Like Seian Idebald’s funeral, Yuena Idebald’s wedding was also a simple affair.

‘I guess if Idebald is attached to your name, you’re doomed to go without blessings.’

Seeing the ceremony hall where the only guests were a few people from the Hertus family, Seian’s funeral naturally came to mind.

‘Maybe it’s because the wedding hall is too big. It somehow looks empty.’

I couldn’t help feeling bitter. Even if this was a marriage with a purpose, didn’t the atmosphere emanating from the venue feel like it should be blessed? As if anyone who wasn’t was abnormal.

‘……That’s why I wanted to escape from here even more.’

I remembered how in my past life, after carelessly mumbling through the marriage vows, I fled back to the townhouse I’d lived in with Seian, skipping the reception and everything.

But perhaps because my dark expression was hidden by the white veil, a maid who normally wouldn’t say anything murmured.

“Miss, you look so beautiful today……”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

Though it was a hastily fitted wedding dress, the harmony of pale red hair and cream-white dress was enough to inspire admiration. But wasn’t this level of care only natural?

‘Considering I just wore a plain white dress in my past life, of course it is.’

More than anything, I’d decided to be courteous this time.

It was partly because there were things I needed to find out from the Hertus family, but it’s not like I enjoyed acting like a delinquent either.

Should I say I wanted to act out even more since I’d be cursed at no matter what I did? Sometimes I even felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction watching people curse at me.

Back then, it was easier for me to be cursed at for acting like a delinquent than to be cursed at while trying hard to do well. At least that had a reason.

But if there’s one thing I realized after drinking poison and coming back:

What does it matter if someone says something?

Above all, I was the Idebald heiress, and even if the family had fallen, they say even a ruined rich family lasts three generations—that was true of Idebald’s wealth. What Seian left me was more than enough for me to live on alone.

The problem was……

Cough—

My hereditary disease that manifested around this time.

In the past, after pouring money into finding out, all I got was the doctor’s verdict of ‘It seems to be hereditary.’ Furious, I threw a vase in anger. To me, who didn’t know my parents, a hereditary disease was like an eternally unsolvable puzzle.

‘But fortunately, I learned the cure when I came back.’

In the book <Secret>, there’s a scene where Rosie asks Iophe to obtain a certain medicinal herb, and it reveals that it’s medicine effective for the hereditary disease I’m suffering from.

‘To confirm if that herb really works, I need to go to the Hertus family……’

“Shall I bring you water?”

The maid doing my makeup asked.

“Yes. And a handkerchief too.”

As soon as I received the handkerchief from the maid, I felt like a cough was about to burst out. I hurriedly covered my mouth with the handkerchief.

Cough.

This is the most irritating thing about this hereditary disease. How it happens at any random time like this.

“M-Miss……!”

I cough up blood.

As I wiped the blood that surged up with the handkerchief, the maid stamped her feet in alarm.

“Don’t make a fuss. That was almost a disaster.”

If I’d dropped it on the wedding dress, it would have stained the courtesy I’d prepared for once.

“Phew…… Did it get on the dress? Check for me.”

“The dress is fine…… But……”

“My face?”

“I’ll fix it right now.”

Just as the maid fixed my makeup with nimble hands, someone entered the waiting room.

“It’s time for you to enter, Miss.”

Behind the priest who called me stood Duke Hertus with a dignified face.

‘He came to enter together with me.’

In my past life, seeing the Duke’s displeased expression, I simply passed by him and ran boldly alone toward the wedding aisle.

‘Thinking about it, I feel a bit sorry……’

I was flustered back then too. No matter how much Seian was called the Empire’s villainess, to me she was the only person I could call ‘mother,’ and what was left behind after her sudden death and funeral was too overwhelming for me.

‘Besides, back then it just felt like the Hertus family was pressuring me to keep the promise about the contract and marriage arrangement.’

Though in the end, considering the inheritance issue, I didn’t lose anything either. I even profited as the business spanning the territory prospered. I slowly stood up and examined his face.

‘But more than I thought……’

Perhaps it was my imagination, but the Duke’s expression wasn’t scary.

‘Good. At this level, I can try to win him over without worry, right?’

Though Iophe was the heir, the final decision-maker regarding the territory was Duke Hertus. I planned to make a good impression on the Duke and find out about that medicinal herb that supposedly grew in Hertus territory.

‘For some reason, that herb couldn’t be obtained on the market.’

Looking carefully, Duke Hertus was a handsome man with impressive cool eyes. Of course, in a way that resembled Iophe.

