I Married the Dragon I Killed [Novel] Chapter 263

Chapter 263: Side-Splitting Wedding

A wedding was being held at Count Consillus’s castle.

As befitted the marriage of nobles, it was an important occasion that drew lords from distant territories all at once.

Ordinarily, visiting nobles would have their banners hung along the castle walls to announce their presence and display the prestige of their domains.

Yet there was not a single such banner in sight.

Even Count Consillus’s own banner had been taken down.

Only one remained in the center of the castle gate.

The crest of Baldrova.

That alone was enough.

The moment the carriage from Baldrova Castle entered the castle town, cheers erupted.

“Long live the Great Red Dragon!”

“Long live the Guardian of the Far East!”

“Alte, who watches over all creation, please watch over Her Highness the Grand Duke!”

Voices praising Baldrova’s achievements echoed without end, welcoming her arrival.

Hearing those cheers, Baldrova’s hand tensed.

Unable to hide her embarrassment any longer, she finally pulled a white porcelain mask over her face.

“Ferda…”

“Yes.”

“I… don’t really know what I’m supposed to do… Should I wave to them?”

The hand not clasped with his hovered uncertainly in front of the window.

“You need not. They already know Your Highness is smiling at them.”

“R-Really?”

Baldrova looked out the window again.

In the end, she still could not bring herself to wave. She simply watched the people smiling at her until the carriage reached the inner castle.

Luri, sitting on the driver’s seat, cleared her throat and shouted,

“Show your respect!”

The commoners bowed their heads, while the knights dropped to one knee.

The atmosphere became so overwhelming that even the insects in the grass seemed to hold their breath.

Luri opened the carriage door.

Ferda stepped down first, took Baldrova’s hand, and helped her descend.

The woman emerging from the red carriage was, fittingly, dressed in red.

Her descent could easily have been described as the arrival of a goddess.

Baldrova concealed herself beneath a wide-brimmed hat, with a translucent veil hanging from its edge to below her thighs.

A mere sideways glance would not be enough to see her properly.

The commoners could not raise their heads at all, while the kneeling knights could barely make out the outline of her figure.

‘I heard she had an extremely sharp appearance…’

‘What nonsense. Weren’t we already told that was a stand-in?’

After the incident in the Empire, Baldrova had begun appearing publicly in Hestia Village.

She did not participate directly, however. At most, she appeared briefly on a balcony.

Since opportunities to see her human form were rare, scholars and painters often gathered on high ground, trying desperately to capture her appearance.

Red hair and golden eyes.

Sharp eyes said to contain flames powerful enough to melt the world.

A slender frame described as the very embodiment of hidden strength beneath delicate beauty.

That was how the public knew Baldrova.

But Ferda and a handful of others already knew the truth.

That woman was not Baldrova herself.

And among even that small group, only a few knew the disguise had been created through the demonic arts of Penelope.

Penelope was a child of Sitri, a demon of lust, and therefore exceptionally skilled in disguise.

Having observed Baldrova closer than almost anyone, Penelope remembered her appearance well enough to impersonate her.

Even so, she was not permitted to become Baldrova exactly.

Ferda had agreed to let Penelope act as Baldrova’s double, but he would never tolerate a perfect imitation of the original.

So two deliberate differences had been added to distinguish the double.

Instead of gentle puppy-like eyes, she had sharp feline eyes.

Instead of Baldrova’s voluptuous and somewhat soft-looking figure, the double had a slim, agile build.

They had judged it better to establish the majesty of a dragon and ruler than preserve Baldrova’s naturally warm impression.

Though people found some of the descriptions strange, no one dared dismiss her as merely a woman.

The horns atop her head and the long tail behind her were, after all, features belonging to the being they revered.

Baldrova stepped carefully along the carpet.

Every footfall was cautious.

She truly was nervous.

‘I must not make a mistake…’

So many eyes were watching her.

If she made a mistake, it would burden Ferda.

Fortunately, no one outside Baldrova’s closest attendants noticed.

