Chapter 90
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Chapter 90
Lucas Black drew in a deep breath. The cool air flowing slowly into his lungs cleared his mind with crystalline clarity.
His Estate bustled with activity in preparation for its new mistress.
In any case, even after today's ceremony concluded, he would not be returning to the Black Estate.
The marriages of the Seven Great Houses were solemnized at the Royal Palace.
And once that ceremony ended, a grand celebration would commence in the Grand Banquet Hall.
Most people regarded this as their wedding.
Though people knew of the Seven Great Houses' ceremony, most believed it to be merely a tradition passed down since the kingdom's founding.
The nobility of the nobility.
Since that was what the Seven Great Houses were, their ceremony was thought to be merely a special event for distinguished nobles, nothing more significant.
But for those of the Seven Great Houses themselves, this ceremony held paramount importance.
They swore their faith to one another before God and The Curse.
One had to swear with genuine, unwavering resolve.
Otherwise, one would pay a terrible price for breaking such an oath.
Once that sacred ceremony concluded, the Royal Palace would host a celebration that lasted through the night.
Lucas Black and Grace would enjoy the festivities until late into the evening, spend the night at the Royal Palace, and return to the Estate the following day.
Once they returned to the Estate, their true married life would begin.
"Sir? Why are you standing there grinning like a child who's eaten too much candy?"
"...Ahem. Cough! Is everything prepared?"
"Yes, but you're alright, aren't you? You're not still half-asleep?"
Haem studied his master's face with concern, noting how his lips had gone slack.
Lucas Black splashed water on his face and quickly composed himself before heading outside.
All preparations were complete; he need only depart for the Royal Palace.
Gabriel, the attendants, and Selena were already waiting in the Lobby.
"What took you so long? Come on, Lucas, let's go."
Selena urged her son forward, her own face flushed with excitement even more than his.
Dressed in a gown of lavender and white silk, Selena appeared both elegant and radiant with vitality.
Lucas Black stood before the Carriage, receiving the greetings of the head maid and attendants.
Gabriel came to see him off.
"Gabriel, please look after the Estate until I return tomorrow."
"Rest assured, sir."
Gabriel replied with utmost propriety, carefully examining the appearance of his master now dressed in formal attire.
Deep, inscrutable wrinkles etched the corners of the old man's eyes.
"...I did not wish to say something so commonplace, but..."
"Don't, Gabe."
Sensing what Gabriel was about to say, Lucas Black cut him off with a stern expression.
Yet Gabriel persisted, tears streaming down his weathered face.
"Our young master, who was once so small, has grown into such a fine man...!"
...Ah, I told him not to, truly.
Lucas closed his eyes, pressing his forehead with the heel of his hand.
Though his expression showed clear distaste, he did not forget to hand a handkerchief to Gabriel, who was forcibly squeezing out tears.
Honk!
Gabriel blew his nose without restraint into Lucas's handkerchief and ceased his tears.
"I truly have no regrets about this life!"
"...But Cain exists."
"The young master is somewhat...."
Selena nodded as if she understood perfectly what Gabriel meant.
It was a gesture of complete understanding.
"Now then, let us cease this. It would be wonderful if Gabriel came along as well...."
"No. Guarding the Estate in your stead is my pride."
"Thank you, always."
Selena embraced Gabriel with a smile.
"We must truly depart now, both of you."
Haem reminded them once more that it was time to go.
The carriage bearing Selena and Lucas set forth with vigor toward the Royal Palace, where the ceremony would be held.
* * *
Lucas's fingers, anointed with holy water, touched Grace's lips and the skin above her eyes.
Between her slightly parted lips, the metallic taste of blood lingered.
Grace opened her eyes and gazed upon Lucas.
His blue eyes were filled entirely with Grace.
His shadowed blue irises were as deep as the sea, while his violet eyes, shimmering with captured sunlight, were as clear as the sky.
With trembling hands, Grace anointed her own bleeding fingertip with the holy water from the chalice.
And just as Lucas had done for her, she anointed his eyes and lips with the blood-tinged holy water.
Lucas breathed deeply, his eyes closed for a moment.
His eyelids trembled slightly, and finally, having steeled himself, Lucas opened his eyes.
Grace and Lucas, their eyes locked, spoke the words of the covenant they had prepared beforehand.
[May truth forever exist before you and me.]
Two voices merged into one, resonating through the space.
At that very moment, the magical circle beneath their feet responded.
[Trust founded upon truth, and]
Lucas murmured softly as he kissed Grace's eyelids, wet with blood and holy water.
[The loyalty that follows from it,]
Grace, in turn, pressed her lips to his eyelids in the same manner.
[An infinite bond shall bind us together.]
Lucas and Grace, who had been gazing upon each other, finally brought their wet lips together in a deep kiss.
The saliva, holy water, and blood that clung to their lips seeped deeply through the contact of their mouths.
The words inscribed upon the magical circle rose upward, radiating light.
And those words poured down into the bodies of the two.
I felt myself being drenched in an inexplicable force.
In that instant, the curse marks on my forearms and wrists burned white-hot.
Startled, I clutched Lucas Black's sleeve tightly, and the pain vanished as the luminescence subsided.
