Resetting Lady - Chapter 229

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Priest Dulan, are you really not going to attend the coronation ceremony?”

“…Yes, Subdeacon. I, I have… urgent matters to attend to.”

I must give my blessing to a wedding. Dulan made the sign of the cross.

Lord Raymond Sayertes.

Raymond extended his hand to Dulan. And taking his hand, he met his eyes. Those vivid green eyes seemed to belong to someone from a completely different world than Dulan. Indeed, that was true.

Karen’s lover. Prince Louis’s close aide. War hero. Nobleman.

The words that described him were all terms that had nothing to do with Dulan.

“I truly thank you for accepting my request.”

Raymond’s hand seemed to tighten slightly, but it wasn’t painful.

“…As a long-time… relative, and friend… it’s only natural. Blessing a marriage is… the greatest joy of a priest, is it not?”

Raymond had asked Dulan to officiate the wedding.

After finishing important business, he also conveyed that he wanted to hold it deliberately at a small temple in the capital on the day of the coronation ceremony. Everyone with any status inside and outside the country had to attend the coronation ceremony at the Great Cathedral.

Raymond and Karen wanted to avoid drawing people’s attention, so they deliberately chose that day. But even if they wanted to marry alone, they needed at least one more person. The presence of a priest who would serve as witness to the marriage.

Since all priests of apprentice rank and above had to attend the coronation ceremony in the capital, there would be no priest available to officiate a wedding that day.

“I would be grateful if Priest Dulan could take on this role. I’m sorry to make such a request when you’ve already been involved in dangerous matters because of Karen.”

“Please, please don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you.”

Raymond said repeatedly.

He didn’t need to apologize to Dulan.

How could Dulan miss such an opportunity? Dulan wanted to express his gratitude to Raymond instead.

* * *

The day of the coronation arrived.

It was a bright and cool day. People had been moving busily since morning. The entire capital was preparing for a festival. Though it was a sudden festival, people were even more excited and cheered as they prepared because it was unexpected.

A new king. Since there had been only one king for such a long time, the emotion people felt was truly like heaven and earth changing. It wasn’t an annual religious festival for the gods, but a festival for one living person.

Flowers flew wildly through the streets, and every house hung ribbons and flowers. Since the royal family supported a considerable portion of the festival, people enthusiastically welcomed the coronation ceremony and enjoyed the festivities.

Food was endlessly grilled, boiled, and fried as it began appearing on tables, and countless nobles also took this opportunity to spend their own money to enrich the festival, displaying their loyalty to the royal family.

It was a grand festival that no one knew when it would come again. Gold coins flowed wildly through the streets.

Music constantly flowed from the streets, and performers also gathered endlessly, captivating people’s attention. People cheered and shouted enthusiastically at the festival supported by the king and nobles.

“Louis! Louis! Louis!”

Prince Louis stepped out from the procession and raised his hand before the people. He had to receive the crown and scepter that the king had handed over in advance from the archbishop at the Great Cathedral, and then give congratulations and a speech before the people again. To add dignity to his still small frame, numerous decorations adorned his shoulders and chest.

Karen watched that joyful scene from afar with a blank stare.

She should hurry and prepare herself too, but she couldn’t find the energy.

A hundred years for herself, several thousand years for Raymond. The result that had never succeeded during all that time was there below that hill. Prince Louis had become king for the first time and the entire country was celebrating with joy, yet she couldn’t purely share that joy with others.

“Can we go see it later?”

“Of course, Karen.”

Karen was preparing to change into a pure white dress and veil. While others held their festival, they had to have their wedding. Though she had agreed to it herself, she couldn’t help feeling regretful. Karen brushed the dress hanging beside her with her fingertips.

“It wouldn’t have mattered much if I just wore what Prince Guiz had prepared.”

“…Still, I’m happier that it’s not that dress.”

“Really? Well, it was rather tacky.”

Karen chuckled as she touched the dress and accessories that Isella had made for her. Isella hadn’t said anything to Karen, who said she would just wear the clothes Guiz had given her for the wedding. She simply sent dressmakers to have a new dress made.

It was natural for her to glare at Raymond whenever they happened to meet. The women Isella sent skillfully dismantled the clothes Guiz had given, then added various brilliant and intricate laces they had brought to create new clothes that fit Karen’s body perfectly.

Even when she said it really wasn’t necessary, when Isella threatened that if she said one more word of refusal, she should know they would break off their friendship, there was nothing she could do. Raymond watched the dress, reborn beyond recognition from its original form, with curious eyes and asked.

“Did you remove the corset?”

“Yes. When I said I was pregnant, they were disappointed but eventually removed it.”

Guiz had insisted on wearing a corset even during pregnancy. Karen laughed.

