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Stories of him being the child of a demon, and tales of how he had made countless noble ladies in the Grand Duchy weep due to his lust. There were even rumors that he was in "that kind of relationship" with Grand Duke Lacheize.
“This is no time for this. No matter how far they went, Philod Ahen is still at the monastery, so the knights will return quickly. We must finish the wedding night as soon as possible.”
Perhaps it was thanks to Auntie Laura. Iris was not entirely naive.
Even if he was a man brought in by Abbot Wilbert, she kept in mind the possibility that he might be a very bad person.
In the lower village alone, it was well known that Bert the blacksmith tormented his wife despite his kind face.
So, she had thought that perhaps he might pounce on her and lift her skirts the moment he kidnapped her, but…
To see him make such a horrified expression at Priest Marid's words.
Ah! Is it perhaps because it's broad daylight?
'It is too bright. Auntie Laura did say that most of those things happen at night.'
While Iris was staring blankly at the men, lost in these eccentric thoughts, a man named Harris intervened.
“Priest, uh, it's a bit much to talk about such things so openly while we're all standing here.”
“Ah, right. You're right, aren't you?”
Priest Marid's face flushed red belatedly. He had likely been too anxious because of Philod Ahen's knights.
'I see….'
Actually, I'm fine with it. Just as Iris was about to say that.
“You said there's no time. Let's just proceed like this.”
“What?”
Before anyone else could stop him, the man, Rahan, frowned and pulled a dagger from his coat. He sliced his left palm wide open and spread it across the bed.
Iris's eyes widened. The white gash quickly stained red, and soon, droplets of blood splattered down.
“Oh my!”
Priest Marid jumped in surprise. Rahan spoke.
“I have no intention of making a fuss over this. It doesn't even hurt that much….”
“That's not the point! Sir Norwich!”
With a distressed face, Priest Marid rushed to the bed and gathered the blankets to look closer.
The bed was already soaked with bloodstains, and Priest Marid, clutching his forehead, snapped at the bewildered Rahan Norwich.
“Do you think people are fools? I heard you've rolled around with women quite a bit, but honestly.”
Although he had lost his bride on the wedding day, it was only because he hadn't expected some madman to invade through a cliff.
The House of Ahen had made thorough preparations.
Imperial maids had been sent to verify the wedding night of Philod and Iris.
Normally, the wedding night would be proven simply by the bride and groom spending the night in one room after the ceremony.
However, proving the wedding night of a kidnapping marriage would require a somewhat more brutal method of verification.
Iris would likely undergo a thorough physical examination by the Imperial maids, not just a check for traces of the wedding night.
Priest Marid scolded him fiercely.
“Blood… does not leave a mark in this way!”
“…I see.”
Rahan, who had clenched his palm a couple of times, gazed steadily at Priest Marid.
“You seem to know a great deal about women, Priest.”
At that crooked tone, the face of Priest Marid—who had been forced to become Auntie Laura's second apprentice because of Iris—turned bright red belatedly.
This won't do. Iris felt it was truly her turn to step in.
“Wait a moment.”
When she grabbed Rahan, the man arched an eyebrow. Iris gathered her courage and asked.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
“Iris?”
Only then did Priest Marid look back at her. He then began to make excuses, saying, “This is, well. You know! I also learned from Auntie Laura…!”
He seemed to have realized that he had made a grave slip of the tongue in front of the young lady he had helped raise.
Iris smiled brightly and held onto Priest Marid.
“Wait a moment, Priest Marid. I've only just introduced myself to this gentleman. And he needs to know the full story….”
“I know the full story,” the man replied bluntly, crossing his arms. He added, “But I agree that I need a moment away from this commotion.”
They said he was Grand Duke Lacheize's closest confidant and right hand; once he moved past his initial bewilderment, the man became quite composed. The sense of intimidation came as a bonus.
After a moment of hesitation, Priest Marid mumbled, “Then…,” and shuffled out of the room. His adjutant, Harris, followed suit.
“We're short on time, so keep it brief,” he didn't forget to add.
Click.
Once the door closed, only the two of them remained. Iris smiled shyly.
“You were flustered because of Priest Marid, weren't you?”
“It's fine. It's not like I came here without knowing.”
The man looking down at her added after a pause.
“…It was a bit absurd to hear the word 'wedding night' coming from a priest's mouth.”
“That's because of Auntie Laura,” Iris explained with a giggle.
“I grew up only in the monastery. That's why I learned about the wedding night from Auntie Laura in the lower village. Priest Marid learned along with me.”
“….”
“Of course, later on, I was the only one who continued to learn.”
As she spoke, Iris scrutinized the man. His black hair, damp with sweat, was disheveled just like hers, but that only highlighted his wild masculinity.
And what about those red eyes?
Some said he was called the 'child of a demon' because of those eyes, but to Iris, though they were a bit scary, they were beautiful.
Since he was twenty-two, she had somehow imagined a man with a thick beard.
Perhaps because he wasn't married? His chin was smooth without a single hair.
Robbie from the lower village always bragged that a beard was a man's true charm, but well.
Iris thought that if Robbie saw this young man, he would undoubtedly admit defeat.
'Yes. He'll be fine.'
Having reached that conclusion once more, Iris hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Actually, people from the House of Ahen have arrived.”
“I saw that people had come earlier.”
“People to verify the wedding night.”
At those words, the corner of the man's, Rahan's, mouth twisted slightly.
“What….”
“They are the Empress's maids.”
Iris explained quickly, yet carefully and clearly.
“I don't know all the details, but the House of Ahen requested maids from His Majesty the Emperor to verify the wedding night to prove the marriage between me and Lord Philod Ahen. So probably… if the marriage between me and you, Lord Rahan, is to be recognized, it must be proven to those people.”
The man's face was clouded with bewilderment. He seemed not to have imagined such a situation.
Iris empathized with him. She also hadn't known that people would consider her 'wedding night' so important.
“Not just the bedding, but they say they'll perform a physical examination on me….”
She had prepared herself and thought it was fine.
But still, saying it out loud made her face flush red.
It hadn't been long since she found out that men and women do… those kinds of things!
However, she couldn't stay silent just because she was embarrassed. Iris clenched her fists and continued.
“That's why Priest Marid was so anxious. Auntie Laura said that… the blood, it ripples like flower petals. She did say some people don't bleed, but, well….”
Having said that much, Iris's gaze drifted toward the bedsheet. Rahan followed her gaze.
There, the blood that had splattered was stained much larger than the size of Rahan's palm.
The meaning was clear. Rahan sighed and lightly clenched his left hand.
“I think I understand what you mean.”
The bleeding had stopped by then. But it would start again with the slightest touch.
Iris tried to smile as naturally as possible. However, she couldn't do anything about her reddened cheeks.
“So, about that.”
She took a step closer. She saw Rahan flinch.
Iris closed her eyes tightly and loosened the chest straps of her wedding dress.
“Please….”
* * *
Wind Rock Monastery was turned upside down.
“What kind of nonsense is this!!”
A furious Philod Ahen was screaming at the top of his lungs.
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