Chapter 153: The Fortuitous Wedding 1

“Hah…”

Having changed into my attire amidst heavy tension.

And… as always, Polena stood by my side.

“It suits you well, Master. The outfit seems to fit you better than expected.”

“Hmm… Not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult…”

“Heheh…”

Polena let out an amused chuckle.

Seeing her demeanor, I felt the burdensome weight on my mind ease slightly in that moment.

‘Speaking of which, marriage… Who would have thought I’d actually go through with this?’

A marriage to my beloved – something inconceivable in my previous life.

Moreover, a truly grand-scale wedding befitting the term “opulent luxury.”

I harbored both anticipation and trepidation.

‘Well, considering it’s an imperial princess’ wedding, I suppose such extravagance is only natural… Yet from my commoner origins, it feels excessively over-the-top.’

Of course, since arriving in this world, I had grown accustomed to the treatment accorded to nobility.

Yet even so, being the pivotal life event that marriage was, I could not avoid feeling burdened.

Observing Polena’s considerate efforts to alleviate those feelings, I found myself grateful once more for her thoughtfulness.

‘She is indeed far too magnanimous to be a mere servant to someone like me.’

With those thoughts, Polena and I proceeded to exit the waiting room.

To meet her, who awaited me there.

Beholding the multitude of people before her eyes, she…

Queen, the disciple of the Great Witch Soul who went by the name Fredy, began to feel profound astonishment well up within.

‘Remarkable… Befitting a princess’ wedding, the scale is truly immense. Moreover, each and every guest present is either a prominent noble or someone of renown…’

The number of guests alone easily exceeded a thousand.

Many famous figures recognizable even to the Bohemian Queen had gathered, while the ceremony hall itself exuded the pinnacle of opulent extravagance.

At the center stood a pair of dragon statues crafted from silver and rubies – the emblem of the Dragonian Imperial Family. Ornaments adorned with gold and precious gems were arranged throughout.

At a glance, it unmistakably conveyed the grandeur of an imperial wedding.

Witnessing this, Queen – formerly of a count’s household – nodded quietly in acknowledgment.

‘The Dragonian Imperial Family has traditionally espoused frugality as a virtue… Yet they clearly spare no expense for such occasions. Well, this is the very venue to display imperial majesty.’

A monarch’s frugality held pragmatic merits, to be sure.

History abounded with nations rendered destitute by excessive indulgence, a pitfall especially prevalent among mighty empires intoxicated by power.

However, indulgence could not be dismissed as a mere superfluous gratification of individual whims.

Inaccessible opulence served, at times, to underscore imperial authority.

A display of national wealth and cultural prowess, suppressing external forces and internal detractors.

Resplendent palaces, lavish attire, and grandiose ceremonies existed for this very purpose.

Hence, a monarch needed to deftly balance frugality and indulgence – a feat Queen recognized as no simple task in the case of the Empress Mina Rosebeta Dragonia, clearly no ordinary ruler.

‘Maintaining frugality in daily affairs to avoid fiscal strain, yet selectively indulging in extravagance when politically expedient to project power…’

Striking that balance was not merely difficult, but nigh impossible for most.

From that perspective, Queen found herself filled with renewed admiration for her personal idol.

‘The one who elevated our humble Bohemian-Lepsorian principality to an empire rivaling the Holy Imperium… While my presence here leaves me uneasy, it would not be entirely unpleasant to behold that person, if the chance arises.’

As Queen entertained such thoughts, her mentor Soul, standing beside her, inquired in a cautious voice:

“Apologies, I would have preferred we avoid this if possible.”

“No, it’s alright. For the sake of your reputation as my mentor, I should make an appearance.”

As she spoke, Queen gently caressed her cheek.

The hard surface of the mask she now wore.

She currently concealed her face with a hastily procured mask due to an “accidental” injury from the previous day.

Though the wound itself was not deep and could be quickly healed with restorative magic, the princess’ impending nuptials made her situation rather inconvenient. Thus, for today, she had opted to wear bandages and a mask over her face.

Of course, the true reason stemmed from Queen’s personal predicament – revealing her face here could prove dangerous.

‘At least this should suffice for now… Come to think of it, I came here so preoccupied with my own matters that I don’t even know whose wedding this is…’

So focused on overcoming her crisis, Queen had no leeway to ponder whose princess was marrying whom.

Having regained some composure, she could now turn her attention to her surroundings.

Thus, she addressed her mentor Soul in hushed tones:

“By the way, mentor… who is this princess getting married today?”

“Honestly, I don’t know the details either. I’ve only seen her a few times in childhood. She’s the duchess’ youngest daughter who apparently ran away for quite some time before returning. From what I’ve heard, she met her groom-to-be during that period.”

“I see…”

The story, at first glance, seemed rather romantic in nature.

Love transcending class divides.

While Queen fully understood such notions to be impractical – foolish, even, from a cynical viewpoint – she could not deny a certain romantic allure.

Marriages of nobility were akin to grand bargaining chips laden with immense stakes.

Though Queen personally disliked the practice, she could not dismiss its utility – a necessary evil, in her perspective.

‘Come to think of it, that younger brother of mine ultimately entered into a political marriage as well. Just an engagement for now, but the rest is a foregone conclusion.’

During his period of wandering, her younger brother had taken a fancy to a lowly holy knight.

Yet in the end, for political gain, he too had to marry into a noble household.

Such was the harsh reality, and the romantic tales of folklore were nothing but fiction, in Queen’s view.

However…

This wedding before her seemed notably devoid of such calculated pragmatism, leaving Queen with a profound impression.

‘Marriage transcending class for love’s sake… I never imagined such things truly existed. Well, I suppose a fortuitous convergence of circumstances.’

With those thoughts, Queen began observing the bride and groom gradually making their entrance…

The fortunate protagonists of this rare love story.

And then…

“…Huh?”