CH 22

Chapter 22: The Beginning of the Wedding Ceremony

(This is excellent.)

On the wedding day, in the morning.

Olivia has finished her makeup and is standing in front of the hotel room’s dressing pavilion.

She is dressed in a gleaming blue dress and silver shoes.

The dress is modest for a bridesmaid, but it is of the sleek variety that is popular these days.

Her hair was cut into a beautiful style by an experienced hairdresser employed by the hotel.

As per bridesmaid etiquette, only a simple necklace is required.

According to Elliot and Nikka, it has detoxifying, paralytic, and anti-sleep properties.

She also keeps a magical tool in her purse to protect herself from attackers.

Olivia looks at herself in the mirror, a little uneasy.

(Finally, I wonder what will happen.)

She’s not sure how this wedding will turn out, but something in her will undoubtedly change after it.

And at the time,

Knock-knock

The sound of a familiar voice follows a knock on the door.

“It’s me.”

(It’s Elliot.)

Olivia dashes at the front door.

When she saw who was standing there, she opened her mouth wide.

(Wait, who?)

A man in a gleaming gray suit stands there.

He had neatly coiffed blond hair and violet eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses.

He has a gentle smile on his lips.

Olivia’s piercing stare caused the man, Elliot, to turn his head away.

“Can you please stop staring at me? I’m embarrassed.”

Olivia’s surprise at his elegant and sexy gesture made her forget her shyness.

(…How wonderful; he looks like a prince.)

Olivia can’t take her gaze away from Elliot, who looks at her with an embarrassed expression.

“Come on, a carriage is waiting for us,” he says, urging her to get ready to leave.

They then got into the carriage and drove away from the hotel.

Elliot opened his mouth to speak.

“…Have you settled down a little?”

“Yeah, to some extent.”

Olivia responds, followed by a question that had been bothering her the day before.

“What’s with Elliot always wearing colored glasses?”

“…I believe merchants wear colored glasses.”

“I suppose so, but you’ll be more popular if they can see your eyes.”

Elliot chuckled bitterly.

“I don’t need to be popular with an unknown number of people; I just need to be popular with one.”

Olivia’s pupils constricted, and she couldn’t help but stare at him.

Elliot’s violet eyes flashed with heat.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you this before, but you’re so beautiful that I wish I could just take you and leave.”

“T-thank you,” she says as she turns her head to the side, her ears red.

(Seriously, my heart feels like it’s going to explode.)

She feels embarrassed since the incident in the garden yesterday.

She’s embarrassed to make eye contact, and it’s even more awkward to hear him say her name.

The fact that she is still being watched makes her heart race no matter what she does. Even taking a deep breath doesn’t help.

(I feel like my heart is racing—I’m not sure if it’s safe to attend a wedding in this state.)

The carriage is beginning to slow down.

She could see a magnificent mansion and a crowd of well-dressed people through the window.

(We’ve arrived.)

Elliot took Olivia’s nervous hand in his.

Olivia felt something slip on her ring finger and looked up to see a beautiful purple stone set in an elegant ring.

“…This?”

“Here’s a gift; it’s sad that I’m wearing your color while you don’t have mine.”

“T-Thank you.”

Olivia blushes as she notices his cufflinks and necktie pin are the same blue as her eyes.

Elliot narrowed his eyes lovingly and gently took her hand in his.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

***

With Elliot’s help, she gets out of the carriage and finds herself at the front door of the Viscount’s Mansion.

People in suits are gathered here and there, chatting happily.

(I recognized several of the faces.)

A young man approached them as Olivia stood in Elliot’s shadow, holding a piece of paper with what appeared to be a list of attendees on it.

“Please excuse me. Could you please tell me your name? “

“Yes, Olivia Carter.”

“…?!”

The young man stares at her with a blank expression.

Elliot gives a cold smile.

“Sir. Staring at a lady, no matter how lovely she is, is impolite.

“… I-I’m sorry; you seem different from the last time we met.”

The young man bowed his head hurriedly.

