Chapter 7

On the way to the bridal waiting room where Retta was, Aileen let out a quiet sigh, trying not to show it as the eyes of the crowd followed her every step.

She had expected to be the center of gossip in high society—people there loved to tear others down—but the stares were even more intense than she’d imagined.

Ashite seemed to sense it too.

“Those people are seriously…”

“The ceremony’s about to begin, brother.”

“……”

Ashite didn’t respond. His lips were pressed into a thin line as he gripped her hand tightly and walked faster toward where Retta was.

Soon, they arrived at the bridal waiting room. They waited until the other guests had cleared out before stepping inside.

“Aileen!”

“What, don’t I exist?”

“Oh? Ashite, you’re here too?”

Retta welcomed them with a bright smile, dressed in a pure white wedding gown that rose all the way to her neck.

Her cheeks were glowing, her eyes full of life, and her fiery red hair was neatly braided down her back.

She looked like a bride filled with excitement and hope for the future.

If Aileen had gone through with her own wedding as planned—if she had been the one sitting there, full of joy at the thought of staying by Carlisle’s side forever…

Would she have looked just as happy and beautiful?

A meaningless thought brushed through her mind. The moment had already passed. Aileen erased the bitter smile tugging at her lips and forced herself to smile properly.

Because she truly wished for Retta’s happiness, the smile she offered as a blessing came easily.

“Congratulations, Retta.”

A flicker of emotion crossed Retta’s face at Aileen’s words, but it was gone in an instant.

She quickly smiled again and welcomed her warmly.

“Aileen! You’ve gotten even prettier since the last time I saw you. Thanks for coming.”

“Well, how could the star of the show not come? You’re so dazzling, I can barely keep my eyes open.”

Aileen joked with a playful squint, and Retta rolled her eyes with a grin.

“You just can’t say no, can you? I’ll invite you over to the mansion soon—don’t come empty-handed!”

“I’ll bring something good. You can count on it.”

After greeting Retta, Aileen and Ashite were about to head to the ceremony hall.

“Brother, I need to use the restroom.”

“I’ll wait for you here. Don’t be long.”

“No need to wait here. Just go sit down—I’ll meet you there.”

With her firm reply, Ashite grumbled and walked away. Aileen watched him go for a moment before heading toward the restroom.

She didn’t really need to go. She just needed a moment to calm the strange fluttering in her chest.

Standing still in front of the large mirror, Aileen looked at her reflection. Her pink hair, tied low in a thick, soft braid, looked voluminous. The deep navy dress she wore made her pale skin stand out even more.

Even to her own eyes, she looked beautiful. But her eyes, dim and lifeless, made her look sad.

If it hadn’t been for the broken engagement with Carlisle, she might not have been able to attend Retta’s wedding at all. The time between their weddings would have been short.

Carlisle had wanted a long honeymoon. He’d gathered all his saved-up leave to make it happen.

Everything had already been planned—the ceremony, the trip—when suddenly the news came: Retta was pregnant, and she’d be getting married right away.

Retta had begged her not to come, but how could she not? It was her best friend’s wedding.

But Carlisle had also been desperate.

— “It’s fine. We can go on the trip later.”

It was only a few days earlier than planned to return to the capital, but Carlisle had made it sound like they were postponing the honeymoon entirely.

His expression hadn’t shown any hurt, but Aileen knew. She could see it in the way one corner of his mouth lifted slightly, more than usual.

He had been disappointed—deeply so.

So she had hesitated. Until the very last moment, she wondered if she should end the trip early to attend the wedding.

The answer had already been clear, but she pretended to think it over. Back then, she thought Carlisle would always be by her side.

Aileen shook her head and clapped her cheeks twice with her hands.

“Snap out of it.”

Today was a day to celebrate.

Just as she turned to leave, noise from outside caught her attention. Voices of a few noblewomen grew louder as they approached.

“Did you see her today? Lady Revart actually showed up.”

“I thought she wouldn’t come. Even if they’re close, I figured she’d skip the wedding. I was shocked. I guess she’s not that heartbroken after all.”

“I don’t think so. I heard she barely left the mansion except for a few times.”

“Still, it’s kind of impressive. She threw away her pride chasing after a commoner and got stabbed in the back.”

“Well, yeah, but… I mean, that guy. With that face and skill, anyone would look twice. Honestly, he is pretty amazing. Though marrying him is a different story…”

Their laughter rang sharply in Aileen’s ears. She even recognized a few of the voices.

With a blank expression, Aileen waited until they passed before stepping into the hallway.

“…Haa.”

A deep sigh escaped her lips. It was harder than she thought—hearing people laugh and gossip about her so openly made it hard to move her feet.

If it had been the old her, she might have walked up and said something. But Carlisle’s public rejection had left her feeling small.

