DSB 153
For a moment, Lebel didn’t understand what was being said, but he soon realized.
If Yutis couldn’t go to the North, he could simply summon them to the Empire. The Grand Duke of the North had both the qualifications and the justification to attend the Council of Nobles.
Lebel nodded, thinking it was a good idea.
“That’s fine. But are you planning to host a party led by the imperial family?”
“…If you give me permission.”
“Why do you need my permission?”
It is something you do if you want to.
Yutis, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped and turned around. The lips that usually smiled gently were now stiff. Just as Lebel was about to ask what was wrong…
“I plan to hold the wedding in the spring.”
“Hmm?”
Lebel’s eyes widened.
“I apologize for keeping my promise to hold the wedding in the spring so late.”
He recalled what Yutis had said around the time he had just arrived in the North. He had suggested holding the wedding in spring because they were too busy surviving in the winter to make any preparations. At the time, Lebel had let it pass without much thought. He had no idea their relationship would turn out this way.
After that, the appearance of demons and war followed. The spring in the North had passed, and he became the Emperor. And so, the Empire’s spring was just around the corner.
“I didn’t mind.”
To a demon, superficiality wasn’t important. What difference did a wedding make to a relationship bound by a pact?
However, certain things made sense. Mahan, who had asked about his preferences. When he didn’t get an answer, he grabbed Karon and whispered to him, and Merick had said with a meaningful smile that he would look forward to good news. There was a reason why the humans around him were still so busy for no reason.
“Who is there that doesn’t see you and me as husband and wife?”
“A wedding only happens once in a lifetime.”
Yutis’s hand grasped Lebel’s.
“I’ve heard that demons have no concept of a wedding. So, for the wedding you will remember… only I will remain.”
Those words were mixed with a wish he could not hide. Lebel’s long life and his own life, which was infinitely short in comparison. A desire not to remain merely one of the countless passing moments. It was a wish bordering on obsession to remain as the one and only.
Yutis seemed to be struggling not to tighten his grip, but Lebel could feel his hand trembling. His touch was filled with both the determination not to let go and the fear that he might one day lose him.
“I have never made a vow with anyone other than you.”
“I know.”
In response to that single sentence, Yutis’s shoulders relaxed just a little, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips.
“Because I receive confirmation of your love every day. That is why I simply wanted to keep the promise I made.”
With those words, a small box was revealed. Yutis paused briefly, then continued.
“To call you my wife yet not even give you a proper ring…I’ve failed as a husband.”
Yutis held up the ring and looked cautiously at Lebel, as if he were seeking permission. However, he refused to retreat and slowly slipped the ring onto his finger. The ring, set with a sparkling gem, was fitted to Lebel’s ring finger.
It was only an ornament.
Nevertheless, Lebel felt something intertwining at his fingertips.
He knew that humans exchanged rings to promise marriage and that they held ceremonies called weddings. But to a demon, such formalities held no inherent meaning. More important than the ceremony or the object was the pact and the bonding of the soul.
“Of course… it seems you didn’t attach much significance to it.”
Yutis added with a bitter tone. He had prepared this with countless worries about being discovered, yet Lebel hadn’t noticed the slightest. That made him feel disappointed, yet somehow disheartened.
Because, unlike himself, Lebel didn’t seem to dream of a wedding.
To be honest, what he had wanted to do before the coronation was the wedding. He considered holding them simultaneously, but he didn’t have the luxury to do so.
Since it was a once-in-a-lifetime wedding, he wanted to make it extravagant. That ambition caused the process to take longer, and eventually, a year passed.
“…Do you like it?”
Yutis asked in a trembling voice as he looked down at Lebel’s hand wearing the ring.
Lebel held the ring up to the sunlight. He did not care for cumbersome jewelry. Moreover, it was an object that clung tightly to his finger. Nevertheless, he liked it very much.
“Is this what you wanted to give me?”
“It is a ring passed down through generations of our family.”
The ring was not flashy, but at a glance, it felt like an artifact of an ancient noble family. Intricate carvings resembling winter frost were engraved on the white silver metal, and a clear blue gem, like a shard of ice, was set in the center. It was cold and understated, yet strangely, it was a ring that one could not take their eyes off.
You’ve brought something that is exactly like yourself to call a ring.
“When did I ever say I disliked anything you gave me? Now that I think about it, I’ve never received a ring before.”
