Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 204
“And you are mine too, Burt.”
“I have been yours long before today,” Burt added with a soft chuckle, and before Irene could respond, he leaned in for a surprise kiss, pressing his lips to hers once more. Then, with a casual ease, he took her hand and turned them both around.
It was only then that she remembered they weren’t alone. As the realization sank in, Irene’s face turned a bright shade of red. But before she could dwell on her embarrassment, a small sound of clapping reached her ears. The two children, Milli and Arthe, were clapping enthusiastically, and their efforts soon inspired others to join in.
In an instant, the garden filled with applause.
“Congratulations!”
Milli’s voice rang out first, loud and clear.
“Best wishes!”
“May you be happy together!”
Voices from all around joined in, filling the engagement ceremony with cheerful noise. Yet, the commotion felt good—no, it felt wonderful.
Gathering every bit of courage she had, Irene waved to the crowd.
“Burt, you should wave too.”
Burt followed her request without hesitation. As the well-wishes continued, the time came for the celebration to transition into the next part: the engagement party.
Irene changed out of her white dress into a new gown, and Burt did the same. This time, their outfits were perfectly coordinated in color, reflecting their new unity.
“It truly is a joyous day.”
After stepping down from the platform, Grein approached Irene and Burt with a warm smile, offering her congratulations. Then, Allen struck up a conversation, followed by other familiar faces from the temple, who took turns offering their greetings.
“Good day to you,” they said one after another.
Finally, it was the turn of the guests from the North. These were the very people who had been staunchly opposed to the union of Irene and Burt from the beginning, and their faces now showed clear signs of frustration and anger. While others had blessed the couple with kind words, the Northerners alone kept their silence.
After a brief and perfunctory greeting to Irene, their attention turned directly to Burt.
“We never expected this of you, Your Majesty.”
“You say that, even after I made it clear I would step down from the throne? I find it hard to believe you didn’t see this coming.”
Burt, who typically used informal speech, now addressed them with formal respect, emphasizing his firm decision to relinquish the throne.
“Your Majesty!”
“Do not call me that anymore.”
His calm, resolute words left only the Northerners fuming. Even so, they refrained from addressing Irene harshly. It seemed that the temple had shifted to a stance of support for her.
Even if Burt stepped down as king, Irene would remain the saintess, a figure they could not afford to offend. They had come to the event having agreed amongst themselves to avoid antagonizing her.
Thus, their only hope had been to sway Burt, but it seemed that their efforts were futile.
‘Once the king sets his mind on something, there’s no changing it,’ thought the most senior among the Northerners with a small sigh.
‘If only I had left Lady Luna behind.’
Bringing her along had only caused her more heartache. Though she had insisted on attending once she received an invitation, her expression had been troubled throughout the ceremony.
Her pale face and the dark look in her eyes as she gazed at Burt and Irene spoke volumes. In a place where happiness abounded, she alone was mired in sorrow.
“Is this conversation finished? We have other guests to attend to.”
Burt cut them off at an appropriate moment, forcing the Northern nobles to retreat. While they didn’t want to yield, they couldn’t very well continue to linger. Reluctantly, they took a step back.
“Are you alright?”
As soon as he sent them away, Burt turned his attention to Irene, his concern evident.
“I’m fine. But are you alright, Burt?”
“As long as you are well, milady, I am perfectly fine.”
He had been through much worse and wasn’t about to be shaken by something like this.
“Then that’s all that matters.”
“Would you like another glass of champagne? You seemed to enjoy the peach champagne earlier.”
How he had managed to notice that was beyond her, but Irene smiled and nodded. Just then, someone abruptly stepped forward, blocking their path.
It was a beautifully adorned woman with an elegant appearance—Luna.
“Lady Luna.”
Burt said, frowning as he addressed her.
“Lord Burt.”
“To suddenly block our way… that is quite rude.”
“Lord Burt, please hear me out.”
She pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. But her urgency meant nothing to Burt. There was no bond between them.
“And what is it you wish to say?”
He only agreed to listen to her because he wished to avoid causing a scene.
“I… I…”
Luna clasped her hands together at her chest, her eyes full of emotion.
“I love you, Lord Burt.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Burt’s response was firm as he gently nudged Irene behind him. Luna might have been a powerless noblewoman, but he still took care to shield Irene, just in case.
“Why am I not enough for you?”
“When did you ever think you were enough?”
His voice was filled with disbelief at her audacity.
