Ch.138Side Story) Race (10)

As time passed, I faced my first wedding ceremony.

My heart had been racing since morning. I was nervous about my first marriage, but also because this was the first official event where I would be presented to the people of Mels territory.

Of course, I had shown my face when we first took over the territory, but that was only for a brief moment.

Through this event, I would properly make my mark.

During this time, we had cleared out the criminals from the streets of Mels and rebuilt the territory with aid from the Praester family.

Even without actively seeking it out, I could tell that support for us was growing day by day.

Besides, with Kirsy, Asena, and Daisy helping manage the territory, there was no reason for anything to go wrong.

I thought there wouldn’t be any problems as long as the territory’s people thought positively of us, but I couldn’t help feeling nervous anyway.

“You look splendid, Lord Caden.”

The head maid Ewin said as she adjusted my formal attire with the chimera emblem embroidered on the shoulder.

She circled around me once to check if anything was lacking, then slowly adjusted my collar.

“Thank you, Ewin.”

She smiled brightly at my words, then paused for a moment while holding my collar.

“…?”

In that strange moment of silence, Ewin quietly whispered.

“…You really look handsome, big brother.”

I chuckled at her playful joke. When I patted her head, Ewin smiled and began tidying up around me.

I examined myself in the mirror.

A handsome suit, a beautiful sword at my waist, and my hair styled up for the first time. It seemed good enough.

Knowing the event would begin soon, I started walking.

Today, numerous servants followed behind me.

The moment I stepped out the door, a long procession formed behind me.

They were all people who served me, people whose bonds would grow stronger over time, people who would become part of the Mels household.

“Where are the others?”

I asked Ewin who was following behind me.

“They’ve already departed,” she replied.

“Hmm. What about Daisy?”

“She’s still getting ready.”

Daisy and I had chosen our procession route after much deliberation. We selected a path that would circle through the streets of Mels while ensuring everyone could see us.

It was necessary to clearly establish who the lord of this region was.

So, our wedding venue was the starting point of that procession. Grandmother Riana, Count Hexter, Judy, the twins, and our other acquaintances seemed to have already gone there.

Daisy, like me, needed to get dressed up, and as the main character should appear last, she had stayed behind.

Before departing for the wedding venue, I went to meet Daisy.

As I arrived at Daisy’s room, I saw many guards who were there to escort her.

After exchanging brief greetings with each of them, I knocked on the door to Daisy’s room.

-Knock knock knock.

‘Yes?’

Her voice came through.

“Daisy, it’s me.”

‘Ah..! Caden..!’

“May I come in?”

‘……..’

At my question, Daisy didn’t answer for a long time.

Was there something she was hesitant about?

“…Daisy?”

‘…Caden…I’m, I’m sorry….’

“Yes, go ahead.”

‘…I…I want to see you for the first time at the venue. I’m not completely ready yet…and…I’m not mentally prepared to see you yet…’

I could hear other maids inside squealing and making a fuss.

I burst into laughter at the sound, then nodded.

“I understand, Daisy. I’ll head out first then.”

‘Yes. See you later.’

I gave a faint smile to the maids who were looking at me, shrugged my shoulders, and walked away.

****

All along the way here, numerous territory residents cheered at my carriage.

I could tell how happy they were with the policies implemented by Kirsy, Daisy, and Asena.

Well, the biggest factor was probably the expulsion of the Payne family, who had been deeply involved in crime.

I already felt that this wedding ceremony would be a success.

Soon we arrived at the wedding venue.

It was an open space on an elevated position. Like a stage, it was a place where many people could look up and see us.

Looking through the carriage window, I could already see many familiar faces.

They noticed my arrival too, and began to move about excitedly.

The carriage drove up to them and stopped.

As I rose, buttoned my clothes, and took a deep breath, the coachman approached and opened the carriage door.

I began to step out of the carriage with dignity.

The first people my eyes found were Judy, Kirsy, and Asena.

Behind them, I could see Grandmother Riana, Count Hexter, and the Praester household members like Helen, Lawrence, Tein, and others.

And behind them were numerous guests who had come to celebrate my marriage with Daisy.

As I walked down the carriage steps, Judy approached me with her mouth open.

“…How do I look?”

I asked, feeling a bit embarrassed about dressing up and finding the atmosphere awkward.

Judy blinked as she looked at me, then lowered her eyes, then raised them again, repeatedly.

“…Is it bad?”

When I asked again, Judy shook her head vigorously.

“…It’s…it’s fine.”

“…Then I’m glad.”

Next, Kirsy stood before me.

Her belly was definitely starting to show.

