“Did you remember to pack the dress?”

“Ah, young lady, is this really appropriate?”

The maid asked Aria with a concerned voice.

For an ordinary banquet it might be fine, but the dress she had specifically told them to pack was quite inappropriate to wear to someone else’s wedding.

After all, the dress she had instructed them to pack was pure white.

If she had known it was almost identical in design to the bride’s dress, she would have certainly objected, but only Aria knew this.

Meanwhile, Aria glared at the maid trying to dissuade her with a fierce look.

“Do even you find my words laughable now?”

“Young lady, how could someone like me dare to find your words laughable!”

Recently, Aria had been dissatisfied with all the servants in the mansion.

The servants who used to act like they would do anything Aria asked now questioned the reasons and circumstances when given an order.

Of course, the servants spoke out of concern for Aria, but she lacked the emotional capacity to recognize that.

She was simply irritated by any objection to her words.

In the end, Aria ended up slapping the maid’s cheek.

“…I’ll pack it.”

The slapped maid had no choice but to back down first.

She knew that further remonstration would only provoke Aria’s temper.

Lately, Aria had been losing her temper with the servants more frequently.

It would be fine if it stopped at raising her voice, but occasionally she would resort to violence like slapping their cheeks as she did now.

The servants were starting to become frightened by Aria’s increasingly changing behavior.

She now reacted sensitively to things she would have graciously overlooked before.

“You should have said that from the start.”

Aria had more she wanted to say to the maid, but she had to move on since she couldn’t waste time.

Aria headed for the mansion entrance with her brows still furrowed.

The Duke and Duchess were already waiting at the entrance with Lloyd, having finished their preparations.

Seeing the beautifully dressed Aria, Lloyd felt pleased at the thought of standing beside her.

But that feeling was short-lived, soon replaced by a bitter mood.

He knew the reason she had dressed up like this was not for him, but for Admund.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess were looking at Aria with worried expressions.

They were concerned because of the nature of the occasion.

‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’

The Duke wished he could leave Aria behind if possible.

To prevent her from causing any trouble during the wedding ceremony.

But the invitation had clearly stated:

That the Hersher Duke’s daughter must attend.

This was not a request or wish, but an order.

The defeated had no choice but to comply with the victor’s demands.

If they did not comply, endless downfall awaited them.

So the Duke had gone to Odin every day to plead and beg. But he only received cold responses, and the outcome did not change.

“You must not do anything unnecessary at the wedding venue.”

“What do you consider unnecessary, Father?”

“I mean don’t do anything to upset Her Highness the Crown Princess!”

“Dear, that’s enough. Aria, how could you speak to your father that way.”

Since her confinement, Aria’s relationship with the Duke had become distant.

Aria had shown a rebellious attitude since then, and the Duke was angered seeing their family’s gradual decline because of her.

The Duchess tried to mediate between them, but her efforts were futile against two such strong-willed individuals.

“Crown Princess? She can never become the Crown Princess!”

“Aria Hersher!”

Everyone had already accepted Clea as the Crown Princess.

“Aria, you need to accept what must be accepted.”

“Lloyd!”

Even Lloyd had accepted it.

Of course, he hadn’t said that out of sincere acceptance of Clea.

He just thought Aria might finally give up on Admund if he said so.

In any case, there was no one on Aria’s side here.

She could no longer speak disrespectfully of Clea, who was now essentially royalty.

All nobles now had to look up to her.

Especially considering the Hersher family’s allegiance to the Emperor, Aria’s current behavior was even more unacceptable.

“Please, I’m begging you. Your father is pleading like this.”

Thinking that continuing to be forceful would only increase Aria’s defiance, the Duke changed his approach to a humble one.

‘I will never accept it.’

But even so, Aria’s heart remained unchanged.

Time continued to pass.

Aria never responded, and the butler came to inform them it was time to depart.

The Duke had no choice but to board the carriage.

* * *

The entire imperial palace was bustling for once.

Many people had gathered to celebrate the Crown Prince’s wedding.

The bridal waiting room where Clea was located was especially lively.

