The Silvanus delegates, knights, and handmaids tried to keep their composure in their seats as much as possible. But despite acting like they weren’t, their eyes continued to roam the entire ceremonial hall.
This was because the gorgeously decorated ceremonial hall was so different from what they expected.
The royal family’s grand hall could be explained as the culmination of Irugo’s tremendous polishing industry.
A land of fire and iron.
True to its name, Irugo’s metallurgy branch was very advanced. Their most advanced technology was concentrated on sword making but of course, ornaments and interior designs also benefitted plenty from that brilliant technology.
Their gold was polished to the limit, and their gems were cut precisely for the most optimal reflection. Even the same gem would have different economic potential depending on how it was cut.
The eyes of the Silvanus people widened when they saw the ceremonial hall full of various sparkling jewels.
‘I thought it was just…a barbarian country.’
That was definitely how they ridiculed it and looked down on it. However, they couldn’t dare say that this was barbaric.
‘Wait, that can’t be an Argen-Aqua, right?’
Argen-Aqua.
A silvery-white tree that glowed with pure white light and was filled with sap that glowed blue.
Just like how the sap of a pine tree turned into amber gems after a long time, the same was true of the sap of the silver-white tree.
The crystallized sap was treated as a jewel and called an Argen-Aqua.
Unlike other gems that reflected light, the Argen-Aqua was unique in that it emitted its own light.
‘Money alone doesn’t guarantee that you can get it too…’
Because the habitat of the silver-white tree was in the demonic beast plains, people had to risk their lives to get one. It was like a gem that couldn’t be mined despite knowing where the vein was.
That rarity further raised the value of the Argen-Aquas.
Even the Silvanus Imperial palace only had a few Argen-Aquas.
‘And none of them are this big.’
Even when they saw an Argen-Aqua the size of two fingers, they raved about how big it was.
However, in this ceremonial hall, the interior was decorated with crystallized Argen Aqua and even the wood of the silver-white tree was used.
And not only that…
‘That’s the flower, right? The one the King sent…’
All the flowers inside were fully bloomed and looked colorful and beautiful. And among them, there was a flower that stood out the most, an immaculate white rose, the size of a fist.
It has pure white petals without the slightest flaw. But its tips dripped with pink dew, like the cheeks of a shy maiden.
‘The Lubor rose that can only be grown in the garden of the Queen of Irugo.’[1]
The flower that the first King of Irugo personally cultivated and grew for his beloved queen. Because of that, it could not be grown anywhere other than the Queen’s garden.
They heard that the King of Irugo personally asked the Queen about her giving flowers to congratulate this wedding. In order to prove that she did not intentionally remove their seat during the official audience with the delegation, the Queen had no choice but to send flowers to the wedding ceremony hall while gritting her teeth.
Even amid other flowers that displayed their various colors, shapes, and scents, the Lubor showed off its pure and elegant appearance.
Unlike the Silvanus Imperial Palace where everything was arranged to match each other perfectly, the Irugo style did not look artificial overall, and it created a natural atmosphere.
But if you scrutinize everything by itself, it was displaying the epitome of luxury.
‘To think this is the wedding ceremony of that scorned princess.’
It was luxurious and extravagant, but elegant and refined, befitting of a royal wedding. It was a wedding that surpassed the word ‘perfect’ alone.
She was a princess who wore clothes worse than that of a mistress’ child, let alone a young miss of a Baron family.
Who would have thought that a princess who couldn’t even eat a proper piece of bread would end up having such a luxurious wedding?
The stiff faces were ablaze with jealousy.
‘How can the princess turn her life around with just one marriage!’
‘She shouldn’t be treated like this; this is ridiculous! For a nuisance is so much lesser than me!’
They were incensed that the princess they had looked down on for not knowing anything had risen to the top with just one marriage.
It never even crossed their mind that the Princess’ status was higher than theirs from the beginning.
They even forgot that they had ridiculed this marriage as a union with a barbarian and derided the princess as someone who was sent to die.
They only felt envious that Aristine was having a wedding that she shouldn’t be worth having.
* * *
The Irugo people sitting on the other side of the wedding guest area were also thinking about today’s bride, Aristine.
“What kind of person is she?”
“According to the people who saw the Princess at the last welcome banquet, she is very pretty.”
“For a Silvanian, I’m sure. I doubt there’s anything to see.”
“They’re so small, you know.”
“I think the Silvanus people are pretty. They’re small and cute. Their personalities are nasty though.”
The people who were discussing the bride that they were yet to see, glanced at Dionna who was sitting in the distance.
“But I wonder what will happen to Dionna and His Highness Tarkan.”
They lowered their voice and whispered.
“Why are you linking the two of them? Are they really in that kind of relationship?”
“Aren’t they? It seems like that when you look at Dionna’s attitude.”
“His Highness also keeps her by his side.”
“I think he’s just not chasing her away.”
Their opinions differed on Tarkan and Dionna’s relationship, but they agreed on one thing.
“The princess is a bit pitiful.”
They were saying Aristine was lesser, compared to Dionna.
“I mean, her comparison is Dionna of all people.”
Dionna’s beauty was exceptionally prominent today. Her dress emphasized her ample breasts and slender body, making her stand out even more.
With her mature and sensual beauty, Dionna was popular with not only men but women too.
“No matter how beautiful the princess is, she’s a Silvanian so there are limits, ethnic-wise.”
“Won’t she look like a child if she stands next to Dionna?”
“And in the eyes of His Highness Tarkan who is used to Dionna’s beauty…”
They all shook their heads and clicked their tongues.
Before even seeing Aristine, they were certain she was worse than Dionna.**
Right then, a loud voice rang out through the hall.
“The groom, His Highness Tarkan, and the bride, Her Highness Aristine, are entering!”
It was the entrance of the wedding’s bride and groom.
The moment the two of them appeared side by side, the somewhat rowdy ceremonial hall became quiet like the previous noise was a lie.
Even the reporters who were waiting forgot to take pictures.
The sight of the two of them walking side by side felt unreal.
Tarkan, who was dressed in a formal robe, was attractive enough to make one sigh. His tall stature, broad shoulders, well-proportioned muscles were perfectly supported by his clothes. His usually careless and rough side was confined by his attire.
His restrained appearance stimulated the people who saw him in an ascetic manner to see him differently. [2]
Whether single or married, even if they were an old man with white hair, everyone looked at Tarkan with excitement.
The flashy distinguished medals lined over his chest made all their hearts flutter.
Seeing the proof of honor given only to the best warrior, the warriors watching the wedding couldn’t help but sniffle.
Their faces looked like they wanted to scream, ‘my lord is so cool!’.
And as for the bride whom he was escorting—.
‘Ah…’
Those who were convinced that the princess would be inferior to Dionna and even felt sorry for the princess forgot what they were going to say.
At this moment, they forgot to even compare the Princess with Dionna. Dionna completely disappeared from their minds.
They felt that if there was such a thing as absolute beauty, it would be referring to this new bride.
Their prejudice that she would be unattractive because of her small stature was grinding into dust and faded away.
Aristine, who was walking next to Tarkan’s huge self, obviously looked small.
But that was actually what made her stand out instead.
Aristine, who looked delicate and refined as if even a single eyelash of hers was personally crafted by god, and Tarkan, with a rugged and wild charm that seemed to overwhelm the earth.
Because their charms differed so much from each other, it made their appeal even more pronounced.
This was the perfect wedding.
Not because of the lavish ceremonial hall, or the outstanding formal robe and wedding dress.
‘Face geniuses…!’ [3]
This is why they say the face completes everything; this wedding ceremony was perfect with just the bride and groom flaunting their beauty.
The image of the two of them walking at a steady pace with their arms linked was vividly engraved in people’s minds.
Click—.
The reporter’s hand slipped and pressed the shutter because they were staring blankly.
The hall was so quiet that such a small noise sounded so loud.
The other reporters came to their senses at that sound and hurriedly began to press their shutters.
This was not just for saving information.
They burned with a sense of duty to make this image known to the general populace and leave it for future generations.
The performing band, which had also paused, began to play again after hearing that shutter sound. Almost as if their artistic souls were inspired, the wedding marching tunes suddenly sounded more expressive.
Somehow, even the gems looked like they were sparkling as hard as they could, the flowers seemed to bloom even more, and even the path that the bride and groom were walking on looked like it was doing its best to support them.
Translator’s Corner:
[1] I am pretty certain this is a made up flower.
[2] Ascetic: someone who practices severe self-discipline and abstention.
[3] Face Genius: This is a term used to refer to people with gorgeous and charismatic visuals that are practically genius/perfect. I want to call it something else but I can only find the literal translation. If you can think of another term, please let me know in the comments.
