TDWO Chapter 37

 

Anri wore a crown of leaves instead of a tiara.

The lady’s maids had woven it together using rose leaves they picked from the garden.

The crown made entirely of leaves, without a single flower, added a fresh touch to Anri’s pink hair.

And then there was the pure white dress.

Though the wedding dress wasn’t entirely out of sync with current trends—puff sleeves and lace were standard on every wedding gown—the dress Anri wore had no sleeves at all.

The fabric on the upper body, without a single strap on the shoulder, only covered the chest.

Her bare, delicate arms, without any sleeves.

It was precisely those arms that left the fashion-conscious guests in a state of shock.

It was as if there was a bet on whose puff sleeves were bigger.

It was normal for sleeves to be larger than the wearer’s face.

But to completely eliminate them!

Some guests even felt a tingling sensation at the back of their heads.

They had only thought of making sleeves larger, never of removing them entirely.

Moreover, the skirt!

If the puff sleeves were balloons, the skirt was a hot air balloon.

Some magazines even featured satirical illustrations of women lighting fires under their skirts to float up into the sky.

A skirt puffed up so large was a point of pride, something irreplaceable.

A crinoline to shape the dress was essential.

Yet, the dress worn by the Duke of Briston’s bride flowed gracefully without any structure at all.

It resembled a ballerina’s tutu, layered with multiple tiers of white tulle.

And atop the dress, pink rose blossoms were scattered abundantly.

Anri’s lady’s maids had embroidered leaves and stems all over the outermost layer of the dress with a subtle and vintage green thread.

On top of that, pink roses were also decoratively arranged in a three-dimensional manner.

The pink roses were made by cutting opaque fabric into petal shapes and layering them one by one. Such flowers adorned Anri’s dress beautifully.

There could be no dress more harmoniously matched with Anri’s pink hair.

The elaborate floral decorations captured people’s attention far more than any lace or ribbon embellishments could.

The flower blooms on the dress, brushing lightly against the grass, appeared like real flowers fallen in a garden.

It seemed that the roses, thought not yet in bloom, had all gathered on the bride’s dress.

However, the most radiant aspect of the bride was her fresh and vibrant face.

Each delicate eyelash stood out, and her eyelids and cheeks were tinted with a fruity, refreshing hue.

Her appearance, both pretty and cute, lovely yet somehow sensual, had a captivating allure that made one want to keep gazing at her.

Even other women found themselves instantly smitten.

‘I really like her…!’

Meanwhile, at one corner of the guest seating, Erze’s eyes gleamed brightly, her expression full of excitement as if she might jump up at any moment.

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

It was strange.

It seemed as though the sunlight shone solely on Anri.

Despite the bright freshness of the morning all around, Anri radiated an exceptionally bright glow.

It was a pure and translucent light, yet somehow imbued with a sweet, gentle warmth.

Edwin stood frozen, staring intently at Anri.

Has he ever been so captivated by anything before?

Anri, with her gaze slightly lowered, was gradually approaching the groom’s side.

Her expression was composed and serious, without a trace of a smile.

Yet, somehow, Edwin felt an odd sensation of his heart slowly swelling.

Today, Anri exuded something distinctly special, setting her apart from everyone else.

He couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.

This strange, unfamiliar feeling startled Edwin back to his senses.

Then he suddenly became aware of the atmosphere among the guests gathered in the garden.

“……”

It seemed Edwin wasn’t the only one affected by this silence.

He quietly scanned the garden.

Throughout Anri’s entrance, people couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Edwin’s brow, which had already been furrowed in seriousness, began to narrow even further.

He started to examine the expressions of the guests one by one.

People of all ages were fixated on Anri, their gazes following her every movement.

‘They look like a bunch of meerkats…’

Suddenly, Edwin noticed women comparing their dresses to Anri’s.

Puzzled by their behavior, he finally realized the reason for the discomfort he felt from Anri.

Her attire was entirely different from the usual styles he was accustomed to seeing.

Perhaps it was because it was such a special day; he hadn’t noticed right away, but the guests’ reactions made it clear that something was unique.

Anri’s dress did not have the puffed sleeves that Edwin typically found aesthetically unappealing.

It wasn’t like the cumbersome skirts of a hot air balloon that required effort to move aside each time they passed by.

When women suddenly appeared on the street, it was such a hassle to quickly adjust his waists.

The cheap crinoline was made of such weak material that it could easily break if mishandled.

In that case, the woman whose dress broke down might demand compensation from Edwin and use it as an excuse to keep contacting him…

As Edwin’s gaze swept over Anri, he noticed she had drawn closer.

Only after getting nearer did Anri lift her gaze.

‘Oh…’

Edwin, dressed in his neatly fitted red uniform, was impressive up close after only seeing him from afar.

No matter how annoying he was, it wasn’t his fault that he had a charming appearance.

The bride’s long entrance finally came to an end.

Now it was time for the bride and groom to stand together before Bishop Pope and make their vows.

In the brief moment when Anri was about to step beside Edwin, their eyes met.

Edwin seemed a bit stiff.

But Anri, lifting her chin slightly in a rather haughty manner, quickly turned her gaze away from him.

She had no intention of offering even a polite smile.

‘I haven’t forgotten that you insulted the puff sleeves, Duke…’

As she walked up to stand before Bishop Pope, Edwin’s gaze remained fixed on Anri.