The fact that she was carrying my child brought an indescribable tenderness and preciousness.

She threw herself at me without saying a word.

“Whoa!”

I caught her very carefully and stroked her head.

“Kirsy, you need to be careful. Are you feeling alright?”

“Brother, you look so handsome today.”

She said.

Then she raised her head and puckered her lips.

“…Um…today is the day of my marriage to Daisy, so perhaps we should show some restraint—”

“—Quickly, brother.”

In the end, I gave her a light kiss.

“Hehe.”

“I’m glad you’re not in a bad mood.”

“…Yes. After all, you love me the most, right?”

I had never said I loved any one of them the most, but I didn’t want to spoil Kirsy’s happiness.

I just embraced her gently.

Asena was the last.

With a stern face, Asena slowly took me in from head to toe.

She approached slowly, and like a snake, elegantly but lightly embraced me.

One hand gently on my shoulder. The other on my back.

“….Haah.”

She sighed first. Did she not like how I looked?

“…What? Is it bad?”

“……No.”

“Then?”

“…….”

She continued to show signs of discomfort. I looked over Asena’s shoulder at Grandmother Riana, silently asking with my eyes if something had happened. Grandmother shook her head, indicating nothing was wrong.

“What’s wrong?”

Asena whispered in a voice only I could hear.

“…..For my wedding, you need to look even better than this….but how can you look better than this.”

It was the kind of thing others might say as a joke, but Asena was completely serious.

She really seemed upset about it.

The mindset of a woman with extreme jealousy wasn’t easy to understand.

Asena separated from me and looked up.

“Brother.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s set our wedding date soon.”

“….Do we have to talk about that today?”

“Grandmother is here too. And…”

She glanced at Kirsy.

Kirsy was cradling her belly with a satisfied expression.

She was even whispering things like ‘Daddy looks really handsome, doesn’t he?’ to her belly.

Asena frowned at the sight.

“……You know?”

She asked, turning her gaze back to me.

If I had to interpret it… she was jealous and would be angry if I didn’t love her as much as Kirsy.

Recently, whenever Asena and I were alone, she had been constantly expressing dissatisfaction. She didn’t seem to be in a good mood. That might explode today.

Since such a thing shouldn’t happen on our wedding day, I slipped my fingers through Asena’s hair and gently stroked the back of her neck.

“…Ah..”

“Asena. You know I love you. There’s no reason to feel insecure.”

“…….”

“…..Slowly, okay?”

Almost imperceptibly, a subtle change appeared in Asena’s cold, rigid expression. The anger that had built up seemed to have dissipated somewhat.

I smiled and began to talk with the rest of the guests.

****

Time passed, and the wedding ceremony proceeded.

Many territory residents were watching the square. I walked up to this place that was like a stage.

Applause and flower petals began to flutter. Cheers echoed like thunder. Everyone was calling out my name.

Kirsy was clapping with an excited face. Judy was waving at me with a small smile, and Asena was sitting modestly with her characteristic stern expression.

Many students I had seen at the Academy, their parents, nobles with various titles, and knights were congratulating me.

Then the commotion began to die down.

Now it was Daisy’s turn to come.

As she entered, it was as if the entire territory held its breath.

No matter how lightly she stepped, her footsteps seemed to echo everywhere.

Soon, Daisy appeared before everyone in a pure white dress.

Thunderous applause began. It was incomparable to mine.

I felt awkward at the stark difference, but also happy at the same time.

I was grateful that everyone was celebrating us so enthusiastically.

Of course, they couldn’t help it given Daisy’s beauty.

She had adorned herself to be the most beautiful bride in the world, and she took my breath away.

I couldn’t breathe properly until she walked up to me.

But it seemed Daisy felt the same way.

Her eyes were fixed on me, her expression dazed.

Even I could tell it was the face of a woman in love.

The time I had spent with Daisy flashed through my mind like a kaleidoscope.

The character I had liked the most before my possession. I grew up in her family’s orphanage and received their kindness, then met her at the Academy and developed feelings. We slowly grew closer after I handed her a flower at the jousting tournament, and eventually continued our relationship as knight and lady, finally blossoming our feelings for each other. Now, we who had been bound as fiancés were finally getting married with the cheers of many people.

The order of the wedding ceremony was erased from my mind.

The plans we had carefully crafted over a long time became blank.

The moment she stood before me, our intentions aligned.

I placed my hands on her waist and the back of her neck, and she put both arms around my neck.

We immediately began to share a kiss.

There might have been surprised gasps from the territory residents and warm laughter erupting here and there, but I wasn’t sure.

Because right now, only Daisy, my first marriage partner, filled my mind completely.