Queen Bridget from the capital had sent letters filled with various advice, and Countess Vicar frequently visited Eluan Castle. From Leonas, the necessary items for the wedding arrived, including silk for the dress, leather for the shoes, necklaces, hair ornaments, and the ring that Kaiden would wear.

Since Kaiden wasn’t knowledgeable about these things, Dana was the one who specified where to order them. Kaiden purchased expensive items from the fabric and jewelry shops Dana had recommended and sent them to Eluan Castle.

Occasionally, letters were exchanged during this process, but they only contained formal details such as the items to order, the names of the shops, the venue size, and the number of guests needed for the wedding. The letters, filled with the princess’s neat handwriting and the commoner knight’s scrawled script, contained only these formalities.

Hilda and Dana sat together in the parlor, inspecting the items Kaiden had sent. There were necklaces and hair decorations adorned with diamonds, white silks for the dress, and soft calf leather for the shoes. Everything seemed not only sufficient but also very precious, especially the spotless white silk, which was exceptionally fine.

Since white was a color chosen only on very special occasions by high priests of Vicanthus or royalty, wearing a white dress for the wedding felt quite luxurious. Perhaps because of this, Hilda expressed her approval by saying nothing at all.

While Hilda and Countess Vicar were busy planning how to adorn the bride, Dana organized the documents she needed to hand over to Kaiden once he became a duke.

During her time in Khalid, Dana had managed the estate and castle affairs by communicating with the butler and stewards, but she had definite limits when it came to decisions about military or monster subjugation. For those issues, she had been handling them formally with the help of Count Vicar. When Count Vicar reported on the gathering of knights from the Khalid estate or northern regions, Dana simply gave her approval.

However, after the marriage, Kaiden would need to take over the tasks Dana had been signing off on and those handled by Count Vicar.

‘For now, just managing that will keep him busy, so estate management can wait for later…’

Managing the castle was traditionally the lady’s responsibility, so Dana would handle that, but as time passed, it would be better for Kaiden to take on the estate management. She thought she should prepare the documents in advance for that time.

Kaiden also seemed to be organizing the situation in Leonas and preparing to move to Khalid. Dana heard from Bitern that knights from Leonas were likely to come to Khalid.

As they each prepared in their own ways, early summer arrived. It was the beginning of the season when Solsita, the goddess of summer, pierced the entire continent with her scorching gaze. In the first month of Solsita, Dana and Kaiden’s wedding was held at the chapel in Eluan Castle.

The wedding was to be officiated and certified by a priest from the temple in Khalid. Dana had strongly desired to have the wedding in Khalid, and the king and queen couldn’t travel to the distant Khalid. There were also ill feelings toward Khalid, and the journey to the northern Khalid seemed like a troublesome and arduous one.

Therefore, Taras sent documents containing the royal decree to confer the dukedom, along with gifts, court poets and musicians to fill the reception, and famous regional wines and fruits from the southern Rowen. Seasonal fruits and rare wines that could only be tasted in the southern Rowen were loaded onto wagons and distributed throughout the estate. They were to be shared with the people of the estate.

From early morning, Dana prepared with the help of Hilda and the maids. The preparations took place in the bride’s dressing room. She wore a white dress with gold embroidery, a crown studded with diamonds, and a necklace. Her curly hair was braided and pinned up.

Hilda, perhaps thinking this was the last time, looked as if she might cry as she checked on Dana’s appearance. She kept adjusting the veil and diamond-studded crown on Dana’s head, smoothing out the skirt unnecessarily. While the maids stood back waiting, Hilda’s lingering touches continued.

When Dana was a princess, she had kept Hilda as her maid, but now that she was becoming a duchess, she didn’t plan to keep Hilda as her maid like a member of the royal family. From now on, Dana’s adornment and care would be handled solely by the head maid and maids of Khalid.

Hilda couldn’t remain a mere guest at the newlywed couple’s castle forever, so she was planning to return to the Haiman family’s estate for a while.

Dana smiled as she looked at Hilda, who appeared filled with regret.

