"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is waiting for you."
Hearing the news from Rina, Blair returned straight to the Princess Palace.
The moment she entered the reception room, Katrina's hand greeted her.
Slap!
Blair's body staggered from the sudden slap.
"Y-Your Highness!"
Rina, who had followed behind, hurriedly embraced the staggering Blair.
Katrina raised her hand once more but couldn't bring it down, bursting with rage instead.
"There's a limit to disrespecting your mother! How could you go to that woman on the eve of your wedding? That woman who tried to kill you!"
Though her cheek stung, Blair looked at Katrina with calm eyes, not uttering a single groan.
Katrina, who was deeply complexed about her lowly birth, was extremely conscious of others' gazes. No matter what she felt inside, she tried to act as much like a noble—elegant and refined—as possible.
For such a woman to personally resort to slapping was rare.
Blair had touched Katrina's reverse scale.
"I'm your mother! I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you in pain. Me, not that woman!"
Madness flickered in her violet eyes, identical to Blair's own.
Blair sneered inwardly at the sight.
Her mother, who detested Blair's fondness for Esmeralda, in truth saw her daughter merely as a chess piece for her son.
From around the time Blair began developing a woman's figure, Katrina strictly managed her daughter's weight.
If she exceeded the target weight even slightly, she would flog the maids of the Princess Palace until blood ran from their calves and starve them, claiming it was punishment for not serving their lady devotedly.
Katrina whispered that it was all for Blair's sake.
'Think of that woman's miserable end, unloved. Jealous and envious of those loved until she self-destructed—what a pitiful, useless life.'
'....'
'You must become a woman who is loved, Blair. Like your mother.'
And thereby become a solid pillar for this imperial family that your brother and I have built....
Whenever Blair felt she had gained even a little weight, she would thrust her hand down her throat and vomit up everything she had eaten.
It was agonizing, tears streaming from the nausea, but it was okay. She thought it was okay.
This is all because Mother cares about me and worries for me.
As long as I endure, the maids won't be punished instead, Mother won't hate me, and everyone sees me as beautiful and pretty.
Everyone loves me.
Yes, it's okay.
If I can just be loved, this is truly nothing....
But the moment she held her newborn Asiel, she realized.
'You must make Herdin del Mark fall for you. And thereby make him a sturdy ally for your brother. Understood?'
If it were true love, she couldn't prioritize her son over her daughter on the eve of her wedding.
If it were true love, she couldn't find the sight of her beloved child messily eating unlovable.
No matter what others said, to her eyes, this child was so lovely and precious.
Though it hurt, she could no longer deny it. Katrina's love for her was not love.
That was why.
She could finally defy Katrina's words.
"Since when have you ever cherished me so much, Mother?"
Katrina flinched at Blair's calm yet resentful voice and gaze.
"You...!"
Stunned by her daughter's sudden change from always clinging desperately for her love, Katrina raised her hand again.
At that moment, Blair spoke.
"Wouldn't it be a problem if the bride's face got scarred?"
At Blair's words, Katrina's hand, poised to strike, hesitated.
Trembling with barely contained fury, Katrina finally lowered her hand.
"So you've finally driven a nail into your mother's heart. Ungrateful child..."
Katrina stormed out of the reception room, brushing past Blair and Rina.
Blair closed her eyes, listening to the fading sound of her heels.
The sound was somewhat heartbreaking, yet also relieving.
It was the end of her toxic one-sided love.
* * *
The wedding took place at a temple on the outskirts of the Capital.
Vast crowds gathered to witness the marriage of the Emperor's only sister and the Duke of del Mark—not just nobles, but commoners as well.
In the bride's waiting room, the dedicated maids were fervently finishing Blair's preparations as the star of the day.
"Still, the swelling has gone down a lot, so that's a relief."
A maid adjusting her skin makeup carefully stroked Blair's cheek, which had been slapped by Katrina the day before, and sighed in relief.
"It's all thanks to you. Mother should give you a generous reward."
"The Empress Dowager went too far. What is this on the bride's face?"
Blair simply smiled faintly at the maid venting as if she were more upset.
At that moment, Rina, who had approached with the veil, glanced out the window and let out a small gasp.
"Oh, it's snowing outside."
"Even the gods must have come to celebrate Your Highness's wedding."
Looking out, tiny white snowflakes were indeed fluttering down. Snow had fallen on her first wedding day as well.
Blair gazed at those snowflakes she had once watched with excitement and fear, now with calm eyes.
The tranquility was broken by a knock.
"Are the preparations complete?"
Hearing Ivan's voice, the maids quickly placed the veil over Blair. The bride's beauty was to be seen first by the groom alone.
The maids bowed their heads as Ivan entered the bride's waiting room.
"If you're ready, let's go."
Ivan approached Blair and extended his hand.
Blair stared at his hand for a moment before placing hers atop it.
