Viol 31
An Announcement at the Ball
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“LORD Viol, what do you think? Is it too flashy?”
Seren did a twirl in front of me. The dress she wore was fitted but flared out at the knees in a graceful manner, bringing a touch of sophistication to her understated beauty.
“It’s absolutely beautiful.”
“Oh…! Well, I’m pleased to hear you say that, but… Is it quite appropriate for a married woman?”
“For a married woman…?”
What a delightful question. I fought to suppress a grin.
Just like the king had promised on our wedding day, there was to be a royal ball this weekend, where our marriage would be announced to the public.
Truly, I was filled with gratitude.
Seren’s dress showed very little skin beneath the lace covering her neck and wrists, and her hair was pulled back into a loose and dreamy braided updo. The dress was pure white like the one she’d worn to the previous ball, but this one gave an entirely different impression. The other dresses had been soft and cute with some volume, but this one was more of a slender silhouette, something called a “mermaid cut.”
Yes, this outfit was more sophisticated than those she’d worn previously. But the large white roses adorning her hair combined with the fluttering embroidered hem of her dress matching that of my tux gave her an aura of added glamor.
No matter what angle you look at her from, my wife has never looked more beautiful.
“I apologize. I don’t know much about fashion or customs or what married women wear, but I do know that you are the most beautiful woman in the world in my eyes.”
Seren instantly blushed.
Beside her, her maid Rince chuckled. “Lady Seren, don’t ask Lord Viol about such things. It isn’t fair to him. And anyway, I’ve already checked with your mother, so you can rest assured.”
“R-Right… Well, if Mother says it’s all right, then I suppose there’s no issue…”
Seren looks adorable when blushing, too.
After our wedding, we began living together at Seren’s residence. The best thing is that we can be together all the time when we’re not working, and we can chat about this and that before events like this ball.
It’s nothing significant, but it’s so nice and a lot of fun just to be together.
“Tonight, we will announce our marriage to a public forum,” Seren said. “Everyone will be looking, whether we want them to or not. As Lord Viol’s wife, I don’t want to disgrace him with my appearance…”
“I see, so that’s your concern… Well, you should hold your head up high. As I’ve been saying, you look absolutely stunning,” I assured her.
“But the thing is, Lord Viol, you have never looked more dashing than you do tonight…”
“Indeed? Well, I certainly hope so.”
Seren’s beauty is undeniable, and her deportment and manners are impeccable. On her side, there is nothing to worry about. In fact, I’m the one who’s more likely to bring negative attention.
Albert, the butler sent by Seren’s family to serve us, had dressed me to perfection, so I was fairly confident I was looking sharper than I’d looked at any previous ball. But honestly, I wasn’t confident I’d be able to behave like an aristocrat.
And besides, while my tux is mostly all black as usual, it has a sort of pattern to the fabric, something I’ve never worn before, and I feel it’s rather flashy. It’s hard to relax, wearing something like this.
“To be honest, though, I’ve never cared too much what others think of me…” I admitted. “From today on, I will officially appear in public as your husband. I want everyone to agree that I am a man worthy of your hand.”
Seren’s eyes grew big and round.
Well, a statement like that… I’d surprised even myself. Who’d have thought I’d be having feelings like this? I guess that’s what happens when you find someone you want to cherish forever.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes, let’s!”
I crooked my arm and offered it to her, and she linked her arm around mine. As she gazed up at me, I led her to the carriage that would take us to the ball.
Pre-announcement jitters had us arriving too early, far before the ball was due to begin. On arrival, we were ushered into a waiting room. I’d never experienced anything like this before and found myself taken aback. But it seemed like this was the first time for Seren, too.
Nervous, we stuck close together and waited, and not long after, there came a knock at the door, followed by the arrival of Seren’s mother and father.
“Father! Mother!” Seren dashed over to them, looking quizzical. Her father smiled and explained what was going on.
“They are having you wait for the king and queen to arrive. Since tonight your marriage will be announced to the entire royal ball, it’s better to keep you sequestered from the other guests to avoid awkward conversations before the actual announcement.”
