She almost yelled a âNoâ. Fortunately, she was able to compose herself and swallowed the words that were about to escape her mouth in the back of her throat. Fortunately, her face was covered by a veil.
âMariel..!â
The bitterness of the shame that she had ruined everything with her rash action was too much for her to handle.
The incident was brought to a close when Asella accepted Anthonyâs apology.
As Calix began to walk, holding her waist for support, a rare scene unfolded as the crowd of nobles split into two sides of the corridor at once.
Not even a breath could be heard in the wide corridor as the Grand Duke and his wife, and the Benvito knights passed between them with ease.
âWell, if youâll excuse meâ¦â
Philip ended the banquet swiftly by saying farewell to his visitor. Anthony, in shock, staggered roughly and disappeared while supported by his servants.
It was a really messed up wedding reception.
On the other hand, the people who attended the wedding had similar thoughts.
âDidnât you see what just happened?â
âI donât know how it happened, but I didnât expect His Excellency to be so scary.â
âThis is how much he loves Her Highness, I guess.â
âDonât you think we should get this news out as soon as possible?â
What was certain was the fact that tomorrow, the story of the Grand Dukeâs love for his wife would spread like wildfire throughout the Empire.
* * *
Calix mocked as he entered Asellaâs fake bedroom, which had initially been Rebeccaâs room.
âYou want me to spend my wedding night in a room like this?â
In an instant, all the blood was drawn from Asellaâs face.
Rebeccaâs room was the most well-maintained room in the residence of the Marquis Chartus.
It was large, luxurious, and the decorations were all high-end. It was nothing compared to Asellaâs room, which had a simple bed, desk, and dressing table.
It even had been redecorated for todayâs wedding, with new curtains and carpets.
âI guess he doesnât like it.â
The Benvito family was not exactly a simple household to please. She couldnât imagine how grand the Grand Duke residence would look like.
âWhat should I doâ¦?â
Asella bowed her head, unable to find the words to reply.
This made her wonder if she would be able to spend the night with him safely today. She had to appease his displeasure somehow.
That was when Asellaâs hand tightened.
âRyzen.â
âYes, Your Excellency.â
âWeâre moving up our schedule and leaving for the duchy today. Prepare accordingly.â
Asella glanced up at the conversation between them.
âWhy? We havenât even spent our wedding night yetâ¦â
Before the panicked Asella could say anything else, Calix gently lifted her veil and asked.
âYou donât want to?â
She pondered for a moment. But then she quickly shook her head.
He didnât like this room. No, he hated it outright.
Whether it was today or tomorrow morning, nothing was going to change much, so it was better to go along with his wishes as much as possible.
There was one thing that bothered her, though.
âI donât think Mariel is ready.â
As she spoke, she finally realized that she hadnât seen Mariel all day.
âBut she attended the wedding, right?â
Certainly, her little sisterâs eyes twinkled as she waited to meet Asellaâs gaze. However, it didnât even occur to her to look for Mariel.
She could say that she was so nervous and scared that she couldnât focus on anything, but it was just a poor excuse.
Asella felt so bad and sorry for her sister, how much she must have been lonely after three years of not seeing each other.
But for now, Asella felt fortunate to be leaving this place with her sister.
âThe preparations are going to take some time.â
âIâll be waiting.â
Asellaâs mouth dropped open in surprise.
âThank you⦠Your Excellency.â
Upon hearing her answer, Calixâs eyes narrowed because of the strange tone in her voice.
âWeâre not in a rush, so take your time to get ready.â
However, when Asellaâs eyes widened at his words, Calix felt even more disturbed.
âThank you.â
With a slight nod, Asella left the room. For some reason, Calix couldnât take his eyes off her until she disappeared at the end of the corridor.