Chapter 49

Duke Lexion smiled brightly and collapsed backward.

“It seems like it.”

Lexion closed his eyes. 

Adelina’s provocative hand slowly traced from Lexion’s chest.

‘Adelina, quite assertive. Well…… for someone perfect like me.’

As Adelina’s hand moved along his abs as if drawing with a brush, his heart pounded as if it would explode at any moment.

“Ugh!”

Lexion could no longer continue his thoughts and groaned, curling up.

“Don’t say anything so ridiculous.”

Adelina dusted off her hands and stood up. 

While Lexion writhed in pain, she went around the room, retrieving hidden daggers and throwing stars, and placed them on the bed.

‘Just try anything funny!’

Adelina sat among those weapons, watching with her arms crossed until Lexion’s pain subsided.

+++

Busy with wedding preparations, Adelina briefly entered Sweeney’s parlor at her invitation.

“I’m glad I can stay until the wedding.”

Sweeney dismissed everyone except the head maid and personally brewed tea for Adelina. 

A gentle breeze occasionally blew in through the open window, blending softly with the fragrant tea aroma.

“It is an honor that the Queen will attend the wedding.”

Adelina lifted the teacup containing a chamomile flower.

‘Chamomile tea. Now, whenever I see tea with flowers, I’ll think of Queen Sweeney first.’

Located in the northern part of the continent, the Kingdom of Iberis had a lot of teas made with flowers due to its relatively chilly weather.

“Receive this…… it’s something Queen Rose used.”

At Sweeney’s words, the head maid placed a box wrapped in black velvet before Adelina.

“This is…….” 

“A necklace my father gave to Queen Rose as a gift. It will suit you.”

Inside the box was a necklace with a rose pendant made of gold and diamonds. 

“Thank you. I will cherish it.”

Adelina carefully closed the box and looked at Sweeney.

‘Strong yet weak, despicable yet poignant.’

Of course, the opposite was true at times as well.

To Adelina, Sweeney was someone difficult to define.

Heh. Perhaps reading Adelina’s gaze, Sweeney smiled slightly and took a sip of tea.

“I heard you’re short on hands for the wedding the day after tomorrow.”

“Has the rumor reached here? Yes, it has. We barely managed to purchase the supplies, but we’re short on trustworthy people. At this rate, I might have to wear the wedding dress and serve the food myself.”

Adelina joked, feeling embarrassed as if her inner thoughts were exposed.

‘We barely managed to purchase the supplies.’

The chandelier falling in the Banquet Palace was something she had foreseen through the mirror.

‘It was quite helpful to have Hailyn investigate the vendors in advance.’

While pondering what the furious Empress might do, what she saw in the mirror was the maids of the Empress’s palace tampering with the chandelier’s suspension.

“I’ll send the people I brought. They should be of some help.”

“…….” 

Sweeney looked puzzled when Adelina, whom she expected to immediately agree, said nothing.

Adelina, who had been meeting Sweeney’s gaze for a long time, slowly opened her mouth.

“Can I trust them?”

Sweeney, who had betrayed the alliance and driven Rose to her death. 

Even though they were moving with the same purpose now, the suspicion that occasionally surfaced was inevitable.

“That is up to you.”

Sweeney hid her bitter feelings and took another sip of tea. 

It was the same tea she always drank, but now she couldn’t taste whether it was tea or plain water.

“I will trust you, Your Highness. Because I’m the one in urgent need.”

Sweeney finally tasted the lingering flavor of the tea in her mouth at Adelina’s bold reply.

“But, your Highness, I am someone with quite a few scars on my heart. If someone betrays me, I will never use a graceful method.”

“Is that so?”

Sweeney’s eyes sparkled with interest at Adelina’s words.

“Originally, revenge is best when it’s petty and cruel.”

Adelina winked with one eye and placed a finger on her lips as if sharing a secret between the two.

“You are quite similar to Duke Lexion.”

Sweeney’s voice was filled with amusement as if looking at a mischievous child. 

“What? Me?”

Adelina crossed her arms over her chest as if to say don’t even joke about such things.

‘How! How can you say I’m similar to that sly guy who only picks raunchy actions!’

As Adelina shook her head vigorously, her silver hair fluttered in the breeze coming through the window.

+++

That evening, Adelina decided to have dinner alone with Lexion in their room.

“Queen Rose’s necklace. I received it from Queen Sweeney today. I’ll give it to you, Lexion.”

Before the food arrived, Adelina placed the black box in front of Lexion.

Lexion frowned and opened the box without saying a word. 

“You should wear it. Rose would want that.”

Lexion took the necklace out of the box and stood up. 

He had seen this necklace before. 

Originally, it was customary for the queens of Iberis to wear necklaces engraved with swans. 

However, the former king of Iberis broke the custom and specially made this rose pendant necklace for Rose, who would be alone in a foreign land.

“Me?”

As Lexion approached, Adelina looked up at him. 

“You keep it. I’ll put it on you.”

