Chapter 26 - Volume 1 (2/2)

「Sorry ‘bout that. Well, let’s go, Yuli.」

「Right.」

Traditionally, weddings began when the bride and groom held hands and entered the temple. Therefore, the wedding couldn’t begin until Yulifalet and Alhelm left Agedilus at the entrance and took their seats inside.

‘We messed up!’ As Yulifalet and Alhelm were about to enter the temple, someone entered Yulifalet’s field of vision.

「What are you looking at? Go…」

Yulifalet suddenly stopped. Agedilus’s words were strangely cut off, as he followed Yulifalet’s gaze. To the door facing the outside, of a small booth by the temple. The door to the bride’s room opened, and coming out of it was…

「Miss, please be careful.」

「It’s fine, Suzette. Even I won’t fall at a time like this.」

A calm voice replied to the anxious voice. There were two women approaching them.

One of them was a young woman, wearing a pure white dress that showed she had the leading role today. There was delicate embroidery of white and silver threads on her dress, from her chest to her stomach, tightly following the curves of her body to her waist. Below her slender waist flowed the dress, freely and fully. It was made of cloth that you could tell in a glance was first-class quality.

On top of the embroidered cloth was a transparent lace, spread many times over and over itself, covering the lower half of her body. Just the tips of her flax-colored hair were wavy, the rest of it decorated with flowers the same white as her dress, just by her ears.

Her face, with light makeup on it, wasn’t particularly beautiful or lovely. But for some reason, it looked more beautiful to Yulifalet than all the women he had seen. Was that because of her natural beauty radiating from the inside?

Yulifalet, Alhelm, and Agedilus all stared at her, speechless. Noticing them, she smiled in an embarrassed, shy way.

「—!」

He realized Agedilus gulped. And then, the bride who was one of the leading roles of today approached them, helped by the older woman she had called Suzette. And when she approached them, she sweetly smiled once again, curtsying in a light bow.

「Sir Yulifalet, Sir Alhelm. Thank you for coming here today.」

「Huh, how do you know……」

「Those are the names of the great heroes, of course. I’ve heard of the rumors for quite some time now.」

Still gently smiling, the bride told him that like it was no big deal. Yulifalet felt the blood rush to his face.

「Umm, t-thank you. And your name is……」

「I’m Filmina Veer Adina. Though, my name is going to change soon.」

Giggling, the bride——Filmina said that. She was the one that would be Agedilus’s companion. He’d been imagining someone more beautiful, so to be honest, it was a bit of a let-down. But more than that, her gentle smile made him think that she was definitely the one best suited for him.

「Oi, Agedilus. Say something to your bride. Or are you actually so charmed you can’t say anything – ouch!」

「That’s right, it’s because your bride is so beautiful – ouch!」

「Shut up, get out!」

Agedilus took it in turns to step on the feet of Alhelm and Yulifalet, who were teasing him. And on top of that, he trampled on them much harder than before.

「Oh my」Filmina frowned in worry.「That’s bad, you shouldn’t do that to your friends.」

「What friends, who here are friends?!」

「That would be, you and Yulifalet and Alhelm, of course.」

「Am I mistaken?」Filmina continued.

Agedilus was suddenly at a loss for words. At his reaction, Yulifalet and Alhelm instinctively exchanged glances, smirking. Just then, the sound of hands clapping was heard.

「Right! Everyone, that’s enough!」

The woman called Suzette, who had left the waiting room along with Filmina, glared at everyone, tightly lifting her brows.

「Heroes, please hurry up and take your seats. Agedilus and Miss, please enter once we give a signal from inside.」

「Come now, quick.」 They were pushed into the temple, as if being chased away, taken to the attendants’ seats inside. Widnichol was there, having arrived earlier. He sighed in relief when he saw Yulifalet and Alhelm.

「I was worried about you two, since you were late.」

「My bad.」

「Wah—! Please stop! I can’t fix my hair by myself!」

Widnichol raised his voice in protest, avoiding Alhelm’s hand as he tried to pat Widnichol’s hair which was arranged with perfumed oil. His voice was unexpectedly loud, reverberating in the temple. Of course, everyone’s attention gathered on Widnichol.

「E-excuse me……」

Widnichol murmured shamefully, crouching his body even smaller than it already was. The bride and groom’s relatives laughed, and the previously tense atmosphere melted away to a calmer one.

Similarly, Yulifalet also couldn’t help laughing. He raised his green eyes to the altar in front. There was an idol of the goddess there, both of her arms spread out as if she was receiving everything.

In front of her stood Clementine. What she wore was not a dress, but clothes for shrine maidens who had received the goddess’ divine protection. With her wavy, silver waist-length hair arranged up, she stood so dignified it seemed like she was one of the goddess herself.

Clementine’s role today was not to be an attendant, but to be a witness to Agedilus and Filmina’s marriage. By all rights, that role should have gone to a priest, but it seemed Clementine herself had accepted it. 「Is there anyone more suited to being the witness than me?」 she had said. Certainly, Clementine who was born with the goddess’s divine protection was more suitable than any priest.

And then, Clementine’s light pink lips moved.

「Let’s begin.」