Finally, the ceremony began.

People who were busy greeting each other before the ceremony suddenly gathered around the aisle.

As it was the most splendid palace in the imperial palace, people’s hearts were very excited.

The bride and groom, dressed more splendidly and beautifully than anyone else, will appear on the aisle and make their marriage vows before the officiant.

The process of the wedding was no different from that of the imperial family.

Of course, it was special in that the ones getting married were the crown prince and princess who would be responsible for the empire.

“There were so many opinions about the position of crown princess, but I’m very relieved that they got married like this.”

“Indeed. It’s fortunate, especially since heirs are so precious in the imperial family.”

As heirs were precious in the imperial family, Admund’s marriage was one of the empire’s main concerns.

In the case of nobles, they often held their wedding ceremonies right after graduating from the academy.

Or quite a few did it in the middle of the academy.

On the other hand, Odin and Admund’s cases were exceptionally late.

At least Odin publicly stated that he already had someone in his heart, so it didn’t matter, but Admund didn’t even reveal that much, so there was a lot of concern.

If he didn’t want to get married, the empire would be shaken.

“Even if she’s a commoner, isn’t it fortunate?”

“Ha, but it’s a bit unsettling to have a commoner above us.”

So when Admund expressed his intention to marry, the nobles were all delighted, regardless of who it was.

Of course, even at this moment, there were those who discriminated.

It was because of Clea’s status.

Although she was once the daughter of a duke’s family, now that she had left the family, she was just a commoner.

By their standards, even if she had been a noble, once someone became a commoner, they were a commoner forever.

Although they didn’t show it, not a few people felt uncomfortable with her marrying the crown prince as a commoner, unless she became a noble again.

“Now, let us proceed with the ceremony.”

At Heyden’s words, who was officiating, everyone stopped talking.

* * *

Standing in front of the tightly closed doors, Admund had a final conversation with Oberon.

“When those doors open, I’ll be a married man.”

“I thought Your Highness would never get married until the end.”

At Oberon’s words, Admund looked at him with disbelief.

“Ha, why don’t you think before you speak? Who was it that kept pairing me with Aria since the academy days?”

“Ahem, at that time, I was still a very inadequate student.”

While it could be brushed off as a joke now, when seriously recalling that time, Oberon thought he had really done something foolish.

He had only looked at reputation and family background without properly examining that person’s character, and now he had a headache thinking about his own shortcomings.

If Admund had been matched with Aria according to his wishes then, the empire would have faced a great crisis.

Aria was that reckless, emotional, and always acted on her own whims.

Knowing what Oberon was thinking, Admund nudged his side and said,

“You should think about getting married soon too.”

Overshadowed by Admund, Oberon was also still unmarried.

Thrown as a joke to change the mood, Oberon bristled at the words.

“If I had someone to marry, I would have done it already.”

“Right, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

“In the first place, when I don’t even have that much leisure, how could I have time to find a partner?”

There was already quite a lot of talk within the Philip family.

The previous marquis chided him, asking if he intended to end the marquis family line, and the family members felt the same.

But Oberon had no time to marry.

He had a lot to do assisting Admund.

Just in the past few days, he couldn’t sleep properly at night carrying out his orders.

“It reminds me of what the academy professors used to say. No matter how busy, those who will do it manage to do it well.”

Oberon looked at Admund with a fed-up expression, then as it was almost time for him to enter, he set the mood and said,

“Would you mind if today becomes the worst day?”

He could already imagine what expressions people would make after he entered.

And how cold the atmosphere of the wedding would become.

Realizing what Oberon was trying to ask, Admund smiled brightly.

“Even if others say it’s the worst, as long as she and I are satisfied, that’s the best wedding.”

When Admund first heard the plan from Clea, he rather welcomed it.

On the best day, he would get to see the worst beings fall with his own eyes.

Just that alone made Admund feel so fulfilled that he felt he wouldn’t need to eat anything for days.

“So I’m counting on you, Oberon.”

“Leave it to me, Your Highness.”

No sooner had the two finished speaking than the tightly closed doors opened.

As the aisle unfolded before his eyes, Admund felt nervous.

But he took one step at a time, slowly moving forward.

If he had no expectations for the marriage, he probably wouldn’t have been nervous at all.

