Chapter 306 (1/2)

There were no more visitors after the High Priest left. In fact, there weren’t many who could visit the bride’s house the day before the wedding. My father was also busy with checking the final preparations, so I thought I would probably see him right before the ceremony.

Lina insisted I should go to sleep early, saying that I need a good sleep for the ceremony tomorrow, but I couldn’t sleep at all because my mind was wandering with excitement.

After all, I removed the blanket and got up. Then I approached the window, and I was surprised while opening the curtains. The whole world was white with heavy snow.

“Wow…”

I uttered exclamations in spite of myself. I opened the window and stuck out my hands. Frozen water dropped on my open palms. The snow piled up under the moonlight was so beautiful as it was a shimmering silver white, mysterious yet dreamy.

When I was carried away with that amazing scene for a long time, I heard someone knocking at the door, breaking the silence.

Who is knocking at this hour?

When I tilted my head and asked the stranger to come in, a woman who appeared to be a maid with the Central Palace stepped in. When I received a memo from her and opened it, I saw a few sentences written in the imposing handwriting style of the imperial family.

A smile came to my lips naturally.

After answering yes to the maid, I hurriedly changed my clothes.

Was it because I was thrilled? After adjusting my clothes several times, I put on my coat and left the room. I was ready to wrestle with the royal knights, expecting them to stop me from going out at night, but they just followed me silently because they knew the imperial maid delivered the emperor’s message to me.

Under the bright moonlight, it was snow white everywhere. Snowflakes were on the bare branches, and white breath came out of my chilled lips. There was no wind and a serene peace was all around me.

I began to walk, breaking the cozy silence. I broke into a smile when the snow crunched beneath my feet with every step.

There was nobody at the entrance to the Ver Palace. It seemed that he hadn’t yet arrived.

I smiled at the royal knights who stepped back silently, then stepped carefully into the garden. Unlike the promenade where there remained others’ footsteps, there was a pure snow field without any human footsteps. Somehow, my heart was pounding.

I made the first footsteps on the snow that scrunched underfoot. There was a trail of my footsteps from the entrance of the garden full of snowflakes to the silvery flower tree in the middle of the garden. I arrived in front of the tree, tightened the collar of my coat with excitement and threw back my head. Did they bloom during my absence? The buds were half open when I saw them last time.

I sighed, looking here and there, standing on tiptoes. I could not confirm whether they bloomed or not because of snow-capped branches.

“Tia!”

While agonizing over how to dust off the snow on the tree, I was surprised when someone called me from behind. The young man with blue hair stood there with a smile.

I smiled bashfully at him, calming my pounding heart. I said in a cheerful tone, “You surprised me! Nice to see you, Your Majesty!”

“Um? Why were you so surprised?”

“Because you came here without making any sound at all. How come you came here so silently? I didn’t hear your footsteps.”

“Ah. Since there were only your footprints on the white snow field, I walked up here, stepping on them. That’s why you didn’t hear my footsteps.”

‘You just followed my footprints? Really?’

When I stuck my head out and looked behind him, I could see only one trail out there behind him. When I smiled shyly in an excited mood, he took a step closer with a smile and asked, wrapping my shoulder with his arms, “Were you asleep when I sent the messenger? I hesitated to send the maid because I might disturb your sleep.”

“Well, I can’t sleep well …”

“Really? I’m glad to hear that. In fact, I have something to tell you. ”

“Pardon? Something to tell me?”

Although I asked curiously, he didn’t reply. I just felt him touching my long hair.

He seemed to be pondering over something, then he opened his mouth after a long silence, “Finally, we will have a wedding ceremony tomorrow.”

“Yes, we do. Time flies so fast!”

“Well, a minute is like three years to me. I’ve been waiting for this day everyday. Looking at the way you speak, it looks like you didn’t wait as earnestly as me.”

“Why are you teasing me again? You know I didn’t mean that, right?”

When I squinted at him slightly, he said with a gentle smile, “It’s a joke. Actually, I felt strange when I realized that our wedding would happen tomorrow. I came to recall the late emperor and your mother… I couldn’t go to sleep.”

“…”

“So, I came out for a walk, but the snowflakes reflected in the moonlight shone brightly like your hair. At that moment, I recalled that flower. And something I have yet to tell you. That’s why I had the maid convey my message to you.”