When the Purple Tail reached the spaceport above House Banfield’s home planet, Yasushi disembarked surrounded by guard knights. Wearing a new kimono provided to him aboard the ship, he projected confidence, arms folded in front of him.
I’ve got to say, it’s not bad getting the VIP treatment! I don’t even have to do anything, and I get new clothes. Well…these are a little flashy for my taste. I’ll change back into my usual outfit later.
As he casually descended on the escalator ramp, Yasushi looked around. Now, where could Nina and Yasuyuki be? He was a bit worried about them, since he hadn’t spotted them disembarking yet.
House Banfield’s spaceport was ridiculously huge, even inside. As he got closer and closer to the port, Yasushi noticed something strange. A ceremonial hall had been prepared in the port for some reason; people dressed in formalwear were seated there. He spotted a bride at the altar, but the groom was nowhere to be seen.
Is it House Banfield’s style to have ceremonies like this at the spaceport? I can’t imagine getting married in such a place. I guess the groom ran off. Thought better of entering the graveyard of his life, eh?
After thinking that far, Yasushi noticed that the ramp he was on ended in the ceremonial hall for some reason. As he neared the space, a band started to play, and a spotlight shone down on him.
“Huh?!”
He reached the end of the escalator ramp; after it, a red carpet was laid out. The genteel-looking guests in the hall stood and began to applaud.
Riho and Fuka, who were waiting there for him, flanked Yasushi and tugged on his arms.
“Are you surprised, Master?”
“Our brother apprentice got a wedding ceremony all ready for you!”
“Ha…ha ha… I certainly am surprised.” Cheeks twitching, Yasushi hurled abuse at Liam in his mind. You’re kidding me! Who said to throw me a wedding, you idiot?! Why don’t you get married instead?!
As Yasushi stewed in confusion for a moment, a handsomely dressed Yasuyuki ran up to him with a big smile. “Dad! They said you two are getting married here! Mom was so happy, she cried!”
The adorable Yasuyuki’s words only made Yasushi feel more and more cornered. “W-well, I’m happy about it too…!” At this point, who cares about a wedding?! I wanted to dissolve our relationship and run away as soon as Yasuyuki grew up! If we’re officially married, it’ll be even harder to get away!
Yasushi was a piece of trash through and through, but even he had planned to stick around until Yasuyuki was an adult. Now that he was about to be legally married, however, things were different. Yasushi’s identification would always show him as Nina’s spouse; as his legal wife, she’d be able to find him wherever he fled in the Empire. That would be a terrible inconvenience to Yasushi.
Yasuyuki explained the ceremony gleefully to his father. “They say you kiss during the wedding, and when you do, they want you to confess your love to Mom in front of everyone!”
“Huh…?”
“It was the count’s idea!”
“Wha—?!” Yasushi made an effort not to scream.
As he did, Liam appeared from behind him. “Master, the reason you were so insistent that I confess to Rosetta and get married was because you regretted being unable to legally marry your own wife, right? Well, as your first student, allow me to resolve that regret for you.”
Yasushi shivered at Liam’s completely unexpected interpretation of the events. H-he’s going to make me get married because of a misunderstanding? Is he getting back at me?
Yasushi was suspicious of Liam’s motives, yet there was nothing but sincerity in the young man’s eyes. He seriously believed that Yasushi regretted having been barred from formally marrying Nina. Who the hell filled his head with this nonsense?!
Yasushi took a deep breath to regain his calm before saying, “Lord Liam…? I don’t have any regrets…”
That was when Ellen appeared. With a superficial smile, she explained to Yasushi the events that had led to this moment. “Sir Yasushi, please allow Master to save face here. From your words, he recognized that you were saddened not to be able to confess your love and properly wed your wife. Therefore, you see, he selfishly put all this together. I don’t suppose you could humor him?”
Ellen bowed her head; before she did, though, Yasushi saw in her eyes that she knew he was suffering internally. Once again, only Ellen was suspicious of Yasushi, and she clearly enjoyed seeing him driven into a corner like this.
That girl doesn’t know everything, does she?! And hold on a second—does this mean that if I hadn’t had Liam confess and get married as payback, none of this would be happening to me?! This is all my fault?!
It was nothing more than his bullying of Liam coming back to bite him.
Nina had been waiting for him, dressed in a white kimono, but she couldn’t take it anymore and ran up to him herself. “Yasu, we’ll be a real married couple now!”
“Y-yeah…”
Although she wore an ear-to-ear smile, Nina’s gaze suddenly sharpened. “Now you won’t be able to flee. We’ll be together the rest of our lives, okay?”
At her frightening words, Yasushi couldn’t stop trembling. “I—I-I-I—I’d never flee! Never!”
“I’m looking forward to your confession of love to me!”
So saying, Nina returned to her place at the altar.
Yasushi almost collapsed to the floor, but Riho and Fuka held him up on either side.
“You’ve got nothing to worry about anymore, Master!”
“Heh heh… I’m kind of nervous myself! I never thought I’d attend your wedding, Master!”
Seeing their happy faces, Yasushi thought, Well, I’m not getting away from here while these two have a hold of me. Just where’d I go wrong in life anyway?
That day, Yasushi professed his love to Nina in front of a huge crowd. The loving couple had their wedding and were finally legally married.