We, having safely accomplished the final “Wait,” proceeded to the actual ceremony. I, dressed in the traditional attire of the Elf race, stood beside Efil, who was clad in a soft green Wedding Dress. As we were about to exchange vows before the Great Tree of the forest, Elder Nelras stood before us, his face faintly flushed. I understood he was fulfilling a priestly role, but he was clearly already intoxicated. Surely, this would be alright… wouldn’t it? He was probably going to deliver the customary lines, but would he be able to say them properly? Miss Wiar also looked incredibly worried.
“Fufu, Lord Kelvin, you get nervous sometimes too, don’t you? Don’t worry, there’s nothing difficult about this ritual. You just need to be honest with your feelings and answer,” the Elder said.
“I, I see…”
It’s not that I wasn’t nervous, but I was more concerned about the Elder’s condition!
“Well, it seems everyone is ready, so let’s begin. Ahem, ahem…”
After clearing his throat a few times, the Elder’s expression shifted to one of sharp dignity. Phew, it looked like he’d be alright.
“…■■■■, ■■■■■■, ■■■■”
…Huh?
“■■■■■■■■, ■■■■?”
Wait, hold on a moment. The Elder just uttered some incomprehensible words! It sounded like my Father-in-law when he was furious!
(Mr. Kelvin, over here, over here!)
As I stood there bewildered by the sudden turn of events, Miss Wiar tried to communicate with me from a distance, holding what looked like a flipboard. Let’s see, what does it say…?
(This is Ancient Elvish! It’s customary to speak in this language, so just ignore it!)
Ah, Ancient Elvish, I see. Even I can’t understand a language I don’t know. But Efil is playing a trick on me. If this was going to happen, she should have warned me beforehand. I glanced at Efil while thinking this.
“Uu, *sniff*…”
…Uh, Efil is crying a lot. What’s going on? Does Efil understand Elder Nelras, and is he saying something incredibly moving? If it’s that touching, I’m curious too! Miss Wiar, please translate!
(*Sniff*)
You’re crying too!
—And so, after various incidents, we somehow managed to exchange our wedding vows. Goodness, during that long explanation in Ancient Elvish, I was startled when he suddenly switched back to standard Japanese and vehemently asked, “Do you swear!?” Swear to what!? I should praise myself for not retorting. However, after that, we exchanged our vows of marriage and had the ceremonial kiss, and the ritual pretty much returned to my image of it. That was good, it was really good.
…But still.
“My wife is truly beautiful.”
“G-, Master, what is it all of a sudden?”
“I just said what I thought. Elder Nelras said it too, didn’t he? ‘Be honest with your feelings and answer,’ he said.”
“…Master, you are wonderful too.”
“Ah, after all, I am the husband in the universe.”
“M-Master!”
Lately, Efil has been acting the part of Head Maid and is always calm, but seeing her flustered and blushing like this is still wonderful. Ange, her Older Sister, who is among the attendees, is nodding as if to say, “Yes, yes, I understand.”
And then, the banquet part finally begins. Although we were wearing our ceremonial outfits, we decided to change back into our usual clothes to avoid staining them with alcohol. Hmm, the wedding ceremony elements are disappearing.
“Miss Lalanua is so adorable! Especially her cheeks… *Fuwah*~ they’re so soft!”
“Miss Wiar, haven’t you had that exchange about ten times already? Well, I completely understand how you feel, though.”
At this point, it’s nothing more than a regular drinking party, so everyone is spending their time freely. I, on the other hand, have come to the non-alcoholic zone for a break. This is where Sera and Kuromel, who can’t drink, and the village children are gathered, so it’s truly a peaceful space. Currently, Lalanua has become like an idol. Miss Wial seems particularly fond of her, doting on her almost as much as I do my father-in-law.
“Hey, did you just say ‘idol’!”
“Yes, yes, this is a no-alcohol space. Vampire idols, please turn around.”
“Mmm, I thought I heard something…”
*Sigh*… Maria, you actually went back to the ‘Sacred Wine Lovers’ Association.’ I can’t let my guard down even for a moment. But Lalanua as an idol? I’m not being a doting parent, but it’s not impossible for Lalanua. She’ll probably grow up to be a pure and beautiful girl, just like Efil. And she’ll become a good cook, making lunchboxes for Papa, heh heh heh.
“Papa, you seem very happy.”
“Whoa, lunchboxes from Kuromel are also highly encouraged! Don’t hold back, hand them over!”
“Huh?”
“Oh, you’re thinking strange things again. Still, today is the last day of our long wedding weekdays. It feels a little sad.”
Sera sips her juice thoughtfully. Indeed, with such a packed schedule, it felt more like a continuous festival than a wedding ceremony. It’s understandable to feel that way when it ends an event.
“When Efil-san told me the week’s schedule, I thought she was out of her mind, but you actually accomplished it. And you did it while crossing the entire continent.”
“We even crossed the sea, so technically, we crossed the entire world? It was an intense week of weddings and battles every day. I’m exhausted, but the sense of accomplishment is immense.”
“We were able to do everything we wanted for the ceremony, so I feel the same as Kelvin. Oh, right! I also got a new fishing Rival!”
“A fishing… at a wedding ceremony?”
“Miss Wiar, don’t think too deeply about it.”
I suspect I wouldn’t get any understanding even if I tried to explain.
“So, um… you’re staying at the village today, right? What about after tomorrow?”
“Well, Adams will probably give us a request eventually… Until then, I think we’ll go back home and take it easy for a while.”
Oh, but Trisen, Delamis, and Grellverelka are heavily involved in national affairs, so we might have to take action related to that. Hmm, I have a feeling it’s going to be incredibly busy.
“In that case, we need to have children soon too! I want to show my father my grandchild, and I want at least five children!”
“Five…!? I, I’ll do my best…”
Yeah, I have to do my best in many ways, really…
“Kelvin-ku~n? What are you doing slacking off here? You’re supposed to be the main character today, you know?”
“Yes, and you must stay by my side today.”
As I was steeling myself for this difficult task, Ange and Efil appeared silently from both sides. *Hyoee*, I almost let out a pathetic sound, but I managed to hold it back. But I can sense a wave of Jealousy here?
“W-Well, well, coordinating our outfits— Um, why are you both holding my arms?”
“Of course, so you don’t get away ♪”
“It’s time to greet other guests. Also, Master, while alcohol is good, please eat plenty of the food. Each dish has been improved upon repeatedly for this day, and the dishes made for you are especially potent.”
“P, potent, you say~? I’m looking forward to that~”
“Right, right?”
“There’s no need to be modest; we have plenty of refills.”
And so, I was whisked away by the two of them. I think this… tonight might be the biggest hurdle…
“Honestly, you two are so forceful. You didn’t have to take me away like that; everyone knows today is your day.”
“…Sera-san, is that alright?”
“It should be fine. If push comes to shove, Mel or Colette can whip up some suspicious medicine.”
“I, I see…”
