I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 237

**Wedding Ceremony.**

It marks the end of the journey walked by beloved lovers so far and the starting point for a new path ahead.

The engagement meeting between the Robeheim Family and the Billhark Family had already been held quite simply, but the date for the actual wedding ceremony had not yet been decided.

With so many things happening in between, there simply wasn’t any time to settle them all.

However, today, that day had finally come.

The members of both families gathered in the reception room, not dressed in their usual simple attire but rather in proper formal wear, sitting across from each other.

“It feels a bit weird seeing everyone like this.”

“I know, right? Maybe we should’ve dressed it up a bit more casually.”

Yulken, glancing at the members of the Billhark Family sitting across, chuckled. Since they were building the very house where they would live at Robeheim Castle, it was strange to see faces he recognized every day all dressed up and solemn.

Helene chimed in, offering cookies to Sonia, who sat at the far right across the table. The little lady, still young and innocent, didn’t quite grasp the significance of the occasion, happily accepting the adorable dress Helene had brought.

Crisp. Crunch.

Sonia began nibbling on the cookie with both hands, much like a squirrel munching on an acorn. In the past, Katria would’ve given her a knowing look and suggested waiting a bit, but today, Katria merely watched the scene with warm eyes, letting it be.

In a way, this moment was a testament to how close the two families had become, albeit briefly.

“Tasty, Sonia?”

“Yup, it’s yummy.”

Sonia brightly responded to her older sister’s kind query while firmly clutching the cookie.

Meanwhile, Edgar noticed that Ariel was wearing a dress he had never seen before, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Lately, she had been keen on showing him her outfits before purchasing, seeking his input, so it was rare for him to see something new.

“That dress is pretty. Haven’t seen that one before?”

“I thought a more subdued outfit would be better for today… Does it suit me?”

“It does.”

Unlike the bright colors Ariel usually favored, the white dress paired with a black shawl gave off a fresh yet calm vibe, harmonizing beautifully with her silky black hair.

Whatever she wore, it was bound to look beautiful in Edgar’s eyes.

Yulken, silently observing the warm exchange, eventually decided to speak up. While he knew everyone was aware of why they had gathered, as the one orchestrating this meeting, he felt it necessary to remind them.

“Anyway, I really appreciate everyone taking the time to come amidst your busy schedules. As you all know, I thought it might be good to start determining the timing for the families to unite.”

While Yulken used to speak informally, now that they were about to become in-laws, he employed a more respectful tone toward the Billhark Family. Normally, he would have to be even more formal, but given the existing disparities in social status, Ransel and Katria had earnestly declined to elevate the conversation beyond a point.

“Thanks for your consideration. Honestly, I’m still somewhat dazed by it all.”

Ransel, representing the Billhark Family, scratched his cheek awkwardly. It made perfect sense; now that the meeting was arranged, it suddenly hit him that they were about to become in-laws to a Grand Duke’s family.

It was quite a predicament to consider, especially having a fine son to credit for this. Up until he heard the news yesterday, he could hardly believe it—pinching himself to shake off the disbelief.

“I understand. Still, I think things will settle down as time goes by, won’t it? It seems your wife is getting along much better with mine, after all.”

“That’s certainly true.”

Time is said to heal, and even though they weren’t living under the same roof, being in the same living area had made the two families grow quite close. If their children were to get married now, it might be just the catalyst needed to bring them even closer.

Until now, Yulken thought that the reason for the lack of a solid bond between the two families was the absence of any clear connection.

“Have you thought about a date?”

“Well, I think it’s better to leave that to the schedules of the two involved… Ariel, what do you think?”

This wedding wasn’t just a ceremony for the parents; it was about the union of their children. Given that these two were currently the busiest, Yulken casually handed the reins over to them.

“I think we’ll need some time for the preparations, so how about ten days from now?”

“Is that your idea of ‘some time’?”

Ariel had confidently stated her opinion, but Edgar couldn’t help but feel a sense of shock at her words. Was there any family that could schedule a wedding just ten days after an engagement meeting?

Sure, they weren’t meeting for the first time today, so compared to other families, the preparation time might be shorter, but ten days was just absurd.

Helene, sensing the same, decided to subtly chime in for someone else’s sake. Of course, on such a joyous occasion, the quicker things moved the better, and she understood Ariel’s eagerness to solidify things with Edgar.

But, in any situation, timing was essential.

