For a split second, Edgar wondered if he was supposed to cross his fingers. However, unlike Rubica who could cover her hand with the bouquet, he had nothing.
Besides, he really had nothing to feel guilty about in front of god.
It wasn’t like he was in love with another woman. Furthermore, as he was marrying Rubica, his pride wasn’t going to permit him to neglect his duty as her husband.
‘Why does he have to say true love instead of swearing marriage.’
Edgar didn’t like it, but nevertheless, he replied.
I do.
Rubica was surprised to hear this. He said ‘I do’ instead of ‘yes’ in front of Hue? What kind of man was he?
However, that thought didn’t last for long as what the priest said next made her mind go blank.
It is time to kiss to prove it in front of Hue.
Kiss?
Why should we kiss?
How on earth could I have forgotten that?
Rubica wanted to cry out loud about her own foolishness. She had been distracted by the pretty wedding dress and decoration of the wedding hall and forgotten what mattered the most.
According to Hue’s holy book that was given to mankind by nymphs one day, a wedding vow done in front of a god had to be finished with a kiss. That had to be done no matter what, whether the wedding was small or big.
Then…
The priest gave them the signal, so Edgar turned first to look at Rubica.
Rubica realized she was supposed to do the same, but she couldn’t as her body was frozen. Her head said it was necessary and she had to get over with it, but her body didn’t agree.
The bride is shy.
The high priest misinterpreted Rubica’s hesitation and spoke to encourage her. Hesitating more was going to make others suspicious, but she couldn’t be brave. Then, Edgar abruptly grabbed her waist. He made her look at him.
It was like his hand around her waist was on fire. His hand had always been cold, but not this time. Soon the golden veil was removed, and she could see his face clearly.
‘… it’s okay. His face is beautiful, but I’ve seen it many times now. I must have gotten used to it.’
However, her heart ignored her opinion and started to beat fast again. It had no choice as this time was different from the last encounter.
‘So close!’
Their faces were so close that she could hear him breathing, but his face was perfect even in such a close distance. His blue eyes that reflected the lights from his circlet were like a clear ocean reflecting sunlight.
No word would be good enough to describe those blue eyes, and they were looking straight at Rubica.
And that beautiful face was leaning close to her.
‘Oh no!’
Rubica was not immune to such things. What she liked was to watch beautiful couple whispering love from far away.
What can be more beautiful than a couple kissing without caring about others looking at them? When she got to see that, her heart fluttered, and she felt warm. However, she didn’t wish to be kissed by a charming man that much.
The kiss between a charming man and a beautiful woman, she preferred watching it. Getting to see two beautiful people at once was like catching two birds with one stone. But now that it was happening to her, it felt totally different than what she had vaguely imagined.
The breath coming out under Edgar’s sharp nose tickled her face, and his scent warmly shrouded her. She could see herself in those clear blue eyes.
‘Ahhh!’
In the end, she couldn’t overcome the upcoming reality and closed her eyes. Soon something soft touched her lips. She thought Edgar’s lips were very much soft and warm.
As his hand had been cold whenever she held it, she expected his lips to be like that as well, but they weren’t. She even wondered how inside those soft lips would feel like.
‘… he will go away now.’
Rubica thought Edgar would pull back as their lips had met. There were many beautiful noblewomen in the capital, and Edgar was a duke. There must have been many ladies, actresses, and singers who wanted him.
He could date any woman. So, he probably would want to kiss that kind of beautiful woman instead of an ordinary woman like Rubica…
‘Huh?’
His lips didn’t go away. Rather, he started to rub them on Rubica’s lips, and she could feel her face getting hot.
It didn’t have to be done this properly!
Rubica tried to take a step back to get away from him, but his hand was faster than her. He dragged her even closer. Rubica’s waist touched Edgar’s body. Thrilling sensations spread to her entire body and dominated her. She leaned slightly backward at the sudden gesture and her lips were opened.
Something soft came in through that crack. It carefully felt her teeth and soon rubbed itself against the roof of her mouth. Then, it moved around on the inside quite freely.