And then he inhaled, and he shouted.

“Miss Olivia Carter has arrived!”

The entrance was buzzing.

[It’s Olivia.]

[How dare she come here. Shameless.]

In the background, the guests turn around and whisper.

And when they saw you two standing there, their mouths dropped open in disbelief.

[Is that Olivia?!]

[You’ve got to be kidding; she’s completely different!]

[Who’s that guy next to her? He’s the most handsome guy I’ve ever seen!]

Elliot stands in front of Olivia to shield her from the whispers.

[… !!!!]

Yellow cries of “Caw!” come out of nowhere.

Despite the attention, he smiled and extended his hand to Olivia with the grace of a fairy tale prince.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Olivia enters the building slowly, accompanied by Elliot’s warm hand.

She gives him a strange smile and whispers.

“You surprised me, Elliot. You’re amazing.”

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to him.

He must have done it to keep Olivia out of the spotlight.

She had no idea he’d be so protective of her.

They walk down a red-carpeted corridor and into the hall where the wedding will be held.

Seeing Olivia, a young woman in a cream-colored dress ran up to her.

“Olivia! Thank God you’re okay!”

Olivia’s cousin Sara, a distant cousin on her mother’s side, was the only relative Olivia had made contact with when she was living in the Royal Capital.

“I’m sorry for worrying you; how is the baby?”

“When I heard Olivia was coming, I left the baby with my mother.”

Then her cousin, who looked next to Olivia, made a face of blatant surprise and bowed politely to Elliott.

“Hello, my name is Sara Burton, and this is my husband, John.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Elliot from the Dixx Trading Company.”

John smiles and extends his hand.

“From Dixx? Thank you for your continued support.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you; I assume you’re referring to the Barton family, who rule the famous grape-growing region to the south.”

“That’s right; you’re well aware of it.”

Elliot strikes up a conversation with John and a few other men.

Sara elbowed Olivia.

“Hey, you have a nice guy with you. You scared the hell out of me.”

“…I met him at the Royal Capital.”

“That’s the Royal Capital for you; I’ve never seen a man like him.”

Later, Olivia and Sara talk with some young women about the Royal Capital’s famous food and plays.

One of the women says admiringly.

“As expected, you live in the royal capital. You know so much.”

“Yes—It’s a pleasure to listen to you.”

“Your makeup and dress are all current fashions, and you look great.”

Olivia is relieved.

Training over the last month and a half have paid off.

She thanks her friends once more.

Then, Sara’s father, her uncle from her mother’s side of the family, approaches her.

“Olivia, you look well.”

“Yes—it’s been a long time, Oji-sama.”

Olivia bowed politely as she moved away from the chatting ladies.

Olivia’s uncle fixed his gaze on her.

“When I heard from Sarah, I was worried, but I guess it wasn’t necessary.”

He motioned with his thumb to Elliot, who was speaking to the men.

“He’s a good man. He’s perceptive and knowledgeable. He’s won over a lot of loud old men in no time.”

“Well, It’s unusual for my father to compliment a man.”

Sarah teases her father, and his face relaxes.

“Well, it’s true. That Henry guy is nothing compared to him—Good for you, Olivia,”

“That’s true,” Olivia says with a wry smile.

She looks over at Elliot. Their eyes meet, and he smiles at her, making her blush.

The mere sight of his eyes makes her heart leap.

Elliot leaves the men and approaches Olivia.

He stands next to her and whispers in her ear.

“How are things going?”

“Yes, thanks to you. I’m enjoying it more than I expected.”

“That’s good,” Elliot says, squinting.

Olivia raises her moist blue eyes to meet those gentle purple eyes.

A sweet breeze blows between them.

Olivia finally realizes under Elliot’s hot gaze.

(… Aren’t I hopelessly in love with this man?)

Following that,

“Thank you for coming, Oneesama!”

A familiar high-pitched voice echoes down the corridor.

(… She’s here!)

Olivia stiffened as she turned around and saw Catherine standing there with her face scrunched up and Henry with a furrowed brow.