Chapter 56

***

“Yes, that Devan is personally selecting the wedding attire!”

Karen’s mouth dropped open at Pelos’ words.

“No, with his aesthetic sense, wedding attire…. Shouldn’t we hurry and tell the Lady?”

“Amazingly, Lady Evelyn asked him herself. Or rather, she ordered it.”

“Is Lady Evelyn going to ruin her own wedding?”

Pelos smiled broadly, haha, with a pleasant expression on his face. (*They are talking about Devan’s bad taste in clothes ????)

“That’s the thing. The truth is that it’s all about fixing Devan’s aesthetic sense.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“So, I’m going to watch him choose the attire and reject it. If he repeats a few times, Devan’s aesthetic sense will improve a little.”

“Oh my.”

Karen shook his head and took a big sip of his wine.

“If that would fix it, it would have been fixed by now. Do you think His Highness will accept the rejection in the first place?”

“Do you think Devan won’t listen to Lady Evelyn?”

“Of course. Don’t you know His Highness is a stubborn man when he chose something? In other words, if he saw a certain attire and thought it was alright, he would not withdraw that choice.”

“Hmmm…..”

Pelos stroked his chin.

“So they’ll both end up wearing comical outfits for their wedding. The Lady’s hope is useless.”

“Yes ……”

“Well…”

Karen’s face reflected suspicion.

“I think it’s possible if Devan breaks his stubbornness.” (Pelos)

“…… are you serious?” (Karen)

“Have you ever seen me lie?” (Pelos)

Karen searched his memory. Pelos was a man who often joked, but he never lied with such an unfriendly look on his face.

And Pelos, though he hated to admit it, was quick-witted. If he had said it was possible, he could have really made it happen, no matter how impossible it seemed.

Nevertheless, for once, Karen doubted.

“Why?” (Karen)

“What do you care? You don’t believe me, apparently.” (Pelos)

“Of course.” (Karen)

“Then why don’t we make a bet?” (Pelos)

“A bet?” (Karen)

Pelos took the wine from Karen’s hand and drank every last drop.

“Will Devan and Lady wear ridiculous clothes, or will they wear beautiful clothes for their wedding?” (Pelos)

“What do you want to bet on?” (Karen)

“If you win, I’ll tell you why; Why Devan will break his stubbornness.” (Pelos)

“Then what if I lose?” (Karen)

“Of course……” (Pelos)

Pelos pretended to ponder. First he met Karen, gave him wine, and discussed this long subject, all for the sake of the current bet.

Karen was a man who knew faith supremely well. It was the worst humiliation for the Webow family and for the knights to break a promise.

He could tell when Karen gave him the family heirloom for a mere wine’s challenge.

Therefore, this insignificant bet would be effective enough for Karen.

“Let me borrow your strength.” (Pelos)

“Strength?”

Karen was also a simpleton.

“Literal strength. For example, when carrying heavy things… I’m sure there are often times when …… I need your help.” (Pelos)

“That strength.”

“Yes. Then give me that strength just once, regardless of time and place.” (Pelos)

Karen nodded in agreement, as Pelos had expected.

“I like that. Good!”

With a satisfied smile, Pelos pulled another bottle of wine from his pocket.

“How many bottles of wine did you hide? You’re a priest. …….” (Karen)

“So you are not going to drink?” (Pelos)

Karen’s mouth also smiled somewhat.

“I didn’t say that.”

Pong – pulling out the cork stopper, Pelos smiled secretly.

He thought to himself, he made a bet that he couldn’t possibly lose, regardless if he won or lost.

* * *

Time flew like an arrow, and before I knew it, it was the day before the wedding.

“Lady, what should we do about the hair?”

The maid, whom I had gotten to know a little better since the debutante, asked.

We had to head to the temple a day in advance for a purification ceremony the night before the wedding.

Devan and I were the only ones allowed in the temple, not even the butler or maid.

Of course, there were no attendants to change my clothes, so I had to wear a comfortable dress that I could sleep in.

Of course, I wasn’t going to let them make me sleep.

“Since the dress is simple, I think I’ll decorate your hair with pearls and flowers.”

She didn’t particularly like the pale beige dress with no pattern, the maid added.

“No, I’m not going to do anything.”

“What?”

“I have to stay the night there, and it’ll be uncomfortable to wear pearls.”

“But ……………… then let’s do flowers! You can take off the flowers easily….”

I shook my head in frustration at the sound of the maid’s voice.

