Translation provided by - Shy heaux Translations
After a while, various colors of diamond ornaments, including blue diamonds, were placed on the table.
Although the sizes of the jewels were large, the cuts were so exquisite that I was blinded by their dazzling brilliance.
As I leaned towards the jewels, completely enthralled, Edwin wrapped his arms around my waist tightly.
"Hmm, let's see. Which one would suit my bride?"
Edwin carefully examined each of the accessories.
I was following along, watching as he looked through the accessories, when a particular diamond caught my eye.
A second later, Edwin picked up the diamond ring and slipped it on my finger.
"This orange hue is very rare among colored diamonds. It is known as a Fire Diamond."
While listening to the manager's explanation, marigolds came to mind because of their similar color.
'Will owning this bring me happiness?'
When such thoughts came to mind, I found it that much harder to take my eyes off the diamond.
"It goes well with my bride's hair."
This time, Edwin picked up a matching pair of earrings and fastened them to my ears.
"It is the highest grade and most vibrant of all the colored diamonds."
"We'll go with this. In a full set."
"Currently, we do not have any men's rings with this type of diamond available. We would have to place a custom order for you."
"Please do, but make sure that my ring and my bride's ring look like a matching set"
When Edwin emphasized his desire for a matching set, his eyes were shining brightly.
In an instant, I became the owner of jewels worth the price of several mansions. I watched in bewilderment as the ornaments were packaged.
I contemplated stopping Edwin right away, but my mouth wouldn't open.
If I try to stop him now, his mood, which has been really good thus far, would instantly become icy.
While I contemplated what to do, Edwin hugged me again.
"Now, let's go watch something fun."
'Are there performances to watch in the square?'
I was looking forward to seeing the sights, my mind buzzing with excitement and curiosity as we left the Charlotte jewelry store, but at some point, I realized that something was strange.
Instead of heading for the square, Edwin suddenly turned and went down an alley.
And at the end of the narrow passageway, I faced a sight that was worse than I could have ever imagined.
"...!"
A group of people tied up.
And crimson red eyes.
'Why are the Ravens here?'
Before I realized what I was doing, I reached out and clung to Edwin.
His eyes softened as if he was pleased with my reaction.
"Do you like my gift?"
"This is a gift?"
The moment I caught sight of the Ravens, my heart started racing out of terror. How is this supposed to be a gift?
"Yes. Well, they were following us, but I caught them all."
Edwin was laughing triumphantly while I, on the other hand, was completely stunned.
'The Ravens were following us? Why? Do they know that I am a Jueri?'
For a moment, I recalled the last time I ran into Ravens in the desert.
'Edwin said he took care of everything. He told me that none of them had escaped.'
But why?
My throat tightened and my body began to tremble.
I quickly turned away from the Ravens and buried myself in Edwin's arms.
Each and every movement was driven by the instinct to live.
"My bride was very surprised. After all, who wouldn't be afraid of red-eyed assassins?"
Since I was still too startled to speak, Edwin hugged me tightly and patted my back.
Then he dipped his head and whispered, "You don't have to be afraid, they don't know."
The sound of his quiet voice in my ears had a calming effect on my mind.
'That's right. My hair isn't silver right now.'
If none of the Ravens I encountered in the desert had survived, they wouldn't know that I was a Jueri.
After hesitating for a while, I slowly raised my head and found Edwin smiling softly.
"Don't worry, I told you I would protect you."
He whispered softly to prevent anyone else from hearing him and grinned.
When he stared at me with his unwavering blue eyes and relaxed smile, it gradually filled me with warmth.
"They are your prey. Turn around and face them confidently."
Edwin's whispers provoked me like a siren's song.
'There's nothing to fear. I am the predator, not them.'
I turned my head as if possessed and faced the Ravens' blank stares.
'Did the siren's magic really work?'
Unlike the time I faced them in the desert, I didn't feel afraid.
I lifted my chin, straightened my back, and pulled my shoulders back.
Nevertheless, I did not let go of Edwin's collar, my hand clutching it as if it were my last lifeline.
Observing this, Edwin's smile deepened in satisfaction.
"Were you curious about my bride? Now that you have seen her face, what do you think?"
Edwin proudly spun around with me in his arms as if he were bragging.
While the Ravens' expressionless faces now showed signs of slight irritation, there was no indication that they recognized me.
Unlike in the desert, their eyes lacked any sign of malice and murderous intent.
Perhaps they were truly curious about Edwin's fiancée since they were all focused on me.
When I realized the difference in their gazes, my heart, which was pounding at the speed of a runaway train, gradually calmed down.
"My bride is so beautiful that they're at a loss for words. It's normal to feel this way after gazing upon such beauty."
Edwin began to laugh as if he found something amusing about fixated gazes.
"Consider it an honor to see my bride before dying."
His eyes flashed coldly as he arrogantly raised his chin.
"Beryl, my sword."
Beryl approached and presented a greatsword to Edwin.
Just the mere sight of the huge, dark blue sword sent shivers down my spine.
'Don't tell me you're planning to deal with them here and now?'
I looked at Edwin with an anxious heart, but his gaze was solely on the Ravens.
Contrary to the time in the desert, he seemed calm, yet cold.
It felt so strange to see him with a blank expression, lacking even a hint of a smile.
It was then that I realized just how generous he had been to me.
'Is this the true face of the Dragon of the West?'
I immediately shook my head at the thought.
It was said that when Edwin raised his sword, he caused so much destruction to the surrounding area, that every living being in the vicinity went into hiding out of fear.
Even the clouds stopped moving.
