We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
A colossal ruin at the Wyvern Hunting Ground.
“Alright, most of the preparations are done.”
I wipe the sweat from my brow.
The sun appears to be setting beyond the ridges of Dragon Peak.
Tomorrow is finally the day of our grand stage.
“I hope the weather holds, though.”
“If it rains, I’ll curse all of you.”
“It’ll surely be alright. If it gets cloudy, Teruru-chan said she’ll blow the clouds away.”
“Even the weather…”
Rubion-san and Caster-san, like me, wipe their sweat with handkerchiefs.
They look back with wry smiles.
I can see Teruru-chan standing quietly at a distance from the venue for the ceremony.
Perhaps tired from playing, the young dragons Nimia, Fiorina, and Rimu are taking a nap on Teruru-chan’s back.
Teruru-chan’s back is covered in fluffy fur, and it feels soft and comfortable like downy feathers.
If no one wakes them up, the little ones will sleep soundly until tomorrow.
“It looks close, but we’ve maintained quite a distance, haven’t we?”
I nod at Caster-san’s question.
“Even though they’re behaving, they’re still magic beasts, you know. I know the guests won’t cause any trouble, but this is just in case.”
“And just in case, you created a labyrinth on the plains yourself…”
“It wasn’t me who created it!”
“Elnea-kun asked, and the young girl of the Mimicho race created it with the spirits. In that case, it’s no exaggeration to say Elnea created it.”
“Gnnnu, as expected, Rubion-san, the sharp-witted and famous one. You hit the nail on the head.”
“Elnea-kun’s flanks are open to attack!”
“Sniffle sniffle.”
Between the ceremony venue and Teruru-chan, a colossal labyrinth exists.
The part visible from the ground is a complex maze of trenches dug like moats, and the labyrinth extends five layers underground.
It turned out terrifying because Charlotte, the demon race’s chancellor who got carried away, placed demon race guards on the fifth underground level.
Even so, it’s pointless for those who can fly freely or bypass a complex maze in one go.
The labyrinth is more of an amusement park than a deterrent.
Teruru-chan is also one of the guests. It would be cruel to invite her and then isolate her. So, Teruru-chan is free to move around, and everyone else is actually free to ignore the labyrinth, bypass it from above, or approach from the sky to meet Teruru-chan.
However, the labyrinth was created with great effort by Priscilla-chan and Ares-chan, with the spirits creating a ruckus.
It might even be more difficult than the ancient ruins, now ancient labyrinth, located to the southeast of the capital city.
If anyone dares to enter knowing this, they are welcome to do so, that’s our stance.
“The tents are all set up.”
“The inspection of the bridges over the waterways is also complete.”
“All that’s left is to wait for tomorrow.”
“Of course, there will be special rewards for us who helped, right?”
People who finished their preparations in other areas also began to gather around us one after another.
At first, we wanted to do a handmade ceremony with as few people as possible.
But in the end, we ended up getting help from so many people like this.
The Armēdo Kingdom’s people handled the preparations such as setting up tents, mats, and the stage for the ceremony.
The Beast race and magic beasts secured our territory so that wild carnivorous beasts wouldn’t approach the venue.
Wyverns that flew in early from the Yorttenitos Kingdom and dragons who descended from Dragon Peak brought a lot of collected ingredients. The Dragon race and Mimicho race then prepared and cooked them.
Luxurious food and drinks are not just for tomorrow, but also served to the people, dragons, magic beasts, and spirits who are helping like this.
Also, since each race has different seasonings and cooking methods, a wide variety of ethnic cuisines are scheduled to be available at tents set up around the venue tomorrow.
What was surprising was the demon race’s royal chefs brought by the Giant Demon Lord.
I had seen and eaten luxurious food at the royal palaces of the Armēdo Kingdom and the Yorttenitos Kingdom before, but I never expected demons to create dishes several levels above that so brilliantly!
The magnificent dishes, said to be royal cuisine, were not only visually stunning but also delicate in taste and texture, impressing those who tasted them.
The human chefs seemed eager to learn techniques from the demon royal chefs, but they are a terrifying race.
They seem to be trying to steal techniques from a distance, with awe.
This might become a very popular cooking class someday.
Also, I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s food.
The demon royal chefs who create food that amazes other races even in the preliminary stage.
It’s so delicious that I could drop my cheek even with the “worker’s meal,” so I wonder how exquisite it will be in the main event.
Priscilla-chan, who knows no fear, has been stealing food from the chefs whenever they weren’t looking.
She’s apparently full before dinner and was scolded by her mother earlier.
The reason Priscilla-chan isn’t among the little ones on Teruru-chan’s back is because of that.
“It’s lively, isn’t it?”
“This is more like a festival than a wedding ceremony.”
“Indeed. From our human perspective, we have a prejudice that wedding ceremonies are solemn events held at temples.”
“Then, is this arranged to suit Mistral, the young lady of the Dragon race?”
