A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 36

The venue was the grand hall on the first floor of the central building.

While the main purpose was socializing over a meal, I’d heard there were also plans for music by an orchestra and dramatic readings.

The hostess was the Queen.

But she was apparently quite exhausted from Princess Melissa’s extreme tardiness and subsequent rude behavior just hours earlier.

As we approached the evening party venue, light music centered around violins could be heard.

The number of attendants, butlers, and maids had increased, and Alex and Lidoria finally slowed their pace.

Several guards and chamberlains stood before the venue, bowing deeply when they recognized Lidoria and the others.

Then, taking a deep breath, they announced our arrival.

“Lord Alex Reading and his wife, Lady Lidoria!”

I still wasn’t used to being called “his wife.”

Well, hello, I mentally added this strange interjection as Lidoria entered the venue escorted by Alex.

“Wow! This is luxurious.”

I couldn’t help but murmur like an idiot.

The large chandelier, usually covered with a dust cloth, was now illuminated.

Countless candles, and the large pieces of glass and intricately cut zirconia that scattered their light everywhere.

It was as if sunlight had been gathered and released across the ceiling.

The walls and tables were also adorned with numerous decorative candles, welcoming Lidoria and Alex with a brightness that made it hard to believe it was night.

The long central table was covered with a pure white tablecloth, and the silverware gleamed like moonlight.

“I’m sorry for the sudden inconvenience, Alex.”

Turning toward the hoarse voice, I saw it was the Queen.

I found myself at a loss for words because the Queen seemed to have aged dramatically in just a few hours.

It must be due to fatigue. Her face was pale, and her breathing seemed shallow. Normally, the Queen would probably greet guests alone, but the Crown Princess was standing beside her.

“Not at all, Your Majesty. It’s nothing.”

“You’re as unflappable as ever.”

The Queen gave a wry smile, then turned a somewhat apologetic face toward Lidoria.

“My apologies to you as well.”

“Whatever do you mean, Your Majesty? Being allowed to attend such an event is a great honor. And Crown Princess, thank you so much for lending me this dress.”

When I performed a deep curtsy, the Queen’s eyes softened slightly.

“It suits you well. The Crown Princess has a good eye.”

“My lady-in-waiting looks good in anything she wears,” the Crown Princess said playfully.

Finally, the Queen showed a faint smile. “Hoho.”

“I thought it was unusual for Alex to be wearing his service cap. I see you don’t intend to show us your embarrassed face.”

At the Queen’s words, Alex, with his cap pulled low, bowed his head slightly. But his neck was red. To make matters worse, Lidoria beside him had turned red up to her ears, as if steam might rise from her. The Queen and Crown Princess looked at the two of them and laughed again, saying, “Oh my, oh my.”

“Let’s stop teasing the newlyweds now. To your seats.”

When the Queen spoke, an attendant quickly guided Alex and Lidoria to their seats.

Alex swiftly removed his cap, then hooked a finger into his collar and muttered softly, “It’s hot.”

“Shall I open the window behind you? Formal wear can be quite uncomfortable in the heat,” the attendant said, so Alex seemed to have blamed his uniform. Lidoria desperately suppressed a laugh that threatened to burst out as she took her seat.

“Dammit. Were we the last to arrive?” I heard Alex murmur as he sat down.

Lidoria also sat in the chair pulled out by the attendant and looked around the room.

The seats of honor were occupied by Prince Morris and Princess Melissa. Next to Prince Morris was His Majesty, chatting amiably. The empty seat next to Princess Melissa was probably for the Queen.

In contrast to Morris, who was talking to the King with a smile, Melissa’s face was stiff.

More than that, she had no color in her cheeks and remained as still as a statue.

(…Is she feeling down?)

Remembering the scene from a few hours ago, my chest ached a little. This was probably the first time in her life she had been scolded by her father.

“No, we’re still waiting for the former Queen Mother to arrive,” a voice said.

Shifting my gaze toward the sound, I saw Crown Prince George seated across from Alex.

Now that he mentioned it, there was another prepared seat next to him.

Alex nodded in acknowledgment, and George raised his hand casually.

“Sorry to bother you when you’re busy. Lidoria, your dress tonight is absolutely lovely.”

“Thank you. This dress was kindly lent to me by the Crown Princess. I’m truly grateful.”

When Lidoria hurriedly expressed her thanks, George furrowed his brow slightly.

“That won’t do, Alex. You should have prepared a full wardrobe for your wife.”

“I’m sorry if this sounds like an excuse, but we haven’t been married long,” Alex replied in his usual monotone.

Just as Alex seemed about to say something more, he was interrupted by another person.

“If it were me, I’d have her wedding ring resized first and foremost.”

Lidoria started and looked up.

It was Morris.

She leaned back as he reached out, but he boldly pinched the ring hanging from Lidoria’s chest, making her exclaim, “Hey!”

Morris laughed cheerfully and sat on the edge of the table, facing Lidoria.

“You’re still not wearing it on your finger?”

“That’s because there hasn’t been time! More importantly, isn’t your seat over there?!”

There was no room for carelessness or gaps.

Looking toward the seats of honor, the King was still speaking to Melissa, who remained expressionless and lifeless.

It didn’t seem like he was trying to cheer her up as usual. He was clearly admonishing his daughter for her attitude, and Lidoria, feeling it improper to watch, gently averted her gaze.

You have a fiancé. How long will you keep up this childish behavior?

The King was probably reprimanding his daughter in front of Morris.

Surely Morris, feeling as uncomfortable as I did, had left his seat and come over to Lidoria, whom he knew.

That’s what I thought, but…

“If it were me, I’d put this ring on her finger immediately. Let everyone know she’s my wife.”

