The Flower of the Matrimonial Contest, The First Meeting (2)
Why?
Why of all times?
Now, at this moment.
Why did the watcher disappear right as we unveil the veils that took decades to develop, right before the long-awaited meeting?
Could it be…
Did Elden Lapellion catch on?
No.
It can’t be.
It mustn’t be.
Even Lord Gelwood said so.
If we’re talking about skills, he’s top in the industry.
There’s no way such a skilled person would be detected by someone like Elden.
Or was he discovered by that female knight?
‘…Perhaps.’
I heard she’s so skilled she’s known as the ‘Violet Knight’, but that doesn’t necessarily mean her detection abilities are high.
After all, he’s the best in the industry at hiding.
Right.
It must be something else.
It’s not that he disappeared, he must be absent for some reason.
Perhaps something urgent came up that he momentarily forgot his duties.
That must be it.
“…Miss?”
Yes, it has to be.
I can’t give even a small excuse for that annoyingly elusive Elden Lapellion to capitalize on.
“Miss!”
“Huh?”
Remian, who had been standing behind the stage, snapped back to reality at Marien’s call.
From the outer fortress to the central square, she was so lost in thought that she didn’t even realize how she got there.
Cursed by the chief of the ghoul tribe to live in hiding for a lifetime.
Because of that curse, she had to endure harsh times at the academy.
Now, as Remian Winterfell, she was stepping into the world, a moment she had dreamed of, yet her mind was cluttered again with thoughts of Elden Lapellion.
“Why?”
“You need to focus. This is the moment you have been dreaming of all your life.”
“Ah… Right.”
It’s supposed to be a moment of joy.
Now I can proudly stand in front of the world without this suffocating mask.
And I can declare the time of repentance to the quartet who had gifted me with hell.
Yet, why do I feel more anxiety than joy?
Why is irritation bubbling up rather than excitement?
Why do I feel constrained rather than liberated?
“Ha…”
Remian sighed.
Anxiety, irritation, constraint.
It was hard to shake them off with a single sigh, but Remian tried to clear her mind and looked up at the stage.
The high stairs that required tilting her head back.
Freedom awaited at the end.
“Today’s protagonist, Lady Remian Winterfell, will now join us—!”
From beyond the stage, the announcer’s booming voice could be heard.
She pinched the hem of her white dress and stepped onto the first stair.
One step at a time.
Carefully ascending the steps to the stage, Remian.
She preferred flats to high heels, so it wasn’t easy, but she had practiced for today.
I won’t fall.
I will stand proudly in front of the quartet and smile brightly.
And as Remian reached the end of the stairs, standing on the stage.
I saw them.
The multitude below gazing up at her.
I see them.
The quartet below looking up at her.
“Kyaa- The Duchess!”
“Wow-! Even masked, your beauty cannot be hidden!”
“You must be incredibly beautiful~!!”
“Duchess! Please look here-!!”
The central square was abuzz with loud cheers and shouts.
People shouted, whistled, and waved, rejoicing.
Her father watched with tear-filled eyes of joy.
Remian took in all their faces.
It was the perfect moment.
A happy moment.
It was a heart-swelling moment just as she had dreamed.
The problem was.
‘…’
That overwhelming happiness passed in a flash, and when Elden Lapellion’s face caught her eye, she felt as if they were the only two left in the world.
Though his eyes had been hostile and predatory, they now seemed as innocent as a puppy’s.
Those innocent eyes were looking up at her.
But.
‘…’
Why was I feeling fear?
Why did those gentle eyes seem to pinch at something unknown?
Had the secret surveillance really been exposed?
Could he be using that as leverage?
I was anxious.
After all the effort to get here, enduring hell with such determination.
With all the preparation for today and plans for tomorrow, I climbed up here.
But the moment I step down from this stage, he might use his
leverage to destroy everything.
Of course, I have no intention of complying, but the feeling of being entangled with him was enough to fuel my anxiety.
It was unfair.
It was too unfair that the victim had to feel threatened by the perpetrator.
I wanted to drive him to his knees and make him weep tears of repentance.
Thus, I wanted to alleviate this anxiety and sense of injustice.
I should have heeded Lord Gelwood’s advice just one day earlier, regret washed over me.
I should not have been stubborn about a report that bore no fruit, regret washed over me.
“Now! Lady Remian Winterfell, the third Duchess, will remove her mask and announce her noble name to the world—!”
Oblivious to her inner turmoil, the meeting continued relentlessly.
Amidst all this, her gaze was fixed solely on Elden.
Staring intently at his face, she reached for her mask.
While the reactions of the other three were predictable, Elden’s was completely unforeseen.
Deron and Blund, Kyle had sensed something off through the first and second hints.
They must have felt it was too much for a mere test.