He would have just wished for this time to pass quickly, going over the remaining schedule in his head.

While trying his best to hide his fatigue.

But now, expectations were welling up.

Today, he was finally marrying the woman who had first made him know the emotion of love.

‘I want to see you as soon as possible.’

Although he saw her face several times a day, Admund wanted to see her quickly.

He was curious about the dress she was wearing, and wanted to observe with his own eyes what expression she had, what she was thinking.

After slowly making his way, he finally reached Heyden, who was officiating.

All eyes were on him.

There were all sorts of emotions mixed in those gazes, but Admund didn’t mind.

Watching this, Heyden smiled with his eyes and whispered to him.

“You don’t seem nervous at all.”

“I’m human too. Of course I’m nervous.”

“For someone who says that, you look too calm.”

Inwardly, Heyden thought Clea was amazing.

Of course, it was something he had known for a long time, but today he felt it even more. She had changed the stone-like Admund and even made him get married.

‘Moreover, it seems he’s the one who wants this marriage the most.’

On the other hand, Heyden saw through that this place was not simply for congratulations and blessings.

He, who had not become the head of the diocese at a young age for nothing, quietly grasped the situation.

“Isn’t this too much? They would have self-destructed on their own, but you’re trying to crush them so decisively.”

No sooner had Heyden finished speaking than people began to react.

“This is strange.”

“What is?”

“Doesn’t His Highness’s attire look similar to what that scoundrel is wearing?”

“Now that you mention it.”

Those who had noticed from the beginning were deliberately keeping silent.

They didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere of the occasion by pointing out something strange.

But as the number of people who recognized it increased, and as the individuals Admund had prepared in advance began to mention it, the venue gradually became noisy.

People were now alternately looking at Admund and Lloyd.

Even Lloyd, known for his lack of awareness, couldn’t have failed to notice the attention focused on him.

“Aria, what exactly is going on here?”

Lloyd, noticing something was off, demanded an explanation from Aria.

The design of the suit he was wearing was entirely prepared by Aria, so Lloyd really knew nothing.

But everyone was just looking at Lloyd.

Just as Lloyd was waiting for Aria’s explanation, they too seemed to be waiting for Lloyd’s explanation.

Not knowing what was going on, Lloyd had no choice but to wait for Aria’s answer.

He needed to hear Aria’s answer first before he could give his own.

The answer Lloyd hoped for from Aria was this:

That by some coincidence, identical suit designs had been created.

Although it was unlikely that people would believe it, Lloyd thought she would at least say that one thing for his sake.

“How should I know if you ask me that?”

“Ah, Aria?”

“Lloyd, you brought it yourself, didn’t you?”

Of course, that was just Lloyd’s wishful thinking.

Lloyd turned his head in confusion.

Even though there had been bad rumors about Aria lately, it wasn’t as bad as Lloyd’s situation.

People were already thinking that he had sold out the woman he was supposed to marry to avoid his own crisis.

Meanwhile, Aria also realized that the situation was turning strange.

‘I did ask for a suit that would match Clea’s dress, but I didn’t expect it to be this identical…’

It was eerie enough to give goosebumps even if it was a coincidence.

She probably couldn’t have known. That they had given her Admund’s spare clothing prepared for contingencies.

“Duke, you know too! That the one who prepared this outfit I’m wearing is none other than Aria!”

Shocked by Aria’s betrayal, he immediately demanded an explanation from Duke Hersher.

At Lloyd’s designation, people’s gazes now turned to Duke Hersher.

Everyone knew that Lloyd had been staying at the Hersher mansion recently.

So they waited with curious faces for the answer that would come from the duke’s mouth.

Meanwhile, Duke Hersher looked at all the people who could calm the chaotic atmosphere – Admund, Odin and Elaina, Heyden, and others.

But no one was trying to step forward.

The duke then realized that something had gone wrong and tried to say something.

That he had nothing to do with this matter.

As he was about to explain this to people, Heyden spoke first.

“The bride enters.”

As the bride’s figure appeared through the open door, people no longer wished for an explanation.

Lloyd’s suit, which matched so well with the bride as if coordinated, could not possibly be a coincidence.

They could be sufficiently certain just from what they saw before their eyes.

The reason Lloyd appeared here was to ruin the wedding ceremony.