The Wedding Ceremony

The wedding proceeded within the King’s Hall under a solemn atmosphere. Far more resplendent in color than the previous engagement ceremony, the wedding made it unmistakably clear just how great an event this was for the nation.

Ambassadors from every country were in attendance, and it seemed that all the most eminent high-ranking nobles of the Polia Kingdom had gathered. Amid this scene, Ian conducted the ceremony with a heart divided between confusion and worry.

‘A wedding that deceives everyone… If the truth that this is fake ever comes out, I’ll be condemned without mercy.’

With that thought, he cast a brief glance toward Princess Adrina standing right beside him. He had seen it at the engagement ceremony as well, but her beauty was truly overwhelming. Now that she had gone all out with her makeup and wedding dress, it felt as though radiant petals were fluttering around her.

Her platinum-blond hair paired with the pure white wedding dress was the very embodiment of brilliance. It felt as if he were gazing upon a goddess who should not exist in the human world. He had always known she was beautiful, but today she was at her absolute peak, and his attention kept drifting back to her.

‘Why is she this beautiful?’

Watching her quietly close her eyes, he found himself wanting to keep looking without realizing it. While he struggled to hide that feeling, it seemed the others were far less successful.

Everyone kept turning their heads just to glimpse the gorgeous Princess Adrina. Even the priest officiating the wedding appeared dazed, unable to tear his eyes away from her beauty.

“…And thus, the two of you shall, for many long… ah… what was it again? Ah, my apologies. That is to say, you shall be bound together for many years as husband and wife…”

Even the priest, who had to be over sixty, was clearly not in his right mind. It made Ian keenly aware of just how extraordinary and unrivaled her beauty was. The rumors that she had left countless men lovesick throughout the empire were no exaggeration.

In truth, her appearance had grown incomparably more beautiful than before, even without him realizing it. If even a priest of her age was this shaken, it said everything about how much more stunning she had become.

‘For some reason, it feels like I’m committing a sin.’

At that moment, Ian was handed the prepared wedding ring. It was set with an impressively large diamond, and he placed it onto her slender, pale finger. The ring soon settled into place.

Next, Princess Adrina was given her ring and slid it onto Ian’s finger. The King’s Hall fell into a silence so complete it could be called absolute stillness. In that quiet, Ian’s voice echoed softly.

“I, Ian di Polia, as King of the Polia Kingdom, vow to accept Adrina as my wife and to restore and elevate the royal house.”

“I… Adrina di Polia, vow to accept Ian di Polia as my husband as Queen of the Polia Kingdom and to enrich the royal house.”

Princess Adrina would now be called Queen, and even her surname had changed to Polia. As their vows echoed quietly, applause suddenly burst forth.

Amid the clapping, Ian realized that the wedding ceremony was finally nearing its end. Only the celebration banquet remained. A sigh of relief escaped him.

‘A wedding really isn’t easy. If I had to do something like this twice(?), it would be unbearable.’

As the applause died down, the priest spoke words to mark the conclusion. But then, something completely unexpected was said.

“With this, I declare that the two of you have become husband and wife as King and Queen. You may now seal your vows with a kiss.”

Flinch.

Both of them instinctively stiffened.

‘A kiss of vows? What did he just say?’

Ian looked at the priest in confusion. The priest, unaware of the impact of his words, simply looked back. Ian could only think, Damn it!

‘A kiss of vows? That wasn’t in the plan!’

He had already reviewed all the details of the ceremony beforehand, and there had been no mention of a kiss. Did the priest not realize what he was saying? Or was this something so obvious that Ian himself had simply missed it?

Murmurs spread through the King’s Hall.

Seeing them remain still, the gathered guests reacted with confusion. Ian could only look at Adrina, who was gazing at him with a helpless expression, clearly just as clueless.

‘Is this some kind of traditional custom?’

Perhaps it was tradition, something he hadn’t known about. He had never attended someone else’s wedding, after all. Unsure of what to do, he felt the murmuring grow louder with every passing second.

An intangible pressure pressed down on him. He saw Adrina’s eyes trembling as well. At that moment, Ian decided they needed to somehow move past this “kiss of vows.” Just as he was about to speak, he froze.

‘Huh?’

Adrina was quietly leaning toward him, her lips slightly parted. Her eyes were closed. She was clearly offering a kiss. While he hesitated, she had made her decision first.

‘She’s trembling.’

Looking closely, her hands were shaking faintly. Only someone standing this close could notice. Realizing that doing nothing would only make things worse for her, Ian moved.

He stepped forward slowly. He hadn’t expected this situation at all, and his heart pounded violently. Was it really okay? Could he taint this pure white presence with someone like himself?

Despite those thoughts, his body and face were already drawing closer to Adrina. Then, their lips met.

A soft sensation spread across his lips, and a strange, electric feeling surged through his entire body. Confusion, joy, embarrassment, and excitement all collided at once.

