I couldn’t understand my own heart at all.

Whatever the reason, Cedar rejected the Emperor’s matchmaking. Isn’t that enough?

But anger was boiling inside me.

‘Honestly, since most people don’t know I’ve woken up from a coma, His Majesty the Emperor can say that, right? Cedar must have held back his words because he can’t talk about me carelessly.’

While many reasons not to be angry came to mind, only one reason to be angry occurred to me.

‘I don’t like Cedar going around outside like a man without a wife! I wish he would proudly declare that I am his wife!’

In the end, this emotion was because I loved Cedar.

“Nelly.”

Cedar grabbed my arm as I was huffing, feeling both embarrassed and angry.

When I looked up, my eyes met Cedar’s blushing cheeks.

Cedar asked in a strange tone, as if suppressing excitement:

“Does that mean I can go around bragging that you are my wife?”

“Well…”

Can that be considered something to brag about?

Isn’t it just a natural fact that we’re already married?

“I already proudly said you were my husband at the academy. Did you forget?”

I counted on my fingers, listing the reasons why he could introduce me as his wife.

“We’ve inherited the estate and escaped Diana’s threats, so there’s no reason to keep hiding. Above all, both you and I are satisfied with this relationship. Of course, if you find it inconvenient for me to come forward, I won’t.”

“It’s not inconvenient. Initially, we had a contract marriage because Mother kept forcing a marriage with someone I didn’t love. What’s the problem with marrying someone I truly love?”

“Cedar…”

Someone I truly love.

Those words rippled through my heart like a stone thrown into a lake.

Cedar smiled, his eyes narrowing into crescents, and kissed my eyelid.

“Why are you opening your eyes wide like someone hearing a confession for the first time? I think I’ve told you I love you several times already.”

“Y-yes. Why do my ears feel so ticklish?”

At my response, Cedar laughed softly.

Somehow, even that laughter made my body tingle.

‘This is strange.’

I love Cedar too. It wasn’t just that; it felt like my emotions were inflating like a balloon with every conversation we had, day by day.

As I was clenching and unclenching my ticklish hand, Cedar slipped his hand under my thigh and lifted me into his arms.

Then, kissing my cheek again, he asked:

“You must have felt bad because of your sister’s letter.”

“Of course. I’m so upset with Diana. I want to give her a shock.”

“Then I have a good place for that.”

Is there a good place to surprise someone? As I tilted my head, not understanding his words, Cedar whispered in a polite tone:

“Would you be my partner?”

“What?”

What kind of partner?

The Imperial Palace regularly holds four balls, and the summer ball is particularly where young nobles who have turned sixteen first show their faces in high society, making it the second largest of the four balls.

Cedar suggested that we attend this summer ball together.

“You became Mrs. Granite without having your debutante ball. I think it’s appropriate as an event for your first appearance in high society. The moment you appear, Baron Periway will be shocked to the point of fainting.”

Cedar was right.

Diana would be surprised to see her sister, whom she thought was in a coma, not only perfectly fine but also entering the ballroom holding her husband’s hand affectionately.

But the stage was the problem. I mumbled with a pale face.

“H-high society…”

It was truly an unknown world that I knew nothing about.

Let alone a debutante ball, I never thought I would show my face in high society even after becoming a magician and leaving the academy.

Although I was a baron’s daughter, I had never been treated like a noble lady.

‘I never even thought about marriage in the first place.’

And now I’m about to show my face as Mrs. Granite.

Life really is a series of unpredictable events.

After being momentarily stunned by the fact that I would be attending the summer ball, I snapped back to reality and put on a serious expression.

“But for a ball, I can’t wear a comfortable dress like I do at home, right? I heard you have to wear a corset so tight you can barely breathe, and shoes that are hard to walk in.”

“That’s about 100 years ago.”

Cedar immediately dismissed the ball story I had heard at the academy as knowledge from 100 years ago. Then he muttered in a low voice.

“I’ll have to ask Hail about the dress.”

Could it be that Hail has extensive knowledge about women’s dresses? I tilted my head in confusion.

And I was able to get the answer to that question the next day.

“Hello. I’m Maggie.”

“Hello.”

The next day, a lively-looking red-haired young lady visited the mansion. It was Hail’s fiancée, Maggie.

