I alternately looked at the coldly closed door facing me and the man standing next to me with an indifferent expression.

It was still difficult to understand why Ricardo had made such a troublesome decision. He who had firmly insisted on not getting engaged with that cold and heartless face.

“Happy ending…”

I softly muttered those final words that could never come between us. So for me, this was the final stop. The best ending that he and I could create.

“Go.”

“Yes.”

I steadily took steps towards a path that might be the worst beginning. As the door opened, seemingly leading to a new world, the light pouring in from the enormous window that filled an entire wall dazzled my vision.

The first thing to do upon entering the temple was to place one’s hand on the holy scripture and pay respects to the god. Although I knew about this ritual since Lesotia worshipped the same god as Dermaier, it was my first time visiting a temple to pray as if making an offering.

“Place your hand on the scripture and pray in the name of the god.”

Following the instruction of the family’s priest, I slowly placed my hand on the scripture. For some reason, my heart fluttered with a feeling of committing blasphemy. Was it alright for me, who was going against god’s will, to carelessly call upon god’s name? Goosebumps rose on my skin as I touched the cold surface of the soft goatskin.

“El.”

“Now.”

As I uttered one syllable of the god’s name, Ricardo softly recited its meaning. It was the first time I learned of this meaning.

“Ri.”

“Here.”

Only when Ricardo overlapped his hand on mine, which was placed on the scripture, did I realize that my hand was trembling. As I tilted my head to one side, finding it difficult to open my eyes properly due to the sunlight pouring behind his head, I saw a vivid color reflected in his pupils.

Purple?

“Ade.”

“Alive.”

“Now here… alive?”

“That’s right.”

He quickly concealed the color in his eyes and pulled my hand away from the scripture as if removing it. Placing my hand around his waist and lightly pressing his body close, he whispered in my ear.

“That’s the ending I want. Lienne.”

“Ending…?”

“Yes, it’s a bit ridiculous that the god’s usefulness is merely in name.”

Like that day in Lesotia when he stepped on my egg, Ricardo smiled distantly. Softly yet chillingly. Seemingly warm at first glance, but indescribably sharp.

“An ending where everyone becomes comfortable and safe, an end that’s enough, that kind of end. The happy ending you spoke of is also what I desire. Of course, it’s something I realized recently.”

“…”

“With this, have your and my goals become the same?”

At that moment, I nodded stupidly like a devotee moved by a new religion. He laughed softly and led me.

We were soon guided to a small chapel at the innermost part of the temple.

As the door leading inside opened, I saw the familiar faces of those waiting for us one by one.

The Duke and Duchess, the Crown Prince and Princess, the Marquis of Chaplin and Parquin, and my family.

As I walked down the long white path laid out for the ceremony, I had to concentrate all my nerves on my toes to avoid fainting.

The engagement ceremony, with its limited number of attendees, felt even more sacred. Even the attendants muffled their footsteps for the solemn ceremony. It evoked a sensation that felt more real for not being crowded, and thus somewhat more sorrowful.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly in a peaceful atmosphere.

Rightfully, for an engagement of the Rochester family, it would have been proper for the high priests and senior clergy of Hadeima to grace the occasion, but no one from the grand temple attended.

Ricardo remained relaxed throughout, as if he had been through engagement ceremonies two or three times before. Whenever my trembling intensified, he would tighten his grip on my arm, pulling me closer to his side.

Glancing up at the man who shone so beautifully, I was overcome with the feeling of witnessing Hypnetes transform from human to god before my very eyes.

Whenever I stole a glance at Ricardo, he would be wearing a bored expression, but without fail, he would smile at me. It was solely my responsibility to handle the heart that repeatedly fell and soared without missing a beat.

As the predetermined order ended, we who had received the priest’s prayer stood facing each other on opposite sides.

The beginning and end of the engagement ceremony, lacking the high priest, fell to the Duke.

Although it was an engagement without God’s blessing, those present acknowledged Ricardo and me. Even if that acknowledgment was purely political, not gauging the future between Rochester and Pennel.

