"For this matter, we must move it there. Then—!"
—KNOCK! KNOCK!
A knock on the door interrupted the Crown Prince, who was in the middle of a discussion with the capital's nobles about a certain issue.
"My apologies, Your Highness."
"It's alright. Come in. It must be something important for you to be in such a hurry to deliver it."
A royal chancellor entered as permitted by the ever-smiling Crown Prince.
"What brings you here?"
"I bring crucial news! It's absolutely astonishing!"
"If it's truly that urgent …."
Sensing the situation, the young Duke of Esclat, Lewin Esclat, voiced his intention to step back, followed by a nod from his aide, Count Hellington, Darius Hellington.
"…Then, we will take our leave, Your Highness."
"Yes, please allow us to withdraw for the moment."
However, the kind, gracious, and humble Crown Prince gently refused.
"There's no need. It doesn't seem to be a sensitive topic, so all of you can stay and hear it."
Glancing at the chancellor with a faint smile, the Crown Prince added, "Now, quickly share it, Chancellor."
"Ah!"
The chancellor promptly unrolled an official document bearing the insignia of crossed silver swords.
The Aschenford crest.
---
["Honor to Your Highness, the Star of the Soultherns Kingdom.
I humbly apologize for taking your precious time.
The purpose of this letter is to seek permission from Your Highness.
I wish to marry.
To marry Lady Shirley, whom Your Highness has justly sentenced.
I understand that marrying someone outside of nobility, especially one with a criminal record, is considered unethical.
However, my heart cannot lie.
To marry a fellow noble without feelings? That, I cannot do.
I care not if Lady Shirley remains a noble or not, whether she is a savior or a criminal.
What I care about is having her completely.
I wish to marry her.
From the depths of my heart, I love her.
I wish to live with her forever.
Thus, I humbly seek Your Highness's permission.
With utmost respect, I ask for your blessing to build a life together with her.
That is all from me, thank you.
Escar Aschenford."]
---
"…."
"…."
The chancellor finished reading the letter before the royal council members.
But what kind of strange situation was this?
No one responded meaningfully.
Especially not the Crown Prin—!
"—Pffft!"
Eh?!
"Ahahaha!"
The Crown Prince burst out laughing.
"How ridiculous~!"
He even closed his eyes, covering them with a gloved hand, as he laughed heartily in front of the prestigious assembly.
"Whether in action or in words, people in love are truly absurd creatures! Their behavior becomes utterly foolish!"
The successor of House Esclat, known for its centuries-long loyalty to the royal family, felt a chill at the Crown Prince's unrestrained laughter.
"Lewin! Hey~ Lewin. Don't you agree with me? Look at this, your friend."
Lewin Esclat, the young Duke with dark red hair and turquoise eyes, forced a stiff smile.
Under the table, his hand was clenched into a fist.
"You must have known your mute friend would be marrying, right? He must have told you first since you're his closest friend, right?"
Despite the history between his late father, the Duke of Esclat, who executed the late Marquess Aschenford—Escar's father—the bond of friendship between the two had endured since birth.
"Ah, how amusing. A marriage between the children of criminals, eh?"
But … what?
"With all my heart …."
GRTT~!
Duke Esclat gritted his teeth in frustration.
His brows furrowed, and the veins in his neck tightened.
"… I will bless their marriage."
"Just you wait, Aschenford!" Duke Esclat seethed inwardly.
°°°
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Milord!"
It was unusual.
"…!"
Sir Bashilian entered immediately after knocking on the study door of Escar.
Naturally, this startled the owner of the room.
However, considering that Sir Bashilian acted this way, it seemed something urgent was happening.
"The Duke of Esclat has arrived to visit!"
"…!"
Esclat?!
Hearing the name, Escar jolted in surprise.
Ignoring the chair that toppled backward as he rose, the silver-haired Marquess quickly approached Sir Bashilian, signaling for the escort code to be guided to his unexpected guest.
"Lady Villicia is entertaining him as best as she can. But judging by his scowling face, it's highly likely … he is furious."
