The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 9

Episode 9. The Returned Bride

As Emilia entered holding the Duke of Berthe’s hand, murmurs erupted among the guests.

The young bride walked in so precariously, barely supported by the Duke, that it looked as though she might collapse at any moment. It was to the point where one might think she looked more aged than the seventy-year-old Duke.

At the altar, the groom who had entered earlier was waiting. Louid, dressed in the Richert Empire’s military uniform, gazed coldly at the bride approaching him.

‘After I went to the trouble of helping her escape, why did she come back?’

A few days earlier. When there was no news of the wedding being canceled, Louid asked the chamberlain, “How did the wedding turn out?”

“Whose wedding do you mean?” Adam replied slowly.

“Whose do you think? My wedding.”

“It will proceed as planned. Would you prefer it to happen sooner?”

The chamberlain looked at him with a sly smile.

What? Proceed as planned?

Louid, who had been expecting to hear that ‘the wedding was canceled due to the circumstances of the Duke’s granddaughter,’ couldn’t believe Adam’s words.

“Does the Duke of Berthe have another granddaughter?”

“No, he does not. Do you wish to hold a joint wedding?”

Adam continued to poke at him.

“Forget it. You can go now.”

After dismissing the chamberlain, Louid called for the commander of the knights, Alex.

“Alex, find out how many granddaughters the Duke of Berthe has.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The next day, Alex reported that Emilia Berthe was the only granddaughter of the Duke.

‘I should have stayed and watched until the end…’

He should have stayed to see Emilia ride away, but it was his own mistake for leaving early. Louid quietly sighed as he watched the bride approaching.

The woman, who looked as if her waist could be encircled by one hand, walked unsteadily while leaning on the elderly Duke’s arm and eventually stood before him.

‘What’s wrong with her?’

Unlike three weeks ago, Emilia looked far from well. She hadn’t appeared healthy even then, but now she seemed barely able to stand upright.

Receiving Emilia’s gloved hand from the Duke, Louid immediately let go and turned toward the high priest.

The ceremony continued for two hours. Louid wondered if Emilia might collapse before it ended, but surprisingly, she stood quietly by his side the entire time.

“Bride and groom, please exchange rings.”

After the marriage vows were completed, it was time to exchange rings. Turning toward Emilia, Louid placed a diamond ring on her finger. Even with gloves on, her fingers looked so thin that the bones showed prominently.

‘She wasn’t this frail before.’

Louid recalled placing his hand over hers on the wall. She hadn’t been this thin, but today she looked sickly and weak.

Emilia also placed a ring on the groom’s finger. Her hand trembled as she did so. Louid stared intently at her, but her face was obscured by the veil, making it hard to see clearly.

“Before the goddess Herr, the deity of all creation, please seal your vows with the kiss of marriage.”

At the high priest’s words, Louid lifted the bride’s long veil. Only then did Emilia see the groom’s face.

‘That man?’

Lifting her head slightly, Emilia’s blue eyes widened. Her body froze like stone. Forgotten memories surfaced in fragments like a revolving lantern. The man standing before her was the same one who had shown her the way out through the wall passage and had vanished without a trace.

Louid also raised a thick brow. A large bruise now marred Emilia’s forehead, something that hadn’t been there three weeks ago.

‘Did she get hurt while trying to escape? Tsk tsk.’

Even without asking, he could guess what had happened. Clicking his tongue inwardly, he tilted his head slightly. His lips briefly touched just below Emilia’s nose.

Louid, who had kissed the philtrum rather than her lips, quickly lowered the veil so no one would see. If the nobles found out the bride was injured, they would start whispering.

He had no desire to protect her, but he also didn’t welcome having his name on the lips of gossiping nobles.

“Before the goddess Herr, I declare the marriage between His Highness Grand Duke Louid Richert and Lady Emilia Berthe complete.”

With the high priest’s declaration of matrimony, the two-hour-long wedding ceremony came to an end. The guests, who had watched the couple in silence, erupted into celebratory cheers. As the band’s music played and the bride and groom exited, the guests finally began to voice their thoughts.

“His Highness looks even more handsome than before.”

“Indeed. He’s been the object of admiration among the young ladies of the Empire. It’s such a shame he’s now married.”