“I understand your enthusiasm, darling, but how about we pace ourselves a bit?”

“Pace ourselves even more?”

Ariel seemed genuinely surprised by Helene’s suggestion, her eyes widening in disbelief. Edgar couldn’t help but wonder just how quickly Ariel was planning to have the wedding given her insistence on speed today.

‘She couldn’t possibly be thinking of getting married tomorrow, could she?’

Even if Ariel was quite driven, that would seem a stretch, yet having witnessed her previous actions, he couldn’t rule it out entirely. Maybe it was a good thing he had asked ahead.

“Your mother is right. There are plenty of people you’ll need to contact beforehand, and now that our son-in-law is a public figure, there will be many who’ll want to visit. We can’t overlook that, now can we?”

“That’s true.”

Since his name started to spread more widely from the Whitewood incident, his recent notoriety had skyrocketed. So much so that ladies still sending him letters even knowing he was engaged to Ariel became a sight.

One time, Ariel gathered all the letters to confront him, declaring she’d meet each one, which caused him to drop everything and spend an entire day on damage control. What a laughable situation that had been.

“Ed, what do you think?”

“I agree with both of you. Even though it’s our wedding, it’s still a significant event publicly. We can’t afford to overlook the preparations.”

Exactly.

On the surface, it might seem like a simple affair marking the union of two young people, but looking deeper, it was a matter of considerable weight.

Most importantly, it was the day to unite with the current head of the Grand Duke family. Prominent figures from all over the nation would attend; there could be no room for mistakes.

“Well, if Edgar says it…”

After first the parents, then Edgar supported extending the preparation time, Ariel’s enthusiasm started to dwindle.

While she desperately wanted to hold the wedding immediately, she knew that postponing it didn’t jeopardize their relationship in any way. Rather, she believed that now was the perfect time to dream about their shared future while preparing things more leisurely.

After quite an extensive discussion, the wedding was decided for two months later.

Helene wondered if that wasn’t a bit too early as well, but she too felt an equal eagerness to see the two become a couple, so she decided to press on.

“There’s a lot to prepare.”

Once the date was specifically set, Yulken could finally smile in relief. For some reason, it felt clear as day that he could already envision the two young ones exchanging vows.

The sense of culmination swelled in his chest unexpectedly.

“If you know what’s good for you, help out a little. It’s great to have friends, but for the time being, stay at the castle.”

“Ah, understood. Ahem.”

However, Helene, who had a lot of accumulated tasks to handle, chided her husband a bit sternly in front of their in-laws. Even while struggling, he wasn’t doing much to help their busy daughter, instead wandering off with friends and acquaintances, making that all the more irritating.

“You should do the same! Don’t rush to make plans just because someone contacted you. Our daughter has done remarkably well, and here we are having done nothing but tire ourselves out with worry…”

“Uh, honey, the in-laws and their children are here, you know…”

“I said, do you hear me?”

“Yes…”

Of course, the Billhark couple wasn’t very different either, causing Ransel, who had been stifling laughter while observing Yulken’s struggles, to finally say something.

As Edgar watched his father receiving a verbal beating, he gave a wry smile, only to soon notice Ariel discreetly nudging his leg with her foot, flashing an alluring smile.

“Make sure to dress well for the wedding.”

“Am I a present now…?”

Couldn’t she have just said to dress up nicely instead?

Her tone of treating him like some sort of gift made Edgar feel incredulous, and he snapped back in a brusque manner.

Yet, her reply was priceless…

“Well, obviously, you are a present.”

“…?”

“A gift dedicated to me. Don’t expect I’ll return it ever.”

“…Oh great.”

With Ariel’s famously provocative remarks spilling even into their engagement meeting, Edgar was left with no options but to throw both his hands up in surrender.

It suddenly dawned on him that in just two months, he would formally pledge to spend his life with this woman, and a whirlpool of emotions swirled in his chest.

It felt overwhelming, warm, and tinged with a thrill he couldn’t quite put into words.

What he could say for sure was that it was deeper and clearer than any feeling he had ever experienced.

“Alright, I’ll wrap it up nicely and gift it to you.”

“Good attitude.”

Edgar mirrored the content smile given by the northern lord, sending a grin back at her.

Glancing quickly, he let his eyes wander over her figure, feeling that whirlwind of emotion intensify. It was quite an exhilarating sensation.