As he spoke, Morris took Lidoria’s left hand, smoothly removed her glove, and kissed the back of her hand.

Startled, her reaction was delayed, but Lidoria tried to pull her hand back in a panic.

But he held it firmly, and she couldn’t free it.

She almost clicked her tongue in frustration. Though his grip looked gentle, his thumb and forefinger were pressing on her joints.

He might seem like he’s joking around frivolously, but he was still wearing his naval dress uniform. She was reminded unpleasantly that he was, in fact, a proper military man.

Clatter.

The spurs on his military boots jingled to her right.

Lidoria turned her face as if startled.

It was Alex.

He had stood up and was silently glaring at Morris, who sat on the table facing Lidoria.

He said nothing, but the pressure was palpable.

Though Morris maintained an innocent-looking smile, he finally released Lidoria’s hand.

Relieved, Lidoria rubbed her left wrist where he had held it. The joints he’d been pressing now ached dully.

Wait, I’m confused.

I thought Alex would sit down now that Morris had let go.

But he remained standing, looked around, and strode over to the wall.

Lidoria wasn’t the only one watching with keen interest. Morris and the Crown Prince were too.

Alex plucked one of the decorative flowers displayed there and returned to his seat.

“Give me your left hand.”

Just one flower.

Alex held a marguerite carelessly.

With its slender, long stem and elongated white petals spread in a circle, the flower resembled a white heron with wings outstretched.

“Left hand?”

Parroting his words, Lidoria slowly extended her ungloved left hand to Alex.

Expressionlessly, Alex twisted the long, thin stem around and around, deftly securing it below the flower head.

Still silent, he took Lidoria’s left hand and slipped the marguerite ring onto her ring finger.

“We’ll go to the shop tomorrow. For today, wear that.”

Having said only that, he promptly sat down.

I was dumbfounded.

Lidoria stared at the large marguerite adorning her left ring finger.

The fresh, pure white petals, catching the chandelier’s light, looked like silver.

Phew.

Morris let out a small whistle.

At the sound of a chair scraping back, I looked and saw it was George.

“Alex. Surely that flower has a meaning? That’s why you gave a marguerite to Lidoria, right?”

“…Just a feeling. I thought it would suit Lidoria… no, Liddy.”

Alex looked at Lidoria as if to say, ‘Why are you asking that?’

“I can’t believe you,” George said, clutching his head as if utterly exasperated.

Just then, light laughter sounded; the Queen and Crown Princess were also looking our way, laughing merrily.

“What?” Alex asked, puzzled.

Lidoria gave a wry smile. “Flowers have meanings, you know? Are you aware? The marguerite means ‘unchanging love.'”

Judging by his startled expression, Alex had probably chosen it without any thought. Morris burst out laughing, holding his stomach.

“What? I thought you knew and were being deliberate. ‘Not bad, quite stylish,’ I was going to say.”

After laughing for a while, Morris wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

“In my country, the marguerite’s meaning is similar. ‘Secret love.’ There’s a goddess who falls in love with a human man, but he dies, you see. To remain faithful to him, she becomes a virgin goddess. Well, so you could say it’s unlucky. Because she becomes a widow. Ah, but—”

Morris gave a mischievous chuckle. “For me, that might be auspicious. There might be a chance.”

“Before either Lidoria or I die, you might be dead first, Prince,” Alex retorted coolly.

George let out a cry that was almost a scream. “You—!”

“That’s true. There could be internal strife, or your country might cross the sea and attack us. I’m a military man, so an honorable death in battle seems possible.”

Morris laughed carefreely, but the evening party venue froze solid.

“That’s precisely why,” Morris said, turning his face toward the seats of honor.

He was looking at Melissa.

“I understand you might not like this, but we were both born into royalty, so there’s no helping it. If royalty doesn’t live for their country, there’s no point to it. And it’s not just you.”

Morris spread his hands and gave an exaggerated shrug.

“I have my own feelings about it too. But in my own way, I intend to make you happy.”

Though Lidoria found it hard to believe if he was sincere, Morris left the table and approached Melissa with light steps.

“So. Won’t you cheer up now?”

As he spoke, he dropped to one knee beside Melissa and took something out from his uniform’s breast pocket.

It was…

A ring that captured the room’s light and shone opulently.

A ring set with a large diamond. Both Lidoria and Melissa were wide-eyed at the stone’s size.

“My lovely bride. I look forward to our life together.”

Slipping it onto Melissa’s left ring finger, Morris respectfully kissed the back of her hand.

Melissa stared at the ring with an expression that didn’t seem entirely displeased.

His Majesty showed the broadest smile he had all day. The Queen, looking as if she might collapse, was hastily supported by the Crown Princess and an attendant.

Whew, it seems things have settled down somehow, Lidoria sighed in relief.

Beside her, Alex was slumped over.

“What’s wrong?” Lidoria asked.

Suddenly, she felt an intense gaze from across the table.

Hesitantly, she turned her face in that direction.

It was George.

“Alex…! You…! Don’t you feel anything after seeing that? Don’t you feel sorry for Lidoria?!”

He was scolding Alex in a low voice, unusually showing his anger.

Somehow, these two reminded Lidoria of a long-haired Chihuahua who’d been there first and a young German Shepherd. She almost laughed.

“Um, no…! It’s really, I’m perfectly fine with this.”

She hurriedly intervened between them.

Then, proudly, she showed George her left hand with the marguerite flower ring.

“It’s very cute. I like it myself.”

That was her true feeling.

Maybe decorating with fresh flowers like this is nice. I should suggest it to the Crown Princess too, she thought.

And so.

The evening party proceeded amicably and came to a close.