The conclusion of the engagement ceremony conducted by the Duke ended with signing a contract stating that each family would not betray the other’s trust.

The role of witness to this contract was given to the young lord of the Chaplin family.

Walter, as if trying to make up for his previous mistake at the imperial palace, didn’t shift his gaze towards me even once.

After Walter carefully stored away the contract bearing Ricardo’s and my signatures, the Duke stepped forward.

“With this, I declare the engagement between the Rochester family of the Dermaier Empire and the Pennel family of the Lesotia Principality to be established.”

The bell in the chapel rang twelve times at regular intervals, not too loudly.

A few days before the engagement ceremony, Lady Pennel had expressed her desire to attend the engagement ceremony even if it meant pushing herself. In fact, it was the first time she had shown willingness to do anything, so I was quite surprised and concerned.

Would she be able to maintain her position when she had difficulty even standing for a short while in crowded places?

However, instead of dissuading her, I prepared a hat with a large brim. With a white veil attached that was large enough to cover her entire face and more.

Although she trembled slightly throughout the ceremony, Lady Pennel kept her place until the end.

After the ceremony ended, she came to me, steadying her tottering steps, and slowly lifted her veil.

At that sight, I finally burst into tears.

Her face was pale white and covered in sweat. While it might have been an easy task for others, I knew better than anyone what Lady Pennel had endured for my sake.

“I’m… sorry.”

She kissed both my cheeks alternately and conveyed words of apology instead of blessing.

It was also the first sincere words she had given to me, who shared no blood with her, in ten years.

So I could feel this kind of emotion too. Just from living under the same roof, eating, sleeping, and sharing time together.

‘Mother…’

I swallowed the words I could never utter and tried to hold back my tears. I couldn’t keep showing such an unsightly appearance while going through this fake engagement that would only last a few months.

Lady Pennel’s sincere word of apology firmly grounded my heart that had been floating like dust.

Pull yourself together, Lienne Lowy Pennel.

I needed to compose myself so that this engagement, undertaken to protect my family, wouldn’t be swept away and tumble about mindlessly by other things.

It was enough that I alone was thrown into danger because of the emotions that had whirled like a storm.

I kept urging myself until Lady Pennel’s figure, hidden again behind the veil, disappeared. That I mustn’t lose my mind until my family safely boarded the ship to another country.

Since Jonathan returned home with our mother out of concern for her, Sabrina attended the reception as my only family member and guest.

The reception was bustling with more people than the engagement ceremony.

According to Countess Korhena, most were people from the Rochester vassal families. Although their expressions didn’t suit a celebratory occasion, the reception hall itself was elegantly decorated.

Sabrina and I were in a room on the second floor of the reception hall to change into appropriate attire for the reception.

“My goodness, I can’t believe you’re really engaged to our young lord. I never thought such a thing would actually happen.”

After sending away all the attendants and left alone, Sabrina dropped her haughty expression and started to make a fuss.

“I can’t believe I’m in a place like this either. I thought I’d never set foot in such a high-class reception hall in my life.”

Seeing her freely express what I wanted to say made me feel increasingly calm.

“I know. But will Lady Pennel be alright?”

“Don’t worry. She even gave me instructions after getting in the carriage.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me not to act recklessly and cause you any trouble.”

Pfft, I burst out laughing.

“I even shut Jonathan’s mouth and sent him away when he was about to add his own words.”

Her lips pouted, revealing the youthful face from her childhood. After briefly making a sulky expression, Sabrina soon smiled softly and approached me as if walking in a dream.

“But, Lienne. You look really pretty today.”

I was startled and stared at her blankly. Throughout the long years I had lived with Sabrina, I never imagined I would receive such a compliment from her lips.

“You were annoyingly pretty to begin with, but today it’s a bit extreme.”

Normally, I should have already blurted out something about not talking nonsense out of embarrassment. But the usual criticism that used to come out as naturally as breathing didn’t come easily.

“It’s truly a shame that you have to take off the clothes you’re wearing now. We should preserve this moment of you in a painting.”