“Why are you acting like it’s the end of the world? Future Countess Vicar.”

“I’m not there yet… You have to invite me often.”

“You can come even without an invitation.”

Now, Hilda would truly be a guest at Eluan Castle.

Despite Dana’s words, Hilda continued to look at her with a face full of regret. Seeing that expression, Dana remembered something.

When the wedding date with Prince Ergart was set, Hilda had looked at Dana Rowen with the same expression she wore now, as Dana prepared to leave for Heinz. Her face was full of regret. Although she should have been congratulating Dana, she couldn’t fully do so, and that same expression was now before her again.

At that time, it had been understandable to feel regret because Dana was moving far away, making it difficult to meet. But now, Dana wasn’t going far, so the regret on Hilda’s face likely stemmed from a different emotion.

“I’m just so happy.”

Dana smiled broadly, her dimples deepening, in the manner of a bride excited about her wedding. There were countless good things about this marriage, but one of the most important was that she wouldn’t be too far from Hilda.

“I hope you get married soon too, Hilda.”

Dana’s words, accompanied by a bashful smile, made Hilda shake her head with an amused grin. Although she had been engaged for some time, Hilda hadn’t married Bitern yet, as she was waiting for the princess to marry first. To Dana, this fact felt oddly significant.

In her past life, Hilda had married first. Back then, being in the capital, she had likely followed the wedding date set by the adults in the capital mansion.

Dana looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror. As she gazed at herself, she murmured unconsciously.

“Is it alright?”

“Of course. Even the goddess of spring, Yurhemia…”

“Couldn’t have been more beautiful than this.”

Hilda looked at Dana with wide eyes. Dana also glanced at Hilda, who then broke into a bright smile.

“Yes, you’re right.”

Hilda, as if she had something to say, moved her lips slightly. She closed her mouth, but then, unable to hold back, leaned in and whispered into Dana’s ear.

“If the knight doesn’t consummate the marriage after seeing such a princess, he’s an invalid.”

“Hilda.”

How could she say such a thing?

Dana called out to Hilda with a startled expression. Hilda wrinkled her nose and smiled playfully.

“We’ll see.”

“…”

Dana didn’t know what to say. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“Sir Leonas has arrived.”

It was the voice of Countess Vicar. Dana nodded, and when Hilda said it was okay to enter, the maids went to open the door. With the help of the maids holding her skirt, Dana turned around.

Through the open door walked a large man dressed in a black formal suit. He wore a black cloak with embroidery, sleek clothes and belt, and black leather shoes.

This was the first time Dana had seen Kaiden since they discussed the terms of their marriage. In truth, Dana had wondered if her memory had perhaps idealized his handsome appearance during their time apart. Had she embellished his perfection so much in her mind that she might be slightly disappointed upon seeing him again after so long?

However, the man she faced after so long appeared just as handsome as she remembered, if not more so. Dana saw his beautiful blue eyes fixed on her, his calm face, and the way he looked like a picture in his splendid formal attire.

‘Ah.’

That day. Just like the night he had entered her dressing room, he once again approached her, opening a door she couldn’t close.

As he greeted her and extended his hand, Dana thought, why is this man so charming… making her dread the day when that hand would no longer reach out to her? Holding that hand was just the beginning, and parting was still three years away, yet already…

Dana’s hand, resting on Kaiden’s, bore no ring from him yet. This was because he was to place it on her finger during the ceremony. Holding hands, both gloved, they left the waiting room together. Side by side, they walked to the grand chapel within the castle, where the wedding was to be held.

In the wedding hall, northern nobles and knights from Leonas had taken their seats. Walking across the hall with Kaiden, Dana saw the priest standing on the dais.

It was her second time in such a position, and her second time hearing wedding vows. Her first marriage hadn’t been completed because one of the three conditions wasn’t fulfilled. This second marriage would be the same. The thought brought about a peculiar feeling.

‘But this marriage is decidedly different from that time.’

Many things had changed, and so too should the outcome.