Side Story: Family (1)

The harsh winter had ended. After the blooming spring, the warm summer arrived in the North.  

The relentless rain that had poured until dawn stopped as if it were a lie the moment morning came. Instead of rain clouds, a beautiful double rainbow adorned the clear sky.  

Perfect weather, perfect scenery.  

It was a perfect day for a wedding.  

“Master, really…”  

Chloe, who had been peeking out the window in the bride’s waiting room, shook her head.  

Isrion, who had been missing for months, returned to the Mage Tower just yesterday. Why did he come back now of all times? It turned out, he offered to control the weather for the Grand Duchy entirely for the wedding.  

‘It’s something to be thankful for.’  

If he hadn’t helped, there might have been a raging typhoon today. Recently, the rapidly worsening weather had already been a headache.  

‘…Though it seems he went a little overboard.’  

Flower petals drifted on the wind, accompanied by sparkling light clusters.  

Occasionally, leaves would gather into heart shapes before scattering again, making it clear that this was anything but natural.  

“Ugh.”  

Would he sulk if I asked him to tone it down?  

Chloe recalled Isrion’s glowing eyes and decided to drop the thought. Instead of stopping her master, who had rolled up his sleeves for her, she chose to happily enjoy the gift.  

‘It doesn’t seem like people mind much either.’  

In fact, it was clear that everyone’s attention was focused inside the wedding hall. Even beyond the wall, the atmosphere felt subdued, as though people were silently watching someone rather than chatting noisily.  

The mood of the wedding was slightly different from what she had imagined, but it couldn’t be helped. After all, it was a rare gathering of an unusual combination of people.  

It wasn’t just the Northern nobles; when else would the Emperor and the Mage Tower Master be seen together at an official event? Especially when the Emperor was a newly crowned novice, and the Mage Tower Master had just returned from a six-month disappearance.  

‘It’ll be fine, right?’  

For the seventeenth time since entering the bride’s waiting room, Chloe checked her magic clock. The time, which seemed to flow especially slowly today, felt frustrating.  

It wasn’t just Kaishan and Isrion that concerned her. There was Helena, who couldn’t resist anything magical; Lucas, who still harbored dislike for both the Imperial Family and Tehis; Elle, who was always playing pranks wherever she went; and Ray, who occasionally couldn’t control her flames due to her growth spurt…  

There were too many potential variables to feel at ease about the wedding proceeding smoothly. Of course, they wouldn’t intentionally cause trouble here, but she couldn’t help but worry since she couldn’t foresee the future like Isrion.  

“I wish it would start already.”  

A sudden voice interrupted her thoughts, and Chloe stopped pacing. Riel, who had barged in complaining of fatigue and fallen asleep on the sofa, was now watching her.  

“Just a little? You know there are guests we can’t let our guard down around. It’d be great if Master could handle everything smoothly, but he’s quite the prankster himself…”  

“Not that.”  

Riel cut off Chloe’s rambling with a small yawn. Rubbing her eyes with one hand, her voice was indifferent as she pointed something out.  

“You’ve been rubbing your ring constantly.”  

“Have I?”  

“Yeah.”  

Only then did Chloe notice the warm sensation under her fingers and lowered her gaze. Her thumb was pressing firmly against the artifact on her left middle finger.  

It was a ring Tehis had used for his proposal months ago. He had secretly contacted Riel to commission it.  

<It’s rare for mages to marry, but traditionally, it’s customary to propose with a high-performance artifact crafted personally. Since I don’t know alchemy, I had it commissioned instead… I hope you like it, as your dear friend put great effort into it.>  

The artifact’s effect was simple. It appeared as an ordinary ring most of the time, but when rubbed, it allowed the wearer to feel the physical sensation of their partner wearing the matching ring.  

In short, it simulated the feeling of holding Tehis’s hand. The temperature and texture of the finger wearing the ring were reflected in real time.  

“That’s true…”  

Muttering absentmindedly, Chloe scratched the ring with her thumb. She let out a soft laugh, savoring the comforting presence of her lover.  

She only used this artifact under specific circumstances—neither when she was nervous nor worried.  

It was when she missed Tehis.  

Her concern about the wedding was overshadowed by her unconscious yearning for him, revealing itself.  

“Do you like him that much?”  

“Huh?”  

“Your husband.”  

At Riel’s blunt question, Chloe awkwardly fiddled with her wedding dress.  

Husband—it was such a foreign word.  

Just a year ago, she couldn’t have imagined this. Who would have thought a mage from the Mage Tower would marry, and to a Grand Duke from the continent at that?  

It wasn’t just about losing time for research. If it were another mage collaborating on research, that would be one thing, but now she was bound for life to the Grand Duke of the Empire, fulfilling the duties of a wife.  

