In a Female-Dominant World with a 5:1 Gender Ratio, I Saved a Girl as a Kid, and She Said She Wanted to Be My Bride—Who Would’ve Thought She Was a Princess… - 50

Chapter 50: A Wedding Without Blessings, a Silent Bride

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(Lilianna’s POV)

The cathedral’s antechamber was so quiet it felt suffocating, and it was decorated with a beauty so perfect it was cruel. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. A pure white wedding dress tailored from the finest silk and lace. A heavy diamond tiara passed down through the royal family for generations. A face powdered with white makeup to hide all color, arranged like that of a doll.

I looked less like a “bride,” and more like a beautiful “sacrifice” offered upon the altar.

“Oooh… Magnificent. How beautiful you are, Lilianna.”

From behind me, I heard the buoyant voice of my father, His Majesty the King. When I turned around, he was wearing a broad smile. How many years had it been since I last saw such a radiant expression on his face?

“The union with House Falkenberg has long been this nation’s dearest wish. By welcoming Leonardo-kun, that once-in-a-generation ‘child blessed by magic,’ our alliance with the neighboring kingdom will be unshakable, and our national defense will be secure.”

My father nodded in satisfaction and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“You did well. I am proud, as a king, that you regained your health and have proven useful in this way.”

Useful.

That word pierced my chest like a sharp thorn. To my father—no, to this country—the meaning of my life being saved amounted to only one thing. I had become usable once again as a pawn in a political marriage.

“…Father. Are you going to ignore my feelings?”

I could not stop myself from asking, my voice trembling.

“I do not love Leonardo-sama. …I told you so many times that there is someone I have already chosen in my heart.”

My father’s smile vanished instantly. What appeared in its place was not the face of a father worrying about his daughter, but that of a cold, ruthless ruler.

“I know. That you are infatuated with that wretched boy from a fallen noble house.”

My father spoke quietly, yet with a tone that brooked no argument.

“But, Lilianna, this is a ‘royal duty.’ We live for the sake of the nation, and we die for the sake of the nation. Personal emotions are worth less than dust before the stability of the state.”

“…………”

“A country cannot be protected by something as uncertain as love. …Give it up. That is the fate you were born into as a princess.”

My father formed a gentle smile once more and left the room. All that remained behind was an inescapable despair.

If only…

I gazed at the distant view of the castle town outside the window and thought of an impossible dream.

If only I were not a princess. If I were the daughter of a baker, or a florist… If only I was born as just an ‘ordinary girl.’ If that were the case, would I have been able to hold hands with him—mud-covered and unrefined—laughing together without worrying about the price of a dress or family lineage?

Would I have been able to listen to more and more of those wondrous stories about the world he used to tell me in the library?

“Ugh… Uuh…”

Tears threatened to spill, and I hurriedly pressed a hand to my eyes. I must not cry. My makeup would be ruined. Dolls do not shed tears. The sound of bells rang out.

Ding~ Dong~ Ding~ Dong~

What sounded like bells of blessing to the townspeople echoed to me like a funeral toll announcing my execution. The doors of the cathedral opened. Thousands of gazes poured onto me all at once. The solemn tones of the pipe organ pressed down on my body like lead. Escorted by my father, I began walking across the crimson carpet. To my left and right stood rows of nobles dressed in finery. They whispered among themselves.

“How beautiful.”

“They’re a perfect match.”

“Now the nation will be secure.”

No one noticed my lifeless eyes. What they saw was nothing more than the symbol of “a princess.” The sheer emptiness of the scene made me dizzy. 

Waiting at the altar was Leonardo Van Falkenberg, playing the role of the prince on a white horse. Golden hair. Eyes like the blue sky. A flawless appearance. Yet the eyes he turned on me held a cruel gleam, like a child who had just acquired a new toy. My hand was passed from my father to Leonardo-sama. At that moment, I felt as though I heard the key to a birdcage clatter shut.

“…I’ve been waiting for you, my beautiful princess.”

Leonardo-sama whispered into my ear in a voice no one else could hear.

“Even that tearful expression is thrillingly beautiful. …But don’t worry. The filthy memories of that stray dog lodged in your heart. I’ll carefully erase them for you, little by little.”

He gripped my hand so tightly my fingers turned white. A display of ownership. The sealing off of escape.

Ah, Alto…

Clinging to hope, I scanned the hall with my blurred vision. If a miracle were to happen… But among the dazzling guests, there was no sign of that beloved black-haired boy. Of course not. This was the heart of the nation. A powerless student like him had no way of entering such a place.

All hope was completely crushed.

The priest opened the holy book, and the ceremony began. The resounding words of prayer hardened the air around me like cement. Breathing was painful. I could barely remain standing. And then, at last, the question was asked.

“Groom, Leonardo Van Falkenberg.”

The priest’s voice rang out.

“Do you swear to love, honor, comfort, and protect this woman, in health and in sickness, and to devote yourself to her with sincerity for as long as you both shall live?”

“I swear.”

Leonardo-sama answered without hesitation. A magnificent voice. An arrogant tone, confident of victory. He looked down at me, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile, as if urging me, Now, it’s your turn. The priest’s gaze turned to me.

“Bride, Lilianna Arclight.”

The air throughout the cathedral grew taut, silence taking control.

“Do you swear to obey this man, in health and in sickness, and to devote yourself to him with sincerity for as long as you shall live?”

The vow. Just one word. If I spoke it, my life would be over. I would seal away my feelings for Alto and begin hollow days living as Leonardo-sama’s ornament.

I don’t want to say it… I don’t want to say it…!

My lips trembled. My throat spasmed, and no voice would come out. My heart rejected it with all its strength. Silence fell. One second, two seconds… The guests began whispering uneasily. My father’s stern gaze stabbed into me.

Grit.

Leonardo-sama’s hand tightened around mine with enough force to make my bones creak. Along with the pain came a gaze as cold as ice.

“(Say it. …Do you intend to embarrass me?)”

There was nowhere to run. No one would save me. I could never become an ordinary girl. I could not escape the curse of being a princess. A single tear of despair spilled down. I resigned myself, opened my trembling lips, and prepared to spin the words that would kill my soul.

“…I swe—”

That was when it happened.

DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

A thunderous, utterly out-of-place roar shook the ground, raining down from the heavens.

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