I finished the formal introductions with the brides of the three beastmen: Gol, Sil, and Bron.
We had a banquet scheduled for afterward, but the start was delayed. It turned out the residents of Village Five had organized a surprise parade to celebrate the trio's marriage.
The planning had been spearheaded by Lu, Tia, Flora, Yoko, Yuri, and Saint Seles. I heard that two of the former Four Heavenly Kings had also put in a great deal of effort.
The reason Kuro and Yuki had been full of "regulars" was so they could relay the progress of our greetings to the staff waiting outside. Looking back, when I had tried to usher the customers out, Lu, Tia, and Yoko had been suspiciously quick to defend them.
I really wish they had just told me. I understand it was a surprise for the grooms, but did they really need to keep me in the dark too? They claimed they kept it a secret because they thought I’d object to such a flashy spectacle.
Well, they weren't entirely wrong. I probably would have tried to talk them out of it. However, if it was for Gol and the others, I would have happily cooperated. I wasn’t lying about that; it wasn’t like this was the first time I’d dealt with a parade.
Still, I had my doubts about riding in a carriage even more extravagant than the ones for the grooms. I wasn’t the star of the show; Gol and the others were. But when Lu gave me a heartbreakingly sad look, I relented and climbed aboard.
It was an open-top carriage. I shared the ride with the Demon King and Yoko. With the two of them beside me, I figured I wouldn't stand out much. I’d planned to spend the trip acting like the Demon King’s secretary to stay under the radar.
That plan failed instantly. For some reason, the Demon King was the one acting like my secretary. It felt entirely backward.
"Wave to the people over there," someone instructed.
"Understood," I replied.
I had assumed the route would be a simple trip from Kuro and Yuki to Sake & Meat Niz, but we ended up circling Village Five two and a half times. Nearly every resident was out watching. Behind the crowds, an endless line of food stalls had been set up.
While I appreciated the warm welcome, I wondered if such a grand celebration was truly necessary. Apparently, it was.
First, a marriage is only considered valid once it is recognized by the community. It isn't just a private promise between two people. Therefore, we had to report the union to God at the Village Five Church to receive a blessing.
Proper reporting is important, I suppose. Progenitor-san and Seles had handled the decorations. Despite it being winter, the building was adorned with flowers for "Wedding Ceremony Mode." Most of them were artificial, of course. When they told me they wished they could have done this in the spring, I wasn't quite sure how to respond.
Second, Gol and the others are officially treated as my children. Since it was a wedding for the "children" of the Village Head of Village Five, the event had to be publicized to every resident. Given the city's population, reaching everyone was impossible, but it was vital to demonstrate the effort of doing so.
I struggled to grasp that logic until Yoko provided a simple analogy.
"If a prince were to marry and the citizens remained in the dark, it would be a humiliation for both the crown and the people, would it not?"
I see. Still, even as an analogy, I wish people would stop treating me like a King.
Finally, there was one more major reason for the spectacle. At the very back of the parade, a massive number of couples were marching along. They were residents of Village Five who had been planning to marry. By joining today’s parade, they could receive a blessing at the church for free.
Well, "free" for them—the bill was going to me. It was meant as a push for those who had been hesitating because of the costs. It was a way of sharing the joy of Gol’s wedding with the whole town. To that end, I was also picking up the tab for the food stalls; everything was free and all-you-can-eat for the day.
However, there were far more people in the parade than I had expected. I wondered if church blessings were usually that expensive, but I was told that many couples who were already married had joined in as well. It seems not everyone in the village had been able to afford a proper celebration in the past.
They looked a bit anxious when they saw me, but I wasn't going to turn them away. In fact, the more people in the parade, the less attention would be on me. I certainly didn't forget the celebratory spirit, but I really could have done without the "Village Head Call" cheers.
At the end of the route, Alfred, Tiselle, Urza, and the other children of the Village of the Great Tree were waiting to welcome the grooms. Gol and his group were stunned. Honestly, so was I.
It wasn't that I hadn't intended for the kids to come. I just thought today was only for the initial greetings. I’d planned to hold a much larger ceremony later, and I figured they could attend then.
Yes, today was supposed to be just a simple greeting. The parade had turned it into a full-blown wedding. I’ll have to talk to the boys and see if they’re even up for a second "grand ceremony" after this.
In the meantime, I had to rein in Urza, Tiselle, and Nart. They clearly had a mountain of questions, but I told them to stop the interrogation because Gol and the others were clearly overwhelmed.
The banquet at Sake & Meat Niz proceeded without a hitch. We brought in food from various other shops as well, making for a very lively atmosphere. Since the conflicting aromas could be a bit much, I organized the spread: sweets in the front right, yakiniku in the back left, and ramen in the back right.
"No alcohol for the children," I reminded them.
As for Gol and the others... I personally felt it was still a bit early for them, but they are of legal drinking age in this world. Since they’re getting married, I was told there was no reason to stop them. Still, I warned them not to overdo it.
Fortunately, everyone was cautious about causing trouble and drank in moderation. My warnings weren't even necessary. It was a relief. Even Hou stayed away from the booze.
Hang in there, Hou!
Once the meal concluded, the brides returned to the Royal Capital via Beezel’s teleportation magic. Gol and the others went with them. While they had originally intended to move back to the village after the wedding, they’ve agreed to stay in the Royal Capital for a while longer to help Alfred and Urza when they enroll in the Academy next spring.
Apparently, the Demon King, Beezel, and Gratz had specifically requested their presence there. I’m happy they want to come home, but I told them to discuss it thoroughly with their wives first. Life in the village is a world away from the city. I can't assume everyone will enjoy that lifestyle or adjust well to it. Some of the brides have careers, too; Hou, for one, has already promised to continue her duties.
Well, that isn't for me to decide. It’s up to Gol and the others. I’ll be there to offer advice if they ask for it.
I wanted to start cleaning up, but the crowd wasn't thinning out. For every person who left, someone new arrived from outside. The celebrations in the streets showed no signs of stopping. I wondered how long this would go on. All night?
I suppose that’s just how things are here. I’ll just have to be glad that I finally found a way to spend some of the money I’d been hoarding. Yoko and the Goroun Company had been nagging me to do so for a long time, anyway.
"No staying up all night, kids," I told the village children. "Make sure you go back. If you’re staying in town, go to Yoko's mansion. Don't loiter here and cause trouble."
I asked Hakuren to lead the children away.
Draim and Dos had materialized out of nowhere, as usual. I didn't mind them drinking, but I told them not to harass the other guests. And for goodness' sake, someone needs to rescue the Demon King from them.