Thanks to consistently taking various rare medicines during his stay in the Empire, Lebel’s complexion had noticeably improved. He was beautiful to begin with, but now a faint blush bloomed over his face, spreading vitality like flower petals and showcasing his beauty.
Yutis lavishly bestowed gifts upon Lebel. Moreover, as nobles frequently presented jewelry to Lebel as gifts now that he had become Empress, Yutis bought even more, as if he were competing with them.
Although he didn’t explicitly say it, Yutis subtly made it obvious that he wanted Lebel to wear the gifts he had given him, rather than those of others. He had received so many things that the room was practically bursting, yet there was no ring among them.
“The wedding preparations are almost complete. If you would give your permission…”
As Lebel gazed at the ring, the thought crossed his mind: if not me, who else would Yutis marry?
“Of course I’ll allow it. If I say no, are you planning to marry someone else?”
“How could I possibly do that!”
Lebel chuckled at Yutis’s response, which was almost an immediate reply. He could see how much thought he had put into preparing this wedding.
He had prepared it in secret. Wasn’t that cute?
“Do it. Let’s do it. I’ll experience a human wedding for once. There won’t be any other occasions to do it if not now.”
To a demon, a wedding was nothing more than a cumbersome human formality. The pact was already sealed, and their bond was certain. He could see Yutis’s soul, which could never escape him. But since Yutis couldn’t see it, he would need to prove it with something else.
“Since we’re doing it, let’s make it grand. So that no one will ever forget it.”
Upon hearing those words, Yutis smiled.
“You will prepare this solely for me. To look your best in my eyes, thinking only of me. That alone makes me happy.”
Just thinking about that scene made Lebel feel happy about the whole wedding ceremony.
Instead of answering, Yutis nodded. He looked so happy and didn’t even try to hide it.
Once the secretly prepared wedding became known to Lebel, preparations picked up speed. There were some minor clashes during the process, but since they were trivial matters for Yutis and Lebel, they were easily overlooked.
And finally, all preparations were complete.
The news of the couple’s wedding shook the entire Empire.
The nobles wondered why a wedding was being held now when the two were already a married couple, but they naturally nodded in understanding when told that they had never actually held a wedding ceremony. Since it was common knowledge that they were an exceptionally devoted couple, they accepted it. Of course, there were those who were displeased, but no one had the courage to voice their grievances.
The people, too, blessed the couple amidst astonishment. Knowing the circumstances that had forced the wedding to be postponed, this ceremony was accepted as proof that the Empire had regained stability.
Soon, the long-awaited wedding day arrived.
The road leading from the imperial palace to the temple was crowded with people from early morning. As the pure white carriage made its appearance, cheers spread like waves.
Yutis was dressed in pure white attire befitting the title of a Saint. It was pure white, the color of the North. The uniform highlighted his broad chest and sturdy physique. He looked just like a knight standing tall on a snowfield.
In contrast, Lebel wore a jet-black suit. The black attire stood vivid against his pale skin, which made him look untouchable. His bright red eyes captivated the gaze of the people. Although there were some confused glances, as brides usually wear white, the two looked harmonious as if they had regained their true colors.
“Long live His Majesty!”
“Glory to the Emperor and the Empress!”
White flower petals scattered amidst the shouts of blessing. Lebel chuckled as he looked down at the scene.
“Weddings are actually nice.”
It was a warmth completely different from the snow of the North.
Although his body was weary from the preparations that had continued since morning, he was glad for this moment. The sunlight shone brightly, and the breeze was gently.
“Are you happy?”
“Has there ever been a day I wasn’t?”
Yutis held Lebel’s hand tightly. Identical rings were worn on their intertwined fingers. Lebel looked down at those hands, then pulled Yutis closer as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Well done, my dear. You look so handsome today. As expected of my husband.”
“……!!”
Yutis was speechless for a while. Soon, overwhelmed by emotion, he gazed at Lebel without even being able to avert his eyes. He could just see the joy and emotion in his face, and Yutis didn’t even notice his grip got tighter.
Lebel finally burst into laughter. Yutis’s flushed face was to his liking.
“You’ll never be able to escape me for the rest of your life.”
It was an arrogant but calm declaration of love.
Without a thought to hiding his affection, Lebel quickly kissed Yutis on the lips.
All of this was solely his.
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