Where might he be now, grinding his teeth and stamping his feet in some prison? It was regrettable not to see that. She would definitely investigate later. She wanted to try watching his face and throwing gold coins at him as payment for the entertainment. There were truly so many things she wanted to do.

“Priest Dulan will officiate, and after exchanging rings, you’ll share a toast.”

“So he’s coming after all. I was worried he might refuse.”

“Haha.”

Raymond laughed aloud at Karen’s words. There was mockery mixed in his laughter.

“The priest would never do such a thing.”

“Is that so? Now it seems you know Dulan better than I do, Raymond.”

“Sadly, that’s true.”

Knock knock.

Someone knocked outside the door, then opened it wide. And seeing Raymond still there, she frowned. For a maid, her attitude was excessively bold, but she didn’t hide her displeasure with Raymond.

“Lord Raymond, please leave quickly.”

“Wouldn’t it be faster if I helped too?”

When they were alone, Raymond had helped Karen dress, so he knew somewhat how to help her change clothes. But Donna shook her head in refusal.

“What’s a groom doing helping? And originally, you’re not supposed to see the bride before the wedding! It brings bad luck!”

Donna had come up to support the lord and attend Karen’s wedding. As the only maid from her parental home, Donna stubbornly remained by Karen’s side, insisting on helping with the backing of “The lord asked me to!”

Donna seemed to thoroughly dislike Raymond. From the wedding date to the excessively small number of guests. She even gaped when he had the corset removed and glared at Raymond with hateful eyes. Karen barely held back her laughter watching Raymond get chased out.

“Thank you for helping.”

“Not at all, miss… Even so, this rushed… It may be lacking, but I’ll do my best.”

Donna chattered with a sad expression.

No matter how few people they wanted to invite, they couldn’t not invite her father. She didn’t want to invite her father if possible either. Her father was coming, Donna was coming, and Isella had sent gifts.

Her father, who had to briefly escape from Guiz, seemed to have had a change of heart, and despite his poor health, he sent word through Donna that he would definitely attend.

She couldn’t easily sever ties.

Raymond saved Louis, and Xenon rescued the lord from Guiz’s hands. Sion became Isella’s lover and would enjoy glory greater than Raymond’s. She had decided to form connections with more people beyond their world of just two.

She thought she would always face death calmly, but after actually seeing with her eyes that she had influenced so many people, the sorrow of having to leave all this behind and die was indescribable.

So now she had to bring it to an end.

* * *

Dulan stood at the officiant’s position in the small temple and cleared his throat.

Raymond had entered first and was standing below Dulan.

Only Xenon sat in the hall. Raymond’s older brother was said to be continuously recuperating due to poor health. Even though it was a small temple, it could easily seat about a hundred people, so the empty feeling couldn’t be hidden.

But since the bride and groom didn’t care about that at all, there was nothing to be done. Karen had initially tried to prevent even the lord from coming.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

For the groom to worry about the officiant. Dulan found it slightly amusing. He was of course fine.

Clatter.

“Ah, sorry.”

It was Isella who opened the door. Isella caught her breath and looked at the empty guest seats, clicked her tongue, and sat in a corner. Sion couldn’t come because he still had to receive decorations, but Isella inevitably ended up coming.

“The young lady is making her entrance.”

Donna announced.

It was a small wedding without music or fancy decorations, but that was enough.

Even Dulan thought that wasn’t right, but the moment he saw Karen entering, he realized it truly was enough.

Karen entered holding the lord’s hand.

Each step didn’t seem like a person moving.

A pure white veil draped over her head.

The dress he had thought looked like a pile of paper had been skillfully altered into something indescribable. It wasn’t merely splendid, but rather like a person who wasn’t human but the scriptures themselves. It even felt sacred, as if the scriptures had taken human form.

Clap, clap, clap.

Though very few people applauded, it didn’t feel lacking at all. No matter how few people were around, it didn’t matter. Even if there were no lord holding Karen’s hand as she entered, no one would feel anything was missing.

Karen Hyer was perfect in herself, complete and overflowing with presence. Someone’s bride, someone’s daughter. She possessed a sacredness of being itself that didn’t even need such descriptors.

Neither slowly nor quickly, Karen walked toward Dulan.

Their eyes met.

Dulan felt his heart stop for a moment.

Karen was looking at Dulan, not Raymond. She was walking toward him. Directly, without hesitation. The very sight of those steps took his breath away.

Even when Karen left the lord and took Raymond’s hand, Dulan couldn’t think of anything. Only when those violet eyes lowered slightly could Dulan finally speak.

“May God’s glory and blessing… be with you both.”

It would end well. His role had been this position from the beginning.

Realizing this, all thoughts and passions disappeared, and his heart became extremely peaceful.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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