The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway Chapter 41

Chapter 41

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Cárcel, who entered the bridal chamber first, chuckled briefly at the modestly laid-out food on the table before walking past it and plopping down on the bed.

"Is this some kind of thing to eat if we get hungry while we're doing it...?"

An inexplicable act of consideration.

The bridal chamber was neither grand nor spacious. Instead, it was surrounded by valuable antiques from Valeztena, steeped in the long history of the place, and by aged yet still elegant and beautiful furniture. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Rather than being ornate and filled with new items, it had a sense of dignity.

A few candles illuminated the dim center, and although the disproportionately large bed seemed somewhat comical compared to the size of the room, most bridal chambers were probably like this.

In the awkward intimacy of the unfamiliar night, if they found themselves awkwardly placed in the vast expanse of the bedroom, they might begin to suspect that someone was lurking in the darkness beyond the candlelight, watching them.

Like those pitiful young couples from more than a hundred years ago, who had to have s*x in a clumsy manner in front of the family's overseers.

As the excitement wanes with intermittent doubts, and anxiety quickly sets in, all that remains is an uncomfortable sense of reality. Damp bodies and awkward breathing, the realization that the contract called marriage has been fulfilled...

Now, even it was uncertain whether that would be pleasing.

Cárcel pressed his hands against his face anxiously as if washing it.

Yes, maybe it might be very sweet too.

Whether it's a marriage blessing ceremony or a reception celebrating the wedding, fundamentally, it's all about showing off to others. The true completion of marriage is achieved in the privacy of the night.

In noble marriages, it's not uncommon for the lack of immediate intimacy to be used as an excuse to brush aside the events of the following day as if they never happened. When they couldn't come to an agreement on their respective conditions, sometimes they made it seem like they never actually had a relationship. Women who were not virgins also became virgins again.

In reality, whether or not the bride was a virgin was of little significance in Mendoza, where free and promiscuous trends prevailed. Nowadays, it's more customary for the husband to discreetly shed a bit of blood on the inside of his wrist, as evidence of the age-old tradition, rather than the bride proving her virginity.

Yet, whenever the topic of "brushing aside" arises, people suddenly become as though they were long-deceased ancestors from centuries past, fervently engaging in archaic struggles, claiming, ‘My daughter is still as innocent as a lily,’ or ‘Your daughter has already lost her virginity to my son,’ busy with outdated skirmishes.

Of course, such events rarely occur. If only the first few days passed safely.

Cárcel brushed off Duke Valeztena's threat that he would 'overthrow him if he had to.' As long as Ines wants, her father would not be able to do anything.

...As long as Inés continued to desire this marriage.

As compensation for the ironic dream that tormented Cárcel day and night, his mind, which had been counting the time until night, was suddenly filled with thoughts about 'holy marriage.' Meanwhile, the desire seemed to be trapped somewhere below.

He found himself wishing for this night to pass quickly, for everything to become perfect. Inés Escalante, wife of Cárcel Escalante. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] And then, to swiftly disappear with her from the Duke of Valeztena's sight.

To a new mansion along the coast of Calstera, where only she and him could be...

’…Where only the two of us can be?’

Suddenly, Cárcel chuckled as if struck with disbelief, his hand covering his face. Unless he was going mad... he briefly doubted whether the idea that had sprung into his mind was truly his, but his soldierly instincts detected no deceit.

It was undoubtedly an idea that had sprung into his mind. Initially deemed absurd, but ultimately, it made sense.

The plan to spend the honeymoon not at Mentorsa or Esposa, but at Calstera, where his fleet was anchored, was decided from the moment the marriage proposal was sent, not out of a fervent desire to be alone with her...

Ah, just the two of them, really, what was he thinking?

Cárcel gritted his teeth. It was never determined by such thoughts, such impulses.

He swore there was no special meaning to it. Hoping it wasn't a lie outright, Cárcel reasoned with himself, searching for a rational explanation.

Right. Just as interfering as the Duke of Valeztena's involvement would be, so too would be the Duke of Escalante's interference...

’...Dammit... This is why I seem to like Inés Valeztena.’

