The wedding day approached with a bewildered bride and an unexpectedly eager groom.

Lysenford, led by the Grand Duke, prepared to welcome the Grand Duchess with utmost dedication. In Ostein, it was the bride’s father who made the biggest fuss. He checked everything multiple times, insisting that nothing should be lacking in the wedding preparations for Kaella, who had no mother.

Amidst all this, only the bride had no opinion. Even when asked by the groom’s side what she wanted, she gave frustratingly vague answers, saying anything would do.

Peon, feeling guilty about the first wedding he barely remembered due to his deliberate indifference and solitary anguish, wanted to do better this time—though Kaella was unaware of this. He put his heart into every detail.

But he found it increasingly difficult to maintain his composure.

Has anyone ever remarried the woman they killed with their own hands?

*

The woman walking quietly down the aisle on her father’s arm was a radiant spring bride.

She was utterly mismatched with the ruler of the gloomy, desolate winter-burdened North.

Indeed, she did not match. Her cheeks were a shy rose color, her eyes beneath long lashes held the clear sky, and her sharp nose and lips as red as her cheeks fit perfectly on her small face.

The wedding dress and veil enveloping her delicate frame were exceptionally long, symbolizing the wealth of Ostein and the glory of Lysenford. The woman is beautiful.

“I’ve never seen such a rushed wedding, but they’ve managed to put on all the proper appearances.”

“The Duchess of Monde couldn’t come, could she?”

“She’d be executed if she dared. How could she possibly come here?”

Whispers brushed past the ears of the man marrying the same woman twice. These were sounds he hadn’t heard at the first wedding.

Peon realized for the first time today that the bride approaching him had no expression. What had it been like before the regression?

The indifferent husband couldn’t even remember. It would have been fortunate if the unhappy bride, forced into marriage, hadn’t cried as she was dragged to him. Now, although she had one of the wealthiest fathers in the empire, she was still an unhappy bride.

“How will a delicately raised noble lady manage in such a cold place?”

“Surely there were better suitors… His Majesty really…”

“Only the Grand Duke of Lysenford benefits, gaining a wealthy wife. And His Majesty is pleased to send less financial support.”

The solemn organ music was clearly meant to celebrate the wedding, but to the new bride’s ears, it sounded like a funeral dirge.

Has anyone ever remarried the man who killed them?

Despite all her rejections and resistance, Kaella was once again marrying the Grand Duke of Lysenford on a bright spring day. She walked quietly down the path to death, like livestock obediently led to slaughter, knowing this was the road to her demise.

“Kaella. It was my wish to walk with you like this. I’m so happy today.”

Adeo, who walked with her to the end of the aisle, smiled kindly. Amidst the piercing gazes, only the bride’s father showered his daughter with sincere devotion and affection.

For Kaella, this wedding held no meaning, so she felt nothing. It wasn’t her first wedding, but her second, and to the same man—there was no reason to be nervous.

Flowers symbolizing a happy marriage, gold coins sewn into the shoe soles representing a wealthy union, the long dress and veil signifying the groom’s love.

Kaella, who had once attached meaning to each of these things, now knew it was all pointless. She had learned from her previous marriage that making such a fuss achieved nothing.

The young bride who had lost her father tried to at least keep up appearances to avoid criticism. But with no adults to look after her, there were naturally many things to find fault with, and she cried alone many times.

This time, however, the bride didn’t fret. She had a father who pushed through with sheer quantity, declaring, “This is my daughter’s wedding.”

She had a father who was happy to hold her hand and walk with her to the very end. So Kaella was able to smile sincerely, just once, when facing her father.

“You both must be happy.”

Peon felt ashamed before the Count of Ostein, who said that both his daughter and Peon should be happy.

“We are gathered here today to bless this sacred union…”

He was committing another unforgivable sin against Kaella. The man who had foolishly ended the sacred marriage before now desperately tried to hold himself together as the marriage began anew.

From this moment, Ostein and Lysenford would be one. He must not waver. He should only think about achieving his goals without faltering this time, and protecting Kaella as well.

‘No, I should protect her and then let her go.’

He kept forgetting about the part where he was supposed to let her go. He should let her go. His only bride standing beside him was too beautiful, too noble for him, despite his high status. He kept conveniently forgetting that.

