The Sapeur Temple was built in a style reminiscent of the Parthenon from Souma’s old world, and was one of the oldest surviving buildings, predating even the Republic’s founding. It was here that Kuu had been formally installed as head of the Republic, and also where he’d held his wedding with Taru and Leporina.
Today, another couple would be wed beneath its ancient columns.
“Halbert and Young Miss Velza. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Congrats.”
“Congratulations!”
The head of the Republic, Kuu Taisei, and his wives Taru and Leporina offered their blessings to Halbert Magna, clad in a white tuxedo, and Velza, who would be his wife from this day forward. Velza wore a wedding dress, the pure white fabric contrasting with her dark skin beautifully and making her striking features stand out all the more.
Halbert scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Uh, yeah. Thanks, Kuu. I didn’t expect a foreign head of state to be celebrating with us.”
“Ookyakya! Don’t sweat it. We’ve known each other for ages.”
Despite coming from different countries and standing on very different social levels, Halbert and Kuu had fought side by side against the mutated ogres in the Republic and the demon wave in the Union of Eastern Nations. To each other, they were battle buddies. It had been Kuu’s idea to hold Halbert and Velza’s wedding at the Sapeur Temple.
“The Sapeur Temple’s the most famous historical site in our country. If we wanna appeal to more tourists, we’ve gotta show the world we’ve got more than just skiing, hot springs, and seafood.”
“That’s your motive? So our wedding’s just a publicity stunt?”
“I’d say it’s fifty-fifty. Half for my country, half because I wanted to celebrate with a friend. It’s two birds with one stone.”
“Heh heh, well, I’m happy about it,” Velza said. “We’re lucky to be able to celebrate in such a place.”
Seeing her smile, Halbert thought, Well, whatever.
Like Tomoe and Ichiha’s wedding before it, today’s ceremony would also be broadcast across the nations of the former Maritime Alliance. After all, if the hero who had defeated Fuuga Haan—Hal the Red Oni (in truth, he’d only cut off Fuuga’s wing, but the story had been exaggerated)—was getting married, there was bound to be plenty of interest, especially among viewers in the Kingdom of Friedonia. Kuu was simply taking advantage of that attention to advertise his country. For that reason, the expenses were being split evenly between the Kingdom and the Republic.
At this point, Halbert’s first wife, Kaede, and his second wife, Ruby, approached. Both were dressed elegantly for the ceremony.
But because Ruby didn’t handle the cold well, she wore a heavier dress to compensate.
“I see you two are ready. You look lovely, you know?”
“My, my, Velza. What an adorable bride you make.”
“Lady Kaede, Lady Ruby, thank you!”
The three wives gathered together, happily chatting while all but ignoring their husband.
Kaede and Ruby had accepted Velza as the third wife even before Halbert himself had. That was, in large part, thanks to Velza’s tireless efforts.
By the time I realized what was happening, it was like the moat had been filled in, the castle walls had crumbled, and the gate left wide open with a welcome sign out front... That was how Halbert felt as he watched the three women together.
At first, he had only ever thought of Velza as a cute little sister. He’d taken her feelings lightly, assuming it was only natural she would look up to him after he’d saved her life, and had never imagined their relationship would become anything more.
Velza, however, had been maneuvering to become his wife from the very beginning. Even before he married Kaede and Ruby, she was already petitioning them to let her be the third wife, and she worked hard to meet the condition Kaede had set of graduating from the Academy first. Velza had gone there with that goal in mind: to eventually support the House of Magna as Halbert’s personal secretary. She cared for Halbert and Kaede’s son Bill, treated her future father-in-law Glaive with due respect, and even laid groundwork with Kaede’s family, the House of Foxia. At the same time, she made use of her own father, Sur, to build ties between the House of Magna and the God-Protected Forest.
Before she won Halbert’s heart, she’d already won over everyone around him.
By the time Halbert noticed, Kaede, Ruby, and even his parents were telling him, “Just marry her already.” Once he learned just how much effort Velza had poured into it, though her persistence left him tongue-tied, he found her devotion endearing and raised the white flag immediately.
As Halbert reflected on all this, the master of ceremonies, Lucy, came to call them.
“Velie, Halbert. Please get ready.”
“R-Right.”
“Okay, Lucy.”
The wedding was attended by those connected to the Houses of Magna and Foxia, the dark elves of the God-Protected Forest, as well as Tomoe and her school friends. Souma had wanted to attend too, but fitting a trip to the Republic into his schedule, and handling all the security concerns it would entail, was too much for the sake of a single retainer, even one who was also a friend. In the end, he had reluctantly given up on it. Still, since the ceremony was being broadcast, plenty of people were watching from afar.
Kuu snickered and gave Halbert a big thumbs-up. “Ookyakya! Bet you’re lookin’ forward to after the ceremony. In addition to the inn for the guests, I’ve booked an entire hot springs inn just for you and Young Miss Velza. You two can enjoy your first night to the fullest.”
“Man! Is this really the time to bring that up?!”
Halbert whipped his head towards Kaede and Ruby. Both wore wide, plastered-on smiles.
“Well, it’d be uncouth of us to tell you what to do on your wedding night. It is what it is, you know?”
“Make sure you guide her properly, you lady-killer.”
“...”
The aura seeping out from behind their smiles made Halbert break into a cold sweat. Velza, meanwhile...
“I-I know I’m inexperienced, but I’ll be in your care.”
In an instant, she had imagined—fantasized, really—all that was to come, and covered her cheeks with her hands as she gave Halbert an expectant look.
Halbert simply gazed up at the heavens, unable to say a word.
After that, the ceremony itself was carried out with all the dignity the occasion demanded. On this day, Velza at last became Halbert’s wife, as she had long dreamed, with the blessings of Tomoe, Ichiha, Yuriga, Lucy, and so many others.
Then, when the ceremony ended...
“I’d like you to have this, Lucy.”
“Huh? Me?”
Velza held out the bouquet she’d prepared and offered it to Lucy.
“I’d like to do for you what Tomoe and Ichiha did for me. May you find your happiness too.”
“Ah, ah ha ha... Thank you kindly.”
Lucy laughed bashfully as she accepted the flowers.