When A Villain Meets A Villain - Chapter 68

However, Atalante couldn’t ascertain Lionel’s face even after the ceremony began.

‘What’s with that veil?’

Without paying any attention to the head priest’s officiation, Atalante kept glancing at the grand duke’s side profile, which was covered by a white veil.

She didn’t get what the thin veil, which was wrapped around the brides in the Empire, was doing around the head of a large man.

”In the Grand Duchy, it is customary to not let others see the groom’s face or hear his voice until the couple makes their vows.”

She suddenly recalled what the etiquette tutor had mentioned in passing.

Was that custom the reason why Lionel didn’t talk to her when he entered?

This custom seemed rather bothersome, but she thought that it was a relief instead.

The grand duke’s face was veiled, but the occasional sight of his profile was so beautiful that it made her flustered.

If his veiled face was to this degree, it’d definitely be unhealthy for her if she kept looking at the face of a man that must have put in more effort than usual.

“The bride, Atalante. Do you swear to become a wise mother of the nation, and the only wife of this man for the rest of your life?”

Are they finally beginning the oaths after the boring introduction?

Out of the previous grand duchesses, how many of them didn’t have a surname? Perhaps Atalante was the only one without.

Atalante suppressed a bitter smile within her and opened her mouth when the words ‘rest of your life’ left the head priest’s mouth.

“I swear.”

Her answer caused the already quiet surroundings to turn even more silent. Atalante realised for the first time today that there could be so little noise while outdoors.

The head priest nodded in affirmation, and this time, he turned towards Lionel, who was standing next to her.

“Lionel Blanc. Do you……”

“Yes, I swear.”

What are you swearing to without even listening till the end?

Atalante looked up at the man beside her in surprise, thinking that if he had been a commoner, he might have been in trouble for making the wrong promises.

“Erm, Your Highness. I haven’t read the oaths yet…….”

Despite being flustered, the head priest opened his mouth with a puzzled expression, but it didn’t seem like Lionel had any intention of understanding his feelings.

It was Lionel’s melodious voice that broke the silence, which seemed as though time had stopped.

“I swear to have and hold Atalante Blanc as my one and only companion, and will only love her for the rest of my life.”

Atalante Blanc.

Even though it was her name, it felt awkward like it wasn’t hers. Ahh, after this, she’d really… she’d really become his wife.

“Y, Your Highness.”

“I swear to be an obedient husband that will make my wife happy. As proof, I gave her my left ear.”

As he spoke, Lionel sneakily lifted the left side of his veil. Like he was bragging about the precious jewellery.

Above Lionel’s firm neckline, a blue piercing that he’d worn since yesterday was revealed.

His ears were still bright red, as though it was proof that they had just been pierced.

Atalante, who blushed for no particular reason, gave the head priest an urging look. It was followed by the grand duke’s plain voice.

“I don’t want to waste time, so I hope that things will proceed quickly.”

“Y…Your Highness’s vow and the oaths are almost the same, so let’s move on to the next step.”

Since you’ve said that, you’ve said it.

The head priest, who swallowed back down those unsaid words, returned to a solemn expression again and continued the ceremony.

“Since the vows between husband and wife have been exchanged, from this moment forth, in the name of the Lord, I declare that Lionel Blanc and Atalante Blanc are married.”

Thanks to the usage of sound amplification magic, the head priest’s solemn voice resonated throughout the crowd, and the birth of a special couple was blessed with enthusiastic cheers.

“Your Highness, onto the next step of the ceremony…”

Atalante, who had been listening to the shouts like she was bewitched, came to her senses only when the head priest called her.

‘Now, I’m supposed to take the veil off……’

She couldn’t help but feel nervous at the thought of the next step, but there was no helping it.

Atalante swallowed dryly and grabbed the end of the soft fabric with trembling hands.

After letting out a faint chuckle, Lionel bent down to help her remove the veil easily.

After taking a deep breath, Atalante slowly lifted the cloth covering Lionel’s face.

‘D*mn…’

Upon seeing his completely exposed face, Atalante almost let out a curse.

It seems like Atalante has lost again today. With skin as white as the cloth that covered his face, the grand duke’s features were extremely handsome.

Blind affection for Atalante was contained within eyes that seemed to have completely sucked in today’s clear, blue sky.

