ITD

CHAPTER XLl

At that moment…

“There’s a hidden room back here?”

“A wedding at the Grand Temple? Courtney, I’m so jealous.”

“Ellie, should we have another wedding?”

“Oh, Freddy, stop it.”

“Gramma, I gotta pee.”

“Oh? Ellie! Take Eddy to the restroom.”

Courtney’s family’s voices echoed down the hall. Wide-eyed, Courtney frantically cried out.

“Richard, hide!”

Courtney recalled the instructions she had received about the wedding ceremony. She was warned not to break any of the rituals set by the temple, or they’d have to reschedule and start the ceremony from scratch without receiving the gods’ blessings.

While Courtney wasn’t religious and didn’t care about the blessings, she absolutely did not want the wedding to be canceled.

Richard felt the same way. After waiting this long, the idea of delaying any further was unbearable. He scanned the room, looking for a place to hide.

The problem was that the room, cleared out for the bride, had no place where a large man like Richard could conceal himself. Accepting the lack of options, Richard responded decisively.

“I’ll go out through the window.”

“O…kay.”

As Richard headed for the window, Courtney anxiously glanced at the door, which could open any second. He won’t die if he jumps from the second floor, right? But the window, which had been secured for safety reasons, wouldn’t budge no matter how hard he pushed it.

“It won’t open?”

“No.”

“W-What should we do?”

Courtney gave Richard a desperate look, hoping he would come up with a solution. And, as always, he didn’t disappoint.

“Courtney, you trust me, right?”

“Yes, do something!”

“Then sit down.”

Confused but complying, Courtney sat in a chair. As soon as she was seated, Richard crouched down and lifted her voluminous dress.

“What are you—!”

Ignoring her protests, Richard swiftly crawled under her dress.

This crazy pervert, I should’ve known!

Courtney fumed, but before she could kick him out, the door burst open.

“Courtney—!”

First to enter the room was Patricia, dressed as flamboyantly as a peacxck. Courtney, instead of ejecting Richard, hastily adjusted her skirt.

“Y-You’re here?”

“Of course! My daughter’s becoming the Crown Prince’s consort today!”

Her family followed closely behind, all decked out in expensive silks and jewels, making them look like a flock of overdecorated crows. Courtney barely paid attention to them until she spotted her young nephew, dressed adorably like a little gentleman.

“Eddy!”

“Auntie!”

Forgetting all about the imperial pervert hiding under her dress, Courtney beamed and reached out to embrace Edvard.

As she extended her arms toward the boy, she felt… a hot breath on her legs.

“Uh… Eddy, sorry, Auntie can’t hug you right now because of my dress.”

“Okayyy. Auntie, you look so pretty! Just like a princess!”

The ever-mature Edvard didn’t whine for a hug and simply stood a step away from her. Courtney reached out and ruffled his soft, golden hair.

Meanwhile, the other blonde in the room, hidden under her dress, was gently brushing her thighs with his head. Courtney pretended to adjust her skirt, subtly trying to push his head away.

“A wedding presided over by the High Priest. How glorious this is.”

“Indeed, a true honor for the family.”

As much as Courtney wished they would leave after their greetings, her family continued to chatter. And the man under her dress was busy in his own way.

Richard pressed his lips softly to the garter around Courtney’s plump thigh. Startled, Courtney straightened her back. She tried to discreetly kick him away, but he dodged her efforts and refused to retreat.

Instead, he began licking her bare skin with his tongue and nibbling at her flesh, while his warm hands stroked her legs through the thin stockings. Courtney squeezed her legs together, but it was no use. She couldn’t see him to push him out effectively.

Thanks to the magic anklet keeping her cool, the inside of her dress had been pleasantly cool, but now it was growing uncomfortably warm from Richard’s heated breaths.

Courtney’s face started to flush a deep red, and the first to notice was Patricia.

“Courtney, are you feeling feverish?”

“N-No?”

“Your face is awfully red…”

“Auntie, are you sick?”

Suddenly, all eyes were on her. Courtney felt like her head was spinning. Richard’s mischievous hands had already wandered to her most sensitive area.

I have to get them out of here, somehow.

Desperate, Courtney blurted out,

“I’m just tired from not sleeping! I need to rest before the ceremony!”

“Uh… Is that so?”

“You could have just said that quietly, you know? Do you have to shout like that? Don’t act so vulgar in front of the Crown Prince.”

Frederick’s snide remark made Courtney’s anger flare up instantly. If only you knew that the Crown Prince is currently hiding under my dress! But she restrained herself and responded with just one word.

“Out!”

“This little—!”

“Let’s go. No need to fight on such a good day.”

Thankfully, Patricia intervened before the sibling spat could escalate. It was the one and only time in Courtney’s life her mother had actually been helpful.

“Tsk.”

“Honey, wait for me!”

Frederick snorted and left the room with his son in his arms, followed by Elise and Patricia. As Courtney sighed in relief, Count Devon spoke up.

“Alright then, I’ll see you when we walk down the aisle.”

“Yes.”

Finally, Hendrick also left the room. As soon as the door clicked shut, Courtney furiously pounded her fists on her skirt.

“Get out from under there, right now!”