Chapter 72

The man did not feel bored. But that didn’t mean he was enjoying his time either. The detailed carving of the golden ceilings and lovely pillars were inspirational, but to the man, they meant nothing. The man laughed quietly so that no one would hear.

After turning his head away from the pillar, he observed the entrance from where he came. He still had a bit of his boyish charm, but the young man was no longer a child. The golden eyes were not dulled by the golden interior. He wore the Hanuem with a white eagle on a golden backdrop neatly on his head, a handkerchief, vest, and coat. The young man looked sophisticated and gentlemanlike.

Skara’s crown prince was waiting for his sister. Once he turned past this pillar and take a few more steps, he will be at the bridal dressing room, where his sister would be in the midst of getting ready.

To see her right away, L’avenant got ready as soon as the sun rose and came to this place. Outside, they were all busy getting ready for the ceremony. After meeting with the king who was in the center of it all, and sharing greetings with the other nobilities, he stepped inside the palace.

The bride was busy getting ready. Once she had gotten started, she didn’t look at the clock on purpose and so did not know exactly what time it was, but judging by the white and yellow light, she could estimate the time of day. It was midday.

“Your majesty.”

They were small red cheeks. L’avenant tilted his head.

“Hm?”

“The princess has finished getting ready. Please come out now.”

It sounded like the young chambermaid’s voice was trembling a bit. L’avenant laughed lightheartedly.

“Alright. Let’s head over there.”

Other than the chambermaid, he was the first to see the bride. He decided he would be content with this. It was a trivial thing to be concerned about, but it didn’t matter to him.

“Lante.”

“Sister.”

His sister, who had come out of the bridal dressing room, looked extraordinarily beautiful.

The bride was holding a flower bouquet below her white face. She was like a flower that drank the morning dew. A soft blue flower like the morning light, a lovely and pure white flower, the brightest yellow flower, and like her dress, the most passionate red flower. Her eyes as sweet as a pumpkin, her childlike cheeks, her pink lips under her smooth nose.

Pure white lace covered her long hair. Her pink-tinted purple hair lingered as it waved through the air. The red flowers of Monte fell from the ends of her hair and left traces behind her. Her delicate shoulders and clavicle peaked through white over her dress, and her ceramic skin sparkled. The ends of her red dress grew lighter and looked to have been painted with care. Her full dress swept across the golden floors. Her ivory high heels clicked seductively.

He couldn’t help but gasp in exclamation.

“Sister.”

Although he was from a wealthy and well-educated family, he couldn’t think of a word to properly describe her. This simple way seemed to be the best way to do it.

“You look beautiful.”

Like a flower. Or maybe the woman was already a flower. The young man opened his mouth to exclaim.

“You look really beautiful.”

“Thank you, Lante. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble coming here so early.”

“It was no trouble. Sister.”

“I’ve made you wait too long, haven’t I?”

Ashite asked with a smiling face. L’avenent shook his head adamantly.

“No, not at all. I was taking a look around the palace and didn’t realize how fast the time had gone by.”

This was the first time that Lante had ever shown this sort of reaction. Ashite continued to smile.

“Princess.”

It was Lucia. Ashite slightly nodded her head.

“The ceremony will be starting soon.”

“Lante.”

“Yes. Sister. Shall we go?”

L’avenant casually lifted his arm. Ashite placed her hand lightly over the inside of his arm. The siblings walked together.

With light steps, one by one, they walked forward. It only took a moment to reach the front of the entrance. Then, when the woman and young man took another step, music started to play. From the corner of the reception hall, a soft melody spread throughout the room. The music flowed throughout, like the white and yellow sunlight filtering inside. Like that smooth flow, the bride and her younger sibling walked down each of the stairs in the same fashion.

The reception hall was filled with the flowers of Monte. Pale yellow and pure white flowers filled the hall with its scent. Like the bouquet the bride was holding, like the gentle music. Stepping down from the last step, Ashite stopped for a moment. A long red carpet was spread out in front of her, and at its end was standing a man in a red cloak. The man’s red eyes were like the rubies studded in his golden crown, and his clean white suit was detailed with golden thread. The man slightly smiled.

“Ashite.”

L’avenant steadily took a step back diagonally. But there was no time for the bride to be distracted by anyone else other than the king. Entranced by that one word, Ashite slowly walked toward him. Her hair was full of the scent of flowers, and every time she walked, its essence fell onto the red carpet below her. Her golden eyes blinked, and her eyelashes fluttered.

Walking on this carpet felt especially long to Ashite. It was probably a similar distance she had walked from the entrance, or it may have even been shorter. But it was expected. The hall was filled with Monvixo’s most influential men and women and also the nobilities of many foreign countries to celebrate the marriage of this land’s king. From the moment she walked out of her dressing room, there would be no room for error.

But still, the bride continued smiling. It was not the blatant laugh of an oblivious child but a warm, serene laugh.

And when the princess stood in front of the king, Lu Havre smiled lovingly down at her. Looking into his red eyes, Ashite felt it again. That this man’s heart was filled with love for her, and whatever happened, he would remain steadfast and warm.

“Ashite.”

“Yes, Lu Havre.”

“Will you dance with me?”

There was nothing more to say after that.

Lu Havre reached out his had to Ashite. Strong dark hands lay under the white sleeves drawn with gold-threaded designs. There was never a hand that Ashite had ever felt more secure in. She smiled even more extravagantly.

“There would be no greater pleasure.”

Ashite grabbed Lu Havre’s hand. Lu Havre placed his hand slightly around her delicate waist. Looking only at each other, their hands tightly held together.

