Chapter 48
The Wedding Night (1)
Aidan’s hand slowly reached toward Brody.
In his grasp was the Frozen Sea Stone bracelet she had given him earlier. It was nothing new—returning something he had already received—but still, the act carried weight.
Swish. As his hand brushed against hers, Brody felt the steady warmth radiating from him.
Was it her imagination, or were his fingertips trembling ever so slightly?
The spot where he had grazed her tingled, sending goosebumps racing down her arms.
She was grateful—immensely grateful—that their ceremonial attire was made for winter.
Clink. Only when the bracelet settled securely around her wrist did Brody finally release the breath she’d been holding.
Now it was her turn.
The token of her vow was the emerald-like gemstone flower, the Gemfior, which she had also prepared in advance.
Taking a step closer, Brody lifted her arm high.
“I thought a bracelet might be inconvenient for you, so I made it into a necklace instead.”
At her words, Aidan inclined his head toward her.
Their faces brushed past one another, her temple grazing his cheek.
His scent was clean and refined, and his body temperature warmer than hers.
The faint touch of his hair made her dizzy.
Her hands, looping around his neck as if in an embrace to fasten the necklace, trembled with a strange tension.
Could it be that… he, too, felt at least a little thrill from this sham wedding?
After all, when they had first seen each other in their wedding clothes, both of them had flushed. Why shouldn’t he feel the same now?
The shy yet heated exchange of vows came to an end.
Brody glanced at the roughly finished Gemfior hanging from his neck.
“I had to rush the craftsman to finish it, so it’s a bit crude. I’ll make sure to give you a proper one next time.”
It bothered her that the gem was attached to a simple gold ring and strung on a plain leather cord, dangling a bit awkwardly.
When she spoke with an embarrassed pout, Aidan’s lips curved into an involuntary smile. Then, without stopping there, he lifted the necklace, pressed his lips to the Gemfior, and said,
“This is more than enough.”
“…!”
Her face turned as red as wine filling a glass.
And she wasn’t the only one blushing.
Many of the guests, too, flushed in surprise.
Especially Mrs. Murphy and Teddy.
Love really does change people, doesn’t it?
Even the frozen-hearted Grand Duke—the famous Ice Wall himself!
Well, considering he even abandoned his post to find her… that says it all.
Until this moment, many of them had honestly believed Aidan had brought her here not for love, but because he needed her for strategic reasons.
Judging from his usual nature, that explanation had made perfect sense—they assumed it was something arranged in agreement with Chief of Staff River.
But seeing him today…
Maybe… it really is just love, they thought.
Setting aside the guests’ plight of having to watch such sweetness, the ceremony concluded without a hitch.
Contrary to Latua’s concerns, the officiant—calm and skillful—handled the proceedings smoothly.
As the presiding cleric, he used holy power to inscribe the seals of the witnesses, Mrs. Murphy and Teddy, onto the wedding vows, thus completing the entire ritual.
So this is how it’s certified…
Brody found herself brushing her fingers over the glowing seal again and again, fascinated.
“All right, shall we get changed and head to the banquet hall?” Teddy clapped, announcing the next step.
A banquet? After a secret wedding?
Indeed. The banquet had actually been planned as “Brody’s welcome party.”
In fact, they had been secretly planning it for a long time, even before she arrived at the fortress. If it hadn’t been for the chaos at the gates that day, it would’ve been a spectacular surprise. Thanks to Teddy—and the northern folk’s enthusiasm—she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
“It’s a welcome party for you, my lady, but for us six, we’ll think of it as a secret wedding celebration. The timing worked out perfectly, don’t you think?”
People smiled, but Aidan still looked displeased.
Probably because of what he said yesterday—not to get too entangled with northerners.
Don’t worry, Your Grace. I’ll navigate this well—not getting overly involved, but not pulling away too much either.
Brody gave him a reassuring smile, but judging from the look on his face, it wasn’t convincing him at all.
Well, what can you do? There’s no helping it.
As she was about to go prepare, Adonia approached with a small smile.
“Give that to me, my lady.”
It wasn’t hard to guess what he meant.
He was pointing at the wedding vows.
Puzzled, Brody handed it over, and Adonia kindly explained.
“Tonight I’ll give you a blessing for the consummation, and tomorrow morning I’ll confirm it. Only then will the final clerical seal be added. That’s when you’ll officially be recognized as husband and wife.”
“….”
What? Blessing for… the consummation?
Confirmation… in the morning?
Brody stared blankly at the wedding vows leaving her hands.
Unbelievable. I didn’t know.
It wasn’t in Original Brody’s memory. Naturally, she’d had no way of knowing. Having never been properly cared for in the ducal house, the only thing she had experienced was the wedding ceremony. With no one to explain, she had assumed that was the end of it.
This… the banquet isn’t the real problem here.
Her head began to spin.
❖ ❖ ❖
Around five in the evening.
In the north, winter darkness fell early.
The Great Hall inside Ferdan Fortress’s town hall blazed with candlelight for the first time in ages, welcoming guests.
Although security was said to be triple the usual, Aidan remained on edge.
After all, they had suffered a fierce attack from the Imperial Princess not long ago.
“The fortress itself is so secure that Imperial forces won’t cross it easily. Most of the northern troops are still stationed here, too.”
