The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 8.2

As soon as the door opened, unfriendly glances were directed at her. The hostility was so palpable that she felt like her breath was being cut off. She forced herself to take each step, feeling like she might vomit at any moment.

Finally, she stood by the side of a man, gasping for breath.

Only now did she realize what she had been oblivious to in the midst of countless gazes. His beautiful face was gazing at Elfreda.

Her heart began to race.

Even though she hadn’t felt her heart pounding on her way here, it was now beating rapidly. Elfreda found herself swallowing dryly, avoiding his gaze as if she had done something wrong.

“On this beautiful day with the sun shining, to the noble and great lineage of Machi…”

The bride had entered, and the wedding officiant began, but he soon stopped. The officiant hesitated, unable to find words to describe Elfreda.

Then, he started again.

“…A beautiful woman from distant lands is joining to create a new family.”

It was fortunate that words like ‘savage barbarian’ weren’t mentioned. After all, the person marrying that ‘savage barbarian’ was their sacred king. It would be best to avoid excessive disdain on such a formal occasion.

While the initially awkward ceremony continued, Elfreda, whose lips were drying up due to tension, glanced at the man standing next to her. He had a very indifferent expression and didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the officiant’s words.

What could he be thinking? Did he consider it unfortunate to marry a savage woman who killed his uncle?

Elfreda had mercilessly realized why he had to despise her when she learned his name during the history class.

In such a situation, her heart was beating so fast without any consideration. It was truly outrageous. How shameless and unscrupulous her heart was. She couldn’t afford for him to hear this sound. Elfreda tightened her grip on her dress and nervously wondered why her heart was beating so fast.

“Will the groom promise to love the bride and cherish her as his wife for the rest of his life?”

“Yes.”

The dry response lacked sincerity to anyone who heard it, but Elfreda found it better this way. If he had responded with sincerity, it would have been a far crueler lie.

“Will the bride promise to love the groom and cherish him as her husband for the rest of her life?”

…It shouldn’t be like this.

Elfreda’s eyelids trembled.

Unintentionally, she glanced at Ejnar. As if asking why she was looking at him, their eyes met, and Elfreda quickly averted her face as if she had committed a shameful act. Then, she replied in a hurried voice.

“Yes.”

“By this declaration, the two are now declared husband and wife.”

Congratulatory applause resonated throughout the venue.

Despite the presence of many guests, the applause felt low and sluggish. In the atmosphere where it was difficult to distinguish whether it was a funeral or a wedding, she closed her eyes in embarrassment, thinking that it might have been better that no one from her homeland had come.

After the wedding, they had to attend a banquet immediately.

Elfreda was exhausted, possibly due to the tension that she had not felt during the ceremony. She wanted nothing more than to rest, but now she was the queen of Machi.

As the mistress of the royal family, she had to exchange greetings with numerous nobles. However, when she entered the banquet hall, she hoped that she might be able to return home earlier than expected. Unlike Ejnar, who was surrounded by countless nobles of all ages, the bride’s side was sparse.

The phrase ‘as busy as a bee’ was no exaggeration.

“Seems like no one came to greet Your Highness.”

Marchioness Magnum sneered as if she had expected this and asked from the side.

“Staying here must be difficult for you. Would you like to leave now?”

“Is that so?”

While attending the banquet was the duty of a newlywed couple in Machi, there was no reason to do so if no one welcomed her. Elfreda was grateful for Marchioness Magnum’s words for the first time, which were just empty talk.

The bewildered Marchioness Magnum stared at her with a puzzled expression.

“I’ll go inside first. Marchioness can enjoy the banquet more.”

“All right. Another handmaid will attend to you.”

“It’s fine. I’d like to walk alone for a bit.”

Elfreda turned her body and walked outside the banquet hall and was about to go to her own palace…

“Elfreda.”

…If it hadn’t been that familiar voice, she would have continued to walk. Elfreda froze on the spot, startled by the unexpected voice.