Published: August 1, 2025
Thank you all for your patience.
Two chapters are updated at once. This is the first part.
A silver carriage was stopped at the city gate. It was reserved for the Crown Prince. However, the one who emerged was not the eldest brother, but the second brother, Lord Richard.
"That's a good expression, Ruifeng. Looks like you've resigned yourself."
Richard’s usual arrogant attitude toward me seemed even more overbearing today. Behind him stood four soldiers—Crown Prince’s royal guards. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
"As expected of Brother Ricky, still small-minded as ever. You get cocky just because Lionel’s soldiers are nearby, huh?"
"...Shut up! Hurry up!"
I glanced back. In front of Granado Castle’s gate were Mio-chan, the butler Wolfgang, his granddaughter Tzetseria, the gatekeeper Thomas... even Tunic, the bath attendant? Behind them, a whole line of attendants stood ready.
"Are they seeing you off?"
"Yes. We’ve also been invited to attend the wedding."
Huh?
I looked back at Richard, and as expected, he smirked arrogantly.
"Ah, since it’s a hastily arranged ceremony, there aren’t many attendees. The bride would feel lonely, so they decided to fill the empty seats. These folks from the castle are glad to see your bridegroom self, someone they’ve been close to."
Ah, I see... they intend to humiliate me.
There was no need for me to follow such a nasty scheme, but the attendants quietly boarded their own carriage. Wolfgang approached me with a gentlemanly bow and smiled.
"Lord Ruifeng, please don’t be distressed. Lord Richard’s suggestion was something we welcomed as well. It was hard to part ways forever like this."
"...Wolf..."
"Well, we’ve known each other a long time."
Beside him, Mio-chan gave a wry smile.
"You first came to this castle almost ten years ago, right? During the long school holidays, master brought you home..."
"Ah, that’s right. How nostalgic."
"Master told us to treat you as we do him. At first, all the attendants were confused."
"At first, Mio-chan also welcomed me properly."
"Naturally, since it was a royal family member. But Ruifeng-sama’s mischief was really bad. When he made colored water stains on freshly hung laundry with a water gun, I couldn’t help but scold him harshly."
We all laughed.
"Yeah, yeah. I was mercilessly spanked for making the laundry maids’ work harder."
"They even hung me upside down to make me understand the laundry’s feelings."
"How could you understand that? I was surprised that Cyrus got treated that way too."
Wolfgang chuckled.
"Back then... the young master was going through the toughest time. In a school full of strict nobles and royals, he seemed lost on how to navigate."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. During the summer vacation of the first year, the young master didn’t even smile. But by winter break, he was beaming as he talked about his battles with you."
Wolfgang bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Lord Ruifeng, for becoming friends with the young master. All the Granado Castle attendants are grateful to you."
"...I... thank you as well..."
I bowed even lower than them.
"Let’s go."
Richard pulled me into the carriage. Two royal guards led the horses outside, while the other two sat between us brothers. Normally, such a thing would never happen.
“This is exactly how a bride is treated,” I muttered.
Richard lowered his face but replied in a whisper.
“You mean a prisoner.”
“No, this is really a bridal carriage. The bride sits in the middle to protect her from bandits or accidents.”
“That's just a pretense. The real reason is to prevent escape.”
“Exactly. So, isn’t it just like me now?”
I smiled broadly, and my brother awkwardly looked away.
Noble daughters cannot choose their marriage partners. To prevent elopement with the man they love, they are locked inside a carriage, a prison in the name of a bridal carriage.
“If only this were a fairy tale. The man would jump in along the way and kidnap the bride, cutting down the royal guards left and right—"
The soldier beside me shot a sharp glare. Oh, right. These weren’t the usual knights, but my elder brother’s men. Like him, they have a patriotism that leans toward the dangerous side and don’t allow such jokes.