ITD

CHAPTER XL

At his subtle gesture, the priest quietly exited the prayer room. The sound of the door closing made Courtney’s grip on the veil relax slightly. Richard gently lifted the fabric, revealing her face.

Her hair was messy and damp with sweat, and her expression was full of discomfort as she glanced up at him. She must have looked a mess, but Richard’s smile didn’t waver in the slightest.

“You must have felt quite stifled.”

He spoke softly, brushing away the stray hairs stuck to her forehead. Though he wasn’t wearing a veil, he was dressed in a plain ceremonial robe, not unlike hers. His warm, sincere gaze made Courtney’s heart soften, and feeling shy, she averted her eyes.

“But, Courtney.”

Richard’s voice turned serious, and Courtney looked up again. Leaning in slightly, he whispered into her ear.

“You’re not wearing any undergarments, are you? I kept thinking about it, and I wasn’t sure if I could stay calm through the whole ceremony.”

His gentle tone clashed with the inappropriate words. Courtney scowled, pushing him away roughly. As expected, Richard just grinned and continued.

“I’m not wearing any undergarments either, but I’ve got my chastity belt on. Would you like to check?”

“No thanks?”

Courtney huffed, her annoyance clear. Little did she know she would be seeing it later that night. Richard, merely trying to lighten her mood, didn’t push the teasing further.

After leaving the prayer room, the two were once again separated to change into their wedding attire. Courtney was whisked away for a quick meal and then dragged from one ceremony to another.

There was the formal imperial approval ceremony, an oath-taking before the portrait of the first emperor, and other rituals whose meanings she didn’t quite understand. Throughout the morning, Courtney and Richard met and parted numerous times, too busy for any odd banter.

After spending the entire morning being pulled around, Courtney had a brief lunch before it was time to prepare for the actual wedding ceremony. Before she knew it, she had been brought to the grand temple near the palace. The maids whisked her into a backroom and began fussing over her appearance.

“Wah! Wait, hold on!”

“Please bear with us, Lady Devon!”

As she had noticed before, the palace servants were kind but utterly relentless. They gave her no chance to resist.

While one person fixed her hair, another erased and redrew her facial features with makeup. A group of maids added more and more embellishments to her gown. With every expert’s touch, the Courtney Devon in the mirror transformed into a beautiful bride, though Courtney felt as though her soul had drifted elsewhere.

“Huu…”

The head maid surveyed the finished product with a satisfied smile. The other maids looked equally proud. Courtney, who had done nothing but sit there, was already exhausted, slumped in her chair. The only relief was the magic anklet that kept her from sweating.

Once she regained her poise, the head maid asked her,

“The guests are arriving. Shall I bring your family in?”

“Uh… yes.”

Courtney replied, hesitating before nodding. She had no desire to see her parents or brother and his wife, but she did want to see Edvard.

Once the head maid left, the rest of the maids told her to relax and cleared the room. Courtney sat there quietly for a moment, staring into the mirror.

Her black hair, neatly pulled up with only a few strands left loose, shone with a smooth gloss. She remembered a time when she had wondered if it was hair or just fur. Who knew that with a few months of care, it could change so much?

A glittering tiara adorned her head, and her neck and ears were draped with jewels worth more than an entire mansion. The lace-covered gown sparkled with the dusting of gemstone powder.

‘I guess I don’t look all that bad?’

Courtney admired the perfectly crafted version of herself in the mirror. Just then, a knock came at the door.

“Yes!”

The door opened slightly, and she caught a glimpse of golden hair. It was too tall to be Edvard.

“Courtney.”

Richard peeked his head in. Courtney blinked in surprise, having only expected to see him at the ceremony.

“Richard?”

He slipped inside and quickly closed the door behind him, mindful of the strict priests who would make a scene if they discovered him here.

Courtney had been about to scold him for being where he wasn’t supposed to be, but the words vanished when she saw him.

His golden hair was slicked back, and he wore a black ceremonial outfit with blue accents and an elaborate sash. He was always a striking man, but seeing him fully dressed for their wedding made her heart race. He was breathtaking.

Richard felt the same. He had come to steal a glance at his bride, but the sight of her took his breath away. Her beauty exceeded his expectations.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, simply staring at each other. Finally, Richard let out a long breath.

“Courtney… Haa, you look utterly stunning.”

His sincere compliment made her shy, and she lowered her gaze. She wasn’t used to receiving compliments, especially from a man as beautiful as Richard, which made her feel even more self-conscious. She mumbled a reply.

“The maids did a good job… Does it look okay?”

“Yes. More than okay.”

Was she imagining it, or did his gaze seem heated? Even though his tastes weren’t exactly conventional, the way he looked at her—filled with desire—wasn’t unpleasant.

Blushing, Courtney nervously shifted her legs under her dress.