The subsequent procedure was simple. Idren slipped a ring onto her finger that she had seen once before, then kissed her fingertips. Ophelia let the man do what he didn’t need to do.

Following the custom that the bride should be in the bridal chamber before sunset, she was led to the chamber as soon as the ceremony ended.

The room that would be used as the couple’s bedroom from now on was decorated more lavishly, perhaps due to it being the wedding night.

The servants who were briefly tidying up the room changed her clothes into something suitable for the wedding night and then left.

Sitting on the bed covered with rustling silk blankets, Ophelia anxiously waited for Idren. He was supposed to return with news related to the Brinwell ship.

Idren had said it would be fine even if things didn’t go according to her plan, but Ophelia wanted to show him that she could do something too.

There was no particular intention. It was just that he kept treating her like a child, so she couldn’t help but feel that way.

If Starlet failed, she would hang him on the gallows. Ophelia gnawed on her lower lip, thinking of thoughts that would have been brushed off with his characteristic laugh had he heard them.

That’s when it happened. The door to the bridal chamber opened.

Ophelia jumped to her feet as she realized the long shadow belonged to the person she had been waiting for.

There was a thud as the door closed, and Idren strode towards her.

Judging by his gait, he seemed quite excited, but with his back to the light, she couldn’t make out his expression clearly. Ophelia frowned. It was then that strong arms embraced her.

Large, firm hands cupped her back and the back of her head. Ophelia froze at the unexpected sensation.

Idren seemed to come to his senses only then. He hastily removed his arms and stepped back.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s alright.”

That wasn’t important.

Ophelia took a step towards the man who had withdrawn from her.

“You succeeded, didn’t you?”

Her voice was unexpectedly elated, but she didn’t care at all.

Idren nodded silently. Ophelia saw the smile forming on his lips.

She had firmly believed he would succeed, and even if he had failed, there would have been nothing to be held accountable for, yet joy surged within her. Overwhelmed by the intense emotion that rose unexpectedly, she unconsciously embraced the man before her.

“What did I tell you? I said you’d succeed, didn’t I?”

Strictly speaking, she had never said such a thing, but Ophelia didn’t take back her words.

Idren seemed a bit taken aback that she had embraced him, but soon hugged her back. Ophelia murmured, holding onto her husband who now felt somewhat like a friend.

“See? I told you I’m capable.”

Despite it being close to a forced statement, Idren just agreed. I see.

After holding onto her firm and warm partner a bit longer, Ophelia let him go. She had almost forgotten, but tonight was their wedding night.

Taking a step back, she looked up at the man in front of her and said,

“Now, do as you wish.”

It was meant to be considerate, but Idren seemed quite flustered. He retreated hesitantly. He even stumbled over his words.

“Wh-what did you say?”

Ophelia saw the man’s face, which had been etched with a gentle smile, turn to bewilderment. She was equally perplexed.

But since today was the day of their first success, Ophelia exercised some patience and explained.

“It’s our wedding night, isn’t it?”

“That, I know…!”

And then Idren covered his face with both hands. Even in the dimly lit room, Ophelia could see his ears turning red. With his face hidden and head bowed, Idren muttered in disbelief. What kind of woman are you…

Ophelia frowned at the man who was treating her like some terrible person after she had been so considerate.

“It’s not like it’s your first time, why are you acting like this?”

In Reden’s garden, Idren had said he had been considerate of her before.

So this time, she took the initiative, but what was with this reaction?

As if he couldn’t bear it anymore, Idren wiped his face and jerked his head up. He cried out as if wronged.

“That’s not the point!”

In that brief moment, his hair had become disheveled, and his face was as red as a summer plum. Ophelia blinked in confusion.

It was then that Idren grabbed her hand. As she was pulled towards the bed, Ophelia opened her mouth but couldn’t think of anything to say.

After laying her down on the rustling blankets, Idren promptly wrapped her in them. He quickly removed the shoes she hadn’t taken off yet and said,

“Go to sleep.”

Each word was spoken through gritted teeth, as if something was boiling inside him.

Then Idren turned his back and sat down. Ophelia reached out to uncover herself from the blanket he had wrapped around her.

