Chapter 4
"…"
"Yann seemed to have known from the start. I guess Valen was left in the dark."
The Queen of Darkness didn't say a word. She barely blinked, her gaze fixed on me. Her eyes were like those of a cat about to pounce, which made me feel a little uneasy.
It seemed everyone in this world had such laser eyes...
"Just let me hurry up. I can't keep the bride-to-be waiting..."
"Are you really not fine with just leaving it at that, Sasha?"
I'm going crazy. Oh, Valentina, even you! Was everyone conspiring against me today? I turned back to her with a touch of annoyance.
"Why's that, Valen? Are you worried now? Do you think I'm letting revenge sway me?"
"It's not like that."
Valentina muttered in a soothing tone, her gaze lowering.
"When... When my brother returned from the battlefield, I was sick and dying. Typhoid fever, or something like that. If my brother hadn't made good friends there, I would have died. It was the first time I'd been in a hospital."
I listened in silence. Valentina continued slowly, exhaling the smoke from her cigarette.
"Back then, the Dallas Myer Club was just a third-rate guild in the neighborhood, and Eldora Street was the largest slum in the Imperial Capital. It wasn't until we intertwined with those snakes that I realized the miracles that substantial capital could achieve and how pitifully mediocre those who once seemed invincible to me truly were. Prince Serpente was a miracle for all of us."
"…"
"From the beginning... The Ducal Prince never treated us rudely, which was to be expected from an aristocrat sponsoring the Night Butterflies. He didn't indulge in drink, gambling, or debauchery. He wasn't needlessly sadistic, nor did he treat the club members like hounds. He was indifferent to everything, and he seemed uninterested in even living. Until last summer. I had never seen him smile until Sasha returned from Vibrato."
What are you trying to say? Are you trying to tell me how afraid you were that my existence would become variable for your miraculous and trusted leader?
"Valen, what are you trying to say...?"
"If Sasha makes some kind of mistake, we're all finished. And that includes the Prince himself."
Is the fate of the empire's underworld resting in my hands? Green eyes bore into my cynical face with a mix of anxiety and concern.
"But it's not just that I'm worried... Now I have a better understanding of everything..."
"…"
"I'm afraid that Sasha might disappear like this."
Disappear? I smiled as if sighing, and reached out to hold Valentina's hand.
"If I disappear, will you miss me just a little?"
"Are you saying that now?"
"Hey, hahaha. Anyway, don't worry too much, Valen. Because I still like this place."
"Sasha..."
"But more importantly, let's go. We still have some business to finish."
Valentina seemed hesitant as if she wanted to say more, but she eventually nodded and changed the subject.
"Guess where the foolish prince has been going these days."
"Don't tell me..."
"Remember that bar where you practiced shooting?"
"You mean he's still going there even though he knows it's under our jurisdiction? He's leaving the Fibonacci territory behind?"
"Seems like he's quite taken with an employee who has the same hair color as you."
My jaw dropped weakly. While I was exasperated, Valentina wore a mischievous smile.
"I didn't hire them specifically for that, but it just ended up that way. If you look at the pattern, he always stops by the place the day he met Sasha. And that will likely be the same on Christmas Eve."
"Indeed, then at that time..."
"Yes. During the war, try acting as the Warrior of Salvation."
I'll definitely be wearing my hat that day. Our gazes locked significantly, intertwining with understanding.
"About Benya..."
"Not even my brother knows this."
"Well, I’ll take care of the aftermath. Thank you."
When I finally arrived at the department store, Alfonsina seemed on the verge of tears.
I apologized to her, and after selecting all the dresses, we spent the rest of the day together, walking around the department store and shopping until dusk.
* * *
The dress had a voluminous style, with a hem that resembled tulip peaks, creating a dazzling effect. The lace upper body and long sleeves emphasized her delicate shoulder line.
Her long black hair was intricately braided into strands and elegantly secured in a half-updo. The platinum tiara, featuring a delicate snake pattern, stood out as a highlight.
"But you know..."
"These people are experts, Alsie. I'm just an amateur, so I can't step in and criticize their work."
"But still..."
"On a day like today, we need the help of these experts. Just relax."
"Are you sure Sasha won't mention anything if there's an issue?"
"I doubt that will happen, but I'll let you know."
The makeup staff, surrounded by an array of tools, gave me a slightly sympathetic look. I responded with a sheepish smile.