No—she had always been like that. Whenever it was about Carlisle, she shrank away.

But now, she didn’t need to anymore.

Once she returned to daily life and reentered the social scene, Aileen knew she’d face situations like that over and over again.

Even after all these years, she still hadn’t gotten used to the cruel nature of high society, where people gossiped as if it were sport.

With a complicated sigh, Aileen thought to herself that dealing with foreign tribes or monsters was far easier than dealing with nobles.

She lingered in the hallway for a moment longer before finally heading toward the wedding hall.

“Why are you just now showing up? You barely made it in time.”

Ashite, who had already taken his seat, frowned and grumbled at her. A few young noble ladies nearby whispered, wondering aloud how someone with a face like hers could be that beautiful.

Aileen let out a dry laugh, gave a vague reply, and quietly took her seat as the ceremony began.

The long aisle was decorated with yellow flowers—Retta’s favorite—and as she slowly walked along the path they outlined, she looked stunning.

Her small hand held tightly onto the arm of Count Cardin, her soon-to-be husband. That simple gesture showed how firmly she believed in the happiness ahead of her.

Aileen had once believed in the same thing. Just a few weeks ago, even.

Even though her hopes had been crushed in the worst way possible, she still…

“Please, be happy.”

Murmuring softly under her breath, Aileen clapped firmly as Retta and Count Cardin turned and walked back down the aisle.

After the ceremony, the reception began. Aileen, after some hesitation, chose not to attend. Ashite didn’t protest and quietly escorted her back to the mansion.

“Did anything happen?”

During dinner, the Duchess asked offhandedly, though her words carried meaning—she was really asking if anyone had said anything inappropriate.

Aileen simply answered no. The Duchess nodded and returned to her meal.

“Daughter.”

This time, it was Duke Revart, seated beside her with a half-emptied glass of wine. His expression was uncharacteristically serious, to the point that it made her nervous about what he might say next.

“It’ll be hard, but I think you should start putting things behind you now. Be glad you saw that worthless man’s true nature before it was too late.”

“……”

“I’ll be requesting an audience with His Majesty soon. I intend to inform him that House Revart will officially support His Majesty in this conflict. That was always the plan—it’s just happening sooner than expected. So don’t blame yourself.”

His words came without warning. But Aileen understood what he was really saying.

The Revarts had always stayed quiet, focused on their duties without making noise. For the Duke himself to move—this meant something.

It also meant she, too, would have to step forward more actively into society. Wherever the family went, so did she.

In a world where nobles waited like wolves for the right moment to bare their fangs, everyone had a role to play. Aileen understood this well.

She had been thinking long and hard about it, even while buried in despair. And finally, she had come to a decision.

Now was the time.

“I’m thinking of joining the Imperial Knights.”

“What?”

“No!”

“What are you talking about?”

All three of them reacted at once, their eyes wide in disbelief.

It was exactly what she expected. But after attending Retta’s wedding today, her wavering heart had found clarity.

Aileen spoke again, this time with firmer resolve.

“You all know I never had much interest in being part of high society in the first place. And now that the marriage has been called off… I thought maybe it’s time I follow through on what I really wanted. I want to become a knight.”

“No way! You nearly died, and now you want to go back to that?! Absolutely not!”

Ashite’s voice rose as he slammed his fist on the table, face red with anger.

“I’m against it too, Aileen. You’re already training daily. That’s more than enough. There’s no need to join officially.”

The Duke gave his stern opinion as well. The Duchess, on the other hand, remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Seeing her family’s unshakable disapproval made Aileen feel a sigh building inside her.

In truth, her mind had already been made up. Telling them was simply a formality—a matter of respect.

But her family, unaware of this, seemed to think she was asking for their permission. That only made her realize she needed to speak more clearly.

“I’ve already decided. My body has fully recovered—and I’m stronger than I was before. I won’t take on anything reckless.”

“No means no!”

“I still disagree, Aileen.”

Their objections grew even louder, more emotional.

Aileen tried to stand her ground with calm but firm words, but it was no use—they weren’t listening. In the end, she decided to take a step back. For now.

“All right. I understand. You’re both strongly against it…”

“You know we’re only thinking of you, right, sweetheart? It would break my heart if you got hurt again.”

“I know. You’re worried I’ll come back injured again. I get it.”

“Thank you… for understanding.”

The Duke’s eyes glistened slightly, his expression softening with emotion.

But inside, Aileen spoke silently to herself.

I’m still going to join.

Now that her engagement to Carlisle had fallen apart, there was no need to play the role of Countess of Aiberg. The path ahead was clear.

Becoming a knight was the only way she knew to protect herself amid the rising tide of despair and helplessness.

So focused on what to say next to convince her family, Aileen didn’t notice the Duchess’s quiet gaze fixed on her from across the table.