* * *
“Normally, it would be my responsibility to prepare the room for the two of you, but with the wedding preparations taking up my time, I find myself in a bit of a bind. Ah! Could I trouble you, young master Ronen, to decorate the room for the Grand Duke and his partner instead? I’m sure both of them would be delighted to know you took care of their room personally.”
“If Jaynon says so, then of course! I’ll make sure to decorate it perfectly before Brother and Ed arrive!”
Following Ronen’s enthusiastic declaration, the entire Northern Castle sprang into action.
As Ronen busily roamed the castle with Roa to prepare the room for his brother and Ed, he spotted Jaynon and waved energetically, running over to him.
“Jaynon, when will Brother arrive?”
“A message came earlier saying they’ll likely arrive in the North this afternoon.”
“Really? Oh no, the room isn’t fully ready yet! I wanted to finish it before they got here to surprise them…”
As Ronen turned to rush back and continue decorating, Jaynon quickly stopped him.
“The message also said, ‘Make sure Ronen doesn’t overwork himself and takes his meals properly.’”
Though reluctantly, Ronen allowed Jaynon to drag him to the dining hall.
Even as he ate, his mind was preoccupied with the room’s final touches.
“My bouquet will still look fresh, right?”
“Of course. I even cast a preservation spell, so it’s as fresh as ever.”
“I hope Brother and Ed will love it when they see it.”
“I’m sure the Grand Duchess will accept it with the brightest smile, delighted by anything from you, young master.”
“And Brother will hug me tight and laugh too.”
As Ronen beamed brightly, Jaynon smiled back, nodding to his words.
“Of course! Without a doubt, the Grand Duke will lift you right off the ground the moment he sees you!”
Under the table, Ronen’s feet swung even more energetically.
Their lighthearted chatter was interrupted when Ronen saw the head chef carrying out a giant cake.
Startled, he stuffed the bread he’d been holding into his mouth like a hamster, finishing his meal in an instant.
The Northern Castle’s little “hamster” scampered out of the dining hall, with a massive fox appearing out of nowhere to follow him.
When the carriage arrived at the castle, the Grand Duke rose to help Ed out.
As the door opened, they saw Ronen waiting with a bouquet in hand, standing poised but clearly impatient, before breaking into a sprint.
“Brother!”
The Grand Duke glanced calmly at the gathered servants, instructing them silently with his gaze to remain composed.
However, no matter how composed they were supposed to be, he couldn’t stop the flood of curious, amused, and surprised looks aimed at Ed.
Shielding Ed from those piercing gazes with his own body, the Grand Duke scooped Ronen into a hug, smiling as their eyes met.
“The Northern Castle seems brighter and tidier since I was last here.”
“I worked really hard to clean and decorate because you’re marrying Ed—no, I mean, the Grand Duchess!”
Though the Grand Duke tried to block Ed from view, Ed felt the weight of every curious and teasing gaze.
When Ronen wriggled in his brother’s arms, Ed sighed softly.
“You can just call me Ed, young master.”
“No, I can’t do that anymore, can I?”
“The wedding hasn’t happened yet, and it might feel awkward if the titles change suddenly. It’s better to ease into it, don’t you think, Your Grace?”
On their way to the North, Ed had spoken with the Grand Duke about titles.
While the Grand Duke wanted to address Ed formally to acknowledge his position, Ed had a different perspective.
“If my abrupt change in status is too noticeable, it might make others uncomfortable when interacting with me.”
“Even if we’re okay with it, others might struggle to adapt.”
“I’d rather be treated like a butler of the castle than elevated to some unreachable status as the Grand Duchess.”
In the end, the Grand Duke respected Ed’s wishes.
“Your feelings matter most, Ed. If that’s what you want, so be it.”
“Titles can change anytime. Let’s head inside—it’s chilly out here.”
As they entered the castle, the servants, already familiar with Ed’s personality, approached him more comfortably, chatting as they guided him.
From the entrance to the ceiling, the castle was adorned beautifully, with blue curtains matching Ed’s eyes and warm-colored carpets.
Soft lighting illuminated the decorations, giving the entire castle a radiant glow.
“Jaynon, you’ve outdone yourself.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I wanted the Grand Duchess to feel both at home and pleasantly surprised. With your generous budget, I spared no effort.”
“I told you to call me Ed,” Ed interjected, exhaling softly.
Jaynon chuckled. “Understood, Ed.”
“That tone gave me chills…”
“Right? Even I felt shivers earlier,” Ronen quipped, laughing as Jaynon led them to the room Ronen had prepared.
“This room…”
As Ed stepped inside, he was captivated by the cozy yet elegant décor.
“This was the room used by the late Grand Duke and Duchess.”