“No, that’s not right, Rubion-san. For the Dragon race, it seems to be customary to be celebrated by the tribe members. However, our ceremony’s basic policy is to have fun together.”
“Having fun together, you say… It’s an important ceremony, isn’t it? Is that okay?”
“Precisely because it’s an important ceremony, Caster-san.”
Seeing me smile meaningfully, Caster-san and Rubion-san exchanged bitter smiles, saying “We don’t understand.”
Indeed, our wedding ceremony is not ordinary.
This is likely largely due to Mistral, the Dragon race, being included as one of the brides.
If it were only humans, I might have held the ceremony solemnly at the Great Shrine.
However, Mistral, while showing interest in the Temple Religion, is not a believer. Forcing her to conform to human customs is not what we desire.
On the other hand, if we were to adopt the format of the Dragon race, where they are celebrated by their kin, it would be unfair to Ruiseine, the clergy.
So, we came up with a plan.
It was to make it a special ceremony just for us.
No one, including the many people helping, knows what kind of ceremony it will be.
Ah, I’m looking forward to tomorrow!
“However, isn’t the area around the ritual site a bit bare? The waterways are amazing, but…”
“I agree with Lord Rubion. I’ll see how your ceremony turns out tomorrow with my own eyes, but the decorations still feel a bit plain.”
“What do you think about putting up flags or banners around the area?”
“Fufufu, it’s alright. Please look forward to tomorrow, including those aspects.”
The venue had been prepared with a full lawn beforehand.
Yes. I even danced the Dragon Sword Dance!
As many spirits were gathered, nature was easily revitalized, and the ground is covered with a fluffy lawn.
The Wyvern Hunting Ground is a vast grassland, but without any work, it’s just a wild land.
In some places, stones and rocks were scattered, and bare brown earth was exposed. We leveled them, grew grass, mowed it neatly, and surrounded the area with flowers.
This way, it should feel good to lie down on the ground tomorrow.
Also, several deep waterways ran vertically and horizontally throughout the venue.
These are paths that water dragons can freely travel through.
Old Sleigsta listened to my request.
He flew all the way from the Dragon Forest and let out a roar. A giant depression was created on the eastern side of the venue.
Then, sprites of the water attribute, dragons, and Ruilala worked hard to fill it with water. We also dug waterways connected to the artificial lake together.
Indeed, it was a massive construction project.
The venue, divided into several sections by the intersecting waterways, will serve as the seating assignments for the guests tomorrow.
We need to distribute an attendance guide and inform everyone who will be attending the ceremony in which section.
Incidentally, several sturdy bridges were built over the waterways, strong enough for earth dragons to pass.
This way, there will be no obstacles to movement.
The venue is fully prepared with thorough groundwork.
However, although tents and the like are prepared outside the venue, the central part is indeed bare.
Of course, we will arrange tables and chairs by tomorrow, but that is for the guests.
The ceremonial stage, where the wedding ceremony will be held, is simply a wooden floor a few steps higher than the ground.
The stage is located on the west side of the venue, with Dragon Peak in the background, but there are no unnecessary decorations around it.
Not only Caster-san and Rubion-san, but also the people involved in the construction seem a little bewildered by the bare stage.
But well, this is also for tomorrow’s enjoyment.
We want to do the final touches with our own hands.
As I was chatting with the people who had finished their work, Mistral and the others who were involved in the cooking came from the tent area.
“As expected, doing nothing but cooking is tiring.”
“Mistral. You’ve worked hard.”
“Elnea-sama, I’m tired.”
“I need a refill of Elnea-kun’s essence.”
“I’m lacking Elnea-kun’s nutrients.”
The women, except for Ruiseine, have gathered.
Unfortunately, Ruiseine is not here.
After all, she is always a Miko.
The night before the wedding ceremony, she apparently has to spend time calming her heart with her parents.
We are slightly unfaithful believers, but we have no intention of interfering with or denying Ruiseine’s customs. So, although it’s sad, we are separated from Ruiseine for tonight only.
Well, since we’ll be together forever from tomorrow, I can endure one night.
Or rather, is it alright for Yufilia and Nina to be here?
They are princesses, after all.
Don’t they have royal ceremonies or anything?
While slightly in doubt, I tried to comfort Mistral and the others who looked tired, but a wall of men appeared between me and the women!
“Fufufu, fools!”
“It’s forbidden to let the bride and groom meet on the eve of the wedding ceremony!”
“Dudes, tear these people apart!”
“Oooooooh!”
No, you don’t need that kind of manly solidarity, do you!? I thought, but had no time to react.
I was taken to a corner of the venue by the men.
It seems the guys also attacked Mistral and the others, as I saw people flying left and right while being taken away.
Because men dared to casually touch women…
I have a bit of possessiveness, thinking, only I can touch Mistral and the others’ skin!
Speaking of which, will I have dinner in the corner of the venue?
Although I can hear screams from the men in the distance, no one is coming to help me.
And it doesn’t seem like I can escape.
