The main gate of the palace was decorated with flowers, waiting to be opened.
“Oh, I’m getting so nervous.”
I look up at the crown prince, who is sitting next to me.
We were about to leave the palace in an uncovered white carriage with a long line of guards.
The crown prince put his hand on my back and rubbed it up and down, smiling a little.
“You’ve been taking a lot of deep breaths since a while ago. You’re hyperventilating.”
Through the opening in the gate, I could see the crowds lined up along the roadside. I wondered how many people had gathered to see us from here to the church in the royal city where the wedding was to take place.
The carriage is in full 360-degree view from the waist up, so everyone can see us down to our fingertips.
Unable to suppress my extreme nervousness at the thought of this, I adjusted the hem of my wedding dress and touched my hair, which I had managed to gather up in a short way, to make sure it wasn’t disheveled.
I don’t know how many times I checked my hair in such a short period of time.
The crown prince, on the other hand, sits quietly in his seat with a regal air, as if he’s accustomed to sitting there.
His black jacket makes him look even more chic than usual, his shoulder patches and medals glowing golden in the sun, adding a touch of glamour.
His brown eyes look hazel in the bright sunlight, making him look even more different than usual.
The crown prince turns to me, staring at me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ulysses, you are too cool and cunning!”
I worry that I might look dowdy sitting side by side with him.
His eyes widened in slight surprise, then he smiled softly.
“Liesel, you too, are dazzlingly beautiful.”
Saying this, the crown prince tilts his face and brings it closer to mine. Anticipating a kiss, I hurriedly turned my head back and shook it from side to side.
“No, you’ll take my lipstick off.”
I protested, and with a sigh, the crown prince pulled away from me and maturely faced forward.
Instead, he patted my knee.
“It’s not going to be that easy. –you’re so pretty, you could melt my eyes.”
I was about to say that was too much of a compliment, but decided against it. Somehow I got the feeling that the crown prince meant it, and in this moment, I needed to have that kind of confidence.
There was movement from the leading guard, and finally a hand was placed on the gate, and it was slowly opened outward.
The guards begin to move forward, and the coachman orders the horses to start walking.
(Ah, it’s finally here! At last!)
The crown prince squeezes my hand.
It’s supposed to be a happy day, but I’m overwhelmed by the thought of being a spectacle, rather than the joy of being united with Ulysses.
“Smile, princess, smile!”
The Countess in charge of Education, who rides in the carriage behind me, reminds me to smile.
As the carriage exits the royal palace, we are greeted with a tremendous cheer.
“Your Royal Highness! Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Your Highness, please look this way!”
People gathered in overflowing crowds along the roadside, waving small flags and hands. The scene continued all the way to the end of the road within sight.
The extreme attention I‘d never experienced before made my entire body go all furry. But my fear was instantly dispelled.
What awaited us was a flood of smiling faces. The people in the crowd, young and old, men and women alike, turned to us in celebration and jubilation.
My tight smile turned into a natural smile.
Waving my right hand ladylike, I looked up at the crown prince next to me, who was also beaming a radiant smile at the crowd.
Everyone’s excitement is contagious, as it couldn’t be more so for me.
I couldn’t be more infectiously happy to be congratulated on my own happy day by a group of strangers.
“What could be more gratifying?”
I muttered to myself, and the crown prince answered me with a smiling face along the street.
“I’m certain there will be more joy in the days to come.”
“I agree……”
I’m quite sure that there’ll be more difficulties than I have ever experienced before. But I want to walk steadily on this day, which is like the peak of my happiness.
The speed of the carriage is quite slow, but it still passes by the people who are waving at us and calling out to us with their best efforts.
They must have waited in line here since early in the morning.
Looking ahead, we are still a long way from the church.
Suddenly I had a pleasant thought and turned to the crown prince.
“Hey, can I use magic now?”
The crown prince speaks without changing his expression along the road.
“Now? Why?”
“I want to show the water butterflies to everyone who came here.”
The crown prince’s smile disappears like water receding.
His waving hand stops and the expression instantly disappears from his eyes.
