The culture of this world resembled the world beyond the window where I had once lived in many ways.
For example, in a wedding ceremony, the bride walking down the red carpet holding her father’s hand, before finally being passed into the hand of the groom—that was one such resemblance.
Perhaps it represented a woman who once leaned on her father now moving forward with the groom to form a new family.
I didn’t know the origin or symbolism of it exactly. What I did know was that the sight alone was enough to stir emotions and make people smile—or cry.
━It’s the brides’ procession.
━Let’s make way.
Shff, as people stepped aside, the red carpet was revealed.
In this Angmar-style wedding, there was a tradition where the brides had to circle the banquet hall once—where all the guests were gathered—before reaching the groom.
It was said that guests would offer well-wishes and blessings for the bride’s future during this walk.
“The brides of today are making their entrance...! Let us all offer our blessings with bright hearts...!”
Impressively adorned with an armband, the imp Tartartar stepped forward, carrying a basket overflowing with flower petals. He scattered them along the red carpet with a shff, shff. Walking gently over those petals were—
━They look like angels.
━I used to think having five nagging wives would be a nightmare, but now I’m starting to envy the groom.
━They’re beautiful.
Everyone was busy gasping in awe.
In their white dresses, each holding a bouquet in one hand and linked arm-in-arm with the others, they looked like goddesses of beauty from myth.
However, one detail stood out.
Chancellor Reinhardt von Leones.
He was either walking arm-in-arm with each of the five ladies or carrying them on his shoulders. On his left and right arms were Queen Ayra and Myrna von Draco, respectively.
On his shoulders sat Nare von Draco and Stella. The last of the five, Elga, was walking with her arm linked with Myrna’s.
The whole display gave off the air of a traveling circus troupe, but no one laughed at the sight.
━Hey, that’s Count Reinhardt, right? What is he doing?
━Shhh, the brides don’t have fathers here, aside from Lady Leones. That’s why Count Reinhardt is filling the role for all of them.
Everyone knew Reinhardt had offered his shoulders and arms for the sake of the fatherless ladies.
And so the strange yet touching procession continued until finally, they arrived beside atop the dais.
Now, Reinhardt would begin passing the brides over to , one by one.
He started with Ayra, who was linked to his left arm.
“My cousin Ayra von Tarantella. Looking back now, there were a lot of things I failed to do for you. I’ll never be able to face your family.”
Shff.
With that, Reinhardt gently took Ayra’s hand and placed it in mine.
“Ayra, you honestly weren’t what I’d call a good queen. But you could be a much-loved wife... or a mother.”
“...Got it.”
Ayra answered lightly. But both Reinhardt and I were taken aback by that light response—because Queen Ayra had never used polite speech toward others before.
At last, the white-gloved hand grasped my left thumb.
Next, Reinhardt took Myrna’s hand.
“The daughter of Alreister, Myrna. Alreister and I were close friends for quite so ti. That’s why I think I know what he would’ve said.”
“......”
Myrna, adorned in white bridal makeup, wore a slightly lancholy expression. Was it because he’d ntioned her father? That’s when Reinhardt said,
“He used to talk about how he had a daughter who endured too much. He said he was proud—but also sorry that she seed so bound by rigid rules. He hoped she could live more for herself.”
“My father said that...?”
“Now you can live more for yourself. Don’t worry about others, break free of those constraints. And hold your head high—because Alreister’s most trusted daughter is you.”
Shff.
Myrna grasped my left index finger. From the way she firmly pressed her lips together, I could tell she was holding back tears.
“Nare.”
Shff.
Reinhardt lowered Nare from his shoulder.
“You resemble your mother more than your father. Naru—her na was ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Naru. A woman who shone like a full moon in the night. Though she lived in darkness, you will be loved wherever you go.”
“I know already!”
“Alreister talked about you all the ti too. Maybe that’s why you feel like my youngest daughter. Yeah, like my youngest.”
Ruffle ruffle.
Reinhardt gently patted Nare’s head. Though she grumbled, “Mister, you’re ssing up my hair!” her face showed how pleased she was. Nare grabbed my middle finger.
“I got the longest finger!”
At that, Myrna—still holding my index finger—gently corrected her.
“Nare, don’t forget—it was randomly assigned by drawing lots. There’s no special aning to the fingers.”
Now Reinhardt set down Stella, who had been on his other shoulder.
“......”
“......”
Neither Reinhardt nor Stella said anything at first. It was Stella who spoke up.
“Senior, shouldn’t you say sothing to too?”
“...No, it’s just... I couldn’t figure out how to play your father’s role. Technically speaking, you’re actually older than my own mother...”
“...Tsk.”
