What Remains in the Damaged Place - Chapter 103 (Main Story END)

“You’re clever, you know that?”

“…”

“You know this will make it impossible for me to leave, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Though her words were tinged with playful annoyance, inside, Lirette felt the last bolt of resistance loosening like a curtain being drawn aside.

She knew now for certain that he wasn’t trying to keep her by his side just because of the Name. If that had been his goal, there’d be no reason for him to go through all of this effort.

In truth, she had already understood his sincerity long ago, from the moment they reunited, through his gaze, his actions, and everything else.

And so, Lirette had to admit defeat this time.

She couldn’t help but follow what he wanted.

“Let’s do it. Let’s get married.”

“…”

“Let’s get married…”

A soft whisper, followed by a more resolute acceptance.

The moment those words left Lirette’s lips, Valderion was already moving. Within moments, in the middle of the marigold-filled garden, their lips met.

“I spoke with His Majesty today,” he said as soon as their lips parted, catching her off guard.

“…?”

“Before our wedding, the House of Blewit will be restored.”

Lirette’s eyes widened in surprise, as though she had just heard something completely unexpected.

“It’s not a meaningless gesture.”

Valderion took her hand and placed it over his chest. Her palm rested just above his heart.

“For your future.”

“…”

“And because your name is engraved on me.”

“…”

“On the honor of Justitia, I’ll ensure that the mistakes of the past are corrected.”

For the past few days, the awkwardness she had sensed must have come from the weight of his concerns.

The depth of his thoughts and efforts struck Lirette in a new way. The lingering shadows of sorrow and the burden of the past that had once loomed over her now began to lift.

Instead of sadness, what she felt now was something only Valderion could bring—a fluttering excitement, a fresh surge of emotion.

***

The preparations for the wedding went smoothly.

Most of the arrangements were handled under Valderion’s careful direction, and for the areas he was less familiar with, his aides brought in experts from across the empire to ensure everything was done to the highest standard.

Lirette’s only major task was attending the fitting for her wedding dress.

Even so, the process was overwhelming. After being tormented by fittings day and night with a parade of extravagant dresses, she felt drained by the constant cycle of trying on and taking off gowns.

“How absolutely stunning…”

The dressmaker clapped her hands together in delight after countless revisions to the dress, swapping out frills, lace, and even jewels on the stomacher until she was finally satisfied.

“Your beauty is so radiant that too many accessories would only detract from it. I removed most of the embellishments, and this is the perfect result.”

The dress was simple yet elegant, adorned sparingly with rose quartz gems that matched the color of Lirette’s eyes.

It was a clean design, without being overly plain.

“I can see why the Duke was so eager to hurry the wedding along,” the dressmaker whispered, placing different hairpins on Lirette’s silver hair, which now draped elegantly over her shoulders.

“He must have been in a rush, worried someone else might steal you away.”

Lirette smiled awkwardly.

She didn’t leave the estate often, but she could imagine how much buzz there must be inside and outside the country because of her and Valderion’s situation.

The sudden restoration of the House of Blewit, after its complete fall and the execution of all those involved in the rebellion, would have been shocking enough. But for the last surviving daughter of that house to marry the Duke of Justitia—such news would have thrown the empire’s social circles into chaos.

With all the tumult surrounding the wedding, Lirette had hoped for a quiet ceremony. But given Valderion’s status, that was impossible.

The Emperor himself, Laegis, had expressed his intention to attend, which meant the wedding would inevitably be a grand event.

“By the way, I’ve brought a few veils for you to choose from,” the dressmaker said.

Lirette focused carefully on selecting the right veil. Without it, at the wedding, she felt she would be exposed to too many eyes, like standing naked before the world.

As she went through the options, the sky outside darkened, and evening arrived.

Having changed into a comfortable indoor dress, Lirette made her way back to her bedroom, only to pause when she saw Valderion lounging on the sofa.

