Living a Scheming Marriage with a Mad Villain - Chapter 20

“It’s not even a national event, so why is everyone gathering like this?”

“If I knew you’d be this nervous, maybe it would’ve been better to have the bride’s waiting room built closer to the greenhouse. I didn’t think of that. I’m sorry, Loelle.”

“No! I’m really okay. Please don’t worry too much. I’m already so grateful and sorry that you’re here with me.”

“There’s no need to feel grateful or sorry, Loelle. I’m doing this because I want to. If I could help in any way, I should be the one saying thank you.”

Shanette seemed to think it would’ve been better if I had family nearby at a moment like this, but I was actually thankful the waiting room was far from where the guests were gathering.

If it weren’t, and Peria were here.

‘Just thinking about it is horrible.’

I didn’t need to imagine how much she would have nitpicked over the smallest things. No matter what I did, she would’ve found fault.

If she was upset, Peria might have even hit me on the wedding day.

‘She wouldn’t leave a big mark, thinking of the wedding night.’

Somehow, I ended up walking down the aisle with Reus, and Shanette seemed even more concerned about that.

Maybe she hoped I could spend at least a little time with my family before I had to live in the Duke’s estate from today onward.

“Loelle. You’ll be okay. Now, want to try taking some deep breaths?”

“Yes…”

And just then, the door opened and Reus entered.

As usual, his expression hadn’t changed at all.

‘How can he look the same even in this situation?’

He was someone who rarely showed emotions. Sometimes I wondered if his pain in the Forest of Silence had just been a dream.

This moment felt like one of those times too.

“It’s already time to enter the hall. Then I’ll leave you now, Reus. Loelle is very nervous, so please guide her well.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Loelle. I’ll see you later, okay? Don’t be too nervous.”

With Shanette encouragement, only Reus and I were left in the waiting room.

“Are you nervous?”

“Yes, a little…”

“It won’t take as long as you think.”

Then Reus reached out his hand to me.

‘Yeah. It’ll be over quickly. Don’t be too nervous.’

This is just part of the contract. I need to act calm, like him.

I took Reus’s hand.

We left the waiting room and walked through a small garden that led to the glass greenhouse.

Unlike Peria garden, filled with rare, colorful flowers, this one was filled only with white roses. It gave off a very elegant feeling.

‘It’s been so well cared for.’

Even at a glance, I could tell this garden hadn’t been prepared in a rush for the wedding. It had been maintained carefully for a long time. That made me feel even heavier inside.

‘Is it really okay for me to marry Reus in a place like this?’

Reus said he didn’t care much about the meaning of marriage, but no matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t stop thinking. I’d heard he always came here when his thoughts got complicated.

As I was lost in thought on the way to the greenhouse, Reus suddenly stopped walking.

“You think too much.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I was lost in my thoughts again.”

“I didn’t say that to make you apologize. But since it’s your wedding, maybe you should try not to show that kind of expression.”

I almost apologized out of habit, but remembered what Reus said in the carriage on the way back to the duke’s estate, so I shut my mouth.

Instead of apologizing, I quickly erased my thoughts and forced a bright smile.

But it didn’t last long. My smile faded as soon as I saw the scene inside the glass greenhouse not far away.

‘There are so many people.’

I had prepared myself mentally, but actually seeing the crowd with my own eyes made the nerves come rushing back.

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe, and I stopped in my tracks, grabbing Reus’s arm tightly.

“W-Wait, Reus I’m so nervous…”

Reus silently looked at me. Then, I felt a warm energy gently wrap around my body. As if by magic literally I quickly calmed down and stopped trembling.

“Do you feel a bit better now?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Words didn’t seem helpful, so I used something else.”

He used magic again, as if it were nothing. Now that he has me, he’s not even hiding the fact that he can use it freely.

“Now, let’s really go in.”

I nodded and held tightly onto Reus’s arm.

As we entered the glass greenhouse, the officiant for today’s ceremony, Marquis Rabian, shouted loudly.

“The bride and groom are entering! Please welcome them with warm applause!”

At his words, white rose petals began to fall inside the greenhouse. Whether it was magic or some installed device, I didn’t know but the sight was beautiful enough to captivate everyone, including me.

Thanks to that, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be while walking down the aisle… until I suddenly felt someone staring at me.

I turned my head, and there he was my former fiancé, and the male lead of this novel, Cassien.

‘I didn’t think Cassien would come to the wedding.’

He was farther away, so I couldn’t tell what expression he had. I couldn’t figure out why he would attend the wedding when there were so many rumors surrounding it.

But strangely, I didn’t care that much.

Back in the Ivelle Garden, I had learned just how meaningless I was to him, how little he thought of me. There was no lingering affection left.

‘Right. Maybe it’s for the best.’

If I had left for Veliata with any regrets, I might have missed him from time to time.

But since I had seen the end of our relationship unintentionally I felt strangely free.

So you, too, should see the end with your own eyes.

‘It’s not a bad thing to clearly accept that we’re truly over now.’

I easily looked away from Cassien and walked forward again.

“The two have now exchanged vows in front of everyone and are officially married as declared by the officiant.”

The ceremony passed in a blur, and finally, it was nearing the end.

‘There’s still the evening party.’

But I would have some time to rest before that, so I felt a little relieved.

Just then, Marquis Rabian spoke again, this time in a joyful voice.

“Now, for the final part of the ceremony the couple will share a vow of love.”

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

‘I completely forgot about this!’

In the Ashelit Empire, this “vow of love” was where the bride and groom sealed their vows with a kiss. It was an essential part of the ceremony, and I had completely forgotten about it!

Reus gently turned my face to look at him.

“If you don’t want to do it, we can skip it. No one can tell you what to do now.”

He wasn’t wrong I was about to become the only duchess in the Empire.

But we were the two people at the center of countless rumors. If we skipped something everyone else did, it would definitely stir even more gossip.

‘Right, Let’s not make a scene. I agreed to this, didn’t I?’

Reus had warned me there might be some light skin ship in front of people. I had signed the contract knowing that.

Resolving myself, I shook my head, saying I would go through with it.

But just because I made up my mind didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous.

In all four years of being engaged to Cassien, we had never even kissed lightly. I never imagined I’d do this kind of thing in front of so many people!

“Loelle.”

I didn’t think I could get any more nervous, but my heart pounded as if it would burst. Without even thinking, I responded.

“Yes… Yes, Your Grace.”

“That’s the wrong title.”

Before I could answer, Reus briefly kissed my forehead. Applause and cheers erupted from the guests.

Of course, my face turned bright red. Reus, on the other hand, looked completely calm. Feeling flustered, I spoke with a hint of complaint.

“How can you be so calm even at a moment like this?”

“You still got the title wrong.”

“Fine, Reus. There, happy now—”

Then he kissed my cheek.

His breath tickled my skin, and I instinctively flinched. His large hand gently held my chin and wrapped around the back of my neck, as if to ease my tension.

After the kiss, he leaned close to my ear and whispered:

“We can stop here. People already seem convinced.”

But the vow of love wasn’t complete until the bride and groom kissed on the lips.

I wanted to run away, but I gathered all my courage and shook my head again.

This time, Reus cupped both my cheeks.

We looked into each other’s eyes in silence.

His gaze seemed to say there was no turning back from our contract.

I slowly closed my eyes.

Before I could think any further, his warm breath landed softly on my lips.

“Everyone! Please give your blessings and cheers for the newly wedded Duke and Duchess of Rochester!

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