Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !

Chapter 137 Do you, Aveline Ardan, take Dorian Valderic to be your lawful wedded husband?

A few days later, the wedding preparations were completely finished.

Everyone was happy, because they'd been working on the wedding for months.

Everyone except perhaps one person.

Morning light was streaming in through the thick curtains of a bedroom.

In the room, a wedding gown, a sumptuous piece of ivory silk adorned with gold embroidery, lay on a mannequin.

Not far away, servants bustled around a young blonde damsel, adjusting her corset and combing her hair with care.

Aveline, standing in front of a mirror, watched her reflection with a neutral, almost distant expression.

Her thoughts were very chaotic.

This marriage, a union arranged for political reasons, seemed inevitable.

Yet a small part of her hoped for a miracle, something that would break the cycle of imposed duties.

The sound of footsteps behind her jolted her out of her reverie. She turned her head and saw Maxime, dressed simply but elegantly, who had just entered the room.

Naturally, a sword was strapped to his waist.

After all, his job was to protect Aveline.

"You look lovely, Aveline. A real beauty," he said softly and sincerely.

Aveline sighed.

"Glad to be, since this is going to be the worst day of my life."

The servants nearby didn't dare say anything, all concentrating on their own tasks.

Maxime smiled slightly.

"Who knows what's going to happen today?"

Over the past few days, Maxime had been watching Dorian, and little by little he discovered that this man was hiding something, but he didn't know what yet.

Aveline raised an eyebrow but didn't react too much.

"We all know what's going to happen today."

Maxime didn't reply, preferring to look away at the dress.

"This dress will fit you perfectly. You really do have a talent for turning ordinary things into something extraordinary."

Aveline sighed slightly.

"Compliments won't change anything, but... thank you. You should leave before someone finds you here."

He nodded, an enigmatic smile on his lips.

"See you later, then."

Maxime left the room while Aveline continued to look at herself in the mirror, with a complicated, sad look on her face.

At the moment, her emotions were in total disarray.

Outside, there was a huge commotion.

The whole capital was abuzz as the genius and eldest son of the Valderics was about to marry the only descendant of the Ardans.

"Duke Valderic."

In the cathedral, a deep voice interrupted Luc as he chatted with some guests.

Turning, he smiled slightly.

"Duke Devron, it's been a long time."

The latter was surprisingly Duke Devron, the Valderic's main political enemy in the Kingdom.

"Not that long, but in any case congratulations on the marriage of your eldest son to Count Ardan's daughter."

Duke Devron was smiling too.

What else could he do?

A seemingly simple ambush had miraculously failed, and none of his men returned.

To this day, he still couldn't understand what had happened, and in such a short space of time he couldn't come up with any valid plan to sabotage the wedding.

So he could only come up with a smile.

"Thank you Duke Devron, and I offer my condolences for Perceval, he was a brave young man."

"Don't speak of such sad things today, this is supposed to be a glorious day for your family."

"Indeed."

Maxime, who was standing at the back of the cathedral, heard all this, and an amused smile appeared on his face.

"If Duke Devron knew I'd killed his son and hired two of his knights as well as several of his apprentice knights, I wonder what his reaction would be?"

At the same time, he was looking for a certain figure in the audience, but to his disappointment she wasn't there.

"That's regrettable."

Maxime shook his head, slightly bitter.

"Once you've seen it, you can't forget it," he thought rather confusedly.

It was Princess Selene who had really made him feel powerful emotions.

He projected back into his mind the image of what had happened a few days ago.

Unfortunately, after their dance, he was only able to chat for a few hours before she went home.

Everyone in the room had noticed their complicity and so very few disturbed them.

The two enjoyed an exceptional moment, as if they were alone in the world.

What Maxime didn't know was that many of the nobles in the room even thought that these two people seemed more about to get married than the Valderic son and the Ardan daughter.

But soon, Maxime woke up to the sound of music in the cathedral, announcing the arrival of the bridegroom.

So everyone sat and waited in silence, only a few murmurs circulating here and there.

"I hear Count Ardan is not present?"

"How would you like him to be present with the war against the orcs in the south?"

"Only the idle nobles are here, the real nobles who care about the Kingdom's security are busy managing their logistics to come to Count Ardan's aid."

"Some may even have already arrived in the south."

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The cathedral had been sumptuously decorated for the occasion.

Red and gold hangings adorned the walls, and the rows of pews were filled with the kingdom's most influential figures.

The organ played a solemn melody as Dorian made his entrance, and walked down the central aisle before the glittering eyes of all the nobility of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.

Dorian Valderic arrived and walked among the pews.

His gaze was very solemn, and his gait perfectly executed.

"So handsome."

"He really is a young hero."

"If only there weren't..."

"Shh...shut up, are you really planning to talk about his reputation today?"

He quickly arrived in front of the priest, who greeted him with a slight bow, and Dorian did the same.

Then he turned and waited for his fiancée.

And he didn't have long to wait.

Just 30 seconds later, Aveline made her entrance, walking slowly down the aisle, her light veil fluttering behind her.

Guests turned to admire the future duchess, and murmurs of admiration ran through the audience. Aveline advanced at a measured pace, her head held high despite the apprehension knotting her stomach.

Dorian was already standing at the altar, a quiet smile on his face. He watched Aveline approach, and inclined his head slightly as she joined him.

The two exchanged a brief glance before turning to the priest.

The priest, dressed in his regalia, opened a large book and began the customary rites, his deep voice echoing through the cathedral. The congregation listened in silence, the solemn atmosphere almost heavy in the air.

Then came the crucial moment.

"Aveline Ardan, do you agree to take Dorian Valderic as your husband, to love, cherish and be faithful to him until death do you part?"

Aveline felt a wave of tension wash over her. All eyes were on her, waiting for her answer.

She looked away briefly at Maxime, seated at the back of the room, motionless as a statue.