“Well, as your senior from Ark, let just say... I never imagined that wild child Stella would one day be standing here with a veil on her head. Let alone marrying a younger prince.”
“Why does that sound like an insult? I, Stella, am still alive and well, you know?”
“Yeah, still kicking. Wish everyone could’ve seen you like this. They would’ve laughed. Alreister and Isaiah... they had to see this.”
“They’re watching already. My brother. My mom and dad too.”
“Well then. Anyway... you’re finally getting married, huh, Stella. I’m glad I got to see it before I die.”
To Reinhardt’s joke, Stella snapped back,
“What are you talking about—you look like you’ll live another hundred years.”
With a grumble, she grasped my ring finger. Now, only Elga remained.
Perhaps because Elga was his only biological daughter, the normally eloquent Reinhardt pressed his forehead.
“Damn it, I practiced this and morized everything... but I’ve forgotten it all. I had so many things I wanted to say to you, Elga...”
“That’s just an. I’m your daughter.”
Shff.
Elga took Reinhardt’s hand. Her face seed to twist with emotion—then the tears began falling in thick drops.
“Hrk, hnn... You’re really awful.”
Reinhardt said,
“Don’t cry, Erganes. You’re my daughter, but you were raised too spoiled. Once you start living with your new family and husband, you’ll have plenty of reasons to cry. So save your tears.”
“How is that appropriate to say at a wedding...?”
Elga wept even more pitifully, but she couldn’t bring herself to let go of her father’s hand. Watching her, the crowd began to tear up.
━Tartartar, why are you crying...?
━You’re crying too, Prupru...!
━I dunno, the tears just keep coming...!
Imps with sensitive hearts.
━Gaaaah, from this Punch-noa’s eyes... sothing hot is pouring out...! What... what is this unstoppable torrent...!?
And as the weepy nymphs joined in, the ceremony hall beca a sea of tears.
The tears were so contagious that even Myrna, who had been tightly biting her lip, and the other ladies began crying one by one.
Makeup ran, and while so laughed at the unexpected chaos, others were moved. Reinhardt, for his part, awkwardly stroked his beard with a sheepish smile.
“Geez. Why does everyone cry so much at weddings? I thought my daughter would be different. Anyway, she’s a handful, this one. I’ll leave her to you.”
Shff.
Finally, Elga took my left pinky finger. At that mont, Reinhardt said,
“And, Lord Teo. Honestly... you feel more like a son to than a son-in-law. So, may I say just one thing?”
I nodded.
“Go ahead, by all ans.”
“...Thank you for growing up so well. If it were , I would’ve been very proud to call you my own.”
With that, Reinhardt stepped back, murmuring,
“Man, I’m really not cut out for this kind of stuff.”
Now only the young ladies and I remained on the dais.
I spoke.
“Today will be the last ti we cry. From now on... I’ll make sure all you do is smile.”
***
The wedding in Angmar stretched across several days.
After the main ceremony concluded, there were all sorts of events lined up—starting with the distribution of gifts to the attending guests, and the traditional cake-cutting shared between bride and groom...
There was just so much to do.
And we also had to personally go around and greet every guest. That, apparently, was the proper etiquette expected of newlyweds.
“This one here is Aslan of Orléans. He’s my cousin. And that one’s Leo of Moldam—he’s my cousin too. And that one. And that one...”
Elga pointed across a table full of people as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her white glove.
The Leones family was unusually large on the cousin front, and greeting each and every one of them was no small feat.
“We’re finally done with the cousins. Now we can move on to the second cousins.”
At Elga’s words, Nare collapsed with a dramatic flop.
“When does this wedding even end? We’ve been greeting people nonstop for days. I was thankful the rain let up, but this... this is a whole new kind of hell...”
Though no one else voiced it aloud, it seed everyone felt more or less the sa. The giddy excitent from the start of the wedding had now settled into one collective thought: I just want to rest.
Who would’ve guessed a wedding could be this grueling? The thought that we had to continue this for several more days made my head spin a little.
Even the imps managing the event—though none complained—had clearly hit their limit.
So it was that after getting dragged all around, exchanging greetings and handing out gifts, we finally gathered in the corner behind one of the halls—just as we’d promised.
Elga spoke.
“We’ve got at least two more days of this, right? I heard so of my cousins only just left their towns. We’ll have to go through the sa thing again tomorrow, and maybe the day after.”
Myrna sighed and shook her head.
“This is exhausting... Why does the Leones family have so many relatives...?”
At that, I decided to finally bring up sothing that had been on my mind for several hours now.
“Well then... how about this.”
Swff.
From my 《Squirrel Vault》, I drew out a carpet. Seeing it, the ladies’ eyes shimred with a mix of confusion and anticipation.
“We start our honeymoon a little early.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)