64. Full Moon

It wasn’t just the Crown Prince and Rosia who arrived at the mansion without warning. Felicia, bewildered by Rosia’s words, looked out the window at the sudden commotion and saw carriages overflowing in front of the mansion, all adorned with the symbols of Veone. There was no intention to hide the fact that a major event was about to occur at the mansion, and Felicia, wanting an explanation, glanced urgently at Rosia, but Rosia only shrugged.

“Your Highness.”

“Oh, Lady Edita.”

“I’ll bring in the dresses.”

“Say hello, Pia. Edita of the Isoldi Baron family. This is my younger sister, Felicia.”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Felicia.”

“I’m often indebted to your sister. It’s a pleasure, Lady Edita.”

Her hair was the familiar dark hue, but Edita’s eyes were a deep green, not bright brown. Unlike the lively and energetic Sejio, Edita was calm and almost expressionless, greeting with impeccable formality. Felicia hurried to imitate her, but only managed the meaning of the greeting, unable to match her perfect manners.

“It’s an honor to serve the Crown Princess.”

“I’m not yet.”

“Once the moon sets, you won’t be able to say that anymore, so say it all you want now.”

Even as Rosia showed her temper, Edita responded calmly and began helping those entering the room lay out the dresses she had brought. Felicia watched her with interest, sitting beside Rosia and gently teasing her.

“Serve? You, Sister?”

“…….”

“You said it was bothersome and lived your whole life without a personal maid, only working poor Marie to the bone. You really picked well, huh?”

“I didn’t pick.”

“Hm?”

“I asked His Highness if I could serve her.”

At Edita’s words, Rosia let her body relax and leaned back carelessly on Felicia’s bed, recalling the day she first met her. After days of lifelessly choosing from the people Verdick sent to select, Edita appeared without dazzling jewels or fancy clothes, saying she’d come to serve Rosia. Isoldi wasn’t a family Akuris would cast out, but because they never involved themselves in politics, Rosia had to think carefully.

“I rushed preparations, so there may be shortcomings.”

“In Isoldi, the standard for shortcomings must be quite different.”

“Will you choose the Count’s outfit yourself?”

As Edita approached and looked over the dresses, her gaze and touch suddenly paused. Felicia, anxious to fill the silence, laughed awkwardly and exaggerated her voice. Rosia, noticing, signaled to Marie that she should pick her own dress.

“But why the rush?”

“It’s not a rush. It’s just time.”

“I thought the wedding would be held in autumn.”

“I don’t think autumn will come.”

“…….”

“You really like cloud-colored things.”

The bed creaked as Rosia let go of the edge she’d been pressing. Rosia watched Felicia, who lingered near the dresses with white-tinged colors, and began to rummage through them with a blank expression. Colors not quite their own, diluted like water, reflected off white clouds—subtle, pale shades. They were Felicia-like colors, but Rosia tilted her head to the left, then turned toward the door and spoke.

“It doesn’t seem right for the Lord.”

They were impatient people. Had something possessed them in Yulzante? Even as Felicia heard hesitant footsteps at Rosia’s words, she didn’t turn her head, only fiddling with the dresses. She needed time, but too many people were interfering. No clever plan to hold back that cowardly Count Viamel, no courage to settle Storia—nothing was ready, yet everything seemed to push Felicia toward Yuan.

“This urgent matter…”

“What could be more urgent than this?”

“…….”

“I can tolerate anything but that outfit, the one that looks like it’s for a funeral.”

“Ha…”

“Does the Lord sigh even when his superior calls?”

“Have I ever once not obeyed the Lord’s decisions?”

Felicia’s stubborn feet didn’t move, even though she pretended not to want to see him and refused to turn around. His hesitation outside the door felt so unfair, as if this room wasn’t allowed to her. On top of that, Rosia and he were speaking words Felicia couldn’t understand, which annoyed her. Felicia pursed her lips several times, then impulsively grabbed a dress she hadn’t looked at.

“Made from the same fabric, this would suit the Count well.”

Edita understood everything without a word and gestured to several maids. Her words halted the back-and-forth between Yuan and Rosia, and Felicia released her grip. With a soft sound, a pale blue-gray dress fluttered into Marie’s hands, and the room full of dresses and accessories was quickly tidied. Even as Rosia and Edita left to give her time to prepare, Felicia didn’t turn around, and Yuan didn’t take a single step into her room.

＊＊＊

“It’s nerve-wracking.”

The large full moon shone brightly, as if it would fill the whole sky. There were many reasons for this rushed and secretive wedding. The Empress was desperate to tie Akuris to the Midoria Empire, so the biggest reason was to prevent the engagement from being broken before things got worse. The second reason was that, if the Crown Prince went to war, it was better to marry now in case he didn’t return alive. The third was that, should Akuris be cornered, the Crown Princess’s power would be needed. The fourth reason—

“Isn’t that right?”

