Over time, I had forgotten that incident and got caught up in my own life. Days flew by in a blur of training and the terrifying nightmares that haunted me.
Finally, the day of the betrothal arrived.
I sat in the carriage with my father, dressed formally: a blue "Quill" coat, a matching vest underneath, and a white shirt.
My father wore a short black coat and small glasses. His stern face, shining bald head, and intimidating moustache made him look rather formidable.
We rode in silence for hours until we reached Sera's residence.
As usual, the massive red mansion awaited us.
Servants greeted us and led us to the guest hall. The room was spotless, and a pleasant fragrance filled the air.
My father and I sat with my uncle and his wife. Sera was already there.
Finally, the ceremony began.
I was unusually calm.
I lowered my head, avoiding my aunt's gaze.
This union wasn't built on love. It was simply a matter of interests, and I felt as though I was deceiving her happiness.
After everyone accepted the proposal, my uncle spoke.
"Carl, since we're entering a busy period, why don't we hold the wedding in two days?"
Two days?
Shock hit me immediately.
I had expected at least a month.
I wished my father would refuse. I wasn't ready yet. I had planned to continue my meditation and training after finally escaping those long nightmares.
But, contrary to my expectations, my father agreed quickly.
"I originally wanted the wedding tomorrow, but since you suggested two days, let's do it, my friend."
The decision was settled immediately.
Once the betrothal contract was signed and the formalities concluded, the matter was sealed.
I accepted it calmly. It didn't really matter whether the wedding happened sooner or later. I had agreed to this path from the beginning.
My aunt suddenly called me.
"Theo, what's wrong? Does this marriage not suit you?"
I raised my head.
For the first time, I saw her angry.
It looked strange on her polished appearance, but she had every right to be upset.
So I smiled and said,
"Sorry, Aunt. I just came out of last night's nightmares… caused by my attempts at alchemy."
Her eyes sharpened.
"You were affected by alchemical contamination as well? I didn't know you practised the craft."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
I had practised it for only one day… and that disaster happened.
"Aunt—"
Before I could finish, my father burst out laughing.
"Ha! Sorry, but it seems Theo is cursed. Imagine that—his very first attempt at alchemy ends in a cosmic disaster!"
I could barely endure the laughter of my father and uncle.
What made it worse was the look on my aunt's face as she struggled to suppress her own laughter.
For me, it had been a huge disaster.
I suffered through disgusting, terrifying nightmares afterwards and was forced to stop my meditation.
Meanwhile, I glanced at Sera.
She was smiling, but at least she wasn't laughing at my misfortune.
It seemed she simply found the situation amusing, and that alone comforted me a little.
I leaned closer and whispered,
"You're the best, Sera."
The mood lightened after that.
Conversations continued about sect matters and the new alliance with humans, which would take effect in four days.
Politics had never interested me, so I quietly left the hall and wandered through the mansion.
Sera followed me outside almost immediately.
It seemed she was just as bored as I was.
We walked side by side for a few minutes before she finally spoke.
"Theo… are you really okay?"
"I'm fine," I replied.
I understood what she meant, and I was telling the truth. I had already recovered from the contamination.
I asked about her condition.
"Are you feeling any better… or is it getting worse?"
Her expression tightened slightly.
"It's getting worse. That's why I agreed to speed up the wedding as soon as my father suggested it."
After a brief pause, she added,
"As for Elias… I haven't seen him since that incident. It seems he's avoiding me."
I remained silent after that.
We continued walking around the mansion for a while before eventually sitting down in the garden.
The place was beautiful—if you ignored the terrifying flowers.
They were planted in the abyss and used for alchemy.
Instead of petals, they had strange, pulsing tendrils, each beating like a living heart.
Despite their ugliness, the garden itself felt warm and pleasant, a stark contrast to the cold emptiness of the abyss.
Sera sat beside me, and the alluring scent of her perfume filled the air.
She wore a striking red dress that matched her crimson eyes, with a small black ribbon wrapped around her neck.
Her hair was black as ink, almost absorbing the light around it.
It was incredibly long, falling around her face in a way that revealed her ears.
And in that face… were those captivating red pupils.
"You look beautiful, Sera," I said without hesitation.
I wasn't lying.
She truly was elegant and beautiful.
Honestly, I almost despised myself for how indifferent I felt while marrying someone like her.
After all, she was considered one of the most beautiful women in the clan.
She looked at me with her usual cold expression.
"I can never understand you, Theo. Ever since we were children, your personality has kept changing."
She leaned closer to my face.
"Why are you so strange, Theo?"
I turned my face toward the sky and stared at the moon.
I couldn't answer that.
It was the second time I had heard that question in just a few days.
Suddenly, I wrapped my arm around Sera's neck.
For once, I saw surprise replace her usual coldness.
"Finally… an expression other than that cold look," I said quietly.
"Why are you like this too, Sera?"
She didn't answer.
And unless something truly interesting happened…
She would probably keep wearing that same cold expression forever.