A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 35

A few hours later.

Lidoria responded to the three regular knocks on the door.

Given the time, it must be Alex.

“Sorry, I’ll open it right away. Please wait a moment.”

Lidoria rose from her vanity and picked up the bag she had placed on the nearby stool.

She was about to hurry to the door but stopped to check her appearance once more.

The forest green evening gown for the soirée, lent to her by the Crown Princess.

Since her attendance had been decided suddenly and Lidoria had no preparations, Sophia had provided it for her.

She had also offered to lend accessories, but Lidoria politely declined.

Around her neck was only the aquamarine ring on a gold chain, serving as her wedding ring.

Surprisingly, it made for a nice accent.

I’M MARRIED!!!!!!!

Every time it caught the light and scattered pale aqua hues, it seemed to proclaim that.

After confirming her evening gown once more, Lidoria turned her attention to her hair.

Amid the flurry of applying makeup and changing clothes, Amanda had come to help.

“I left the Crown Princess’s matters to Sena and the maid! I can spare a little time!”

With that, she swiftly tied up Lidoria’s golden hair and adorned it with roses and silvergrass, which she said she got from the bearded old gardener.

“I heard the prince from over there is pushy? Oh no, don’t cry! Your makeup!”

As Amanda fixed her hair with combs and hairpins, asking through the mirror, Lidoria found herself tearfully sobbing, “What if I’m made his mistress?” “What if I’m kidnapped across the sea?” “What if I never see Finley again?”

“It’s fine! You’re Sir Alex’s wife! Hold your head high! The Crown Princess will surely help too.”

As she left, Amanda gave her a firm pat on the back.

“Let the prince take only Princess Melissa home! Everything for the Crown Princess!”

Those words restored the resolve in Lidoria’s unsettled heart.

That’s right.

The long-standing issue since her marriage—”Princess Melissa.” That prince of lust would remove that thorn from the royal castle.

“Everything for the Crown Princess!”

Amanda said it powerfully, then smiled and kissed her cheek.

“That’s my partner,” she said.

Then Amanda returned to assist the Crown Princess, and Lidoria finished her makeup and final touches.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

She put on her gloves and opened the door.

Sure enough, Alex stood before her.

Perhaps at a loss for what to do, he was leaning on his left foot in a relaxed stance, gazing at a still-life painting decorating the hallway.

And Alex, of course.

He was formally dressed for the soirée.

Though “formally” for him, as a proper soldier, meant his military dress uniform.

Unlike Morris, he wasn’t in the navy, so his jacket was black-based with gold embroidery. His trousers were dark gray with a vertical crimson stripe.

A gold aiguillette hung from his shoulder, and a matching gold sword was at his waist. He held his military cap under his arm.

Medals indicating his rank dangled on his chest, but Lidoria couldn’t tell from them alone whether he was truly distinguished or not.

But.

She was momentarily captivated by his perfectly attired figure.

She thought this must be what people meant by a “god of war,” and she wished her younger brother Finley would grow up to be like him. Despite having no jewelry or the like, he exuded both luxury and refinement.

How long had she been looking up at him?

She suddenly realized.

He was staring at her too.

“Ah… Sorry. It’s just that you’re not in your usual uniform.”

Worried she might have seemed suspicious, Lidoria flustered.

“That uniform looks cool. Is it for formal occasions?”

“Yeah.”

Alex gave a small cough.

“His Highness the Crown Prince said it should be for formal wear.”

“I see. It suits you very well. I hope my Finley grows up to be like Sir Alex.”

She nodded to herself. Though she had no idea how that rascal, still the epitome of a mischievous boy, could ever become such a mature man.

“No, well…”

“Yes?”

Hearing his slightly confused tone, Lidoria looked up at him again.

“Miss Lidoria… no, ‘miss’ doesn’t feel right. You look different too.”

Seeing Alex furrow his brow and lean back slightly, Lidoria shrugged.

“I took up the Crown Princess’s kind offer and borrowed it. It’s my first time wearing such a fine dress.”

“No, your hair too.”

“Ah, this was my lady-in-waiting friend Amanda.”

“You smell different too.”

Told with a troubled expression, she felt the urge to retort, “Are you a dog?”

“Maybe it’s the roses? Or perhaps the perfume mixed with the cosmetics. Does it smell bad?”

Tilting her head, she saw him make a face as if something were stuck in his throat before he bluntly shook his head.

“It smells nice.”

No sooner had he said it.

Unusually, the corners of his eyes turned red.

Perhaps realizing Lidoria had widened her eyes in surprise, thinking he might be embarrassed.

Alex quickly pulled his cap down low to hide his face and offered his elbow to Lidoria.

“Let’s go.”

“It smelled nice?”

“Quiet. Take my elbow.”

“My hairstyle looks good, right?”

“Don’t know. Let’s walk.”

“But my makeup is a bit… I wish I could’ve used more modern things like eyeliner and lipstick, but I don’t have any, and they wouldn’t suit me anyway.”

As they walked arm in arm, Lidoria glanced toward the hallway window.

With night having fallen, the windowpane had turned reflective.

She thought she should’ve used more fashionable makeup, but since she wasn’t one for flashy styles, she didn’t think it would suit her. In the end, her makeup ended up much the same as usual. Only at Amanda’s suggestion had she switched to a more vibrant lipstick color.

“Well, I’ve always had a plain face anyway.”

She gave a wry smile and turned away from the windowpane.

Then she noticed Alex’s gaze.

He had tilted his cap brim up slightly to look down at her, making her feel intimidated and shrink her shoulders.

“No, I think you’re beautiful.”

Stunned by his blunt declaration, she stumbled over nothing, startling Alex with a “Whoa!”

“S-sorry! I just never expected you to say something like that.”

Her makeup felt like it might melt from sweat. Calm down, calm down.

As she chanted this to herself, Alex faced straight ahead and muttered.

“I don’t lie.”

“…Is that so…? Well, thank you.”

Since he wouldn’t look at her, she couldn’t tell what expression he wore.

But judging by how he’d half-hidden his face with his cap, he must be embarrassed too.

With their faces flushed red, Alex and Lidoria hurried at a brisk pace toward the soirée venue. A pair in formalwear moving so quickly must be a rare sight.

They didn’t need to rush, but if they stopped even for a moment, they wouldn’t know what to say to each other, and showing their red faces felt too embarrassing.

In the end, they moved their legs desperately so they could pass off their flushed faces as being “out of breath from hurrying.”