“Is this really alright?”

“Why? Have you developed feelings for Aria?”

“You know very well that’s not what I’m concerned about right now.”

The reason Bawin asked again was not because he had developed feelings for Aria.

The person he was concerned about was not Aria, but Clea who was standing before him.

“Even I would naturally question an order to reveal the bride’s dress design.”

Although Bawin was someone who carefully weighed gains and losses more than anyone, matters related to Clea’s wedding were different.

The day when Clea should be happy, receiving blessings from everyone.

Bawin knew well what it meant to be told to reveal the design of the dress to be worn on such a day to Aria.

It was throwing out bait once.

Clea was curious to see how Aria would react.

‘How would you act if it were you?’

Most things were already prepared.

The venue, the officiant, the attendees.

And finally, even the clothes to be worn by the two who would stand there.

Clea thought.

If Aria were to wear the same dress and try to ruin the occasion, she would lose everything.

Even if she was a duke’s daughter, no one would take her side if she ruined a royal wedding.

Even the noble faction who might regret Admund and Clea’s marriage politically would not welcome actions that ruin the empire’s most important event.

‘It would be convenient for me if she falls for such a trap.’

But Bawin was skeptical about her plan.

“Wouldn’t it be better to look for another way?”

A ship with a hole would sink over time anyway.

There was nothing they could do even if they didn’t take action.

Clea looked at Bawin with a smile.

Although he had expressed disagreement with her plan, she wasn’t particularly upset.

“You’re certain. That Aria will do anything to ruin my wedding.”

At Clea’s words, Bawin’s face flushed.

As she said, he was certain.

If told, Aria would try to interfere by any means necessary, even if it could be poison to herself.

The Aria that Bawin had seen so far was no different from a bomb. One that loses reason and charges in when it comes to Clea’s matters.

That’s why he was even more worried.

Clea’s once-in-a-lifetime wedding could end in the worst way possible because of the bomb-like Aria.

“She’s a woman who will collapse eventually as time passes anyway.”

Clea did not deny it.

The path Aria was walking was already completely thorny.

Her appearance, voluntarily walking the path of self-destruction, didn’t seem at all like the female protagonist of the original story.

It was puzzling what had made Aria like this.

It was incomprehensible how she, who was so innocent in the original story, had now become so ruined to the point of being unsightly.

But that wasn’t what was important.

“If it’s going to be destroyed, I’ll be the one to destroy it.”

“Lady Clea.”

Clea could confidently claim that she was the one who had suffered the most because of Aria.

She was living with a time limit after being cursed because of Aria.

Not knowing when, where, or how she would die.

If it were someone else, they might have slowly gone mad from the great fear.

But Clea neither went mad nor felt fear.

Her heart, wounded beyond measure, had made her insensitive.

Before meeting Admund, she didn’t care whether she lived or died in this world.

Though her wounds had healed a lot thanks to Admund, the scars still remained.

“If she would just give up on Admund cleanly, nothing would happen.”

It was as she said.

If Aria gave up on Admund, nothing particular would happen.

Rather, she would be very grateful for being told the dress design.

For helping her wear a dress of a different design.

However, considering the relationship between the two, the word trust did not fit at all.

And there was one more problem remaining.

‘If I step forward, she’ll think it’s provocation.’

That was that Clea could not step forward herself.

If she directly revealed such important information, even Aria would naturally be suspicious.

So Clea intended to use Bawin.

Since Aria still thought he was on her side, if he casually suggested it as information he had obtained with difficulty, she wouldn’t be particularly suspicious.

“What if I really betray you?”

Bawin asked Clea.

It was a question of what she would do if he betrayed her here and sided with Aria.

At that, Clea raised the corner of her mouth. It was a charming smile tinged with confidence.

“You can’t betray me. No, even if you betray me, you absolutely won’t side with her.”

“I’m just curious why you’re so confident.”