They said a person’s heart could change in an instant. The moment their lips touched, Adrina seemed to carve herself deeply into Ian’s heart.

And it wasn’t only Ian. Adrina, who had mustered the courage to lean in first, felt a swirl of embarrassment, awkwardness, joy, and anticipation. At eighteen, emotions were bound to overflow.

They had known each other for years, yet this kiss awakened feelings they had never realized before.

Just as that private moment lingered—

“Ahem, excuse me… Your Majesties?”

It was the priest’s voice, sounding flustered.

‘We kissed for too long,’ Ian realized.

Feeling embarrassed, they parted. A strange sense of regret lingered.

Then the priest’s words struck them like a bolt of lightning.

“Ah, the kiss of vows is meant to be placed upon each other’s hand. Why did you suddenly kiss on the lips?”

Flush!

Their faces burned red.

They had misunderstood. A “kiss” did not automatically mean lips—it was meant to be a gentle kiss upon the back of the hand.

In truth, this was Ian’s fault as well. The explanation had been given beforehand, but he had been distracted and failed to hear it properly. Adrina’s face was already crimson, and now smiles began to bloom across the crowd.

“How magnificent, Your Majesty!”

“Oh my, how beautiful must Queen Adrina be for him to kiss her like that during the ceremony?”

“His Majesty is still a man, after all! How bold, hahaha!”

“My, he must have been dying to kiss her!”

“Who could blame him? She’s the Queen.”

Hearing all this, Ian felt utterly mortified. Even his mother and younger sister were laughing. It had all happened because of a misunderstanding.

As he looked at Queen Adrina, her head bowed deeply, he thought—

‘It wasn’t… bad.’

If he hadn’t misunderstood the kiss of vows, perhaps he would have continued treating her with the same distant feelings as before. Perhaps he would have done so for years. Even now, the sensation of her lips lingered faintly.

‘So this is what contact between people can feel like…’

He steadied himself. He couldn’t remain flustered forever.

Ian took her hand. Adrina lifted her head in surprise. He gently kissed the back of her hand—this time, the proper kiss of vows. Her pale skin was smooth and soft beyond expectation.

Then he felt Adrina kiss the back of his hand in return. A gentle warmth spread across his skin. Watching her bow slightly, he found himself staring blankly until their eyes met.

‘What am I doing…?’

Before the kiss, he would have met her gaze without issue. Now, her eyes seemed to pull him in.

A wry smile formed inside his mind.

“Now that the kiss of vows has been exchanged, I declare you husband and wife.”

As the priest announced the conclusion, the orchestra began to play. At last, Ian knew—the wedding was over. All that remained was to leave the hall hand in hand.

He extended his hand. Adrina softly took it.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

They walked across the King’s Hall together as the guests erupted in cheers and applause. Everyone celebrated the handsome King and the beautiful Queen.

As they stepped through the entrance, the wedding finally came to an end.

And later that evening—

After the celebratory banquet concluded, Ian and Adrina were together in one room. Having officially become husband and wife, there was no longer any reason to keep separate chambers.

“Ahem… Are you tired?”

“A little.”

Fatigue was clear on her face. From early morning makeup to wearing the wedding dress, she had endured a long day—meeting countless guests before the ceremony and attending the banquet afterward.

“Please, sit comfortably.”

“I’m fine. This is comfortable enough.”

Adrina—no, Queen Adrina now—sat on a chair before the vanity, still seeming a bit stiff. Sensing the distance between them, Ian spoke.

“If you stay like that, I’ll feel uncomfortable. I’ll sleep on the sofa, so you should rest on the bed.”

“No, that won’t do.”

“Hm? What won’t?”

“How could I let Your Majesty sleep on the sofa? I’ll sleep there.”

“I can’t allow you to do that. I’d be uncomfortable. Please, use the bed.”

“I can’t… Then let’s sleep together.”

“…What?”

“I mean—just lying down together and sleeping comfortably. Please don’t misunderstand.”

Her face burning red, Ian had to suppress a smile. He now understood his feelings for her, but that didn’t mean he could embrace her so suddenly. They could grow closer naturally, little by little.

“I understand. I won’t misunderstand.”

“T-thank goodness.”

“But… are you sure that’s alright?”

“Yes…”

Seeing her nod shyly, he felt the urge to kiss her again. If he gave in, he feared he might cross a line he couldn’t return from. With near-superhuman restraint, he held himself back.

“It’s late. Let’s sleep.”

“O-okay.”

Before they knew it, they were lying side by side in the same bed. It felt strange—awkward, yet not unpleasant. The faint scent of Adrina reached his nose, lifting his mood.

‘Am I a pervert? Why does this make me so happy?’

As he let out a silent laugh at himself and turned his gaze, he saw Adrina already asleep. She must have been exhausted.

‘She trusts me too much,’ he thought.

“Alright… sleep.”

Ian himself was quite tired. He soon drifted off as well.

And so passed the first night of the two, now officially husband and wife.