“Why on earth are you doing this?”

Her words ended on a high note without her realizing it, due to the frustrating situation. At this, Idren, who had been constantly rubbing his face up and down, turned to look back. He burst out,

“Do you really not know why?”

Would I ask if I knew? Ophelia blinked, looking at the man whose behavior she utterly failed to understand.

“Why are you getting angry?”

“…I’m not angry.”

And Idren realized that anything he said in this situation would only make him look foolish.

He turned his head away from the woman who had insisted on getting out of the blanket he had carefully wrapped her in and was now sitting on the bed. When he first saw her, he hadn’t noticed, but now he couldn’t bring himself to look directly at her scantily clad figure, wondering who had chosen such attire.

Holding his face that refused to cool down, Idren thought of the Kirios Mountains stretching north of Edegrun. He repeated to himself. I am now burying my face in snow. In snow…

“Are you really not going to do anything?”

“…Please, just go to sleep.”

There was no reason not to sleep when he insisted so strongly. Ophelia smoothed out her clothes that had become disheveled while getting out of the blanket he had wrapped around her.

“Then, could you help me take out my hair ornaments?”

The hair ornaments put in for the wedding night were impossible for her to remove on her own.

And Ophelia turned around so that he could easily reach the ornaments. Idren finally turned to look back.

Clumsy hands began to remove the gold and silver accessories one by one. Ophelia heard him complain quietly. I don’t understand why these decorations are so complicated. Next time, don’t wear such things…

“Are you already thinking about remarriage?”

At this, Idren coughed as if he had swallowed something wrong. Alarmed by the ominous sound, Ophelia turned to look back, but the man, still covering his mouth, grabbed her shoulder and made her face forward again.

Finally, when the coughing seemed to subside somewhat, Idren spoke in a hoarse voice.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know. I was just joking too.”

It was just a quip to lighten the mood because Idren was acting so strangely.

At this, the hands removing her hair ornaments came to an abrupt halt. Feeling the piercing gaze on the back of her head, Ophelia muttered in a slightly smaller voice. It’s because of you.

“Why do you do things that don’t suit you, making me crack jokes?”

“…I don’t know what unsuitable things I’ve done.”

How could he not know? Ophelia said, filled with indignation.

“You said in your previous life that we had to consummate the marriage.”

“Even then, I clearly said that if you didn’t want to, we didn’t have to.”

“I’m telling you I don’t mind?”

And Ophelia suddenly threw her head back. Caught off guard by the unexpected face-to-face encounter, Idren froze.

Ophelia frowned as her hair was pulled taut downwards. Ah. The startled man hurriedly removed the ornament.

“Wh-why did you suddenly turn around like that?”

He blamed her, but she was the one who was puzzled. Ophelia said to the man who was speaking with his eyes tightly shut.

“I don’t understand why you’re acting like this.”

Idren didn’t immediately respond to her words. Instead, he gathered the accessories that had fallen haphazardly on the bed and placed them on the nearby nightstand. Ophelia lay back on the bed, gazing at the man’s broad back.

It was then that he muttered, still with his back turned.

“…Your saying you don’t mind doesn’t mean you like it, does it?”

Before she could interpret what he meant, Idren added.

“I don’t like it until you say you do.”

But if they went by that logic, they would never do anything in their lifetime.

Ophelia tried to inform the man, who didn’t yet know that she was still indifferent to such matters, of the truth. However, Idren was quicker in extinguishing the lamp.

He covered the only light illuminating the room and climbed onto the bed.

In the suddenly darkened room, Ophelia lay straight. Idren covered her with a blanket, then lay down facing her and grasped her hand. It was clearly an action meant to prevent her from moving.

Feeling awkward about the warmth firmly enveloping her hand, Ophelia fidgeted. Idren made his third request to her.

“You must be tired today, so please sleep. We plan to wake up late tomorrow, so you can sleep in.”

Ophelia spoke for the last time to the man who was taking the long way around when there was an easy path.

“If you change your mind anytime, just let me know.”

And she waited for Idren’s response until she fell asleep, but he remained silent till the end.