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Chapter 46
‘By the way, after the coming-of-age ceremony… Zachary would really be twenty.’
After tomorrow, Zachary would be a full-fledged adult, which meant that he deserved the title of Duke.
How did a young boy grow up so fast like this? Iellie was feeling strangely nostalgic.
“Len?”
“Yes…?”
At that moment, Zachary suddenly turned his head to her. Surprised, Iellie made eye contact with him.
“No, because you keep looking at me. I wondered if you had something to say.”
“Oh, no. Nothing like that.”
“If not, that’s fine.”
She recalled his gift hidden in the chest of drawers. What she wanted to make this birthday special for him as he came of age was her inner heart. So, she made it herself with clumsy skills, but…
‘I hope you like it.’
It’s because her workmanship was so poor. Having no confidence, she had an awkward face.
“Then go in, Len.”
Saying so, Zachary let go of her hand. In her astonishment, Iellie raised her head. Suddenly, the door was just around the corner.
His eyes gazing at her shimmered full of playfulness.
“Well, I should say goodbye.”
“Huh?”
“Hold on a second.”
Zachary bowed his back and kissed her forehead briefly. He then bent his eyes softly as he greeted her.
“Have a nice dream. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes. You, too…”
It was just a light kiss that conveyed the meaning of greetings from time to time. But strangely, her face heats up vigorously.
When did he get so sly?
With that in mind, Iellie eventually grabbed the doorknob.
“…Good night.”
After giving him a small greeting, she closed the door. Meanwhile, Zachary thought for a long time, looking at the closed door.
‘Is everything that happened tonight a dream?’
He was recognized by Iellie’s family, and was told to take good care of her…
He could feel his cheeks flushed.
Zachary, who had raised his hand and rubbed his cheeks hard, shook his head and muttered a little.
“…Oh, I’m going crazy.”
It felt as if he was so happy, he was going crazy.
Zachary’s lips drew an arc. He continued to smile with a happy face.
The next morning, Iellie visited his bedroom early in the morning.
Today was the day of the coming-of-age ceremony held in the Silver Hall. Zachary’s clothing had been meticulously arranged beforehand.
However…
‘I think I’ll have to see with my own eyes how Zachary is dressed in his clothes, so I’ll be better.’
As Iellie took a close look at his figure, he had the help of a servant, and Zachary was dressed neatly in his clothes. Still, she found a flaw in the outfit with her hawk eyes.
“Stay still. A cravat is not tied like this.”
Iellie, who narrowed her eyes, pointed at her husband’s cravat. The cravat was crooked.
“How many times have I taught you how to tie a cravat, but why do you always get the shape weird?”
She then placed her hand on her waist and leaned over to Zachary.
He smiled awkwardly at her as he opened his mouth.
“That is…”
In fact, he knew very well how to tie a cravat. He just pretended he was making a mistake because he liked it when she tied him a new one every time she stared at his dressing and nagged.
‘But, well, I don’t need to say anything like this.’
Zachary thought so with a brazen face.
Iellie, who had no idea about his inner feelings, took a deep breath and walked up to Zachary. She reached out and gently caressed his cravat. In her hands, the cravat regained its neat appearance.
“Yes, good. My husband is handsome.”
As she uttered cheerfully, she took a step back and gazed at him.
Coming-of-age ceremonial robes specially prepared for today. The military blue garment, delicately embroidered with gold thread, suited the young man very well.
“Let’s go.”
“Hmm, yes.”
It was Zachary who reflexively blushed his face at the words ‘handsome.’ He was surprised by her sudden words.
Iellie looked at him, who had a surprised face, and then reached out her hand as a natural gesture.
“Hand.”
Immediately, he grabbed her hand like a puppy. Smiling inside, Iellie moved her steps.
On the occasion of Zachary’s coming-of-age ceremony, the door to Silver Hall was wide open. The ornate hall of silver had never been opened since the former Duchess’s death.
She asked worriedly.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
“Ah, yes. Iellie… It must have been really hard.”
As He blankly looked inside the Silver Hall, she answered confidently with a confident face.
“Well, how much I cared about decorating it.”
In fact, it was the Emerald Hall that hosted the distinguished guests. Nevertheless, Zachary actually had his coming-of-age ceremony in the Silver Hall, so Iellie poured all her heart into the Silver Hall.
It was the place where the Imperial Family visited, so she did not want to bow down.
“Oh, my gosh, Zachary?”
Iellie, who was just about to go inside Silver Hall, turned to Zachary.
He tilted his head, “Huh?”
“Happy Birthday.”
“…Ah.”
He blushed slightly. Zachary was so busy preparing for the coming-of-age ceremony that he completely forgot that it was his birthday. Besides, he also thought she forgot, so he didn’t know Iellie was going to say this.
“Let’s celebrate your birthday together, just the two of us later. got it?”
Zachary’s face turned into a ripe tomato with a single word from her.
What’s wrong with him?
He sighed and fanned his face for a while.
When Zachary barely turned a normal face and entered Silver Hall, it was nearing the time to enter.
The process of the coming-of-age ceremony itself is actually quite simple.
The distinguished guests would leave congratulatory remarks to the main character in the coming-of-age ceremony, and splash holy water over their head with the meaning of blessing. It was the Duke who gave the first congratulatory speech.
‘It was a relief he doesn’t have a bad complexion today.’