Aidan nodded.
No matter how much elemental power the princess wielded, it was unlikely she could come and go from this fortress at will.
If she came alone—perhaps—it might be possible, but here stood Aidan, whose power rivaled hers.
So she would hardly dare to attempt it single-handedly.
And fortunately, the body-controlling magic seemed to require direct visual contact within a certain range to activate.
Since Brody was still inside the fortress without incident, it meant they could relax somewhat about the magic—provided the princess’s group couldn’t get in.
Even so, Aidan attended the banquet armed.
Brody had changed out of her wedding gown into something simpler.
A fitted white blio embroidered with gold thread, over which she wore a sleeveless green velvet surcoat that fell in elegant lines.
On her head, a golden circlet—set across her forehead—sparkled as it held her hair gently in place before letting it flow.
Seeing her, Teddy kept snapping his fingers in admiration, unable to stop making tsk tsk sounds of awe.
He was clearly proud of how perfectly the outfit he had provided suited her.
Brody could only smile awkwardly.
The banquet was lively beyond measure.
After all, how often could one see the Ice Wall Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess called the Goddess of Fortune in person?
It seemed every resident of the fortress was trying to catch a glimpse.
The duke and Brody were seated at a table on a raised platform at the front, facing the guests.
Their table was piled high with potato dishes—potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, in all sorts of unusual preparations.
Wow… they must really be glad to have a harvest of potatoes.
Unfortunately, Brody barely got to eat any.
Whether Aidan managed better, she didn’t know, but as a novice noble, she was kept busy greeting the endless line of people who came to introduce themselves.
Their greetings were always the same.
Thank you. It’s an honor to meet you.
And—Please continue to look after the north.
She could sense that Aidan found this last part uncomfortable, but the guests, thinking his stern expression was just his natural look, never noticed.
Well, it’s not like I’m the kind to stand out. You’re worrying too much, Your Grace.
If she had been told to mingle, that might have been harder, but simply sitting still wasn’t a problem.
What was a problem were the drinks offered in gratitude.
Am I supposed to drink all of this?
In her previous life, she’d been a heavy drinker—well, in the sense that alcohol never affected her, no matter how much she drank. That made drinking boring, so she often avoided it.
But in this life, Brody’s body was not the same.
Wow… so this is what getting tipsy feels like.
After only a few cups, her face grew warm, and her head felt light.
The sweet fruit wine was delicious, making it oddly tempting to keep drinking.
“I’ll take the drinks from here,” Aidan said.
Though she hadn’t gotten drunk enough to be a problem, his concern led him to start accepting the cups in her place.
Later, she learned she could have declined, citing poor health—but she had already touched the cups, and it was too late to pick and choose.
“Your Grace, aren’t you drinking a bit too much?”
“I’m fine.”
He shook his head, his face perfectly composed. Apparently, he could hold his liquor well.
Thus the banquet carried on into the night.
Aidan was as taciturn as ever, and Brody didn’t say much either, but the atmosphere brimmed with the joy of finally celebrating what—technically—wasn’t quite a victory, but close enough.
“Shall we head in?”
“What? But it’s not over yet…”
“It’s polite for the hosts to leave early.”
“Oh.”
Whether it was an excuse to get her back early, or genuine consideration for the others, she didn’t know. Either way, Brody followed his lead and rose.
And before she knew it—
That moment had arrived.
The wedding night.
At first, she’d been on edge all day, but between the warmth of the banquet and the effects of the wine, she had almost forgotten.
The instant the cold air hit her outside the hall, clarity returned.
Oh no. What do I do?
Brody returned to their quarters with wary glances.
Two clerics were already waiting.
“Call us when you’re ready.”
After confirming their arrival, they left the room.
When we’re ready? Ready for what…?
Not knowing what to do, Brody clasped her hands together, fidgeting as she waited for Aidan to move.
The dim room was lit only by two candelabras holding three candles each, their flames quietly burning the night away.
Perhaps worried she might get cold, the fireplace roared with a lively crackle, its warmth filling the space.
The small window was fogged over, cloaking the room in greater intimacy.
Covering his face with one hand, Aidan rubbed his temple briefly, then walked to the bed.
On it lay two sets of chemises—simple sleeping garments.
He picked up the smaller one and handed it to her.
He wants me to change, I guess.
Turning away, Brody removed her surcoat. When she tried to take off her blio, the laces at the back refused to budge.
After struggling and grumbling in frustration, she finally called out.
“Your Grace, um…”
He turned to face her, already changed into his nightclothes.
Brody stepped back toward him.
“Could you…?”
Sweeping her thick hair forward over her shoulder revealed her straight back… and the graceful line of her neck.
The laces had been pulled unevenly, the knot a tangled mess from her clumsy attempts.
Aidan frowned slightly and reached out.
Standing still with her hair gathered in front, Brody swallowed hard at the sense of him behind her.
His thick, steady fingers moved with care. The soft rasp of the knot loosening cut through the quiet air.
As the fastening slackened, more of her bare skin was exposed to the cool air, making goosebumps rise.
The faint scent of fruit wine lingered in his breath as it seemed to fall against the nape of her neck.
The heat of his fingertips brushing her skin was hotter than she expected, and Brody instinctively drew in on herself.