After only a few steps, two elderly men knelt before her.

The lord of the castle, Count Ulvera Consillus, spoke first.

“I, Ulvera Consillus, greet the Great Aspect of Fire. Your honored presence upon this land and the light of your countenance upon this castle make it feel as though even this year’s winter has already melted beneath your grace.”

Baldrova answered not with words, but with a quiet nod.

Her silence was intended to hide the tremble in her voice, but to everyone else it felt suitably solemn and dignified.

An elderly man leaning on a cane beside him offered his greeting as well.

“I humbly pay my respects. I am Duke Valery Purity of the Northern Kingdom Alliance. I am the father of Lyudmila, the bride whose wedding is being celebrated today.”

To anyone familiar with Valery Purity, the scene was rather strange.

The famous Great Warrior, advanced in years, speaking to someone with such impeccable courtesy was not something often seen.

“I have heard many stories from my immature daughter. I do not know how I can possibly apologize for her insolence. If my heart alone decided the matter, I fear offering even this one life would not be enough.”

Baldrova did not answer.

Instead, she glanced toward Ferda.

“Her Highness bears no grievance over the matter and wishes only that the union of both houses proceed without incident.”

“To hear such words is an overwhelming grace. I hope this union will become more than the joining of two families, and that it may serve as a bridge of alliance between the East and the North.”

“We have detained such an honored guest at the entrance for too long. Please, come inside.”

After Valery Purity and Ulvera Consillus finished their greetings, they opened the way.

The wedding was being conducted on a scale almost impossible to believe for a count’s household.

Even considering the involvement of House Purity, it was extravagantly grand.

‘But a dragon is attending. Of course it would be.’

How many people in the world could claim friendship with a dragon and invite one to their wedding?

Even extending such an invitation would ordinarily be treated as laughably insignificant and ignored.

A wedding was the grandest celebration most people would experience only once in their life.

Having a noble of higher standing attend that single occasion was itself considered a blessing upon the family.

Baldrova’s visit meant even more than the arrival of an emperor.

Servants rushing around the grounds stopped all at once at the sight of the Red Dragon’s procession.

More and more eyes turned toward her.

Baldrova’s movements beneath the mask grew visibly stiffer.

Her pace slowed almost imperceptibly until she was walking in step with Ferda.

When she drew close enough for their shoulders nearly to touch, Ferda felt something soft against his fingers.

Baldrova’s little finger timidly curled around his.

Her nervousness traveled through her pulse into his hand.

Ferda gently moved his finger against hers, soothing her.

Her pulse gradually calmed.

They reached the garden where the ceremony would take place.

The seats prepared for Ferda and Baldrova were even farther forward than those of the families of the bride and groom.

“The ceremony will begin shortly. Until then, please enjoy the music performed by the finest musicians of the North.”

Nod.

No one could say they had made someone of higher standing than an emperor wait, so the orchestra’s performance had been moved forward in the schedule.

Once Baldrova sat down and the space around them opened up, she finally let out a quiet breath of relief.

She leaned her head slightly toward Ferda and whispered,

“I’m sorry…”

Her face had turned completely red.

She had been so nervous that she had been unable to say anything and had ended up clinging to him instead.

Ferda discreetly took her hand and said,

“You are doing well, my Eleanor.”

She swallowed and took several deep breaths.

She looked as though this were more difficult than facing dozens of giant monsters at once.

Ferda felt sorry for her.

And, at the same time, found her unbearably adorable.

-Regent Ferdaaa.

Someone immediately ruined the atmosphere.

A voice that made his brows furrow on instinct.

Its endlessly frivolous tone clung to his ears so unpleasantly that he wanted to wash them.

The one whispering directly into Ferda’s ear through transmission magic was Penelope.

She had been invited as Lyudmila’s friend.

Ferda sent a reply with practiced ease.

-Go away.

-Could you spare me just a little time?

-Did I not tell you to go away?

-Haha. I’d love to, but then I’ll have to tell Her Highness Baldrova myself, you know?

