Chapter 1

Daniel let out a sigh in front of the bridal chamber door.

People had mischievous looks on their faces as they kept handing the groom drinks, and since he couldn’t refuse, he ended up drinking little by little. Now, the smell of alcohol was practically radiating from him. 

He had been prepared for this, but the wedding had been far more exhausting than he had expected. The smell of alcohol that clung to him was now mingled with the sweat he had shed throughout the day. Outwardly, he might appear fine, but inside, he was a complete mess, drenched in sweat.

‘What should I do? I reek of alcohol and sweat.’

After struggling to shake off his friends, who had relentlessly teased him about his drunken state before his first wedding night, his family members promptly pushed him toward the door of the prepared bridal chamber.

Inside, his bride, Alice, was waiting for him, anticipating their first night together. Despite the amount of alcohol he had consumed, Daniel’s heart stirred at the thought of Alice, and he swallowed nervously.

‘I can’t do this.’

He had been looking forward to tonight for years, ever since he began harboring feelings for Alice. There was no way he could face her in this state. He had waited so long for this day, and surely Alice had as well.

If Alice saw him like this, she might be greatly disappointed. She was probably already bathed and prepared, looking perfect, while he reeked of alcohol and sweat.

‘She wouldn’t even want to come near me, let alone kiss me.’

She would hate it. Of course, she would.

And Daniel couldn’t bear the thought of Alice wrinkling her nose in disgust at him.

‘I should go wash up.’

Determined to face Alice in a clean and presentable state, he turned to leave, but his father and the family butler, who had escorted him to the door, blocked his way with grim expressions.

“Daniel! Where do you think you’re going on your wedding night?”

“I-I was just going to wash up….”

But Daniel’s intentions were immediately shot down by the butler.

“Everything you need has already been prepared inside, Young Master. You just need to go in.”

“B-but….”

Was there really a bath prepared inside? Did that mean I was supposed to bathe in front of Alice? 

The thought made Daniel’s cheeks flush red.

His father, Lawrence, the Earl, gripped Daniel’s shoulders firmly and stared into his face with a serious expression.

“Daniel, you know that a wedding isn’t complete until the groom and bride consummate their marriage, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know.”

“Don’t forget. Tomorrow morning, the heads of both families will examine the ‘evidence’ together to confirm that the marriage has been consummated and announce the union of the two families.”

Recalling what his father meant by ‘evidence,’ Daniel felt his head spin. Nervous, he swallowed hard without realizing it.

“There mustn’t be even the smallest flaw in this union between the two families. You can’t just fall asleep because you’re tired. Do you understand?”

“…Yes.”

“Good. I know today has been tough for you, but just hold on a little longer.”

With that, the Earl opened the bedroom door and pushed Daniel inside without hesitation.

As soon as Daniel stepped into the room, he heard the sound of the door locking behind him. The footsteps outside grew distant. It seemed no one would come near their floor until morning.

The bridal chamber Daniel entered wasn’t made up of just one room. In front of him was a bathtub, and next to it, another door. From beyond that door, he could hear rustling sounds. It seemed Alice was waiting for him inside.

His cheeks flushed red.

‘I need to hurry and wash up.’

Not wanting to show Alice his disheveled state, Daniel quickly began undressing and stepped into the bathtub. The water, which must have been hot when prepared, had cooled to a lukewarm temperature while waiting for him. Looking around, Daniel found the items the butler had mentioned. Bath supplies were neatly arranged beside the tub, and a robe for him to wear afterward was folded neatly on a shelf.

“Whew.”

He scrubbed his body diligently with soap, creating a lather. As he washed, he realized how quiet the surroundings were, making the sound of his bathing seem unusually loud.

Suddenly, the thought crossed his mind that Alice might be able to hear him from beyond the door. His hands froze mid-motion.

‘Ah….’

His face burned with embarrassment. This was really happening—it was their first wedding night.

‘Mine and Alice’s….’

His heart pounded wildly.

After scrubbing himself more thoroughly than usual, Daniel dried himself off with a towel and slipped into the robe that had been prepared for him. The thought of meeting Alice wearing nothing but the robe made his face flush red again.

Standing in front of the door, his heart thudded loudly in his chest.

‘Stay calm. Stay calm.’

Worried that Alice might be startled, Daniel knocked on the door first.

Knock, knock.

“Yes.”

Alice’s bright response from inside put him slightly at ease. Daniel carefully opened the door.

The bedroom was darker and larger than he had expected. Although several candles were lit, the room still felt dim.

The bed, prepared for the newlyweds, was adorned with red and white curtains, and rose petals were scattered all around.

And his bride―

“Daniel! I’ve been waiting for you!”

Alice ran up to him with a cheerful voice. Seeing her, Daniel momentarily froze in surprise.

Alice was dressed in a bright pink nightgown adorned with frills that reached her knees, clutching a large teddy bear in her arms. She looked as cheerful as ever.

“Why did you take so long? Martha told me not to fall asleep before you arrived, but I’ve been so sleepy.”

Pouting like she always did, Alice reached out to grab his hand but stopped mid-motion.

“Huh? Daniel, why aren’t you wearing pajamas? You’re only in a bathrobe.”

“Oh, well, after washing up, this was all that was prepared….”

Daniel replied out of habit, and Alice shook her head with a resigned expression.

“Martha must have forgotten. Should I ask someone to bring you pajamas?”

“…No one will come here tonight.”

“Oh my, then you’ll have to sleep in that robe instead of pajamas? I’ll have to say something to the butler tomorrow.”