As they exited the bride's waiting room together, Ivan spoke.
"The surest way for a woman to establish herself in her husband's family is to bear a son. You know that, right?"
Blair showed no reaction.
Ivan was dissatisfied with his silent sister, even after his brotherly advice born of concern.
"And as your brother, I'll advise you: you're too stiff like an old lady. Being a proper lady is fine, but in bed, you need to act a bit like a seductress to be loved."
"...."
"Mother was very worried."
Blair, who had kept her mouth shut throughout, finally spoke at the word 'Mother.'
"Please tell her not to worry, that her daughter will live well anywhere, Brother."
Anywhere on this continent.
Once this contract marriage ended, Blair planned to escape her imperial duties and live freely, traveling with her beloved son Asiel.
As Blair emerged holding Ivan's hand, the vast crowd waiting before them welcomed her.
The nobles couldn't hold back their admiration at Blair's silhouette beneath the veil.
Even with the veil, her face wasn't completely hidden.
"My goodness, she looks just like an angel descended from heaven."
"Like the fairy of the snow, too."
Herdin let the nobles' praises flow in one ear and out the other as he watched Ivan and Blair approach.
To him, it was a wedding that stirred no emotion.
Ivan, now before him, handed Blair over to Herdin.
"She's a precious child we raised with care. Please cherish her."
"As His Majesty commands."
The two, hand in hand, stood side by side before Pope Gerard, who was officiating.
He smiled contentedly at them.
"Seeing Your Highness grown safe and well, able to marry, fills me with pride."
He was the one who had saved Blair's life when she was injured in the Empress's Palace fire.
He had also attended the late Duke couple's funeral in his capacity as Pope and personally paid his respects.
Thus, their ties had led to him officiating today.
The ceremony proceeded.
Amid the crowd more excited than the couple themselves at the Empire's most beautiful pair's wedding, only the two principals remained nonchalant.
"Then, finally, please share the vow's kiss."
Herdin lifted Blair's veil. At that moment, their eyes met.
In an instant, his eyes, serene like a winter lake, rippled faintly.
The pure white dress and soft platinum hair accentuated every color upon her.
The slightly flushed white face beneath the veil, the amethyst-like transparent violet eyes upon it, and her crimson lips.
Snowflakes drifting hazily beyond the window formed the backdrop.
Snow fairy.
A woman in pure white to whom the term perfectly suited.
Thinking the nobles' praise wasn't entirely empty, Herdin willingly pressed his lips to the fairy's.
* * *
After the wedding at the temple, a banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
It was a feast the Emperor hosted to share the imperial family's joyous occasion with all. Yet, in consideration of the newlyweds, he allowed Herdin and Blair to leave first.
Russ finished organizing the documents that had arrived for Herdin that day and opened the door to leave the office.
At the same time, he bumped into a large shadow.
"Ack, you scared me!"
Before him stood Herdin in his robe, hair still damp as if he had come straight after washing.
Russ patted his startled chest and looked at him.
"Why are you here at this hour?"
"Do I need a reason to come to my own office?"
"No, I mean, it's your wedding first night today?"
"I have documents to handle."
"There's no urgent matter requiring attention on your wedding day."
"You seem to wish I wouldn't come to the office."
"Of course. Who'd want to be alone with their boss at this late hour? Especially the boss they just married today."
A boss visiting the office with his aide instead of the bride's bedroom on their wedding first night.
It was a combination that could spark strange rumors.
Ignoring Russ writhing in dreadful imagination, Herdin passed by indifferently and sat at the office desk, lighting a cigar.
Workaholic, total workaholic.
Russ stuck out his tongue at Herdin actually reviewing documents, then cautiously asked,
"...By the way, what are you going to do from now on?"
Though the object was omitted, Herdin understood what Russ meant.
"She said she'll fully cooperate in recovering memories related to the incident ten years ago."
"Really?"
"Yes. Whether she truly lost her memories or is pretending for some other purpose, I don't know."
Though he had accepted Blair's proposal and married her, he still couldn't trust her.
'...It doesn't matter either way.'
No matter her purpose, she was now in his grasp, and he could use her to uncover the truth while she was there.
Watching Herdin lost in thought, Russ carefully asked,
"But are you really not going to the bedroom?"
Herdin suddenly recalled the woman who had worn the same doll-like expression beside him all day.
A chill settled in his blue eyes as he pictured that white face.
She must have collapsed from exhaustion anyway. It had been a grueling day for such a frail woman.
And above all, there was no need for first-night formalities in a contract marriage. She must feel the same.
His thoughts reached that point, and suddenly, he changed his mind.
Herdin, who had been touching his lips while deep in thought, stood up.
"Are you going?"
To Russ's question, Herdin replied leisurely.
"I suddenly got curious."
What expression that doll-like woman would make at the unwelcome visit of her husband.