CH 35

I glanced back at Annette to get support from her.

“Miss Annette, Miss Annette, please say something. Isn’t this outfit completely inappropriate? Especially that shirt!”

“Uh, uhuh…I think he’s just perfect in my eyes…I, I don’t know!”

Annette replied stutteringly. Annette’s eyes were wandering, indicating she was completely oblivious to the problem. It was a rare occurrence when Annette and I disagreed on something.

“Dame Joan! Dame Joan?”

“That’s unfortunate, Lady Irene. In my opinion, the Commander’s outfit is no different than that of any noble man.”

Dame Joan replied in agony.

“Ha!”

“I apologize. I’m an outsider in this kind of situation.”

Dame Joan also did not give a satisfactory answer. I looked back at Ian and took a deep breath.

“Haa. It’s the time, I can’t ask you to change your attire now.”

“Are you so troubled that I have to change my clothes?”

Ian muttered to me and looked down at his outfit again. He still didn’t seem to get it.

He looked at me with a slight frown and furrowed brows, as if he had noticed something.

“Wait a minute. Did you start it in case I pointed you first?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not me who has the problem with my outfit, but it’s you.”

Ian pointed out to me on the contrary this time. I looked down at my clothes in embarrassment. True, the line was a little tighter around my body than I usually wear, but only slightly.

“Are you kidding me? What’s wrong with this?”

“Are you sure you don’t know? Perhaps your standards for judging others and for judging yourself are different?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“After you point out the clothes I’m wearing that give me nowhere to look, who is pointing out to whom…”

Ian looked at my clothes with astonishment, then averted his gaze as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have. Then he started pointing it out to the maid this time.

“If my wife didn’t know the problem, you should have said it.”

“….Yes, I apologize….”

The maid apologized, but it was clear from their expressions that they were forced to apologize.

No, what Joseon Dynasty does that person belong to? With a puzzled expression on my face, I looked at Ian.

“Please don’t blame them. What do you think of this dress? When I wear only white clothes every day, I fear that I will spill anything, but I think I will live a little longer now.”

I wondered what the bride and groom were doing on the eve of the wedding while I was grumbling.

I sighed and returned Annette’s gaze. Dame Joan and Annette, who had been exchanging meaningless glances, were taken aback and turned to stare at me.

“Can we leave soon?”

“Oh, yes. of course!”

“Then let’s go.”

I raised my arms up to chest height toward Ian in a fairly natural posture now. Ian began to escort me by supporting my arm, as if he was already used to this attitude.

The cathedral has a huge glass greenhouse. It was a greenhouse with colorful flowers that could only be found in the southern regions, and it was where most of the banquets were held.

As soon as we walked in, everyone’s gaze was drawn to us.

“That’s Sir Ian and Lady Irene.”

“, you two look more beautiful today.”

“Haa, how can a couple look so good together…”

Even today, the people of Rehart were whispering loudly, and I pretended not to hear them and gave a gentle smile to those people. The sound of soft music, the aroma of fragrant food, and the laughter of people filled the greenhouse.

I took a quick look around inside.

Fortunately, Rashid did not seem to be present today. Everyone gathered here had a warm expression on their face as if they were simply blessing my and Ian’s marriage. That’s right, at least on the outside.

With a happy bride’s face, I happily entered the greenhouse and enjoyed the eve.

*** 

The highlight of the eve was the ball.

Perhaps because it was a rare event in the cathedral, the bishops and priest in attendance appeared to be having more fun than usual. It seemed that time had passed slowly.

Ian and I faced each other in the middle of the glass greenhouse.

“Do you remember?”

Ian whispered while we were facing each other closely.

“Things you practiced.”

“Of course.” I answered confidently.

When I returned from practicing the waltz with Ian, I attempted to review it on my own.

The body of number 76, which I entered, seemed to have good motor nerves. When I went a month or so without exercising, my body began to creak, but once I started moving again, it quickly became agile.

In other words, avoiding stepping on Ian’s foot while dancing the waltz was a piece of cake.

The harp and violin began to play sweet melodies. 

​​We took each other’s hands in ours. Ian’s eyes while looking up close were also unrealistic today.

I was worried that I would stumble again because I was stiff, just like I was a few days ago when I practiced. But fortunately my body was quite comfortable today. 

‘No wonder today, I’m not that nervous.’

It was probably because everything in this moment was too unrealistic. The beautiful sound of music and the eyes of people who only look at us like fireflies. Above all, the sapphire-colored eyes that only look at me, as well as the reflection of myself in them.

