episode_0136

The engagement ceremony ended without any major incidents.

Of course, there was a minor incident that occurred during the touching moment of the two kissing.

“Hey, Ellie!”

“Really, this person! Quite the troublemaker!”

Due to the sudden appearance of Berengbaek during the emotional kiss, a small commotion ensued. However, thanks to the swift suppression by Etty, Berengbaek’s wife, the commotion ended as a minor hiccup.

And then came the feast.

“Well, Berengbaek. I heard that you cherish Ellie, but I didn’t know you cherished her this much.”

Recalling the earlier scene, Dominic smiled brightly as she swirled her wine glass. With the refreshing scent of grapes emanating from the glass, she carefully sipped the red wine.

Although she usually spoke humbly even to Berengbaek, who held a higher rank than her, Dominic showed respect to Oubert, her friend’s father, and someone significantly older than her.

Sitting beside her were Berengbaek, his son Etelros, and the Verberitz siblings, the Duke and Duchess, next to the princess.

Eleanor, the protagonist of this event, was currently taking a break in her mother’s arms after the exhausting ceremony.

In reality, she had sought refuge in her mother’s embrace to avoid returning to the West immediately after the feast. However, everyone pretended not to notice.

“My youngest daughter, who doesn’t cause any trouble even if you put her in your eye. I’m worried about sending her to a foreign land, so this old man had to take charge.”

Oubert replied with a hearty laugh. His flushed face was not due to embarrassment but rather the effects of alcohol. He laughed heartily, even glancing at Dimitri at the end.

He was now showing the perfect image of a doting father.

“Well, if my daughter were Ellie, I would do the same.”

“While in the capital, Her Highness took a liking to our daughter.”

“Well, Ellie is just so cute.”

Smiling, Dominic twirled her dark hair around her finger. The blush on her face seemed to be caused by more than just the wine.

As they exchanged formal greetings around the dining table, Dominic finally revealed her true intentions.

Dominic looked directly at Berengbaek and his son. Their golden eyes met, gleaming with anticipation. Oubert maintained composure and brought the wine glass to his lips.

Dominic, with a seductive smile, exuded a sense of enthusiasm reminiscent of Emperor Eduard, who had once passionately courted her.

“Although the Galatea Royal Family and Verberitz may share a common root, it is well known that Berengbaek and I are not close enough to participate in family events.”

“I am aware, Your Highness.”

“Today’s gathering was arranged by me specifically. Of course, I made up another excuse for Ellie. Regardless, I came here on my own accord. I forced nothing.”

Her blue eyes turned towards Dimitri. In response to his mentor’s inquiry, Dimitri nodded quietly.

“I won’t beat around the bush, Berengbaek.”

With her dark hair swaying behind her, Dominic leaned comfortably against the chair back. With her arms crossed over her dress, she looked at Oubert on the other side with as much confidence in her voice as in her demeanor.

“Anyway, I want to maintain a good relationship with Ellie.”

A low groan escaped over Obert’s lips.

In an instant, Obert realized that the phrase meant more than just a simple friendship between women.

“In the upcoming royal competition, the North has agreed to support me. Dmitry and Hildegarde, they’re also here.”

Obert’s blue eyes immediately turned towards the royal siblings.

Suspicious of whether all this was part of Dominic’s scheme, whether the Duke deliberately approached his daughter, Obert looked at the two siblings with a piercing gaze.

Under that intense gaze, Hildegarde bowed deeply, and Dmitry gently wrapped his sister’s hand in his.

“Vernon, don’t see it that way. The Duke and Ellie truly love each other.”

“Sigh… I know, at least that much.”

With a small sigh, Obert raised the glass in front of him to his lips. The wine glass had turned into a glass filled with a thick brown liquid, the feast that started with wine glasses now filled with a different liquid.

Obert knew that Dmitry truly loved Ellie.

After all, the Duke was not so skilled as to weave such a deep scheme. And the way he looked at Ellie was the same look he once gave his wife.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but the Empress’s recent actions are concerning. Moreover, the Duke’s actions towards Ballaty also seem suspicious.”

