would hear, her words spread well, and the young ladies in nearby seats began to whisper among themselves.

Although it was done in a fit of anger, the situation seemed to be progressing as she had hoped.

Even the refined noble ladies who had been pretending not to care were now fanning themselves and getting heated after hearing this news.

The story Clareta spread continued to move from one seat to the next, and then to the next, leading to openly disrespectful conversations about Eve.

As the hall became more restless, Clareta raised the corners of her mouth and gathered even more public opinion.

The unsettled atmosphere soon turned into chaos.

The large doors of the ceremony hall opened, and the priest who entered went up to the platform.

“On behalf of both families, I sincerely thank all of you for attending despite your busy schedules.”

No one seemed to be paying attention to the priest’s words.

“So does Duke Archild know this fact?”

“I’m sure he doesn’t!”

“Oh my, oh my, goodness.”

“How did she end up in such a place…”

“So, is that why they decorated the ceremony hall this way? Maybe it’s meant to absolve her of past sins or something like that.”

“Oh, that makes sense. It seems highly likely that’s the case.”

The gossip that intrigued everyone was exaggerated more and more.

They seemed to have completely forgotten their initial admiration for the fantastical atmosphere of the ceremony hall.

“Now, I will proceed with the wedding ceremony of Lord Medric Archild and Lady Eve Hesse.”

With the entrance of the bride and groom imminent, such disorder was troubling. The priest tried speaking louder than before, but it was not enough.

Their malicious gossip was loud enough to be heard outside the ceremony hall. Eve, waiting outside, could hardly breathe.

‘Good heavens. What did I just hear?’

Eve couldn’t believe her ears. No matter how humble her status might be, she never expected such open slander.

And at a wedding ceremony that should be blessed!

Eve didn’t have the confidence to enter such a chaotic ceremony hall.

Unable to hide her bewilderment, she turned her head to look at Medric.

Medric was frowning, clearly showing his displeasure. But that was all. He didn’t move from his spot.

And he seemed to be waiting for something…

“What is this commotion at a sacred wedding ceremony!”

The hall suddenly fell silent at the stern voice of a stranger.

Eve couldn’t see what was happening inside because of the firmly closed doors.

Marie, who had been checking the situation, ran over to Eve and explained.

“Crown Prince Glishakov Habsburg has arrived.”

Eve’s eyes widened at Marie’s news.

The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Ptotr. Glishakov Habsburg.

In fact, the appearance of the Crown Prince was somewhat expected.

The Archild family, holding the oldest ducal title in the Kingdom of Ptotr, had made numerous contributions to Ptotr.

Because of this, the King of Ptotr trusted and supported Duke Archild greatly, and to maintain friendly relations, there had been an attempt to make the Second Princess Juliana, who was about 10 years younger, Medric’s fiancée.

Even if the King himself couldn’t attend, the Crown Prince’s attendance was a natural progression.

“What is this at the ceremony of Duke Archild, who should be receiving the most congratulations!”

The voice of the Crown Prince, clearly angry, resonated throughout the ceremony hall.

“I knew he wouldn’t tolerate hearing such talk, but he’s angrier than I expected.”

Medric said with a bitter expression.

With the appearance of the Crown Prince and his scolding, the ceremony hall became as quiet as if a mouse had died.

Those who had been gossiping about Eve cleared their throats and rolled their eyes around to avoid meeting the Crown Prince’s gaze. Making eye contact with the Crown Prince now and getting caught on the wrong foot would only lead to trouble.

“Due to state affairs, I arrived late and intended to watch the ceremony quietly. Today’s protagonists are Duke Archild and Eve Hesse, who will become his duchess.”

The Crown Prince continued angrily.

“What I just witnessed makes me ashamed that it happened in Ptotr. It’s so shameful I couldn’t even report it to His Majesty the King. You should be ashamed of yourselves!”

After glaring around for a while, the Crown Prince went to his prepared seat and sat down.

At the Crown Prince’s gesture, the priest stuttered and resumed the ceremony.

“Th-then, I will now proceed with the wedding ceremony of Lord Medric Archild and Lady Eve Hesse.”

The majestic orchestra began to play. Numerous instruments created a single sound before separating again to produce their individual sounds. The lively yet grand melody filled the ceremony hall. As it reached its highlight, the large doors at the back of the hall opened.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the doors.

Medric and Eve appeared in front of the large doors.

Even the nobles who had been criticizing them couldn’t speak for a moment, as if entranced.

Medric, wearing a perfectly fitted dark suit with his hair swept back, looked like a sculpture.

His distinct features, formed by strong lines, seemed even more prominent today.

Eve, who entered with her hand gently placed on his strong, firm arm, looked like a pure and elegant flower.

Her silver-white dress, perfectly fitted to her body, fell abundantly from the waist down, making her well-proportioned figure look even better.

By coordinating her hair ornaments, earrings, and dress decorations with pearls, she achieved an elegant look without being excessive.

Everyone in the ceremony hall was captivated.

The entrance of the bride and groom was powerful enough to overturn the current social scene in an instant.

It was clear that everyone had completely forgotten what had happened just moments ago, as they watched the two enter in harmony with the orchestra’s performance.

The two standing in front of the platform were truly a perfect match.

The ceremony hall became solemn.

Even Clareta no longer showed the reckless behavior of opening her mouth.

“With this, I conclude the wedding ceremony of these two people under God’s blessing.”

Eve and Medric, standing face to face, placed the promised rings on each other’s hands.

Despite the commotion in the middle, the wedding ceremony ended safely.

‘Should I really consider this “safely”…?’

Facing prominent nobles after such a long time made her stomach churn. It was their characteristic and specialty to nitpick at small things and exaggerate them.

She had hoped not to become a subject of gossip, but things had turned out this way.

She couldn’t face Medric. If the Crown Prince hadn’t intervened, it might have become an even bigger issue. Eve shook her head to clear away these thoughts. The real reception was just beginning.

After the ceremony, the nobles moved to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall with its high ceiling exuded a majestic atmosphere just by looking at it. Upon entering, the fragrant scent of fresh flowers stimulated one’s sense of smell.

The nobles gathered in the hall marveled at how it looked as if the entire room had been transformed into a garden.

“Oh my.”

“Hmm, I can see they’ve put in some effort.”

“It’s a ducal wedding after all—anything less would be unacceptable.”

“Now that I see it, they’ve decorated the banquet hall so beautifully with all this greenery.”

The rich scent of fresh flowers alone improved the nobles’ opinions. Only one person, Clareta, was grinding her teeth at the sight.

Amidst the gentle sounds of the orchestra, the murmur of conversations blended in.

Wine, lemonade, tea, and coffee were prepared throughout the hall, accompanied by light refreshments. Footmen moved about busily, offering drinks to the nobles and bringing their desired beverages to their seats.

The delicious food and pleasant atmosphere soon helped those who had been stiff with tension to relax.

As the orchestra’s performance approached its climax…

“Duke Archild and the Duchess have arrived!”