At this point, he hasn't even revealed half of his madness.
And yet, I was breathing heavily and shaking uncontrollably.
"Tsk."
When I flinched at the sound, Edwin carefully put me down.
"I'm sorry I wasn't considerate of my bride."
He gazed at me with an expression that seemed to be full of regret.
"Since my bride is weak, close your eyes and wait for a moment," he whispered in my ear.
When I closed my eyes, he gently raised my hands to cover both of my ears.
The only thing I could hear was the sound of my anxious heart.
Regardless of how well I covered my ears, there was a limit to how much sound I could block out, but I couldn't hear anything at all.
However, it wasn't long before the heavy scent of blood filled the air.
'Hey, you idiot, is this what you call consideration?'
I desperately wanted to run away, but I couldn't take a single step, as if my feet were rooted to the ground.
Then, without warning, someone lifted me up.
Which startled me to the point where I didn't even think to open my eyes. Instead, I froze, too nervous to check if I was dealing with a friend or foe.
A moment later, there was a warm, gentle touch and then a familiar woody scent gradually replaced the faint scent of blood.
When I opened my eyes, Edwin was smiling brightly with a refreshed expression.
"Shall we go eat now? I am hungry."
Perhaps the shock I experienced was too much, but I was having a difficult time understanding him.
Although I felt slightly disoriented, I slowly nodded in response.
Despite my condition, Edwin seemed to be excited and full of energy.
I didn't look back, even after we exited the alley.
After looking around the city for a while, Edwin rushed us off to a restaurant.
During that time, I was able to regain my composure.
Since I enjoyed seafood, Edwin took me to a seafood restaurant for lunch.
Of course, I was very surprised since I thought he would just choose his favorite place.
"It feels good to see my bride eating well. Was it tasty?" Edwin asked after we left the restaurant after dinner. I nodded quickly.
The lobster's plump flesh is salty yet delicious.
The savory taste of the cheese topping still lingered in my mouth.
"We should go out more often," he said while looking at me and smiling contentedly.
As we left the restaurant, the warm and cozy afternoon sunlight greeted us.
"Ed, can you put me down? I want to walk."
"Why does my bride keep asking to be put down? I can keep you safe this way."
Edwin furrowed his brows in dissatisfaction.
I swore I could hear the timer of a bomb ticking, so I quickly made up an excuse.
"I'm very full and this is the first time I have been outside the estate. I want to experience your territory with my entire being."
"Hmm."
As he considered my words, he stared at me in silence. After a few moments, he put me down with a dissatisfied look on his face.
Then, he held my hand tightly.
"I'm doing this because I want you to enjoy your first outing, but I'm worried my bride will run away"
"Where would I run to? There's no place for me to go."
"So, if you had a place to go, you would leave?"
I quickly responded by desperately shaking my head because he suddenly had a serious expression.
"Are you sure?"
I immediately nodded and he patted my head with admiration.
"Stay close to me. Otherwise, I might go crazy."
Even though I was looking at the sweetest smile in the world, the hairs all over my body stood up.
"Where should we go so that my bride can experience my territory with her entire being?"
'Stop copying me! How much more are you going to tease me this time?'
I can't say anything like that.
I was brave on the inside, but on the outside, all I could do was sigh.
Edwin took me to the middle of the spacious square where a large fountain caught my attention.
"What is that?" I asked, pointing to the statue adorning the fountain.
At first glance, it looked like a depiction of a goddess, but there was a pair of wings on its back.
The same was true for the statues of children surrounding the goddess statue.
"A Fairy."
"What?"
'The Jueri aren't seen in the best light. Is it really okay to have a fairy statue on display like this?'
"It was built under the guidance of the first Crawford family head. The Jueri aren't the only fairies. They also appear in many folktales."
"And the Emperor let it go?" I asked in a hushed tone.
Edwin hardened his expression at once.
"Who dares to touch Crawford land?"
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I almost forgot. It's the Crawfords that keep the Imperial family in check.
I'm already on Crawford's side, so I had to pray that they win.
Meanwhile, Edwin sat down on the bench opposite the fountain and pulled me onto his lap.
"Now, if you sit here, you'll be able to see the entire square."
It was as he said. With a single glance, I could see a rainbow around the fountain and the children playing around with a ball.
"It's peaceful."
"Of course. This is the land I protect."
Although his words were quite arrogant, he didn't sound arrogant at all.
Because Edwin has the power to do that.
Even though the people of Edwin's territory feared him, they will also admit that his reputation as the Dragon of the West kept them safe from foreign enemies and monsters.
"Yes, I know. It's all thanks to Ed that we can feel so safe and peaceful. I'm sure the people of this land believe this as well."
I had only expressed my honest opinion, but after I finished speaking, I noticed Edwin had a strange look on his face.
An ambiguous face, neither a frown nor a smile.
'Did I make a mistake?'
My heart sank. I quickly recounted my words, hoping that I could find a way to fix the situation.
Then, Edwin suddenly hugged me tightly.
"My bride is the first person to say these words to me. It warms my heart."
Whenever he was in a good mood, or something excited him, I always trembled, but this was a slightly different reaction.
It was still embarrassing to have his face pressed against my chest, but I was a little less nervous because he was acting like an affectionate puppy.
Perhaps that's why...
I had reached down, without thinking, and ran my fingers through his bright blonde hair.
It was impossible to pull my hand away after feeling the soft texture beneath my hand.
When Edwin raised his head without any warning, I froze.
"What did you just do?"
"I...that....that...I'm sorry."
I tried to explain myself, but the intensity of his gaze made it too difficult to speak.