The moment a woman is at her most beautiful.
It’s probably when she meets the one she loves and prepares to get married.
When a woman falls in love, her unique beauty blossoms. And in the grand event of marriage, she dresses herself up in the best way, pushing her beauty to the peak.
And in that light, Dust was genuinely admiring Estelle, who was shining so beautifully right in front of him.
Estelle was wearing a dress in preparation for the upcoming wedding.
Even the jewelry made of gems seemed like mere tools to highlight her beauty—she looked incredibly stunning at that moment.
With her hair elegantly pinned up and clad in a pure white dress,
And with a touch of makeup on her fair skin,
She radiated beauty like a lavish blooming rose and was examining her reflection in the mirror.
“Truly… I think you’re a beautiful person, sister. You just added a little decoration, and look how wonderful you look…”
“Hehe, thanks, Dust. Hearing that from you makes me even happier!”
“Surely, Brother will be amazed when he sees you. To have such a dazzlingly beautiful person as his wife, Brother seems like a really lucky guy.”
Dust spoke with a bright smile as a form of praise. In response, Estelle’s smile seemed to cast a slight shadow at the corners.
“Lucky guy… That’s definitely true. Though sometimes it’s more of a burden than a blessing…”
“! .. Ah… um…”
There was a hint of bitterness in Estelle’s voice. Dust was well aware of what that implied.
Originally, Estelle was supposed to be Santana’s primary wife.
However, she ultimately had to concede the position to Cazerose, who bore the extraordinary title of Princess of Dragona Empire.
As a result, Estelle was now standing in the lower position of a secondary wife.
Honestly, it didn’t make sense for someone like Estelle to be a secondary wife, and those around her suggested reconsideration. Nonetheless, Estelle’s resolve was firm.
Even if she became a secondary wife, she was determined to be with Santana.
Her unwavering attitude was clear—she wouldn’t think about marrying anyone else.
Thus, she cast aside the endless concerns of those around her and chose this path, finding herself in this situation.
“Well… but it’s okay. No matter how much of a secondary wife I am… my fight has only just begun.”
“W-What does that mean…?”
Estelle spoke with determined resolve. Dust looked on with a slightly puzzled expression, prompting Estelle to respond calmly.
“Of course, the opponent is a formidable rival known as the Princess of Dragona Empire. But… the fact remains that both she and I are tied through political marriage, right?”
“Ah… y-yes. That is true… but…”
“Surely, considering her background isn’t easy. And I surely can’t deny her beauty. But you know, in Santana’s heart, there’s already another woman… Polena, she’s the one.”
“Eh? Ah… um…”
“In that regard, the position of being loved by a man is the same for both her and me. Plus, I’ve expressed my love to Santana since long ago. My relationship with him is definitely closer than with Cazerose.”
“Um…”
Dust struggled to respond clearly to Estelle’s words. However, regardless of her doubts, Estelle was finding it within herself to muster new determination while comforting her own position as a secondary wife.
‘Right… Whether it’s primary or secondary wife is just superficial decoration… Ultimately, the position within the house goes to the woman who receives the most love from the man. Just you watch, I’ll definitely defeat that princess and completely win over Santana’s heart.’
With renewed spirit, Estelle steeled herself.
Meanwhile, observing her, Dust felt a growing anxiety about how to address the situation.
‘What should I do… Sister Estelle… you’re still in denial. Of course, it’s understandable since you haven’t had any interaction with Cazerose until now…’
Estelle believed that Cazerose was just a simple political marriage candidate on the same level as her, without realizing that the person who had genuinely captured Santana’s heart was indeed Cazerose.
However, the reality was far from what she believed.
While Dust couldn’t grasp the details about Polena, she knew for certain that the person Santana had truly loved for a long time was Cazerose.
There was an unspoken understanding to keep this all hushed up, fearing potential conflict with the Dragona Empire.
Cazerose and Santana had been in love since their days as Paladins, and now they shared a bond that resembled fairy tale heroes.
‘Sister Estelle thinks Cazerose is merely a political marriage partner on her level… but the person who truly holds Santana’s heart is Cazerose… Ugh… but I can’t outright say it…’
Since the fact that they had once been enemies as Paladins would lead to no good coming from mentioning it, Dust felt constrained to keep quiet.
Not to mention, she herself was bound by some sort of agreement to Cazerose.
Although it might not seem apparent on the surface, she was now positioned as Cazerose’s underling.
If she were to carelessly speak out of turn and offend her “master,” the consequences might be dire.
‘Cazerose… she seems so sweet-faced, yet she’s quite the cunning one. If I were to cross her, who knows what would happen? But… it’s uneasy to let Sister Estelle remain in her delusions for so long…’
Caught in a game that was already over, Estelle continued to believe it wasn’t finished.
Dust bit her lip numerous times but ultimately had to give up on saying anything.
*Sigh… well… knowing the truth won’t change anything, will it? I’ll just end up suffering while she gets hurt. Maybe it’s better for her to continue living in her delusion…*
Consoling herself, Dust decided not to speak of the matter, wearing a sympathetic expression as she watched Estelle, who was eagerly refining herself in the midst of her misunderstandings.
*
In a splendidly decorated garden,
A pair of lovers held each other’s hands tightly, exchanging bashful smiles.
“I promise to love only you, Mr. Santana, as my husband, forever!”
“I too, promise to love you, Estelle, as your husband!”
With sincerity, the two proclaimed their wedding vows.
Following this, the officiant smiled with joy and declared,
“Well then, the groom and bride may share their vow kiss.”
Following the officiant’s directive, the two leaned in for a kiss.
Simultaneously, cheers and applause erupted all around them,
As voices filled the air, celebrating the couple’s union.
And in this moment…
Estelle savored the soft, sweet lips of the man before her, vowing once more in her heart.
She would make those lips hers… and ensure that she would capture the deepest parts of his heart.
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