Though he responded calmly, cold sweat ran down Bawin’s hands.

It was as she said. There was no way he would betray her now.

Betraying Clea now would be pushing his barely saved family back into the pit of hell.

Clea looked at Bawin and smiled.

“To betray me, you’d have to kill me in one go somehow. Perfectly, so that I can’t come back to life.”

He would have to kill her perfectly so that she couldn’t come back to life.

Clea always stayed in the imperial palace.

Killing her inside the imperial palace was nearly impossible.

Even if it were possible, what would happen afterwards was clear as day.

The family he had protected with such difficulty would crumble like a sandcastle hit by waves, and everyone related to him would be rooted out and punished.

So how could anyone think of betraying her unless they were insane?

“If you still refuse, there’s nothing I can do.”

At Clea’s relaxed expression, Bawin inwardly sighed.

Indeed, who could refuse this request?

It was essentially not a request, but an order from one who would become royalty.

And Bawin had no choice but to carry out that order.

However, there was still a worrying part remaining.

He thought the atmosphere of the wedding might be completely ruined.

But even that was what Clea herself wanted, so he had to ignore it and move on.

“Then I will convey it.”

“Thank you, Bawin. I’ll remember this and not forget it.”

Clea thanked him with a bright smile, but a bitter taste lingered in Bawin’s mouth.

* * *

Ending his reminiscence, Bawin focused on the present again.

“Is this really that design?”

“Yes, it is.”

Aria was intently looking at the wedding dress design Bawin had provided.

Seeing her examine it desperately, Bawin inwardly gave a hollow laugh.

Everything was exactly as Clea had said.

With all members of the imperial family casting votes in favor, people no longer opposed Clea and Admund’s marriage.

The preparations for their wedding were progressing more smoothly than ever.

However, Aria still had not given up on Admund.

Her attempts to somehow interfere with Clea’s wedding were truly pathetic.

‘Really, it’s hard to understand.’

For Bawin, who valued rationality and reason, it was really difficult to understand Aria.

What could a duke’s daughter possibly lack that she would be so obsessed with one person?

Is it the desire to reign at the very top?

Or is Admund’s existence that radiant?

If not that, then is it because of an inferiority complex towards Clea?

Bawin still found it hard to hide his doubts. Perhaps it could be all of the above.

‘I’ll make your wedding the worst.’

Meanwhile, Aria showed a bright smile as she looked at the picture Bawin had brought.

There was no hint of falsehood in that smile.

It was pure elation itself.

Bawin’s brow furrowed slightly as he watched from the side, but Aria paid no attention and asked him.

“Bawin, can you help me?”

To her question of whether he could help, Bawin immediately answered.

“I am ready to help you with anything, my lady.”

Having brought Clea’s wedding dress design, Aria trusted Bawin even more.

“Please prepare a dress exactly like this by the wedding.”

“I can certainly accommodate that much.”

As the expected answer came out just as predicted, Bawin inwardly smiled.

There was already no one who could stop her.

Her parents only knew how to punish, not how to truly teach and admonish their child.

In addition, Lloyd, who had become her fiancé, was a person of ruined character.

All he knew were things like women, alcohol, and gambling.

Who would carefully heed the advice of such a person?

The servants guarding Aria’s surroundings were also just those who followed her orders.

At most, Bawin might be able to say the right things to Aria, but he had no intention of doing so.

He wanted the downfall of House Herscher more than anyone.

He was only pleased that the Herscher family was falling apart because of none other than Aria.

“And one more thing.”

Not knowing Bawin’s thoughts, Aria made one more request of him.

“Please also prepare the formal attire that goes best with this dress.”

Formal attire that goes well with the dress.

It wasn’t something that required much thought.

“I will prepare it right away.”

Having guessed what Aria intended to do, Bawin nodded immediately.

Then he thought.

‘The duke’s expression will be worth seeing.’

Imagining the events that would unfold due to her choice, Bawin felt pleased.