Ian grabbed my shoulder and turned my body towards the mirror. When I looked in the mirror with a puzzled expression, there stood a woman wearing a fancy dress and an expression that did not match her elegant dress.
âI donât see any flaws in my eyes.â
From behind, Ianâs voice pierced my ears.
Wh-what. My body stiffened. You knew how to say this?
âHe is supporting me⊠right.â
The problem was that since the person with infinite beauty said that, the me in the mirror was transforming into a squid in real time right now.
âSigh, well. Okay. Who wouldnât kneel next to him?â
I gave up and became que serĂĄ, serĂĄ mode.
[T/N: que serĂĄ, serĂĄ in Spanish means whatever will be, will be]
Let them spread the words that the man is too good for the woman. After all, it must be more difficult to find a decent person next to Ian.
Ian smiled as if he had noticed the confidence on my face.
âAre you ready?â
Ian bowed his head slightly and whispered beside my ear. The sensation caused my hair to stand on end as a chill ran from my ears to my toes piercing through me.
âFrom the moment you walk out that door, you become someone I love.â
I nodded low and clenched my fists tightly. Ian straightened his posture and nodded at the knights guarding the door with a smile.
The knights opened the door on both sides. This was the moment when our curtain of acting rose.
*Â *Â *
âThat ladyâŠâ
âShe is Commander Ianâs lover.â
The moment the door opens and the main couple of the day enters, the audience, which had been sitting quietly, began to stir slightly as if someone had poured cold water on them.
Everyoneâs attention was focused on the Lady, who appeared, holding Ianâs arm.
âItâs definitely a face Iâve never seen before in the Empire.â
âShe looks cute.â
â Isnât that dress made by Mercy?â
âOh, I must have seen it hanging in the shop a while ago. But⊠oh my. How many jewels did they add?â
âMiss Mercyâs dress canât be worn by any young girl, but with that extravagance⊠itâs clear that she comes from a wealthy family.â
âPerhaps she is the hidden daughter of a high lord who hides somewhere?â
Whispers flew from place to place. Coming and going.
Regardless, the couple moved forward. Soon in front of the bishop, Ian grabbed his fianceeâs hand. There was a faint smile on his face as he looked down at her.
âNo, is Ian smiling right now?â
âAh, itâs dazzling.â
âIt was such a rare smile, but it came out so easy⊠haha. He must have been really in love for a long time.â
âWhat on earth is so special about that lady that he fell in love with her?â
Peopleâs eyes glanced at Irene like crazy. It was a beautiful face that could easily win peopleâs hearts, but not one that would cause someone to go blind simply by looking at it.
Ian famously turned down a courtship with Princess Violet, a beauty of the century, even called the âMiracle Born by the Continent.â
People who remember that time couldnât believe what was happening in front of them.
âPrincess Violet couldnât get a piece of Ianâs smile no matter how hard she tried!â
That lady, who appeared to have fallen from the sky, however, couldnât play fire with Ian in the Cathedral, and even promised to marry in front of the priest.
How on earth⊠Do you have an irresistible charm?
âDid you hear that rumor? It was said that the Lady was actually a Saintess who was called this time.â
âWhat?â
âWhat did you say?â
The gentle whisper of a woman drew everyoneâs attention to her, and everyone turned to look at her in astonishment. In fact, she was the one that Ian had planted; the people who gathered around were unaware.
âI also didnât hear the details. Bishop Kennen who is in charge of the Saintess Verification Process, is currently absent? Itâs a tradition that you canât be recognized as a Saintess until youâve been verified, but thatâs just a rumor⊠From what I heard, that Lady is a new Saintess who appeared after fifteen years.â
âOh my god.â
âHow the hell did this happen. Then the Holy Knights Commander and the SaintessâŠâŠ?â
The shocking news caused people to shudder and their eyes to light up.
âThere was a story about them being discovered in Ianâs bedroom, but Iâll have to tell you the specifics.â
âWhat is the story?â
âWait, the Saintess descends anywhere in the Cathedral once they are called. Could it be that the place she descended from was Commander Ianâs bedroom?â
âOh my goodness?â
People began to express their imagination in an excited tone.
Irene looked up at Ian who was facing her and smiled softly as she listened to the faint murmur.
âItâs going well as planned.â
Although Ian was the one who planted a person among the guests, this was a plan that the two of them had planned together.
At first, people who looked at the relationship between Ian and Irene as just a scandal now began to recognize it as a love story and became intrigued.
Irene slightly opened her mouth and whispered so that only Ian could hear what she was saying.
âSmile deeper.â
His heart was worn on his face as a loving smile but even with that, it wasnât enough. It was necessary to create a more romantic scene in order to encourage peopleâs imagination.
Ian paused for a moment and raised the corners of his lips.
An unfamiliar smile spread like the sun in the spring on his face that is normally a lake of ice.
âIs this all right?â
Ian whispered quietly. Irene didnât answer right away, and she bit her lips for a moment. After a few seconds, Irene barely answered.
ââŠYes, I think so.â
She thought that no matter how many times she saw that face, Sheâd never get used to it.
*Â *Â *
âIâm tired.â
I secretly sighed.
The Engagement Ceremony has finally come to an end. We promised to get married in front of the bishop and set a date for marriage.
But I could say that todayâs real schedule starts from now on.
This Empire has a tradition. Following an engagement or wedding ceremony, the manâs side had to hold a banquet with the men and the womanâs side with the women. And now I am standing in front of the salon where the banquet will be held.
âWill you be okay? Doing it by yourself.â
âItâs okay.â
Ian asked again. Of course, itâs not because heâs worried about myself, but the fact that Iâll be on my own.
âAnything like a banquet can be canceled even now.â
âYou canât do that. Itâs a tradition in this country that everyone keeps. Itâs going to be very strange if we donât hold it.â
I said reconciled, shaking my head. I couldnât be worried about jumping into the social circle alone.
But today was only the beginning. I canât stand the next year if I keep being scared.
âTrust me, Ian. I will go.â
I tapped my chest and tried to open the door. Then I saw a group of young girls walking over. I hurriedly turned around to Ian.
âGoodbye kiss on the cheek! Hurry up!â
âYes?â
âTheyâre looking from the other side. Hurry up!â
We were set to be lovers with a burning love. Lovers who love each other so much that they canât stand parting for a bit!
Of course, I had to give him a goodbye kiss.
ââŠall right.â
Ian approached me as I lowered my eyes. Subconsciously, I closed them.
Smooch. A soft, light touch pressed down on my cheek.
A soft, warm feeling. A tickling sensation spread, similar to being stroked with a feather.
At that time.
âYouâre a little late- hey!â
The salon door clicked and opened.
The lady who discovered us took a step back in surprise.
âI-I apologise.â
The lady, whose face had turned red, stepped aside quickly and fanned her face.
At the same time, we could feel the gazes of many of the ladies in the salon fixed on us.
âOh my goodness. Oh my goodness.â
âItâs hotâŠ!â
Ian whispered softly with a small sigh.
âThen Iâll wait for you.â
âYes. See you later.â
A very businesslike conversation came and went.
The ladies who didnât know the contents of the conversation blushed even more. They seemed to know what we shared.
I shut the door and took a look around the salon after sending Ian away. It was finally time to get down to business and start to socialize.
I was getting a lot of curious looks. I could feel the tension in the salon as I waited to see who would speak first.
At that moment, I could clearly hear the sound of shoes approaching.