The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway — Chapter 15

THE WEDDING MASS WRAPPED UP WITH A SOLEMN AND PIOUS ATMOSPHERE.

IT WAS A CLOSED WEDDING, TO WHICH ONLY THE IMPERIAL FAMILY AND THE 17 NOBLE FAMILIES WERE INVITED.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT A LARGE WEDDING, NONE OF THE PARTICIPATING PARTIES HAD ANY REGRETS.

THAT WAS BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT ANY ONLOOKERS SAID,

THE SCENE BEFORE THEM CONTINUED TO REMAIN QUIET AND PEACEFUL.

ARE YOU FINDING THIS SONG A BIT TOO LONG?

...IHAR?

THIS JERK...

YOU SEEM NERVOUS.

YOU COULDN'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF YOUR BRIDE FOR EVEN A SECOND.

...IS DANTE IHAR.

HE'S THE ELDEST SON OF DUKE IHAR, WHO IS FAMOUS FOR BEING OLD-FASHIONED...

BUT THIS GUY MAKES ME LOOK LIKE A PRIEST...

HE'S A BASTARD WHO HAS MISTRESSES HIDDEN ALL OVER THE CITY OF MENDOZA.

DUKE VALEZTENA TRIED HIS BEST TO ASSERT...

...THAT THERE WERE PLENTY OF OTHER PRISTINE YOUNG MEN WHO COULD REPLACE ME AS INÉS' GROOM.

THERE WAS ENRIQUE OSORNO, WHO WAS KNOWN FOR HIS INTELLIGENCE AND SCHOLARLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UNLIKE ME WHO BOASTS NOTHING BUT MUSCLES.

THERE WAS ALSO LEONARDO HELVES, WHOM INÉS COULD ORDER AROUND AT WILL SINCE HE WAS SEVERAL YEARS YOUNGER THAN HER.

FINALLY, THERE WAS THE MAN WITH A DECENT FACE AND A WELL-KEPT PERSONAL LIFE.

I CAN TELL YOU WANT THE SONG TO END, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S BECAUSE YOU WANT HER TO RETURN TO YOUR SIDE...

...OR IF YOU JUST WANT TO RID HER FROM EVERYONE ELSE'S SIGHT.

DANTE IHAR, WHO WOULD "NEVER DEVIATE FROM THE RIGHTEOUS PATH".

A WELL-KEPT PERSONAL LIFE, HUH?

THIS MAN NEVER DEVIATES FROM THE RIGHTEOUS PATH...?

I FIND IT SO AMUSING THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE CONTENDERS. HAH

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS.

THERE ARE PEOPLE EVEN NOW WHO ARE BETTING YOU'LL FIND A NEW WOMAN TO BED TONIGHT.

IF THEY WERE TO SEE YOU RIGHT NOW, I IMAGINE THEY'D SORELY REGRET IT, GIVEN ALL THE MONEY THEY'RE ABOUT TO LOSE.

WHAT A RUDE THING TO SAY TO A GROOM ON HIS WEDDING DAY.

I DIDN'T SAY IT TO UPSET YOU.

I'M MERELY SAYING I THINK THEY MADE A MISTAKE...

...AND THAT THEY'LL LOSE THEIR BETS.

JUST LOOK AT INÉS.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF HER.

I DON'T CARE IF ANYONE UNDERSTANDS IT OR NOT.

SURELY. I NEARLY THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO FAINT DURING THE MASS.

IF IT WERE ME, I WOULDN'T HAVE MINDED LOSING A BIT OF MONEY TO SEE THAT.

NO ONE COULD BELIEVE THEIR EYES.

THEY THOUGHT THE VALEZTENA FAMILY PERHAPS HAD ANOTHER DAUGHTER WE ALL KNEW NOTHING ABOUT.

YES, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT EVERYONE WAS SHOCKED.

INÉS WAS STILL RECEIVING A COMBINATION OF SURPRISED, ADMIRING, AND SHOCKED LOOKS FROM EVERYONE.

SHE SMILED KINDLY AT THOSE WHO GAZED IN ASTONISHMENT...

...WHILE SIMPLY IGNORING THOSE WHO ANNOYED HER.

SHE BEHAVED NATURALLY, AS SHE HAD ALWAYS RULED OVER THE OTHER NOBLES IN HIGH SOCIETY.

BUT INÉS WAS STILL INÉS. ALL THAT HAD CHANGED WAS HER HAIR AND CLOTHES.

SHE MAY HAVE SMILED MORE, WHICH WAS A RARE OCCURRENCE, BUT IT WAS JUST ANOTHER EXPRESSION SHE WORE.

EVEN SO, THE WHOLE WORLD TREATED HER AS THOUGH EVERYTHING ABOUT HER HAD CHANGED.

WHERE COULD THIS GEM OF A WOMAN HAVE COME FROM?

IT WAS RIDICULOUS.

STILL, I DOUBT SHE'LL EVER BE ENOUGH FOR YOU.

ALBEIT, THE NOVELTY OF IT MAY BE BLOWING YOU AWAY RIGHT NOW.

I BET YOU DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE HER BODY LOOKED LIKE THAT UNDERNEATH SINCE SHE ALWAYS HAD HERSELF COVERED UP.

OF COURSE, INÉS WAS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL, EVEN WHEN COMPLETELY COVERED UP, BUT HER BODY IS SO...

...SO WHAT?

... I DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING BY IT. ANYHOW, ISN'T THIS UNEXPECTED LUCK FOR YOU?

I'VE ALREADY IMAGINED IT BEFORE. I'M NOT SURPRISED.

AT ANY RATE, I WON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF YOUR FUN.

I DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO ANYWAY. AS IF I COULD EVER WIN AGAINST MY DEAR FRIEND'S HANDSOME FACE AND INCREDIBLE PHYSIQUE.

IF YOU KNOW THAT, THEN MAKE YOURSELF SCARCE ALREADY. AND WE AREN'T FRIENDS.

WELL, STILL, WHEN YOU GET TIRED OF THE HONEYMOON PHASE,

DO GIVE ME A CHANCE...

...TO CONSOLE YOUR WIFE.

Behind the Scenes

...HE'S MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL ABOUT THIS.

*THEIR LIPS DIDN'T ACTUALLY TOUCH!