It was a natural answer for him, as he needed not Amelia who was confessing her love with tears, but Amelia, the daughter of Viscount Vermerian, who held a key position in the center.

But blinded by the illusion of love, I thought even that was out of concern for me.

Not knowing that it was all just Lloyd’s scheme, desperately trying to manipulate me.

So I spent nights in tears preparing for the marriage, as if I were the most pitiful lover in the world.

Looking back, it was probably my father’s wise move, having realized what kind of person Lloyd was.

It’s a shame that I only realized how grateful that was after dying and coming back.

As I was lost in these thoughts, my father slowly opened his mouth.

“…You’ve always done well. Though it was a marriage arranged purely out of a father’s greed, I always thought you were the only one suited for that position in the Empire.”

“Father…?”

“It’s a bit awkward to say this now, but…”

It was unfamiliar to see my father hesitating in a way that was unlike him.

Was there something else that happened in the carriage that day?

As I was trying to recall,

“Be happy, Ameli. That’s all I wish for.”

“…”

…This, I don’t think there was anything like this.

My hand gripping the bouquet tightened.

I focused my eyes and turned my gaze beyond the window.

In the silence where I could neither answer nor ask, the carriage slowly headed towards the edge of the storm.

For some reason, today I felt like I wanted to be swept away by that tempest.

* * *

The temple where the ceremony was to take place was already packed with people, with no room to even set foot.

It was natural that our marriage would gain popularity and support from many imperial citizens.

After all, it was the union of the Crown Prince, who hadn’t announced any notable engagement even after coming of age, and me, the flower of high society and daughter of a loyal imperial noble.

I smiled at the cheering crowd as I got out of the carriage, holding my father’s hand.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

My father whispered softly, looking at the people gathered like a swarm of bees.

But well, I had fulfilled my duties even among twice as many people when I was the Crown Princess.

I could face this level of crowd with a smiling face.

I walked down the white virgin road laid out to the inside of the temple with a calm face.

The first time I walked this path, I couldn’t bear the fact that it wasn’t Lloyd waiting for me at the end.

Due to my gloomy mood, I hadn’t managed my expression properly.

But now, the second time, there was nothing particularly new.

I knew who was waiting for me at the end, and I knew well what kind of person he was.

Although we hadn’t lived intimately, we had lived under the name of husband and wife for over 7 years.

I knew enough about him to be able to plan a new future together.

I thought that maybe this life could be spent a little better.

Although I understood my father’s concern, I was about to say that it wouldn’t be as bad as he worried.

At that moment, I saw Leoprick standing at the end of the path.

He stood straight at the entrance of the temple in a white ceremonial dress, looking at me.

White really suited him well.

Whether it was the white shirt and pants he only wore in his office, or the white coat he wore to parties, or the white uniform he wore for knight training.

Whether it was because of his light hair color or his white skin.

He had an image that really suited the image of an angel bathed in light.

Even at the wedding in my previous life, the sight of him in a white ceremonial dress had left a strong impression on my mind.

At that time, he shone so brightly that even I, who was lost in thoughts of Lloyd, was momentarily captivated.

‘But something…’

Now, how should I put it.

He still shone just as brightly and white still suited him just as well.

He was standing at the entrance with the same ceremonial dress, the same hairstyle, and the same posture that I remembered.

But yes, it felt a bit different from that day in my memory.

His golden hair shimmering in the sunlight seeping through the windows.

Dressed in a ceremonial dress that looked particularly white even in the all-white temple, he was the same as before, but…

Unlike before, he was staring directly at me with those intense red eyes.

Seeing that, my heart, which I had thought was fine until just now, suddenly sank.

He, who had always treated me with proper distance throughout my life, had looked at me with such a straight gaze only once in my previous life.

It was in his last moments.

“Hah…”

Suddenly, I felt my insides twisting.

Once again, the image of his trembling hand reaching out towards me flashed in my mind.

Trying to hide my agitation, I slowly walked towards him.

As I got closer and closer, the expression on his face became clearer and clearer.

An expression as if some long-awaited event had finally come to pass.

Something intense coming through that devouring gaze seemed to choke my breath.

Had this person always looked at me with such seemingly desperate eyes?

No, I don’t think he ever stared so openly like this before.

There was another difference from before.

“Ameli, are you really alright?”

“…Of course, Father.”