Iellie gazed at the Duke and thought so.
Perhaps, it was thanks to yesterday’s rest, the Duke’s face turned red. He looked down at the basin of holy water next to him before splashing holy water on his son’s head.
“To become a duke of Hessenweitz whose name belongs to no one else.”
The congratulatory message was clear. It was confirmed that his successor was only Zachary.
“…Thank you, Father.”
Zachary bowed deeply and accepted the Duke’s congratulations.
The Prince stared at Zachary with cold eyes. It was as if the Duke and Zachary were now warning the Crown Prince in the form of a coming-of-age ceremony, ‘Do not interfere with the succession of the title of Hessenweitz.’
The Prince smiled bitterly.
The next person to deliver the congratulatory address was the Crown Prince.
He dipped his finger in a bowl of holy water and spoke while splashing the holy water on Zachary’s head, who bowed his head.
“May you be the right arm of the first line of the Royal Family.”
“….”
Zachary raised his cool gaze.
His glacial eyes looked as if they were about to consume the Prince.
“That is too much. We are enough to be good friends of the great Imperial Family.”
Zachary said with a smirk. Although he spoke softly, his words had one meaning. The ‘right arm’ has no choice but to be the position of a servant, though the ‘friend’ has an equal position with the Imperial Family.
‘Don’t even think about putting the Duchy under your feet.’
That was how Zachary answered.
The Prince’s face was dyed red.
Nevertheless, Zachary didn’t say any more. He hurriedly moved and stood in front of the Princess.
The princess smiled and opened her mouth.
“Congratulations on becoming an adult. May you be happy with your wife.”
It was a decent congratulations to choose at a place like this. The nobles smiled warmly and nodded their heads, but…
‘…Damn woman.’
The Crown Prince wasn’t like that. Even though the Princess knew that the Prince was interested in Iellie, she deliberately chose such a congratulatory speech.
Seeing the stinging gaze, the Princess struggled to correct her expression.
“Thank you.”
Zachary, who looked at the Crown Prince with a stern gaze, gave a polite thank you to the princess.
“Please be a great husband Iellie can lean on.”
The Viscount couple left such a congratulatory speech. And finally, Iellie smiled brightly at Zachary.
“Let’s do well in the future.”
“Yes.”
Just her words alone made his heart pound.
The Duke looked around in a calm voice and spoke.
“With this, I declare Zachary Hessenweitz is of adulthood.”
While the solemn celebration song rang out, Iellie and Zachary looked at each other silently. All of a sudden, that little boy has grown so much. She nodded her head to him, filled with emotion.
‘Great job…’
Zachary quickly realized the meaning and smiled at her.
So, the ceremony was over.
After lunch, the distinguished guests all returned to their respective estates.
The Royal Family was the first to return to the capital. How cheeky was the last smile the Crown Prince left with, Iellie thought. She had to try hard not to distort her expression.
Among the distinguished guests were her parents. She held her parents.
“Father, Mother.”
“Ah, Len.”
The Viscount couple looked back at her. The couple, holding her hand tightly, greeted each other affectionately.
“Goodbye. Take care of yourself.”
“Get home safely.”
Her parents, who waved their hand, got into the carriage before it started running briskly. Iellie, who was watching it, felt a little empty.
Then, Zachary approached her.
“Well, Len. Wouldn’t you like to go back to your hometown with your parents?”
It was a cautious voice mixed with guilt.
Iellie turned to Zachary with a suspicious look as she thought.
‘What’s wrong with him again?’
She didn’t know what he was thinking. What kind of act was he doing trying to destroy his own mentality?
“Huh? No, not really.”
“…Really?”
“Of course, this is my home now.”
When she answered that while shrugging her shoulders, Zachary’s expression brightened in an instant. She had already been married to him for several years, and he was still worried about that?
Iellie grinned while holding his hand tightly.
“Well, from now on, we should celebrate our birthdays alone. Right?”
“Yes.”
He lowered his head to hide his red face. Why was he so shy every time?
She laughed a little.
And so, they returned to her room with Zachary blindfolded. Perhaps, it was because of the innate sense of a warrior, Zachary sat down well on a chair as she led him.
As he scratched the cloth of the blindfold, he asked.
“When can I take this blindfold off?”
“Wait a bit.”
Iellie took out the pre-hidden gifts and cakes. Why does the gift she made herself look so shabby?
‘I don’t know if Zachary will like it…’
In fact, he would gladly accept everything she does. Still, she hoped he actually liked the gift, not just because she gave him the gift.
She touched the ribbon of the box carefully.
“It was a coming-of-age ceremony to show others in the morning.”
“Len?”
“Actually, you are twenty years old today. It’s a special day, so I wanted to celebrate your birthday with just the two of us.”
Having said that, Iellie picked up a match and lit the candle on the birthday cake.
In the darkened room with blackout curtains, scarlet candles flicker like stars. As she removed the blindfold, she said.
“Happy twentieth birthday, my cute husband.”
“….”
Zachary stared at the cake in front of him. The red strawberries were shining like jewels on the cake coated with snow-white fresh cream.
Iellie, standing next to him, spoke softly.
“I made this cake myself…”
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“Really?”
‘Then, it will probably be very sweet.’
Wrinkles formed on the bridge of Zachary’s nose as he thought so.
With a vague expression on her face, Iellie confessed.
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