Two months.
In two months, I will become a married man.
Marriage.
Can I really endure such a sophisticated sociological act?
I don’t know.
The Valtarian Empire and the Gael Holy Kingdom have publicly announced the date and location of the wedding. Invitations were sent to the nobles and clergy loyal to the empire and the holy kingdom.
The Red Dragon of the Empire and the White Dragon of the Holy Kingdom.
And there’s even the Platinum Princess, acclaimed as the most beautiful in the Empire.
A joint wedding ceremony featuring three of the continent’s beauties will be held simultaneously. Upon hearing the empire and holy kingdom’s announcement, kings and nobles across the continent were keenly desperate to get their hands on an invitation.
“How about an artificial limb forged from Orichalcum? When you pull the fingers like a trigger, the blades inside shoot out simultaneously!”
“Speak! Are you dissatisfied with me?”
“There’s even one with ultra-alloy! If you grip it tightly, a high-temperature beam fires! And with one more push, it can even self-destruct, turning everything around into ashes…”
“Did only idiots gather at the Magic Tower?”
I ordered the artificial limb.
At that, the Grand Magicians at the Magic Tower mobilized all their skills and resources like students at a competition to create dazzling artificial limbs.
They claimed it was to repay the favor of saving the sage, but in reality, it was just a facade to show off their own abilities. The gruesome artificial limbs, which were essentially weapons, hinted at this.
“Damn it! I said to make it ordinary! I asked for an artificial limb, not a weapon!!”
“B-but…!”
Ordinary.
In a tower filled with madmen and eccentrics, creating something ordinary was a tall order.
A simple design.
Universal with no functions whatsoever.
Since countless nobles are expected to attend the wedding, an ordinary artificial limb was obviously required. If I showed off a bizarre and cluttered design, it would undoubtedly turn into a circus act.
“Please, I’m begging you to make an ordinary artificial limb! Before I drop a nuclear bomb on the Magic Tower!!”
Damn it.
Will I be able to prepare everything on time?
Not just the artificial limb.
Many things piled up for the wedding.
People tend to fear the unknown. Experiencing something for the first time, including in both past and present lives, can make one feel as apprehensive as a goat standing on a narrow bridge facing the unknown.
—
To shake off the worries coiling in my mind, I strolled through the garden.
After some time passed, I happened to run into Maximilian and Beatrice.
I briefly thought I might be interrupting a date between the man and woman while stepping forward to disrupt the cozy time shared by the hero and the saintess.
“How’s the wedding prep going? I heard it’s proceeding smoothly.”
“Not at all. Since it’s my first wedding, I have no idea what to do.”
“It’s just growing pains that every newlywed faces before their wedding. I believe you’ll overcome it well.”
“Hmm… I guess I’ll somehow manage.”
I forced a smile at Beatrice’s analogy of newlyweds experiencing the inevitable growing pains.
She wasn’t wrong.
Humans grow through their growing pains.
Maximilian nodded in agreement, responding to Beatrice’s encouragement. Being unexpectedly cheered on, I shrugged my shoulders, feeling a bit awkward.
“It’s just a ceremony where you exchange rings and pledge your relationship. You’re too tense.”
“What do you know? Anyone would think you’re already married!”
I never once thought about whether I could marry before my older brother.
What do I care?
If you’re feeling aggrieved, you should have married first.
“I’ll definitely attend the wedding! Hang in there, Edan!”
“…”
I still thought of Ludmilla and Zebeline as Beatrice’s ex-girlfriends.
And I had a rocky relationship with Elizaveta.
I doubted they would blatantly refuse to attend the wedding. However, the new bride, the saintess, and the princesses would likely show discomfort right upon seeing Beatrice.
“I’ll bring Father with me.”
“Of course, the older brother should attend the younger brother’s wedding. Come early and collect the wedding money. We can filter out guests who’re stingy with their contributions right away.”
“That’s quite a joke.”
“I’m being serious.”
Is there anything more important than the wedding money for the ceremony?
The wedding money.
It’s a way to materially verify the guests’ sincerity attending the event.
To give little wedding money at a wedding hosted by the Valtarian Empire and the Gael Holy Kingdom? That would be seen as a rude act of rebellion against the empire and the holy kingdom!
“Then it’s better to leave it to Felix…”
“The Mercenary King is in charge of security.”
We had already completed the role assignments.
Querisa would officiate, and Madbay would host it.
In truth, I wanted to ask Beatrice to officiate, but it was thwarted by Zebeline’s and Elizaveta’s strong opposition. Thus, I had to ask Beatrice to take on the role of assisting the bride.
“Max! This is a good opportunity to repay Edan! And Saint Zebeline, Prince Ludmilla, and Princess Elizaveta saved us from the abyss, right? Let’s all do our best to repay them!”
“…”
The renowned hero of all time who will sit and collect wedding money.
