Chapter 42: Wedding

Serge was later summoned to Lord Colgard’s private chambers and made peace with the Duke of Barnier. It was a straightforward affair.

“A wedding in the royal capital… Does Father like that kind of flashy thing?”

“Even if you’re not interested, Angelique is a girl after all, It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“Is that so?”

“It certainly is!”

“Well…”

Angelique smiled bitterly, flanked by Serge and Sir Felix.

Finally, the two Dukes, who were excited to be doing it, were forced to carry out the wedding.

Angelique had originally planned to think about it in the spring, and it wasn’t that she didn’t want to do it; she was just too busy.

Lord Felix was excited about making a big show of it, and Lord Colgard cut in, “Wait a minute.”

“We’ll get in trouble if we do it with too much flair and upset the royal court. We should be discreet, or at the very least polite, because the two are not heirs…”

“Hm… Indeed…”

“What do you mean by upsetting the royal court, Oto-sama?”

“Come to think of it.” Serge opens his mouth.

“His Majesty inquired as to whether I was the Count of Voltaire.”

The fathers laugh and continue talking about unexpected things.

They began by explaining that they had originally planned to marry Serge and Angelique, and then went on to describe the events leading up to and following the engagement breakup.

It was an outrageous story.

Angelique realized that this was why her father had not listened to her story at the time of the incident.

“We wouldn’t have gotten what we wanted if the engagement hadn’t broken.”

“So it was all thanks to Charlotte?”

Angelique’s words brought the room to a halt for a brief moment.

“Is that how it works?”

“No, no. That is not correct.

“That is not correct.”

“It’s complicated.”

Serge stated, “Anyway, let us be grateful to fate.”

“But that Charlotte girl will be devastated to learn that you’re happy because of what she did. That’s a thoughtful touch.”

“Serge? Did you just say something nice? Did I mishear you?”

“I did. It’s nice. She brandished a dagger at Angelique. I’d like to send her to hell.”

Angelique felt strangely relieved that Serge was also unusually dark.

Serge returned to Bourg for a few weeks of planning, while Angelique stayed in the Royal Capital.

Because the carriages in the capital’s streets were not as bumpy, she went shopping and to the theater with her sisters for the first time in a long time, and she visited her friends who had given testimonies, thanked them, and told them that the king would forgive them.

After a big party at the Ducal Palace of Montan, they paraded to the Ducal Palace of Barnier on a beautiful day in early April.

Both residences are very spacious and are located in the capital’s central district. The parade route from the castle to the main street drew nobles from all over the city, as well as many common people associated with the two families, making it a very festive event.

“I’m glad they didn’t overdo it because they thought they would keep it inconspicuous.”

“Well, this open carriage had to be made to order. My father-in-law really enjoys it.”

After the parade, inquiries from the nobles flooded the Duke of Montan with requests to lend it to them for their own wedding.

Waving to the people along the route, Angelique had one confession to make to Serge.

“To be honest, I really wanted to show off my husband in this way.”

“Really?”

“I’ve always been ashamed of bragging, but I want to brag about it as well. It’s kind of uncool, hehehe.”

“I’m glad you’re proud of me, and I don’t think it’s uncool; I like Angelique just the way she is, with all the black spots, a little devilish when she’s angry, good and bad in general,” Serge laughed.

“Me too—I am delighted to be your wife.”

“Angelique…”

“Serge…”

There was a woman with unusual hair color who stood out among the crowd that had gathered to watch the short parade from the Montan family castle to the Barnier family castle.

Squatting next to her was a short, chubby man.

“Angelique, you were beautiful.”

“Aren’t you frustrated?”

“It’s frustrating… I don’t really understand.”

Charlotte let out a breath that was neither a sigh nor a sniffle and looked down at her dull husband in front of her.

She can’t escape from him any longer, because if she loses the little money Ernest has, which isn’t even enough for a commoner’s life, she won’t have a tomorrow.

Ernest is now quiet, but he still throws tantrums and threatens, “If you do that, I won’t give you any more money!” She had no choice but to put up with his tantrums and take a stand.

‘How could this have happened?’

People knew who she was no matter where she went. They beat her up as soon as they found out. She can’t even stay in one place.

Will she spend the rest of her life running from place to place, with nowhere to go but her lazy husband?

‘I’d rather die.’

She once paid a visit to her father.

He had lost his title, his lands and his castle and was now a simple servant in the house of a simple nobleman from somewhere.

He had no talent for running the estate and seemed to have no problem doing what he was told.

When Charlotte saw him smiling so brightly as he was being taught how to do his job by a noble child, she wrinkled her nose and left without saying anything.

‘I can’t believe you got used to living like that…You look like a fool…’

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She learned that her slow-witted sister had also become someone’s lady-in-waiting.

‘It’s entirely Angelique’s fault…’

She grumbled in her heart as usual, but the flames of jealousy had died out.

“Ernest, let’s go.”

“What is this stain, Charlotte? I can’t seem to get it off.”

“I’ll wash it when we get home.”

“Okay.”

She looked at Ernest who was rubbing the stain on his shirt, reminding of her father.

‘Everything is…my fault. Ernest, Oto-sama, my sister…They did nothing wrong.’

“I’m sorry, Ernest.”

“What? Why are you apologizing?”

“It’s nothing, let’s go.”