Several days are special to Sven. One is the day she became Sven, which Lud celebrated as her birthday. Also the day she was switched on, and the day she met Lud. Then there’s the day Lud gave her the name Avei, and the day she rejoined Lud as Sven. There are so many, countless, special days. But among them, a few lit a great fire within her.
For a time, she was Lud’s beloved Hunter Unit and spoke regularly with him. Lud had a reputation for not talking much or confiding in others about himself, but he often spoke to her inside the cockpit. Perhaps he found it easier to talk to her because she wasn’t human.
“That was long ago in Lapchuricka.”
There was the day she heard about his sad past.
“I’ve found something I want to do.”
And the day she had learned of his dream of becoming a baker.
“Thanks for everything.”
And the day the war ended and he said goodbye.
Amidst all of that, it had come to her. Something passionate, fierce and precious had awakened inside her. It was...
“What?!” Sven froze hearing Lud’s sudden marriage proposal. She never expected this. The faces of everyone present also froze with startled looks.
“S... sorry. I know it’s sudden and out of the blue, so... sorry.” Lud spoke apologetically to Sven, who was frozen.
“But I just thought... um... I want to keep living with you. For happy things and fun things... and probably sad things, too. I want to share all of that.”
Lud had decided. He had chosen a way of life in which he accepted the iniquities of his past and still tried to be happy. And that resolution meant sharing his life with Sven.
“But, um... maybe you don’t want to?” Lud continued speaking to Sven, who remained frozen. “Sven... I love you.” As soon as he said it, it felt like a melodramatic comment. Unintentionally, Lud laughed.
✦ ✦ ✦
✦ ✦ ✦
“Huh?” Sven returned to herself. She had seen something that forced her to return to herself.
Lud had laughed. Lud Langart had laughed. And she had thought he would never laugh again. He was a man who couldn’t laugh because it didn’t look right and people would mistake him for a murderer. That man now laughed with a face radiating embarrassment and joy.
“Oh...” Then Sven remembered. He had also laughed on the day he said goodbye. She had been unable to forget his smile. And she had longed to see it again. She thought she could overcome anything if it meant she would see him smile. And now he was smiling at her.
“Um... Sven?”
“Of c-c-c-c-c-course!!!” Sven shouted at the top of her lungs. For a girl answering a marriage proposal, she presented a dramatic sight. But that didn’t matter. “I... I... I...” She was a machine without a heart, but the man she loved... the man she loved so much it had awakened a heart within her... had just told her he loved her.
Compared to that, even the gravest matters were trivial. They were of no consequence.
“I... love you... too... Master!” Her mechanical body and the fact that she wasn’t human didn’t matter at all.
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Everyone began laughing. They understood that the number of reasons this was such a happy day had just increased.
“That’s wonderful!”
“I’m so happy for you both!”
They all offered congratulations.
“This is... quite a surprise.”
“Yeah... it’s good. They look happy.”
As they applauded, Hilde laughed and Lillie shrugged.
“Well, I’ll be! Good for you, baker!” Laurel, the leader of the miners, laughed loudly.
“Ahh... Mr. Langart. How entertaining! Tee hee! Hm?”
“.....................”
Daian grinned, while Sophia stood still beside him.
“Sophia?! Sophia!! Breathe, Sophia!”
Ever since they were children, she had nursed a one-sided crush on Lud. All alone, her heart quietly ceased beating. And...
“Oh, I get it... Darn you, Langart. So that’s what was going on!” Blitzdonner laughed as if everything had suddenly become clear.
“What do you mean?”
“Traditionally, the witnesses have to include a husband and wife.” Blitzdonner responded to Jacob’s question with a roguish smile.
“Witnesses?”
“For a wedding.”
“Whaaat?!”
“This is where we come in.” Blitzdonner took Charlotte’s hand and stepped forward.
“You did it, Langart. But what would you have done if she refused?” Blitzdonner spoke teasingly to Lud, who had finagled reconciliation between another couple so they could serve as witnesses at his marriage to Sven.
“If that happened... um...I’d have been pretty embarrassed.” Lud scratched his head, a little shamefaced.
“Tch! You’re incorrigible!” Blitzdonner realized what was up, and wouldn’t refuse.
“I see... Tee hee hee!” That was also true for his wife Charlotte, the woman he loved above all others.
“Oh, I see... So this is it, huh? Umf!” Rolling up her sleeves, the nun Marlene stepped forward. “There’s no priest at this church, so I’ll perform the ceremony.”
A wedding ceremony involves oaths taken before God. A member of the clergy leads the couple as they state their vows.
“Hmf...” Marlene’s face looked a little melancholy. When she had cooperated with terrorists, Lud had pulled her back to an honest life, so she admired him.
I guess he’ll never know how I feel about him...
The thought made her a little sad.
“Um...” Sven knew how Marlene felt, so she made an apologetic face.
“Don’t make that face.” Marlene admonished her with a look as dignified as any member of the clergy. And, appearing kindlier than a saint, Marlene smiled at Sven. Marlene had feelings for Lud, but she also thought of Sven as a friend.
“Well, Lud... Do you have the ring?”
Exchanging rings is part of the marriage ceremony. It’s possible to omit a ring for the groom, but if a ring isn’t placed on the bride’s finger, it simply will not do.
“Uh...” Lud looked troubled, but then something struck him in the head. “Ow!”
Someone had thrown a woman’s ring at him.
“You’ll just have to deal with the difference in size!” Sophia spat these words with an indignant face. “Hmf! You’re so troublesome!”
“Sophia... Um, that ring... Isn’t that the ring I gave you as a present on Holy Festival night?” Daian looked a little sad to see her so casually give his present to someone else, but then he saw Sophia’s face.
“Shut up... Daian.” Her mouth was crooked and her face was contorted in an effort to hold back tears. If she cried, she would ruin this special occasion in the life of the man she loved. So she was trying as hard as she could to behave like Lud’s older sister and superior officer.
“I’ll make you another one.” When he noticed her struggle, there was nothing else he could say.
“Keep me company tonight. I won’t be able to handle this if I don’t drink!”
“Should I be happy or sad about that?” Daian shrugged, and Sophia leaned closer to him.
Witnesses were present. A clergywoman was present. And there was a ring. They had everything they needed.
“Sven...”
“Master... Or rather, Lud.”
Lud and Sven declared their love and then kissed. It was a blissful moment for Sven. In the midst of her joy, she reaffirmed her resolve.
I want to live with this man. I want to share happiness and joy and sadness together. And...
That may have been an unreasonable hope for an automaton. Her head told her she couldn’t do that.
I want to grow old and die with this person.
On this day, she resolved to hold on to the words that Meitzer—the man who claimed to be her father—had said before he left.
“Sven, do you want to be human?”
On this day, Sven decided to become human.