Obert shook his head. While his attention was focused on the suspicious movements of the heretics, he was not an immature man to overlook the state of the capital.

“What bothers me is that, despite my mother’s death, that illegitimate child is still clinging to the Emperor.”

“But isn’t he just an illegitimate child? Can’t you handle him with the Empress’s power?”

“It’s not that simple, this is… ”

As Obert spoke, Dominic let out a soft sigh. The Empress, who had just confidently told him to come to her side, was now looking at Dmitry with a subtle gaze.

In response to that gaze, Dmitry’s low voice turned towards the steward standing behind the dining table.

“Go and bring Aelie.”

#.

That night, sleep did not come easily. After tossing and turning on the bed for a while, Eleanor got up, put on her nightgown, and headed out of the room.

The engagement ceremony and the feast had ended, and the Vernon couple and Dominic had left.

Eleanor wanted to spend the night with her mother whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, but seeing her father’s tearful face filled with regret, she changed her mind.

Aelie got on the carriage with her parents and Etelros, and Dominic, who insisted on staying, was dragged up to the changed Duke’s mansion by Hildegarde.

So, in this grand mansion, there were only Eleanor and Dmitry, and a few servants assisting them.

On the sofa in the empty reception room, the slender figure of a woman finally leaned back. Under the blue moonlight, her platinum hair gradually changed color to a mysterious hue. The flowing platinum hair cascaded through the slender fingers.

Engagement ceremony. Not even a marriage, it shouldn’t be such a big deal, but Eleanor’s heart was pounding, unable to sleep, pacing restlessly.

“Sigh….”

A deep breath.

Moist sky-blue eyes.

Eventually, her eyes turned to the ring on her finger.

The Duke’s signet ring on her fourth finger.

The sky-blue diamond on the ring was crafted only for the owner of the silk ring.

His heart had never felt like this before, even when she accepted his feelings.

When he received the ring from her, he couldn’t even stand properly, overwhelmed by the ecstasy that enveloped his whole body…

But now, his heart was different.

Once they were married, things would probably change.

He was going to become Eleanor Aréna Verbrüts.

He was going to become the only Grand Duchess of the Empire, as the wife of the Western Marquis.

He was going to become the woman of a man, the Emperor.

He was going to become one of the highest-ranking women in the Empire, from being an ordinary university student.

As his thoughts reached that point, his heart started to race.

The rising sense of anticipation made his lower back warm, causing him to unconsciously cross his legs, and the thin slip under his nightgown was pushed up enough to reveal the soft fabric against his chest.

And what was this sensation?

What did this fact mean, he couldn’t help but feel anew.

‘It’s not that bad…’

No, it could even be said that it was rather good.

“Dmitri…”

His feelings took shape and flowed past his lips.

But what followed, the voice that reached his ears, was unexpected.

“E-Eli?”

“D-Dmitri!”

The voices of the two men and women in the reception room, filled with the sound of cicadas, overlapped.

Why were they here at this hour? With a surprised expression, they looked at each other.

Eleanor was the first to regain her composure between the two. Worried that her angry heart might be revealed, she got up from the sofa where she had collapsed and straightened out the disheveled nightgown.

Eleanor’s heart was pounding.

Did Dmitri see her disheveled appearance? Did he catch a glimpse of her slightly revealing slip attire?

In the midst of the flustered lovers, Dmitri also seemed to calm down a bit.

“What are you doing at this hour, Eli.”

Dmitri’s calm voice enveloped the excited body. His eyes sent a smile that fluttered under his black eyebrows, and her heart felt strangely at ease.

“I couldn’t sleep…”

Thanks to that, Eleanor shyly revealed her inner thoughts.

Then she swept her disheveled hair behind her ear. With a flushed face, Eleanor also asked Dmitri a question.

“D-Dmitri, are you…”

“I couldn’t sleep either.”

Unlike anyone else, Dmitri’s smile remained as comforting as ever.

Why doesn’t that man blush? Why does he look so comfortable?

Eleanor was somewhat intoxicated by that appearance.