Though he had an expressionless face like Iophe, it wasn’t the frowning face from my memory. Perhaps sensing my gaze, Duke Hertus briefly glanced at me and said.

“Go.”

❀ ❀ ❀

At the end of the wedding aisle stood Iophe. He wore white ceremonial dress with a red handkerchief tucked in, looking bored, but his appearance suited this ceremony perfectly.

“All of this is the will of the gods.”

The priest’s monotonous voice echoed through the chapel.

“I speak before the name of the god Dermot. Husband and wife shall love each other and……”

Listening to the lengthy marriage vows that must have been at least ten pages long, my legs started to go numb.

‘This is boring even hearing it again.’

“Does the groom vow to love only the bride from now on?”

“……I do.”

Iophe vowed half a beat slowly. I glanced up at him, but since it was my turn next, I couldn’t see his expression. But somehow I felt I knew.

“Does the bride vow to love only the groom from now on?”

“I do.”

“Before the name of the gods, I ask that the two of you share a kiss.”

Slowly facing him, I could finally properly examine Iophe’s expression. Seeing his left eyebrow slightly crumpled, my prediction was correct.

I moved my lips. ‘Do it.’

A crack appeared in Iophe’s perfect face. He seemed to be asking me something with his eyes while frowning, but I didn’t care and moved my lips again.

‘I said do it, quickly.’

Even for the sake of the medicinal herb, I needed to present Duke Hertus with a fairly decent wedding.

I didn’t know during the first round, but according to the book’s contents, Duke Hertus seemed quite resentful about Iophe’s first wedding that was forced through because of business.

‘Even now, thinking about that wedding makes me feel terrible.’ Was it?

I was recalling the words Duke Hertus often muttered, when Iophe in front of me still had a stiff expression.

‘Haha, look at that face.’

Perhaps because of the years I’d lived as a villainess, when I see someone troubled like that, I somehow want to laugh out loud. Just as the corners of my mouth were rising, he suddenly approached. At the warmth touching me, I closed my eyes.

‘How was it before……’

Upon hearing that we should share a kiss, we glared at each other face to face, and unable to contain my anger, I turned around and ran out of the venue. The flustered priest treated it as if we’d shared the vow kiss and made a declaration close to a shout—’I now pronounce you husband and wife!’—hastily wrapping up the wedding.

It’s truly a wedding Duke Hertus would call ‘nightmarish.’

‘Wait, but why is he taking so long?’

Just as I was about to twist my body, Iophe pulled back. He had an annoyed expression.

‘As if he’s enjoying it. ……Though he is handsome……’

While I deliberately made the same expression at him, the priest finished the marriage vows.

“I hereby declare that the two of you are now husband and wife.”

That’s how I remarried Iophe.

❀ ❀ ❀

After changing into a light dress and coming out to the reception hall, several vassals of the Hertus family approached me.

“I’m sorry for your loss regarding Seian. It must be difficult, but I’m glad the wedding went smoothly.”

“May blessings accompany the beautiful bride’s path ahead.”

“You two look so good together. Hahaha.”

Empty congratulations and condolences. I felt like I was halfway at a funeral. So like at Seian’s funeral, I silently smiled at them. Perhaps it was only natural.

‘Since there’s no one here who doesn’t know this marriage is because of business.’

As I was boringly sipping champagne, I felt Iophe frequently glancing my way.

‘What.’

When I roughly responded with lip movements, Iophe approached with an incredulous face.

“What. Why.”

“You pick fights in various ways.”

“Because you kept looking at me as if you had something to say.”

“……”

Iophe inhaled, momentarily at a loss for words.

“……Did you drink blood or something?”

“What do you think I am?”

Asking if I drank blood. A story that would only come out of ghost tales. My eyes naturally sharpened at Iophe treating me like some kind of witch. Iophe pulled up the corner of his mouth as if he’d expected this. Wait, what did I do?

“If I let my guard down, I might be fooled by an Idebald again. This isn’t the first or second time.”

This meant Seian had used the consent form as bait all year long to make them chase after her. I shrugged as if to say, so what do you want me to do about it?

“How honored I am to be treated as an Idebald. Did you forget? I need you right now too.”

“The next deliberation date is a month away.”

“Then I’ll be able to cancel the marriage vows on this day next year.”

That was the Empire’s shitty marriage law. Once you make marriage vows, divorce is unconditionally a year later. Within that time, I needed to finish the inheritance and definitely settle matters regarding the medicinal herb to cure my disease. I put down my champagne glass and smiled coldly.

“That aside, I hope you’ve properly prepared the honeymoon suite.”

Iophe’s face crumpled satisfyingly.