Chapter 29 – ​29

I ​wondered ​why ​I ​had ​been ​waiting endlessly, and ​it ​seemed ​it ​was ​because of that damn ​priest.

‘I ​guess they’re collecting ​donations as a ​fee ​for ​coming ​here, ​but ​then they should ​hurry ​up. ​Are they playing ​games with me?’

Euro felt ​irritated inwardly, ​but he ​pretended everything ​was fine ​and ​followed ​Raymond.

“And His Grace?”

“I ​believe he ​has finished his preparations. ​He will enter with ​you, so please do ​not worry.”

Perhaps ​it ​seemed as though Euro was worried ​Melione might run away ​right ​before ​the ​wedding. ​Raymond answered firmly.

He ​hadn’t asked ​with ​that intention, but ​Euro ​gave a sheepish smile and ​stepped into ​the ​hall.

“Wow.”

Stopping before the ​wide-open ​double ​doors, ​Euro ​couldn’t help ​but ​let out ​an exclamation at the grandeur of the ​interior.

Since he was ​told the wedding ​would take place in ​the party ​hall within the ​annex, ​he had imagined ​something like a ​small church ​wedding. ​However, that ​was ​an underestimate ​of ​the Dukedom’s ​wealth.

He ​couldn’t ​fathom how it ​had ​been built, ​but ​the ​walls ​between the delicately carved stone pillars of the visit our sitevisit our sitehigh ceiling were entirely made of glass. And they weren’t just windows, but colorful stained glass.

As the dazzling sun of Silon filtered through those windows, the light took on color and shimmered like an aurora across the somewhat bleak gray walls.

The sound of birds chirping could be heard from afar, and a gentle breeze drifted in. As expected, this was a true fantasy world, completely different from where he had lived.

As Euro looked around in a daze, Raymond handed him a bouquet with a smile.

“Are you aware of the tradition of throwing the bouquet?”

At the question, Euro snapped back to his senses and nodded.

“Yeah, I know about that.”

“Coincidentally, there is a servant who is about to get married. They would be very happy to receive this bouquet.”

“It would be an honor for them to receive it. Since there are no other guests anyway.”

It wasn’t a wedding blessed by everyone, but this wasn’t bad either. In the quiet stillness, his tension eased and his mind grew calm.

The bouquet Raymond handed him was incredibly ornate, unlike his all-white attire. The flowers, blooming in a variety of colors, were all of different species, each possessing its own unique beauty.

“I am only sorry that we could not invite guests, Your Highness.”

“No, no. As long as the protagonists are here, it’s fine. What does anyone else matter?”

Euro answered nonchalantly, staring intently at the bouquet. Since they were destined to part ways and go their separate paths soon anyway, it was actually better that no one knew he and Melione had married.

As he looked at the flowers as if counting them one by one, Euro’s eyes suddenly widened at a familiar bloom. It was cotton, the only flower that bloomed in the perpetually cold winter of Norden.

Normally, cotton cannot survive in such freezing seasons, but for some reason, it grew very well in Norden. Well, perhaps it was a blessing that it made obtaining cotton clothes easy.

However, he had once heard that because cotton consumes so much water while growing, other crops struggle to grow.

It was shortly after his possession; while looking at the rows of cotton, Clope had told him this, wondering why he was suddenly interested in looking at flowers.

‘Thinking about it now, that’s kind of funny. To Clope, Euro Leches should have been a loathsome human being.’

Why did she cherish Euro so much? He should have been hated, yet she truly accepted Euro as her younger brother.

Euro touched the cotton with his fingertip. The fluffy feeling was quite pleasant, bringing a smile to his lips. It was obvious that Raymond had prepared this for Euro, who was getting married alone in a distant land.

“Isn’t it hard to find cotton in Silon? It’s everywhere in Norden… seeing it reminds me. My sister once told me a story about cotton.”

To Euro, cotton was merely the achievement of Mun Ik-jeom, but seeing it here in Silon strangely made him feel nostalgic. Even though Norden wasn’t his hometown, nor a place where he had particularly fond memories.

“She said that while it’s certainly a blessing that cotton grows well in Norden, it also makes the land more barren because it’s difficult to cultivate other crops due to the cotton.”

“…….”

