“…Excuse me, just a moment.”
I groaned, clutching the veil in one hand and covering my face with the other.
“Could the Tidros Royal Family gather for a moment?”
Though they say even wild beasts would hesitate when facing me, I, known as the “Winter Bear of Tidros,” let out an incredibly pathetic voice.
The crown prince hurriedly stood up, and the king turned pale, frozen in place—no, it seems he was just a little confused.
“W-What is the matter, Captain?”
Raul swiftly grabbed my arm and leaned in closer.
“What’s wrong, Saryu?”
The crown prince joined in, whispering in a scolding tone, but instead, I grabbed both of their necks and turned away from the Lady of the White Cocoon. Lowering my voice even further, I spoke.
“What’s ugly about her?”
“…She’s unimaginably beautiful.”
“Yeah, she’s like a doll.”
As the crown prince and Raul nodded in agreement, I tightened my arms around their necks.
“Ugh, you’re choking us!”
“Stop, Captain!”
“What are we going to do!? What are we supposed to do with such a beautiful girl!?”
I snarled as I shook their necks vigorously.
“Me, of all people! What am I supposed to do!?”
“Isn’t it fine? She’s a beautiful girl after all… wait, hey. Raul’s going to die.”
“G-Ghuuugh…”
Raul let out a strange groan, about to collapse to the floor from his knees.
“Um. Have I… offended you?”
At the sound of a voice like bells ringing, I reflexively turned around.
At the same time, I forcefully spun the crown prince and Raul around too, making them groan in unison, “Ghuu.”
Before the altar, standing alone in the light of the stained glass, was the young lady.
Her violet eyes looked straight at me as her pink lips opened.
“Does my appearance displease you?”
Asked again, I stared at her in a daze.
On her face, in her eyes, and in every strand of her hair, sadness seemed to shimmer and sway.
“No!”
Before I realized it, I had shouted.
I tossed the crown prince and Raul aside and stood up straight, clenching my fists.
“I’m flustered because you’re too cute! Could you give me a moment!?”
My voice echoed several times in the chapel before gradually fading away.
Until it disappeared, no one uttered a word.
Then, a small chuckle. The first to laugh was my mother.
“Oh dear, what is he saying?”
“Ah, Lord Barrymore, my apologies. You see, our third son has been running around in the frontier for so long, he has no immunity to lovely women.”
My father bowed his head to Lord Barrymore, but what he said could easily be misunderstood. It sounded as if I was just some fool running around aimlessly, even though I’ve been carrying out my duties.
“Ah, no… I’m relieved. Overjoyed, really.”
However, Lord Barrymore, who had seemed tense the last time I saw him three months ago, now smiled gently, even with a hint of tears in his eyes.
Ah, I see. Watching his daughter face rejection in front of so many people must have been painful.
That Arios Crown Prince—he’s truly a sinful man.
If even her father was hurt this much, how deeply must the young lady herself have been wounded?
I glanced at the Lady of the White Cocoon.
No—since her veil was already off, she was no longer the “White Cocoon.”
She was Lady Citroen.
She stood there, cheeks as smooth as a boiled egg tinged with pink, looking at me.
Her violet eyes shimmered as if wet, and her matching violet earrings trembled ever so slightly—she must be shaking.
As for her maid, she was already collapsed at Lady Citroen’s feet, crying in relief, muttering something like, “I’m so glad, my lady,” which made everything even more chaotic.
“Take a deep breath, Saryu,” the crown prince, who had recovered at some point, instructed me.
“Go to the young lady, take a deep breath, count to three, and give her a kiss on the forehead.”
He explained it as if teaching two-year-old nephew manners.
“And don’t accidentally headbutt her in your excitement. You’ll need to crouch a bit; otherwise, your forehead kiss will be more like an air kiss.”
Raul added quickly, speaking in a rapid-fire manner. What does he think I am? A forehead kiss is child’s play. Leave it to me.
“Come on now, don’t keep your fiancée waiting. Besides, we still have more events to get through after this.”
The crown prince gave me a firm push on the back. Indeed, indeed.
After this, Lady Citroen would change into her dress, attend the formal introduction, and meet with all the relatives.
Then, dinner.
And after that, everyone would leave.
She would begin living at my residence from tonight onward.
Though usually, we’d live together after the wedding, King Tania was overly cautious due to the way the previous engagement was broken off. He’s ordered us to live together right after the engagement ceremony, probably to establish the situation and ensure this time we actually marry.
I feel a bit sorry for her. After all, she’s suddenly living with a man she just met today.
It’s all Prince Arios’s fault, yet all the burden seems to be falling on Lady Citroen.
On top of that, my royal family has been hammering it into my head not to touch her until the wedding.
Well, as the third prince, my wedding won’t be as elaborate or last as long as the crown prince’s week-long affair.
There will be a parade in the capital to present her to the citizens, during which some of the churches my mother has connections with will ring bells and give out charity.
But if during that parade, my wife’s belly is large, or her morning sickness severe…
There could be all sorts of reactions from the public.
I get it. There’d be plenty of rumors, jests, and mockery.
Being a man and living mostly with other knights, I don’t really care what people say. But Lady Citroen, who will be my wife, will have to attend social gatherings, tea parties, and charity events with other women.
…Just thinking about it makes me sigh.
So, as the crown prince and my elder brother advised, the next six months will be a period of “endless patience.”
As I walked across the red carpet toward Lady Citroen, I felt a little anxious.
I had thought she wouldn’t be my type.
Piece of cake, I had thought—just drink tea and eat meals together, and six months would fly by.
But this is bad.
She’s perfect. Ridiculously cute.
Stopping in front of Lady Citroen, I looked down at her.
Seriously, does she even have pores? Her skin is so smooth. Is that real hair? It looks like it’s made of silk or some heavenly fiber.
Staring at her makes me want to touch it. This is dangerous.
I cleared my throat.
Turning back to look at the guests, I saw that the crown prince had taken his seat.
“Then.”
I didn’t know what “then” was supposed to mean, but I said it anyway.
In the meantime, Raul had dragged the sobbing maid away from Lady Citroen’s feet.
Facing Lady Citroen again, I spoke.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes,” came a small reply.
She lifted her chin and looked up at me, closing her eyes.
Oh no! This is too much!
Her defenselessness is adorable! Her adorableness is defenseless! It’s criminal!
Almost unconsciously drawn in to kiss her lips, I heard a deliberate cough from behind. Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I saw the crown prince mouthing, “Forehead!”
Tch.
Reluctantly, I placed my hands on Lady Citroen’s shoulders.
Apparently, I gripped them a bit too firmly.
Her thin and delicate frame startled me, and it looked like it surprised Lady Citroen as well.
She shuddered and closed her eyes, trembling…
…She’s unbelievably cute. What is this little creature? Wow, she looks like a rabbit you often see in snowy mountains. No, maybe she’s more like a white ferret.
No, cast aside these impure thoughts, me!!!!!!!
As instructed, it’s a forehead kiss, a forehead kiss. Not on the lips.
I bent down quite a bit and placed a kiss on her forehead.
It felt as smooth as porcelain.
The sweet fragrance of the perfume she wore almost made me dizzy.
“Congratulations!” “Congratulations!”
Applause and well-wishes echoed from around us.
It seems the engagement ceremony has come to an end.
What a relief.
Now, it’s time for the wedding ceremony.
I wonder if I can handle it…