Now that he was confident he could protect her, the easy thought of simply keeping her with him dominated his mind first. While regressing, he had no intention of hiding his bastard nature, but he still needed to maintain manners in front of Kaella and keep his promises.

He had promised to let her go, so he must keep that promise.

The wedding, held while the Empress was incapacitated, was quiet and solemn, not ostentatious but impressive in its grandeur.

Peon, who only remembered his previous wedding as annoying, irritating, and humiliating, hoped that Kaella wouldn’t feel the same way about this one.

“It feels more like a ceremony praying for the Empress’s recovery than a wedding.”

The voices of people from the North, known for not fearing the Emperor, could be heard making sarcastic remarks. It was a jab at the Emperor, who only now realized his own age in the face of possibly losing the Empress.

For Gregory, who was placed in the hollow position of Crown Prince, they belatedly sought a Crown Princess candidate, and before that, they settled the marriage issue of Peon, who should have married long ago. It was all the Emperor’s unilateral thinking.

“At least I can face the Empress now.”

It was obvious when the Emperor’s congratulatory remarks at the end of the long wedding reception were like that. The Emperor, drunk on his own pretense of ‘fatherhood’ and ’emperorship’, seemed to believe that doing so would wake the Empress.

“She’ll wake up soon, and I was worried about having nothing to show for it. But you two have done a great thing. Now I can face her with some dignity.”

From beginning to end, he had only inflicted violence and abuse on the Empress, yet he thought going through the motions of formal parenting in a crash course would make her look back. Of course, Kaella simply responded demurely with “Yes, yes,” like an empty doll before him.

The hastily joined couple would stay briefly in the Imperial Palace before heading straight to Lysenford.

As the Grand Duke’s responsibilities were too great for a separate honeymoon, the journey to Lysenford would serve as the new bride’s honeymoon. For Kaella, it was a road she had already traveled, so she wasn’t particularly interested.

“I’m worried because the child is a bit frail. Please take good care of her.”

Adeo’s face was filled with concern for his daughter, despite having to say “Please take good care of her” in this situation.

“I will do my best. I, too, ask for your guidance.”

Peon, bowing sincerely only to Adeo and not the Emperor, could not smile despite being a newlywed groom.

“Be happy.”

Leaving behind the wishes of happiness from the Emperor, the greatest cause of all misfortune, the newly wedded couple boarded the carriage.

Kaella must have been the most tired and exhausted person, having woken up at the crack of dawn to prepare, then going through the wedding ceremony that started in the morning and the long reception that just ended.

Changing dresses twice, changing hairstyles twice, receiving and giving greetings left her in a daze by the time the sun set.

Just because she wasn’t nervous doesn’t mean it wasn’t tiring. Just because it was the second time doesn’t mean the wedding was familiar. In fact, this wedding was much grander in scale, so honestly, she was more tired and exhausted.

As the carriage door clicked shut and they left behind the waving people, heading towards the outskirts of the Imperial Palace, the cheers faded and silence filled the carriage. Only then did Kaella realize what had disappeared from her.

‘It’s hope.’

A feeling of resignation weighed her down. With hope gone, there was nothing left to expect.

She sat quietly like a well-dressed porcelain doll as they entered the annex used by the Grand Duke of Lysenford whenever he visited the Imperial Palace. Though called an annex, it was just one of the fine mansions belonging to the Imperial Palace.

Today, the Emperor declared a two-day holiday, wishing for the Empress’s recovery and his son’s happy marriage.

But unlike the cheers outside, a quiet peace surrounded the newlyweds’ quarters. Kaella didn’t care about peace or anything else.

“Rest comfortably.”

Naturally, Kaella was alone in the bridal chamber when she entered after washing her tired body. The events about to unfold were not new to her, as she knew the story.

Peon would not enter this room tonight. Even when they used the same room, he always slept far away on the sofa, never once getting into the same bed.

“Ah, I’m so tired…”

Some say second weddings are held modestly. Kaella, who had flopped face-down on the wide bed, disregarding the new bride’s dignity, chuckled.

What was it like on the first night? Did she cry remembering her deceased father, or did she place futile hope in her new husband? She seemed to have tried to remain calm, waiting for a husband who never came.

