Chapter 75.2

Chapter 75.2

“After you suddenly disappeared, I suffered so much. I searched everywhere to find out if you were alive or dead, but I couldn’t even get a clue. I almost stopped eating and drinking because I was so worried about what might have happened to you.”

“But to think you were alive and well, and even becoming a countess in the future. I’m overwhelmed with emotion. This is a gift. I brought luphenyl thinking of you,” Uncle Phillip said as he presented Emma with a wedding gift box.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Emma said, expressing her sincere gratitude.

“What, bringing something like this? If I had received the news sooner, I would’ve prepared a bigger gift, but I was tied up with investments… It’s shameful,” Uncle Phillip said, letting his shoulders droop.

Emma’s lips trembled as she spoke. “It’s not. I didn’t even know you were going through that, and I… oh, I’m really glad you came here.” She quickly wiped away the hot tears from her eyes as Uncle Phillip silently embraced her.

Meanwhile, Jenna received a box of luphenyl and carefully separated it from the other numerous wedding gifts.

Then, guests and VIPs began to arrive one after another. After recovering from her emotional reunion with her uncle, Emma welcomed her friends from Summerville whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“I knew you’d be just fine,” one friend said.

“Then, who would be the countess if not our pretty, wise, and brilliant Emma?” another said.

“Even so, Emma is still Emma. My precious and pretty friend. She had a hard time after her father passed away, so it’s nice to see her smiling like this. Keep smiling from now on. Got it?” a third friend said.

Everyone was surprised by Emma’s rapid transformation, and though they were envious, they gave her their blessing because they were her kind-hearted friends.

“Thank you for coming all the way here, everyone,” Emma said, grateful for the presence of her friends and loved ones.

“We should be thanking you. My goodness, to be invited to the count’s wedding! How lucky!” one of her friends replied.

“It’s all thanks to Emma,” another said.

“Like Grandma said, it’s something to live for and look at!” a third added.

During the wedding ceremony, which was filled with congratulations and well wishes, Emma couldn’t tell whether it was a dream or real life. She felt like she was walking on clouds, disconnected from reality, but when the bishop declared their marriage and Irvan lowered his head to lightly kiss her on the lips, she finally realized it was a real wedding.

A street parade led by a series of colorful flower carriages circled the center of Wert City. After the grand event, during which petals and coins were scattered like spring rain under the brilliant sunlight, a reception was scheduled to last from late afternoon until late at night.

Jenna brought tea to refresh Emma, who had changed into a different dress for the reception at the grand banquet hall.

“Oh, wait. I want to drink luphenyl tea,” Emma said.

“Luphenyl?” Irvan, who was sitting next to her in a handsome suit, tilted his head. “Didn’t you say it ran out?”

His memory wasn’t wrong. The luphenyl that Emma had collected in the past at the foot of the Ferragen Mountains had vanished without a trace, even though she had drunk it sparingly. Irvan seemed to remember that Emma used to often drink sweet-scented luphenyl tea, but at some point stopped drinking it altogether.

“Uncle said he brought some,” Emma replied.

“Hm,” Irvan said, watching with interest as Emma opened the gift box and took out the luphenyl.

Emma was immersed in the scent of the luphenyl that she hadn’t smelled in a long time, and she took a deep breath before smiling. “It’s really good. It’s a warm and nostalgic scent no matter when you smell it.”

“That’s a nice smell,” Irvan said.

“The more luphenyl is aged, the deeper the scent. It’s a scent you particularly like, isn’t it?” Emma whispered.

Irvan stood up at Emma’s words and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He whispered softly as she drew in a deep breath and pressed his nose to the nape of Emma’s neck that was resting against his firm chest.

“Who said that? I like Emma more,” he said.

As she listened to his sweet words, Emma couldn’t help but smile. When she turned her head with a happy smile, Irvan’s hot lips landed on hers, as if they had been waiting. As the kiss deepened, Jenna quietly avoided the seat, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

“The time…” Emma murmured, weakly pushing against Irvan’s chest with the palm of her hand. Irvan licked his lips regretfully.

“Ah, but is there any way to check how long luphenyl has aged?” he asked, touching the luphenyl leaf that he had turned over in his hand.

“There is. There are several thin lines under the leaves, which gradually fade over time,” Emma replied.

“So, about two years,” Irvan said after calculating the age of the luphenyl based on the faded lines on the leaf.

“Yes,” Emma confirmed.

The luphenyl was a precious and rare commodity. The neighboring kingdom was still in the midst of a civil war, so the method of obtaining luphenyl separately was unknown. The previous batch of luphenyl from the foothills of the Ferragen Mountains was too small and couldn’t be found since. Emma said that even if she were to pay a drug dealer in advance and inquire about it, luphenyl couldn’t be purchased because it wasn’t being exported.

“It’s said that luphenyl was stocked up in Polarville. Uncle Phillip must’ve taken note of it knowing that I like luphenyl,” Emma explained.

“Oh, I see,” Irvan said, his eyes dark as he fiddled with the luphenyl leaves.

***

The bridal chamber in the waiting room was splendidly decorated with white and red cloth. Wolf-shaped flowerheads of various colors adorned the room as if escorting them in. The bed in the bridal room was draped like a curtain with several layers of sky-high canopies and surrounded by countless candles, giving off a mysterious yet auspicious atmosphere. The interior was decorated with red petals.

“This is amazing…” Emma marveled as she looked around the room in Irvan’s arms.

According to the old customs of the Kingdom of Berken, the groom had to carry the bride across the threshold of the bridal chamber. So Irvan hugged her deeply.

“Baroness Berne took care of it,” Irvan said.

“No way, did you already see it?” Emma asked, surprised.