The Price Is Your Everything

The banquet hall, where the couple had descended after getting dressed, was already full of people.

Representatives of the most important families in Maindelant had gathered, each wearing their finest clothes adorned with exquisite jewels. Among them were people she hadn't seen in front of the castle, and those from distant regions who had to travel a long way to get here.

Neris was momentarily taken aback by the formality of the first dinner at the castle, where she thought only those who could be summoned or who she thought would attend would be present. Cledwyn chuckled as he escorted her.

"Why?"

If she had known that so many people would attend the event in formal attire, she would have paid more attention. Neris glared at her husband.

"Why are there so many people?"

"Why, does it bother you? Should I send some away, leaving only a few thousand? It wouldn't be bad to have them visit in groups, one day at a time."

He said it as a joke, but Cledwyn's eyes gleamed dangerously, as if he would carry it out if necessary. Neris glared at him again and looked around the crowd.

Both sides of the long table used for formal banquets were filled with important officials and lords of the surrounding territories, according to their rank. Neris sat first in the two empty seats side by side at the end, followed by Cledwyn.

At first, she was taken aback, but this wasn't the first time Neris had presided over such a banquet. She straightened her back.

No one had ever seen Neris in this position as an advisor. But this was the first time she was being introduced as the Grand Duchess. If anyone had guessed that she might be clumsy, that guess was betrayed right there.

Calmness that could be mistaken for a monarch who had ruled them for a long time. A cool, peaceful gaze, yet one that could see everyone without missing a beat.

She took control of the atmosphere of the room as if it were natural. In a different sense than when she was an advisor whose abilities were recognized.

Hilbrin cleared his throat proudly. Sensing that he clearly wanted to say something, Neris gave him the first opportunity to speak.

"You've been working hard, coming back and joining us for dinner like this."

"Hard work? It's an honor to be here for Your Highness's first meal back in Maindelant."

Those words were the highest praise Hilbrin, who was arrogant, could offer. The fact that he, who was practically the leader among the surrounding lords, humbled himself meant that no other noble dared to be disrespectful to the new Grand Duchess, a declaration in his own way.

Neris understood his heart and accepted it gratefully. The tension she had been hiding dissipated.

As she turned her gaze to others with a smile on her face, those who received her gaze all bowed politely. Some even placed their hands on their hearts, according to the customs of their region.

"Duke of Pecernon."

The lord of Pecernon, who had requested help from the center due to the recent flood, was present. He beamed and responded to Neris's call.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"You must have had a hard time coming all this way."

"No, Your Highness. You must have had a hard time all this while."

Lady Denver, Duke of Ridolen, Lady Rodier, Lady Posbury… Neris greeted each and every one of the people she had met in Maindelant, without missing anyone. It was a short, heartfelt greeting, so that the fine dinner wouldn't be delayed too much, but the dignity that such an occasion should have wouldn't be diminished.

With so many people, those who had already been greeted might have found the ceremony tedious. Also, nobles of relatively high rank might have thought it was a waste for the Grand Duchess to greet even the lower nobles. But no one looked uncomfortable as their turn came. Rather, they were…

'Should I say they're overjoyed?'

The people of Maindelant all smiled brightly, as if they were truly happy. Hilbrin's warning was meaningless. Hilbrin himself seemed to know that already, and as soon as the greetings were over, he started boasting.

"It's the first day our Highness has returned, so it wouldn't do to have too few people, would it? So, on my way here, I sent word to everyone I could, urging them to come. I told them that they were expected to arrive today, and if they wanted to greet our Highness quickly, they should hurry."

The secret of why so many people were able to attend dinner was revealed. The nobles had hastily adjusted their schedules due to Hilbrin's insistence. Neris chuckled wryly, dumbfounded.

"We'll have plenty of time to meet in the future. Everyone is busy, how could they do that? Whether they come to see me late or early, I'll hear what I need to hear."

"No, Your Highness."

Lady Denver, the most powerful and oldest woman among those present, corrected her with a smile.

"How could we not know what kind of person you are, Your Highness? Everyone here, and those who couldn't make it, all know that you are someone who hears everything you need to hear."

"So?"

It would be easy for a subordinate lord to be seen as arrogant if he contradicted a superior lord, especially if it was a grand noble. But the straightforward attitude of the Maindelant people and Lady Denver's seniority perfectly balanced sincerity and arrogance.

"We just wanted to see you very much, Your Highness. We've been waiting for a very long time."

"The new Grand Duchess?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The exchange between the two seemed like a repetition of words with the same meaning, but it was actually a confirmation. A confirmation of whether they were using the same words with the same meaning.

Neris's joking question meant, 'Cledwyn would have been waiting for his wife to fulfill her political duties,' and Lady Denver's answer meant, 'That role should have been yours, and no one else's.' Neris, who hadn't expected such a welcome, realized then.

That they had perhaps been looking forward to this moment for much longer than she had. That the reasons she had been trying so hard to push Cledwyn away were perhaps not 'natural' and 'realistic' considerations, but just excuses she had made because she couldn't muster the courage.

