After the banquet concluded, Bohemia’s Lord’s Castle regained its quietude.
In that place, Senel quietly looked at her “niece,” Cazerose, who stood beside her and spoke in a calm voice.
“First of all, I want to say thank you. For allowing the marriage… For bringing my mother here for this… Everything…”
“…No, I just did what I had to do.”
With a slight blush and a smile on her lips, Cazerose replied to Senel’s words.
Senel, with a heartfelt expression mixed with a hint of curiosity, looked at Cazerose and asked, “But why go so far to help? All this is just creating an extra seat next to the husband you love… Is it not a loss for you?”
“…Hehe…”
Cazerose chuckled lightly at Senel’s words.
Then, looking at her aunt Senel—no, even before that—this figure who was like family to her, her trusted and open-hearted Polena, she spoke with a genuine smile.
“I don’t really know if it’s a loss or not. You already know, right? I’m just a bit thickheaded when it comes to these things…”
“Still…”
“What I’m thinking is simple. I just want my precious people to be a bit happier… Mr. Santana, Senel, both of you have worked hard, and I wish for you to be as happy as you deserve. And… ultimately, I didn’t want to let Senel go… No, I didn’t want to let Polena go.”
“..Cazerose…”
As always, Cazerose spoke with an innocent expression.
Seeing her untainted side, Senel began to feel a tightness in her heart.
“…Since the first time I saw you, I’ve felt it… You’re just too good of a person…”
“Yes, even if my status does not reflect it, I’m still a priest serving my Lord in my heart. My wish for everyone’s happiness remains unchanged.”
From the very first moment they met, Cazerose had shown a consistent thoughtfulness for others over herself, like she was presenting the answer to the meaningless bloody disputes over religion that had lasted for the past ten years.
In response, Senel offered her thanks to the existence of a god for having such a good niece, and a gentle smile began to appear on her lips.
*
Wearing an elaborately embroidered pure white dress—something she thought she would never wear for eternity—Senel Polena Dragona felt a mix of slight tension and deep happiness.
Though she had deemed it impossible, this happiness that had arrived like a miracle today felt like an unreachable rainbow now in her grasp, bringing her a joy she had never experienced before.
At that moment, as she looked at her attire, she saw her mother, Mina Rozebeta Dragona Emperor, the one who made this miracle possible, shedding a few tears while joyfully witnessing her daughter’s wedding.
“Mom, don’t cry so much on this beautiful day.”
“Sniff… Haha… I’m sorry. Honestly, I didn’t expect to be this moved… My daughter is getting married… It still feels like a dream.”
“It was the same when Kattlena got married… You really never change in this regard, Mom.”
Senel spoke with a faint smile. Watching her, Empress Rozebeta, feeling nostalgic, suddenly recognized how much her second daughter had grown and began to feel a swell of emotion.
She then tightly grasped Senel’s hand. At that moment, she was not an empress or the strongest witch but simply a mother pure in joy at the situation before her.
With everything ready, Senel slowly stood up.
In front of her, Cazerose was entering the bride waiting room.
“Are you all set? Then let’s get going. Mr. Santana is waiting.”
“Let’s go, Mom.”
“Okay, understood, my dear.”
Finishing her sentence, Rozebeta, unusually stiff, held her daughter’s hand and walked out.
As Senel felt the emotions of her mother wrapped in that awkwardness, she held back tears, pushing forward.
*
Following her wishes, the wedding was not widely announced, resulting in a rather modest atmosphere.
Only family and her two wives, Cazerose and Estelle, were present, along with a few servants conducting the ceremony.
This was an incredibly simple wedding, devoid of even the customary officiant’s speech.
However, despite the small number of guests and the humble setting, I couldn’t shake off a deep tension, comparable to that of marrying Cazerose or Estelle.
‘It’s already the third time. Somehow, I still can’t get used to it…’
Someone might say having three weddings is a great blessing, but I was still anxiously waiting for the bride amid this discomfort.
Moments later…
Applause began to fill the air.
At the center, I gazed at Polena slowly approaching, holding hands with her mother.
In her pure white dress…
Polena, resembling her mother, took measured steps closer to me.
She looked like an angel descending from the heavens, and I couldn’t help but smile brightly.
Then, my mother placed her hand into mine, silently conveying trust through her expression as I bowed my head in solemn respect.
I promised myself…
I would make the woman in my hand happy.
We held tight to each other’s hands, leaving my mother behind.
Proceeding to the podium, we faced each other, our voices filled with tension and excitement as we began to declare our vows.
“I, Santana Andreas, promise to love my wife Polena forever and dedicate myself to her.”
My vow was imbued with anticipation for the future and a sense of duty as her husband.
After my declaration…
Polena, blushing and a bit tense, spoke with determined conviction.
“I, Polena, promise to love my husband Santana Andreas forever and to support and help him in any situation.”
Once as master and maid…
And now, as husband and wife…
Once again confirming our mutual trust through solemn vows.
When that concluded, I slowly embraced Polena.
And…
*Smooch.*
The warm kiss of a pledge signified our connection.
Ignoring the applause surrounding us, in that moment, we savored each other’s warmth, wishing for this happiness to last forever.
No matter what challenges may arise, we pledged to face them together as we had so far…
-END-
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