“I decorated it myself. What do you think?”
Ed looked down at Ronen, who held his hand with a bright smile, and gently smiled back.
“Thank you so much, young master.”
“Does your leg hurt? Try sitting here! I added cushions so it won’t be uncomfortable.”
Ed sat in the chair Ronen pointed out, touched the table, then moved to the sofa and admired the framed pictures on the walls.
Turning his head, he caught the Grand Duke watching him and Ronen with a warm expression, and he couldn’t help but smile.
With Ronen proudly chattering and Jaynon occasionally chiming in, the bustling warmth of the Northern Castle felt real.
And the approaching wedding felt closer than ever.
“Are your legs not sore? Try sitting on this chair! … I’ve added cushions to keep your back and hips from aching.”
Ed tried sitting in the chair Ronen gestured to and ran his hand across the table. He stood up, moved to the sofa, and even inspected the paintings hanging on the walls.
When he turned his head, he found himself locking eyes with the Grand Duke, who was watching Ed and Ronen with a warm, satisfied expression.
Ed gave him a bashful smile.
The sight of Ronen chattering away as if boasting, with Jaynon chiming in occasionally, was lively and endearing.
It made Ed realize he had truly returned to the North. It also reminded him that the wedding day was fast approaching.
“Ed, I’ll need to measure your body now,” the tailor announced as he appeared, tape measure in hand, as he did every morning.
“What do you think about the cake? Should we go with three tiers instead of two? Or maybe shape it like your favorite animal?” the chef asked, showing off yet another cake design.
“What flowers should we decorate this column with for the wedding? Since it’s spring, roses might be cheerful, but Tens insists lilies would look better. Not that he has any eye for these things,” Jaynon and Tens argued endlessly, trailing after Ed day by day.
Amid this constant bustle, Ed hardly had time to feel awkward about his changing status or the altered attitudes of those around him.
“When do you think we should hold the wedding?”
Back when they were planning the wedding in the North with the Grand Duke, the date had seemed so far away.
Yet now, it was the middle of spring.
Finally, on the eve of the wedding, Ed sat on the sofa, fanning himself lightly.
The Grand Duke, setting a teacup beside him, placed a hand on Ed’s forehead.
“You didn’t seem tired when you were changing earlier. Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, the tailor and attendants were very helpful, so I didn’t feel uncomfortable while changing.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“It’s just… today, the day before the wedding, I finally decided what outfit to wear. I’ve realized how difficult it is to prepare for a wedding.”
Ed had only just settled on his wedding attire after trying on several options at the tailor’s insistence.
The enthusiastic tailor had prepared numerous outfits, each impeccably made and beautifully colored, leaving Ed overwhelmed with indecision.
Eventually, with input from the Grand Duke and Ronen, Ed selected a white suit accented with gold.
The Grand Duke gently brushed aside Ed’s soft hair.
“The Northern Castle always feels lively during even the smallest event, so tomorrow, with the wedding, it’ll be exceptionally special.”
“Well, weddings are grand occasions, after all,” Ed replied.
Instead of answering, the Grand Duke leaned in and kissed him.
Ed’s lips were soft, carrying the sweet and tangy taste of the tea he’d just drunk.
As Ed, now accustomed to these exchanges of warmth, rested a light hand on the Grand Duke’s shoulder, the man smiled.
Since arriving at the Northern Castle, the Grand Duke had been particularly attentive to Ed.
From the Empress Dowager’s words, the Grand Duke knew Ed could fall into a deep sleep again at any time.
Concerned, he recalled her advice:
‘”…If you don’t want the Grand Duchess to fall asleep again, you’ll need to put in a lot of effort. The power of the dragon’s energy circulating in you will greatly benefit both Ed and the child.”‘
‘”Is that so?”‘
‘”Unlike Mela, who couldn’t fully receive such power from her spouse, you’re different, so you don’t need to worry too much.”‘
When the Grand Duke slipped his tongue into Ed’s mouth, Ed instinctively opened up to him, closing his eyes.
After sharing breath for a long moment, the Grand Duke pulled back, gently sucking on Ed’s now slightly swollen lips.
“Ah… hmm…”
Ed let out a languid, ambiguous sound, whether from pleasure or regret, as the Grand Duke drew away.
Lifting Ed into his arms, the Grand Duke pressed a soft kiss to his rounded forehead and carried him to the bed.
On the morning of the wedding, when Ed opened his eyes, the Grand Duke was lying on his side, watching him.
The red eyes reflected pure joy, and the lips curved gently in a tender smile.
“You could sleep a little longer.”
Ed shook his head lightly.
It wouldn’t do for the groom to oversleep while everyone else was busy with wedding preparations.
* * *