Even preparing for this wedding was proof of how challenging this would be. From arranging the ceremony to dressing up all day and managing the guests, these were all torturous tasks for a mage.  

But…  

“Yes, I like him. I like him enough to marry him.”  

Her face lit up with a pink hue of happiness.  

It was the face of a dreamer, not a mage.  

<I want to spend my life with you, Chloe.>  

The tingling sensation she felt when Tehis, with his awkwardly stiff face, proposed to her still lingered. The trembling hands that placed the ring on her finger and the bobbing Adam’s apple added to the memory.  

<Isn’t that line a bit cliché?>  

<…I’m sorry. I mean, what I’m trying to say is->  

<I’m joking, Tehis. I actually liked it, but you were so stiff I couldn’t help teasing you.>  

<Chloe…>  

<So, here’s the thing.>  

<Yes?>  

<Let’s get married.>  

<What?>  

<I said, let’s get married. I can’t let you go either.>  

Chloe burst out laughing at Tehis’s dumbfounded expression. She couldn’t see how his face changed afterward because he had pulled her into an embrace, leaving only the memory of his trembling voice.  

<Thank you, Chloe. I’ll make sure you’re happy. Always.>  

Yes, there was no denying it now, with the wedding about to take place.  

Chloe loved Tehis.  

Enough to willingly give him the rest of her life.  

***

“They say it’s about to begin.”  

“Yes.”  

“The guests seem to be in a better mood than expected. Her Highness, the Princess, has even started a conversation with the Mage Tower Master.”  

“Yes.”  

“This marriage might serve as a starting point for full-fledged exchanges with the Mage Tower.”  

“Yes.”  

“Although the next Mage Tower Master has already made it clear that Miss Chloe should not be involved in politics, what do you think?”  

“Yes.”  

…He wasn’t listening at all.  

Lisa observed Tehis with a peculiar expression. Outwardly, he looked as expressionless as usual, but his eyes were unfocused, as if staring into the distance.  

‘He must be thinking about Miss Chloe.’  

No wonder he kept fiddling with the ring.  

She blamed herself for not noticing it earlier as his aide. Realizing that further conversation would be meaningless, she decided to leave, so as not to disturb her master’s thoughts.  

“Then, I’ll return to inform you when it’s time to head out.”  

“Yes.”  

Click.  

Left alone in the groom’s waiting room, Tehis stood still for a while. Almost unconsciously, he rubbed the ring on his finger, lost in thought, until he let out a deep sigh.  

‘This is driving me crazy.’  

How could something feel so unreal?  

Tehis gulped down a glass of water, as if trying to quench the frustration welling up inside him. He had spent months preparing for this wedding, yet even on the day of, it still didn’t feel real.  

The fact that…  

Chloe was marrying him.  

‘It’s too vivid to be a dream.’  

Tehis clenched the engagement ring with his other hand. The closer overwhelming happiness came, the more anxiety crept in.  

What if all of this was a dream? What if I was actually being toyed with by sorcerers in the middle of the war? What if this was just a fleeting glimpse of the world I wanted, like a flashback before death?  

“That can’t be.”  

Tehis denied it aloud and stopped mid-motion as he was about to run his hand through his hair in frustration. He had almost ruined the hair he had carefully styled with gel.  

Even the scars on his face had been treated with Chloe’s medicine, just like during the former Emperor’s birthday celebration. He had been strictly instructed not to touch anything above his neck.  

“Phew…”  

Tehis sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and interlocking his fingers. His face hardened as he glared at the clock on the wall, as if he wanted to burn it.  

His heart raced, sweat formed on his palms, and he swallowed dryly for the umpteenth time.  

At this point, he had no choice but to admit it.  

The Iron-Blooded Knight, Tehis Escalante.  

Now a Sword Master, he was extremely nervous about the wedding.  

“D＊mn it.”  

Not even his first time on the battlefield had made him this anxious.  

Tehis reached for another drink of water, only to find the glass empty. He put it down and instead replayed the wedding process in his mind, something he had already done dozens of times.  

Soon, he would be called first. Then Chloe would follow.  

They would exchange marriage vows, trade wedding rings, listen to the declaration of marriage and the officiant’s speech, and then, to the orchestra’s celebratory performance, they would dance…  

“Your Grace, it’s time to head out!”  

“I’m coming.”  

Forcing himself to shake off his worries, Tehis stood up. He adjusted his attire one last time in the full-length mirror on the wall before leaving the room.  

Chloe was the greatest blessing of his life. He couldn’t allow even the slightest flaw in the marriage she had granted him.  

‘I’ll make it perfect.’  

With a resolute expression, Tehis took his steps forward.  

Unaware that the wedding would not go as planned.