CH 39

We arrived at the garden’s entrance. The knights guarding at the entrance did not move at all.

‘What’s this?’

With a puzzled expression on my face, I looked at the two knights. The two knights exchanged puzzled looks with me. 

What the…?

“Get out of my way.”

Ian muttered something like what are you doing? The knights then withdrew with a puzzled expression.

“Yes, yep!”

“Oh, wait. Commander!”

Lucian, who had been following from behind, hurriedly approached them.

“What’s going on?”

“Erm, Are you sure you don’t follow tradition?”

Tradition?

I tilted my head. 

All I had to do was dress up in these heavy wedding dresses and hold Ian’s hand, what kind of traditions…

I suddenly became hardened after thinking that far. The ‘wedding tradition’ that Cordelia and the salon people mentioned.  The same culture that Cordelia had chastised for its lack of dignity.

The culture of that guy who has no idea what it’s all about! 

That was the only thing that came to mind right now. Is everyone wondering because we didn’t follow tradition?

‘But wasn’t it Ian who said at our wedding we’d get rid of that tradition?’

I turned my gaze to Ian. He had a very stiff expression on his face.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t going to keep that tradition?”

“Ah…Akh, I’m sorry. It is a pervasive tradition so I thought you would follow it too but it was my mistake.”

Lucian nodded and stepped down.

Phew, that’s right. There’s no way Ian couldn’t have done his job properly. 

I returned my attention to the knights. I noticed people with bright eyes looking at us from the garden entrance beyond the knights.

As the knights moved away, Ian and I walked towards the garden together. Then the eyes of the people turned queer. They have the same eyes as the knights from a while back.

A look of utter doubts, as if there is nothing natural about it.. 

“…Sir Ian.”

I came to a halt and gently drew Ian along with me, we both came to a halt and turned to face me. I whispered to him.

“That tradition, is that tradition supposed to start now?”

“….Yes, that’s right.”

Ian said, his face cowering. I returned my gaze to the crowd. The grown-ups had their faces fluttering like children in front of the cotton candy merchants.

‘That tradition, that was said, is what everyone keeps in this empire.’

I guess everyone is expecting us to keep it.

Argh. I groaned.

In this world, the tradition may be as matter-of-course as blowing the candles on a cake at a birthday party.

‘If we don’t keep it, everyone will be disappointed.’

Ey. Nevermind. 

I clicked my tongue. 

They are people who don’t mind their own dignity, but it’s a wedding ceremony. They won’t ask you to do spiteful things. However, The marriage between Ian and me is not based on true love. In other words, it meant that there was no substance. Because of that, I wanted to appear as plausible as the outer packaging.

“Sir Ian.”

I whispered to Ian again.

“I don’t know what that is, but just do it.”

“What?”

Ian made a strange expression. I yanked on his sleeve once more and said,

“Let’s keep that tradition. Everyone is looking forward to it.”

“Didn’t you feel relieved when we said we wouldn’t keep the tradition?”

It was like that back then. I sighed.

But then it was then!

“You will not die by doing it. Let’s just close our eyes and do it.”

In my opinion, if we didn’t keep it, the rumor would come out like ‘The wedding was all perfect, but one thing was disappointing!’

Ian hardened his face as if he never wanted to do it.

‘You old-fashioned man.’

For a few seconds, Ian’s eyes shook aimlessly.

“I’ve made up my mind, but do you have courage?”

He sighed softly as he looked down at me after my last taunt. It meant that it was inevitable. I smiled upon realizing that subject came to me and succeeded.

Right, you’d better get it done quickly if you have to do it anyway.

I don’t know what kind of tradition it is, but should I cox the priest at the wedding? If I did it, it would be somewhat of a joke.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. Sure. I had completely made up my mind.”

“….Excuse me, then.”

“Yes. You’ve thought about it— kyaaaaah!”

I couldn’t even finish talking and screamed. Ian wrapped his arm around my knee and hugged it tightly. My field of vision was suddenly turned 90 degrees, and I looked up at Ian, wide-eyed and perplexed.

“Why are you so surprised? You said you were ready.”

“No, I-I did, but….”

I didn’t know you’d hug me out of the blue!

The ‘princess hug’ position. Ian had just beaten me for the second time. Was it that tradition meant that we had to enter in this position?

“If you want to go back, go back now.”

Ian said it with a crooked smile on his lips. 

I closed my lips tightly and bit down on my lower lip. I couldn’t help but laugh at him like this. His level was weaker than I expected.

“No, I don’t want to go back at all. We are coming. Go.”

I said so and patted his shoulder, and he snorted. Then he began to walk.