Maggie was said to be one of the young designers gaining attention in the capital recently.

I had imagined a very picky and unique person when I heard ‘designer’, but the person who appeared was around my age and dressed in a neat dress.

Meeting her, I could understand why Hail wanted to show her off.

‘She’s charming. She seems like a positive and bright person.’

Her bright smile was like sunshine.

Just as I was observing her, Maggie also looked at me with curious eyes and clapped her hands.

“I heard all about it from Mr. Hail. To think you’re the much-rumored wife of Sir Cedar! It’s an honor to be the first to meet you. And to think I’ll be making your debut dress for high society!”

Unless it’s the debut dress of a very famous person, wouldn’t my social debut be insignificant?

Of course, Cedar Granite is the most famous knight in the empire, so there would be some curiosity.

‘Even that will probably fade away because I’m so ordinary.’

I’m not exceptionally tall, nor strikingly beautiful, so wouldn’t people just look once out of curiosity and then forget?

With that in mind, I smiled gently and replied.

“I won’t be as talked about as you’re excited for.”

But Maggie’s opinion was completely different.

“No way! I guarantee that all eyes at the ball will be on you, my lady.”

“T-that can’t be…”

“You’re so modest. But I can assure you. Even His Majesty the Emperor must be very curious about your face right now.”

Hearing Maggie’s words, I turned to look at Cedar.

Cedar nodded briefly as if to confirm. It really meant that even the Emperor was curious about me.

‘I want to hide.’

Until the moment I was recognized as an archmage at the academy, they treated me harshly there.

Attention? That was a word very far from me.

And now, not only His Majesty the Emperor but also the attention of all the nobles in the country. It was too heavy a burden for me.

‘Would everyone be disappointed if I cancel now?’

It was while I was secretly looking around.

Maggie circled around me, seriously examining me here and there.

“You have good sense. It’s a design that suits a small and thin figure well. Do you like lace?”

No, not at all. I shook my head and answered.

“This was chosen by my husband.”

“Oh my.”

At my answer, not only Maggie but also Hail opened their eyes wide.

“I didn’t know the Captain had such sense…”

“How affectionate! He may look stern, but he becomes gentle to the woman he loves!”

Cedar didn’t even pretend to hear the embarrassing exclamations. It was completely different from how he used to jump up and down every time I asked for a kiss.

I unconsciously clutched at my skirt.

‘Does he really act differently only when dealing with me?’

My heart was pounding.

While I was newly feeling flutters for Cedar, Maggie began measuring various parts of my body in earnest with a tape measure, busily writing down the measurements in her notebook.

Then she took out dress samples she had brought and showed them to me.

“How about this? I think it would suit you well.”

“I, I…”

Can’t I just wear a robe and go out?

I’m a magician, so a robe is my clothes.

Seeing my expression, Cedar stepped in as if he had expected this.

After that, even though it was a dress I would wear, I couldn’t give my opinion and just came and went as the two told me, trying on various types of clothes and fabrics.

Finally, after a long time, the dress was decided.

I didn’t have much stamina to begin with, and doing unfamiliar tasks made my body feel like a jellyfish.

‘I’m tired.’

Cedar covered me with a blanket as I lay limp on the sofa. Then he earnestly requested Maggie:

“Please keep this a secret. We want to surprise those who spread bad rumors about us.”

“Of course. It’s exciting just imagining it. Everyone will be so shocked they’ll fall backwards when they see how lovely your wife is.”

‘To say I’m lovely.’

I wanted to refute, but I was too tired to say anything.

Hail rubbed his face and said:

“With this, His Majesty’s displeasure will disappear without a trace.”

That made my eyes snap open. I sat up from where I was buried deep in the sofa and opened my eyes wide.

“Is His Majesty displeased with Cedar? Why?”

Cedar frowned as if to say not to tell, but Hail chattered on, explaining the current situation.

“It’s because he rejected all of His Majesty’s proposals. But your first appearance at the Imperial ball is also a sign of respect for His Majesty.”

“I see…”

He didn’t specify exactly what proposals, but it must be about that ‘matchmaking’ and the issue of inheriting the duke title that Cedar mentioned to me yesterday.