“Ah…”

Cedrion stood frozen at the doorway, his face stiff with tension, unable to move an inch.

Since the largest person in the room remained unmoving, everyone held their breath and watched him in silence.

I, too, studied him with a puzzled expression.

“Cedrion?”

“I…”

Even after a moment passed, he remained like a broken machine, unable to utter a single word. His golden eyes, barely blinking, stayed fixed on me.

It had been over a year since warmth had started filling Cedrion’s gaze whenever he looked at me, yet the heat in his eyes now was so intense it startled me, even making my own eyes water.

“You truly are… my goddess.”

With that praise suddenly slipping from the lips of this normally stoic man, everyone in the room silently shrieked.

I, too, blushed deeply, unsure of what to do with myself.

“Well then, everyone?”

“Oh, Your Majesty.”

When had he arrived? Angie was standing at the doorway, smiling broadly.

“Let’s leave the two of them to enjoy some private time. Would you care to join me for tea and light refreshments?”

“Your Majesty, I was just about to speak to you regarding your holiday dress for this summer…!”

Understanding the atmosphere, Madame Cindy gathered her assistants and followed Angie out. Those who had known Angie since Norhart seemed to feel no reservation around him.

Leni and Betty also slipped away quickly at the assistants’ gestures.

Click.

Once the door shut and only Cedrion and I remained in the dressing room—

“Odelia.”

Cedrion strode forward in a few quick steps and came right up to me.

He must’ve come in a hurry. Standing this close, his body radiated heat and a strong scent—his familiar fragrance, the one that always reminded me of the Grand Duke’s garden at dawn.

“I heard you were trying on your dress, and I couldn’t waste a single moment…”

“You came right after meeting with Angie?”

“I told you, didn’t I? That I’d let you know the moment I returned to Belvo.”

“Then, you finished your task in Norhart and even got Angie’s approval?”

“Yeah.”

After saying that, Cedrion placed one hand on my shoulder and swept the air in a large circle with the other.

It was the teleportation magic I had seen him use hundreds of times already, when he would visit me late at night.

I stepped into the magical pathway with him, and before long, a large fountain came into view.

It was the very one located in the center of the Grand Duke’s castle courtyard in Norhart.

“You said you wanted to visit again sometime, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes, but this is so sudden…!”

I calmed my startled heart and looked around.

The garden I had crossed many times between the East Wing and the main castle. The place Cedrion would sometimes walk me through when escorting me.

The garden that had been arranged over generations by the Grand Duchesses of Norhart.

Seeing it again after so long truly felt wonderful.

I looked at the outer walls surrounding the garden and was flooded with memories of last spring.

The kind servants who had helped me when I first arrived in this world, the Norhart aides who were always so supportive of me, and Cedrion, who had backed me completely just because I was his contracted fiancée.

Perhaps Cedrion had given them advance notice, as not a single soul was around.

“If there’s time later, we can join everyone for lunch.”

Perhaps noticing how I was glancing around hopefully, Cedrion offered gently.

“Like this? I’m still in this dress. Madame Cindy must be waiting at the palace.”

“True. I was pretending to be generous, just to say it.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re too beautiful like this. Seeing you like this is something I only want to share on our wedding day.”

Cedrion leaned in so close our foreheads almost touched, and spoke in a low voice.

‘Speaking of which, a wedding…’

It really seemed the ball on the full moon was our wedding after all.

Then Cedrion bringing me here must be…

Just then, Cedrion placed a light kiss on the tip of my nose and knelt down in front of me. The meaning behind his gesture was clear.

“Odelia.”

Somehow, a small box had appeared in his hand. It was only large enough to cover half his palm. I recognized it instantly.

My heart pounded wildly.

“Sorry for preparing all this without you knowing.”

“You know you should be sorry?”

“Sorry. But it wasn’t until I arrived in Norhart that I realized it myself.”

“You didn’t know either?”

I gave a baffled laugh.

“So this was all Angie’s doing?”

“Seems so. Her Majesty must’ve thought I was making her mother cry.”

A short laugh escaped Cedrion’s nose, followed by a subtle trace of bitterness across his face.

“It was painful—sneaking out of your room night after night while you were asleep.”

The raw yearning in that quiet confession startled me.

This responsible man had always simply held me in his arms and left, never crossing the line, all because we weren’t yet married.

“Still, I’m happy. Because now we can marry even sooner.”

“Exactly… I thought it’d take much longer, especially with how often Angie keeps calling for me at night.”

“Maybe she read your mind.”

“What?”

“She must’ve heard your thoughts when you were lulling her to sleep. ‘Ah, I want to go see Cedrion already.’ That sort of thing.”

“I did not think that!”

When I gave his shoulder a light tap, as if to say, “Stop teasing,” a boyish smile spread across Cedrion’s face as he looked up at me.

Who would see this man as the Black Knight of the Ice Wall, who strikes fear into people with a single glance?

‘Well, everyone except me.’

As I cast Cedrion a teasing look, he flicked open the box in his hand.

Inside was a ring set with a diamond about the size of a thumbnail.

“Oh my.”

“Odelia.”

While I was captivated by the shimmering, iridescent sparkle, Cedrion had already taken hold of my left hand.

“I’m officially proposing.”