But now, all she could think of was her father’s joyful smile today. He was so proud, saying it was a father’s natural duty to walk the bride down the aisle.

She had already been through a wedding where she wanted to show a good life but had no one to show it to, so today was a good enough day just because her father was present. That’s enough.

After lying face-down for a while and reaching this conclusion, Kaella started to move sluggishly. She crawled across the smoothly spread bedding, fumbled to lift the covers, and flopped down again.

Even getting under the covers was difficult. Though she was used to walking around all day in a heavy dress and shoes as a noble lady, today’s fatigue was worse than ever.

‘I’ll just rest a bit and then go in to sleep.’

As she tried to gather strength to lift the covers again, the door clicked open and someone entered.

“…Asleep?”

The quietly falling voice was not a question, but a confirmation.

Why is that man coming in? Kaella replied bluntly while still lying face-down.

“No.”

Ah, I should get up. It’s rude to greet someone while lying face-down. And from now on, I should use formal speech again. But would it be such a big deal to be a little rude? Her dulled mind moved slowly. Or rather, it lacked the will to move quickly.

“Then why are you like that? Are you very tired?”

“I only have the strength to move my mouth. No, I mean, I do not.”

She could hear the sound of footsteps approaching. An ordinary noble lady might have felt threatened being alone in a bedroom with a man as huge as Peon, but Kaella wasn’t afraid at all.

This man wasn’t the kind to directly attack women with his hands. Besides, would he even be interested in her?

So Kaella, who had been completely face-down, was surprised when her body was suddenly lifted. Peon swiftly picked her up, pulled back the covers, and laid her down, cradling her, leaving only her feet out.

“Take off your slippers.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You’re getting on the bed with shoes on?”

Of course not. Kaella, blinking her eyes, flicked off her slippers from her outstretched feet. She was about to ask if that was enough when she heard a soft chuckle, and he tucked her completely under the covers.

He handled her as easily as if she were a very light doll or a cat, then slightly furrowed his brow before striding back to open the bedroom door.

“Is there anyone who knows how to give a massage?”

The low-ranking lady-in-waiting from the Empress’s palace blinked.

“The noble lady’s legs and feet are so swollen, she might not be able to sleep.”

“Ah. I’ll prepare a basin of hot water, towels, and oil.”

“No, just someone who knows how to massage…”

The older lady-in-waiting smiled knowingly. She had long been in charge of practical matters at the Empress’s palace and was familiar with Peon.

“It would be best if the new groom did it for the Grand Duchess.”

The new groom was flustered. The change in title from noble lady to Grand Duchess was surprising, and he was embarrassed to understand what the lady-in-waiting was implying with her smile. As if they had already prepared hot water, the lady-in-waiting quickly brought the items.

“Have a good time.”

What is this? Kaella alternately looked at the very embarrassed Peon and the firmly closing door.

Her legs were indeed quite swollen, but she was used to falling asleep with one part or another aching. She had intended to just cover herself with the blanket and sleep to her heart’s content, not caring about her husband, but why was he doing things he never did before?

“I’ll just sl-, um.”

Kaella was about to say she’d just sleep, but then she remembered that she had signed the marriage certificate alongside Peon today. Now that she was the Grand Duchess, she felt she should revert to formal speech.

And it was actually more comfortable that way. Speaking informally meant being that much closer. She and Peon, who had erased all traces of their childhood playmate relationship as soon as they married, were not close.

“I will just sleep.”

His broad shoulders seemed to flinch at the return of formal speech. Well, it probably does sound a bit awkward. But what can be done?

Now that she was the Grand Duchess again, she couldn’t be heard speaking informally to His Grace the Grand Duke. Remembering how she had been almost obsessive about following and maintaining etiquette during her time as Grand Duchess, she thought, yes, formal speech is definitely better.

“Don’t worry about it.”

After saying just that, she completely shut out her attention to Peon and closed her eyes.

“…Alright, then.”

Along with the hesitant low voice, the room grew a bit darker.

“Sleep well.”

Unexpectedly, she heard a greeting she had never heard before. Instead of responding, Kaella shivered slightly as she lay turned away.

Somehow, she had a persistent and ominous feeling that the man she married this time was truly strange, but for now, she squeezed her eyes shut. There was no turning back now. She had to walk the path of death again, with no chance of return.

.