Therefore, upon seeing her face, they would recall the past regardless of hair color.
Indeed.
What about Elden?
Watching his expression closely, Remian slowly removed her mask.
“Oh-! Finally—!”
“Please show us that unparalleled beauty—!”
As her mask came down, revealing her smooth forehead, ecstasy arose in the square, and as her blue eyes were exposed, exhilaration arose, and as her pert nose was revealed, delight arose, and when her red lips were revealed, thunderous applause erupted.
“Wow—!!”
“Kyaa—!!”
However, Remian heard nothing.
1 second.
His face was serene.
2 seconds.
His eyebrows lifted.
3 seconds.
His eyes widened.
4 seconds.
His mouth opened.
5 seconds.
His face froze in utter shock.
‘…’
Thus.
Remian’s hypothesis that he knew her identity and was fleeing had failed to prove.
Of course.
The astonishment in Elden’s face held a different meaning.
**
‘Wow…! Holy shit, what is that? Fucking beautiful, isn’t it?’
It was insane.
Is that even human?
Has a goddess descended?
No.
‘The illustration on the cover felt like a generic AI clone, didn’t it?’
Even from such a low angle, which is known to turn even good-looking people into double-chinned monsters, how could her features be so vivid despite the considerable distance?
She seemed much prettier than the original Elden’s memory of Erinysia.
Perhaps, as Ariel said, the white hair color suited her better than red?
It was as if not a sculptor but a goddess of the eyes herself had crafted her beauty, which even the most advanced AI couldn’t replicate.
Such extreme beauty naturally left me agape.
This reaction was not unique to me but was shared by everyone gathered in the square.
The rumor of ‘the ugly girl’ floating around was proven utterly false in an instant, for Remian’s beauty was dazzling enough to blind.
She shone with an aura.
That ludicrous hyperbole proved to be a literal truth—the divine beauty was unmistakable.
Apparently, our heroine doesn’t photograph well(?).
Of course, aesthetic standards vary by personal taste, but surely, Remian’s beauty could only be met with absolute adoration.
If the original novel had not been a female-oriented romantic fantasy, I would have fallen for her at first sight due to her entrancing beauty.
And.
“Wow—!!”
“Kyaa—!!”
Clap clap clap!
The resounding cheers and applause from men and women of all ages told me that her beauty needed no further explanation.
I turned my head back.
Among the crowd filled only with cheers and joy, Ariel stood out as the only one with a different reaction.
??????????????????
She seemed to be suffering from cognitive dissonance, her face filled with question marks.
Considering she had met the white-haired Erinysia just a few days ago.
That expression was so funny I almost chuckled, but I held back because laughing here might lead to misunderstandings with Remian.
I turned my gaze to the trio of regretful characters.
As expected.
“…!”
“…?!”
“…!!!?”
Their faces were ashen, and they looked at each other with dismay and ominous glints in their eyes.
They must have been puzzled.
The first and second rounds had been unusual.
Judging by the shocked expressions, it seemed the heroine’s
plan to give them hints had worked perfectly.
A moment later.
Click-clack.
Click-clack.
Click-clack.
Remian began to descend the steps of the stage.
The closer she got to the ground, the more intense the shock appeared.
For the trio of regret, it must have felt like death was approaching.
“Me too! I want to meet the Duchess up close—!”
“Duchess! Please! Come here too—!!”
As Remian stepped off the stage and onto the ground.
From left to right, Deron, Blund, Kyle, and I were lined up, and Deron was the first to receive her greeting.
Remian extended her hand, and Deron kissed her knuckles.
Then, she moved on to greet the others, but in the noisy square, I couldn’t hear what she was saying.
From how long the greetings lasted and Deron’s increasingly pale face, it seemed they were not just ordinary greetings.
Then Remian stood before Kyle, appearing to offer the same greeting, but Kyle, who had been staggering since she removed her mask, collapsed to the ground.
The beginning of the revenge drama was marked by his fainting.
“Kyaa-! Prince Kyle fainted from the overwhelming beauty of the Duchess!”
“Of course! Even a prince cannot bear such overpowering beauty—!!”
To the uninitiated, it looked like he had fainted from being unable to handle the beauty that could topple kingdoms.
Blund quickly helped Kyle up, and Remian approached me.
‘Wow… she’s even more incredible up close. Really fucking beautiful.’
Swear words involuntarily came to mind, she was that stunning up close.
Erinysia, who always dressed simply, unbecoming of a noble lady, now looked like a completely different person with full makeup.
Silently, she extended her hand, and after I kissed her porcelain-like knuckles, I looked up.
And.
“Even now, do you really reject my confession?”
She conveyed tremendous confidence that could enchant a kingdom.
…
……
………
Whew.
I almost said ‘no’.
YEP! 😀