Chapter 105

Lilian looked at the person beside her. A woman with black hair pulled tightly back stood in front of her. It seemed like she had done light makeup, but somehow she looked even more beautiful than last time. Was it because today was her wedding? Lost in thought, Lilian stared blankly at Catherine. Unlike Lilian, who was wound up tight with nerves, Catherine appeared calm, her indifferent gaze scanning the surroundings as if it were just a regular day for her or maybe because it was her second wedding.

Then, their eyes met suddenly. At that moment, a joyful emotion sparkled in Catherine’s gaze, a slight smile forming at the corners of her eyes. Watching her, Lilian’s heart, which had been quiet, began to thump vigorously. It was as if her heart, malfunctioning like a broken clock, only quieted down when Catherine’s lips were about to meet hers.

She didn’t catch a single word from the officiant. Instead, she was solely focused on Catherine’s face, which was slowly moving closer. Lilian squeezed her eyes shut, and soon she felt the warm sensation of soft skin on her lips. It wasn’t an intense kiss by any means, but it felt like it had left a brand on her heart. If it didn’t, there would be no way she could feel this warmth inside her.

Her heart, which had stopped, started pounding vigorously again. Honestly, she couldn’t remember much after that. She exchanged pleasantries with the assembled nobles, and then when night fell, changed out of her wedding dress and took a bath. After slipping into a gown, she quietly opened the door and was met with the sight of Catherine, sitting on the bed and pouring herself a glass of wine. Only then did it hit Lilian that she had gotten married today.

“Catherine.”

“Ah, would you like a drink?”

Catherine handed over a wine glass in a stiff manner. Accepting it, Lilian puffed up her cheeks slightly.

“Can we speak a bit more comfortably now?”

“It’s just how I talk.”

Even though she spoke with a straight face, there was a hint of shyness in her eyes. Seeing that, Lilian couldn’t help but chuckle. It was one of the things she liked about Catherine. Even before she recalled her past life memories, whenever she saw Catherine’s unique way of trying to hide her emotions yet failing, it would melt her heart.

As she quietly moved closer to Catherine, Lilian caught a whiff of her skin’s scent. Almost burying her face against Catherine’s shoulder, she inhaled quietly. Giggling at Catherine’s stiff shoulders, she gently nudged her. Looking into Catherine’s quiet gaze as she lay on the bed, Lilian finally spoke.

“I’m a bit disappointed.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wanted to have Catherine’s virginity.”

As she said this with a mischievous grin, Catherine hesitated for a moment before speaking softly.

“Well, we did have an encounter, but there was some barrier.”

“…Huh? Is that even possible?”

“Yep.”

What kind of night had she spent? Lilian wondered quietly as she leaned in and pressed her lips to Catherine’s. Unlike the gentle kiss from the wedding, this was a passionate kiss. And slowly, the two of them began to entwine their bodies.

“…Whoa!”

Lilian awoke with a start at the sound of birds chirping, leaping up in shock at the sight of bloodstains on the bed. Realizing it was a mark that was bound to be there, she glanced at the mirror and saw her disheveled hair and red stains across her neck. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she grabbed a nearby towel to cover her neck and rang the bell to call a maid, silently pointing at the bed. The maid, with her face slightly flushed, quickly gathered the sheets.

After washing her face several times and finally finishing her bath with the help of another maid, it was already lunchtime. She then wondered where Catherine had gone. It was a mystery. Dressed and wanting to take a short walk before lunch, Lilian stepped outside, strolling through the hallway.

“Then I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Hmm. Let’s proceed with that.”

As Lilian ambled along, she unexpectedly spotted Catherine coming out of the Office of Marquis of Portus. Gone was the disheveled look from last night, replaced by a rather noble appearance as Catherine elegantly greeted people while exiting the office.

“Catherine.”

“Ah, Lilian. Did you sleep well?”

Catherine pecked a kiss on Lilian’s forehead and smiled brightly, then gently took Lilian’s hand. Caught off-guard, Lilian stammered, not knowing what to say, just as Catherine returned to her usual expression and started leading her away. What had just happened?

“W-wait, what was that?!”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, no. I meant… the kiss.”

As Lilian said this, wide-eyed, Catherine leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

“You asked for it last night.”

“I did?”

“Yup.”

“W-wait, what specifically did I say?”

“You said not to be formal. Always start the morning with a kiss. Smile.”

“…Oh.”

Honestly, she couldn’t quite remember what happened last night. She only recalled the blissful feeling and the fact that she had chanted Catherine’s name. And ultimately, she had taken Catherine’s first. Hmmm, that was important. As Lilian nodded, a scene suddenly flashed in her mind.

“…You really did it.”

“I wouldn’t just make this up.”

“W-well, that’s true. But wait. I just wanted a kiss on the lips, why the forehead?”

“That’s just how things go, step by step.”

“After seeing everything already?”

“…”

Lilian’s jab made Catherine clamp her mouth shut. At that moment, Lilian burst into laughter. The sight of Catherine, with her red eyes rolling in embarrassment, was simply too adorable.

After the wedding with Lilian, time slowly started to open up. Since he hadn’t gone on a honeymoon yet with his first wife, Chloe, he thought maybe they could take one after Chloe mentioned it might be better to leave for their honeymoon after the wedding with Yulia. It was agreed they would have the wedding in late December, on a holy day.

Strangely enough, or perhaps understandably, Earth’s Christmas was also a holy day in the Goddess Church, and it was said that couples who married on that day receive the blessing of the gods, so his marriage to the saint Yulia was set for that day.

Traditionally, the unions of heroes and saints were held on holy days, which added some symbolic weight. Of course, there had never been a case of a hero marrying a saint of the same gender.

Excluding the harvest season, he had a fair amount of free time, so he spent every free moment with the three women. However, apart from the first night, he hadn’t spent the nights with them together. His first wife, Chloe, had suggested it was better to wait until after their wedding with Yulia.

Since both Lilian and Yulia agreed, he reluctantly had to settle for separate rooms. It felt a little lonely, but he had no intention of opposing the order established by the three wives, so he simply bore with it.

“It’s already December.”

“Yeah.”

On the day of the first snowfall, he was out for a walk with Yulia. Staring blankly at the sky, white snowflakes drifted down like delicate feathers. Each flake melted the instant it touched his hand. The temperature wasn’t particularly cold, which made him ponder as he gazed at the falling snow.

The Vexter Territory had distinct seasons, but snowfall wasn’t frequent. Winter didn’t often drop temperatures low enough for that.

“The preparations for the wedding are almost done.”

“The Church folks really worked hard.”

“Cardinal Besalon expressed his desire to officiate.”

“Right. I’ve already mentioned that.”

This time, he had prepared the wedding entirely by himself. The first wedding had been in the Imperial Palace, while the second wedding was clearly a different affair organized by the Marquis of Portus, but he was quite satisfied with his efforts. Both he and Yulia were without parents, which made things a bit daunting, but with the Church’s help, they managed to navigate through it fairly smoothly.

As they crunched through the accumulating snow, he and Yulia continued their leisurely walk. Their conversation flowed very little, but it wasn’t out of awkwardness; it was simply that they were comfortable in each other’s presence. Looking into Yulia’s eyes, which radiated clear vital energy, it naturally soothed his own heart.

All three women had different types, but Yulia was particularly distinctive. It’s rare to find a woman whose very presence eases the heart. Though it was a bit regrettable that she didn’t seem to have many wants.

“You say you don’t want anything? It’s only natural; I already have what I desire in my hands.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You.”

As she said this and smiled brightly, a little happiness sparkled in Yulia’s gaze. In response, he couldn’t help but smile back.