What on earth was happening?

Her mind went blank, turning as white as snow. Frozen to the spot, the bride could only stare as one of the five men took a step forward.

Perhaps it was fortunate that only the groom entered the room.

Anita’s eyes trembled as violently as her body, darting between Cedric, who was approaching her, and the other men standing at the entrance to the bedchamber.

‘What is this…?’

In Callithea, it wasn’t uncommon for drunken grooms to be carried by their friends and thrown into the bridal chamber on their wedding night. But the man approaching her now walked with a straight back and a steady gait; there was not a hint of drunkenness in his movements.

Even worse, his clear, glinting eyes showed no trace of intoxication.

Anita could not for the life of her understand why her new husband had brought four other men with him to the bridal chamber on their first night together.

“Your Highness.”

When Cedric finally stood before her and spoke, Anita couldn’t bring herself to respond. Instead, she simply lifted her head and stared up at his face, which loomed far above her.

“You don’t seem to be enjoying this fine evening.”

His voice was laced with laughter, and he had an open and pleasant expression. Despite the dim lighting and his position with his back to the outside light, the curve of his lips was strikingly clear.

However, beneath that smile, Anita sensed a chill so sharp and sudden that she forgot to blink.

“Try not to be so tense.”

After studying her quietly for a moment, the man turned and took a few unhurried steps, moving with ease. When the figures standing outside the door came back into view beyond Cedric’s shoulder, Anita gasped softly and clutched the blanket tighter.

Cedric let out a faint, derisive laugh and moved towards the door.

Thud.

The door was pushed gently and swung almost shut, but not quite. It stopped just short, leaving a gap the width of a palm. At that same instant, one of the candles near the doorway flickered out with a soft whoosh, and a pale wisp of smoke curled around Cedric.

The candles that had seemed romantic only minutes earlier now burned dimly, casting restless shadows across the walls.

Keeping his gaze fixed on Anita, Cedric began to walk slowly through the wavering light and shadow.

The four men outside were hidden by the nearly closed door, but Anita’s fear only deepened. Her blood turned cold, as if she had stumbled upon a predator in the dark woods.

In contrast, Cedric looked perfectly at ease. He stopped in front of the table, picked up a bottle of liquor, and asked casually.

“Would you care for a drink, Your Highness?”

The quiet room was filled with the soft sound of liquid being poured. He soon approached her, holding out a glass brimming with fragrant red wine.

But what bride in her situation could possibly accept it?

All Anita could do was stare blankly at the glass he held out to her.

“Ah… perhaps the goddess’s teachings forbid you from drinking?”

Cedric shrugged with exaggerated nonchalance, raising the glass to his lips without hesitating for a moment. The wine trickled down his throat, its rich scent spreading through the room.

Clink.

The crystal glass fell onto the plush carpet below. He hadn’t thrown it hard, so it didn’t break, but the way it rolled uselessly across the floor seemed strangely precarious.

“If you dislike wine…then perhaps you’ll prefer the gift I prepared for my princess. Dian.”

Without sparing the fallen glass a glance, Cedric called out.

Immediately, the door, which had only just been kept in place, swung open silently.

The men standing in line outside did not immediately enter the chamber. However, if even one of them took a single step forward…

A scream began to climb up Anita’s throat.

“Ce–Cedric!”

“I don’t recall giving you permission to call my name.”

“……”

“It’s not proper to act familiar before we’ve even spent our wedding night. Don’t you think?”

Before Anita could say anything else, Cedric held up his long forefinger and placed it in front of her lips.

He had already closed half the distance between them, bending slightly as he whispered.

“Shh.”

Although it was only a finger, his presence weighed heavily on her. Anita couldn’t make a sound. Her breath caught in her throat, and a small hiccup escaped her trembling chest.

Her small, hunched frame shuddered pitifully. Cedric withdrew his hand, a mocking smile on his lips, and gestured towards the men standing in the doorway.

“There’s no need to be so tense. These are all distinguished Laxion nobles, not strangers off the street. They are distinguished in appearance, intellect, and skill.”

“W–why… why are you doing this…?”

The words came out in a stream of short, broken syllables, punctuated by hiccups.

They weren’t defiant; they were just a feeble protest. Yet even that seemed to displease him. The false smile that had lingered on Cedric’s face vanished at once.

Dropping the last remnants of courtesy, he looked down at his bride with open contempt.

“Are your ears dull? I told you these are gifts I personally prepared for the princess.”

With that thin layer of civility stripped away, Anita’s face turned a ghastly shade of blue, as though all the blood had drained from her body.

