Episode 44
The emperor, Eckarter, the empress, Isabel, and the many attendants who followed them entered the room.
On the back of their necks, there was a faint black aura. It was even bigger and darker than what Raina had seen on Karlheil and Bayen two days ago. The dark, creepy worm-like shadows gave off a foul, nauseating smell.
“Ugh…!”
Unable to stand the urge to vomit, Raina grabbed her dress and rushed toward the bathroom.
“My lady?”
Amy hurried after her. People looked at the bride running out with her hand over her mouth in confusion.
“Why is she acting like that the moment we come in?”
Eckarter asked in surprise. No one else knew the reason either.
“That… well…”
Before Nikolai could answer, Grace stepped forward.
“She must be feeling very nervous about the wedding. Your Majesty, please forgive my daughter’s rudeness.”
Eckarter nodded.
“I understand. Marriage is no easy thing. Especially with so many people gathered, she might feel pressured.”
But Isabel seemed to have a different idea. She thought for a moment, then spoke.
“Or maybe…”
She stopped, realizing she might have said too much. But Eckarter asked,
“Maybe what? What are you implying?”
“…Well…”
After hesitating, Isabel whispered something into his ear, her cheeks turning red.
“Ahem… yes. I suppose that could happen.”
Eckarter glanced toward the door Raina had gone through.
“But surely Karlheil wouldn’t do that before marriage.”
“Yes… you’re right. I spoke carelessly.”
Grace, who had been watching, quickly understood — they were hinting that Raina might be pregnant. Outraged, she spoke up.
“That is impossible! Raina has been raised with proper values and manners befitting a noble!”
Eckarter looked embarrassed.
“Well… young people these days do move faster than in our time, that’s all I meant.”
“I was only thinking they were practically married already…” Isabel added.
Even so, Grace’s face remained stiff.
Sensing the tension, Isabel nudged Eckarter.
“We should leave now. If we stay, the bride might not come back.”
“I agree.”
They quietly left the waiting room. Even after they were gone, Raina still didn’t return.
“What is going on?”
Grace was about to go find her when the door opened and Raina came in.
“Raina!! What happened?!”
Grace rushed over, ready to scold her for making such a scene in front of the imperial guests. But one look at her daughter’s pale face made her swallow her words.
“Amy, why does Raina look so pale?”
“She’s been throwing up several times, madam. She forced herself to come back only because the guests had entered the hall.”
Raina was still too sick to speak. Grace felt both worried and angry.
“And they had the nerve to gossip about pregnancy…”
“Pregnancy?!” Amy was shocked. Raina also looked at Grace in surprise.
“It’s nothing. Just thoughtless talk from people who like to gossip,” Grace soothed.
Right then, Nikolai entered.
“Is the bride ready? It’s almost time.”
Grace looked at Raina with concern.
“Can you walk, Raina?”
Raina had calmed a little since she had vomited everything out, and there were no black worms nearby. But once she went into the hall, she’d see them again.
She thought for a moment, then held out her hand to Amy.
“Amy, give me a spare handkerchief.”
“A handkerchief? Why?”
“Just give it to me.”
Amy handed her a white handkerchief. Raina bit the edge, tore it into strips, rolled them up, and stuffed them into her nostrils. Everyone stared.
“Raina, what are you doing? Is there some smell here?” Nikolai sniffed but only smelled the flowers decorating the room.
“…I think I suddenly developed a pollen allergy.”
Raina finished stuffing the cloth into her nose and sniffed experimentally. It didn’t block the smell completely, but it helped.
“Let’s go, father,” she said, sounding nasal.
Nikolai looked at Grace as if to ask if this was okay. Grace closed her eyes and nodded — a bride with a stuffy nose was better than one running to the bathroom.
At the wedding aisle, under a floral arch, Raina and Nikolai stood nervously.
“…Are you ready?”
“Yes, father.”
They walked slowly down the aisle to applause and music.
But as Raina glanced at the guests, she froze — among them were people with the black worms on their backs.
“Ugh…”
She fought the urge to vomit and stared straight ahead at Karlheil, waiting in his formal suit.
When they reached him, Nikolai placed Raina’s hand into Karlheil’s. Thankfully, there were no more worms nearby.
“…I heard you ran away earlier,” Karlheil whispered.
“No, I didn’t,” Raina replied through her blocked nose.
“What’s with your voice?”
He noticed the cloth in her nose but had no time to ask as the high priest, Laugustus, began the ceremony.
“…We’ll talk about this strange behavior later,” Karlheil murmured.
The long sermon and rituals continued. Every time she thought about the worms, Raina shivered. Karlheil noticed and misunderstood.
“…Are you that anxious about marrying me?”
‘How do I explain the worms only I can see?’ she thought.
Karlheil squeezed her hand.
“Don’t worry. Even if it’s a contract marriage, you’re still my partner. I promise to fulfill all my duties as your husband and never put you in danger.”
Raina glanced at him — his determined profile oddly reassured her. She bit her lip to stop smiling and focused on the ceremony.
Finally, the priest ended the wedding. Applause rang out. Raina was now Karlheil’s wife and the Duchess of the Lautzen territory.
Far away in the hall, Aisen watched with a complicated expression. Since returning from the hunting competition, he’d been troubled.
“Lady Raina… a contract marriage…?”
He couldn’t forget overhearing their conversation that day.
From what he’d learned, before meeting him, Raina and Karlheil had no personal relationship. During their match meeting, she had seemed to like him — until Karlheil appeared and did something outrageous. After that, they skipped all noble traditions and rushed into marriage.
And then there was that “contract marriage” phrase.
‘Why would they agree to a contract marriage? What made them marry?’
He didn’t have enough information to guess, but one thing was clear:
‘They didn’t marry for love.’
Maybe that was what he hoped. From the moment they met, he had fallen for her and even imagined a future together. She had chosen to meet him from among many suitors. To him, that felt like fate.
Now, he needed to know the truth — whether this marriage was truly what she wanted or not.