What could have angered him?
Escar was confused.
Why would his childhood friend, who lived far away in the capital, go out of his way to visit this remote part of the kingdom in such haste?
"Look here, the star of the show has arrived."
An all-too-familiar voice immediately struck Escar's ears as the Marquess stepped into the gazebo where the guest was being entertained.
His emerald-green eyes locked onto the figure of a crimson-haired man with turquoise eyes, arms folded across his chest, glaring at him with a sharp, annoyed expression.
SRATH! SRATH!
Although it was slightly improper, Escar immediately began scribbling something in his special notebook while still standing to try and appease his angry friend.
["Lewin~ it's been a while! How have you been?"]
"My condition? You're asking about 'my condition'?!" Lewin snapped.
"Not good! Are you happy now? I'm not okay!"
["I'm sorry..."]
Unlike Escar, who appeared awkward and worried about Lewin's anger, ….
"…."
"…."
… On the other side, Sir Bashilian of the Aschenford house and Darius Hellington of the Esclat house only maintained stoic expressions.
In reality, they were hiding their amusement at the childish behavior of the Duke behind their emotionless faces.
THUD!
"My Lord! Duke!"
"Your Grace?!"
Both their faces naturally shifted to shock when Duke Esclat did something entirely unexpected.
After all, this Duke, known for his strong sense of justice and his high moral standards, suddenly lay flat on the gazebo floor.
Not only that, but he also ….
"Escar is mean~! Escar is cruel! How dare you not tell me? Am I even your friend anymore~? Waaaaah!"
… Threw a tantrum, flailing his arms and legs in the air like a toddler.
"…."
"…."
"…."
It was an utterly horrifying scene for the three dignified men watching.
"I hate you, Escar! Hate you! Haaate you!!!"
Ah, Escar's hands twitched from how absurdly ridiculous his friend was behaving.
Believe it or not, this happened every time they met.
And yet, no matter how often Escar witnessed it, he could never grow accustomed to it.
Especially not to the revolting display of such unbecoming behavior.
"My Lord, please stop this."
Embarrassed by his master's antics, Count Hellington knelt on one knee, gripping the Duke's shoulder tightly in an attempt to issue a veiled threat.
"Lord Marquess is very sorry. Please forgive him for now and speak with him properly."
Darius Hellington was baffled.
Couldn't this Duke comprehend the importance of maintaining his dignity?
"In that case, Escar!"
Just as he thought things might improve ….
"Help me up~!"
… The Duke managed to sink even lower.
"…."
Fortunately, Marquess Aschenford was understanding and patient, immediately offering his hand to help Lewin Esclat up from his undignified position.
Had it been Darius in that situation, he might have lost his composure and beaten the Duke senseless.
"So, you're getting married? To the daughter of the late Duke Ersteal?"
NOD! NOD!
Finally, a normal conversation began.
Sitting at the gazebo's table, they occasionally sipped tea and sampled refreshments.
"You truly wish to marry her? You know this could damage your reputation, right?"
["It's fine. My reputation and my family's name have already fallen long ago."]
The Duke began to show his more aristocratic side, sipping tea with the proper dining etiquette.
"Well, if you're that certain, what can I do? By the way, …."
As Escar nibbled on a chocolate raisin cookie, he awaited Lewin's next question.
"… Does she love you?"
GHOK!
Escar choked.
Clutching his chest momentarily, he immediately drank the tea Sir Bashilian handed him.
"Why are you so startled? It's just a basic question," Lewin asked casually, frowning in confusion.
"I know you must love her sincerely, but what about her?"
"…."
Escar fell silent.
The choking sensation in his throat had passed, but it wasn't an excuse not to respond.
"…."
Even after waiting a while, Escar said nothing.
He didn't write a reply or use gestures to explain. He simply lowered his gaze and remained silent.
"Are you certain she truly loves you too? Or could she just be taking advantage of you, given her current predicament?"
