Chapter 07
A deep blue, like the moonlit night sea, stood out unmistakably even among the crowd. When Adele’s gaze brushed Lionel for a moment, he gave a subtle bow, half-seen, half-hidden. Adele returned it with a light nod before looking away.
At that moment, his older brother Theseus, seated beside him, whispered softly.
“You’ve reversed the situation as easily as flipping your hand.”
From behind Lionel came the suppressed voices of the nobles.
“My goodness. I can’t take my eyes off her.”
“Her presence is overwhelming.”
The crown princess smiled gently and spoke in a light tone.
“Oh dear. I seem to have kept our honored guests waiting.”
At her relaxed demeanor—as though this were nothing worth making a fuss over—the nobles who had been mocking her earlier glanced around nervously and cleared their throats. Adele looked toward the seat of honor. Two people were seated there: one woman and one man.
Elisabetta, who had been holding back her anger at Karl for arriving late and ruining the ceremony, slowly rose from her seat when she noticed Adele’s gaze. She liked the way Adele had taken control of the room by seating herself at the place of honor. Had Adele remained standing blankly at the entrance of the grand temple, the nobles would have enjoyed the situation and laughed—and that, in turn, would have damaged the dignity of the imperial family.
“Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Elisabetta Ulrich. I have long wished to meet you.”
Elisabetta bowed respectfully to Adele, and Adele rose from her seat to lightly accept the greeting.
Soon, the man seated beside Elisabetta also stood and greeted Adele.
“Greetings. It is an honor to meet you. I am August Ulrich Desponera.”
Adele smiled softly at their courteous greetings and replied in an easy tone.
“With such formal introductions from the two of you, I hardly know how to introduce myself. I wish we could proceed with the ceremony and allow me to proudly present my name. Ulrich Echmont— even the sound of it is elegant and dignified. I am Adelaide, one who very much wishes to become Ulrich Echmont.”
Her tone was light yet carried weight, her words flowing smoothly. The two dukes laughed, their eyes crinkling, and the nobles joined in carefully, making sure not to offend the ears of the crown princess.
“You already look like the Empress of this empire. You may confidently introduce yourself as Ulrich Echmont, Your Majesty.”
At the Duke of Desponera’s words, voices of agreement rose among the nobles. Adelaide laughed lightly.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“That was no compliment.”
“Now, please sit. It seems we must wait a little longer until His Majesty arrives.”
With that, she turned and took her seat before the two of them.
In a hall filled with countless nobles, Adelaide once again impressed upon everyone who stood at the very top—simply by exchanging greetings and then offering seats. Such things were not something one could learn through study alone.
Elisabetta bit her lip hard to keep from laughing as she sat down. She cast a strange look at her uncle, the Duke of Desponera, seated beside her, then abruptly turned her head away.
And shortly after, the entrance of the grand temple grew noisy—the long-awaited main figure had finally arrived.
Adele felt like rushing over immediately and glaring daggers at him. But she had the dignity of an empress to maintain.
‘That blasted dignity.’
What could she do? Royals lived off that very “dignity.”
Adelaide lifted her back from the chair and sat perfectly straight.
She first saw the attendants near the temple entrance bowing deeply. As a path wide enough for two or three people opened, an attendant announced loudly:
“His Majesty the Emperor enters!”
At those words, the entire assembly rose at once, bustling as they turned. Only one person remained seated—Adelaide. Elisabetta watched her closely. Adele’s gaze fixed on a single point.
Cutting through the suffocating silence, the crisp sound of footsteps echoed, and soon a tall man in ceremonial attire appeared.
Karl Ulrich Echmont.
He was tall and slender. His formal robes fit his lean frame perfectly, and the imperial epaulettes gleaming on his shoulders made him stand out even more. Yet what drew the eye beyond all that was his appearance. His shining blond hair and deep violet eyes formed a surprisingly harmonious contrast. He was so strikingly handsome that it seemed the portraits had failed to capture the real thing.
But the moment Adele saw that beautiful face, her brow tightened. Whether it was the reddish eyes, the sharp jawline, or the piercing gaze, his beauty carried a dark, decadent edge. Moreover, the way he seemed to glare at her made him look downright dangerous.
When the emperor stepped onto the line where Adele had been waiting, she finally rose slowly from her seat. Though they were soon to be husband and wife, they did not stand side by side; instead, they faced each other as if in confrontation.
“Remove the chairs.”
It was Adele who broke the silence. After issuing the command, she stared straight at Karl and began to walk toward him slowly.
The princess of Gottorp, soon to become the crown empress, was waiting for him at the seat of honor. The moment he entered, even Emperor Karl could tell who held the highest position here. She had turned a place without even a chair into the seat of honor and had seized control of everyone present. Karl observed the future empress with a sharp gaze.
Though she had remained seated even after his arrival, she soon rose slowly.
“Remove the chairs.”
At her firm command, the attendants carried it out as if they had been waiting for it. She then began to walk forward.
Jet-black hair contrasted with vivid golden eyes, and a splendid golden crown that suited her perfectly. With every step she took, perfection seemed to overflow. The Gottorp princess, dignified and graceful, looked like an empress incarnate—and something about that stirred Karl Ulrich.
He looked at Adelaide with a cold expression, and her gaze grew just as cold in response. The two who were soon to be bound as husband and wife met each other for the first time on this desolate path.
“Greetings.”
“Hello.”
Their tones were icy.
Adelaide calmly turned and stood beside him. It felt as though a chill pierced through her clothes, sending goosebumps along her right shoulder and ear where she stood next to him.
‘Haah…’
Even before things truly began, Adele let out a deep sigh inwardly, already exhausted.
Soon, as the high priest who would give the blessing took his place, the attendants and maids nearby urged the pair to begin the procession. A maid offered a splendid bouquet, and an attendant said to the emperor:
“Please take Her Majesty the Empress’s hand, Your Majesty.”
But after glancing briefly at Adele, the emperor pretended not to hear and took a step forward on his own. The grand temple was once again engulfed in an icy, hair-raising silence. The emperor had refused to take the empress’s hand as they entered.
Even Adele, who always kept her composure, felt her expression crack like splitting ice. It seemed sparks flew from her eyes. She clenched her fists tightly and ground her teeth.
“U-um… Your Majesty the Empress.”
At that moment, the maid, her voice trembling, extended the bouquet once more. Adele glared at the flowers with fury, then spoke firmly.
“I don’t need it. I will walk without holding it.”
“E-excuse me?”
“Is it against protocol?”
“No, it is not.”
“Then that’s fine.”
With that, Adele took a long stride forward. Abandoning any effort to match the emperor’s pace, she began to walk alone. Karl, too, walked without regard for her steps, and the two merely walked the same path separately. If not for their ceremonial attire, one might not even have recognized it as a wedding.
As Adele walked, barely suppressing her boiling anger, Karl, close beside her, whispered quietly:
“Do not expect too much.”
“……”
For a moment, she nearly stopped in her tracks, but the emperor lightly pushed her back. Under the unspoken pressure to keep walking, Adele resumed her steps. The altar where the high priest stood was still quite far away.
“What do you mean by that?”
At her quiet question, Karl spoke of something else.
“I heard you asked Diane Poitiers whether she was a maid.”
“She was in my bedchamber without permission. It was only natural to ask.”
“She is not a maid, so do not show her any further disrespect.”
