I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Aidan’s hand slowly approached Brody.

In his hand, the glacier crystal bracelet that Brody had received in advance was dangling. It was a somewhat redundant process to receive something she already had, but still.

Swish. As Aidan’s hand lightly brushed against Brody’s, she could feel genuine warmth. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but his fingertips seemed to tremble slightly.

The area he touched sent shivers down her spine, making her whole body tingle. She felt fortunate that their wedding attire was suitable for the winter.

With a soft rustle, after the bracelet settled on her arm, Brody could finally exhale.

Now it was Brody’s turn.

For the vow exchange, she held up her arm with the emerald jewel, the Gem Fior.

“It seemed like the bracelet might be uncomfortable, so I tried making it into a necklace.”

In response to her words, Aidan inclined his upper body.

As their faces came close, Brody’s forehead lightly brushed against his cheek. His clean and fragrant scent, along with his warmer body temperature compared to hers, made Brody feel lightheaded.

Her touch on his neck, passing through his hair like a gentle caress, trembled with a subtle tension.

Perhaps he was also feeling a bit… just a bit excited about this fake wedding ceremony.

Thinking about how they blushed when they first met in their wedding attire, it seemed inevitable.

The shy yet passionate vow exchange concluded.

Looking at the incomplete craftsmanship of the Gem Fior hanging on Aidan’s neck, Brody commented, “I rushed to a craftsman to finish it hastily. I promise to make it properly next time.”

She was a bit disappointed with the rough form—attached to the gem was a gold ring on a simple leather cord.

Smiling somewhat sheepishly, Aidan responded, “This is enough.”

“…!”

Brody’s face turned as red as wine, watching him. But she wasn’t the only one blushing; the guests were also surprised, blushing along with her.

Especially Mrs. Murphy and Teddy.

‘Love really changes people.’

Even the Ice Duke, who had a never-melting ice-like demeanor!

‘Well, considering how he was willing to go after her and even defy the North, I guess I’ve said enough.’

Until recently, they thought that Aidan had brought her solely for strategic reasons under an agreement with River.

But looking at them today…

‘Maybe it’s just love.’ That thought crossed their minds.

Ignoring the struggles of the guests who had to witness the overflowing love, the wedding ceremony concluded smoothly.

Contrary to Ratua’s worries, he conducted the ceremony skillfully.

Using his authority as an officiant, Aidan, along with the signatures of Mrs. Murphy and Teddy as witnesses, engraved their seals on the marriage vow, marking the end of the ceremony.

‘So this is how it’s done.’

Brody admired the sparkling emblem on the marriage vow, shining brightly on its own.

“Now, let’s change into our party clothes and head to the banquet hall.”

Thinking they had sufficiently enjoyed the aftermath of the wedding ceremony, Teddy announced the next schedule, clapping his hands.

It was a secret wedding, but apparently there was a banquet prepared.

Yes, the ongoing banquet was, in fact, a ‘Brody’s Welcome Party.’

They had planned it as a surprise even before entering the fortress, and they hoped to pull it off perfectly if not for the chaos in front of the fortress on that day. They couldn’t refuse due to the persuasive power of the Northerners.

“Although it’s called the Madam’s Welcome Party, let’s think of it as a secret celebration party for the wedding. The timing is perfect, isn’t it?”

People smiled, but Aidan still looked uncomfortable.

Probably for the same reason he said yesterday: not to get too deeply entangled with the northerners?

‘Your Grace, don’t worry too much. I’ll deal with the northerners in moderation, neither overly entangling them nor overly withdrawing from them.’

Brody offered Aidan a reassuring smile, but he still seemed worried.

‘Well, there’s nothing else I can do.’

Thinking so, she was about to go get ready when Adonia approached with a playful smile.

“Give me that, madam.”

It wasn’t hard to figure out the meaning of her request.

She was pointing to the ‘marriage vow.’

Brody felt bewildered, but Adonia kindly explained as he took the vow.

“Tonight, we’ll offer blessings during the gathering, and by the next morning, the confirmation will be completed. Only then will the officiant’s mark be added, and you’ll officially be recognized as a married couple.”

“….”

‘What? Blessings during the gathering? ’

‘Confirmation the next morning? ’

Brody stared helplessly at the marriage vow, which Aidan was about to take away, with a dumbfounded expression.

‘I had no idea.’

‘Original Brody’ didn’t know, so naturally, she couldn’t have known. She had only witnessed a ‘wedding ceremony,’ as she hadn’t been properly cared for in the duke’s residence. With no one to inform her, she thought the ceremony ended there.

‘This isn’t about the banquet.’

Brody’s mind began to spin.

❖ ❖ ❖

Around five in the afternoon,.

An early darkness had settled over the winter North.

The Grand Hall, located within the administrative building of Perdan Fortress, was brightly lit with candles, welcoming guests after a long time.

Though the security was said to be three times stricter than usual, Aidan still remained on edge.

It hadn’t been that long ago that the princess had been attacked in such a favorable manner.

“The fortress itself is so sturdy that Imperial people won’t easily cross over. Most of the Northern forces are still stationed here.”

Aidan nodded in agreement.

No matter how much power the princess had with the spirits, freely crossing this fortress would be challenging. Even if she were to come alone, Aidan had confidence that he could handle her strength.

Attempting to cross over alone would not be easy. Besides, fortunately, it seemed that the’magic’ required confirmation within a certain distance, not working unless visually confirmed.

Given that Brody was still within the fortress without any noticeable signs, it could be inferred that, at least for now, the princess and her party couldn’t cross.