Emerald-green eyes stared wistfully at the reflection of his face in the tea.
To be honest, even Escar wasn't entirely sure.
Could he really believe that the woman who once admired the Crown Prince now loved him?
Comparing himself to the charismatic and extraordinary Crown Prince felt almost laughable.
THUD!
"…!?"
Duke Esclat flinched in irritation as he turned to see his aide had kicked his foot without hesitation.
Instead of apologizing, Count Hellington gestured with his chin, urging Lewin to focus forward and pay attention to what was happening.
"…!"
Ah!
"I-I'm sorry!"
Lewin finally realized his words might have crossed the line.
"I didn't mean to make you feel insecure; I just—!"
SRATH! SRATH!
For the first time since the sensitivie conversation began, Escar scribbled something in his notebook.
He then showed the response with his usual calm, warm expression.
["It's okay. I know you said it out of concern for me."]
Escar was honest.
He wasn't upset by Lewin's bluntness; rather, he felt grateful.
["I appreciate your concern."]
His childhood friend still worried about him, and that warmed Escar's heart.
He wasn't alone.
"Don't worry, Your Excellency."
Chiming in, Count Hellington—his dark blue hair and sapphire eyes reflecting wisdom—adjusted his glasses before offering a more encouraging perspective.
"Love can blossom at any time, especially after marriage."
With those words, Darius Hellington concluded with hope and a blessing.
"May your marriage be blessed with health and eternal happiness."
***
["How do I look?"]
"You're seriously asking that? Of course, you're …!"
Duke Esclat gave a confident thumbs-up right in Escar's face, who nervously gulped.
"… Absolutely dashing! Magnificent! Handsome!"
It had taken two to three months to prepare everything.
Now, the day had arrived.
"You're so stunning; even I might fall for you!"
"…."
The precious, nerve-wracking moment Escar had awaited for nights had finally arrived: his wedding ceremony.
A precious moment that had made Escar's heart race for the past few nights.
The "wedding ceremony."
"Ahem! Your Excellency."
Sir Bashilian cleared his throat.
Escar's personal knight was dressed impeccably in his formal uniform, befitting the significance of this momentous day.
"We must go. The bride will enter the altar soon."
---
Escar waited, his chest tight with anticipation.
The pounding of his heart quickened, leaving him drenched in a cold sweat.
His gloved hands clasped tightly together, attempting to suppress the tremors that overtook him.
CREEAAK~
The grand doors of the temple altar swung open.
There stood the bride, her jet-black hair and ruby-red eyes framed by her breathtaking beauty. Dressed elegantly and holding a bouquet of flowers, she walked gracefully toward the groom, followed by the Head Maid of the Aschenford household.
"…!"
Escar was spellbound.
His pale face flushed a deeper shade of red, and he couldn't stop swallowing nervously, his slightly parted lips trembling.
His emerald-green eyes sparkled, reflecting the image of the woman who now made his heart feel as if it might explode at any moment.
"…."
Those red eyes that had captivated Escar's focus glanced up.
Through the sheer white veil draping her delicate face, their gazes met—a direct, heart-stopping connection between the bride and her soon-to-be husband.
TAP!
After a few moments of walking down the aisle, the bride finally reached the end.
She now stood before her groom.
"Let us begin the ceremony."
The officiant commenced the main event—the moment Escar had been eagerly awaiting.
The sacred exchange of vows.
"Groom, Lord Escar Aschenford. Do you take Miss Shirley as your wife, to love her unconditionally, in both hardship and joy, for the rest of your life?"
"…!"
Escar nodded firmly, his resolve unshakable as he vowed to uphold the promise.
"And you, bride, Miss Shirley. Do you take Lord Escar Aschenford as your husband, to love and support him in all circumstances, in sickness and in health, for as long as you live?"
"…."
Shirley was silent.
"…?"
Her hesitation made Escar hold his breath, uneasy.
But then ….
"Bride?"
"… I do."
As soon as Shirley uttered her response, Escar finally exhaled in relief.