Just thinking about it is horrifying.
I’d likely be treated as a comedian by the guests attending the wedding.
Maximilian was clearly displaying his displeasure. However, when Beatrice’s crystal-like eyes sparkled with pure desire and anticipation, he sighed heavily and lowered his head.
—
Three months passed in the blink of an eye like a teenage dream.
Spring.
The season of rebirth, where countless lives awaken from slumber.
A massive publicity campaign and preparations had been in progress for months for the wedding taking place in the Imperial City. It was an unprecedented event celebrating the beautiful saintess and princesses holding a joint wedding.
“I can’t believe how hard it was to get an invitation… Anyway, I’m just glad I get to attend.”
“This wedding is being co-hosted by both the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, right? I heard the competition for invitations was incredible.”
Every king from the continent belonging to the Alliance Conference attended.
This made the joint wedding of the Empire’s Red Dragon, the Holy Kingdom’s White Dragon, and the Platinum Princess even more noticeable.
An event that would be recorded in the family’s glory.
A crowd of nobles and clergy, gathered like clouds, looked around curiously as they headed to the ceremony.
“Oh!”
“I had expected it, but… this is amazing!”
Banners bearing the emblems of the Empire and Holy Kingdom adorned the ceiling of the wedding venue hallway.
And that’s not all.
Gorgeous decorations draped in platinum and numerous jewels caught the eye.
Gifts sent from all over the continent to congratulate the wedding of the saintess and princesses.
The scale of the wedding far exceeded expectations.
Even noblewomen and nobles who had experienced countless weddings and banquets praised the event, so it must have involved a massive budget.
“I heard that Prince Ludmilla turned twenty-eight this year? The Hohenberc family’s prince has truly unique traits. They say he looks just like my brother, a magnificent prince.”
“The Platinum Princess is one thing, but a spinster princess…”
Noblewomen who loved gossip whispered behind fans. Yet, the Empire’s knights on security duty in the wedding venue hallway swiftly intervened in solemn voices.
Their ears were quite sharp.
Noblewomen wearing luxurious dresses smiled awkwardly as they left the area.
“The wedding ceremony is about to begin!”
“Ahem, ahem! Guests should move to the wedding venue!”
Around noon, the adorably cute girls went piyong-piyong as they led the way.
Luinong.
A legendary species known as the mascot of the Saintess Party.
I heard the Hohenberc family has been taking care of Luinong that came out into the world. The nobility, captivated by Luinong’s cute appearance, followed behind them into the wedding venue.
“The first bride of today’s wedding is making her entrance! From the Valtarian Empire, the second princess, Her Highness Ludmilla Dreg Valtaria!”
After a while, as all the guests who received invitations were seated, the wedding ceremony began.
It was time for the bride to appear.
With the voice of Madbay, the officiant, the guests’ gazes turned to one side.
“Oh!”
“She’s truly beautiful!”
A bride adorned in a pure white wedding dress decorated with red roses entered the venue.
The second princess,
Ludmilla Dreg Valtaria.
Her highness Isabel, the first princess serving as the maid of honor, gently lifted the hem of the wedding dress to help Ludmilla walk into the aisle without tripping.
“The second bride is now entering! From the Gael Holy Kingdom, the White Dragon, Saint Zebeline!”
A bride dressed in a pure white wedding dress adorned with silver bells walked into the wedding venue as well.
The first saintess,
Zebeline Albion Russell.
The beautiful new bride, with her flowing silver hair, was accompanied by the previously missing second saintess, Beatrice. As the holy kingdom’s saintesses entered in such a lovely sight, the guests responded with warm applause.
“And finally, the third bride is making her entrance! Known as the Empire’s finest and the Platinum Princess, Her Highness Elizaveta von Valtaria!”
The bride adorned a pure white wedding dress embellished with the petals of golden flowers that glimmer like gold, capturing the attention of all the guests seated at the ceremony.
The third princess,
Elizaveta von Valtaria.
Her captivating beauty seemed to incarnate the goddess of beauty and love, evoking feelings of both admiration and envy. The Platinum Princess, known as the fairest of the empire, wearing a pure white wedding dress produced fierce and merciless synergy.
“Ucha, ucha…!”
Elizaveta’s maid of honor was a cute girl with green hair flowing down.
Rue Luinong.
The mascot of the Saintess Party and the partner of the groom, Edanant.
She lifted the hem of the dress with her tiny hands, trailing behind with short strides. Although she nearly tripped over her own feet, she fortunately guided Elizaveta down the aisle.
“Now! The lucky man to welcome all these beautiful brides is about to make his entrance!”
Madbay extended his hand and pointed in one direction.
Along with that, a cheerful drumbeat sounded, naturally guiding the guests’ attention.
Clang!
Felix, the Mercenary King in charge of the wedding’s security, opened the tightly shut door, announcing the main character’s entrance.
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