“Would you like to spend some time with me?”

Dmitri approached the sofa and extended his hand. Eleanor accepted his help and got up from the sofa.

“How about we have a glass of wine?”

“Wine?”

“Not necessarily wine. Today is a special day for us, isn’t it.”

At Eleanor’s sweet suggestion, Dmitri’s eyebrows, which had been stiff until now, slightly furrowed.

He had never had a chance to tilt a glass alone with his lover. No, he hadn’t even had the opportunity. After all, Eleanor, as a lady, didn’t enjoy alcohol. Even during meals, she didn’t even take a sip of light wine. Not to mention the weak wine that Hilda enjoyed.

Thanks to that, Dmitri thought that his lover didn’t like alcohol.

When the word ‘wine’ came out of Eleanor’s mouth, he wondered what had come over her. But Dmitri shook his head, thinking not to dwell on it too deeply.

“Then I’ll call someone to bring the wine.”

“Ah, no. There’s no need to call me. I want to drink alone.”

At Dmitry’s words, Eleonore clapped her hands and got up from her seat, leading him to the sofa.

“I’ll bring some things, so please wait here.”

With a bright smile, she briskly walked to the dining area. Her smile was so charming that Dmitry, who was left alone, raised his hand to cover the corners of his mouth that were trying to turn up.

Eventually, Eleonore returned with a wine bottle tucked under her arm, two wine glasses and snacks on a tray in hand.

Under the blue moonlight, the curves of the woman, accentuated by the wine bottle tucked under her arm, stood out prominently against the slender figure of the lady. The glimpse of white skin peeking through her nightgown gently stimulated the man’s body.

“To be honest, I don’t know much about alcohol. I brought a little bit of everything.”

“Oh, I see…”

Seeing her partner suddenly flustered, Eleonore asked as she placed the items she brought onto the table.

“Why are you suddenly stumbling over your words?”

“Oh, that… It’s nothing.”

Dmitry stuttered, but quickly regained his composure. Eleonore smiled broadly as she placed the wine glasses and snacks on the table.

So he can be cute at times, my man…

“Have you ever tried alcohol before?”

“No… It’s my first time.”

Dmitry gently lifted the wine bottle Eleonore had brought. Her warmth lingered on the label of the bottle.

“It’s not a very high alcohol content wine. It goes well with snacks. You brought them well.”

Dmitry’s hand reached for the opener on the table. He carefully inserted the opener into the cork and lifted it. With a crisp sound, the purple cork popped out of the bottle.

Dmitry tilted the bottle he held in his hand over the wine glass, watching the thick purple liquid cascade down the transparent wall and flow upwards.

Eleonore watched the whole scene as if it were a scene from a movie. The black hair swaying under the blue moonlight. The sweet scent of wine that followed the refreshing sound.

Dmitry carefully extended the wine glass towards her. Eleonore gently accepted the glass from him. As their fingers briefly touched, Eleonore’s chest, which had momentarily calmed down, began to beat wildly.

“It’s not strong, but don’t drink it all at once.”

Eleonore’s head involuntarily nodded at the voice as sweet as the fragrance that wafted out. Eventually, Dmitry lightly clinked the end of the glass with the glass she held, and the clear, ringing sound enveloped the two under the moonlight.

Covering her reddening face with the wine glass, Eleonore carefully pushed the sticky liquid into her mouth. The wine she tasted for the first time was sour and a bit bitter.

When Eleonore looked disappointed and dropped the wine glass from her face.

“Here, you spilled a drop.”

Dmitry’s face filled her vision. His firm hand gently holding her chin, preventing her from escaping. His finger, moistened with a purple hue, brushed past her lips.

Eleonore gently closed her eyes.

Both Eleonore and the Dmitry across from her knew exactly what that meant.

Soon, his lips overlapped with Eleanor’s lips. Following the lingering tartness of the remaining wine, something soft touched her lips through the closed gap.

Eleanor cautiously welcomed Dmitri into herself.

Under the blue moonlight, their kiss continued, sweeter and slightly deeper than before.