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nChapter 50

nProofreader: xoxomonami

nCountess Eunice forgot that the rouge on her lips got erased and covered her open mouth with one hand. Because she thought she wanted to scream.

nArtizea was not surprised. Because she knew she would come.

nSophie and Emily reached out to help Artizea stand up.

nThe door opened.

nThud.

nIn fact, it is almost impossible to hear footsteps.

nBut Countess Eunice felt the illusion of hearing such a sound. The Empress’ presence was too great.

nIt has been 18 years since the Empress came out of the palace.

nCountess Eunice knew the Empress. In her childhood, it was also the Empress who was the most feared person in the Imperial Palace.

nSo she could recognize her right away.

nThe Empress was old, but she was still cold and dignified.

nThe Empress was wearing a black dress again today.

nSince the interior was filled with ornaments for the bride all over, so her mourning black dress was even more noticeable.

n“Thank you for coming, Your Majesty.”

nArtizea, supported by Sophie, kneeled politely. The hem of the new white dress was wrinkled.

nThe Empress snorted.

n“You must have already known that I was coming.”

n“I was just thinking that if that happens, it will be a lifetime of glory.”

n“Does it make sense that you know how to shake a person’s heart so well and not know the consequences?”

nThe Empress said so and reached out her hand. Artizea stood up, taking her hand carefully.

nThe Empress looked around her and she said.

n“Martha, this outfit is inappropriate for entering the wedding hall. Bring me some flowers.”

nNot taking off her mourning clothes meant that she did not yet believe everything Artizea said.

nHowever, she did not intend to do the sinister work of holding the bride’s hand in mourning clothes.

nEmily hurried up and picked the larger of the rose flowers that adorned the Tuvalet room and decorated it on the Empress’s chest and hat.

nThat alone brightened up the atmosphere.

nThe Empress pulled Artizea’s veil.

nThen she put a pure gold orb in the largest rose blossom in the center of her bouquet.

nSoon an errand boy came up from the wedding hall. It was to announce the beginning of the ceremony.

n***

nCedric’s preparations ended much faster than Artizea.

nIt was just about wearing a dark blue robe and wearing an insignia.

nThe servants who helped him in his outfit wanted all his medals to be attached.

nHowever, he omitted most, because Cedric thought that the gold strings and epaulettes on his clothes were too much and just decorative.

nHe did not have much preparation, but he had a lot of obligations. As the head of the Evron Grand Duchy, he had to welcome his guests.

nArtizea was also the head of the Marquisate of Rosan, but since she was the bride, she was exempt from almost all duties.

nHowever, she did not waive her duty just because she is the bride on the day of the wedding.

nMost of the actual guests were Cedric’s.

nThe only guests of Artizea were the relatives of the Marquisate of Rosan. There was no personal guest due to the narrow social relationships. On the other hand, there were endless people looking for Cedric.

nCongratulations flooded from the military’s influential men, his men, his adoring knights, and his parents’ old friends.

n“There are not one or two people who send separate letters from the western fortress asking what’s going on. I highly doubt it, but turns out you’re not matchmade but got married by dating.”

n“It’s not just the West. The Grand Duchy is no joke. Everyone almost wanted to duel till everyone died to attend this wedding. I won, with the fastest and strongest horses.”

nCedric sighed between the noisy knights.

n“Didn’t I say that I would go there after the wedding anyway.”

n“You’re really wrong, Your Grace. What do you mean taking the Grand Duchess to the Grand Duchy for your honeymoon? You’re going to get some kind of resentment later on from the Grand Duchess.”

nThere were exclamations of agreement here and there.

nCedric had nothing to say.

nIn fact, he did ask if she would like to go somewhere else.

nSince she had been so busy so far he thought it would be okay to take a break at the resort for a month or two.

nHowever, Artizea shook her head.

n“There is no time.”

n“If there is a lot of work to do, why don’t you remain in the capital?”

n“Do you not want to take me as the Grand Duchess?”

n“It’s not like that, but the north is cold. There is nothing to see because it is so desolate.”

nAt that time, Cedric couldn’t understand the strange and subtle expressions Artizea made.

nShe looked at Cedric silently for a moment, and smiled sadly.

n“I have someone I need to meet in the North.”

nArtizea probably knew no one in the Evron Grand Duchy. She has never left the capital on her own.

n“Who is that?”

nCedric asked, but Artizea was stubbornly silent

nAs it came to his mind, his heart became a little heavy.

nHe knew that Artizea wasn’t telling him everything she did.

nSome of the things she shouldn’t tell him about and some she doesn’t want him to know.

nHowever he was so concerned about who was the ‘someone I need to meet’ that made her look like that.

n“No. I’ve been thinking, isn’t the Grand Duke actually doing this with a terrifying trick?”

