Chapter 138
Alter went all around the capital to prepare the wedding trousseau.
Traditionally, before marriage, newlyweds would furnish their new home with new furniture.
At the same time, he intended to check the wedding gifts and the ceremony venue, reviewing the overall plan.
'At least I won't need to buy a house.'
This alone meant he could save a significant amount.
Since Brillie had been chosen as the next head of house, she would inherit the duke's house's wealth as well.
Of course, Duke Illenat would bequeath some of the funds to the other children, but the main properties, including the mansion, could only be owned by the next head.
'Aside from furniture and decorations, there doesn't seem to be much to buy...'
Of course, Alter even considered that a luxury.
The mansion of the duke's house was already well-furnished to accommodate both family members and employees.
There were countless rooms and furniture inside, and even the decorative items were far from few.
In reality, it felt like excessive waste simply justified by marriage.
'But I can't ruin the atmosphere. It's the first marriage for both me and Brillie, isn't it?'
If only the ceremony itself was considered, it would seem like just another ordinary event.
Yet, for the people involved, it was a dignified and noble occasion, so it held a unique symbolic meaning.
For that reason, regardless of the massive expenses, he felt the need to commemorate that symbolism.
'The wedding gifts are important, too...'
"Lord Alter, aren't you tired? We've been walking for quite some time..."
"No. This much isn't tiring."
"Still. What if you collapse or something?"
"In the past, that might have happened, but I'm fine now. Even if I run now, there shouldn't be any problem."
Alter replied calmly and looked at Brillie.
Brillie, while walking by his side, showed a hint of worry in her eyes.
Twice he had fainted due to the curse, and sometimes even felt fatigue in battle.
It was only natural that she would be worried no matter where or what they did.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"But even if I collapse... you'd rescue me, wouldn't you, lady Brillie? So there's nothing to worry about."
"I'm not a priest, you know. I'd probably have to carry you all the way to the cathedral."
"Isn't that enough? That's why I can trust you."
Alter slowly paced around, looking at the furniture.
He was already used to these things, so there was no reason to have doubts.
He just believed it would be like that and entrusted his safety to Brillie.
"How does this one look here?"
"The color isn't bad. If we put it in the room, it'll look even brighter."
"Is it better to furnish all the rooms similarly?"
"Shouldn't there be a few differences? If everything feels the same every time, that'd get boring, right?"
"Now that our rooms will be next to each other... I guess it doesn't matter anymore."
Brillie reflected on the room's layout, then soon nodded.
Currently, her room and Alter's were quite far apart.
But, after the wedding, they would move into a new room.
From then on, they'd go back and forth between rooms in the mansion, living their newlywed life.
"Um... After the wedding, we'll probably spend a lot of time in either my room or yours, lady Brillie, won't we? Maybe changing each room's atmosphere here and there could help."
"So... you're talking about the wedding night, right?"
"Well... married couples do spend nights together often. It's a bit embarrassing to say it like this, but we can't hide it forever."
"......"
Brillie, though quiet, glanced at Alter stealthily.
Alter, seeming quite embarrassed, turned his face the other way.
She had wondered if he might be shy about such matters, but to think he would be the first to bring it up.
"Don't worry about it too much. It's not like we have to rush, right?"
"But... I've messed that up before. I made things difficult for you by rushing in."
"What? Ah... no, it wasn't that. I acted recklessly at the time. I couldn't control myself because I was drunk."
Brillie muttered quietly, covering her face.
She felt she should have been more careful, but ended up burdening Alter instead.
Maybe it would have been right to take things slower after the wedding.
"That's why you might hesitate now, lady Brillie. If so, I might feel a bit troubled too, right?"
"... Lord Alter."
Brillie stopped in place and approached Alter. Then, moving closer, she whispered right into his ear.
"I'm ready. That time, it was just a brief mistake."
"....."
"You said that for my sake, right? It wasn't your fault. Besides, you didn't push me away."
"....."
"If you want, we can wait until later. Both of us have things we need to do, right?"
"....."
"Our marriage won't be complete until we have a child together, right? That's just the way it must be with our families."
"Yes, that's true."
"But I won't let our families bind me. To me, you're the most important."
"I didn't say that because of the families. I just thought it was right to consider your wishes, lady Brillie."
"....."
Brillie hesitated a moment, then let a gentle smile spread on her face.
Though he always wanted to talk only with reason and seriousness, to her, it came across as a simple and ordinary act.
That's why, rather than just hugging him, she accepted his intentions.
