".........Ah"
At that moment, the man named Arthur Felix appeared in front of Grace's vision. Grace let out a small scream at the moment. The overall shape remained visible through the veil, so there was nothing to be surprised about.
Nevertheless, the reason she made a sound out of her mouth was that his eyes, which were clearly visible through the mask, were of different colours.
The left one is a blue sapphire color like the clear sky of summer, and the right is red ruby-coloured just like the burning flames of hell.
Grace seemed to understand why he was called a monster duke as soon as she saw those eyes.
'There is nothing human about him.'
Grace avoided his gaze, swallowing saliva upon meeting those strange and curious eyes.
Then his eyes, which had been staring at her all along, seemed to tremble.
"Does Sir Arthur Graham Felix, the groom, swear to be with Grace Marie Alberton for the rest of her life?"
"......yes."
The pope read the marriage vows in a perfunctory voice, apparently unaware of the complexity between the two.
Then he slowly answered, looking at Grace avoiding his gaze. He took a little pause, but there wasn't any hesitation in his response.
Grace seemed to be sinking into his voice and his response, which was more pleasing than expected.
"So, does the bride, Grace Marie Alberton, swear to be with the groom, Arthur Graham Felix, for the rest of her life?"
Then the bishop, who heard Arthur's answer, immediately asked Grace to take a marriage vow.
'......what should I do.'
'Should I give a false answer that we will be together for the rest of our lives in a holy marriage organized by the Pope, the agent of God?'
Grace thought perhaps she'd just run away at this moment.
'No, you can't do that.'
But soon Grace pulled herself together.
If she runs away from the wedding, she'll find herself again with the poison she has barely avoided.
'God, forgive me for lying to you for the last time.'
Grace swallowed her dry saliva and took a short deep breath before turning away. And all the while looking at him, one side blue and the other side red, facing his odd eyes, answered as if declaring.
"Yes, I will."
When her answer came out, his eyes in the mask facing her grew bigger, and cheers burst out from the crowd around them.
Graceclosed her eyes tightly, feeling her ears buzzing from the noise, not sure whether they were blessing or mockery. From this moment on, she had become the Bride of the Monster Duke.
***
Duke Arthur Felix, the finest knight of the empire, the owner of Felix Castle in the north, the greatest territory of the empire. He is the nephew of the former emperor and had never been defeated in a battle since he first went to the battlefield at the age of 17.
And the knight, with a constitutional build that is one head larger than the others, was famous for its unique features as much as its history.
One head larger than the average man, blue eyes like sapphire on the left, and one red eye like ruby on the right.
With his outstanding ability and odd eyes, everyone was reluctant.
As there is a curse on him.
It began with the unfortunate death of Electra, Princess of the Duchy of Lloyds, who had been forged by political marriage with him.
The death of the first Duchess Felix, who came less than a year after marriage, was considered just bad luck.
Later, however, the women who were attracted by Duke Felix's status and fortune died or went crazy in less than a year without exception. Rumors, coupled with his rare Odd Eye, began to circulate among the aristocrats.
Anyone who approaches Duke Arthur Felix dies or goes crazy without exception. The rumor, coupled with his rare Odd Eye, spread like a fait accompli among the aristocracy.
What is the cause of the curse?
The aristocrats who were strutting behind Duke Felix began to think that the cause of all that curse was his Odd Eye.
A black mask worn in memory of his wife became a shield to cover his cursed face. The rumor also led to Leon Felix, his younger brother, whom his mother, the younger sister of the former emperor, gave birth to.
After all, there is a 'curse' in that Odd Eye.
All the women involved with those brothers will either die or go crazy.
Avoiding the hideous rumours and pointing fingers, Duke Arthur Felix and his brother Leon Felix, who has an odd child, were confined to Felix's territory in the north, where it snowed for a year and a half.
***
The wedding ended in a flash, as if it had been done without proper engagement procedures.
Without giving her time to say goodbye to Alberton Castle after the wedding, the Alberton family wanted Grace to go to Felix's estate immediately.
Grace had no intention of staying at Albertson Castle for another minute, she soon prepared to go to Felix Castle.
Grace, who took off her fancy wedding dress that didn't suit her and changed into a relatively comfortable outfit to get in the carriage, and met Arthur, who was waiting for her.
Grace said, stunned after finding him leaning crookedly against the cathedral wall.
"...I'm sorry. Have you been waiting long?"
"No, not much longer."
Arthur, who answered Grace's question briefly, turned around and walked out of the cathedral on a long carpet.
