Chapter 138: Side Story - A Silent Competition (10)

Time passed, and at last, the day of my first wedding ceremony had arrived.

From the morning, my heart thudded with anticipation. Part of it was nerves—after all, it was my first wedding—but more than that, it was the first official event being held in front of the people of Mels, my newly governed territory.

Sure, I had briefly shown my face when I first claimed the land, but that was nothing more than a fleeting appearance.

Today was different. Today, I would make a proper impression.

Over time, we had swept the streets of Mels clean of criminals and rebuilt the territory with aid from the Praister family.

Even without having to ask, I could feel it—support for us was growing stronger by the day.

Besides, with Keirsey, Asena, and Daisy all helping manage the estate, there really wasn’t much room for things to go wrong.

Still, as much as I tried to stay calm, I couldn’t shake off the nerves. After all, nothing ever goes perfectly smoothly.

“You look wonderful, Lord Cayden,” said Ewin, the head maid, as she adjusted the suit with the Chimera crest embroidered on the shoulder.

She circled around me once, carefully checking for anything out of place, even straightening the collar of my shirt with a gentle touch.

“Thank you, Ewin,” I said.

She smiled sweetly at my words, but lingered with her hands on the collar for a beat longer than expected.

“...?”

I tilted my head at the strange pause, and then Ewin whispered softly,

“...You really do look amazing, Oppa.”

I chuckled at her teasing and gave her head a gentle pat. With a bright laugh, she turned and began tidying up the room.

I turned to look at myself in the mirror.

A fine suit, a beautiful sword at my waist, and my hair styled and swept back for the first time—yes, this would do.

Knowing the ceremony would begin soon, I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

For today, a small army of attendants followed me.

The moment I stepped out the door, a long procession formed behind me.

They were all people who had chosen to serve me, who would grow closer with time, and who were now part of the Mels household.

“Where are the others?” I asked Ewin, walking just behind me.

“They left ahead of you.”

“Hmm. What about Daisy?”

“She’s still getting ready.”

Daisy and I had carefully selected our parade route after much deliberation. It would take us through the main streets of Mels, ensuring that every citizen would have a chance to see us.

If we wanted everyone to clearly know who ruled this land now, it was a necessary step.

That’s why the starting point of this procession was our wedding venue. Grandma Liana, Count Hexter, Judy, the twins, and other acquaintances were likely already there.

As for Daisy—like me, she needed time to get dressed up. And of course, the bride always made her entrance last.

Before heading to the ceremony, I decided to visit Daisy.

As I approached her room, I saw that a number of guards were stationed nearby, ready to escort her.

I greeted each of them with a light nod and then knocked gently on her door.

—Knock knock knock.

‘Yes?’

Her voice came through the door.

“It’s me, Daisy.”

‘Ah..! Cayden..!’

“Would it be alright if I came in?”

‘…….’

She didn’t answer for a long moment.

Was she hesitant for some reason?

“...Daisy?”

‘...Cayden… I-I’m sorry, but…’

“Yes? What is it?”

‘I… I’d really like for us to see each other for the first time at the altar. I’m not completely ready yet… and… I don’t think I’m emotionally prepared to see you just yet…’

From inside, I could hear her attendants squealing and fussing in a flurry of excitement.

I let out a laugh at the sound and nodded to myself.

“I understand, Daisy. I’ll head out first then.”

‘Yes. I’ll see you soon.’

With a faint smile, I gave a slight shrug to the nearby attendants watching me, then turned and continued on my way.

****

The entire ride here, cheers erupted from the people of Mels as they caught sight of our carriage.

It was clear how much happiness Keirsey, Daisy, and Asena’s policies had brought them.

Of course, removing Pain, who had deep ties to the criminal underworld, had likely been the biggest turning point.

I had a good feeling—this wedding ceremony was already shaping up to be a great success.

And soon, we arrived at the venue.

It was a wide open field, situated on high ground—just like a stage, visible to all.

Peeking out from the carriage window, I spotted many familiar faces already gathered.

They seemed to notice our arrival too, and the crowd quickly stirred with excitement.

Our carriage rolled to a stop before them.

As I adjusted my suit and buttoned the last of my jacket with a deep breath, the coachman approached and opened the door.

With steady confidence, I began to step out.

The first people my eyes sought out were Judy, Keirsey, and Asena.

Just behind them stood Grandma Liana, Count Hexter, Helen, Lawrence, Tane, and the rest of the Praister household.

And beyond them, a sea of guests had gathered to celebrate my and Daisy’s union.

As I stepped down from the carriage stairs, Judy came walking up with her mouth slightly open.

“...Well? How do I look?”

I asked, a little self-conscious from being all dressed up, and maybe also because the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Judy blinked at me, looked away, then peeked again from under her lashes.

“...Not good?”

I asked again.

She shook her head vigorously.

“...N-No, it’s… it’s fine.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Then, Keirsey stepped in front of me.

Her belly had started to show—just a little, but noticeable.

The fact that she was carrying my child filled me with emotions I couldn’t even begin to describe. A delicate, precious feeling that clutched at my chest.