Then he slid the diamond ring from the box deeply onto my ring finger.

“Will you marry me?”

‘Let’s get married.’

His voice resonated with affection and deep yearning—nothing like the dry proposal from last spring, more than a year ago.

And on Cedrion’s face, looking up at me, was a subtle expression of nervousness.

The anxiety in his eyes, worried that even the smallest detail might not please me…

Watching him, my heart swelled uncontrollably.

The new contract technically included a clause that he would officially propose again, but I hadn’t paid much attention to it.

He had already proposed once before, and to me, sincerity mattered more than formality.

But the moment I heard Cedrion’s solemn voice, my heart began pounding with the realization that I was truly marrying this man.

“You said a diamond ring is the most typical kind of proposal ring.”

“Did Angie tell you that too?”

“Yeah.”

I lifted my left hand and held the diamond up to the light. Even more dazzling than in the box, the transparent gem scattered brilliant colors as sunlight passed through it.

“I chose one even prettier than your cherry tomatoes.”

“Ahaha, what is that supposed to mean?”

A little deflated by Cedrion’s offhanded joke, I lowered my hand and covered my mouth with the back of it as I laughed.

“Legally, Angie may still be closer to you for now, but from now on, I’ll know everything about you—more than anyone.”

“Try your best.”

“Do you like it?”

Ah.

Looking down again at Cedrion, I saw his face was still filled with unease. He must have been on edge because I hadn’t given him a clear answer yet.

“Hmm…”

But if I answered directly whether I liked it or not, it would be like grading his efforts. So I took a moment to choose my words carefully.

“For starters, I’ve never disliked anything you’ve given me.”

Only then did the tension finally melt from Cedrion’s face, replaced with a relieved expression.

“Your official proposal… Well, I suppose I’ll accept it.”

“Odelia…!”

Cedrion stood up at once and pulled me into a hug. Leaning into the embrace I hadn’t felt in a while, I savored the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat.

It was summer, and we were outdoors—it was hot, and his arms were warm—but it was the most refreshing feeling in the world.

“And there’s one more thing.”

Rising from where he had been leaning toward me, Cedrion now held a large box in his hand.

Without delay, he opened it.

Inside was a tiara made of gleaming silver, delicately adorned with clusters of amethysts.

And at its center was a large diamond.

“Wait, is this… a diamond?”

“It was mined in Norhart just this year. From the day of our wedding, it will be the largest diamond in the kingdom.”

It was about the size of Angie’s tiny fist when she was a baby. I stared, my mouth hanging open, as I took in every angle of the tiara.

“Angie told me to get you a diamond ring… but I wanted to give you something more than what she suggested.”

“No, still, this is just…”

“Originally, I planned to propose again on my own, without Angie’s advice or help, and prepare for the wedding slowly… but that would’ve meant making you wait longer.”

The man’s face mirrored my exact thoughts, and I couldn’t help but smile warmly at him.

Cedrion was a bit talkative today, likely because he had missed me just as much during our time apart.

“You’ll now become the Grand Duchess Regent, and the Grand Duchess of Norhart. That title comes from my status, but… still.”

Cedrion spoke softly as he gently placed the tiara on my head.

Leaning back a little to check its symmetry, he soon smiled with satisfaction.

“To me, you’ve always been my queen.”

There were no words that could properly express my emotion.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

Cedrion kissed me back and swept me up in his arms.

Brilliant sunlight flooded through my closed eyes.

***

New Kingdom Era, Year 2, Full Moon of the Seventh Month

Grand Banquet Hall, Royal Palace of Belvo, Capital of Lure-Arcardia

“I, Elim, servant of the Sky God, proclaim that these two have been united as faithful husband and wife.”

Under the blessing of the high priest arranged by Angie, Cedrion and I became husband and wife before the eyes of all society.

Apparently, Angie had secretly sent wedding invitations to all the noble houses a month ago, keeping it a surprise from both me and Cedrion.

‘Who exactly did she think the bride and groom were?’

By the way, Angie also served as the flower girl.

A wedding where the monarch of a nation is the flower girl? Only possible when the future queen is adopted as a baby. Angie even infused the flower petals with divine power so they sparkled with glittering light.

“Now then, seal your vows with a kiss and pledge before the Sky God to love and trust one another.”

At the priest’s command, Cedrion and I turned to face each other.

The man who once roamed in dark armor was now dressed in pristine white ceremonial garb, his hair neatly combed back, his dazzling looks on full display. His perfectly groomed brows were tense with nerves as he gently lifted my veil.

The translucent silk veil slipped past the tiara he had gifted me during the proposal.

“Odelia.”

“Mm?”

“Even though Her Majesty meddled again and sent us to the Lure villa for our honeymoon…”

Cedrion’s honest confession, right before our vow-sealing kiss, made me stifle a laugh.

Angie had insisted she couldn’t take back the earlier talk of a summer vacation with Father, and she wasn’t about to yield even the honeymoon.

“Our next vacation—will definitely be just the two of us.”

With firm arms, Cedrion pulled me in and captured my lips in a kiss.

It was a passionate kiss for a vow of love, prompting cheers to erupt from the crowd.

“Just try going without me!”

Angie’s shrill protest echoed faintly amid the applause.