“Whether to spend the cold winter without cotton, or to give up cotton to fill one’s stomach. She said making that choice seemed truly tragic.”

Thinking about it, that resonated with Euro’s own life. The life of an idol, which made one feel alive but left them with nothing to eat, versus a stable life that could be obtained by giving up that dream.

If you placed the two on a scale, one side would tilt unilaterally. Without even needing to choose, there was only one rational option.

“But, I don’t think so.”

“Then what do you think?”

At the sudden sound of Melione’s voice, Euro, who had been mumbling with a smile, snapped his head up. There stood Melione, right beside him.

Startled, Euro gaped at the Duke like a goldfish. He wondered how a human could have such no presence; frozen as if he had seen a ghost, Euro tried to calm his pounding heart.

It wasn’t that Melione had gone somewhere he wasn’t allowed. It was all because Euro had fallen into a sentimental mood while looking at the cotton. Perhaps because he had died so suddenly, he sometimes couldn’t control these lapses into reverie.

To be thinking of other things right before an important wedding. Euro shook his head slightly, then gave a bright smile and spoke.

“You look handsome today as well, Your Grace.”

With his long hair neatly swept back, Melione’s face was stunning today as well. Because he had become conscious of the Duke yesterday, his palms felt strangely hot as he faced him.

Clutching the bouquet tightly, Euro turned his head to look forward. visit our siteThe forgotten tension rushed [unauthorized copy]back, and his mouth went dry, forcing him to swallow hard.

He didn’t know why he was so nervous when it wasn’t even a real marriage. Perhaps it was because everything that had happened since he arrived in Silon was merely a prelude, and the real story began after this wedding.

The moment he married and became the Duke’s spouse, the curse would begin for him as well. It was like the countdown to death had started.

‘Right, of course I’m nervous. It’s no different from seeing my remaining lifespan ticking down in real-time right before my eyes.’

At most, it was one or two years. He had already died once, so he wondered what there was to fear, but Euro was truly afraid of dying.

“Your Highness.”

At Melione’s call, Euro turned his head to find him extending a hand. Everything was prepared; all that remained was to take this hand.

In that moment, Euro hesitated. Was this truly the best way? Was there really no other method? Was there truly no way to disappear quietly and live his own life without becoming entangled with any of the characters here?

Had he chosen the worst option, overwhelmed by the given circumstances? As he stared blankly at Melione’s outstretched hand and hesitated, Melione spoke softly.

“You may stop if you wish.”

“…….”

“Because you will regret it at least once.”

Euro frowned at Melione’s words. However, there was [visit our site]no change in unauthorized copyMelione’s expression. He looked utterly composed, as if he [stolen content]were watching someone else’s wedding.

“Now is your only chance.”

“Who said I was stopping?”

Euro steadied his heart and placed his hand atop Melione’s. Yes, running away and surviving might be a way, but he couldn’t do that.

If he hadn’t known, it would be one thing, but knowing the tragic endings of everyone, he couldn’t turn a blind eye. If he left Melione’s death unattended like this, he would surely regret it someday.

“I have never once felt regret in my life.”

Euro’s voice was firm. It was the same when everyone pointed fingers, saying that becoming an idol was a hopeless dream, and the same when he lost his life in a musical that had been his last chance.

“This marriage is no different.”

If there was one variable, it was that he was wretchedly unlucky, to the point where he had never achieved a single thing he set his mind to. But not this time. Had he not made it this far somehow?

Melione lightly grasped the hand of Euro, who was looking only forward. Then, he began to walk forward slowly.

On the altar stood the priest, and before him was the brass bowl Raymond had mentioned. The only guests were the birds chirping near the annex and the servants of the Dukedom.

Euro steeled his resolve. This was not a path toward death, but a wonderful beginning for a new life.

In the last survival mission he participated in, just before unauthorized copythe [unauthorized copy]final live broadcast where only twelve could debut, Euro had been ranked 14th in the mid-term rankings.

If a miracle happened, he could debut. It was the first time in his life he had reached such a high rank. The top 11 were practically concrete, with the same trainees constantly shuffling positions, but Euro had not given up.

He believed without a doubt that that moment would be his beginning. It was the same now. There were no other options. He was certain that he had chosen the best, most optimal path.

The end of this marriage will definitely be a happy ending. He intended to make it so, no matter what.