“Viscountess, my sincere congratulations.”

“Master Cesare! Master Belle!”

“I knew this would happen. If only Damon could see this, how happy he would be…”

Master Cesare and Master Belle came to congratulate me.

The two who visited the bride’s waiting room approached me with seemingly surprised expressions and gave their greetings.

“You look truly beautiful, Cecil.”

“Thank you, Master Belle. And thank you for coming.”

“Of course we had to come. Whose wedding is it after all? Right, Cesare?”

“Yes. After all, this is my first apprentice’s wedding.”

The two of them joked around.

It was still delightful being between these two. While learning magic from them, I also learned from their confident demeanor. Though I still had a long way to go to catch up to them, perhaps if I studied diligently from now on, I would become better someday.

“If Duke Graham ever mistreats Cecil, let me know anytime. I’ll scold him.”

“If any problems arise between the two of you, I will also be completely on Viscountess Marves’s side, so don’t worry about that.”

The two spoke alternately.

I smiled brightly, happy that they thought of me so deeply.

“Thank you, both of you. But it’s alright. After going through such a difficult path, we finally made it here. I think things will be fine from now on.”

At my words, Master Belle and Master Cesare looked at each other. Then, as if reaching an agreement, they nodded at me simultaneously.

“Then we’ll take our leave.”

“See you later, Cecil.”

“Yes. Thank you again for coming.”

Master Cesare left first, and Master Belle waved at me even as she left somewhat reluctantly.

I smiled faintly as I watched their retreating figures.

“Cecilia!”

The next to visit the bride’s waiting room was Baroness Xavier.

“Monica! Thank you for coming. And this dress is really beautiful.”

“I knew it was pretty after the fitting, but looking at it now, it’s even more beautiful?”

I shared a light embrace with Baroness Xavier who came right up to me.

She looked at me with a fresh gaze.

“Live happily from now on. If you ever want to chat, come find me. Some wounds fester when you keep them bottled up inside. Understood?”

She whispered to me in a tone that showed she already knew how much I had suffered emotionally.

“Yes. I will. Thank you so much.”

Baroness Xavier left after giving her brief greetings.

After that, nobles who had gathered to celebrate the wedding continued to visit me.

Since this was my second wedding, I wanted to keep it as quiet as possible, but Ains was in the position that he couldn’t hold a modest wedding, especially for my sake.

Above all, it was because I had previously divorced Ains and left.

The sense of alienation and cold treatment I felt then wasn’t something only I had noticed.

Ains said it had bothered him too.

He even apologized, saying that his attempts to take care of things while pretending not to notice seemed to have made the situation worse.

I knew well that what he referred to as worsening was about Viscount Moldovan getting involved with me.

Ains insisted that we needed an even grander wedding than before, if only to avoid looking foolish.

Moreover, when we first got married, it was the former Duke Graham, not Ains, who had overseen and managed everything.

He wanted to oversee everything himself this time, since this was a wedding happening because he wanted it.

And so today was the day of our second wedding.

Knock knock.

Along with a soft knock, Rachel’s voice came from beyond the door.

“Madam, it’s time for your entrance.”

“I’m coming.”

As I finished speaking, Rachel opened the door.

It was pleasant to see her warm smile as she looked at me.

Rivet quickly adjusted my dress as I stood up.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

I began walking toward the Great Hall of the mansion after leaving the waiting room.

I exchanged greetings with those who occasionally greeted me, people who hadn’t yet entered the hall.

Only then did I arrive at the Great Hall entrance.

I took one deep breath.

Though it was my second wedding, strangely, I felt more nervous than when I first got married.

Perhaps it was because back then, knowing that Ains was marrying reluctantly, I thought I shouldn’t allow myself to be happy.

But this time, it was a wedding proceeding after both Ains and I had had sufficient conversations.

Maybe I was more nervous because it was a wedding we both wanted.

“The bride, Cecilia Marves, enters!”

The host announced loudly.

Then Jackson and Jacob, who had been waiting at the door, opened both sides to let me enter.

Finally, the interior of the Great Hall came into view.

Proving that Ains hadn’t been lying when he said this should be the grandest wedding ever, the hall was decorated so splendidly that even I had to pause for a moment.

I began walking slowly forward while inwardly marveling.

The orchestra’s music flowed with my steps, and people’s gazes followed me.

I approached Ains, who stood at the front, with slow steps.

And finally, when I stood before Ains, he took my hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Ains led me to the front of the altar.

The Archbishop of the Capefield Temple was waiting before us.

“We are gathered here today to announce this most joyous occasion.”

As we stood and greeted before the Archbishop, he began the ceremony.

The Archbishop prayed for the goddess’s blessing for us, who had once been united but tragically separated before finding each other again.

Perhaps because we had spent such difficult and lonely times.

His words about hoping that everything we do from now on would be for each other without hardship particularly struck deep in my heart.

Though we had gone through ups and downs, perhaps from now on there would be fewer misunderstandings, doubts, hatred, and misinterpretations.

I deeply wished for that in my heart.

“Then, Ains Graham, are you confident that you can take Cecilia Marves as your wife, embrace her pain, and make her happy?”

“Of course.”

Ains answered the Archbishop’s question without hesitation.

“Next, Cecilia Marves, are you also confident that you can take Ains Graham as your husband, embrace his pain, and make him happy?”

“Yes.”

I too had nothing more to hesitate about.

“Very well.”

The Archbishop’s expression softened with satisfaction upon hearing our answers.

“Then, please exchange rings.”

As I raised my hand first, Ains placed the prepared ring on my left ring finger. It fit perfectly, as if the size had been measured and adjusted.

I too took out the ring and placed it on Ains’s left ring finger.

“Finally, the kiss of oath.”

Ains took a step toward me.

I too stood without avoiding him and looked up at him.

Soon he leaned his upper body toward me.

I saw his eyes slowly closing.

With a slightly nervous heart, I gently closed my eyes, and soon something soft and warm touched my lips.

Naturally, it was his lips.

My heart beat rapidly in response to that ticklish sensation of brief contact and separation.

I was worried the sound might leak out to Ains.

I opened my eyes slowly to calm my heart, and saw Ains looking down at me with gentle eyes.

“From now on, I swear I’ll do my best to ensure you never have to struggle. I promise.”

Then he whispered quietly enough for only me to hear.

I smiled faintly at such an Ains.

“I’ll trust you.”

As my words ended, the Archbishop announced to the people that our marriage was complete.

This was my second marriage with Ains, but it wouldn’t be unhappy like the first time.

After all, having already gone through trial and error, we wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

fin.