“By the way, why did no one know until now that the Duke of Berthe had a granddaughter?”

“I know, right? This is the first I’ve seen her too.”

“She does resemble His Majesty the Emperor, so she must really be the Duke’s granddaughter.”

Louid’s half-brother, Emperor William, was a fifth cousin to Emilia and shared the same platinum hair and blue eyes as the Duke of Berthe. Though her face had only been glimpsed through the veil, the resemblance to the Emperor was enough to quell any doubts about her identity.

“In any case, the Duke of Berthe is certainly cunning. He despised His Highness like an enemy, but the moment the Crown Prince passed away, he married off his granddaughter to the Grand Duke.”

The rumor that the Duke of Berthe had tried to assassinate Louid was common knowledge among the nobles.

“Exactly. Truly impressive.”

“The bride must take after her grandfather too. How could she marry the man her own grandfather tried to kill?”

“Indeed.”

Their words, full of contempt and mockery, were aimed at both the Duke and his granddaughter.

“Shh! Watch your tongue.”

Someone cautioned, and the voices quieted. The topic naturally shifted to Emilia’s fragile condition.

“She looks so weak. How many years do you think she’ll live?”

“Years? She doesn’t look like she’ll last a year.”

A silver-haired beauty, standing a little apart from the crowd, listened to the murmurs with a wicked smile.

‘Not a year. Six months will do.’

She had recently bribed a servant of the Duke’s household to push Emilia down the stairs. The attempt to kill her had failed, much to her frustration. But seeing the Duke’s daughter in person at the wedding today put her mind at ease. Even left alone, the young lady looked so sickly she might die at any moment.

“Lina, why are you still here? The banquet will begin soon.”

The Marquess of Carrion called out to her. He had stepped out with high-ranking nobles after the ceremony and had now returned to find his daughter.

“Yes, I’m coming, Father.”

Lina exited the temple with the Marquess of Carrion and headed to the palace banquet hall by carriage.

Neither the bride nor the groom attended the banquet that evening. Though it was due to the bride’s bruised forehead, the nobles had yet to be informed of their absence.

“Lina, the banquet will last all night. Pick a man among the young noblemen here whom you like.”

As they entered the banquet hall, the Marquess looked at his daughter with fond eyes.

“I’m not interested, Father.”

“Is that so? Well, I suppose ordinary young nobles wouldn’t satisfy you. I’ll find a better match.”

“Yes, Father.”

Lina replied absentmindedly as she glanced around the hall in search of the Grand Duke, completely unaware that the bride and groom were not attending the banquet.

***

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

After the ceremony, Louid and Emilia went directly to the palace to greet the Emperor. Having been unwell for the past few days, the Emperor had canceled his attendance and awaited them at the palace.

Before the Emperor, there was no hiding it.

“I injured it by accident. I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“There’s no need to apologize. Just be careful not to get hurt again.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I wish you both happiness. And may you have children soon.”

“……”

Neither of them responded to the Emperor’s final words. After paying their respects, the couple rode in the carriage back to the Grand Duke’s manor. As they had agreed to hold a modest ceremony, they skipped the traditional balcony greeting to the citizens of the Empire.

Perhaps because a long time had passed, the headache had fortunately subsided. Maybe it was because she finally felt at ease, having escaped from the Duke of Berthe.

Emilia stared quietly at the man sitting beside her. He had remained silent ever since the wedding.

“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you last time, Your Highness.”

She apologized softly. Who would have guessed that the man she had mistaken for a coachman was the Grand Duke himself? When the veil was lifted and she saw his face, she had nearly fainted from shock.

Looking back, she realized how foolish she had been. Though he hadn’t revealed his status, anyone could see the elegance and aura of nobility surrounding him. Any man who could remain so composed in that place was clearly of high birth. She simply hadn’t recognized it.

“Louid.”

“…Pardon?”

“Call me Louid. We’re married now.”

Louid, who had remained silent in the carriage until then, spoke curtly.

“Yes, Your High… Louid.”

“Why didn’t you run away? Or did you fail to escape?”

His voice carried a hint of irritation.

“Neither.”

“If not either, then what?”

Louid turned his head toward her and raised a brow slightly.