“I want to marry you.”
“……”
“No, marry me.”
Hearing Eliya’s announcement, I was left speechless for a moment.
“…What?”
“Let’s get married. Us.”
I wasn’t misunderstanding.
Eliya firmly proposed again.
What can I say?
The conversation suddenly took a giant leap.
“…What? You don’t want to marry me, do you?”
“No, no, no! Of course not…”
How could I not want to?
Of course, I want to promise to be with Eliya for a long time.
But, I mean, I suggested dating, and suddenly she throws a proposal at me? It’s naturally shocking!
I feel like I’ve just taken my first step, and Eliya teleported me far away.
“Really?”
Eliya, who casually asked, was subtly smiling.
As if she knew exactly how I felt.
Before I knew it, I was smiling back.
“Of course. Of course, it’s wonderful. Living with you… I mean, with Elia… would absolutely be wonderful…”
“But why were you silent?”
“It was so sudden that I was shocked…”
“What’s sudden? We’re going to be together anyway, so let’s just get married right away.”
Hmm.
When I think about it, that makes logical sense.
“You said we did a lot of things over the week.”
“Yes, we did.”
“I’ve even prepared for the wedding.”
“…What?”
Now, that feels weird.
It feels like my soul is being dipped into my body and pulled out repeatedly.
What did I just hear?
“I have a few important things left. Since it’s not something I can decide alone, I want to decide with you. Shall we go check out the venue first?”
Eliya asked with a bright smile.
Like a child anticipating a picnic.
Seeing her like that made me feel like everything was just fine.
As long as she’s happy, what could be better?
It could be me following her, or her following me.
Being together is all that matters.
“Yes. Show me.”
“When will you stop using honorifics?”
“Well… I think I need a little more time.”
Eliya smiled sweetly.
“Then I’ll wait. As long as it takes.”
Her answer was so transparent that she could wait forever.
Seeing her like that made me want to pull her in for a hug.
“Whoa!”
Startled by my sudden action, she seemed surprised at first.
“Hmph.”
But then she smiled happily and snugged into my embrace, wrapping her arms around my waist.
The warmth that enveloped me.
Small, precious, and warm.
I inhaled her scent with ease.
My heart felt at peace.
A soothing warmth spread throughout my body.
“Shall we go check out the wedding venue?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
*
Where could Eliya have chosen for the wedding venue?
Nothing specific came to mind.
I’ve never been married or even thought about it.
…Though I can’t say I’ve completely disregarded the idea of marrying Eliya, I never imagined the specific place for the ceremony.
And the place Eliya teleported me to was much grander than I imagined.
“…Sun Symbol Temple?”
Once owned by Helios, now held by Bevel.
More precisely, it’s Eliya’s possession.
The largest temple and sanctuary humanity possesses, used for important ceremonies.
Eliya’s coming-of-age ceremony and my installation ceremony were also held here.
This temple, glittering all around in gold.
“This is our venue.”
The place where Eliya and I will hold our wedding.
“What do you think?”
Eliya chose the most spacious area inside the temple.
A long path stretched ahead, with majestic columns on either side.
Being outdoors, the sky was beautifully exposed above.
The early summer sky was somewhat high, and the weather was pleasantly warm.
“It seems you like it? Judging by how you’re spacing out looking around.”
Before I even considered whether I liked it, the grandeur of the place rendered me speechless.
“Yes. I absolutely love it.”
Of course, I did.
‘A wedding…’
A public declaration that we are formally dating and legally married.
The scale of this temple and Eliya’s status would mean a lot of people would bear witness.
It’s an announcement that Eliya is mine.
It couldn’t feel better.
‘Now that I think about it, I’ve really made it….’
Starting as a slave, to holding my wedding at the Sun Symbol Temple, and my partner being the future emperor, pope, saintess, and archmage.
I’ve made it too far.
“Right? I like it too. I think I picked well.”
Eliya stuck close to me and held my hand.
We naturally entwined our fingers.
“It’s spacious enough to gather everyone on the continent.”
“Everyone on the continent…?”
“Yeah. We need to let the whole world know we’re getting married.”
“I think that’s a splendid choice.”
“Right?”
We walked between the columns, still holding hands.
It was probably the path we would walk on the wedding day.
As if envisioning that day, Eliya’s eyes sparkled like a dream.
And I imagined that future as I looked at her.
‘Eliya in a wedding dress…’
Nice. Hmm.
Our eyes met, and she smiled happily and transparently.