I felt a lot of attention on us as I stepped out into the garden while Ian was still holding me in his arms. Everyone was staring at me, which was still tangled in Ian’s arm, and they were all excited.

“, they have such a good relationship.”

“They are really a perfect couple. It’s wonderful to see them upholding the tradition.”

“Look at the groom’s unfaltering hold on the bride, while the other grooms fuss!”

Do not forget their reactions. In a moment of embarrassment, I shifted my gaze to Ian’s chest. The humiliation, however, did not end there.

In the garden, there were numerous white tables, one of which was ours in front of the wedding arch. Ian strode there while holding me, then sat down in front of the table. Still the same as holding me. I hurriedly whispered as I sat still while on Ian’s lap.

“Ar-Aren’t you going to put me down?”

“Why should I put you down?”

Ian returned my stare with a puzzled expression, as if he didn’t understand what I was saying.

Your face was too close. 

​​I slowly lowered my gaze, but all I could see was Ian holding my waist. I could take the princess’s hug, but sitting on his lap was causing me some discomfort.

“Aren’t we supposed to keep acting like this all the way through reception?”

“Why not?”

Ian smiled as he looked down at me. It was the smile I’d taught him a couple of days before.

“Do you regret it?”

I didn’t teach you to smile like that in situations like this! 

With a gloomy expression on my face, I looked at Ian. But why does everything appear to be going so well with this person? Why do you think I’m the only one who is uncomfortable?

Then someone came and spoke to us.

“Congratulations on your wedding.”

They were a couple who appeared to be of high social standing. As a citizen born and raised in Confucian culture, I naturally wanted to get up and say hello, but I couldn’t because I was still in Ian’s arms.

I couldn’t help but glance up at the couple as I sat on Ian’s lap.

“Thank you.”

“It’s really nice to see you. I wish you happiness.”

The couple blessed us and smiled warmly at us. Other guests soon followed, congratulating and blessing us one after the other. One of them asked, looking at me with warm eyes.

“You did a great job today. Aren’t you hungry?”

It was only then that I realized I was hungry. Then I noticed the aroma of delicious food wafting around the room. While looking around, I found a lot of appetizing food spread out on the buffet table.

I could see the juicy meat with fresh green vegetables even from afar. I drooled at the sight of it.

“It’s past dinnertime.”

“Oh, do you want me to bring you something to eat, Lady Irene?”

Lucian asked quickly. Then I willingly nodded.

“I would appreciate it if you would!”

I was unable to pick up the food on my own because I was performing the tasks that Ian had assigned to me. Lucian smiled and nodded, and soon enough, he was bringing trays full of food bowls.

“Waa.”

The food seemed to be delicious. Throughout the morning, my hungry stomach began to protest loudly.

Because of the dress, I can’t eat too much, but a small portion would suffice.

“Thank you, Sir Lucian.”

After expressing my sincere thanks to Lucian, I picked up the fork.

‘Huh?’

The fork was taken in front of my eyes. I looked up at Ian, puzzled. Ian, who had taken my fork, asked, pointing to the plate with the fork.

“What would you like to eat?”

“Yes? Meat….”

When I unexpectedly answered, Ian’s fork was headed for a crystal bowl filled with steak. A slice of steak, still hot from the grill and brownish in color, was stuck in a fork and brought to my lips.

‘…Are you going to feed me?’

Is this part of the tradition?

I squeezed my fists behind my back. I-I didn’t think I’d be playing ‘Aang~’ in front of other people at this age.

A piece of steak, cut into bite-sized pieces, entered my mouth as soon as I opened my mouth. As I mumbled something, I stretched my fingers.

This was fine. It seems that hugging the groom throughout the reception and leaving everything in his hands is a tradition, but this is not such a humiliating thing.

Right. Let us be grateful that this tradition isn’t harsh. But why do I have a feeling that this is not all?

I have to shake off these ominous thoughts.

‘Huh?’

I frowned when I realized there was someone I saw at the end of my gaze. Why is that person here? 

Ray Monaghan. No, Rizello, who was under disguise, was talking to the beauties affectionately. It was the scene where the Master of Magic Tower was hiding his identity while attending the wedding of the Commander of the Holy Knight at the Cathedral.

What should I do? I really want to pretend I didn’t see him.

I shrank my body and slowly turned my head. As a result, Ian’s body grew closer to me.

“…Irene. Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

Ian brought up a difficult question from above my head.

“Ah, no. It’s okay- Huh?”

My eyes widened as I became aware of something. Ian’s abs were firm and stiff, which I was leaning against.

I even thought I was leaning on a stone rather than a person.

‘….Aha.’

I smirked. That’s right.

There’s no way it won’t be fine. In this situation, Ian was actually more nervous than I was.