CHAPTER 05
The wedding preparations moved swiftly.
Since Asilia hadn’t refused, there was no longer anyone left to object or hold back.
‘As if I ever cared what others thought in the first place.’
Time didn’t grant Asilia a chance to brace herself or collect her thoughts.
As she brooded in dissatisfaction, the date of the ceremony loomed right before her eyes.
“After today’s ceremony, the people of Moria will likely see you as one of their own,” Isaiah said, eyeing her in full bridal makeup and gown. His low gaze suggested disapproval, as if he had some personal grievance with her.
“…This is a ceremony to fulfill an order. My nationality may change, but my loyalty remains to only one place.”
“Those words—you must never let them change.”
With that, Isaiah turned and calmly exited the room.
“…”
Asilia stood silent, raising her head to look out the window.
The musicians, who had been bustling about since morning, seemed to be setting off beyond the streets. Faint strains of music reached her on the wind.
And not only that.
As the ceremony neared, soft pink petals began to rain gently from the sky above the palace.
“Throwing money around, huh.”
Muttering to herself, Asilia stood from her seat. Soon, a servant called from outside, telling her it was time to head out.
“…Marriage, huh.”
Asilia lowered her gaze.
Two people who know nothing about each other, promising a lifetime together.
She had once dreamed that if such a day ever came, maybe the world would look different. Maybe by then, her circumstances would have changed.
The reality, however, was that she had to bow to absolute orders.
She lived every day unable to speak her mind in an unjust world.
Still, she held on to the faint hope that maybe one day, she could break free of it all and live freely.
“In the end, weeds can’t even dream.”
Asilia murmured and closed her eyes.
‘If a piece of trash like you, living a weed’s life, wants to dream even for a moment—then obey me unconditionally. That’s the first command I give you.’
Asilia slowly opened her eyes, her expression dark.
How long must she continue obeying that command?
When would she finally…?
Shaking off her thoughts, Asilia began to walk. Waiting for a future that would never come would only bring disappointment.
The closer she got to the ceremony hall, the louder the music grew.
As she took a deep breath and opened the doors—
A large hand reached out in front of her.
“Asilia.”
The man who spoke her name in a gentle voice smiled with golden eyes curved like a crescent moon.
“Shall we walk in together?”
Almost instinctively, Asilia took the hand he offered. His guiding touch was soft and steady, gently pulling her forward.
“Focus only on me today.”
“…”
“I’ve prepared this for you for a long, long time.”
Her hand trembled slightly as she instinctively tried to glance around.
Climbing the grand steps and hearing the thunderous applause only made her more uneasy.
Even if this marriage was unwanted, it was she who now stood at his side.
“A long time, you say?”
As they stood before the officiant, facing each other, Asilia finally spoke.
“We’ve only known each other for barely a month.”
At that, Cretes gave a short, amused sigh.
Reaching out to gently take both of her hands, he whispered,
“It’s rude to talk about a distant past you don’t remember.”
“…”
“I’ll correct myself. I’ll be more careful going forward.”
Strangely enough, the instant he said those words, the suffocating tension in her chest vanished.
The discomfort melted away all at once.
Asilia said nothing, lips sealed. Cretes kissed the back of her hand and said softly,
“Still, I’m happy.”
“Still, I’m happy.”
“That there’s someone I can express my heart to fully.”
“That there is someone who accepts my heart and allows me to whisper things like this.”
For a brief moment, a voice brushed past her ears—it echoed in her mind like a memory.
Words she was certain she’d never heard in her life.
And yet… why did it feel like she had heard this before?
Why did it feel so familiar… so comforting?
Just as she furrowed her brows in confusion, the officiant spoke.
“We will now commence the ceremony.”
Asilia turned her head slightly and shook it.
No, there was no way they’d known each other before.
She and Cretes had only ever met here, in Moria.
Asilia sat on the edge of the bed, biting her lip.
