Chapter 5
The Fairy of Snow
“Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is waiting.”
Upon hearing the news from Rina, Blair immediately returned to the Princess Palace.
The moment she stepped into the reception room, she was greeted not with words—but with Katrina’s hand.
Smack!
The sudden slap made Blair stagger.
“Y-Your Highness!”
Rina, who had followed her in, quickly caught Blair as she swayed.
Katrina raised her hand again, but stopped short of striking, her anger bursting forth instead.
“There’s a limit to how much you can disregard your mother! How could you go see that woman the day before your wedding? That woman who tried to kill you!”
Blair’s cheek throbbed from the blow, but she didn’t let out a single groan. She simply looked at Katrina with calm eyes.
Katrina, who had a deep inferiority complex about her lowly birth, cared greatly about how others saw her. No matter what she felt inside, she always tried to act noble, elegant, and refined.
For someone like her to resort to physical violence was rare.
Blair had touched her reverse scale.
“I am your mother! I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you in pain—not that woman!”
Madness flickered in the violet eyes that so closely resembled Blair’s own.
Blair let out a faint scoff.
Her mother, who despised Blair for following Esmeralda, in truth saw her daughter as nothing more than a chess piece for her son.
From the moment Blair began to develop into a young woman, Katrina strictly controlled her weight.
If she exceeded the target even slightly, the maids of the Princess Palace would be punished in her stead—beaten until their calves bled and starved, accused of failing to serve their mistress properly.
Katrina would whisper that it was all for Blair’s sake.
“Think about that woman who died unloved. To be consumed by jealousy and envy of the beloved, only to destroy herself… what a pitiful and useless life.”
“……”
“You must become a woman who is loved, Blair. Like this mother.”
And so, you must become a fine support for your brother and for this imperial family I have built…
On days Blair felt she had gained even a little weight, she would force her fingers down her throat and vomit everything she had eaten.
It was painful enough to bring tears, but she believed it was fine.
Because it was all for her.
Her mother was doing this out of concern, out of love.
If she just endured it, the maids wouldn’t be punished, her mother wouldn’t hate her, and everyone would see her as beautiful.
Everyone would love her.
Yes, it was fine.
If it meant being loved, this much meant nothing…
But the moment she held the newborn Asiel in her arms, she realized.
“You must make Herdin Delmarck fall for you. That way, he will become your brother’s strongest ally. Do you understand?”
If it were truly love, a mother wouldn’t worry about her son more than her daughter who was about to be married.
If it were truly love, she couldn’t possibly find anything but joy in watching her beloved child eat happily.
No matter what others said, in her own eyes, this child was precious and beautiful.
It hurt, but she could no longer deny it.
Katrina’s love for her… had never been love at all.
And that was why—
She could finally speak back.
“Since when have you ever cherished me like that, Mother?”
Blair’s calm but resentful voice pierced Katrina.
“You…!”
Caught off guard by her daughter’s sudden defiance, the woman who had always clung to her affection raised her hand again.
At that moment, Blair spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be troublesome if the bride’s face were damaged?”
Katrina’s hand, poised to strike, froze.
Trembling with rage, she eventually lowered it.
“You dare drive a nail into your mother’s heart. Insolent child…”
Katrina brushed past Blair and Rina and left the reception room.
Blair closed her eyes as the sound of her heels faded away.
The sound hurt a little—
But it was also relieving.
It was the end of a long, one-sided love.
The wedding was held at a temple on the outskirts of the capital.
A massive crowd gathered to witness the marriage between the Emperor’s only sister and the Duke of Delmarck. Nobles and commoners alike.
In the bride’s waiting room, the attendants busily finished preparing Blair.
“Thankfully, the swelling has gone down a lot.”
One maid gently touched Blair’s cheek—the one struck by Katrina—and sighed in relief.
“It’s all thanks to your care. Mother should reward you generously.”
“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was truly too much. What kind of bride’s face is this?”
Blair simply smiled at the maid, who seemed more upset than she was.
