At last, the wedding day had arrived.

After making their own preparations, Ariadne, Kieron, Sylvia, Heidel and Jade each greeted the morning with a quiet sense of tension.

Of all of them, Ariadne was the most unsettled.

It had been so long since she had stood before a crowd that the sudden pressure felt like an explosion going off inside her.

She could barely manage a sip of water before the preparations began.

“Are you all right?”

“Mm… probably.”

Ariadne swallowed hard and forced a smile that felt forced.

Her chest felt as if it might burst, but there was no turning back now.

She pressed a hand lightly over her heart, closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them again.

She had to do this.

Today, she had to be the strongest, most dignified woman in the world.

After completing her final preparations, Ariadne began to descend the staircase.

Kieron took her hand and escorted her downstairs with quiet, steady formality.

She had always been beautiful, but today she was radiant, so radiant that he felt he could proudly call her his queen.

With every step, she summoned her strength, gritting her teeth and pushing forward.

Ariadne drew in a slow breath and continued walking with deliberate care.

“You don’t need to be so nervous.”

“No. Not today.”

He spoke softly, perhaps out of pity for how tense she appeared. However, she firmly rejected his words — a rare display of defiance — and lifted her chin higher.

This was the first task she had planned and would carry out herself.

Calling it a ‘task’ might seem strange, but it was her own plan.

And not just anywhere, but in society.

Ariadne was extremely nervous and excited.

She had thought she would never do something that could actually help someone.

“If it comes to it, I already asked Mother to help a little. In case of emergencies, I do have someone to lean on, so I’ll let myself be nervous for now.”

She offered a faint smile, worrying for him even while he worried for her.

“Your Excellency, please take care of yourself as well. There shouldn’t be any danger, but… just in case.”

“I’ll be careful.”

He replied quietly, nodding without resistance.

In truth, Kieron had no reason to be cautious. Today, it was Ariadne who would bring disgrace upon Lorelei, and it was Sylvia who would reveal her true nature.

He and Jade were merely there to deal with any unexpected situations that might arise.

Bearing this in mind, it was amusing, albeit slightly ironic, that it was Ariadne who was worried.

He found her concern faintly amusing, yet neither stopped her nor dismissed it. He didn’t dislike the way she looked at him, worry evident in her eyes.

‘I don’t dislike it.’

‘How strange.’

It wasn’t something he particularly liked, but it wasn’t something he disliked either.

Perhaps this was the beginning of something new.

Kieron escorted her all the way to the carriage, helped her step inside and took his seat opposite her.

“When did Young Master Derayan say he would arrive?”

“He should be leaving around now. Jade said he’d be arriving at about the same time as us.”

As the carriage began to move, the two of them went over the plan one more time. Ariadne’s role, Kieron’s role, and the roles of Jade Derayan and Sylvia.

“And the witness—Young Master Peyton said he would bring them?”

“Yes. Apparently someone saw a suspicious figure entering Princess Lorelei’s chambers. It took some time to convince them, but he said he’d bring them.”

“Then the wedding will proceed as scheduled?”

“Hm… I’m not sure. Considering what’s going to happen today, I don’t think the ceremony will actually take place… not today, at least.”

Ariadne tilted her head with a puzzled expression, then let out a small laugh. After all, it was almost impossible for the couple to finish their wedding safely today.

“But honestly—Her Highness is something else. How does she even plan to pull this off at her own wedding?”

‘It’s her one and only wedding, isn’t it? How can she do that?’

Ariadne remembered the look on Sylvia’s face when she said that she wanted to use the wedding venue as a makeshift courtroom rather than holding a celebration, which made her laugh.

Weddings are supposed to be times when everyone offers their blessings and the bride and groom become the day’s main characters.

Yet Sylvia had chosen to relinquish that spotlight and hand it over to her sister Lorelei — not as the heroine, but as the villain.

“This kind of opportunity doesn’t come often. So we should crush everything in one sweep.”

Ariadne found that bold, almost audacious determination unfamiliar, yet not unwelcome. She was amazed that anyone could consider sacrificing their own wedding or anniversary celebrations for the sake of others.

The bride and groom should be the center of attention. They were the ones who should be celebrated. Yet Sylvia was willingly setting all of that aside to ensure that Lorelei faced the consequences she deserved.

Since the bride herself was insistent, there was no stopping her.

In the run-up to the wedding, Sylvia had worked tirelessly, drawing close to Lorelei’s circle of friends, persuading them and gathering information. She was so busy that she practically needed two bodies.