Zan is beside me. Not only that. Besides Id, Wol, and the other Dragon Kings, Rubion-san, Caster-san, Folganne, and Ruilala have all gathered.
A perfect encirclement. As expected, I have no chance of escaping these people.
“It’s the eve of the wedding. Tonight, let’s leave the women behind and talk amongst ourselves.”
“Talk about what!?”
“Oh dear, Elnea-kun. Well, you know, about crude topics.”
“I never thought I’d hear such words from Ruilala!”
“So, how is it? How far have you gone with your wives?”
“Uwah, that’s so vulgar!”
The sun hasn’t even set yet, and these men…
“Everyone, I think it’s better not to discuss such things right now.”
“What do you mean, ‘be a good boy’? Come on, confess. How is it?”
The men press in on me.
Ah, I feel like shrugging my shoulders.
Among my wives are your sisters and childhood friends.
And if you talk about this before dinner…
“Hohoho, the gentlemen seem to be having a lot of fun.”
The attending Miko, who brought dinner to the corner of the venue, looked at the men with tense faces.
Some even cast looks of blatant disdain.
Id, Ruilala, and others who are not human, or rather, those with robust spirits, didn’t seem embarrassed. However, the humans were different.
To be looked down upon and disliked by the Miko is the end.
Especially the First Prince, Rubion-san, is pale and shouting incomprehensible words.
See.
This is what happens when you try to talk about strange things before the sun sets.
Only I was laughing.
The next morning.
Today, I am finally getting married.
The people who were making a fuss about the eve festival are still sleeping wherever they please all over the venue.
It’s that early in the morning.
They will probably be woken up before the opening and participate in our wedding ceremony still hungover.
I quietly get up, trying not to wake up Zan and Id, who are sleeping nearby. Then, I walk towards the stage where the ceremony will be held.
It seems Mistral and the others have also woken up, and they are coming towards me before I can call out to them.
“Elnea, good morning.”
“Good morning, everyone.”
“Elnea-sama, good morning.”
“Elnea-kun, good morning.”
“Y-you guys, that’s cheating. Wait for me.”
“Ah, Ruiseine. Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“My, was it alright for you to come here?”
“Mist-san, please don’t tease me. I spent the previous night quietly with my parents. I hurried here this morning.”
“Did you properly greet your parents?”
“Yes, thanks to them. My parents are also in religious positions, so they are up early, no problems.”
So, it was good that Ruiseine could join us.
For some reason.
When we all gathered and looked at each other, smiles naturally bloomed.
“So, Elnea, is it really alright?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Elnea-kun, are you going to root it here?”
“No. It’s temporary. If it were the old me, I might have hesitated, but now I’m confident it’s not a problem.”
Answering Mistral and Ruiseine’s questions, I take the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword that I always carry at my right hip.
Then, I thrust it forward onto the stage.
The tip of the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword sinks into the grassy ground.
Then, the Spirit Tree Sapling, which was a wooden sword, began to grow rapidly.
Pushing aside the soil, the trunk thickens before our eyes. In front of our eyes, the Spirit Tree Sapling rapidly grows in height.
Then, it spreads its branches and leaves wide, revealing its true form.
We look up in awe.
The beautiful green canopy of the Spirit Tree spreads far above, too high for the Dragon race to leap.
“When we found it, it was so small.”
“It has grown.”
I gently touch the trunk of the Spirit Tree and speak to it. It replies.
The Spirit Tree shakes its leaves in the wind, as if happy and comfortable.
“We can’t call it a sapling anymore.”
Mistral, who, like me, knew its appearance when it was a slender, small sapling, looks up at the Spirit Tree with emotion.
“It was this big.”
“This one is also wonderful.”
“Splendid.”
“Wonderful.”
“I will celebrate everyone a lot today.”
“Thank you.”
Rustling in the wind, the Spirit Tree has grown splendidly.
It has extended its leafy canopy over the stage, creating shade.
This way, the ceremony can proceed without a hitch.
“Whoa! The Spirit Tree-chan is big!”
“Bigger than Nyanko.”
“Priscilla-chan, Nimia. Good morning. Please take care of the Spirit Tree while we are away.”
“Leave it to us, nyan.”
“I’ll do my best.”
We have to welcome the guests who will be coming to the venue.
We also need to change into proper clothes before the ceremony.
So, we will be leaving the Spirit Tree’s side for a bit.
However, the Spirit Tree is a dear member of our family.
And it is something that must be protected.
Therefore, we assign the Young Girl Group as guards.
They will surely handle their role of playing with and protecting the Spirit Tree with all their might.
“Well, Elnea, it’s time for work.”
“Yes. I’ll go distribute the guide maps to the guests!”
“Otherwise, they’ll get lost in the labyrinth or not know where anything is.”
“I will explain today’s important notices to the dragons.”
“I’ll go wake up the sleeping drunks.”
“And I’ll make the awakened drunks work.”
“Well then, everyone, see you later!”
We put on our game faces and began our final tasks.