Grace followed him, slightly frowning at his insolence as he walked forward without an escort.
"Grace, live happily ever after."
"I hope you have an heir with magical powers, Grace, and don't make him as unhappy as you."
"Marianne! Ahem......From now on, as the hostess of Felix's estate, please behave well"
"...yes, I will."
Standing in front of a large wagon with a hawk symbolizing the Felix family, Grace was seen off by her family.
They bombarded her with words of blessing or abuse, as if they had finished their long-delayed, cumbersome homework. Grace climbed into the carriage, helped by the maids standing beside her, ignoring the conversation.
"....uh?"
But something was off. Arthur was not in the carriage where six people could sit. She thought he was in the carriage because he walked out first without escorting himself.
Grace looked for the invisible Arthur and asked the horseman as he approached to close the door.
"Hey, isn't the Duke getting in the wagon?"
"Yes, ma'am. Your Highness is in the Duke's wagon ahead."
"...Ah, is that so?"
"Then we shall set off now. Please take a good rest in peace, ma'am."
Finally, the horseman closed the carriage door and went to the cockpit.
Grace leaned against the fluffy back, letting out a short sigh in the carriage that had only herself.
It is said that it is a long distance to Felix's estate, no matter how fast the horse is driven. For that period, she didn't have to sit face to face with Arthur and wondered how she would have endured the awkward and uncomfortable moment, which seemed to be a rain check.
"...maybe it's a good thing."
Grace was a little pleased that she didn't have to tremble in fear while continuing to face the strange and scary Odd Eye in the carriage.
Grace crossed her arms and closed her stiff eyes.
I decided I was going to take a short rest until I reached Felix's estate.
***
A procession of wagons carrying Duke Arthur Felix and his new bride, Duchess Grace Marie Felix, ran along the holy road.
After a full day of crossing the mountain, crossing the river, and finally arriving at the gate of Felix Castle, the wagon ran straight to the mansion after a brief inspection.
"......Oh my."
In the meantime, Grace woke up from her sleep and secretly opened the carriage's window, and observed the scenery of Felix Castle.
For her, who in her previous life, and in her present life, had only been to the Alberton estate in the capital and the last convent where she stayed, the scenery of Felix Castle was unfamiliar to her.
Unlike the capital city, where the tip of leaves were gradually turning red little by little in autumn. White snow piled up to the height of the wheels of the wagon, the rough stone mansion, and the chimney's white smoke toward the dark black sky were desolate and cosy.
Grace was fascinated by the white landscape covered in snow as she caught the cold breeze through the window.
"Madam, we've arrived at the mansion."
"Okay."
It was not long before the carriage stopped, and the horseman's voice was heard outside the door announcing the arrival of the mansion. Soon the door of the closed carriage opened, while Grace arranged the hem of the dress that had been disorganised.
"......Ah."
".....Please, give me your hand."
As soon as the door opened, what Grace saw was Arthur, who had been riding in a different wagon by himself.
By virtue of running ahead of her carriage, he seemed to have arrived at the mansion first, and was waiting for her in front of him.
'I never thought I'd escort him in a carriage.'
Did he think he would act kind to her when he came to the mansion?
Grace tilted her head and got out of the wagon holding his hands that reached out to her.
"Thanks..."
But the moment Grace came down to the carriage, Arthur shook off her hand.
And before she finished saying thank you, he walked toward the front gate of the open mansion.
"...Ha!"
"It's an honor to meet you, ma'am. My name is Robert Heinz, the butler of Felix Castle."
"Robert, I'll guide this person, so you can go back to the annex and prepare Leon's dinner."
"......Ah, yes, I'll take your orders, sir."
"Follow me."
Grace looked towards Arthur with a short wry smile, leaving only words to follow her.
As if he didn't want to even touch her fingertips, the image of Arthur shaking her hand away and walking away gave her a feeling as if she was the 'monster'.
'Do they think I'm an ordinary and incompetent woman with no magical powers?'
That's why they think it's okay to ignore her like that.
It occurred to Grace that she was suddenly offended.
But Grace quickly shook her head to dispel such thoughts. It was one of her bad habits to unnecessarily attach meaning to other people's actions and words and over-interpret them.
Grace pulled herself together, thinking that it was time to stop giving meaning to herself and cringing alone for the rest of her life.
"......I'll say hello properly later, Roberts."
"No. Please, follow your Excellency."
Grace then briefly greeted butler Roberts and followed Arthur, who was already ahead.