“But. This is Queen Rose’s keepsake…”

As Adelina felt Lexion putting the necklace on her, she looked at the silhouette reflected in the terrace window.

‘Is…… is this okay? This precious thing…… ’

What if I lose it……. 

What if I accidentally take it into the mirror…

This one necklace felt more burdensome than all the other jewels combined.

“It suits you well.”

Lexion sat next to Adelina and gazed intently at the rose pendant.

‘Um…… um…… could you not stare at just that…… ’

The pendant of the necklace was right above her cleavage. 

Adelina unconsciously covered it with her hand.

“I knew roses would suit you well.”

Lexion grabbed Adelina’s hand that was covering the pendant and held it tightly.

“Adelina Ernst.”

“Not yet…….” 

Lexion, seemingly knowing what Adelina was about to say, stopped her words.

Even amidst the exchange of breaths, Lexion continued to hold Adelina’s hands tightly.

‘Lexion… why does it feel like…’

Lexion’s lips were so desperate, as if he had heard words of rejection from a loved one. 

Adelina relaxed her grip on his hands. 

She opened her lips and sought Lexion’s tongue first.

‘Today…… I’ll pretend to love you. If that brings you comfort.’

Hoping even this meaningless kiss would be a comfort.

Hoping Lexion, left alone in the world, could forget his loneliness even a little.

Adelina gently embraced Lexion’s back with both arms.

+++

The Ernst Ducal Palace, once the Water Palace, opened widely for the first time in ten years to welcome the guests.

The personal letter from Emperor Grain arrived, formally announcing the marriage of Lexion and Adelina.

As the high priest dispatched from the Imperial Temple ascended the platform, the attendant conducting the ceremony shouted loudly.

“Here comes the bride and groom!”

As the main entrance of the ceremony hall opened, Lexion and Adelina entered arm in arm.

“Oh my…… that’s…… the Rose Tiara…….” 

“She didn’t even wear a veil, showing her entire face.”

The wedding hall buzzed with excitement, but the two walked towards the platform as if they heard nothing.

‘Lexion! Are you really planning to commit treason!’

Evans and Austin, who attended as guests, had faces that grew endlessly cold. 

“Your Highness, it seems Lexion wanted to hold a royal wedding of Ernst.”

Austin gritted his teeth and glared at Lexion’s back as he walked towards the platform. 

‘Arrogant brat. How dare he attempt a royal wedding of Ernst! Since becoming a Swordmaster, he hasn’t had a single scar on his body, and it seems he’s lost his fear in the meantime!’

Then perhaps he needs to be given scars again. 

Both on his body and in his heart.

Austin’s gaze, sharp as a dragon’s eye, lingered on Lexion’s back as he stood on the platform next to Adelina before the high priest. 

It was where Austin had left a long sword scar.

“A royal wedding, indeed. It will be the last royal wedding of Ernst.”

Evans smirked as he watched the two, blessed by the high priest, turn and make a brief bow to the guests.

‘To reject Princess Isabelle and marry a fake noble of unknown origin. He will pay dearly for this.’

The Rose Tiara. Keep it well. It will soon be trampled under my feet. You and everything you love.

Evans crossed his arms and watched the procession of Lexion and Adelina with a chilling aura.

+++

The newlyweds, having received formal blessings from the guests, ascended to the second floor where the bedroom was located.

“Lexion…”

Adelina, still in her wedding dress, awkwardly smiled and called his name.

Among the hundreds of people in this mansion right now, the only ones he trusted were Marquis Stephan and Adelina.

“Adelina. My wife.”

Lexion approached her in long strides and removed the rose tiara from her head. As the hairpins came undone, her silver hair cascaded down her back.

“Now that we’re married and I’m your wife, shall we go find the mirror to commemorate?”

Adelina tilted her head to the side and smiled brightly. It was her habit whenever she suggested going to find the mirror, perhaps to break down his guard, even winking one eye.

‘Do I… have good fortune with people, or not…’

His wife, who was constantly trying to escape from him, was one of the only two people he could trust.

“In Ernst, it’s customary for the bride and groom to undress each other.”

“But… we…”

Lexion turned Adelina around, pulling at the knot of her wedding dress.

As expected, she wasn’t wearing a corset or petticoat. As the cumbersome dress slipped off, only a very thin slip covered her body.

“You should undress me too, wife.”

He took her hand and made her remove his jacket.

“I can… do it.”

When he brought her hand to the top button of his shirt, she blushed deeply and diligently unbuttoned it one by one.

“Adelina Ernst.”

Lexion mischievously waited until she had completely unbuttoned his shirt before laying her down on the bed.

“My wife.”

Adelina Ernst. Now there were two people bearing the Ernst name.

He was quite pleased that only his face was reflected in her golden eyes.

“Lexion…”

Caught beneath his arms, she glared at him as if to say he was being unreasonable, pushing against his chest.

+++

“We should consummate our marriage. My wife.”

