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THE cathedral’s large white entrance door was covered in a delicate gold carving—beautiful but understated. Sophisticated. It made Agnes feel even more nervous, somehow. Beyond that door waited many guests of noble and royal backgrounds. The entire wedding ceremony was about to take place there.
The formalities weren’t too complex, and Claude promised he would lead her through it. Nonetheless, Agnes found she couldn’t control her nerves.
She sighed, as she’d been doing all morning, and Benoit gently patted her shoulder.
“I have faith in Prince Claude. But if anything happens, know that you can come home whenever you want to.”
“Can I come by anytime I like, just to visit?”
“Of course. Agnes, I’ve said it many times before, but I’m so glad you lived through that terrible accident and became my precious daughter. All I want is for you to be blissfully happy.”
Through her veil, Agnes could barely make out his eyes, so swollen were they from crying. She felt her heart constrict, and tears welled up in her own eyes.
Benoit had always protected Agnes and showered her with love. Sometimes, Agnes hadn’t been the best daughter. Just the same, he had never turned his back on her: he had always been her biggest support.
I love you, Father. Thank you, Father. Those words weren’t enough. Instead, Agnes smiled, showing Benoit that, yes, she was truly happy.
“…Okay.”
“Lady Agnes, it’s time,” the waiting priest said softly and opened the door.
As Agnes stepped forward, clutching her bouquet, she caught a glimpse of a high ceiling and sparkling stained glass. There stood Claude by the altar. Benoit would escort Agnes down the aisle. Most of the guests were nobles Agnes didn’t know, but she could spot Armand, Cesar, Gerome, the king and queen, Xavier and Zenaide, and Charles.
It wasn’t all that far to walk, but all those eyes on her made it seem like an eternity. She kept her eyes lowered, and that was when she noticed something odd about the bouquet she held. The pure white lilies were beautiful, but there was something stuck between them that clearly wasn’t a flower—what resembled thin, white membranes stacked on top of each other was a Tremella fuciformis.
That mushroom pervert just couldn’t resist sneaking them into the bouquet.
As long as it’s white, it’s all right. Those words came back to Agnes, and she almost chuckled out loud. When they finally arrived in front of the altar, Benoit gave Agnes’s hand to Claude.
“Your Highness. Please take care of my Agnes.”
“I will. I swear I will make her very happy.”
These were mere words of formality, Agnes knew that, but the thought of leaving Benoit’s protection and starting a whole new life with Claude was sort of…bittersweet.
Benoit stepped back, and Claude and Agnes turned to face the altar and the priest.
The colorful light from the stained-glass windows fell in sheets into the cathedral. It was so overwhelmingly beautiful, like something out of a dream.
“Claude Visage. Do you vow to follow the customs of the Dragon Royal Family and love Agnes Lefort as your lifelong partner?” spoke the priest, reciting the vows in a melodic voice.
“I do,” Claude responded in kind.
The whole thing felt sort of…holy.
Claude was dazzling, looking resplendently like a royal prince.
“Agnes Lefort. Do you swear to join the Dragon Royal Family and love Claude Visage as your lifelong partner?”
Yikes. Don’t freak out in the middle of the wedding, Agnes. This is no time for blushes.
“I…”
But before she could say “do,” there was a series of loud echoing pops throughout the cathedral. A black funnel-shaped Craterellus cornucopioides and a red funnel-shaped Gomphus fluccosus had sprouted on the holy book the priest clutched. The worst possible time and place for mushrooms to sprout!
Agnes screamed internally as Claude swiftly plucked the mushrooms and slotted them into her bouquet. The bouquet—now with white, black, and red mushrooms dispersed between the lilies—instantly transformed into a bright, attractive arrangement.
“My beloved. Do you vow yourself to me?” Claude gave her a soft, confident smile.
He was so assured. Of course. He was a royal.
It was true that the only people in attendance who could even see the mushrooms were those in the front row. Just the royals and relatives. They either wouldn’t balk at a mushroom or two, or—knowing about Claude’s proclivities—would almost be expecting it.
So then…what was the problem?
Taking shallow breaths to calm herself down, Agnes nodded slowly.
“I do.”
The priest, taken aback by having mushrooms sprout right in front of him, was distracted by the bouquet for a moment. He smiled as he regained composure once more.
“As the representative of the voice of the dragon, I have heard their vows. Now, as proof of their devotion, we move to the exchange of rings and the sacred kiss.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Claude slid the engagement and wedding rings onto Agnes’s finger. The rings were mushroom-themed as well, but they were so small and delicate. Hard to see, really—Agnes decided they didn’t fully count. In turn, Agnes slipped Claude’s ring onto his gloved finger shakily. For a brief moment, she thought she saw a fungi motif on his ring as well.
Still thinking about mushrooms, Agnes blinked as her vision grew clearer. Claude had just lifted her veil. Seeing Claude clearly, in his fancy attire, was sort of exciting.
Normally Agnes was able to sort of work around his dashing handsomeness, since he was such a mushroom dork, but with him gazing deep into her eyes like this, she felt fixated.
“Agnes. I love you,” he said as his eyes sparkled in the stained-glass light. His smile made Agnes smile too.
“Yes. I love you, too.”
Claude smiled again and stroked her cheek as their lips met.