That all those who had come out to greet her at the gate, those who had rushed to attend this dinner, and those who were still working to make this occasion happen… all of them were welcoming her, more than enough, overflowing.

That there were people who continued to exist, expecting and hoping for her happiness.

Neris's cheeks flushed slightly. Cledwyn smiled and filled his wife's glass with water. Or rather, he tried to. Until Neris stopped his hand.

"It's a special day, so let's start with Maindelant wine."

"Are you sure? You have trouble with alcohol."

"One glass won't get me drunk."

She said it like a drinker, and accepted the beautifully colored apple wine of Maindelant. Her hand held the clear crystal glass and tilted it slightly.

"To our dear friends."

Following the custom of the female elder leading the toast, Lady Denver raised her glass next and said,

"To Your Highness!"

Cledwyn followed, and then the rest of the attendees solemnly raised their glasses. Neris gracefully brought the glass to her lips in front of dozens of glasses raised high towards the ceiling.

Dinner began. As the wine and the excellent banquet dishes were served, people fell into conversations with those they were already close to. Cledwyn worried as he saw his wife's face turn red.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm not drunk."

"That's what drunkards always say."

"Really. It's a drink even children drink. Why are you so worried?"

"You don't usually drink."

"It's because you're worried I might make a mistake, but I can drink when I need to."

"Did you need to today?"

"Yes. Eating the same food and drinking the same beverages as my people is the first ritual of becoming family."

Cledwyn still thought Neris didn't need to drink. What was the point of rituals? Everyone in this land knew that there was no other Grand Duchess but her.

But he didn't blame her anymore, because her gaze towards the people was very warm, and in a way, determined. Neris had, in her own way, hammered home the fact that she had become one of them with this single glass.

Instead, he casually asked what he had been wondering since earlier.

"Did you have a good conversation with your mother-in-law?"

"Yes, we talked well."

"It would have been nice if your mother-in-law had been here."

"I asked her, but she said she was uncomfortable. She said she'll help with the Grand Duchess's work starting tomorrow and show her face at official events, so I think everything will be fine. My mother already knows a lot of people in our land."

Cledwyn liked the expression 'our land' and stealthily took Neris's hand. He raised her hand and kissed it.

It was good as far as the kiss went, but his lips didn't seem to want to part. Neris glared at him in embarrassment, but Cledwyn, with a happy smile, changed the subject.

"My wife, there's something I want to discuss."

"What is it?"

"Our wedding."

Neris stopped glaring at her husband.

Actually, she hadn't not thought about it. The wedding mass, officiated by a priest, was recognized as a valid marriage anywhere in the empire, so their marriage was, of course, formally flawless. But usually, it was customary to add some kind of commemorative ceremony unique to one's family or region.

Maindelant probably had its own unique wedding customs. And that ceremony would likely involve a process of declaring and celebrating the fact that the two were now married, with family and friends, and perhaps even ordinary people.

"Do it according to your family tradition. There's nothing we have to strictly follow. Oh, my mother received a ribbon the morning after she married my father."

"What? You're telling me this now?"

Cledwyn, who had looked happy, now looked rather wronged. Neris shrugged.

"It doesn't have to be a ribbon. It was probably the best gift my father could get in our family's situation. We must have spent a lot of money getting married anyway."

"Still, if you heard that, you would have thought as a child that you would receive a ribbon from your husband when you got married."

"That's true. The Elandria dukedom and the imperial family didn't have that custom, so I forgot about it quickly."

Neris meant that it was nothing to worry about, but her words made Cledwyn look even more wronged.

"Ribbon, okay. I'll prepare a ton of ribbons."

"You don't need a ton. Do you know how many ribbons you've already bought me? Unless we have to get married quickly, that is."

Neris's eyes turned cold.

"I'd like a different kind of gift."

"A different kind?"

"For example."

She looked around for a moment to make sure no one was listening. After confirming that even those sitting closest were engrossed in a conversation about apple varieties, she said,

"Like the downfall of the Vista imperial family."

Neris declared.

The wronged expression disappeared from Cledwyn's face. He grinned mischievously, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"It'll take a long time. I'm happy because you'll have time to get a new dress."

Why did this man like to have beautiful dresses made for her? Neither Nellusion nor Abelus cared about what a woman's dress looked like, they were just satisfied as long as they didn't look poor.

Neris was momentarily dumbfounded, but she soon understood when she thought of the main color that decorated her bedroom now. The men of this family seemed to like to take care of their wives' clothes and accessories themselves.

"I know you've been gathering strength for a long time. The nobles of Maindelant are stiff, but they're also skilled."

"The imperial family has always been hostile to us. Before, I thought they were just trying to crush our spirits, but now I see they were trying to completely cover up their past. As the ruins said, fighting is something I've been looking forward to. But are you okay with this? I'm dying to show you off to everyone."

Those who wanted to kill each other, but who would unite in front of those 'southerners'.

A monarch who held tournaments to make all the knights in his land skilled.

They had been gnashing their teeth for a long time. Enduring the enemy who had been watching for a chance to kill them.

They won't have to wait that long. The beast we set loose will be tearing flesh to shreds by now.

Neris smiled.