nAt the words of Chancellor Lin, Cedric was dumbfounded and asked.

n“A trick?”

n“While you are in a relationship, when do you go to a ball or go to a social gathering, or go on a picnic. No matter how much you think about this, it is clear that His Grace hides the bride and does not want to show it to others. Such a man, Your Grace.”

n“What nonsense.”

n“That’s right. No matter how good it is, you shouldn’t leave her at home.”

n“Isn’t that because you’ve been in the same house before marriage, so you don’t have to do anything like date?”

nThere were also people who were unaware of who they were trying to make fun of.

n“So what happened to Ansgar?”

nAsked Lin, looking around.

n“I thought he would definitely be the most disheartened person. Isn’t he the one person that raised the Grand Duke?”

n“Even if he wasn’t, he was so happy that he started to cry last night, and now his eyes are swollen, so he can’t come in front of the guests.”

nFreil replied.

n“I thought the old man was going to go, and he went crazy upset in the morning.”

n“What can he do without even attending the wedding ceremony.”

nWhile they were talking about that, a cry was heard from outside.

n“The Pillar of Crete, His Majesty Emperor Gregor Afanas Nestor, who became the Sun on the Earth, who received the royal scepter and orb from the gods.”

nThe friendly atmosphere quickly disappeared.

nCedric strengthened his mind and tightened his body.

nHe never hesitated to rush into the enemy camp, with his horse and a spear alone.

nHowever, it was scary to face the Rmperor.

nCedric knew very well that he was awkward with social fights and power struggles.

nSo he should be a shield or something.

nArtizea pretended to be a spear for him. Then he himself had to be an impenetrable shield to protect her.

nCedric took a few deep breaths and stepped outside.

n“Oh, Cedric. Seeing you dressed up like that, I feel like you’re getting married.”

nThe Emperor caught him and hugged him before Cedric could even bow his knees and greet. His casual smile seemed to be truly happy.

n“I’m overwhelmed with awe.”

n“You’ve only traveled to the border, and you didn’t even have a sign of having a woman, let alone have a family. It’s something that the world has set together.”

n“Because he’s old.”

nRoygar, who followed the Emperor, said with a smile.

n“It’s surprisingly not so common to meet the right mate at the right age, but it’s really a strange couple that I’ve never thought about.”

n“I’m overwhelmed with awe.”

nCedric politely bowed his head.

n“Tia is smart but timid, she needs protection, and you are a person who can take a step back and protect.”

nSaid the Emperor.

n“I used to think that you would like a woman who is wise and who doesn’t like to come out, and this is who you meet.”

n“Yes.”

nCedric replied mechanically.

nThe Emperor’s words felt unfamiliar.

nArtizea is not that kind of person.

nDid Artizea hide herself so well in front of the Emperor?

nOr was his judgment blurred?

nThe Emperor probably already knows that the Empress sent Artizea the Saintess Olga statue.

nIf so, he might have doubted what kind of conversation that had come and gone with the Empress, what kind of deal was made.

nHowever, the Emperor did not show any signs of that.

nCedric couldn’t clearly tell if the judgment he said was what he really looked like, or if it was a warning to live quietly in the future.

nPeople surrounded Cedric and went out to the garden where the main ceremony was prepared.

nThe weather was sunny and the temperature was just right.

nThe garden was elegant and the decoration was gorgeous, frugality, which was unlike the wedding of the Grand Duchess of Evron, in other words, rustic.

nRound tables spread throughout were decorated with gold ornaments with their names engraved on them, which were given as gifts to those in attendance.

nCedric took the Emperor and headed to the table where he would sit.

nTo the right of the Emperor was the archbishop, and to the right of the archbishop was the seat for Lawrence.

nThe left was empty. The seat was skipped and then the seat of Grand Duke Roygar.

nIt seemed that Grand Duke Roygar had considered it strange.

n“Why did you leave a room?”

n“Is it weird, uncle?”

n“So the Archbishop and I won’t sit side by side.”

nGrand Duke Roygar made up his own answer.

nCedric didn’t answer.

nThe owner of the seat is the Empress.

nHowever, until this moment, it was unclear whether the Empress would really attend the wedding.

nSo they didn’t put a name tag on it.

n“Why didn’t you choose to inherit the title of the Marquis? It would have been enough.”

nHe was going to greet others, but Grand Duke Roygar followed and asked.

n“If you were to join the family, you’ll probably be in a stable position. Once you hold the title, no one will want to touch it.”

n“Our families will not join. Tia is still young, and she has never had something of her own, so I intend to give everything back to her.”

n“Well, you’re honorable, so you don’t want to be told that you coveted the Marquisate of Rosan.”

nCedric didn’t dare refute.

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