Lexion’s hot breath spread across Adelina’s nape. It felt as if every place his breath touched made her fine hairs stand on end.

“Lexion…….” 

As he caressed her neck with his warm hand, he captured her lips..

He was a man with a naturally high body temperature. However, today’s heat was much higher than usual. It felt as if she might melt away from Lexion’s heat.

“Haa…… haa…….” 

Lexion pulled away to give Adelina a chance to breathe, gazing at her with eyes full of longing.

“Lexion… You said I didn’t have to do anything. Clearly.”

As Lexion’s lips approached hers again, she turned her head to the side.

“Adelina, you don’t have to do anything. I’ll take care of everything.”

Lexion followed her movement and kissed her again. 

‘Hey! How is this doing nothing!’

Though she scolded him inwardly, Adelina wrapped her arms around his neck.

Well. Kissing was something they had done a lot. Even now, there had been times when his hand brushed her thigh……. 

‘Thigh! You scoundrel! Just how far are you planning to go!’

Adelina twisted her body, trying to push Lexion away, but suddenly stopped.

“Cover yourself with the blanket!”

Lexion, who had removed the throwing star attached to Adelina’s thigh, tossed it toward the wall.

At the same time, he covered her from head to toe with a white silk blanket so that not a single strand of hair was visible.

‘One, two… did they send ten people? On the first night of marriage, no less!’

Listening to the sound of the assassins falling, Adelina touched her thigh from under the blanket. None of the four throwing stars attached there remained.

“Is it all done?”

“It’s already over. The knights will come, so just stay there.”

As Lexion finished speaking, the sound of the bedroom door opening was heard, as if on cue.

“Your Grace, I apologize.”

The voice of the Ducal knight captain was heard. He was probably bowing his head deeply, just like that day.

“Basket-hilt, huh. Do you wish to go to war with the Mainland? Choose your sword wisely.”

Lexion’s tone was disdainful. The knight captain’s face was probably twisted in displeasure, just like that day.

‘Basket hilt? A sword with a rounded handle? Foolish man.’

Adelina clicked her tongue under the blanket.

“It’s a misunderstanding, Your Grace.”

“Is that so? I suppose it is.”

Exchanging words with the knight captain just like that day, Lexion lifted Adelina, blanket and all.

“Where are we going?”

Adelina peeked out, asking Lexion while examining the assassins’ weapons.

As expected, they were similar in shape to the Mainland-style swords that Jaeyon had shown.

“Don’t worry. I have five private bedrooms.”

Lexion lightly bit Adelina’s ear with his lips.

‘No way… After assassins broke in, you’re still going to consummate the first night?’

Adelina rubbed her ticklish ear against his chest and looked at him incredulously.

“There are also 360 regular bedrooms.”

“You must be crazy!”

“Hahaha. I’ll make it new for you every day.”

Lexion, holding Adelina, who buried her head against his chest, headed to the first bedroom.

+++

‘Finally, it’s over!’

Carried by Lexion into the first bedroom, Adelina was laid on the bed still wrapped in the blanket.

Finally! The wedding was successfully held, and the assassins who disrupted the first night were defeated.

‘Now! I just need to get the mirror! Then peace will return to me!’

Adelina wriggled and emerged from the blanket, sitting up.

She wanted to shout for joy, but she just let out a small laugh to avoid being too obvious.

Seeing Adelina’s laughter-filled face, Lexion gently placed the tiara he held back on her head.

‘Seems like she’s really happy to have married me.’

Indeed, the Rose Tiara suited her perfectly.

“Adelina. My queen. I’ll satisfy you tonight.”

Lexion declared his resolve as a husband for the night.

‘What is he saying!’

Adelina rubbed her arms at Lexion’s cheesy gaze and goosebump-inducing words.

“Lexion…… I can do well on my own. I don’t need a man.”

Adelina carefully removed the tiara and placed it on the head of the bed. 

She also removed the necklace, Rose’s keepsake, and placed it beside it. 

‘Just try to touch me! I’ll bite you!’

She placed a pillow in the middle of the bed and patted it, indicating for Lexion to sleep on the outside.

‘Alone? Why? When I’m a perfectly healthy husband.’

Watching Adelina’s actions, Lexion picked up the pillow and threw it to the side.

“If there’s no evidence of consummation, this marriage will be annulled.”

As he slowly approached Adelina, he tossed the other pillows away.

“Lexion. We’re already known as people who’ve done this and that. It’d be more suspicious if there’s evidence of a wedding night.”

Adelina shook her head slightly. 

‘Tsk tsk. Where do you come up with such nonsense to sneakily try!’

Holding the blanket tightly, she even wagged her right index finger side to side. 

Don’t even dream about it.

Lexion firmly grasped her restless finger.

‘Is that so?’

But he couldn’t just admit it here!

Lexion snatched the blanket Adelina was holding tightly and threw it to the floor.

“Still. If it’s too clean, everyone will be suspicious.”

He trapped Adelina in his arms.