She remembered years ago, during her brother’s coronation. Back then, she had felt a childish pang of disappointment when Cedric had first addressed her formally. But now, hearing that same voice filled her with terror.

She couldn’t even lift her eyes to meet his.

“Very well, Your Highness. Make your choice. Whoever you choose will be with you tonight.”

The bride hung her head and her body was frozen with fear. No matter how polished his manners appeared, a husband who told his wife to choose another man on their wedding night was monstrous.

“None of them to your liking?”

Cedric tilted his head, his tone dripping with mock pity.

“I selected them with care—their looks, their lineage, their character. Yet it seems even the goddess’s blessed princess is difficult to please.”

“……”

“Still, out of respect for my efforts, do make a choice. I brought these gifts for you myself, out of consideration for Callithea’s princess.”

‘How could such depravity be called a gift?’

Unable to contain her disbelief, Anita raised her trembling eyes to face him.

“If word gets out that the princess rejected her husband on their wedding night, it won’t reflect well on you. If they find out that you didn’t enjoy it at all, they might say that Laxion treats its royal brides badly.”

The groom’s words towards his silent bride became increasingly depraved.

Unable to comprehend what was happening, and unable to even imagine it, Anita’s blue eyes filled with heavy, trembling tears.

“Ah… are you perhaps worried that word of tonight might spread outside?”

“Hhk…”

“You needn’t be. The men I chose myself will keep their mouths shut no matter what happens here tonight. You have my word on that.”

“……”

“If you’re still uneasy… shall I fetch a slave to serve you instead?”

What did that even mean? How could this nightmare possibly get any worse?

Struck dumb by the sheer obscenity of his words, Anita stared at Cedric.

Cedric’s lips twisted as he watched tears slide down her pale cheeks.

“Dian.”

“Your Highness.”

The moment Cedric said the name, one of the men waiting outside lowered his head. When the unfamiliar figure stirred, Anita flinched and took a step back.

“How long would it take to bring a slave, one skilled enough in the bed to satisfy the princess?”

“…Three hours should suffice.”

The knight hesitated only briefly before answering. Beneath his pale hair, his green eyes flickered with conflict. However, Anita, who was on the verge of fainting with terror, did not notice his handsome appearance or his momentary unease.

“Princess, could you wait a little longer? If it would put your mind at ease, I’ll send someone out of the palace right now to kill him and ensure he stays silent.”

“……”

“Why that face? Isn’t this sort of thing common enough behind closed doors in Callithea?”

It was a night of pure savagery. The groom spoke only to degrade the bride, who could only silently beg him to stop.

“Or…”

Cedric tilted his head slightly, studying the pale blue eyes fixed on him.

“Was it me you wanted?”

‘You?’

The words never left his mouth, but Anita could still hear them. The sneer in his ashen gaze spoke volumes.

“No matter how important the treaty between our nations may be, there are some things that are simply too repugnant to accept.”

“……”

“So, Princess, stop wasting time and choose.”

“……”

“Will it be one of them or the slave?”

Only now did the question of why arise within her. Why was he doing this?

All this time, she had only held warm memories of him and felt kindly towards him. When she was a child, he had been kind to her. Even five years ago, when he hurt her, he remained courteous.

Of course, given Laxion’s political climate and their past, she’d expected that he would not look kindly upon Callithea.

But did that justify such cruelty?

“If you prefer several at once, I can arrange that as well.”

Cedric’s vile words brought Anita back to reality.

First it was outsiders, then slaves, and now this: inviting several men into his bride’s chamber.

For the first time that night, Anita found her voice; it was trembling yet defiant.

“N–No… no!”

“……”

“G–Get out. All of you… get out!”

“The noble princess seems thoroughly displeased with my suggestion.”

With her weak nod and fragile voice, she looked pitiful, like a wildflower that would wither if handled too roughly. There was nothing about her that could pose the slightest threat.

“If solitude is what Your Highness desires, I suppose there’s no helping it.”

“……”

“Very well. As you command. I shall withdraw.”

However, instead of pressing her further, Cedric actually stepped back.

Sensing the distance between them finally widening, Anita let out a small, shaky sigh of relief.

Cedric’s brows furrowed, and a bitter smile twisted his lips.

“Still, whatever rumors spread after tonight, don’t blame me. I did my best to spare you the disgrace of being known as the princess who rejected her fiancé. If any gossip arises, it will be the result of your choice, not mine.”

With that, he turned on his heel sharply, as though she no longer existed.

The men outside the door stepped aside in unison to make way for him.

“Then, I wish you a peaceful night alone.”