The next day.
"Hey! Are the bride and groom ready!?"
"Ready! They can enter at any time!"
"We're short on flower bags for the flower shower!"
"They were supposed to have been moved yesterday! Go check!"
"Catering is eighty percent finished!"
"Almost all the morning guests are here!"
"We have less than twenty minutes! Move it!"
The mansion had been a hive of activity since dawn, but as the ceremony drew near, the chaos reached its peak.
Leaving the commotion behind, I adjusted my suit and headed toward the wedding venue. Luck was on our side today—the sky was perfectly clear. Walking through the forest path while basking in sunlight that was unseasonably warm, I soon saw a large crowd gathered at the ceremony grounds we had all built together. As I drew closer, I felt a pulse of mana, followed by a noticeable change in temperature.
I had heard that volunteers would be maintaining barriers to ward off the cold and keep away potential rain for the outdoor party. This must have been their work. Of course, those "volunteers" were the Ducal House’s guards—specifically, the specialized barrier mages responsible for the estate's defense. They were top-tier professionals. Since they were working in concert, the resulting barrier was high-level and covered an impressive area. I can use barrier magic myself, but seeing this made me realize the massive gap in strength and scale between a professional team and an individual.
"Ten minutes until the scheduled time!"
Oops, this was no time to be analyzing magic.
I wove through the passing crowds and made my way onto the stage.
"Ryoma-kun!"
"Oh good, you made it in time."
"You were taking so long, I was starting to think something had happened."
"Sorry for the wait."
Camille, Jill, and Zeff—the three I had been drinking with yesterday—were already on the stage. Joining them were the Duke and Duchess, Arone the head maid, and Batz the head chef. The four from each side stood on the stage to act as the "family" for the bride and groom.
...Honestly, I was shocked when I was told this morning that I was expected to stand as part of the groom's family. I was just glad I had a suit that functioned as formal wear. And once again, cleaner slimes proved their worth.
"Mm... looks like it's starting," Jill muttered.
At the end of his gaze, the bell in the tower rang out once, its sound deep and resonant. The crowd in the square fell silent, parting to clear a path to the stage. The bell rang again.
A man who looked quite elderly emerged from the woods, dressed in white robes and leaning on a staff. He was currently the oldest resident of the mansion and was serving as our officiant today. In this world, marriage is considered "something recognized by the gods." It is established when a couple swears a sincere oath before a witness. That witness doesn't strictly have to be a priest; depending on the situation, it could be a village chief, a blacksmithing boss, or an elder.
The man chosen today was an elf who was a staggering one hundred and ninety-eight years old. He was Alafrar, a pharmacology technician employed by the Ducal House. His long life had made him an expert in various fields beyond medicine, and he served as an advisor for several departments. Accompanied by an assistant who kept a hand ready in case he tripped, he ascended the stage.
We exchanged nods as he passed, and he took his place in the center. Once the couple presented their status boards, he spoke.
"We shall now begin the wedding ceremony of Hughes, the groom, and Lulunese, the bride."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was low and carried clearly, declaring the start of the proceedings.
"Groom, bride... come forward and receive the blessings of those gathered here."
First came the procession.
"Pfft...! Heh, look at him."
"Hughes-san is a nervous wreck."
"His movements are so stiff."
"Even the guests have noticed. Look at them laughing."
Hughes emerged first amidst thunderous applause and a shower of flower petals. He was wearing formal attire that looked like a crisp tuxedo—something I had never seen him in—and walked toward the stage alone. However... he looked like a rusty robot.
Is he really that bad with pressure?
While I watched him with growing doubt, he reached the stage and turned around. At that moment, the bride, Lulunese, stepped out from the trees. The hem of her pure white wedding dress fluttered in the breeze as she walked forward, step by step. She also looked nervous, but she kept her eyes fixed on the man who was to be her husband.
The two took each other's hands and, arm in arm, climbed the stairs to the stage.
"Ugh..."
"..."
I heard someone sniffing and looked over to see Arone starting to cry. Batz stood beside her, looking like he was barely holding back his own tears.
"In the beginning, it is said that this world was nothingness... Into that void, the gods created all that is: the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, light and darkness."
This was a story everyone in this world had heard at least once. The officiant recited the myth of creation with a steady, rhythmic tone. As it ended, the ceremony reached its peak.
"Hughes, do you take Lulunese as your wife, to love, honor, and comfort her; to support her in health and in sickness, in joy and in sorrow, in wealth and in poverty; and to remain faithful to her with all your heart for as long as you both shall live... Do you so swear before the gods?"
"I do."
"Lulunese, do you take Hughes as your husband, to love, honor, and comfort him; to support him in health and in sickness, in joy and in sorrow, in wealth and in poverty; and to remain faithful to him with all your heart for as long as you both shall live... Do you so swear before the gods?"
"I do. I swear it."
"Very well. I, Alafrar, have witnessed your oaths. And to this newly joined couple, may the gods grant their approval—"
...Hm? Master Alafrar suddenly went rigid.
If the ceremony went as planned, this was the point where the "Married" title and their spouse's name should appear in the status columns of their boards. This served as proof of divine recognition. As soon as that was confirmed, the marriage would be declared official.
But one second passed, then two. Alafrar remained frozen. More accurately, he was motionless except for his eyes, which were darting back and forth as he stared at the two status boards. I started to get a bad feeling about this.
"What's going on?"
"Is the title not appearing? Don't tell me the gods didn't recognize them."
"Don't be ridiculous. I've heard stories of marriage fraudsters getting caught because of these titles, but that’s incredibly rare. Besides, there's no way that'd happen to Hughes."
Jill was clearly rattled. Did the titles really not show up? Or did something show up that shouldn't have? Since Alafrar kept staring at the boards, was it the latter? It couldn't just be that his eyesight was failing him, right?
Please, just say something!
"...................Hm?"
Whether he heard my silent plea or the murmurs of the confused crowd, Alafrar finally looked up, appearing to realize where he was.
"Ahem, my apologies... Everyone, please, be at ease. The gods have recognized this union!"
A wave of relief washed over the venue. But if that was the case, what had he been looking at so intently?
"And furthermore!"
Huh?
"Both of them have simultaneously received blessings from three separate deities. In all my long years, I have never seen anything so remarkable. Never forget the oaths you made today. Give thanks to the gods, and I sincerely hope the two of you build a wonderful life together."
Alafrar explained his shock in one go and immediately steered the ceremony back on track. However, given the circumstances, I was probably the only one there who was used enough to dealing with gods to process that information quickly.
Three gods at a time like this... It had to be Kufo, Lulutia, and Willieris, right?
"...Whoever it was, they were definitely watching."
The silence of the crowd broke, shifting from confusion to joy, and then to a thunderous roar of celebration. As the guests shouted their blessings with everything they had, the bride and groom embraced, looking utterly overwhelmed. The reception—which was usually the real party—was probably going to be absolute chaos after this. Actually, there was no "probably" about it.
"Hey, can you believe it? The gods actually blessed us."
"Yes... choosing you was the right choice. I'm certain of it now."
The two of them had tears in their eyes, looking so happy they were on the brink of sobbing. It was an unexpected surprise, but it certainly made for an unforgettable ceremony. I was genuinely happy for them.
But the slight sense of dread I felt regarding the upcoming party... I really hoped that was just my imagination.