At that moment, Rina, who had been holding the veil, glanced outside and gasped softly.
“Oh my, it’s snowing.”
“It seems even the heavens have come to celebrate Your Highness’s wedding.”
Outside the window, small white snowflakes were indeed falling.
It had snowed on her first wedding day as well.
Back then, she had watched it with excitement and fear.
This time, her gaze was calm.
A knock broke the silence.
“Are you ready?”
At Ivan’s voice, the maids quickly placed the veil over Blair’s head. The bride’s beauty was meant to be seen first only by the groom.
Ivan entered, and the maids bowed.
“If you’re ready, let’s go.”
He approached Blair and extended his hand.
After staring at it for a moment, she placed her hand on his.
As they left together, Ivan spoke.
“The most certain way for a woman to secure her position in her husband’s family is to bear a son. You know that, right?”
Blair said nothing.
“And as your brother, let me give you some advice. You’re too stiff. Being a lady is fine, but in bed, you should act a bit like a temptress if you want to be loved.”
“……”
“Mother was very worried.”
At the word “Mother,” Blair finally spoke.
“Please tell her not to worry. Her daughter will live well anywhere.”
Anywhere on this continent.
Once this contract marriage ended, Blair planned to travel freely, freed from her duties as royalty—with her beloved son, Asiel.
As Blair walked forward holding Ivan’s hand, the gathered crowd welcomed her.
Even through the veil, the nobles gasped at her silhouette.
“My, she looks like an angel descended from the heavens.”
“Or a fairy of snow.”
Herdin listened to their praise with indifference as he watched Blair approach.
To him, this was a meaningless wedding.
Ivan placed Blair’s hand into Herdin’s.
“She is a precious child raised with care. Please treat her well.”
“Would I dare disobey an imperial command?”
The two stood side by side before the officiant, Pope Gerard.
He smiled warmly.
“It brings me great joy to see the princess grown and wed.”
He had once saved Blair’s life during the palace fire.
He had also officiated the funeral of Herdin’s parents.
Thus, his connection to both had led him to preside over their wedding.
The ceremony continued.
Though the crowd was full of excitement, the bride and groom remained indifferent.
“Now then, please share the kiss of your vow.”
Herdin lifted Blair’s veil.
Their eyes met.
For the first time, his calm, winter-lake-like gaze wavered.
Her pure white dress and platinum hair made every feature stand out.
Her flushed pale face, amethyst-like violet eyes, and crimson lips—
And behind her, the softly falling snow.
A fairy of snow.
The words fit her perfectly.
Thinking the nobles’ praise wasn’t entirely wrong, Herdin leaned in and kissed her.
After the ceremony, a banquet was held at the imperial palace.
However, the newlyweds were allowed to leave early.
Luce had just finished organizing documents for Herdin and was about to leave the office when—
“Ah! You scared me!”
Herdin stood there in a robe, his damp hair suggesting he had just bathed.
“At this hour? Why are you here?”
“Do I need a reason to enter my own office?”
“No, I mean—it’s your wedding night.”
“There are documents to handle.”
“Nothing urgent enough for today.”
“You were hoping I wouldn’t come, weren’t you?”
“Of course. Who wants to be alone late at night with their boss—especially one who just got married?”
Herdin ignored him and sat at the desk, lighting a cigar.
Workaholic…
Luce hesitated, then asked:
“…So, what are you going to do?”
“I told her I’d cooperate in recovering memories related to the incident ten years ago.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Whether she truly lost her memory or is pretending for some other reason…”
He still didn’t trust Blair.
It doesn’t matter.
Whatever her goal, she was now within his grasp.
As long as she was, he would use her to uncover the truth.
“…But aren’t you going to your bedroom?”
Herdin recalled Blair’s expressionless face from earlier.
A cold glint appeared in his eyes.
She was probably exhausted and already asleep.
And besides, there was no need for a wedding night ritual in a contract marriage.
…But then—
His mind changed.
“…I’m curious.”
“At what?”
“What kind of expression that doll-like woman will make when her unwelcome husband visits.”