“The date is in a few weeks. I set it arbitrarily. There aren’t many dates that can fit the guests’ schedules. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Anytime is fine with me.
“I’ve roughly picked the guests from my side, how about Judas? Anyone you want to invite?”
“Hmm… Is anyone fine?”
“Yep. Anything you request.”
I had a few, not many.
People who’ve helped me and whom I want to celebrate with.
“First, the eleven from the royal guard… no, I mean the imperial guard now.”
“Yep. And?”
“I want to invite Gawain… no, Gallahaid too.”
“Okay.”
“And… Yurideke and Orphe. Also Shylock and Hermis….”
“Hermis?”
“I swear on my heart it’s not because I have any strange feelings!”
“Hmm. Well, alright. No, it works out better this way. It’s a chance to firmly imprint that you’re mine.”
…Hermis probably doesn’t have any feelings at all, yet somehow, I’m getting jealous of the wrong person.
Just looking at that is quite adorable, and it makes me feel like I’m in trouble.
Then, suddenly, I had a thought.
‘Who is Eliya inviting?’
There was no need to think long.
It would all be public guests.
Figures politically linked to her as the Empress or Pope.
Eliya didn’t have anyone close personally by her side.
Except for Maria and me, genuinely no one else.
Even my relationship with Maria has a very thin wall.
It’s not that their relationship is awkward.
I can see through my eyes that they cherish and love each other.
But, there’s a distance that must arise between a parent and a child.
So, I’m the only one she can be open with.
In a way, it’s an isolated relationship for her.
That realization somehow felt sad.
“Don’t worry.”
Eliya suddenly said.
The smile on her face looking up at me seemed almost benevolent.
She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her body close, speaking as if she could see through my heart.
“I just need you. It’s not just empty words. Just you alone fills me up and overflows; I don’t need anyone else. I hope no one else gets involved. So, sometimes, I’m grateful that it’s just you by my side.”
Is it okay for a person’s life to be completely dependent and controlled by just one person?
I’m not sure.
I don’t know the answer to such a complicated question.
The only clear thing I know is that I have to take care of Eliya and make her happy.
I didn’t dislike that responsibility.
“So, you don’t have to worry. I’m really okay.”
On her clear smiling face, there wasn’t a single speck of dust.
Seeing her like that, I hugged her again.
What came next was my genuine feelings that I let slip without realizing it.
“…Did you think I was any different?”
When you think about it, I’m not much different from Eliya.
If you take Eliya out of my life, there’s nothing left.
That’s not me.
That time I wandered without remembering Eliya proves it.
Life I lived before coming here.
All those encounters and events here are part of who I am.
But ultimately, Eliya is the central axis.
When I lost the memories we shared, I outright denied this world.
Even though the imperial guards and Gawain are close enough to be family, only Eliya is someone I can reveal everything to.
“…….”
I suddenly found myself feeling shy about saying that.
Because of that, I tried to hug Eliya tightly, but she wouldn’t let me go.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips against mine.
It was as if she couldn’t contain her impulse.
After a passionate kiss, we carefully pulled away.
“I’m so happy.”
With a slightly reddened face, Eliya looked at me and smiled.
“I’m really happy that you feel the same way I do.”
I felt the same way.
The pleasantly racing heartbeat wasn’t just due to excitement or a new experience.
A settled happiness filled my heart deeply.
“I feel the same.”
*
In the vibrant garden.
Flowers of various colors bloomed everywhere.
With well-maintained grass, flowers, and trees, this place felt more like a greenhouse than a garden.
But surprisingly, this isn’t a greenhouse.
It has plenty of grass and flowers, so it can be termed a greenhouse, but they don’t sell the flowers.
I sat on a bench.
Waiting anxiously for no particular reason.
In fact, there was no reason to be anxious, but I felt that way.
On one hand, I was also excited.
In front of me, there was a tent set up with white fabric.
A large, neat tent typically used for festivals.
I waited for someone to come out from inside.
The fabric rustled, and someone stepped out.
Before I knew it, I sprang to my feet.
Though, it wasn’t the person I was waiting for.
It was the manager of this place, the staff who came in to assist the person I was waiting for.
“Your Majesty, the first outfit is ready. Would you like to see it?”
This is a dress shop specializing in wedding attire, and I was waiting for Eliya to try on her wedding dress.
Despite my anxious mood, I nodded.
“…Yes.”
Finally, the person I was waiting for stepped out from the tent.
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