Even with the best experts assisting her, the Christmas Eve bride seemed unable to fully shake off her disbelief, treating the time before she met me like a dark period.
In any case, I needed to insist on a makeup application for a while. Fortunately, Alfonsina left her face in the capable hands of the professionals.
"I'm sorry, everyone... I'm so nervous."
"Why be nervous? Today, no matter what others say, Alsie is the star."
"Whoa, I'm still so nervous. Not too long ago... I never expected to end up marrying him like this..."
Oh ho, has your way of referring to him changed? Well, it's about time for that. Alfonsina blushed at the mischievous spark in my eyes.
(**Alsie was formerly referring to Lethias as Duke or His Excellency, now she’s referring to him casually, which kinda reflects that they’re really that close now)
"That's exactly what I wanted to convey... It's all thanks to you, Sasha."
"Oh, don't say that. I didn't do much..."
"No, if you hadn't been so kind and helped me, I would still believe I'm inadequate, regardless of whether I'm presenting myself properly or not. I would have thought I'm not the ideal person for a marriage proposal like this, and it wouldn't be surprising if our engagement was called off at any moment. I would have thought that no one would genuinely care for someone like me."
Her words were candid yet courageous. My hand, which was carefully adjusting the long veil on the table, paused.
"That's..."
"You were the first person to give me confidence, Sasha. I'm deeply grateful. I don't know how to repay you..."
Her voice was muffled due to her limited mouth movement, but the brightness in her silver eyes was clear to see. I grinned widely and shook my head.
"Just be happy. Though I'm a bit concerned that my brother might have influenced you somewhere along the way."
"Pft. Actually, I wanted to ask you to be my maid of honor, Sasha, but I was worried it would add to your stress since you're already busy..."
"Even if I wasn't busy, it would have been quite an elevated position for me. In fact, I thought Princess Parke might make a great choice as your maid of honor."
"Ari is also dealing with family issues... Well, her younger brother has already been selected, so there's not much she can do about it."
A faint shadow passed across Alfonsina's face as she gave her reply in a hushed tone. Well, even if things were more stable, Adriana wouldn't have been the ideal maid of honor for Alfonsina.
She's not the type to eagerly take on the role of someone's maid of honor, even for a friend she's been close to since childhood.
After her makeup was expertly done, I double-checked her outfit and hair before heading to the bridal waiting room.
Since the ceremony was set to take place in the banquet hall, the waiting room had been arranged on the same floor.
After making sure Alfonsina was comfortable, I excused myself and left. The bridal waiting room was bound to be a racket of excitement soon.
Who wouldn't want to etch their names on the person who was about to become the Duchess Serpente today?
Considering the treatment Alfonsina had received in society not too long ago, it was quite remarkable.
"Your Excellency, please behave for just a little while!"
"P-Pavel... How audacious of you!"
"Are you going to tell me how audacious I am, then relax, and then get married? Or are you planning to have a drink?"
"Fine, what if I'm trembling with nervousness?"
"What's going on?"
"Well, Ms. Sasha, hear me out. The ceremony is right around the corner, so why is the groom trying to have a drink?"
I widened my eyes and stared at the groom of the day. Indeed, the Chief Aide who had shouted had a somewhat triumphant look as he glanced at his superior.
Meanwhile, Lethias had a look on his face as if he was protesting that it was horribly unfair.
"When did I say that? Why are you trying to make her angry at me?"
"Oppa..."
"I-I didn't really mean to drink! I was so nervous that I thought I'd have a cocktail, it’s just a little too much..."
"I do hope that the Duke will be really fine and stop with just one drink.
Valentina, who had been watching the scene alongside her younger brother, clicked her tongue and made a point. Lethias coughed awkwardly as if his conscience had been pricked.
"No, why does everyone keep bringing up my past?"
"Even if it's just a cocktail, alcohol is alcohol, Oppa. Do you want to walk into the dining hall tipsy?"
"It's not that, but I'm just so nervous..."
"Look at this. What's there to be nervous about? Today is all about the two of you..."
"But what if Alsie has a change of heart right before we exchange our vows?"
You're worrying about things that aren't likely to happen. Shaking my head with amusement, I approached him and quickly adjusted his crooked bow tie. Lethias let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry. I know, I'm quite pathetic..."
"Oppa, are you purposely playing the self-deprecating card because you're worried your younger brother might speak out?"
"It's... It's not like that?"
"Hmm, I see."
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