Desire was shameful. But if he didn’t mind my lustful feelings, then perhaps I didn’t have to suppress them anymore.
“Oh…is that how it works?” I asked.
“I mean, as long as the two are happy, right? It doesn’t matter what name they apply to their relationship. Just like it makes me happy when we’re together like this.”
“You’re right. I feel the same…” When I turned my gaze away from his out of embarrassment, something that had been on my mind caught my eyes again. “I’ve been wondering why that bride and groom have been standing there.”
A red-lacquered bridge in the center of the canal that cut through the town. The middle of the bridge was lifted up, cutting it off from either end. That was where the newlyweds stood.
“What is that…?”
“I believe that’s a lift bridge. It’s my first time seeing the real thing too… See that big boat over there? Even something that size can pass under the bridge with the middle part raised.”
“Wow… I had no idea.”
Impressed by the sight, I continued staring and then…the two standing on one end of the disconnected bridge jumped!
“What?! Whaaat?!”
Water splashed when they dove into the canal. Their guests and spectators clapped enthusiastically.
“Wh-What a terribly odd festival this is turning out to be!”
Drunk, old men on a small freighter moored not far from us toasted each other then looked up at us.
“Hey, there, missy, this your first time here? What ye just saw now was the wedding ceremony’s climax.”
“In this town, the last thing a newlywed does at the end of their ceremony is jump into the river together!”
“See, a long, long time ago, one half of a pair jumped into the river hoping to be reunited with their other half in the next life. Or summat like that.”
“But don’t ya fret about ’em ’cause we got some mages on standby in case something goes wrong. So their lives ain’t ending here, that’s for sure. Heh heh heh.”
“Fascinating…”
Once the newlyweds dove into the river, it became a free-for-all for other couples to do the same. One after another, they jumped from the same bridge. Just like the old men told us, several mages stood at the ready on the banks and in the middle of the river. The bride and groom had cords infused with floating magic wrapped around their arms for their safety.
Drenched, the couples laughed delightedly under the rays of the early summer sun.
“Missy, ain’t you gonna jump in with sonny boy there?”
“Us? But we’re not from here…” I said.
“Festivals are meant to be enjoyed, girly! So go in for a swim with that strappin’ lad!”
“You heard them. Let’s go,” Richard said with a wink.
“Huh? W-Wait, no…”
One of the old men let out a whistle.
“Have fun, you two!”
Riled up by the old men, Richard dragged me toward the jumping-off point on the bridge, my hand still in his. The spectators around us clearly thought we were another couple joining in on the festivities because they showered us with flowers and applause on the way.
Our escorts watched us too, rueful smiles on their faces.
“See you soon.”
“Here, take care of my hat and glasses.”
One of the guards took both from Richard very politely and walked away.
I could feel my face growing hotter and hotter as the knights I knew pretending to be ordinary folks grinned in amusement at us. We had finally arrived at the edge of the lift bridge, on one of the lower platforms. Standing here now, I shivered at how unexpectedly high up we were.
“Here, let me tie this cord around you. We use it in lieu of lifebuoys.”
An older woman skillfully bound us together by wrapping the cord around his left wrist and my right. Despite the lovely embroidery stitched into it, the cord felt like a chain. A tool for a wedding.
A lukewarm breeze ruffled my skirt and hair, lifting both high in the air.
The glitter of the water’s surface illuminated Richard’s hair and his eyes. He looked like he was enjoying himself immensely.
“All right, we’ll jump on three. Ready?”
“W-Wait!”
Without thinking, I gripped his hand with both of mine. Everyone watching smiled cheerfully at us, well aware that there were women who lost their nerve right before the jump.
“What’s wrong?”
All of this felt like a dream. Standing above this beautiful sparkling river, celebrated by the crowds, jumping in together as lovers.
“Isn’t…isn’t this something couples do? But we’re—”
Richard froze then. Then he stared intently at me in silence for a few beats.
“Miss Monica… Do you want to be with me in the next life too?”
“Huh?” I paused for a moment before answering. “I…”
Overwhelmed by the fervor in this most unusual of places, I ended up blurting the truth to him.
“I…want to be by your side, Richard…not just in the next life…but for eternity.”
The moment I confessed, the sweetest smile bloomed on his face. At that exact instant, the water’s reflection struck his eyes, making them glow more beautifully and fiercely than the sun.
“I’ll never forget those words, as long as I live.”
With those words, he tugged on my hand and took a step back, preparing himself for the leap.
“W-Wait! I’m not ready yet!” I cried.
“Too bad. Here we go, Miss Monica!”
It took only a second. Richard took me along with him when he leaped. Then, the cheers of the spectators. The sky. The waterfowls. The water’s surface shining. Everything flashed by in my eyes frame by frame.
Splash. Cold. He embraced me in the water.
“Nh…” As I instinctively flailed, afraid of drowning, he suddenly pushed his face close to mine.
“Miss Monica, Miss Monica, we’re floating.”
“Oh…”
That was when I noticed he was holding me as he floated magically in the river. Then I felt my face flush when I realized I was the only one who’d panicked.
“Th-Thank you…”
When he slicked back his wet hair, thrilled shrieks came from the crowd. Of course they did. Who wouldn’t in the face of this sexy monster? He lifted my arm up and used his teeth to break the cord.
Then he kissed my wrist and grinned at me, flashing his teeth.
“With this, you can’t ever leave me, Miss Monica.”
“You…vexing…man…”
Blissfully unaware, the spectators clapped loudly and congratulated us.
He wrapped one arm around me and pulled me along as he waded out of the river. I used drying magic to dry our bodies lightly once we were out. After I finished, he stared directly into my eyes and murmured softly.
“It’s the same for me, Miss Monica. Even though my chest hurts when we’re together, I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“…What?”
The air between us felt suspended.
Richard’s expression was deeply earnest as he gazed down at me. “Miss Monica, the truth is, I—”
That was when Darius and Solarus rushed over to us.
“I believe it’s about time we return to the castle,” said Solarus.
As soon as the wedding ceremony officially ended, the crowd began thinning out. The knights in our security detail glanced over at us and nodded affirmatively.
“You’re right… Thank you.”
“Let’s go then,” Richard said. “Update me on our people at headquarters.”
“Yes, sir, they…”
Just like that, he changed the subject and listened to Darius’s report about our security and ongoings in the castle. Still damp from our sojourn in the river, I fiddled with my plaits, struggling to switch gears mentally from the warm, cozy feelings bubbling inside me.