Lately, it seemed he preferred waiting for her like this, rather than seeking her out. Maybe it was because of the old tradition that the groom shouldn’t see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony.

“Have you been waiting long?”

As she approached him, Valderion snapped shut the book he had been reading and looked up at her.

“It’s good that the dressmaker is thorough, but keeping you for so long isn’t ideal.”

“Well, we can’t have everything,” Lirette replied with a smile, just as she was about to ask him about dinner. Suddenly, she froze.

“Wait… just a moment…”

“What is it?”

“I-I forgot something…”

Lirette bit her lip, visibly flustered, and suddenly tried to pull away. Valderion’s brow arched as he caught her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

“Do I have to wait even longer?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then what’s the problem? Tell me.”

Lirette fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, clearly embarrassed.

“I… I forgot to take something off.”

“What?”

“…Under my skirt.”

“Under your skirt?”

His gaze naturally drifted downward.

Reaching out, he brushed the outside of her skirt, his fingertips catching on something underneath. A rough texture. He ran his hand over it for a moment, trying to identify it. When he realized what it was, his eyes gleamed with sudden amusement.

“Valderion…!”

Before she could protest further, he slipped his hand beneath her skirt, leaving Lirette caught in an awkward stance. Unbothered by her reaction, Valderion continued, confirming with his own hands what he suspected.

“A wedding garter?”

“I said it wasn’t necessary, but the dressmaker insisted I try it on at least once… Let go. I’ll go take it off.”

“There’s no need to go anywhere.”

With a calm tone, he spun her around.

By the time she realized what had happened, their positions had switched, and Lirette now found herself seated on the sofa. She shut her eyes tightly as Valderion buried his head under her skirt.

His hands rested gently on her knees, holding her in place.

“This is something we should be saving for the wedding night, don’t you think?”

His low, amused voice echoed from beneath her billowing skirt.

His lips grazed her inner thigh, moving upward until they reached the wedding garter. With his lips, he tugged at the ribbon, loosening it, and then used his teeth to pull the lace band down her leg.

Though her sight was blocked, the sensations were all the more vivid.

When Valderion finally emerged from under her skirt, his hair slightly tousled, the wedding garter was clenched between his teeth.

It was a strangely provocative image—this man, normally so composed, occasionally even cold, now looking somehow decadent and wicked with her wedding garter in his mouth.

He rose gracefully and leaned toward her. When she reached out to take the garter from him, he caught her hands, entwining their fingers once more to stop her.

Sometimes, he had this way of being playfully indecent.

Reluctantly, Lirette used her own lips to take the garter from him. Their eyes met in the moment, and without resistance, her lips parted.

The garter slipped down, and as it fell, their lips collided in a passionate kiss. The exchange of breath between them was heated, and when the kiss finally broke with a soft sound, Lirette murmured without thinking.

“The wedding is so close now… it still doesn’t feel real.”

“Same for me.”

“I never thought I’d become part of your family.”

“It wasn’t an easy path.”

He was right.

The deep-seated resentment, the countless conflicts that had sparked between them. And yet, from within those intense emotions, something unexpected had bloomed—a fragile, yet undeniable love.

Lirette reached up and stroked his cheek as he hovered over her.

After a brief hesitation, she found courage in the warmth of his gaze and whispered softly.

“From now on, don’t try to win against me.”

“…”

“If you do, I’ll let you win.”

Valderion’s eyes softened, curving into a smile.

“Let’s live like that—giving way to each other, little by little.”

His response came in the form of an unhesitant kiss.

In the days when they hadn’t known how to hide their feelings, they had only sharpened their words and actions against each other. In doing so, they had hurt one another deeply, without restraint.

But in the end, through all those wounds, they had seen sides of each other that no one else could, leaving a lasting imprint, something fierce and undeniable.

Ultimately, that was how it had happened.

Where the scars had been left, love had taken root—bound together by fate.

And that was all there was. Simply, completely, that was all.

The End.