•Chapter 3•
Leah found herself staring straight into Prince Edward’s golden eyes as he leaned closer, checking her expression.
From up close, his eyes really did sparkle like jewels, and she couldn’t look away.
Edward blinked, a little uncomfortable. No one had ever looked at him that openly before.
“Would you like to… keep looking?” he asked awkwardly.
“Oh! I’m sorry!” Leah quickly stepped back, embarrassed.
Edward gave a small, amused smile and straightened up.
“I’ll check the rings now,” came a cold, arrogant voice cutting through the moment — it was High Priest Jeffrey.
Edward gently held out his hand toward Leah.
She took a few hesitant steps closer and showed him her hand with the ring.
Edward’s brows slightly furrowed.
Leah followed his gaze — the once-clear topaz on her ring had turned red.
Without a word, Edward removed her ring, then his own, and placed both on the cushion Jeffrey held.
His ring’s topaz shone gold.
Jeffrey’s expression also darkened.
“Is… something wrong?” Leah asked nervously, sensing the tension.
“It’s nothing,” Edward said kindly, smiling at her to ease her worry. “It’s only a formality.”
“A formality? What kind of disrespect—!” Jeffrey snapped, unable to hold back.
“This ring ceremony is sacred — it confirms whether the couple are truly good partners for each other. And red means—”
“My apologies, High Priest Jeffrey,” Edward interrupted calmly, bowing slightly.
Jeffrey still looked displeased, but he smoothed his expression.
“The ceremony is done,” Edward continued politely. “If you’ll allow it, we’d like to rest now.”
The High Priest hesitated, but Edward’s respectful tone softened him a little.
“When you leave, an apprentice priest will guide you to your chamber,” Jeffrey said.
“Thank you,” Edward replied with a courteous nod.
Jeffrey started to respond, but his words trailed off.
Something about the ceremony still bothered him.
Understanding his doubt, Edward gave a small nod and quietly left the room with Leah.
***
Leah and Edward were guided by an apprentice priest to the wedding chamber prepared by the temple.
The room had ivory walls and marble in soft brown tones — elegant and refined.
In the center stood a large bed big enough for three adults.
Edward casually took off his outer coat and hung it over the back of a chair near the window.
Leah, on the other hand, just stood there awkwardly, glancing around the room.
Edward removed his cuffs and set them on the marble table, then looked over at her.
“Please wait a moment. A few apprentice priestesses will come to help you bathe and change.”
“Ah… okay…”
Now that they were truly alone in the wedding room, Leah suddenly realized what kind of night this was —
her first night with a man she’d only met that day.
She had no idea how to handle it.
“Shall we talk for a bit?” Edward asked gently.
Leah looked up, finally meeting his eyes again. His expression was… a little somber.
He gestured toward a long sofa. “Please, have a seat.”
Leah obeyed quietly and sat down. Edward took the chair opposite her.
“You must be tired,” he said, pouring tea into a cup.
“Yes… a little,” she replied with an awkward smile and took a sip.
“Our Empire’s wedding customs are a bit tougher than most,” Edward explained. “You did well today.”
“Oh, it’s fine. It wasn’t just me,” she answered shyly.
(He seems polite… but he feels hard to approach somehow…)
Curious, Leah studied his face, wondering what he was really thinking.
“Um… may I ask you something?” she said cautiously.
“Of course.”
“It’s about… the ring ceremony.”
Edward didn’t reply right away.
“Does the color mean something?”
“The ring ceremony is only for royal marriages,” he said evenly. “It shows whether two people are good partners.”
“And the color tells you that?”
“In a way. If the couple are a good match, the stones usually turn the same color.”
“Oh…”
Leah remembered: hers had turned red, and Edward’s had turned gold.
“So… that means we’re… not a good match, right?”
“Well…”
“Huh?”
“It depends how you look at it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think we should judge our future or each other negatively just because of one ritual,” he said calmly.
“Then… why have the ceremony at all?” she asked.
“I’m the Crown Prince,” Edward said. “I have duties and responsibilities. Some things we do are simply for show — to keep people calm. That duty will one day fall to you as well.”
His steady voice carried strength, but his faint smile looked a little lonely.
“Can I ask one more thing?”
“Of course.”
“Red… does that color mean something special?”
Edward’s smile faded immediately.
Just then — knock knock.
“Come in,” he said.
Two apprentice priestesses entered and bowed.
“We’ve come to help Her Highness the Crown Princess with her bath.”
Leah blinked, startled, and completely forgot her question.
Flustered, she jumped up and followed them into the bathroom.
Once she was gone, Edward leaned back in his chair and exhaled deeply.
“Red, huh…” he murmured, rubbing the corner of his eye.
Then, with a dry laugh, he added quietly, “Maybe… it suits me better than anyone.”
He smirked bitterly, then stood up again, as if remembering something.
***
After her bath, Leah came out wearing a thin white linen nightgown.
Her silver hair hung loose over her shoulders.
But Edward was nowhere to be seen.
“Maybe he went to wash up…” she murmured.
Honestly, she was relieved. The awkwardness was overwhelming.
With a sigh, she flopped onto the bed.
After such a long, exhausting day — and the warm bath — sleep came fast.
She tried to fight it, reminding herself she shouldn’t fall asleep before he came back,
but her eyelids grew heavier… and heavier…
“I… shouldn’t… fall… asleep…” she mumbled — and drifted off.
—
At the end of a long, dim hallway, a faint yellow light glowed from behind the door to High Priest Jeffrey’s office.
Edward stopped in front of it.
As if expecting him, the door opened and Jeffrey greeted him with a sly smile.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
He’d already prepared tea and snacks. Edward sat down across from him, silent.
A tense quiet filled the room.
“I won’t be announcing the results of today’s ceremony,” Edward said casually — but there was a clear order behind his tone.
Jeffrey’s eyebrow twitched.
Not the same color? He’s not asking me to lie?
He had expected the prince to come begging — to ask him to falsify the results, to cover up the red color.
He thought he’d finally have the proud prince kneel before him.
But that look in Edward’s eyes — confident and unyielding — was nothing like he imagined.
“There hasn’t been a single unannounced ring ceremony in over 300 years,” Jeffrey said slowly.
“I don’t care,” Edward replied flatly.
His tone stayed calm — but absolutely firm.