Everything was so unrealistic that I wondered if this was a dream.

A dream that Seoyeon, who lives in Korea, had by chance one night.

‘Of course I know that’s not possible.’

I was in a state of complete surrender a month after being possessed. Now my world was here. The home for me to return back now doesn’t exist anymore.

“What are you thinking?” 

My ear was pierced by a low voice asking a question. I gave Ian a blank stare. Curiosity gleamed in his blue eyes.

“I don’t think you’re thinking about me.”

I was a little embarrassed by the sudden talk. It seemed that I had been caught on to something that I had been so enchanted for.

“….Of course, I’m thinking about Ian. It’s the day before the wedding, so of course I’m thinking about the man who will be my husband tomorrow.”

“Really? Are you really paying attention?”

Ian said as he hugged my waist even tighter. I asked back, moving at his lead.

“Yes, it is true. Why do you keep asking?”

“I don’t know. For some reason, you look a little sad.”

I blinked my eyes slowly. Was it obvious that I was thinking of something else?

With a smile, I said nothing.

“I think it’s Marriage Blue.”

“Marri…..What did you say?”

“Ugh, I guess it’s wrong. Why, they say that brides get depressed before marriage.”

Is there such a thing here?

Well, I thought it wouldn’t matter because the minds of people getting married in any world would be the same.

“Do you regret it?”

Dark blue eyes stared at me.

“To make a contract with me.”

“…….”

For a brief moment, I did not respond to the unexpected question.

Do I regret it?

No, that couldn’t have happened. The contract with Ian was the best choice I had made at the time. So the word regret was absurd.

I smiled and shook my head.

“Not at all. You’ll definitely fulfill the contract until the end.”

“To help you disappear to a place where no one could find you…Do you mean it?”

Ian, who muttered to himself, was deafeningly quiet, as if absorbed in thought. He asked again after a while.

“Are you still adamant about not changing your mind? The thought of wanting to disappear.”

“Yes. Sure.” I nodded as if I was sure about it. 

“Even if it’s changed, we can’t do anything now because we signed an immutable contract, right?”

“…You are right.”

Ian smiled dimly. It was a real smile, not a fake one, that I had never taught him that smile before. His real smile was so beautiful that it couldn’t be compared to the fake one he got from acting.

Suddenly, I felt sad. 

If this were a dream, I would be able to concentrate completely right now. But this was all unmistakably real. 

Because of that, I had to take one step away and focus on the present moment. So that I don’t become too immersed in this place right now.

***

The moon had fully risen, and the clock was pointing towards late night. However, the excitement inside the greenhouse didn’t die down.

When I heard people talking and laughing, it made me dizzy.

“Is that really true?”

I put down the glass of fruit wine that I had been sipping, and glinted my eyes. Because what I just heard was quite interesting.

“Did Baron Freeman really get a divorce?”

“Yes, it is true!”

I overheard the ladies gossiping about Baron Freeman’s cheating while I was acting in the rose garden with Ian the other day. I was curious to hear the story behind it. A lady standing next to Cordelia nodded enthusiastically in response to that question.

“However, don’t be surprised. Did you know the baroness is walking around with a young man on her side as soon as the baron signs her divorce contract?”

“Oh my, oh my. Was it a revenge affair?”

“I don’t know. Baron Freeman seems so convinced! He appears to be pleading with the bishops to stop the divorce proceedings, it’s not like bargaining at the market; he can’t just get divorced and then take one back, being fickle.”

“I agree. I agree. Hohoho!”

The interesting rumor elicited a light guffaw from the ladies. Of course I was one of them. It’s always interesting to talk about it, whether it’s this world or the other world.

I looked around, sipping the wine again. I could see Ian talking to Lucian from a few steps away.

He seemed to be talking about work because his expression was solemn.

‘Poor new groom. He can’t even rest in a place like this.’

I was thinking it was someone else’s business so I ignored it and got up from my seat.

“I’ll bring some more dessert.”

“Oh my, I’ll get it for you.”

“No, it’s right there.”

I smiled as I walked over to the buffet table. For some reason, the table, which was always filled with people, was quiet. I suddenly felt a presence approaching me as I was choosing which food to take.

‘Is it Ian?’

When I looked back, 

“Hi? Number 76.” A low hissing voice like a snake.

I held my breath. Goosebumps spread all over my body.

“Don’t turn your head, just listen.”