The chambermaid next to her quietly received the flower bouquet. The music that was playing had already changed — the Butterfly Woman Lotte. At the familiar song, Ashite smiled like a child. For the beginning of the wedding, the dance was more extravagant than expected, and it felt less for the proper upper class than for the masses. But there was a reason this song was chosen as the first piece for the ceremony. Lu Havre couldn’t help but smile.

“You remembered.”

He whispered so that only she could hear. She stepped back a couple of steps then fell into his embrace as she spoke.

“The piano then…”

That was not all. He whispered sweetly.

“And it’s the same song I danced to before.”

It had been a song only associated with her mother’s memory, but now it was intertangled with others. Ashite’s golden eyes, red cheeks, pink lips all seemed to be smiling. It wouldn’t have been strange for her to be nervous, but all he could sense was her happiness. It felt like they were the only two people here.

Lu Havre again lowered his head deeply.

“Ashite.”

“Yes.”

“Today, you look absolutely,”

Lu Havre’s seductive voice swept down from Ashite’s forehead.

“Lovely.”

Suddenly, Ashite rolled her feet two steps then stopped. Very energetically. The white lace again fluttered. The image of the white left less of an impression on him than the purple. The red dress bloomed outward then closed up like a flower bud. The ivory heels peeked through the ends of the dress from time to time. The scent of Monte flowers wafted through. There was no way he could not become drunk off the scent.

Ashite’s cheeks blushed red.

Lu Havre, realizing this, took a step closer to Ashite. He lowered his head a little more and touched his lips against her forehead. There was only a small gap remaining between them. Just enough space to permit a kiss. They were that close, but neither Ashite nor Lu Havre avoided each other’s gaze. It wasn’t that they were not embarrassed. But there was something more important, something that was causing them to tremble anxiously that made them unable to take their eyes off of each other.

Their first dance ended. The dance where they couldn’t take their eyes off each other. She was blushing more furiously than before, and Ashite stopped. The piece was relatively short but to Ashite, this time spent with this man felt long.

Monvixo’s bishop walked toward the man and woman standing at the end of the long red carpet. The land that the son of the dragon had raised up, another important figure for those who believed in the dragon. His pale attire was enough to give off the air of mystery. His pure white cloak fluttered up in the wind then fell softly, the buzz of the crowd calmed. The bishop bowed in front of the king and princess, and the reception hall fell into complete silence.

“This humble servant of Monvixo welcomes you, your highness.”

His black hair speckled with white was neatly groomed. The bishops soft voice echoed.

“Your majesty, the queen.”

It was the moment the bishop first declared the princess as queen. The queen’s lips made a circle in exclamation.

“It’s been a long time, Arthur.”

“Arthur, hello. Such a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine. Your highness, the queen.”

After exchanging pleasantries, the bishop congratulated them on the wedding with a slight smile on his face.

“I sincerely congratulate you on the wedding.”

The bishop took turns meeting the eyes of the groom and bride and spoke slowly.

“I hope that the fate that brought you two together will bloom beautifully to its full potential.”

He blessed their marriage and wished them happiness. Hearing those words, Ashite lifted her head slightly and looked at the side of Lu Havre’s face. Under the smooth profile of his nose, his lips drew a circle. Just as she did, exactly.

She was so happy that she could not explain it all in words. Words could not be enough to describe it. Her heart beat hard from nervousness and anticipation, and the feeling filled her up to the brim. The sunlight that broke apart and was spread across the reception hall, the scents that wafted up from place to place, the red and yellow lights all flooded into her heart. The contact between their shoulders and waist, the electrifying feeling in her legs, the warmth of him next to her.

The bishop’s blessing flowed out naturally, but there was no time to think over each of his words. Ashite stared at the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

Then he slightly tilted his head. The image of the woman with the golden eyes filled his senses. He was immensely satisfied. Very. The moment such a thought crossed her mind, a smile swept across her face. Actually, all day, to a point she couldn’t understand, she couldn’t stop smiling. It felt like it would be eternal.

Ashite.

As if in secret, he rolled his tongue and called her name. Only she could hear him. He could not hold in his desire to call her name. And right now, at this moment, upon seeing the smile on her face, he could completely understand. Naturally. His eyes curved. He relayed his gentleness to her, and Lu Havre looked back at the bishop. The ceremony will soon be reaching an end.

“Ou Otoi Monvixo Le-Hoshuchoihre.”

We, the people of Montivo, congratulate this union, to Otoi Monvixo’s king.

The bishop smiled and retreated. The moment his speech ended, soft music started to play. The passionate scent rode the gentle wind and swept across her cheeks and tickled the ends of her dress. Ashite looked at Lu Havre again. Drenched in sunlight, the white lace looked even more ravishing, and the woman in it closed her eyes then opened them. Although day time, her eyes seemed to sparkle as if reflecting the stars. The golden light flickered continuously.

Lu Havre lightly put his hands over hers. Ashite blinked rapidly a couple of times.

“Ashite, wait.”

Then he swept his hands across her red cheeks. He felt the warmth emanating from it. Ashite, without even realizing it, put her hands over his. She couldn’t help it. She had wanted to hold them for quite some time now. Warm comfort. The two of them smiled as their eyes met.

“Your highness.”

It was one of the palace advisors. It was now time for the king and queen to make their rounds with the guests. But there was first something the servants must present to them. Before they could speak, Lu Havre brought up the subject first.

“I heard that the king is ill. Is it true?”

“Yes, it is true.”

He was the elder of the palace and was more important than any other guest, but the previous king did not attend the ceremony. Passau and Lativasa were both ill. The king knew this. He also knew that this was an excuse, and what the real reason for it was.

But it didn’t matter. He didn’t mind it much even now. But as king, he was bound by his duties as a son.

“He is continuously worried for you two. His heart aches for you.”

Lu Havre frowned as if extremely worried.