Iris possessed a refined and delicate beauty.
Her pale lavender hair shimmered softly even through the sunlight, and her clear sky-blue eyes were like tranquil pools.
Around her flowed an aura as pure and fleeting as the morning dew at high noon.
Cedric’s gaze, which had been studying her, soon landed on her dress.
“This is—”
His face instantly hardened.
This dress was far from even hastily prepared.
The worn fabric was visibly damaged, and the veil she wore was made of a rough, coarse material that looked uncomfortable to wear.
‘The proud Emperor must have deliberately arranged this.’
In his usual demeanor, Cedric might have simply accepted it with a resigned sigh, quietly commissioning a new dress for his bride and ending the matter there.
But not now.
“Wife, if you don’t mind, may I find you a new dress?”
For some reason, Cedric was deeply angered that this woman would wear such a tattered dress and yet carry such a serene expression.
Hearing his words again, Iris lowered her eyes slightly.
‘Before, I thought his grim expression was because he disliked me.’
Of course, she wasn’t sure if she pleased him now either.
But at least she could guess the cause of his anger.
‘He must believe the Emperor insulted him.’
A sudden marriage.
The bride: a discarded daughter of the Valentine clan, invisible and forgotten.
Even the dress was a clear message of how poorly she was treated.
But changing the dress would only bring the Emperor’s wrath.
So Iris responded exactly as before.
“It’s alright. The wedding came together quickly.”
Iris’s polite refusal was met with the same reaction from Cedric.
“My wife.”
Cedric took her hand into his and spoke,
“My words may seem strange, but isn’t a wedding a memory that lasts forever?”
His calm tone was carefully considerate.
“I thought women regarded weddings as something special.”
That might be true.
For ordinary women who never experienced reincarnation.
For women whose loved ones never died because of them.
If only Iris were such a woman.
“Of course, I think so too.”
At Cedric’s words, the butler and the head maid standing behind him looked up.
Their expressions said,
‘What nonsense is our master speaking now?’
Without a doubt, Iris was the only one here who believed Cedric was speaking so tenderly out of genuine warmth.
She reluctantly nodded, as if conceding.
In her past self’s place, maybe she wouldn’t have understood.
But the Iris of now loved Cedric too deeply to refuse his persistent requests.
Since a new dress was needed, it was natural for the wedding to be delayed.
‘It won’t be easy to find a proper dress worthy of a wedding on such short notice.’
But the servants of Leontheim were exceptionally capable.
“There is a catalog here.”
The head maid, who had been quietly and diligently preparing while anxiously awaiting Cedric’s marriage, presented the catalog before Iris.
It contained a meticulously organized selection—from the latest trends to classic boutique styles.
Usually, all would be fully booked by now.
“Are all these dresses available for the date?”
“Of course. You just need to choose!”
“In that case… anything will do.”
“I see. Then how about this design? Since you have a long, graceful neck, it will suit you perfectly.”
The head maid recommended various dresses with a pleased expression.
“Or maybe this one—flowing down to the back of the hands.”
Listening to the head maid, Iris simply nodded, meaning she was truly fine with anything.
And yet, the maid’s drive was incredible.
“I'm back!”
Already?
It was as if she had flown through the sky to fetch the dresses at lightning speed.
Amazingly, she only brought the dresses Iris had nodded to approve.
And if one took too long, she brought the closest design available.
The speed of her work was nothing short of astonishing.
At last, after much back and forth, the wedding dress was decided.
With the maid’s strong recommendation, Iris chose a dress imbued with a faint blue aura.
Elegant lace, sheer enough to reveal just a hint of skin, accentuated her delicate shoulders and flawless complexion.
The silhouette flowed gracefully in a mermaid style.
Above all, the predominantly white fabric was so translucent that it highlighted Iris’s ethereal hair and sky-blue eyes against her porcelain skin.
Sitting with her back straight, Iris appeared as poised and noble as a white bird spreading its wings.
“My lady, you are absolutely stunning. It suits you perfectly.”
Though the ceremony had yet to begin, the maid already addressed Iris as “my lady.”
Iris smiled awkwardly at the swift change.
“Heh. Is that so?”
“Of course! Our master might just swoon at the sight of you!”
Decorated with pearls and white flowers woven into her lavender hair, Iris exuded a delicate, wistful aura, like a wildflower in bloom.
Still, Iris thought those words were far from reality.
Cedric would never be like that.
Yet, the maid’s innocent enthusiasm was utterly charming.
“Thank you. Now… shall we get going?”
The timing was perfect as a gentle sunset bathed the world in a warm glow.
The wedding would take place in a glass-walled greenhouse—surely made even more magnificent by the setting sun.
And so, at last, Iris stood before the ceremony hall.
A red velvet carpet stretched out before her.
At its end stood Cedric, dazzling enough to blind her for a moment.
“The bride may now enter.”
Iris began to walk slowly.
No family accompanied her, so she walked alone.
That made her own trembling breaths ring loud in her ears.
As Cedric and Iris stood side by side, a kindly priest began the ceremony.
“Two souls, once walking separate paths, now unite as one.”
A typical opening line, yet her past memories overlapped endlessly.
Though scared, Iris tried to listen calmly—
Until the words came.
“Under God’s blessing, their time shall now flow as one.”
Time flowing as one—an impossible promise to someone like Iris, who had already traveled backward through time.
Cedric’s time might move forward, but Iris was trapped in stasis.
Still waters stagnate.
Still time decays.