(Did I offend him? Was it such a terrible thing to show magic at a wedding?)
Perhaps there is a rule that the crown princess is not allowed to show magic in public.
I couldn’t help but ask the education officer who was probably behind me.
I look back at the countess, and a hand reaches out to my shoulder from the side, forcing me to look forward.
“Ulysses, I…”
I couldn’t finish.
The crown prince’s face blocked my view and his lips sealed my words.
The crowd grew more excited and the cheers were deafening.
He kissed me and I stiffened completely in my seat.
As our lips parted, he stared at me from close range. I was about to complain to him, “Why are you ignoring what I just said?”
His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and for some reason tears were welling up in them.
“Ulysses?”
“Let me see.”
“Eh? What?”
“I want you to show me the water butterflies. Those kaleidoscopic, dreamy, beautiful, colorful butterflies dancing in the water.”
That line sounded very sentimental.
I don’t remember, but had I ever shown the crown prince water butterflies?
“Are you sure? Even if I use magic now?”
The crown prince nodded gently.
I quickly closed my eyes and turned my palms upward.
“Gather, water particles.”
The particles of water gathered and spun around on my hands like little glass spheres.
My grandfather’s teachings come back to my mind.
I picture in my mind the most beautiful butterfly.
With my eyes closed, I smile spontaneously.
As I look deep into my heart, my happiness overflows in a dazzling light as magic, and flows over my hands.
I open my eyes as the cheers coming from all around me turn to a mixture of surprise.
I open my eyes and see butterflies dancing across my field of vision.
Wearing every color in the world, they shine in the sunlight.
They move their wings gracefully, one after another from my hand, scattering as if leaving behind a trail of carriages passing by.
As I finished releasing the last butterfly, the crown prince, who had one hand outstretched to the butterfly, muttered, “Everyone looks so happy”.
“Everyone looks so happy. Maybe I should try it too.”
“No, did you forget you’re unable to use magic?”
Then the crown prince laughed, “Just kidding”.
Having powerful magic but having to pretend not to be able to use it in public was probably the only thing he couldn’t do as he wished now, since his rebirth.
Ahead, the church finally came into view.
Beautiful stained glass windows adorn the gray stone facade.
I take another deep breath and look at the front.
I knew that inside the church would be my grandfather and brother who had come all the way from Baral, as well as Arnold and Katrin.
The Royal Guard, in their black and silver uniforms, line up neatly along the roadside.
But Mac is not among them today. He’s sitting in the pews of the church as my best friend. Next to Cynthia.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Cynthia in her formal attire, since I only saw her in her robe or pajamas at the academy.”
“Certainly. –I’m sure Mac has fallen in love with Cynthia and is probably trying to seduce her right now.”
“Maybe Cynthia will see Mac’s one-of-a-kind outfit and switch from childhood friend to potential lover.”
“And he’s a promising magician, too.”
I suddenly wondered and tilted my head.
“Your Highness didn’t get along very well with Mac when you were in academy.”
“I guess so. But Mac is an extremely talented person.”
“I know right? I’m very proud of the fact that I am surrounded by attractive and good people.”
I would greatly support their relationship and would be very happy for me if they became lovers.
But it’s up to Cynthia to decide who she likes. We must respect her wishes first and foremost.
The carriage finally stops at the front of the church.
With the help of the crown prince, who got off first, I carefully get off the ground so as not to ruin my appearance.
The hem of my pure white dress flutters and the lace of her long cape flows behind her.
Hymns can be heard through the large double doors of the open church.
The inside of the building, decorated with flowers, is resplendent with the colorful formal attire of the attendees.
From the entrance to the altar of the church, a crimson carpet is laid out, creating a path for the crown prince and I to walk on.
As we waited in line, children in lovely dresses with baskets hanging from their elbows scattered peach-colored petals on the carpet at the threshold.
As the last of the fluttering petals fell noiselessly on the crimson, I put my hand on the crown prince’s arm.
We exchange glances.
The crown prince whispered.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes, let’s go.”
We stepped out onto the peach-colored petals.
The end.
Sponsored Content
