Still holding onto Ethan's leg, Adelina lifted her head. She could feel the rage in his cold, sharp eyes. One end of his lips had curled up. Seeing this sneer, Adelina almost lost her breath, but she bit her lips and endured.
"It might be fun to land a blow on those who are against our marriage. However, this won't be an easy path to take."
"..."
"Do you still want to try?"
Ethan stretched out a hand to Adelina.
The maiden was trying to marry in order to live, and, laughably, the man was only doing so in order to put her in danger.
If this was truly a marriage proposal, then it was a gruesome one.
"My Lady!"
Adelina felt like she heard Doen's voice, but she never took her eyes off of Ethan.
A corner of her heart was screaming that she mustn't grab his hand, but by the time she realized it, she was already holding it.
* * *
"Let me go!"
"Your Highness! You mustn't do this, Your Highness!"
Escaping the eunuch trying to hold him back, Cedric entered the emperor's palace.
The General, who had refused to obey the Imperial decree, had changed his mind. Because commoners and nobles alike would not be able to marry until half a year had passed after the Crown Prince's own royal marriage, the General's wedding was going to take place as soon as possible.
He had trusted that Ethan would refuse this marriage until the very end because he hated women so much. However, this news came as a shock, and Cedric's mind was numb.
"Inform His Majesty of my arrival!"
This was the first time he'd done something like this in his life. And it may be the last.
He could still so clearly see Adelina's figure as she gathered her hands together in prayer in front of the pagoda. His future with Adelina was so close he could almost touch it.
Just that one time, he had lost her. But Cedric had never given up.
"Your Highness, you mustn't do this. Please go back."
The Head Eunuch standing in front of the emperor's bedchamber lowered his head. Cedric's eyes blazed with anger as he glared at the eunuch. He was Gideon's Crown Prince, and he was going to be the emperor in the future. As the sovereign's son, how was it that he could not obtain the one woman he loved?
"Move!"
"The moment you open that door, you will lose everything."
Cedric's body stiffened when he heard the emperor's voice through the door. The Head Eunuch and the other eunuchs quickly lowered their heads towards the bedchamber.
"Father Emperor!"
"The moment you open that door and make your presence known to me, you will be able to obtain what you wish. However, you will have to give up everything else."
The emperor's voice pushed down on Cedric. With trembling eyes, he stared at the closed door.
If he just opened this door, Adelina would become his again.
However, he'd have to let go of everything he had.
"I…"
Adelina was marrying Ethan.
It was an Imperial decree. Even though he knew that there was nothing he could do, he couldn't accept it.
If he could just open that door in front of him, his greatest wish would be fulfilled. Cedric grasped the door and hesitated.
"Your Highness."
His hand trembled as much as his eyes.
He couldn't hear the eunuch calling him.
If he only opened this door.
Just this door.
He could not imagine a future where he was not the Crown Prince. If he wasn't the Crown Prince, what else could he do? If Adelina did not accept him, and if he wasn't the Crown Prince, what would become of him?
Cedric's hand let go of the door.
"...I'll be going back now."
His stubborn behavior had disappeared.
Without receiving the Head Eunuch's bow, Cedric turned around. He had come to request a little of the emperor's mercy, but now that was gone as well.
A dark shadow cast over his eyes.
Three and a half months later, the wedding ceremony of General Ethan and Lord Scarr's daughter, Adelina, took place.
At the General Ethan's wedding, famous officials whose names were known far and wide were in attendance. The banquet hall was also filled with people whose origins were uncertain.
Because there were so many people, the banquet hall was very noisy.
"I heard that Consort Min fainted in protest of this wedding. It seems that it was true. I don't see any of her people at this wedding."
"I heard that she groveled and knelt at the emperor's feet, but His Majesty has declined to rescind his decree. I thought their relationship would last forever, but I feel like I can see the end now."
Whether they were aware of the whispers or not, the bride and groom received the nuptial wine from the servants and drank it.
With her lips stained with the nuptial wine, Adelina anxiously glanced at Ethan.
Once he had decided to go through with the wedding, everything had happened so fast. The politics of this marriage and the underlying motives for this union did not matter.
'This is for the best, right?'
She quietly asked herself as she let out a silent sigh. Regretting it now wouldn't do her any good. Even though she knew this, she kept asking herself this question several times a day.
Despite his words, in the end, Ethan was the one who shouldered the heavier burden of this marriage. However, he never showed his discomfort, but neither did he proudly declare that he'd endure it all on his own.
She felt as if she'd escaped out of the pan and into the fire.
His warning that this wouldn't be easy never left her mind.
"My Lady!"
Adelina was wrenched out of her thoughts by the low call.
It was time for the bride to bow to her husband. However, because Adelina had been lost in thought, the ceremony had come to a halt. When Adelina saw Ethan's annoyed gaze, she quickly lowered her body.
Whenever their eyes met, she felt even more intimidated by this man.
But she was marrying this kind of man. Was this for the best? More than anything, her family was his enemy.
'It's too late.'
Doen, Nisha, and Scarr were now in his hands. This marriage began with the emperor, but the one who held the fate of their lives was Ethan.
When Adelina straightened up, it was now Ethan's turn to bow.
'It won't be easy.'
The man in front of her was scary and uncomfortable, but she was the one who had chosen him.
He was still human, so he might feel the same. Ethan gave her her first and possibly last chance, and Adelina accepted it.
'It'll turn out fine.'
It wasn't like her to be worried about something that hadn't happened yet. No matter what the situation was, this was a good day for her.
As she received the ring from Ethan, she flashed a slightly awkward smile.