Actually, I was going to see Cordelia, not a purification ceremony. I couldn’t walk around with little flowers on my head, not knowing what to expect.

“Just brush it for me.”

With a disappointed face, the maid began to brush my hair.

I sighed inaudibly as I stared at my golden locks in the mirror.

I was nervous just to have a wedding, but the prospect of returning to the temple and seeing Cordelia was even more terrifying.

When I finished getting ready, Devan was waiting for me in front of the carriage.

We had to wear light colored clothing at the Temple’s request. So Devan also wore a plain white shirt and beige pants.

I didn’t intend it, but it matched my dress, so I blushed a little.

“Are you nervous?” (Devan)

Devan asked as I stood in front of the carriage.

“….. a little.” (Evelyn)

“I would have been disappointed if you said no.” (Devan)

“Huh?”  (Evelyn)

“If you are not nervous on your wedding day, you have no expectations of your partner.” (Devan)

Devan held out one hand to me. It was a similar action to requesting a dance.

As I looked at him curiously, he gave a small shake of his head and sighed.

“I’ve been waiting in front of the carriage. Are you going to ignore me this time like last time?” (Devan)

“Last time?” (Evelyn)

“When you debuted.” (Devan)

The debutante? I searched my memory. I recalled Devan waiting for me outside the carriage when I had the debutante.

I was mesmerized seeing his appearance and rushed into the carriage with the excuse that my feet hurt because of my shoes.

Does that mean he waited in front of the carriage on purpose?

The reason why he was in a bad mood that day…….

Devan shook his hand as if to urge me. I looked down at his long fingers.

“I didn’t know you had the personality to care about this kind of thing.” (Evelyn)

“Someone doesn’t even give me a chance to be attentive.” (Devan)

I said, taking his hand in mine and babbling on for no reason.

“I don’t know who it is, but she’s mean.” (Evelyn)

“Right? I’ll scold her severely.” (Devan)

Devan smiled behind our entwined fingers. I could feel my own face getting hot, even without having to look in the mirror.

***

The temple was magnificent. Perhaps even more so than the Imperial Palace.

I could see the steeple in the distance, and in the whole process of getting out of the carriage and stepping into the temple, I had to make an effort to calm my heartbeat, which was thumping and thumping constantly.

My mouth went parched, my hands grew stiff and hard.

I had returned, to such a disgusting place. ‘I am back.’

“Tomorrow, prior to the ceremony, I will show you to your room for the purification ceremony.”

A priest with a white cloth over his face politely ushered us in.

The figure looked more bizarre than sacred. I didn’t even know if it was because of my personal view.

“Is it just as it was when you were a child?”

Devan, who was half a step ahead of me, whispered to me in a low voice.

In my childhood at the temple. I was seven years old when I was adopted by Count Diego.

If I was a normal person, I would not remember such a young age, nor the geography of the space in which I lived.

But I grew up with memories of my previous life, so my memory was clearer than most people’s.

“…… I’m not sure, but it seems to be the same.”

However, back then, I was confined in a corner of the temple, so now I was clueless about the chapel and surrounding area where we would be having the wedding.

We followed the priest, busily looking around but trying our utmost to avoid suspicion.

We walked from a distance, just far enough that he could not hear us, perhaps he did not suspect us.

“Is it for the purification ceremony that he’s covering with the white cloth?”

“Is the priest not clean?”

“It’s for show, I suppose. Just because you put the cloth on doesn’t mean that the dirt disappears.”

“It’s a complacent idea that if you sleep in the temple overnight, you’ll be purified.”

Since it was just the three of us in the large, high space, no matter how small we said it, a whispering voice echoed.

I would appreciate it if the priest would consider it the chatter of a couple who would perform the ceremony tomorrow, but it might not be.

I fell silent and instead looked around the temple.

The area where I lived as a child was a particularly old space. Now, it looked different. It was clear that it was renovated.

The temple was too magnificent and majestic.

The building, built entirely of white plaster, did not have a single mark.

The ceiling was covered with ornate fan-shaped carvings, and huge pillars were erected on both sides.

Between the pillars were windows, and the hanging white fabrics fluttering in the wind were spectacular.

All of this meant one thing.

Divine authority.

It must have been a stunningly pompous attitude.

“This is the place.”

Finally, the priest stopped.

He opened the door and, after retreating into the distance, beckoned us in.

The room was dimly lit, not a single ray of sunlight, despite the early morning.

A table and teacups were prepared in the middle of the room, but everything was completely white, including the walls.

I felt somewhat uneasy.