“Oh yes, that makes sense…” Seren nodded.
“Once the people learn that the king and queen not only approved of your nuptials but were in charge of the ceremony, any potential fuss should be avoided. No doubt the king and queen have arranged things this way for your protection. Isn’t that kind of them?”
Indeed, I sighed a little, moved by the king and queen’s kind consideration.
I’d been wondering why they’d go to all the trouble of announcing our marriage at an official royal ball, but I never imagined it was to protect us.
“The king and queen truly loved you, Seren…” I muttered that without thinking, but Seren’s father chuckled knowingly.
“Yes, that’s a major factor. As her father, I believe the queen feels a motherly love towards Seren… But as for the king, I believe he’s thinking more practically about this as well.”
I frowned, confused about what he meant, and Seren’s father grinned.
“It shows how much he respects the power the both of you have.”
“The… power…?” I repeated.
“Not only did you save my subordinates the other day, but you also developed a magical tool that will greatly improve our trading ships, right? That, alone, is already a huge achievement to be proud of.”
“Oh, right… Yes, thank you…”
“Hahaha! Such a big accomplishment, yet you still play it so cool.”
Seren’s father laughed, but… Really, we were just doing our duty.
“His Majesty has a deep awareness of the power High Mages wield. Viol, you’re an Archmage and leader, embodying all that the title entails, and Seren, you’re a promising golden child in that field. A budding national treasure, as it were. Together, you will lead this nation to great prosperity. I have to say, without any parental bias, I fully agree.”
If that’s true…then I’m honestly happy they think that way.
“So, to prevent either of you from being distracted by silly rumors, the royal family seems to want to send a clear message that you have their full support.”
I was still taken aback.
Royalty and nobility… It’s still hard for me to figure all of it out.
When the ball officially began, Seren and I were brought up on the dais to join the king and queen. Naturally, the other guests had no idea what we were doing standing up there with the royal family and gazed at us curiously.
“Thank you all for coming today.”
The king, in his usual kingly manner, addressed his subjects, expressed his gratitude for their attendance, and announced a few matters pertaining to the running of the country. Gradually, the gazes focused on us shifted to the king.
“…And now to the final order of business…”
Just when it started to feel like a regular ball, the king got down to the business of announcing our marriage.
“There’s a reason why I asked Archmage Viol and Lady Seren to stand up here today. In fact, just the other day, the two were officially married.”
A ripple went through the crowd like a stone thrown into a pond.
Confusion.
That’s the closest word to describe the expressions of the people who had gathered for the ball.
They looked at me and Seren, then back at the king and queen, then at Prince Helios, then at Seren again, me again, the king and queen again… Then, the crowd exchanged glances amongst themselves, their confusion plain to see.
I felt an urge to look at Prince Helios. He wore his usual princelike expression. I couldn’t get a read on any emotion from him. Whatever Prince Helios thought of our marriage would remain a mystery to me.
After waiting for everyone to stop glancing around in confusion, the king cleared his throat. “I understand that you are all surprised. However, the recent rescue mission of the trading ship Angelica and the important discovery and development of our new magical invention has, it seems, brought this pair closer together.”
The king looked at us as he spoke, and we both nodded emphatically. He smiled at us, then faced the guests once more.
“This marriage, between two high mages, who carry the future of this nation on their shoulders, has been officially blessed by the queen and myself. As proof of this, a royal wedding was held, using the magical oath chalice, to which we both bore witness. Tonight, we hold this ball to announce this news to you, the people, and so that we may all celebrate the union of this most eminent couple.”
Suddenly, there was a murmuring throughout the crowd, with the nobility all exchanging surprised glances. Apparently, a wedding to which the king and queen bear witness is a big deal amongst the aristocracy.
The king beamed then as if the shock of the crowd and my own confusion did not faze him. “Good citizens, I call on you to assist me in celebrating the happy couple, and please enjoy tonight’s feast.”