After the master of ceremonies gave a longwinded speech about the duties and responsibilities of a vassal in a solemn tone, Valiere swore allegiance to Henri.
Henri presented Valiere with a glamorous flag, engraved with the newly created Valerian family emblem, and kissed both of her cheeks.
“Proclaim that Valiere has become the Countess of Valerian!!”
The chancellor shouted the final sentence of Valiere’s ennoblement document, filling the temple with the cheerful sound of trumpets.
Watching this spectacle, Ermedillin naturally raised her hands to clap.
However, before her palms even met, her applause stopped.
Not a single person in the temple was applauding Valiere at this joyous moment.
‘What’s wrong with these people? Even if it’s not their business, they could at least congratulate her?’
Ermedillin couldn’t understand the nobles’ attitude, but it wasn’t particularly strange.
After all, the power of a name comes from the territory, assets, troops, and long history and tradition that a family owns.
To them, an illegitimate child with a seemingly decent title was still an illegitimate child.
Regardless of her own unease, Ermedillin felt repelled by this materialistic atmosphere.
She raised her hands to clap alone but eventually gave it up.
Because she realized that clapping alone in this situation could be interpreted as mockery.
‘Really, I can’t adapt to this. When someone has good news, can’t you just be genuinely happy for them? Ordinary citizens who cried with you on the streets seem much more human.’
At this longawaited joyous moment, Valiere couldn’t lift her head.
She had to turn around and march as a countess in the temple for the first time, but she just couldn’t summon the courage to lift her head.
Because she realized what this silence, this dreadful quiet meant.
Feeling like her blood would burst from shame.
Though she tried not to show her tears, moisture already started to gather in her eyes.
Then Henri approached and took Valiere’s hand.
And then, they began to march together inside the temple.
At that moment, everyone in the temple stood up and began to clap thunderously.
Among the pouring shouts of blessing, Valiere realized something.
That she was nothing without Henri.
Into her trembling heart, a dagger with a sharply honed blade flew and lodged itself.
Her heart had settled into a firm resolution, but from that moment on, a dark red blood began to flow within her.
Valier now considered not just Ermedillin but everyone as enemies.
They lacked respect for him despite his machinations?
He resolved to force them into showing him respect.
Ermedillin watched the two people marching, her mood far from pleasant.
Most people thought she was jealous of Angli and Valier’s glamorous appearance, but the reality was different.
‘I’m sure you had high hopes. You must be deeply disappointed.’
She had hoped that this event would alleviate some of Valier’s inferiority complex, but it became hard to predict how this moment would affect her.
‘Please, just act rationally for a bit. Once you become the Empress and show a fitting demeanor, people will naturally respect you. Just hold on until then.’
As Ermedillin was watching the two people leaving the temple and heading for the square with a heavy heart, a familiar voice called out.
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Ermedillin turned her head with a bright smile, and there was Pellio, wearing a mask made to match hers.
“My Lord! I wanted to greet you this morning, and finally, we meet!”
Though her eyes were the only part of her face visible behind the mask, her expression was full of joy.
“Yes, I was busy with the procession this morning. The event this afternoon…”
“A brooch! You’re wearing it!”
Ermedillin interrupted Pellio’s words and grinned widely.
In her eyes, which held no malice but pure joy, Pellio involuntarily smiled, although it was concealed by his mask.
“Yes, didn’t I promise to wear it?”
“It suits you well, very, very well!”
Proud as if she had chosen it herself, Ermedillin nodded repeatedly.
Loony turned her head and chuckled at Ermedillin’s adorable behavior.
“Indeed, Your Majesty has excellent taste.”
As Ermedillin gave Loony a sidelong glance, Loony slightly shook her head as if to say it was fine.
“Well, good that you realize it now. Is everything ready for the orphanage opening ceremony this afternoon?”
“Yes, I actually came to talk to you about that.”
“What is it? Any changes?”
“No, but I’ll be away for a while for some inspections, and I wanted to let you know.”
“Inspections? What inspections? I should accompany you then. I don’t want to burden you with all the work.”
“No, this is something I must do. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before the ceremony.”
Unsure of the reason, but seeing Pellio’s firm expression, Ermedillin decided to step back.
“Alright, see you at the ceremony.”
Turning away from his conversation with Ermedillin, Pellio’s face was filled with icy coldness.
Truly fitting his nickname, the Ice Prince.
With every step he took, although the atmosphere felt as if it could freeze into ice, in reality, it was filled with an immense heat and mirage.
As a mage controlling fire, this was a symptom when he couldn’t contain his anger.
Normally, Pellio was not one with large emotional fluctuations, but when a certain emotion crossed a threshold, his reaction was far more intense than that of others.
In simple terms, if he fell in love, he would fall terribly, and when he got angry, he would explode without warning.
Filled with rage, Pellio disappeared into the crowd.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
