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EVERYONE attended the wedding in their very best outfits.
Vice Captain Velrey was almost frighteningly handsome in her white formal wear. The women in Captain Ludtink and Marina’s families squealed when they saw her.
Garr had put product in his usually un-styled fur, giving him a very impressive, serious look. Sly sat on his shoulder with a cute little bow on her head. They were both a well-matched pair with Fredrica, Garr’s fiancée, who joined them as a guest.
Liselotte arrived with Lord Lichtenberger, who was clutching a mountain cat plushie as if to spread an interest in mythical beasts throughout the wedding. Although, with the stern expression on his face and a stuffed animal in his arms, the other guests seemed to be avoiding him. Um…I think your propaganda technique might be failing, I warned him silently.
Even Album showed up with a white bowtie. It was probably his attempt to dress up, but the bowtie was easy to miss when the rest of his fur was white too. Amelia, prioritizing cuteness above all else, had chosen a pink ribbon for the occasion. The adorable griffin drew the eyes of all the wedding guests.
Sir Aiskoletta made an appearance too. The majority of the guests didn’t recognize the hero, so they merely stared at the strange man in the suit of armor with a radish on his shoulder. But Sir Aiskoletta didn’t seem to mind one bit. He was simply enjoying the atmosphere of the wedding.
Charlotte, the adorable little girl that she was, turned out to be very popular amongst the old men and women. She probably reminded them of their grandchildren. Although, she was overwhelmed by the attention and hid behind Ulgus, who didn’t seem to mind helping her.
The wedding had really brought everyone into one place.
Then it was time for the ceremony to begin.
The chapel was filled with the elegant sound of music as Marina, the bride, made her entrance. She walked toward the altar where Captain Ludtink was waiting for her.
Marina looked gorgeous in her wedding dress. The rose veil Zara made for her was the perfect touch.
I was so moved, I shed a few tears.
The couple stood next to each other and began their vows. They swore to cherish each other for better or worse, in sickness and in health, and to share all the joy and the hardships they endured in their life together.
Once they said the words “I do,” it was time for their kiss.
Captain Ludtink, apparently feeling shy, placed his lips on Marina’s forehead. But she wasn’t satisfied with that. She stood up on her tippy toes and kissed Captain Ludtink on the lips.
He had a look of total disbelief on his face.
The audience broke out into applause for the well-matched couple.
Once the ceremony was finished, it was time to have the reception, which took place in the garden at Captain Ludtink’s parents’ home. I knew they lived in the noble district of the royal capital, but once I was standing in front of the mansion, I found myself just about lost for words.
“I-Is this really…where Captain Ludtink grew up?!”
My jaw was hanging open. I mentally apologized for all the times I’d thought of him as a bandit up until now. Next to me was Ulgus, frozen in the exact same position as me.
“Medic Risurisu…I guess Captain Ludtink really is a nobleman after all.”
“Th-That’s how it seems.”
Some people had very misleading appearances.
There was a buffet set up for the party in the main hall. Captain Ludtink and Marina were surrounded by the guests, so I doubted I’d be able to approach them for a while.
Everyone split up to do different things after that.
Charlotte, Ulgus, and Sir Aiskoletta headed off to the dessert table. The three of them made for a simpleminded group. Since they were getting married in the spring, Garr and Fredrica were surrounded by their own acquaintances to wish them well. Vice Captain Velrey was swarmed by a group of female guests. She was just as popular as always, even at a wedding reception.
I decided to stick with Zara.
The hall was full of dashing gentlemen and beautiful young ladies, so dazzling that they were blinding. It was like being inside of a storybook. Yet Zara still managed to stand out in such a crowd. His looks were more than enough to make him fit in, even in high society.
On any other day, I probably would have felt disheartened.
But today was different. I was wearing the dress Zara and I had worked so hard on together, and I even had my hair and makeup done all nicely. I imagined I looked like someone straight out of a story too. I was even drawing a few glances from the other guests. Although, most of them were probably due to me being a Fore Elf.
“Hey, Melly. There’s food over there. Why don’t we go try some?”
“Okay!”
The food table was much less crowded—probably because guests typically came to these events to socialize, not to have a meal.
A big hunk of meat was sitting squarely in the center of a silver tray. I asked the waiter standing nearby to cut me a piece. It was cooked to a deep brown on the outside, but the inside was still a little pink. I knew this must be high-quality meat. I watched the juices seep out when I stuck my knife into it.
The thinly sliced meat was topped with a bright red sauce. It looked incredibly appetizing. I was even given a serving of steamed potatoes on the side. I piled some of the other foods onto my plate as well. We went to the next room over, where a space to eat was set up. It was a much calmer environment that way.
“It looks delicious. Let’s give it a try.”
“Agreed!”
We said a prayer to the gods before digging in.
I could hardly believe how tender the meat was. I was able to shred it with my knife by applying only the tiniest amount of force. Then I dipped my bite in the sauce and stuck it in my mouth. There were no words to describe what I was tasting.
“Aaaaah…”
I couldn’t even contain my sigh—it was just that good. I shouldn’t have underestimated food made for nobles. They were working on an entirely different level.
I’d been worried about getting sauce on my dress at first, but once I tasted that meat, it was the absolute last thing on my mind.
“Ah, there you are!”
I heard Marina call out to me. She was wearing a bright orange dress for the reception, while Captain Ludtink was dressed in a tailcoat.
“I’ve come to share our happiness.” Marina was holding a basket filled with colorful blessing nuts. It looked like they were able to make a good batch on their own.
“Share your happiness?”
Zara was confused, so I explained it to him.
“This is a dessert we give out to our neighbors in the Fore Elf village during happy occasions. They’re said to carry blessings.”
“Oh wow, I see.”
“Please try one.”
“Sure, thanks.”
“Thank you.”