Given everything she had done, helping her achieve her desired outcome was the least they could do. Besides, Ariadne had her own reasons for wanting to confront Lorelei.

She gazed at the wedding hall coming into view through the carriage window and let out a quiet breath.

“After the ceremony, we should gather again. We still need to properly celebrate the couple’s marriage.”

They couldn’t let things pass without offering any congratulations.

Strengthening her resolve, Ariadne stared out of the window.

Today was D-Day.

The day of reckoning.

***

“Are you nervous, Sylvia?”

“No? Why would I be?”

Meanwhile, in the bridal waiting room…

After everyone else had been dismissed, Heidel and Sylvia faced each other and conducted a final check. Perhaps it was more an opportunity to compose themselves before everything began than a final check.

Holding the bride’s hand — the bride who was about to relive her one and only wedding day — Heidel looked at Sylvia with tender concern.

“I know you’ve been working hard.”

“I have. And luckily, I’ve gained a lot of people besides you who understand me now.”

Meanwhile, in the bridal waiting room…

Once everyone else had been dismissed, Heidel and Sylvia faced each other and conducted a final check.

Perhaps it was more an opportunity for them to compose themselves before the ceremony began.

Holding the bride’s hand, the bride who was about to experience her wedding day all over again — Heidel looked at Sylvia with tender concern.

“Still, even if things don’t completely change today… don’t be too discouraged.”

“Discouraged? I don’t have time to be discouraged. I barely have enough time to think about the next step.”

Among all of them, the person she felt most grateful—and most apologetic—to was her fiancé, Heidel.
Sylvia set down the bouquet in her hand and placed her own hand gently over his.

“I’m always grateful that you’re here. So stop worrying needlessly and stay focused. I’m fine.”

And she truly was.

She had spoken with the emperor yesterday, and everything had gone smoothly. She had also spoken with the empress and her younger brother, both of whom had promised their full support.

‘The real issue is whether Father will change his mind.’

Wrapped in the arms of her soon-to-be husband, Sylvia thought quietly to herself.

The best outcome would be if the emperor changed his mind.

He should declare that he would not appoint Lorelei as crown princess.

After his death, he should name Sylvia, not Lorelei, as the protector of the empress and the young prince.

This was the ideal scenario, but it depended entirely on the emperor changing his mind.

If he refused…

“Did the Ambrose couple arrive? Are they here yet?”

Undoubtedly, the person playing the most critical role today was the Duchess of Ambrose.

As the bridesmaid, she would confirm that the dress Lorelei had planned to wear had originally been made for Ariadna, but had been stolen.

Ariadne Ambrose.

“I was honestly surprised at the duchess. I didn’t think she could devise something like this.”

“…She’s a smart one. She just doesn’t realize it herself.”

“I’d like to stay close to her from now on.”

As the two, finally relaxed, chatted lightly and loosened the atmosphere—

The door suddenly burst open.

Heels clicked sharply across the floor.

“Oh my. My brother-in-law is here too.”

The voice dripped with mockery.

“Does the groom not even know it’s bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony?”

Heidel’s brows furrowed. It was obvious this wasn’t a joke—it was meant to irritate.

“And you, sister-in-law, must be quite upset about not receiving an invitation. Considering you came all the way here uninvited.”

“Well, I am family. Whether I have an invitation or not shouldn’t matter, don’t you think?”

Lorelei, the unwelcome guest, had finally arrived at the venue. She held her chin high, her voice was sharper than ever, and she was covered in excessive accessories.

The outfit she wore today was…

“Hah. I thought it couldn’t be, but of course.”

Sylvia let out a breathless laugh, a mixture of disbelief and disgust.

The dress that Lorelei was showing off, with her shoulders thrown back, was the same one that Sylvia had had stolen not long ago.

Now, however, it had been ruined, covered in unnecessary jewels and lace that completely destroyed the original design.

“Have you gone mad, Lore? There’s a limit to shamelessness.”

“Why? What’s the problem? Isn’t it only natural that I’d be the bridesmaid?”

Lorelei laughed in a high, shrill voice.

“Oh, and of course—I couldn’t let you outshine me, so I added a few more embellishments. What do you think? Isn’t it pretty?”

“You’ve completely lost your mind. Do you really think you’ll get away with this?”

“And why wouldn’t I? Everything will go exactly the way I want.”

Sylvia shouted through clenched teeth, but Lorelei only scoffed, as though nothing could possibly go wrong—utterly blind to how arrogant she sounded.