TGDHC Chapter 172

Chapter 172 – The Wedding Ring

“That’s so unfair.”

At those words, Loic’s heart dropped.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Seeing Loic staring at her with wide eyes, Annette rolled her eyes.

“If you were going to propose like this, you should have told me!”

He blinked stupidly, not understanding what he’d done wrong, when she continued,

“If I’d known, I would’ve dressed up nicely.”

Only then did a relieved smile appear on his face.

“Don’t smile.”

Annette raised her eyebrows, saying that she was probably the only Grand Duchess in history to be proposed to while wearing pajamas.

As she lowered her head to look at her outfit, a few loose strands slipped from her hair ornament and fell along her cheek. Golden hair followed, flowing over her shoulders.

Standing under the moonlight in her soft robe, Annette looked dazzling—like a forest fairy living by a lake.

“You’re beautiful even now.”

At his words, Annette lifted her head, her expression softening slightly.

Loic’s hand was still holding the ring.

His lips felt dry with nervousness.

As he looked at Annette anxiously, waiting for her response, she finally smiled gently.

“Alright.”

She took a small step forward.

Her small hand wrapped around Loic’s large one, pulling him to his feet.

Filled with joy, Loic looked into Annette’s blue eyes.

His entire world was contained within those shining stars.

“I guess we’ll have to rewrite our contract.”

“Yes.”

The moment they returned to the castle, he would burn that one-year contract to ashes.

Annette smiled sweetly.

“You said ‘for a lifetime’ first, so you can’t take it back.”

His heart pounded with happiness.

Loic gently kissed the corner of Annette’s eye.

“Even if I lived my life over and over again, I would never take it back.”

The ring fit Annette’s hand perfectly.

The blue diamond on her white finger shone brilliantly.

“Do you like the ring?”

“I love it.”

My wife.

Not a one-year contract.
Not a fake marriage.

The woman who would truly stay by my side for a lifetime.

The thought made him smile without realizing it.

As he gently stroked Annette’s hand, Loic suddenly remembered something important he had forgotten to tell her.

“A magician placed defensive magic on the ring.”

“Defensive magic?”

Loic reassured her that as long as she wore it, most dark magic wouldn’t work on her.

He said ‘most,’ but in truth, nearly every known defensive spell had been layered onto it.

He never wanted Annette to go through something like that again.

— “At this level, even a unit of shamans wouldn’t be able to kidnap Her Highness.”

The magician had said that with a tired expression after spending the entire day casting spells.

“So please wear it wherever you go.”

“It feels like the gem might be too big to wear every day.”

Annette blushed slightly.

“The magician said the bigger and sturdier the gem, the better it can endure attacks.”

“What if I lose something this precious?”

“That’s fine.”

Loic gently smoothed her furrowed brow.

“If you lose it, I’ll get you an even better one. So don’t worry and wear it comfortably.”

Diamonds could always be replaced.

Annette smiled faintly, fiddling with the ring.

“Thank you.”

“We’re going back to the castle tomorrow, right?”

“If riding in a carriage still scares you, we can stay here a few more days.”

Even yesterday, she had been afraid and had ridden Pyros instead.

“I’m fine now.”

She raised her ring-clad hand.

“I think I’ll feel safe since I have the ring you gave me.”

‘When we return, I should have magic placed on all of Annette’s jewelry too.’

Just as Loic was thinking that—

“And I’ve been thinking,” Annette said carefully.

“It’s true that I have holy power.”

Loic nodded quietly.

Not just any holy power.

It was pure and powerful enough for a dragon to covet.

“She said that once the seal is broken, I’ll need to learn how to use it properly.”

Loic gave a bitter smile inwardly.

The magician had scolded him about that very thing earlier.

— “I told you she needs to see a priest regularly. Her holy power can’t be hidden.”

Keeping power she couldn’t control was like inviting danger.

— “Accepting her role and learning to use her power will help protect her.”

Loic had been wondering how to bring it up.

‘For her to decide this on her own…’

He felt proud—and yet strangely dissatisfied.

Part of him wanted Annette to rely only on him.

“As long as you don’t push yourself, I agree,” he said gently, brushing her hair aside.

“But since when do you call the priest by his first name?”

“Miel?”

Annette laughed at his sulking expression.

“Why? Are you jealous?”

Of course.

“That title is far too generous for a mere junior priest.”

“It’s just his name.”

She smiled teasingly.

“Our husband is so cute.”

A sudden thirst stirred within him.

‘Cute…’

Loic pressed his lips to the finger wearing her ring.

“If you knew what your husband is thinking right now, you wouldn’t find him cute.”

Annette’s ears turned red.

“I think if you’re a little tired, you’ll sleep better in the carriage tomorrow.”

He lifted her into his arms.

“Ah!”

Surprised, Annette clung to his neck.

Holding her tightly, Loic carried her toward the villa.

Before her body even fully touched the bed, his lips met hers—

The night deepened, and their whispered breaths filled the room.

Their closeness spoke of trust, affection, and a promise that no contract could bind—only love.