The Crown Prince, unable to resist, smiled slyly as he placed Rosia’s gloved hand over his heart. The rushed decoration of the mansion’s ballroom as a wedding hall took time, but Rosia couldn’t understand why she’d been put in the same room as Verdick. Rosia, unable to smooth her frown, pulled her hand out of Verdick’s grasp.

“It’s a good day, you should smile.”

“Ha.”

She could only respond with a weary sigh. She knew better than anyone that no one would remember this as a happy day, yet Verdick, smiling as he put her glove back on, annoyed her to death. Like Felicia said, Rosia had dreamed of crossing the great sea to another continent. But for the sake of Akuris, for a little more power—today was the day she abandoned her dream and sold herself to the enemy. There was no way this could be a good day.

“The war could break out any minute, yet you speak so lightly, Your Highness.”

“Even in bad times, finding someone to spend your life with is a blessing.”

“How can I…”

Before Rosia could finish her outburst, she bit her lip to stop herself. Her glove was gently put back on, but Verdick showed no intention of letting go. He knelt before her, wrinkling her dress, looking up as if curious about her unfinished words. In the warmth and familiarity of her mansion, Rosia thought of the altar she’d seen in the temple. She felt guilty, as if she were taking the only thing from a child who had nothing.

“Please stand. Your clothes will be ruined.”

“Don’t you think you’re lucky?”

“This marriage?”

“That your forced choice of spouse isn’t so bad after all.”

“…….”

“He’s not hostile to your family, his name is well-placed.”

“…….”

“He’s not entirely without affection for you.”

As soon as Verdick finished, Rosia stood so abruptly she nearly knocked over her chair and passed him. He watched her calmly, but Rosia could not face him calmly at all. Edita’s ambition wrapped around Rosia’s waist, making every step heavy. She’d been told not to leave until the ceremony started, but she couldn’t stay in the same room with Verdick any longer.

“You have to stay together until the ceremony.”

“…….”

“If you leave, the goddess of marriage will be angry.”

It was a ridiculous superstition. If you separate from your partner before the wedding, it’s considered defying the goddess who brought you together, and she’ll curse your remaining life. Most people in the world have forgotten gods and goddesses, yet the Crown Prince of the Empire spoke of such things. As Rosia grabbed the doorknob, Verdick’s hand pressed against the door to keep it shut.

“In some distant continent, they don’t let the couple see each other’s faces before the ceremony.”

“This is Veone.”

“…….”

“If we followed that continent’s custom, you’d have too much good luck.”

Despite his gentle voice, something seemed to irritate him. His rough hand, covered with calluses and veins, clenched so tightly it turned white. Rosia didn’t turn to face Verdick, nor did she try to open the door. She simply thought he was right. If she’d followed those customs, she might have run away. She might have begged someone who looked like her to take her place. Or, after seeing Grace’s ghost in her dream last night, she might have gone mad.

“It started without love, but I thought maybe now I could be a little honest.”

“Please step aside. I’m uncomfortable.”

“I made the first move, so you should try being brave too.”

“Don’t you see I’m already being brave?”

“I don’t see your courage.”

“This place, these clothes, Your Highness, your palace where I’ll be trapped—”

“…….”

“These are my courage, Your Highness.”

Verdick’s mocking breath touched the back of her neck. She tasted blood from biting her lip so hard. When Rosia let go of the doorknob, the door trembled slightly. Even as her face drew close to Verdick’s, he didn’t move away from either her or the door. If Rosia lifted her head a little, or Verdick lowered his, their lips would meet.

“You may have lovers, or people who make you happy in secret.”

“Rosia.”

“I don’t intend to be a Crown Princess desperate for Your Highness’s love.”

“…….”

“So I don’t care who you hold in your heart.”

“…….”

“You can stop this kind of teasing now…”

Earlier, Rosia had closed her lips to suppress her anger, but now, as Verdick gently leaned in, she opened her mouth but could not finish her sentence. Verdick lifted Rosia’s head, and as he lowered his own, their lips met easily. Unlike the sweet kisses of imagined lovers, neither of them closed their eyes or savored the kiss. Rosia did not resist his weak grip or push him away, and though it felt pitiful, that wasn’t what made her heart ache.

“Then I’ll be the one to hang myself.”

The deep kiss made a wet sound between their lips. When Verdick let go of the door, it vibrated behind Rosia’s back. Verdick walked to the window without hesitation, and Rosia saw his back for the first time. The emotion she saw in Verdick’s eyes made her heart ache all over again, and his back seemed to press down on her breath. Everything was a mess before a wedding meant to last a lifetime, and the tension was so thick anyone could have run away. But neither Rosia nor Verdick angered the goddess of marriage.