Rubica thought it was time to push him away, but she was drunk with the good feeling the tongue made her feel and his scent.
Most followers of beauty think beauty is only in what is seen.
However, those people don’t know anything.
Beauty is in everything, things that are heard, eaten, smelled, and felt. Among them, touching is the most primitive beauty that humans feel first.
Newborn babies cannot see well as their eyes are thin layers. They feel comfortable when something soft they can grab nurtures them and pats them.
Babies love that feeling of beauty. Even after they get to feel something clearly, when they find something interesting, they put it in their mouths to add more information to what they heard and seen.
Yes. The tongue is a delicate and sensitive organ that lets us ‘feel’ beauty the most clearly. Plus, when you cannot see, you have no choice but to rely on what you can feel.
Too late, Rubica regretted closing her eyes. However, she couldn’t find the courage to open them again. Edgar’s hand holding her waist tightly and his soft tongue that moved in her mouth controlled her every sensation.
‘… ah.’
There wasn’t any scent of booze or sweat that most men had. Instead, a fresh scent like that of the deep forest tickled the end of her nose.
Why was he so beautiful in every way?
Rubica couldn’t control her body, drunken by the feeling she had never felt before. Her lower body lost strength. If Edgar’s strong hand had not been there holding her, she would have fallen right away. She couldn’t do anything at the surging feeling. She just endured Edgar as he passionately kissed her.
Haa.
His lips went away only when she was out of her breath. Rubica breathed hard and inhaled the air. Then, she glared at Edgar. There was something strange but hot in the blue eyes that had been so cold. And as he looked back at her, he looked so surprised.
‘What is that expression? I am the one who should be surprised.’
Hmm, hmm.
Andre, who had been shocked by the passionate kiss, barely came to his senses and cleared his throat.
The wedding vow has been finished. I give both of you the blessing of Hue.
Andre drew the sign of blessing on their foreheads. He was moved by their kiss, so he did his best to say every blessing he knew.
Because of the serious high priest and as the wedding was taking place, Rubica missed her chance to accuse Edgar right on the spot. Because of their passionate kiss, even the witnesses were looking at them with joy.
‘Was he after this effect? Or was he just being mean?’
Many thoughts crossed her mind as she tried to find an answer to Edgar’s sudden kissing. But no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t find the answer. If he had been after any purpose or just been mean, he shouldn’t have looked so surprised.
And for last, please sign the written oath. The abbey will keep one copy and the other belongs to the new couple.
The two witnesses signed the document first. Rubica’s witness was a famous scholar who lived near the Berner Mansion, but she had never seen him before.
‘It’s not like I knew anyone for them to be my witness, so…’
After they finished signing, Rubica looked at the document that was now in front of her without any change of expression. After the first page that was almost the same with the wedding pledge the high priest had recited, she saw the witnesses’ signatures, so she signed on the next page under her printed name. Then, she tried to hand it to Edgar, but Andre stopped her.
Your new name is under here. You must sign under that as well, but only write your name.
Rubica was shocked to see where he was pointing at.
<Friend of Sepiraritous, founder of the Seritos Kingdom, son of Marquis Savonne, descendant of Giovanni the Protector, liberator of Westwindland…>
The extremely long title and name went on an on. The high priest looked as if he could understand how Rubica was feeling. He flipped it and showed her where she was supposed to sign. The title of the Berner Baronet, that she had agreed to give to the Claymore Family as she married, was written there at last.
‘I made all that fuss over such an unimportant title that can only come at the end…’
She smiled bitterly, but she liked the Baronet Berner title more than any other title that came after the name Claymore.
It was not just because it was her father’s title. Other titles were earned by killing or displacing someone, but that title had been earned by saving lives.
‘It’s good that the name Berner will still officially be mine even after the marriage.’
Rubica signed and gave Edgar the document. Then, she signed on the copy for the abbey as well.
The ritual is now finished. May you be a happy couple till the end of your life.