Eventually, Edwin also stood beside Anri.

He pressed his lips together tightly. Though he stood casually, his eyebrows twitched slightly.

For some reason, he felt a strange sensation, as if Anri had just lightly ignored him.

Bishop Pope alternately gazed at the strikingly beautiful couple before him.

The tall groom and the fresh bride looked so well-matched that anyone could see they were meant to love each other; one couldn’t help but hope it would be so.

A satisfied smile naturally spread across Bishop Pope’s face.

The bride’s round, determined eyes sparkled, focused solely on him.

Then it was time to make their wedding vows. The guests naturally focused their attention on the bishop.

Bishop Pope turned his head toward the groom and spoke in a solemn voice.

“Do you take this woman as your wife, promising not to be jealous or controlling, but always to support and care for her, and to live together in the holy bond of marriage, loving and protecting her through times of sickness and distress?”

“…I do.”

Edwin vowed in a calm and deep voice.

It was unnecessary to make such a vow; it seemed self-evident.

Finally, Bishop Pope turned his head toward Anri.

“Do you take this man as your husband, promising not to doubt or obsess over him, always understanding and caring for him, vowing to live together in this sacred marriage, to love and protect him even when he annoys or displeases you?”

“I do.”

Anri also made her vow with a light and indifferent tone.

At this, Bishop Pope smiled with satisfaction. It was a very harmless and kind smile.

Feeling the need to respond to that smile, Anri awkwardly returned a small grin.

It was a false vow, but the bishop wouldn’t know, so it was fine.

“Now the bride and groom will exchange tokens of their vows.”

At Bishop Pope’s words, Anri and Edwin slowly faced each other.

It was time to exchange rings.

As Edwin slipped the ring onto Anri’s slender finger, she glanced up at him, stealing a look.

He was quite annoying, but she had just sworn not to feel that way.

The sight of Edwin solemnly placing the ring on the bride’s finger was, in its own way, a spectacle.

It made her feel truly cherished and respected.

The ring was set with a very large diamond. As soon as it was put on, the ring tilted as it couldn’t support the weight of the stone.

Next, Anri also gave Edwin his wedding ring.

Though it was made of precious metal, it felt as meaningless as their false vows.

It seemed as though neither of them could truly bind or claim the other.

For a moment, Anri felt sorry for the expensive ring and for Bishop Pope.

Especially with the bishop’s booming declaration that followed.

“I now declare that these two have become a sacred couple before God!”

As soon as the bishop’s words ended, applause like the sound of rain poured out.

However, there was one last ritual to complete before their exit march.

It was the moment Anri had been eagerly awaiting.

As the applause from the guests grew louder, Anri’s anticipation soared.

One of Anri’s hands still rested on top of Edwin’s.

“……”

Anri silently took in Edwin’s gaze. His eyes seemed to waver slightly.

Was Edwin hesitating too?

Kissing is indeed a difficult thing when the affection isn’t genuine.

Yet, it felt like the darkness in Edwin’s eyes was deepening. Anri remained composed.

If they simply ignored each other and exited now, the blessing would turn into doubt.

The mischievous guests might send jeers. 

A wedding is the only occasion where not kissing at the right moment can make the atmosphere awkward.

Feeling that their eye contact was lingering too long, Anri intentionally smiled brightly at Edwin to urge him on.

“Do you not like this dress?”

If they can’t even pretend to be a couple properly, it’s strange that they’re so stiff.

Then Edwin grabbed Anri’s elbow and moved in closer. His expression showed no change. He leaned in as if to whisper, bringing his face close to hers, their gazes locked on each other.

“No, it’s not that.”

Anri’s eyelashes fluttered a couple of times at the low voice that reached her along with his breath.

It seemed Edwin had a knack for making her tremble with just his actions and tone.

His eyes were so close that she could see every detail.

“I actually like it much more than I expected.”

His words came out like a whisper in the silence.

Before she could even blink, his face suddenly moved closer.

Anri instinctively shut her eyes in surprise.

“……”

The moment his lips touched her skin, her heart briefly stopped, and she felt deafened.

The applause from the guests, amplified brilliantly, sounded muffled as if it were coming from beneath the surface of water.

But something felt off.

The warmth of the fake groom was felt not on Anri’s lips, but just beside them.

It was only a slight touch, barely there.

Moreover, Edwin’s lips quickly retreated.

Anri’s long eyelashes fluttered as she blankly met his gaze.

She couldn’t quite grasp how to accept this situation.

No matter how fake the groom and bride or the wedding might be, how petty is it to just brush lips against her cheek, Duke?

What a bad guy!

She felt disappointed. Anri was deeply disappointed.

If not for this moment, there would likely never be another chance to kiss Edwin.

She already wanted to cancel the vow she made to always understand and care for her husband, to love and protect him even when he annoyed or displeased her.

‘It’s not like we’re children; if it’s going to be like this, then don’t do it at all…’

Anri silently protested, unable to hide her bitter dissatisfaction.

With her vision clouded, she turned her body away.

“……”

Though he didn’t know the cause, Edwin noticed her dissatisfied expression and thought casually.

‘Hmm, cute.’

 

TL/N: BTW, Pope is the name of Bishop not a literal Pope. ((: