“Aren’t you nervous, sister?”

“I am. More than I expected.”

Adelia placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

The heart infused with white magic was pounding faster than usual.

Her mind was filled not with the wedding, but with the thought of soon altering the original plot.

That fact was what made her heart race.

Ariana, who had been sitting, suddenly sprang up and approached Adelia.

The princess tightly grasped Adelia’s hands.

“You’ll shine the brightest today, Sister. Everyone will be jealous, and everything will go well.”

“Thank you. That helps a little.”

The warmth of her words calmed the trembling in Adelia’s heart.

The ocean-like eyes beneath the long lashes curled softly.

* * *

“Your Highness, it’s time to enter.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

The time had come to enter, signaling the start of the wedding.

Adelia followed Joanne, who had come to fetch her, out of the waiting room.

Outside, numerous knights stood guard around the chamber.

When Adelia emerged, the knights all bowed their heads.

Only two female knights raised their heads, standing at Adelia’s sides.

As she walked down the long corridor, the other knights fell in behind her.

At the end of the corridor, a tall man stood waiting.

“You’ve arrived.”

“You were already here, Your Highness.”

Adelia’s gaze settled on Lucian.

Her eyes intently followed his every detail, as if she was trying to peer into his very soul.

It was uncharacteristically intense. Lucian briefly covered his mouth and turned his head.

His uncovered ear had turned a flushed red.

Only then did Adelia close her eyes in satisfaction.

“You look even better than I imagined.”

The black uniform hugging his sturdy frame, the golden shoulder decorations, the crimson insignia across his chest, and his neatly combed hair — the entire ensemble was impeccable.

If there were a record stone present, Adelia would have wanted to capture his image to cherish forever, his appearance was so perfect.

Lucian cleared his throat, looking at Adelia.

Lucian’s gaze, while not as intense as hers, lingered briefly on Adelia.

“You look great as well. Even more so than the dress I saw you choose last time.”

“I’m glad. I won’t feel embarrassed standing next to Your Highness.”

Adelia said playfully with a light smile. At this, the tension in Lucian’s tensed shoulders eased.

Adelia took a step closer to him, lightly patting his still-taut shoulders.

“Why are you so tense?”

“It’s my first time at a wedding too, so I’m a little nervous.”

“Oh my, anyone listening would think I’m the one doing this for the second time.”

Adelia covered her mouth coyly, then lowered her hand and chuckled.

“Relax. Not much is going to change just because we’re having a wedding. I’ll still be here in the palace, and we’ll remain close as always.”

For business purposes, that is.

The last part did not pass her lips.

This was not a space for just the two of them — numerous knights and maids followed behind them.

Instead, Adelia crinkled her eyes in a gentle curve.

“That’s right. Thank you, I do feel less tense now.”

Lucian let out a soft chuckle, a lovely crease forming at the corner of his eyes.

His usually composed crimson irises were now half-lidded, and Adelia found herself captivated, staring intently.

Thump-

Unsure why her heart was pounding so heavily, Adelia instinctively reached for her chest.

The rapid pulsing subsided shortly.

Boom-

The majestic trumpet blast filled the hall, followed by a beautiful melody.

“It’s time to walk down the aisle.”

Lucian placed his hand on her waist.

This was an escort where they would walk arm-in-arm, not simply holding hands — a contact they had not experienced before, even after practicing the dance.

Carefully, Adelia placed her hand on his arm, feeling the firmness beneath his uniform.

“Shall we go, my husband?”

“Let’s go, my wife.”

The large doors opened, the warmth of the hall rushing out.

Adelia stepped into the hall, her back straight and head held high as she progressed down the crimson-carpeted aisle.

With each step, the eyes of the audience followed their movements.

Today, their intense gazes felt particularly welcoming.

Lucian matched his steps to hers, walking by her side.

The sight of them traversing the red carpet left the onlookers speechless.

“Wow…”

All the people could manage were gasps of awe.

* * *

The wedding proceeded according to traditional protocol.

The tediously long officiating ceremony and the archbishop’s drawn-out speech.

It was quite the chore to stand in the same position for so long.

‘How boring.’

Adelia subtly glanced at Lucian.

His face, too, showed no particular emotion, but a sense of emptiness lingered in his crimson eyes.

“…I shall now have you make your vows before God.”

The archbishop’s words snapped Adelia to attention.

Having been lost in thought, she realized the most significant moment had arrived.

The archbishop cleared his throat, speaking with even greater solemnity.

“Lucian Kerum Decra, do you take Adelia Vita to be your lawful wedded wife, the future Empress of this Empire, and promise to love and cherish her?”

“Yes.”

“Adelia Vita, do you take Lucian Kerum Decra as your lawful wedded husband, and become a member of the imperial family?”

“Yes.”

The weight in that single word was heavy.

But having prepared for this, she didn’t hesitate.

“Then I shall have you sign the marriage vows.”

The archbishop presented the vow document.

Even at a glance, it exuded a sacred aura.

At the end of the lengthy text, their names and empty spaces awaited.

[Adelia Rivera Decra]

She stared intently at the new name.

The moment she let a drop of blood fall on this paper, the ‘Vita’ surname would vanish.

By the time she reclaimed it, she would be Count Vita, not Lady Vita.

Adelia unhesitatingly removed the glove she had been wearing.

Pricking her fingertip with the prepared needle, a bead of crimson blood welled up.

It fell onto the pristine paper, filling the blank space with her name.

At that moment, she flinched.

Her eyelashes fluttered rapidly.

[Adelia]

The name written there was undoubtedly her own.

But just before it became clearly etched, something fleeting had passed by.

[Bada]

It was undoubtedly her other name.

It had been but a fleeting instant, yet she had clearly seen it.

Adelia swallowed hard, discreetly glancing up at the archbishop.

His benevolent smile remained, indicating he had seen nothing.

‘Surely His Highness couldn’t have seen that…’

Adelia carefully shifted her gaze to Lucian.

He remained expressionless as he let the blood fall onto the paper, his name appearing.

[Lucian]

Nothing else manifested.

Adelia quietly turned her eyes away.

Seeing his calm demeanor, it seemed he had seen nothing. As long as she kept her mouth shut, that would be the end of it.

But Adelia did not know that Lucian’s gaze had been fixed on the document from the start, observing everything, including the moment her name was inscribed.

“By the authority vested in me as God’s representative, I now pronounce Lucian Kerum Decra and Adelia Rivera Decra husband and wife, blessed by the grace of God.”

The archbishop’s solemn declaration echoed through the hall.

Adelia was now the most noble woman in the Empire.

Her name had been entered alongside Lucian’s in the imperial registry.

When the legal procedures were completed, Adelia let out a small sigh. But then, her grip tightened on the bouquet.

She remembered the one remaining ritual.

“Finally, you shall make your vows of love before God. The two of you shall now turn to each other and share a kiss.”

The archbishop spoke with a pious tone, smiling contentedly.

The incongruity caused Adelia’s eyelashes to flutter nervously.

She took a deep breath.

‘Don’t be tense. You’re not some young child getting worked up over this. And when else would I get to kiss such a handsome man?’

Adelia tried to reassure herself. But the tension was unavoidable.

Yet, weighing more heavily than the tension was the guilt in her heart.

‘I’m sorry, Adelia. This will be your first kiss, but with someone you don’t love.’

This body was not truly hers, but the real Adelia’s.

Even after the original owner had departed, that fact remained unchanged.

It was the reason she refrained from dirtying her own hands.

She could not sully the kind, gentle Adelia who lived such a pitiful life.

‘But this can’t be helped. It’s not a true kiss, just a peck. Forgive me this much, Adelia.’

Having steeled her resolve, she slowly turned her body. Raising her head slightly, the crimson eyes looking down at her came into view.

Shining as brilliantly as the sun, the red irises held their usual composure, yet contained a subtle tremor.

That tremor seemed to convey that he was not the only one feeling tense.

Lucian leaned in, their faces now barely a handspan apart.

“For a moment. Please excuse me.”

A low voice brushed past her ear. Perhaps because he had kept silent throughout the wedding, Lucian’s slightly husky voice was mesmerizing.

Lucian’s warm breath mixed with Adelia’s shallow breaths in one place.

Seeing Lucian’s respectful demeanor even at this moment, Adelia blinked her eyes to signify her permission.

Only then did Lucian tilt his head, cupping her cheek with one hand.

The rough texture of his calloused hand touched her soft cheek.

The blue sea and the red moon that were gazing at each other disappeared beneath their eyelids.

Soon, she felt a warm sensation on her lips.

The slightly moist and tender feeling was strange.

His breath entered through her slightly parted lips. Every time she felt his breath, his lips twitched slightly.