Something inevitable after marriage.
The wedding night.
Swallowing dryly, she clutched the blanket tightly.
Surely not… right?
No matter how desperate the emperor was for an heir—
Surely he wouldn’t make a child with a knight from an enemy country.
While she sat on the bed, troubled and anxious, Cretes emerged from the bath, towel-drying his still-damp hair.
Glancing at Asilia perched awkwardly on the edge of the bed, he let out a soft chuckle.
“Sitting like that, you’ll fall off if you’re not careful.”
With a flick of his hand, one by one the candles went out, until only the path from the door to the bed remained lit.
Asilia asked in a trembling voice,
“…Are you going to…?”
Without answering, Cretes approached.
As he came close, Asilia shut her eyes tight.
Would he pull her down onto the bed? Or maybe force her legs apart and touch her there?
With only vague, secondhand knowledge, her fear only grew.
But—unexpectedly, Cretes didn’t pounce on her.
Instead, he simply lay down on the bed and patted the spot beside him, as if inviting her to sleep.
“It’s late. If we stay up longer, we’ll only get a few hours of sleep. Come on—lie down, hmm?”
He smirked, clearly teasing her for being so tense.
“…What are you scheming?”
“Scheming?”
“I mean… you’re not touching me…”
Was he truly not going to consummate the marriage?
Even though they just got married?
Cretes simply looked at her.
His golden eyes glowed warmer than usual. As she turned away, swallowing again, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
With a gasp, her vision flipped.
The soft mattress touched her back, and Cretes’ solid body loomed over her.
His long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, brushing her face. She tried to squirm away, but his grip was firm.
He leaned in slowly, almost as if to kiss her.
The moment their breaths aligned—
“Pfft…”
“…!”
He tapped her forehead and pulled away like nothing happened.
“Shaking like a newborn foal and accusing me of scheming—don’t you think that’s a little funny?”
Speaking casually, he pulled the blanket over himself and lay back down.
Yawning, he closed his eyes and added,
“You’re the one who said not to expect a normal marriage.”
“…”
“So don’t provoke someone who’s barely holding back. Just lie down and sleep.”
At his firm tone, Asilia stared at him for a while.
When she didn’t respond, he peeked open one eye and asked,
“Or… are you disappointed?”
“O-of course not!”
Her frantic answer made Cretes chuckle.
As Asilia hesitantly lay down beside him, Cretes immediately wrapped an arm around her waist.
She shuddered in surprise, but he simply muttered,
“This is enough for me.”
As if just holding her was all he wanted.
As if he desired nothing more.
He looked utterly content—like a child who had everything in the world.
And just as he said,
The marriage had been forced.
But nothing else had been.
Not even the wedding night—something that would usually be of great importance to an emperor.
“…You’re respecting my wishes?”
She wasn’t sure why she asked. She just needed to ask.
Still with eyes closed, Cretes replied,
“I already forced the marriage. I have no intention of pushing beyond that.”
“…”
Asilia fell silent.
Just how much did this man understand about her?
Was he speaking out of genuine care, knowing her deep-rooted emotional scars?
Or… did he truly just care about her that much?
“You used to dream of a romantic wedding, didn’t you?”
“…”
“I took that dream from you. A man you don’t love took the place of your husband—it must be impossible to feel anything good about that.”
Cretes opened his eyes slowly.
Pulling her slightly closer, he added,
“I won’t say something pretty like ‘I’ll let you go if you find someone you love.’”
“…”
“But I am someone who lives forever.”
Brushing hair from her cheek, he smiled faintly.
“I’ll wait right here—until the day you open your heart to me.”
For a moment, it felt like someone had gripped her heart and squeezed it tight.
She didn’t have the courage to meet his gaze anymore.
So Asilia turned her head away.
‘Don’t forget, Asilia.’
‘…’
‘You must kill him.’
The voice, like a mantra seared into her soul, whispered coldly through her mind.