She had expected it to be empty since she had no family or friends to be by her side, but it was unexpectedly crowded with her peers and former classmates from the academy who had come on their own.

“Sincere congratulations on your marriage, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“There surely can’t be anyone more beautiful than Your Highness the Crown Princess here today.”

“You are truly the flower of the empire.”

Clea found it absurd to see people she barely knew, and those with bad blood between them, trying so hard to get on her good side.

‘Well, I suppose I can be generous just for today.’

Clea decided to let it be, thinking it wouldn’t hurt just for today.

She too felt generous, as it was her own wedding day after all.

Meanwhile, the guests chattered even more noisily when they sensed no coldness from Clea.

Just then, the Empress appeared in the waiting room.

“So this is where you were.”

Clea smiled at Elina’s appearance.

“We, we greet Your Majesty the Empress!”

In contrast, all the other guests froze.

They hadn’t expected the Empress to show up here of all places.

As they hurriedly tried to bow and pay their respects, Elina spoke.

“I’d like to have a private word with my daughter-in-law. Could you all give us some space?”

At her words, the crowd that had filled the bridal waiting room instantly vanished.

Clea rose from her seat to greet Elina.

“I greet the mistress of the empire……”

“No need for formalities when it’s uncomfortable.”

Elina told Clea she didn’t have to greet her out of consideration.

Normally she would have insisted on greeting properly, but the dress was more uncomfortable than expected, so Clea followed Elina’s wishes and didn’t greet her.

“Did I interrupt?”

“I was just starting to find it noisy, actually.”

“Hoho, then it seems I arrived at the right time.”

Elina smiled as she looked at Clea.

“You look very pretty.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“No need to call me ‘Your Majesty’ when it’s just the two of us.”

Elina was in an especially good mood today.

Her own wedding with Odin had not taken place in such a pleasant atmosphere.

She had been worried that Admund and Clea’s wedding might proceed in the same gloomy atmosphere as her own, but fortunately a good mood had continued so far.

“You’re nervous.”

Elina suddenly said as she observed Clea.

Clea felt a bitter taste in her mouth at the thought that her poker face had been seen through.

Even she, who had been through all sorts of experiences, couldn’t help but feel nervous at a time like this.

She who had lived with a terminal illness and hadn’t even feared death.

But marriage was different.

She was now doing something she hadn’t done even before her possession.

And with the person she loved most, at that.

Elina looked at Clea like that and gently took her hand.

“Don’t be too nervous. I’m by your side, as are His Majesty the Emperor and Admund.”

Clea felt touched by Elina’s warm words.

Who would have known that having someone by your side could feel so reassuring?

Her birth family, the Odoi family, had never once stood by her side.

All those blood relatives had done for her was push her to the edge of a cliff.

In contrast, Elina, Odin, and Admund cherished her despite not sharing blood.

Normally one would be wary of people who help like this when they’re not family and haven’t known each other long.

But for some reason, Clea felt no wariness towards these people.

“Thank you, Mother.”

Clea quietly clasped her hands together as she expressed her gratitude.

Elina smiled silently for a while in response.

Then suddenly, she narrowed her brows as she noticed someone at the doorway.

“Well, look who it is. It’s been a very long time.”

Clea’s gaze turned to the doorway at Elina’s words.

“…I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”

An unexpected figure was standing there.

Standing with a bouquet of flowers and an expression that said she really didn’t want to be here was none other than Aria.

Elina wanted to chase Aria out immediately.

She didn’t like that someone who should have kept quiet and disappeared dared to come here with such an expression.

Recalling the nobles who used to look at her with displeasure, Elina was about to tell her to leave at once.

But in that moment, Clea squeezed her hand as if to stop her.

Elina met Clea’s gaze.

She didn’t want to leave Clea alone, but soon understood her intent and stepped aside.

“Did you come here to congratulate me too?”

Clea felt her tension ease thanks to Aria. Seeing her made Clea imagine the enjoyable things to come.

“Congratulate? Don’t be ridiculous. I didn’t show up here to congratulate you.”

Aria was already living up to Clea’s expectations with her behavior.

And the wedding ceremony hadn’t even begun yet.