-Are you threatening me? You dare…

-No, could you please just listen for once? I’m telling you, it’s urgent!

-I will give you five seconds. Speak.

-This is serious enough that the wedding needs to be stopped right now!

What nonsense was she talking about?

-If you don’t come, I’m serious, there’s going to be a huge disaster!

“……”

Even hearing Penelope say that, Ferda did not trust her in the slightest.

“Ferda? Are you all right?”

Baldrova quietly asked after noticing his unnatural stillness.

Ferda lowered his voice and asked her,

“Would you mind if I went to the restroom for a moment?”

“Ah, of course.”

“My apologies. I will return quickly.”

Ferda rose and moved away at once.

If this turned out to be nothing, he decided that today would finally be the day he beat Penelope half to death.

* * *

Following Penelope’s instructions, Ferda arrived at the bride’s waiting room.

The situation immediately made it clear that her fuss had not been caused by her usual frivolity.

Lyudmila’s older brother, heir to the family Igor Purity, and Great Warrior Sergei Purity were both standing outside with troubled expressions.

“What happened?”

The two visibly flinched at Ferda’s appearance.

“We greet the Regent of the Far East! Nothing has happened. There is no need for concern.”

“What brings the Regent to the bride’s waiting room…?”

“Penelope told me there was a problem. Are you certain nothing has happened?”

“Ah, well, that is…”

Neither of them seemed particularly capable of lying.

“Over here!”

A frivolous woman inside the waiting room waved her hand wildly.

“Please come in and talk to her!”

Ferda followed Penelope inside.

The biggest problems at weddings always seemed to happen on the day of the wedding itself.

Even couples who loved one another sometimes panicked at the last moment and ran away.

Ferda naturally assumed it was something like that.

Perhaps Lyudmila had suddenly decided she did not want to marry now that the day had actually arrived, and Ferda had been summoned to persuade her.

But the reality was entirely different.

Lyudmila sat quietly in the waiting room in a pure white wedding dress.

The dress had been made wide to conceal her heavily pregnant belly, and perhaps because of that, she did not look particularly large at all.

Ferda entered and addressed her.

“Lady Lyudmila?”

“O-Oh, Regent?”

Lyudmila looked visibly startled.

Apparently, she had been so focused on something that she had not noticed him enter.

“Is something wrong?”

“Wrong? No. Nothing at all?”

Lyudmila smiled.

But it was different from the innocent smile Ferda usually saw from her.

It was an unnatural smile, one meant to hide discomfort.

Up close, the signs became obvious.

Tiny beads of cold sweat covered her skin.

She repeatedly inhaled short breaths through her nose and exhaled through her mouth.

“You do not need to hide it. Will you tell me what is happening?”

“No, truly! Hoho! Everything is… completely fine! The wedding can proceed without any problems!”

Ferda frowned and decided to use stronger pressure.

“As regent of the Baldrova Grand Duchy, I cannot allow an unfortunate accident to occur. If I judge that the ceremony cannot proceed, I will inform Her Highness, suspend the wedding, and arrange another date…”

“You can’t!!”

Lyudmila grabbed Ferda’s hand.

“That would be… completely unacceptable?!”

“…Then perhaps you should explain what is happening first.”

Ferda glanced pointedly at the hand crushing his.

“And let go of my hand…”

She really was from a family of Northern warriors.

Her grip was so strong Ferda thought his hand might snap like a dry autumn reed.

“Well…”

Lyudmila forced a smile and said,

“When I woke up this morning, I stretched, and suddenly my stomach started hurting a little, you see?”

“……”

“I thought maybe I was just sensitive because I was nervous, so I tried calming myself down slowly, but… it didn’t really stop?”

Ferda immediately understood what that meant.

There was only one likely cause for constant abdominal pain in a woman this far along in pregnancy.

“…Your contractions have started.”

“……”

“And how far apart are they now?”

Lyudmila shyly raised one finger.

“One… minute.”

Ten minutes before the bride was scheduled to enter the ceremony,

Lyudmila went into full labor.