Ch.334334. Marriage (2) / Revision

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Marriage is undoubtedly a proud and blessed occasion. Looking through history, this event has always been treated as sacred in all cultures and religions.

And, in other words.

For such a grand event, there’s bound to be at least one uncomfortable relationship between guests who find it awkward just sitting near each other.

“…”

“…”

“…”

In a small reception room where family members gathered among the guests.

A woman with black hair tied in a ponytail tapped her wine glass with a distinctly displeased expression.

It was Professor Astrid who had regained her original “body.” Unlike Armin, who visibly showed the passage of time, she maintained the brilliant appearance of her youth.

Next to her was a maid who politely kept her eyes slightly closed and her head slightly bowed.

Caught between them, sweating so profusely that his upper garments were soaked, was Baron Armin Campbell.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Not a word.

Truly not a word passed between them.

The one who first broke the silence was Astrid, who had been glaring at both of them alternately.

“…While I was away.”

“…”

As Armin swallowed dryly, the sound of Astrid grinding her teeth fell in unison.

“You’ve gotten quite friendly with someone I’ve never seen before. Armin.”

“Oh my.”

As those words fell, Bella, who had been standing quietly beside them, covered her mouth slightly and interjected.

“I admit it might appear that way. But I have no intention of disrupting your peaceful marriage. I’m not shameless enough to covet someone who’s taken.”

“…”

“…Though I might have had my eye on him if he weren’t married.”

“What?”

“Nothing at all. I just hope you’d consider hiring me as a personal maid.”

“…I see.”

Astrid continued to glare at both of them alternately while swirling the wine in her glass.

“You’re not flirting, are you?”

“I’m someone who knows where to draw the line.”

“Right. This man should have been more popular when he was young.”

For a conversation between the groom’s parents and the bride’s associate at a wedding, this was remarkably catastrophic.

‘So this is what happens when the century’s playboy holds a wedding…’

That’s what the staff working nearby were thinking.

After all, Darwood Campbell’s womanizing was quite famous.

Just how many maidens had fallen victim to those wicked hands?

And, well.

Darwood always wondered why women were inexplicably drawn to him in droves, but seeing this, one didn’t need to look far for the answer.

To make a maid who looked at least twenty years younger fall for him so deeply in such a short time. His father was clearly quite skilled as well.

‘…So Darwood lives through this kind of thing every day.’

Of course, the person in question was groaning in intense sympathy for the battlefield his son must face daily.

Before he could even rejoice at his suddenly disappeared wife returning alive, before he could even defuse the situation, what kind of mess was this?

“Anyway, Astrid. What’s all this?”

Armin asked, pointing at their surroundings.

Around the venue was something like a circular barrier.

Of course, it wasn’t unnatural to have some security measures for a VIP wedding, but…

-!

-!!!

-!!!!!

“…”

Repeatedly, like this.

There were periodic sounds of something pounding on the barrier from outside.

With strange shouts like ‘I’m telling you I’m friends with Mr. Darwood!’ or ‘I just want to meet the bride’s side and say hello-‘ or ‘If you don’t come out, I’ll kill you first,’ and other such bizarre cries.

“Ah, this?”

Astrid snorted as she looked around.

“There were so many people trying to crash the wedding. The Tristan Duchess specially requested this to be made.”

“…”

“Without this, the building would have been completely destroyed, you know?”

He is his son, but…

What kind of battlefield has he been through until now?

To need such advanced technology to prevent other women from barging in. What on earth were people trying to do?

“Still, won’t these incidents decrease a bit after this event?”

That was probably a statement containing a fair amount of his own hope.

They say when a woman holds a grudge, frost falls even in May and June, and being caught between these two was already torture.

“…I don’t know, Armin.”

Astrid responded with half-lidded eyes.

“From what I can see, my son is already dead.”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t think they’ll stop just because Darwood becomes a married man.”

“…”

“Won’t they cause a huge fuss next, saying they want to do this too?”

Ah, I see.

Even Armin had to agree with that assumption.

As he nodded, the noise from outside the barrier grew increasingly louder. As if people were fighting each other.

“…Are they fighting?”

“Surely not.”

Even so, people who would cause such inconsiderate trouble at someone else’s wedding couldn’t be that common in the world.

It must just be commotion. Nothing serious.

“Come at me all at once, you damn women-! What kind of behavior is this, coming to a wedding-!”

“…”

It couldn’t be.

Probably.

“By the way, Armin.”

“Yes?”

“If we have multiple daughters-in-law, how should we set the house rules?”

“…Let’s think about that later.”

Armin barely managed to answer.

Of course, he knew that “later” wasn’t that far in the future.

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“Is she really out of her mind-?!”

Déjà vu.

Surely, she felt like this had happened a long time ago too.

Though she was screaming with irritation, such thoughts crossed Beatrix’s mind.

She definitely seemed to have grated on her nerves like this before.

“Her wedding is right around the corner, where the hell did she run off to?!”

“Bride, we’re preparing for your entrance-“

“Ah, yes! Just a moment!”

Despite her irritated outburst, Beatrix promptly responded to the staff’s guidance as she picked up the magical communication device with fire in her eyes.

-Click, thud.

And as soon as she heard the door opening, she turned toward it with blazing eyes.

No matter where she’d been, if it was for some trivial reason, she would absolutely pulverize her…

Considering the pattern so far, she probably caused some strange incident somewhere-

“…What happened to you-?!”

However, it seemed unlikely that such a wish would be fulfilled.

The sight of Elnore walking heavily into the room as the door closed behind her was that of a snow-white wedding dress stained with blood.

Not just bloodstained, but her entire body was marked with traces of fierce battle like someone severely injured. She looked as if she had just fought an intense battle alone…

“I had a life-or-death struggle with thieving cats who dared harbor discontent and tried to disrupt the wedding.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t kill them.”

Not that they would die easily even if she tried.

With those words, Elnore laughed “huhu-” with an expression that showed such determination that even Beatrix turned pale.

“…Forget the wedding, get your injuries treated first, you crazy woman…!”

“No need…! Rather, let’s proceed with the ceremony quickly…!”

It was truly a sentence filled with determination.

For Elnore, today was certainly an unlucky day.

Suddenly.

Really.

Without any warning.

-…

-…

-…!!!

From far away.

A massive “energy” was gathering.

“…What is that?”

Even Darwood, who was waiting in the groom’s room, felt the rapidly changing atmosphere and hastily threw open the window.

“The sky…!”

Someone screamed, pointing in one direction.

What rose near the Void Zone was a massive pillar of light.

Similar to the huge pillar of fire during the Red Night incident, but the size and appearance were different.

It was the opening of a passage to ‘another dimension.’

What could be felt from that pillar of light was a distinct “divine power” that even a layperson could clearly sense.

In other words.

It was likely a passage connected to the “Otherworld.”

There was only one place that could orchestrate such a thing.

“The Holy Empire…!”

Nearby.

With a pale Yuria beside him, Lucien screamed those words.

It was a disaster that came without any warning. Truly, it was too sudden.

Most people were shocked, frozen in place, and screaming, but.

“Bullshit.”

There was one person who felt nothing but pure anger at this fact.

“Don’t give me this bullshit…!”

“…”

“Why is this happening to me, this fucking world…!”

Even Darwood, who had been with her for so many years.

Had never heard such primal cursing from Elnore before.

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