"Are you really all right? You don't have to feel responsible. Both you and I are only part of a political marriage, aren't we?"
"I still don't understand my own feelings. But at least my desire to be with you, lady Brillie, hasn't changed. So, I will take responsibility for you."
"I'm not so different from you, but... I'll respect you as well. I'll take responsibility for you too."
At last, Brillie stepped back and faced Alter directly.
Her once delicate and graceful features now carried a hint of serious resolution.
Even if she might not truly love him, she was willing to accept him as her companion.
"Lord Alter, you once said you weren't manly that time. Do you remember?"
"Yes. I did say that."
"Let me make it clear. You were wrong. Lord Alter, you really are manly. My heart trembles because of you."
"Uh..."
Alter stared at Brillie blankly, lost for words.
Brillie gently took his hand, her eyes filled with warmth.
In an instant, Alter found himself being led by Brillie.
"Is there somewhere you want to go?"
"No. Nowhere. I just want to walk with you, Lord Alter."
"Don't we need to buy the wedding trousseau?"
"We can buy it later. Or buy less. There's plenty of furniture in the mansion already, right?"
"Yes. That should be fine."
Alter caressed Brillie's hand as they walked slowly.
He would no longer have to worry about matters relating to marriage.
He and Brillie both seemed to already understand what needed to be done.
'This should be enough. There's nothing more I could wish for.'
* * *
Zair personally came down to the capital to attend their wedding.
He couldn't stay long, but he at least wanted to witness the wedding before he left.
In essence, he was standing in for Uriel, so he knew not to intervene too much in the ceremony.
"... Are the preparations complete?"
"Yes."
"You're dressed well enough. That will do."
Zair examined Alter's wedding attire and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He hadn't felt at ease since sending Alter to the capital, but somehow things had reached the wedding.
What's more, with the curse lifted and Alter named the next great mage, the foundation for his future was secure.
"Do you feel uneasy?"
"Rather than uneasy... I think I'm just a little nervous."
"It's hard for anyone to accept their first time. You just need to get through this moment, so don't worry."
"Yes. I should do that."
Alter replied vaguely, but he couldn't calm his pounding heart.
It still didn't feel real that he was marrying Brillie in front of so many guests.
And with the honeymoon still ahead, confusion just intensified.
"Alter."
"Yes."
"It may feel awkward on your wedding night. But your fiancé will probably feel the same, so it's okay for you to take the first step."
"Ah... I'll try."
Alter, suddenly reminded of what happened before, felt tension grip him.
To be honest, he didn't feel confident about leading things on their wedding night.
He feared only that he might disappoint Brillie.
"As you build a life together, there will be differences of opinion. You'll even argue. When that happens, you should be the first to yield."
"Yes. That way, things will stay peaceful."
"Your fiancé will be the next head of the duke's house. Once she inherits, she'll have considerable power. Wouldn't that put you at a disadvantage?"
Zair was already considering Brillie's future position.
It wasn't that he doubted Brillie's character or convictions.
He just recognized that people could change depending on the environment and circumstances.
"... Are you telling me to be wary of my fiancé?"
"This isn't about a political marriage. Even if love is the reason, people's feelings don't stay the same forever."
"But, father, didn't you trust Mother?"
"You and I are different. Just because I was like that doesn't mean you have to be. Can you really trust your fiancé completely?"
"I trust her. She's someone who would give up her life for me."
Zair fell silent, gazing at Alter.
Before leaving the northern territory, his son had been so frail.
But now, his blue eyes shone with their true resolve.
"Father. I want you to remember one thing. My fiancé distinguished herself in the northern territory. Shouldn't she be treated as an honorable knight?"
"I can treat her as a knight. But being the next head of the duke's house is different. Power... it twists a person's heart. You know that well enough, don't you?"
"Are you talking about the current Emperor?"
"The current Emperor rebuilt the imperial household. She had cause, and other nobles joined her. But really, nothing changes. Didn't she rebel out of greed for the throne?"
Alter unconsciously agreed with this.
The current Emperor, consumed by ambition, was destined for rebellion one way or another.
That was why she directly executed her sibling, and the attempted coup by another sibling ended with a purge of royals and nobles alike.
Zair, seeing through all of this, projected his suspicions even onto Brillie.
"... My fiancé is different. She would never kill for power."
"If that's what you believe, I'll say no more. You must have your own reasons."
Alter vividly remembered what Brillie had once said.
She declared that she would become Duke Illenat for his sake.
How could someone like that be swallowed by greed?
'I'll trust Brillie. Even if she doesn't love me... at least she will not betray what's right.'