My hands had been trembling subtly since earlier.

Unable to even meet the eyes of him with his incomprehensible expression, I just mechanically put one foot in front of the other.

Again and again, that moment when he died kept repeating in my head.

The voice asking if I would regret it, saying that was enough, echoed in my ears.

I bit my lip, desperately trying to shake off that vision.

My father, who had been looking at me a bit worriedly, missed the timing to hand over my hand to him.

“Viscount Vermerian.”

If Leoprick hadn’t called out, both my father and I would have stood there stupidly in front of him for a long time.

My father squeezed my hand once firmly.

Then, with a very slow motion, he handed my hand over to him.

“I entrust Amelia to you, Your Highness.”

“I will do my best.”

A voice mixed with regret and disappointment wrapped around my wrist, and an inexplicable earnestness and firm resolve grasped my hand.

Somehow, it felt like being tightly bound.

A feeling I had never experienced in my previous life or this one.

But they didn’t cling to me stickily like the visions floating in my head right now, nor were they scary enough to send chills down my spine.

It was just strange.

My father, reluctantly taking steps towards his seat.

Leoprick, firmly grasping the hand given to him.

And me, unable to calm this uncontrollable confusion and uncharacteristically being swept along.

Ruminating on this indefinable emotion inside, I followed him to the altar in the temple.

In front of the altar where couples complete their vows to each other in the name of God, the High Priest Roberto stood holding the holy book.

Arriving there, Leoprick and I bowed and knelt down at the foot of the altar.

The wedding itself was simple.

When the couple to be married kneels at the foot of the altar, the priest officiating the ceremony recites prepared words of blessing and vows of oath.

Then the two people place their hands on the holy book and make vows according to the oath.

Finally, the ceremony ends with the exchange of rings and a kiss.

It’s nothing special or beautiful.

I was listening to the words of blessing recited by the High Priest without much emotion.

My head was too complicated right now to listen to such meaningless words.

It was fortunate that my face was covered with a veil and my head was bowed, otherwise I might have struggled quite a bit to manage my expression.

As soon as I realized I had returned, differences from my previous life started to stand out.

The anxiety that the future I knew might change.

The bewilderment at Leoprick’s changed attitude.

An inexplicable discomfort gnawing at a corner of my heart, all tangled up, exhausted me.

Inwardly repeating countless times that I would leave as soon as he safely ascended to the throne, I tried to suppress all those emotions.

“Now, I ask the two of you to place your hands on the holy book and recite your vows.”

If it wasn’t for Leoprick suddenly pulling my hand, I might have missed the next turn, lost in thought.

“I will go first.”

I only came to my senses when he took my hand, even after Roberto’s voice echoed through the temple.

Did he realize I was lost in other thoughts?

I was grateful that he drew my attention without saying anything, but at the same time it felt unfamiliar.

Why does this man I lived face to face with for 7 years feel so unfamiliar?

Briefly lost in thought, I focused on his words as he continued with the vow of oath while holding my hand.

“I have no intention of making empty promises, so all I offer you is sincerity from the depths of my heart and devotion to you.”

The vow of oath was a promise exchanged between the couple becoming husband and wife.

Usually, they each write down the sweetest yet most sincere promise they would give to their lover in their own words.

It’s about imagining a sweet future while looking at each other with hands placed on the holy book in front of the priest.

Among those in political marriages, there were occasionally cases where they asked priests of the temple or others with good writing skills to write it for them instead.

But I, and he, each recited our own words in simple sentences.

And I remember the polite vow he gave me in my past life.

A vow that felt very much like a political marriage, saying he would always give me the best and ensure I lacked for nothing.

I too responded with a stereotypical vow to fulfill my duties by his side for a lifetime.

Later, I also recalled carelessly stuffing his vow document brought from the temple somewhere.

“Though there can’t always be good times in life, I will ensure that a smile remains on your face while we are together. In the name of Leoprick Baldini Reinhart, I swear before God only for you.”

But he was different now.

Looking straight at me, he was reciting a vow of oath completely different from back then.

Full of words like sincerity, devotion, and smiles.

For some reason, words that seemed like he would never say, as far as I knew him.

A vow that completely defied my expectation that we would become a couple fulfilling only our duties after marriage, as we had in my previous life.

Seeing him like this made me hesitate a little to bring out the same vow as before.