Without a word, she threw herself into my arms.

“Whoa—!”

I carefully caught her and gently stroked her hair.

“Keirsey, you need to be more careful. Are you feeling okay? Any discomfort?”

“You look really handsome today, Oppa.”

She smiled up at me and then tilted her head, lips pursed toward me.

“...Um, you know today’s my wedding with Daisy, right? Maybe we should—”

“—Hurry up, Oppa.”

In the end, I gave her a light kiss.

“Hehe.”

“Well, you don’t seem upset, so I’ll take that as a good sign.”

“...Mhm. Besides, you love me the most, right?”

I had never officially declared who I loved most, but I didn’t have the heart to ruin Keirsey’s happiness today.

I simply embraced her softly.

And last was Asena.

Her expression stiff, she slowly scanned me from head to toe.

With poised, snake-like grace, she approached and gently wrapped her arms around me.

One hand rested lightly on my shoulder. The other pressed against my back.

“...Haa.”

She let out a sigh. Was she disappointed with how I looked?

“...What is it? Do I look bad?”

“...No.”

“Then?”

“……”

Her discomfort lingered. I glanced at Grandma Liana behind her, silently asking with my eyes if something had happened. She shook her head as if to say no.

“What’s wrong?”

Asena leaned in, whispering only for me to hear.

“...My wedding has to be even better than this. How am I supposed to top this?”

Had someone else said it, it might’ve sounded like a joke. But Asena was dead serious.

She genuinely seemed upset—just because she couldn’t imagine a wedding more perfect than this one.

It wasn’t easy understanding the heart of a woman with such intense jealousy.

Asena stepped back and looked up at me.

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s set a wedding date. Soon.”

“...Do we really have to talk about that today?”

“Grandma’s here. And also…”

She cast a sideways glance at Keirsey.

Keirsey stood off to the side, hands gently cradling her belly, her face full of satisfaction.

She was even whispering sweet nothings to it, as if saying, ‘Isn’t Daddy so handsome today?’

Asena scowled at the sight.

“...You do get it, right?”

She turned her gaze back to me and asked.

If I had to interpret it… it would be something like, “I’m jealous, so if you don’t love me as much as Keirsey, I’m going to be mad.”

Lately, Asena had been growing increasingly discontent whenever we were alone. Her moods hadn’t been the best either. Today, of all days, that tension might boil over.

But not today. Not during the wedding.

I gently slipped my fingers through her hair, brushing the back of her neck with a soft touch.

“...Ah…”

“Asena, you know I love you, right? There’s nothing to be insecure about.”

“……”

“Let’s take it slow, okay?”

Unknowingly, her cold, stiff expression began to shift—just the tiniest bit. It felt like some of that pent-up frustration had finally eased.

With a small smile, I turned to greet the rest of our guests.

****

Time passed, and the ceremony began.

A sea of people from the territory filled the square, all gazing up at the open stage.

I walked up slowly to take my place.

Applause erupted. Petals fluttered down like snow, and cheers shook the air like thunder. Voices rose in unison, chanting my name.

Keirsey clapped excitedly with a glowing expression. Judy gave me a small smile and waved her hand. Asena, as composed and elegant as ever, sat still with her usual stoic face.

I saw many students from the Academy in the crowd, along with their parents. Nobles of all ranks and knights stood watching, offering their congratulations.

Eventually, the noise began to quiet.

It was time.

Daisy was about to enter.

The moment she stepped into the square, it was as though the entire territory held its breath.

Even though her footsteps were light and graceful, it felt like they echoed through every corner of the space.

Then she appeared—Daisy in a pure white dress, stepping into view.

Thunderous applause erupted. It dwarfed the cheers I had received earlier.

It was humbling… and also heartwarming.

Everyone truly came to celebrate with us.

Of course they did—who could remain indifferent in the face of Daisy’s beauty?

Adorned like the perfect bride, she was the most beautiful person in the world in that moment. She took my breath away.

I couldn’t even breathe properly as she walked toward me.

But I wasn’t the only one.

Her eyes were locked on mine, her face slack with awe.

Even I could tell—it was the face of a woman deeply, utterly in love.

The memories came flooding in.

Before the possession… she had been my favorite character. I’d grown up under her family’s orphanage, receiving their grace. Then we met again at the Academy, and feelings began to grow. I’d handed her flowers during the jousting match, and our bond had deepened. As a knight and a noble lady, we stayed by each other’s side—until those feelings finally blossomed into love.

We were betrothed. And now, here we were—married, with cheers of celebration surrounding us.

Every detail of the ceremony we had planned together vanished from my mind.

All those late-night discussions, erased.

The moment she stood before me, our hearts spoke louder than anything we could’ve rehearsed.

I wrapped my hands around her waist and the back of her neck. She brought her arms around my shoulders.

And then, without waiting for any cue or signal…

We kissed.

Gasps of surprise, murmurs, and laughter burst out across the crowd. Some sounded amused, others shocked—but I couldn’t tell for sure.

Because right now, my entire world was filled with only one person—

Daisy, the woman who became my first bride.

---The End Of The Chapter---