“To grow old together.”
That was what she wanted.
Trapped within time, she didn’t want to merely watch over Cedric—she longed to walk beside him.
‘If I had played even a small part, could it have been possible?’
If only she had never known the novel’s script from the start.
“To love together.”
If only she could have devoted her true heart entirely to him.
That would have been better.
But if that had been so, there would have been no chance to save him—no way to protect him like this.
“To be together...”
So, she was alright.
“My lady?”
At the sound of his voice, Iris met Cedric’s gaze.
Tears endlessly streamed from her clear sky-blue eyes.
“Stop.”
Cedric’s cold command silenced those around as he hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Iris.
“Let’s stop, my lady.”
“No, I’m fine—”
But Cedric didn’t believe her.
He felt the sobbing hidden within those few words.
Finally, with awkward yet gentle hands, Cedric wiped Iris’s tears and spoke to the priest.
“This is the end, right?”
“Ah—not yet. The kiss of oath—”
“Oh, yes. The kiss.”
At those words, Cedric pressed his lips against Iris’s cheek.
Startled, Iris’s eyes flew wide open.
Even then, Cedric kissed her cheek—not her lips—for her sake.
“That should be enough.”
With that declaration, Cedric took hold of Iris and ran off.
The veil slipped down, and the bouquet fell to the ground.
The Leontheim household servants waiting outside gasped in shock at the fleeing couple.
“Master! Where are you going?”
“Just... just let them be.”
The head maid could only stomp her feet helplessly, unable to follow.
The butler shook his head, unable to restrain Cedric’s will.
The wedding hall grew distant.
Still holding Iris’s hand, Cedric ran.
When Iris slowed, exhausted, he slowed his pace as well—then stopped altogether.
“Haa—haa.”
They had run quite far.
Before them stretched the vast evergreen forest behind the grand duchy’s estate.
Iris glanced at Cedric.
‘Did I cause him to ruin the wedding?’
She felt confused by his changed behavior.
“My lady.”
Cedric called to her.
“Yes?”
“Now that we’re married, you’re truly my lady.”
That was true enough.
‘Come to think of it—’
Before, Cedric had called her “my lady” right after the wedding ended.
She had been surprised then, too.
“My lady, do you like beauty?”
Iris tilted her head at his question.
“Who wouldn’t like beauty…?”
“Then what beautiful thing would stop you from crying?”
Iris fell silent at his words.
‘So it was because I was crying.’
Before she could answer, Cedric said, “Excuse me for a moment,” stretched out his arm, and gently lifted her into his embrace.
Then suddenly—
“Ah!”
Cedric lightly sprang into the sky.
His white robe, shimmering faintly with azure energy, billowed out like blossoming petals before settling gently down.
Startled, Iris hastily wrapped her arms around Cedric’s neck.
His shoulders tensed strangely at her touch.
Mana,
she realized.
Until now, she hadn’t seen Cedric wield mana openly.
Stepping once more on a branch, Cedric leapt effortlessly over the trees.
Before her eyes stretched the vast forest and beyond it, the grand estate of the Duke.
“Hold on tight,” came Cedric’s restrained voice.
Iris nodded and tightened her embrace.
Like walking on air, Cedric pushed off branches and tree trunks with ease—movements impossible without exquisitely controlled mana flow.
“This place is—”
“Follow me,” he said, guiding her carefully as soon as they landed.
They had arrived at a crystal cavern.
Was there always such a vast cavern in Crystal Mountain?
Iris instinctively took Cedric’s hand and followed him.
At first, she thought he’d brought her here just to show the place.
But it was something more.
“Wow.”
Crystal Mountain was known for its cooler temperatures compared to other regions.
In summer, the lake melted into water; in winter, it froze solid.
This sight was a famed treasure known only to the people of Leontheim.
Iris herself was familiar with its majestic beauty.
But here…
Inside the frozen lake bloomed colorful flowers.
So flowers can grow even within the ice.
Not just the flowers in the lake—throughout the cavern, blossoms sparkled like jewels, frozen in the embrace of winter.
Beside her, Cedric handed Iris a small flower—a lily of the valley that seemed to resemble her delicate self.
“Thank you.”
Iris accepted it with a clear, bright smile—far more radiant than when she had carried the bridal bouquet earlier.
“…Truly beautiful.”
Cedric’s voice drew her gaze slowly down to the flower.
The frozen bloom was indeed exquisite.
It would surely retain its jewel-like sparkle until summer’s thaw.
Iris slowly opened the pages of the mental tome she carried within.
The novel made no mention of this day—no role for her as always.
Fortunately, the ending was the same.
He still wore a radiant, shining smile.
Iris was still absent, but perhaps that was for the best.
At least, he smiled exactly as in the ending—right before her eyes now.
Even if I’m not in that ending,
just as this flower would remain beautifully frozen until the returning summer,
Iris would also remain until that final day.
Now I understand why I cried earlier.
She was afraid.
Afraid of the unchanging truth—that this precious moment would someday be forgotten.
Afraid of the cold truth—that she would be left behind, alone.
Yet, she gathered her resolve anew.
“Yes. It’s beautiful.”
If only she could preserve that smile,
even if summer came and the flowers withered, she would accept the price gladly.
So Iris smiled back at him—brightly, as radiant as Cedric in the ending.
Chapter 12
Translator's Note:
🎧 Check out the audio versions on my YouTube channel:
https://youtube.com/@novel-tube-w2f?si=UqMphhId_8DH80Ns