Chapter 572: Book 5: Chapter 171: Dream (2)

Book 5: Chapter 171: Dream (2)

The veil fell back slowly. The entire hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone was anticipating this moment.

Raymond’s head was bowed initially. When he shakily lifted his head, eager to etch the beautiful face of his bride into his memory…

It was then he saw it…

A string of drool hanging from the lips of… a pig head.

Snoooort~

The pig squinted her eye which was already as narrow as a slit as if attempting to… wink?

Raymond nearly suffered a heart attack at the sight, and in his panic, he slapped the pig’s face with the bouquet intended to give to Estelle.

“You fiend, where have you taken Princess Estelle?!”

Although the slap, cushioned by flowers, did not hurt much, the pig wore a look of disbelief. She clutched her cheek and stood frozen in place.

“Y-You… Did you just hit me?”

“Yes, I did! Get Estelle here at once! Guards! Where are the guards? Seize this monster!” Raymond shouted, refusing to touch the pig and dirty his own hands.

Strangely, despite his shouting, nobody paid him any heed.

Raymond looked around in bewilderment, only to find everyone staring at him with a mix of confusion and disbelief, as if he had lost his mind.

“W-What’s wrong with all of… you? Estelle isn’t here, this monster just appeared out of nowhere. Why are you all looking at me like that? Come on, help me capture the monster! Come on, all of you, seize it!”

“Rebellious boy, what’s gotten you into today?!”

Raymond’s grandfather, Rad, delivered a resounding slap to Raymond’s cheek, pointing at the sniveling pig, and roared, “That’s Princess Estelle! Where is this monster you speak of?”

“No way!” Raymond held his stinging cheek, pointing at the pig in disbelief. “How can Estelle be a pig?! Are you all pranking me? Where is the real Estelle?”

“Preposterous!” Rad glared at him. “You are the biggest fool today! Insolent boy, keep this up and I’ll beat you senseless!”

“Enough.” The church fell into a sudden hush as the man of the highest authority in the Holy Dragon Empire intervened. His ancient yet commanding gaze bore into Raymond. “So… are you canceling this wedding?”

“N-No, I’ll marry the real Estelle, not this…” Raymond pointed at the pig.

“What nonsense are you spouting!” Just as the word monster was about to leave his lips, Razer swooped in and clamped his hand over Raymond’s mouth.

He gave the Emperor an apologetic smile and said, “The wedding will proceed as planned, Your Majesty. Raymond has just been a bit overwrought lately and lacked proper rest. Please forgive him, Your Majesty…”

“And how are you going to convince me?” The Emperor’s gaze turned cold. “Mere words won’t do.”

“We will prove it to you… we will definitely prove it,” Razer reassured him. He exchanged a meaningful glance with his own father before his gaze hardened at Raymond.

“Ummppphh!”

Raymond, who was struggling in his father’s grasp, suddenly felt an invisible force invading his body, causing him to lose control of his movements.

“This is…”

With his last ounce of control, Raymond managed to turn his gaze toward his grandfather, the First Divine Elder of the imperial family, whose withered hand rested on his shoulder, radiating irresistible power.

“Grandfather… why…” Raymond tried to speak, but his voice failed him.

“Music! Play the music!” Razer commanded, signaling to the orchestra to start playing romantic melodies.

As the music filled the air, Raymond moved toward the pig against his own free will.

Wait, what are they planning?

Raymond had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next, yet he was too powerless to resist.

Snoooort~

The pig puckered her lips. Raymond could see remnants of food still clinging to her teeth, emitting a pungent odor.

No. NO. NO!

Raymond screamed inwardly, but his lips puckered involuntarily.

SMOOOOOOCH!

Their lips met, and applause erupted from the guests once more.

The Emperor smiled as if everything were proceeding according to plan.

◆◇◆◇◆

“NO!” Raymond exclaimed, struggling to sit up from the bed. “I don’t want to kiss a monster, I don’t want to marry a monster! Hell no!”

“What are you… screaming about in the middle of the night?” The woman beside him slapped Raymond on the back.

“Did you have a nightmare?” she asked.

“I-I-I-I… I was…” Raymond stammered, finally coming back to his senses and nervously touching his cheek.

“I was dreaming?” he asked.

“What else? Do you really think you’ve married a monster?” The woman also sat up from the bed, her face retaining its beauty even in the dim candlelight.

“Estelle…” Raymond looked at his drowsy wife before roughly pulling her into his arms.

“I had a nightmare that you turned into a monster, and I even…” he cried.

“There, there. I can’t believe you’d still get scared by nightmares.” Estelle frowned and pushed him away.

“Don’t be rough, you’ll hurt our baby!” she huffed.

“Baby…?” Looking at his wife’s bulging belly, Raymond instantly came to his senses.

“Right, I’m going to be a father soon, how can I let a dream shake me up? I’m sorry, I must have been too busy lately and on edge. Go back to sleep, don’t let me keep you up. You have to rest up for our baby. I’ll go sleep in the study,” Raymond hurriedly comforted his wife.

“That’s more like it,” his wife muttered as she pulled the quilt over herself.

Raymond quietly put on his jacket before carefully opening the door and slipping out, only to find that the living room light was still on.

“Lord Raymond.” The sudden voice startled Raymond, and he turned back, only to find that it was the manservant his wife had recruited.

“What are you doing at this late hour?” Raymond asked with a frown.

The manservant bowed and replied, “Madam seems to have woken up. I’m preparing a cup of hot milk for her. After she got pregnant, she could only sleep after drinking hot milk.”

“Is that so? Go ahead then,” Raymond replied, shaking his head. He had been so preoccupied lately that he hadn’t even noticed these little habits of his wife’s. What a neglectful husband he had been.

However, this manservant seemed competent enough. Raymond nodded approvingly as he watched the servant working even in the middle of the night. He was proficient in his duties and meticulous in his work. Even his wife had mentioned several times that he was good at caring for others.

Raymond couldn’t help but wonder if his tanned skin was natural or perhaps a result of prolonged exposure to the sun.

He quickly shook his head to dismiss the random thought and prepared to retire to the study for the night.

“Lord Raymond,” the manservant suddenly called out before asking, “Would you like a cup of hot milk as well?”

“No, I don’t like milk,” Raymond declined.