Knock knock.

Mercian, who had been sitting absentmindedly after Cassel left, raised her head again at the sound of knocking.

“May I come in?”

Hearing a deep, heavy male voice that somehow wasn’t unpleasant, Mercian instinctively realized the man outside was the duke. She adjusted her posture to sit up straight before answering.

“Yes, please come in.”

“My lady, I’m truly sorry for only coming to greet you now, just before the wedding. As you may have heard from Cassel, I committed the rudeness of not personally delivering the marriage contract due to my poor health.”

“What? Oh, no, it’s fine.”

This… this man is the duke?

Mercian stared at Ruan, who had entered the room and was bowing to her, with a dumbfounded expression.

No way! This is a nightmare!!

As Ruan smiled at her stuttering response, which was due to his appearance being so different from what she had imagined, he said:

“I’m grateful for your understanding. Then allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Ruan Canoloup, who will be marrying you today.”

[He’s handsome and impressive, but currently ill so you can’t see any of his former appearance.] [Though it’s called an addiction, there aren’t any major symptoms. He’s just lost a lot of weight and lacks strength, making it difficult to be active.]

Listening to Charles and Cassel’s words, Mercian had imagined what Ruan might look like.

But this is too much, isn’t it?

A tall stature of nearly 190cm, jet-black hair, dark eyes, and skin even whiter than hers, and thin… No, this isn’t just thin. It’s almost Lucienne-level thinness, isn’t it?

Is he even thinner than Lucienne?

Not even half my body… If he closed his eyes, you might believe he was a corpse…

And yet, what’s with that handsome face?

Mercian looked at Ruan with a bewildered expression, despite his face being so thin and gaunt that he looked like he might collapse at any moment, he was still considerably handsome.

This can’t be happening.

He’s thinner than me and handsome too, it’s way too much of a contrast with plain old me.

Mercian unconsciously frowned as she looked at herself and Ruan reflected in the mirror.

“My lady? Is something wrong?”

“What? Oh, I’m sorry. Duke, I am Mercian Beahnoman.”

“Call me Ruan.”

“What? Oh. Yes, please call me Mer too, Ruan.”

“Mer. What a lovely name. Mer, is there anything uncomfortable for you at the ducal estate? I specifically asked the head maid to take special care of you.”

Pretty? Is my name pretty?

Mercian tilted her head slightly at Ruan’s words.

She had never once thought her name was pretty.

“No, there’s nothing. Thanks to what you said, Duk- I mean Ruan, everyone at the estate has been very kind to me.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Then I’ll see you at the ceremony shortly.”

“Yes.”

After Ruan smiled, bowed, and left, Mercian’s head became a jumble of thoughts at the unexpected situation.

I didn’t know a person could be that thin and still move around alive.

By the way, can that person even survive for 6 months?

Does he look thinner because he’s tall? No, he’s just thin to begin with.

Mercian looked at her reflection in the mirror with a worried expression, recalling Ruan who had just left.

When we enter the ceremony hall, with the handsome but thin Ruan and plump but ordinary me, won’t everyone laugh at me?

A bride twice the size of the groom…

Ah, this marriage seems doomed already…

Mercian was already starting to feel nervous about the gazes of people she would face at the wedding ceremony in about 30 minutes.

Among them, there was no doubt that Lucienne and Penelope would look at her with the most contempt.

They wouldn’t laugh out loud while pretending to be refined, but given what happened earlier, they would surely put on pitiful expressions and confide in the surrounding nobles about how difficult it was to have such a sister.

If I had known this would happen, should I have let Luci spill soup on the wedding dress?

Then I could have at least used the dress as an excuse to postpone the wedding, though postponing wouldn’t solve anything.

It’s not like the duke would gain weight by then…

If anything, he might get even thinner.

Who would have thought he’d be this thin when they just said he looked sickly?

Although she didn’t think looks were that important, Mercian had thought she just needed to get through the ceremony without becoming the talk of others. Now her head was starting to hurt from this unexpected problem.

Despite Mercian’s worries, 30 minutes had already passed.

Knock knock.

“Young lady, I mean madam, it’s time to enter the ceremony hall.”

Charles came in, carefully checked her makeup once more, and then gently helped her up.

“Charles, are there many guests at the wedding?”

Contrary to Mercian’s hope that there wouldn’t be many guests, Charles answered with a bright smile.

“Of course, madam. Almost all the nobles of the empire have come. Especially today, even His Highness the Crown Prince has come to congratulate the Duke’s wedding, so the hall is overflowing with people.”

O-overflowing with people?

And even His Highness the Crown Prince? I heard rumors that he doesn’t get along well with the Duke.

As she thought of the Crown Prince, Mercian finally realized why Lucienne had dressed up so much to come to the ducal estate.

She didn’t come to see my wedding, but to catch the Crown Prince’s eye.

Mercian smiled bitterly, feeling more dejected than angry.

By the way, if so many people have come, there will be reporters too. Then tomorrow’s front page will surely have an article about “The Sickly Duke Who Married a Fat Woman”.

Maybe I’ll become a laughingstock to everyone in the empire.

Sigh, I might not be able to leave the ducal estate for 6 months.

Mercian felt a strong urge to shake off Charles’s hand and run away from the ducal estate.

“Madam, it’s really time now. You can go out now. And once again, congratulations on your marriage. Welcome to the ducal family!”

Seeing Charles speaking with an exaggerated expression as if trying to ease her tension, Mercian smiled and replied.

“Thank you, Charles. But how do I enter today?”

Usually in noble weddings, the groom enters first and the bride enters holding the hand of her father, brother, or a collateral relative, but Mercian, who had no relatives, would have to enter alone.

“Madam, you’re scheduled to enter together with the master today.”