Our tangled lips parted, both of us breathing heavily as we pressed our foreheads together.
Before I could even gather my scattered thoughts,
[We swear, mingling blood and flesh and language as one.]
The words of the oath were complete.
* * *
"...Is it... finished?"
"Perhaps?"
Lucas Black and I remained standing with our foreheads touching.
In the most secret chamber within the Royal Palace.
Located at the highest point of the palace, this room bore the oath's magical circle inscribed upon its floor.
A chamber only the King, his direct descendants, and those from sanctioned houses were permitted to enter.
Commonly known as the Glass Island Chamber, it was filled entirely with glass, just as its name suggested.
The pointed glass ceiling was adorned with the founding legend rendered in stained glass, and even the spaces between the pillars were fashioned from glass windows.
Cascading sunlight flooded the chamber.
The room was suffused with a brilliant, warm luminescence so pure that even the floating dust motes were visible.
We held each other close, our breaths intermingling.
Every inhalation and exhalation tickled our damp lips.
We drew each other's waists closer, embracing tightly.
And in that same moment, we gazed at one another.
"...Heh."
I was the first to laugh.
My eyes sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight as I spoke to him.
"I'm happy. We are. Together."
At my words, he smiled and pressed his lips to my forehead, whispering,
"Every joy in this world belongs to you."
His kiss traced from my forehead to my cheek, then to my neck, across my eyelids, and finally to my lips.
"...Did I thank you for marrying me?"
At his whisper, I smiled softly and nodded.
"Yes, just now."
"Did I? Then let me say it once more."
"Anything."
"...Thank you for choosing me, for allowing me to be your man, Grace."
I looked up at him.
Gazing into Lucas Black's clear, beautiful blue eyes, I slowly kissed him.
Our tangled breaths and heated lips melded together gently, cradling one another.
The kiss deepened—pushing, pulling, fleeing only to be captured again—stretching endlessly.
They clung to each other desperately, as if mere closeness were not enough, their breaths mingling as they devoured one another without pause.
Only after a considerable time had passed could the two of them finally bring themselves to separate.
"Thank you, Your Excellency. Thank you for making me understand your warmth, for ensuring I would never overlook it, for keeping me from losing you."
The two gazed at each other for a long moment, savoring the profound fullness of this instant.
They committed every detail to memory—the warmth of fingertips as they caressed one another, the fragrance of sunlight brushing against their noses, each fragment of light as it scattered.
So that even after countless years had passed, they would never forget this moment,
the two slowly, without haste, etched the sacred vow into their memories.
"Shall we depart now?"
When Grace felt sufficient time had elapsed, she spoke first.
"Once we leave, we must receive the sworn testimony of the witnesses before the Seven Great Houses."
"And tonight, we must stand for the banquet."
"Are you fatigued?"
"Not at all. I'm thrilled. A wedding would be dreadfully dull if it were too simple."
"How fortunate. Still, do not expend too much of your strength. There may be quite a great deal to accomplish tonight as well."
Before I could even ask what he meant by that, he pressed another kiss to the back of my hand.
I thought it would end there, but the kisses trailed from the back of my hand to my fingertips, to my palm—each one lingering, deliberate.
And I felt it distinctly.
That same moist sensation brushing between my palm and fingers as before.
"W-what on earth—"
He laughed mischievously, pressing kisses to each knuckle of my fingers.
Sometimes I wonder if this man doesn't actually wish to devour me, given how frequently he kisses and caresses me.
Seeing how he occasionally bites and licks with his tongue, it's undeniable—he wishes to consume me entirely.
"Your Excellency, you truly seem to possess a rather... wanton tongue."
It's mortifying even to speak of it.
I've already said it twice since meeting this man.
'Wanton, wanton...'
Such words hardly seemed appropriate to voice in this sacred place.
Yet, reconsidering, hadn't we just shared an extraordinarily passionate kiss in this very sacred space?
My mind was in turmoil.
As Grace regarded Lucas with bewildered eyes, he wrinkled his nose and spoke in a suggestive tone.
"That wanton tongue hasn't even begun yet."
...Pardon?
I felt as though I'd just heard something absolutely extraordinary.
Grace's face flushed crimson, then drained of all color. She stared at Lucas in alarm.
He kissed her cheeks and earlobes once more, his tone reassuring and measured.
"Don't worry, Grace. I've been thoroughly prepared—both in theory and practice."
"Y-yes...?"
Strangely, his words did nothing to ease my anxiety.
As Grace pressed a hand to her racing heart, a sudden thought seized her.
'...Now that I think about it, haven't I been woefully unprepared? What do I do? I've been far too careless!'
A marital bond encompassed far more than mere spiritual connection, yet I had naively failed to consider such matters at all.
My heart suddenly thundered against my ribs as though it might burst from my chest.
'What have I done! To only realize this on my wedding day!'
But she had no opportunity to dwell on such thoughts while standing there foolishly. Too many ceremonies still awaited her.
Five of the Seven Noble Houses bound to the King and The Curse stood waiting for them.
When Grace and Lucas Black entered the King's Private Chamber where those families awaited them, it happened.
A woman with silver hair swept high atop her head suddenly rose from her seat and cried out.
"I will not be a witness to this oath!"
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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