Sir Celes led me to a door to a room. As it opened, we were met with a burst of multicolored flower petals and cheers.
“Lucia!”
“Lucia, congratulations!”
“It’s important to have a reception like this too, right?” he said with a wink.
“Yes! Very, very important!” I nodded, having to hold myself back from clinging to him.
The room was filled with people who were important to me. Chicca, Rossella, Jeanne and Joanne, the Canalis brothers, Eric... Everyone who couldn’t go to the other reception due to rank or status was here.
“Captainnnnn...” Sir Fedele sauntered up to us in tears, glass in hand. Sir Ascari was holding him up. Is he alright?
“I won’t believe it! You quitting and getting married!? It’s all too unfair! I can’t keep up! And now you’re gonna run away together when you hid her from us in the first place! Don’t hog her!”
He must have really respected Sir Celes to be this upset over him leaving.
“Sorry, but I’m not giving her up for anything,” Sir Celes laughed as Sir Fedele smacked his chest repeatedly.
“Give her up for me! You didn’t even give me a chance!”
“Sorry, Captain. He’s drunk...”
“Yeah, but it’s okay. It’s my fault in the first place. And I’m not your Captain anymore.”
“Captain will always be our Captain!!”
“You’ll always be our Captain.”
Sir Fedele and Sir Ascari spoke in succession, and the rest of the Knights yelled in agreement. They really do love him!
While I was proud of that fact, I also felt awful that I stole their beloved Captain from them. But I wouldn’t give him up either. I wanted to be with him, even if it made me selfish.
“Um... I’m really sorry for taking your Captain away. I won’t ask you to forgive me, but please, at least understand...” I said, bowing.
I knew they might not forgive me, but I felt I should at least say as much.
“N-None of this is your fault, Miss Lucia!” Sir Fedele stammered. “It’s all the Captain’s fault for going so far! But Miss Lucia, I’m so glad you’re alright! If anything happened to you, I...”
Before he could finish his sentence, he began sobbing. I really must have worried him!
Flustered, I said, “I-I’m really fine! Please don’t cry!”
“Miss Luciaaaa... You’re so prettyyyy... Captain! Why didn’t you tell us about her!? If you had, maybe I would’ve...”
“Okay, I’ll apologize about that, but I really didn’t want to let anyone else have her!”
“It’s not fair! Not fair at all! It goes against all forms of chivalry!”
“She’s more important to me than chivalry!” Sir Celes shot back.
As they started arguing, and the Third Regiment began egging them on, Chicca saved me by gently pulling me away.
“Chicca!”
“Congratulations, Lucia!”
She gave me a big hug, and the others all took turns hugging me afterwards.
“Congratulations, Lucia. You look beautiful.”
“Luciaaa! Congratulations on getting married! I’m glad you could marry Sir Celestino after all that happened.”
“Lucia, you look so pretty in your wedding dress! And ‘Sir Celes’ really was Sir Celestino!”
The unchanging affection I got from the other laundrymaids was enough to make me cry. I finally felt like I was home. I had come back to Arldat, but I had only seen all my laundrymaid friends once, so I was really happy to be able to talk to them again like this.
“This all happened because you didn’t give up on living, Lucia. It must have been hard, but you did it. Since you’ve already worked way too hard, now you need to have your hero hubby pamper you and make you happy.”
“Chicca...”
“I’ll be watching over you. If anything happens, just call for me. I’ll do anything for you! You’re... Yes, you may as well be my daughter!”
At her words, I launched myself at her warm chest, sobbing. I had tried so hard to hold back from crying in front of everyone, too!
“Oh, don’t cry. You’re made up so pretty, it’d be a waste. A smile best suits a bride,” she said.
“You’re right!”
Just like Sir Celes was surrounded by the other knights, my servant friends all surrounded me, giving me their blessings.
“Notte.”
Hearing a hesitant voice from outside our group, I turned, surprised.
“Missus Olga and Miss Bice!”
“Oh, Notte... No, that’s not your real name, is it? Oh, you’re just so beautiful... I’m so glad,” she said, crying as she held both my hands and congratulated me.
“You came all this way for me? Thank you so much.”
“Of course I would, since you told me you’d be happy... I even got an invitation right from the King.”
It seemed that His Majesty was the one to call Missus Olga here. Apparently, all of Riunione was in a tizzy after an invitation and a carriage arrived from the King. Missus Olga, her husband, the village mayor, and Miss Bice and her son all came, only arriving yesterday. I was so glad they’d come, even when it had been so busy.