Although she averted her gaze to avoid that, no matter where she looked, the danger was the same. His upright nose, prettily coloured lips, the neck that was slightly exposed above the buttoned collar, the earlobe with a familiar piercing……

Everything was dangerous.

“Atalante.”

Lionel, who came close enough that she felt his breaths, called her with an affectionate voice.

Instead of opening her mouth, Atalante nodded, and as he responded with a languid smile, he placed an exquisitely crafted tiara on the grand duchess’s head.

The tiara, which was worn by previous grand duchesses, had delicate carvings of the national flower, Snow White, which decorated her hair and clothes today.

“From this day onwards, you are my companion and my partner, who will rule over the Grand Duchy with me.”

“…I will follow Your Highness’s wishes.”

As Atalante recited her lines in a low voice, she tried to calm her trembling eyes, as the man that stared at her with adoration-filled eyes spoke softly.

Does she know? Her red hair and the blue-tinted white tiara matched extremely well together. It felt like it was made for Atalante.

After a long and profound eye contact, Lionel, who gave a radiant smile, was filled with uncontrollable emotion.

“I love you, Atalante.”

With a breathtaking confession, he wrapped an arm around her waist gently and kissed her.

Despite knowing that it was a part of the wedding ceremony’s procedures, Atalante almost pushed him away.

Maybe it’s because she instinctively noticed. How dangerous it was… to share a breath with another.

His kiss was rather polite and caring. He did not dig inside without permission, nor did he destroy lip makeup that was carefully done by the maids.

It was just a breath and a restless and vague contact, and that was all, but why…

‘Why does it feel so strange?’

The hardened Atalante blinked a few times, and Lionel, whose lips fell off like petals, stared deeply into her purple eyes.

The moment she thought that she was about to be bewitched by those strangely moist blue eyes, their lips met once again.

“What…!”

The bewildered Atalante’s words were swallowed up by his warm lips several times.

Despite the astonished gazes of everyone gathered, their monarch did not stop kissing Atalante.

“Uh… please stop.”

Eventually, even Atalante’s hands became red as she pushed him away by the shoulder.

Lionel allowed himself to be pushed back by her hands, but his eyes, which were filled with longing, remained the same.

“Oh, what’s this?”

Atalante, who looked down to avoid those blue eyes, was shocked. It’s because the scarlet colour that was smudged on Lionel’s lips was clearly from her own.

“Wipe it, quickly.”

Atalante, who let out a subtly heated sigh, reached out and rubbed his lips.

Perhaps because it was her first time touching a man’s lips, her hand kept trembling. But Atalante firmly removed the red mark from his mouth.

Through her efforts, Lionel recovered his original lip colour. Before she could feel proud of that fact, Atalante sensed the strangely still atmosphere around them.

‘What’s wrong? What’s going on?’

It was presumably because of the several kisses that Lionel had unexpectedly given.

With a murky gaze, Atalante glanced down at the people of the grand duchy that were looking at her, before looking at Agnes, who stood a distance away.

Just like she was asking why the atmosphere was like this.

As a competent head maid, Agnes figured out her master’s thoughts and answered the question immediately.

“While it’s natural that the people of the grand duchy are interested in the private lives of the grand ducal couple, there’s no need to disclose what they’ll look like in their bedroom.”

In a pretty straightforward manner, at that.

While Atalante did not understand the meaning of those words, a loud cheer came from below.

“I can’t believe that they already have such a good relationship!”

“I’m sure that not long after, the grand duchy will be having another celebration!”

“Will it be a grand prince or a grand princess?”

Upon hearing the occasional chatter that travelled between the shouts, Atalante’s face became unbelievably red.

“As long as they resemble you, I’m fine with either.”

In the meantime, Lionel, who had been arranging his expression like he hadn’t been bewitched, added slyly.

Lionel only whispered that he was joking after being on the receiving end of Atalante’s sharp gaze, and turned his head toward the head priest, who was as red as she was.

“My dear, what more can I ask for when you’ve promised to be by my side?”

Those words threw Atalante’s mind into chaos once again.

After ordering the head priest to finish up the ceremony, Lionel extended a hand out towards Atalante, which she took while trying her best not to tremble.

It wasn’t difficult afterwards. She just imitated Lionel’s happy expression.

From today onwards, Atalante, no, Atalante Blanc, will be a perfect deceiver.

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