While everyone pursued their own goals, time passed quickly.
Milena could only stare speechlessly as wedding preparations advanced without her having any say in the matter.
A Grand Ducal wedding was never a small affair.
From the orchestra to the grand reception hall banquet—
there were mountains of things that needed to be prepared.
And yet, a process that should have been endlessly complicated felt strangely simple.
No.
Not simple.
Reused.
The decorations.
The venue.
Everything was exactly as Lariette had used it.
Even the invitations were missing.
"There aren't any guests?"
The head butler looked at her as though wondering why she would even ask.
"Yes, My Lady. His Grace stated that since it is a remarriage, there is no need for a grand ceremony. Only the clergy members who assisted during the memorial service will attend."
A remarriage for him, maybe.
It's my first marriage.
Not that I wanted to get married in the first place.
Watching the preparations unfold left her feeling suffocated.
But in her powerless position, all she could feel was helpless frustration.
A wedding inside the memorial hall where my sister's coffin is displayed?
It was absurd.
Is he seriously planning to remarry in front of my sister's coffin? He's completely insane.
Milena truly could not understand Callion's way of thinking.
"Do you have any further instructions?"
Even with the preparations simplified, there was still plenty to do.
The butler glanced down at his checklist.
"No. Continue."
Let them do whatever they wanted.
Pretending to inspect the preparations, Milena wandered through the estate.
But her real objective was something else entirely.
She was searching for the marriage contract.
Meanwhile—
there was someone else furious about this wedding.
From a distance, a small figure silently watched Milena moving around.
Standing nearby, Lexion observed the child's expression.
Ashdel's tiny fists were clenched so tightly that they trembled.
Aunt Milena is pitiful.
She's being forced into marriage and can't even run away.
Once that contract is signed, she'll be trapped for an entire year.
The boy understood her situation perfectly.
"And what exactly are you planning to do about it, Young Master?"
Lexion's unspoken thought was cynical.
"You can't do anything."
"No."
Ashdel's answer came immediately.
"I will do something. Whatever it takes."
A determination no child should possess.
Even so, Lexion didn't believe the young heir could actually change anything.
He was about to dismiss the boy's resolve—
when his sharp eyes caught something unusual.
Mana was leaking from Ashdel's body.
Unstable.
Disturbing.
It caught his attention.
But for now—
he chose to ignore it.
The object he was looking for.
And the woman he was following.
Those took priority.
"You're looking for the marriage contract, aren't you?"
The man who had followed her around all day finally spoke.
"That's right."
By now they had ventured deep into the empty memorial hall.
Lexion tilted his head.
"Isn't it an important document? Wouldn't the Grand Duke keep it personally?"
"No."
Milena shook her head.
"There's a high chance it'll already be at the ceremony site. It's a temple-certified contract."
Mana and divine power were known to oppose each other.
Perhaps because of that—
Grand Duke Callion never personally handled or managed documents originating from the Temple.
Milena had spent five years chasing after him.
At least she knew that much.
Hah.
My embarrassing past is useful sometimes.
With a bitter smile, she searched every place where the contract could possibly be hidden.
Usually important documents were stored somewhere elevated.
On the officiant's platform.
Inside nearby storage compartments.
But no matter where she searched—
it wasn't there.
Could the High Priest be carrying it himself?
If the paper contained divine power, that seemed likely.
"The High Priest is personally overseeing the ceremony. He might have it."
Lexion nodded in agreement.
Milena had already packed everything she owned.
She had declared to Callion that she refused the marriage.
She had secretly sold some of the jewelry overflowing in her dressing room and gathered enough money to survive.
She was ready to leave at any moment.
All that remained—
was stealing the contract and running away.
But the cursed document was nowhere to be found.
"Should I break into the High Priest's room?"
The suggestion sounded surprisingly serious.
Lexion laughed.
"You might receive divine punishment for that."
After searching even the hidden compartments beneath the floor, Milena straightened up with a sigh.
"I'm already being punished."
What else could this situation possibly be?
A sister who had manipulated her with magic.
A brother-in-law who had ignored her for years.
And now that same brother-in-law was trying to force her into marriage.
The wedding date Callion had arbitrarily chosen was only a week away.
There were merely three days remaining.
If she could steal the contract—
she could at least stop Callion from signing it.
There wasn't much time.
At this point—
she almost wanted to grab the first man she saw on the street and marry him instead.
Her gaze drifted briefly toward Lexion.
Then quickly away.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing."
She shook her head.
She couldn't rely on this man too much.
Would he agree if she asked to borrow his name?
Probably not.
Stealing the contract and purchasing a false identity through a guild seemed more realistic.
Milena stopped behind the officiant's platform.
Directly in front of her sister's coffin.
Nothing is ever easy.
Through the faintly reflective glass lid—
a peaceful face stared back.
Golden curls that looked as though they had been woven from sunlight itself.
Delicate features like an angel's.
Lariette looked merely asleep.
Aren't you coming back soon, Sister?
Your husband has completely lost his mind and is trying to marry me. Please come deal with him.
Anyone who didn't know the truth would believe they were looking at a perfectly preserved corpse.
Even after five years.
Powerful preservation magic surrounded the ornate coffin.
But the reality was different.
An illusion spell so flawless that even the Grand Duke had been deceived.
The entire coffin was covered by it.
If Milena hadn't remembered the moment Lariette's mage cast the spell—
she would have been fooled too.
Yet something felt strange.
She remembered what her sister had said.
She remembered watching the mage cast the magic.
But those memories didn't connect naturally.
What were you thinking, Sister...?
Lost in thought, she unconsciously reached toward the coffin.
Before her fingertips could touch it—
someone stopped her.
"You shouldn't touch it."
A large hand gently but firmly caught hers.
Lexion had moved closer without her noticing.
He now stood directly behind her.
Looking up at his expressionless face, Milena glanced back toward the coffin.
"...Ah."
Right.
Several layers of magic protected it.
Because Callion feared someone might steal Lariette's body.
Those protections had all been added at his request.
At the time, she'd thought they were excessive.
But—
how did he know that?
"...Sir Knight."
"Yes?"
Her eyes dropped to the hand still holding hers.
"How long are you planning to keep holding my hand?"
"...Ah."
Lexion paused.
Was it his imagination?
The moment he touched her—
he felt calm.
His entire life had been spent battling the violent mana raging within him.
Yet for one brief instant—
that chaotic power had quieted.
Looking down at their joined hands, he slowly released her.
"My apologies."
"Don't grab people's hands without permission."
Milena crossed her arms.
"I told you before, didn't I? A lady could report that as improper behavior."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Or slap you."
Hah.
Lexion fought back a laugh as he stared at the hand she'd just scolded.
Was this woman—
actually teaching him how to treat ladies?
A faint smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
He started following her once more.
Then—
he stopped.
From somewhere deep inside the Grand Ducal Estate—
an enormous surge of unstable mana erupted.
Violent.
Chaotic.
Dangerous.
Well.
This is troublesome.
He had already become far too entangled in all of this.
But he didn't hesitate for long.
It was better to act now than regret it later.
"Lady Milena."
His voice suddenly became serious.
"There is something you need to know."
The moment she heard those words—
the color drained from her face.
The marriage contract vanished completely from her thoughts.
Without another word—
Milena turned and ran.