However, in the end, Aidan attended the banquet with his sword sheathed.

Brody had changed out of her wedding attire into simpler clothes. She wore a white blouse with intricate gold embroidery on her snug-fitting blouse. Over it, she had a green velvet circlet and a sleeveless dress with an elegant line.

A golden shape adorned her head, sparkling subtly as it gently pressed against Brody’s forehead, allowing her hair to fall richly.

Looking at her, Teddy couldn’t help but repeatedly make clicking sounds with his fingers, “K”, “Kk, kkuu-” expressing his admiration.

He was proud that the clothes he had procured for her suited Brody so well.

Brody awkwardly smiled.

The atmosphere at the banquet was fantastic.

What a chance to see the ‘rumored Ice Duke’ and the ‘lucky goddess’ in person!

The residents of the fortress seemed eager to catch a glimpse, each attempting to peek in some way.

The seats for the Duke and Brody were arranged towards the front, facing the direction of the stage-like area in the hall.

Their table was piled high with unique dishes made entirely from potatoes.

‘Amazing. They must be really happy that potatoes were grown.’

Unfortunately, Brody couldn’t eat a single bite.

She had been too busy greeting the people who came to visit.

While Aidan might be used to it, Brody, being a novice noble, was certainly not.

The greetings were uniform.

“Thank you; it’s an honor to meet you, and…”

“Best wishes for the future of the North.”

Every time, it felt to Brody like Aidan was uncomfortable, but the guests didn’t seem to notice the discomfort behind the Duke’s stern expression.

‘Well, I’m not the type to stand out anyway. Maybe I’m worrying too much.’

It would have been tough if she had been too conspicuous, but keeping quiet and not drawing attention wasn’t difficult.

However, offering drinks as a sign of gratitude was a bit awkward.

‘Do I have to drink all of this? ‘

She had a talent for drinking. In her previous life, that is.

For some reason, her body didn’t get drunk, no matter how much she drank. Consequently, she gradually lost interest in drinking because there wasn’t much fun in it. Therefore, she didn’t see the need to spend money on drinks.

But in this life, it seemed that Brody’s body wasn’t like that.

‘Wow, is this the feeling of alcohol rising? ‘

She had drunk a few glasses, feeling light-headed, her face flushing.

The fruit-infused drink was sweet and delicious, making it easy to drink. Consequently, the more she drank, the stranger it felt, making her want to drink more.

“I’ll take the drink,” Brody said, even though she didn’t order them. Concerned, Aidan started to collect the glasses. Later, he mentioned that she could refuse, citing health reasons. However, Brody had already touched the glass, and now it was difficult to selectively drink.

“Your Grace, aren’t you drinking too much?”

“I’m fine.”

Aidan nodded with a composed expression. Fortunately, the alcohol seemed strong.

And so, the banquet progressed.

Aidan was his usual reticent self, and Brody didn’t say much, but it was a banquet full of excitement, as if the joy of a victory—not technically a victory, but a victory nonetheless—was about to burst forth.

“Shall we call it a night?”

“Huh? It’s not over yet….”

“The host needs to leave at an appropriate time.”

“Oh.”

Whether it was an excuse to get Brody inside quickly or genuine consideration for others, Aidan smoothly led her away from the gathering.

And then the moment arrived.

Their first night as a married couple.

Initially, she had been tense and continuously conscious, but whether due to the effects of alcohol or the fervor of the banquet, she had unconsciously forgotten…

Once they stepped out into the cold air after leaving the banquet hall, Brody suddenly regained her senses.

‘Uh, what should I do? ‘

Brody returned to the accommodations, glancing around nervously.

Two attendants were already waiting in front of the room.

“Summon us when you’re ready.”

After confirming that Aidan and Brody had entered, the attendants left, leaving the couple in the room.

‘Ready for what, exactly…’

Not knowing what to do, Brody clasped her hands together, fidgeting as she waited for Aidan to make a move.

Inside the dimly lit room, two candlesticks with three candles each stood quietly, slicing through the night with their silent dance.

The wood fire in the fireplace burned vigorously, crackling and dancing as if Brody was worried about getting cold.

A faint frost clung to the small window, enveloping the room in a more intimate atmosphere.

Aidan, covering his face with one hand, massaged his temples for a moment, then walked towards the bed.

Laid out neatly on the mat were simple clothes known as chemises, worn as nightwear.

Among them, Aidan handed Brody the smallest size.

‘Should I change into this? ‘

Turning around to remove her outer garment, Brody struggled to untie the laces behind her back. She managed to remove the shirt, but the fastening of the blouse on her back proved tricky.

After nudging and fidgeting with no success, Brody finally called for Aidan.

“Your Grace, I…”

When Brody called, Aidan, who had changed into his attire, turned towards her. Brody approached him, and as she turned, Aidan saw her struggling with the laces.

“Do you need help with this?”

She flipped back her rich hair and gathered it in front of her; the even line of her back and the slender curve of her neck became visible.

The lace of the blouse, tangled by Brody in her clumsy attempts, hung in disarray.

Aidan reached out, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

His thick, firm fingers carefully moved. As the knots loosened, a soft rustling sound filled the quiet air, cutting through the stillness.

As the tie loosened and revealed Brody’s bare skin, a shiver ran down her spine, touched by the cold air.

The fragrance of the fruit-infused drink lingered in the air, and Aidan’s warm and scented breath seemed to settle on her nape.

Brody swallowed dryly, feeling an involuntary shiver as Aidan’s hand moved, the touch warmer than expected.