“Together?”

“Yes.”

Is he being considerate of me?

Mercian thought that perhaps the rumors about him having no emotions at all might be exaggerated.

Ah, no. Wait a minute.

T-together?

“Charles, doesn’t the bride usually enter holding her father’s or brother’s hand, or a collateral relative’s, or alone if there’s no one?”

“The master said he wanted to enter together with his wife. I think he was being considerate of you, knowing that the Viscount isn’t here and you have no other male relatives.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Ruan’s study.

“How is it? Do you think this will satisfy the Crown Prince?”

“No, not just satisfy – he’ll be so pleased his mouth won’t close. But can addiction really cause this much weight loss?”

Cassel spoke while looking at Ruan’s extremely thin appearance.

“Well, anyway, there’s nothing better than losing weight to show I’m sick in a short time. Oh, and bring me a cloak!”

“What? Why are you suddenly wearing a cloak?”

“I’m cold.”

“What? Suddenly? I’ve served you for almost 10 years, and you’ve never once felt cold before…”

“Maybe it’s because of the addiction, but I feel cold. So find me a cloak.”

Cassel grumbled as he went to find a cloak at Ruan’s words.

“Is this enough?”

“What?”

Ruan muttered with a satisfied expression at the appearance of broad shoulders that made him look bigger overall due to the angular shape.

“Well then, shall we go fetch the bride?”

[This is the timeline separator]

Mercian’s footsteps were heavy as she walked out of the room with Charles towards the ceremony hall.

If only Dad were here, he would have told me it’s okay, that his daughter is the prettiest in the world.

As they got closer to the ceremony hall and Mercian walked hesitantly, Ruan approached her with a smile and held out his hand.

“My lady, welcome.”

Huh?

Mercian looked at Ruan, who was holding out his hand to her, with a momentarily confused expression.

He was clearly less than half my size when I saw him earlier, wasn’t he?

“Y-your clothes?”

Did he deliberately wear a cloak to cover his body for my sake?

Ruan, wearing a wide-shouldered cloak over his tuxedo, looked almost the same size as Mercian with his frail body hidden by the cloak.

The strange thing was that while this would usually look ridiculous on an ordinary person, Ruan didn’t look awkward or strange at all wearing the wide cloak, perhaps because of his height.

In fact, it seemed to suit him much better than before.

Of course, it wasn’t proper wedding attire.

Seeing Mercian looking at him in bewilderment, Ruan spoke with an awkward expression.

“I’m sorry. As you know, due to the addiction, I always feel cold. They said there’s no law against wearing a cloak over a tuxedo at a wedding. I apologize if it’s uncomfortable to look at.”

Whether it was really because he was cold or out of consideration for her, Mercian couldn’t tell. But seeing Ruan apologizing to her, the tension she had felt while walking here melted away, and tears suddenly welled up without her realizing.

“Sob. N-no. I mean…”

“My, what a tearful bride you are. Well then, shall we enter the ceremony hall?”

As Ruan took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears, Mercian nodded.

“The bride and groom are entering!”

At the loud announcement of the servant at the entrance, the doors of the hall opened, and Ruan gently took Mercian’s hand as they slowly walked into the ceremony hall.

[This is the timeline separator]

His hand, which she held for the first time, was warmer than she had expected.

As Mercian walked into the ceremony hall holding Ruan’s hand, people stood up and applauded, blessing the couple’s marriage.

They walked to the end of the aisle holding hands and stood in front of the altar. The high priest came forward, placed his hands on their heads, and gave them a blessing along with words of benediction. Afterwards, the couple exchanged their marriage vows.

“I hereby declare Ruan Canoloup and Mercian Beahnoman husband and wife.”

As the high priest finished speaking, flower petals were scattered from both sides, and everyone stood up to congratulate the couple’s marriage.

Is… is it over now?

Mercian turned around holding Ruan’s hand to greet the guests who attended today, and as she raised her head, her eyes met Lucienne’s.

Lucienne, who had been glaring at her as if she wanted to kill her, glanced at Ruan’s pale face and applauded with a seemingly satisfied smile.

Well, the reason was obvious without looking.

It was probably because Ruan’s face looked so sickly, as if he might close his eyes at any moment.

As they left the banquet hall amidst the applause of the people, Ruan staggered as if he was having difficulty.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I think I stood for too long.”

Seeing Ruan looking like he might collapse at any moment, Mercian said,

“Then lean on me.”

“What?”

Ruan looked down at Mercian, who seemed at least 30cm shorter than him.

If I lean on her shoulder, it would really look pathetic…

“Or should I carry you?”

Is she saying she’ll carry me now?

Ruan looked down at Mercian for a moment, who was uttering words he never expected.

When he heard from Cassel that Mercian was crying, he went to find her simply because he thought it was polite to see his bride before the wedding.

And when he noticed that Mercian’s complexion darkened dramatically as he entered the room, realizing it was due to his thin frame, he searched for and put on the cloak out of courtesy to his six-month contract bride, nothing more and nothing less.

Is she worrying about me?

Ruan smiled awkwardly at Mercian, who was extending her arms as if she was really going to carry him, and replied,

“What? Oh. No, it’s not that bad.”

“Ah, it’s fine. I may look sturdy, but I’m quite strong too. I can certainly carry someone like you, Duke.”

Mercian was so happy just for not being embarrassed in the wedding hall that she felt she could carry Ruan and run around the ducal estate.

Ruan, who had unconsciously imagined himself being carried in Mercian’s arms due to her actions, felt an inexplicable embarrassment and a growing heat in his face. He stepped back and said,

“Really, I’m fine. Ed!”

At Ruan’s call, a tall middle-aged man hurriedly approached him with a worried expression.