Chapter 3

It was a little past noon when they arrived at their destination: the castle of the Margrave of Algard.

"I have been waiting for you, my lady."

"Thank you for your warm welcome."

Behind the servants who greeted her was a vast blue sky and a grand castle that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

At the southernmost tip of the country, bordering the desert, stood a castle of white stone, protecting people from the monsters born of the sand.

It was a beautiful and magnificent sight.

Rafina, despite feeling like she was on the verge of death, thought she would have taken a photo if she had her smartphone.

Her body was exhausted from the weeks-long carriage journey. Unlike a car, the carriage had no cushioned seats; it only had a thin layer of cotton stuffed into the seat, and the backrest was just bare wood.

There was no asphalt road, and the wheels were just exposed wood, offering no shock absorption like rubber tires. The carriage jolted continuously, and her head and body were constantly bumping into things.

Was it due to the level of civilization, or did her parents just skimp on the carriage? There were no seat belts, and the journey felt life-threatening. What really pushed Rafina to her limits was motion sickness.

(I feel so sick...)

The last leg of the long journey was rushed by the driver. Rafina, who had lost her appetite since leaving the capital and hadn't eaten anything that morning, suffered in silence, unable to even vomit.

"Please, this way. This is your ladyship's room."

Despite her nausea, she was welcomed by the castle servants and led to her room, where she was stripped of her clothes. It turned out that the wedding venue was almost ready, and they were just waiting for the bride to be dressed in her wedding attire.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but we must hurry."

"Yes."

The female servants gathered to prepare the bride in the limited time. Rafina could only play the part of a doll.

Because no preparation period was given, the wedding dress she brought was ready-made. It was already a bit too large, but the arduous journey had made Rafina's body even thinner. The oversized dress caused the servants a lot of trouble.

They managed to adjust it with padding and hurriedly led her to the chapel. The heavy door opened slowly, revealing a few witnesses and, strangely, the Margrave, who was completely covered in a veil.

(It's unusual for the groom to wear a veil. It's not even see-through... just a piece of cloth?)

She immediately remembered that he was a monster. The veil must be hiding his monstrous appearance, not just a concept. In this world, brides don't wear veils, and dresses aren't limited to white.

The ceremony proceeded solemnly and quickly. The priest spoke the words of the deity and asked the couple to make their vows.

"Berion Algard, do you take Rafina Oren as your wife, to walk with her and love her until the end of your days?"

"I swear by the sacred contract and in the presence of the deity."

His voice was normal.

"Very well. Then, Rafina Oren, do you take Berion Algard as your husband, to walk with him and love him until the end of your days?"

"I swear by the sacred contract and in the presence of the deity."

She recited the lines as she had been taught. The priest nodded and continued.

"In the presence of the goddess Delphine, exchange your vows."

This was the moment for the kiss. The Margrave, who had been standing beside her, turned to face her.

When she looked at him again, she was surprised by how large Berion, the Margrave, was.

Moreover, the shape of his head under the veil was odd. It looked like he was wearing a hat under the veil, or he had horns or ears. Including the hat or horns and ears, he was probably over two meters tall.

"..."

"..."

She had to crane her neck to look up at him, but Berion didn't move.

"My lord, your face, please."

The impatient priest spoke up. Only then did Berion remove his veil.

"..."

Even Rafina, who had braced herself, gasped.

Looking up, she saw four large, twisted horns, two on each side, adorned with golden chains.

His face and neck were covered in scales, and his features were not human. If she had to describe it, it was closer to a dinosaur.

Under the lavish clothing, which used a lot of fabric and jewelry, a lizard-like tail was swaying. The oversized fabric was needed to cover not just his face but also his tail.

His feet were similar to an ostrich's, with non-human joints and sturdy claws. Rafina was oddly impressed that he couldn't wear shoes.

Looking back up, she saw vibrant, mottled scales and long, bright red hair that reached his back. A long scar ran from his cheek to his ear, and his pointed ears were also covered in scales that looked blue or purple.

Despite this, his deep green eyes were human-like, intelligent, and contrasted with the rest of his strange appearance, enhancing the sense of otherness.

(This... I see, this is why he's called a monster...)

To a purebred lady, it was indeed a terrifying sight.

However, Rafina, who had been exposed to some subcultures in her previous life, wasn't as shocked. While she was surprised, he gave her the impression of a colorful lizardman, which was within the realm of her understanding. She felt no physical revulsion.

She didn't scream, run away, or faint. She waited for the kiss. Berion extended his hand, which was adorned with sharp, black claws. His slow, careful movements showed that he was being cautious not to hurt her.

She stayed still to avoid injury and received a kiss on her cheek from Berion. It was probably just his nose touching her. The cool scales quickly pulled away, and he turned to face the priest.

They each signed the marriage certificate prepared by the priest.

"Lord, a couple has been born here today. Grant them many blessings on their long journey together."

It had been about two hours since they arrived at the castle, and about ten minutes since they first met.

Despite her lingering motion sickness, Rafina became Berion's wife.

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And then, the wedding night arrived.