He muttered despondently. Of course, it had been ages since he had even thought of disliking her.

Cárcel, who vehemently rejected marriage at the age of six, found himself not disliking Inés so much after just a couple of months that year. While marriage remained regrettable, his simple nature also accepted it as if it were destiny, separate from any regret.

Once mocked by society as crow-like, his black hair now occasionally reminded him of her at the mere sight of a crow flying over Calstera. Going to funerals together, Inés hardly stood out, which annoyed him even more.

It was only natural to become accustomed to it. It's just familiarity.

Among them, ‘liking’ was always the responsibility of young Ines, who is all grown up, doesn't even like him anymore.

It's unclear what her ulterior motive is, as she only seems to care about marrying him and is indifferent to meeting anyone else or what they do together. She not only doesn't like him but also has little interest, saying things like, ‘If her beloved man betrays her, she'd want to kill her man , but with him...". That's where it ends.

’But to suddenly say he likes that Inés Valeztena on his own now, this was, unbelievable...’

Though her 'personality' was like that, he thought, someday, after living together, he would get used to it and maybe even start to like her. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Because he didn't dislike her. But right now, they haven't even started living together yet.

Cárcel's expression twisted ambiguously between his palms.

It was futile to wish for this night to pass quickly, considering how he had summoned Inés into his filthy thoughts day and night.

It was all Enrique Ossorno's fault. Perhaps ten percent, for being the first to mention his name in the discussions of the Valeztena Duke, and another ten percent, for Inés's uncharacteristic behavior of dancing like a common bride among men he always saw as bugs.

In the end, the fire was started by Enrique Ossorno.

Thinking of Inés dancing with Enrique Ossorno brought an unbearable annoyance, but recalling the string of men who had led Inés onto the stage afterward made even their greasy appearance pathetic.

They were all like Dante Ihár, if not worse. There were even genuine Dante Ihárs among them. In an instant, Enrique Ossorno lost his place in line, and the future baldy made a pitiful expression...

He wasn't in a position to criticize anyone for his usual behavior, but as he watched a newly married bride dancing with her husband, how could he imagine that she would have an affair with him in the near future?

The eyes, whether belonging to those already married, those yet to marry, or those who had returned from marriage, were all ensnared in the same sinister fantasy, closely watching Inés.

The voice that grumbled about ‘the proud Escalante’s woman’ resurfaced, scratching at the nerves. And the pitiful voice that countered with a mocking smile, claiming to be even more valuable.

Some whispered that seducing Cárcel Escalante's wife would be proof that they were better than Cárcel Escalante himself. Others asserted that, despite Inés Valeztena's beauty surpassing people's imaginations, she wouldn't hold Cárcel Escalante's attention for long. Yet another claimed that Cárcel Escalante was just waiting for the opportunity to discard Inés Valeztena, and comforting a wounded and torn woman's body would earn him the admiration of all the men with idle chatter.

Of course, Cárcel discovered the names of all those voices and handed them over to Escalante's loyal butler. Everyone would pay a fair price in silence. Regardless, the Duke of Valeztena seemed pleased with Inés's sociable nature before him, while Cárcel was nothing short of a detestable son-in-law in the eyes of the Duke of Valeztena. As long as they remained in the Duke's domain, no problem could arise.

Despite their pretentious demeanor, as if everything would be achieved simply by reaching out, their eyes were solely fixed on Inés's flowing hair, elegant green eyes, kindly smiling lips, and voluptuous br*easts. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Though no one had betrayed them, they wore expressions as if betrayed, they looked betrayed, giving sharp glances, pretending not to care, and when the music seemed to be about to end, they stood guard at each other, ready to intervene in any way.

And then, as if by crawling, succeeding, his gaze fixed on Ines's bare shoulders... When his throat tightened again with a fearful muttering of curses, Cárcel nervously wiped his face and stood up.

It was in that fleeting moment that he returned to the table where the food was laid out.

"......"

Suddenly, the door to the bridal room was open. Ines, wearing a negligee that revealed her naked body, entered the room. Cárcel's breathing stopped.

Just like when Ines, wearing a wedding dress, first walked through the doors of the chapel where brilliant light was pouring in.