My mind went completely blank.
What did she just say?
Something like 『What comes next?』
「Noie-san. Do you remember the steps after this?」
「I was told 『walk side by side』 and 『just follow instructions』」
「……」
My blank mind turned pitch black.
Who the hell gave her such a half-assed explanation!?
「Then it’s this. Next, we walk together to the platform, listen to the words from his majesty up there」
「Argusta-sama」
「…What?」
「Simply」
「Huh?」
「I can’t remember anything except dragon extermination」
Still completely expressionless, she turned those straight eyes toward me.
Looking again… her black eyes with a faint red tint are really pretty.
Ahaha. Reality escape over!
「Um…」
But how am I supposed to explain? She can’t remember anything but dragon extermination…what kind of education did she get? All focused on dragon-slaying expertise?
Useless. That’s the most useless knowledge right now!
「First, walk beside me」
「Yes」
「Stop on the platform」
「Yes」
「Repeat the vow words before the king」
「…Yes」
Her gaze drifted slightly.
Already at her limit?
「The rest when we get there」
「Understood」
She accepted and turned forward again.
A maid suddenly appeared and lowered her veil.
I was wondering why when the other maids started opening the doors.
Wait, wait. I’m not ready mentally!
Beyond the opened doors, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air.
For now, Noie-san and I started walking side by side.
-0-
「「I swear」」
「With this declaration from the two of you, I recognize the marriage of my son Argusta and Knight Noie」
Somehow, we finished repeating the vows.
Thinking back now, was it my explanation that was bad?
She ended up standing in the exact same spot as the king on the platform, and started repeating the vows from the very beginning because she didn’t know where they started… I’m probably not at fault, but I feel like I’ll get scolded later.
But every time I corrected her, she followed precisely. That part was really helpful.
Helpful, but… when I glanced at her standing beside me, she was just staring blankly into space.
I have no idea what she’s thinking. Maybe she isn’t thinking anything at all.
She just responds to what she’s told, follows instructions.
It’s like she’s nothing more than a convenient anti-dragon weapon.
Where did her personality go? Her emotions?
「I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now, the kiss of oath」
「……」
I totally forgot! With everything going on, I completely blanked on the most basic part!
Um… what should I do?
I have to say something to her while she’s waiting for instructions.
「Noie-san. Turn this way」
「Yes」
She turned toward me exactly as told.
「Sorry. Not just your face, turn your whole body this way」
「Yes」
Kissing while she faced sideways would have been way too surreal.
She moved without a sound and faced me properly.
This is bad. My heart won’t stop pounding.
「Um… lift your face. Sorry, ignore that. Just tilt your chin up a little, yes, like that. Hold that position」
「Yes」
She’s ready.
But I’m really, really not!
I looked desperately at his majesty for help, but he just waved his hidden hand from the platform like 「hurry up and do it」.
No allies here.
Ah, screw it! I already died once anyway!
I gently lifted her veil, grabbed her shoulders firmly, and pulled my face in close all at once.
Ah… soft.
After pressing for a few seconds, I pulled back. Her eyes, which I forgot to tell her to close, were slightly wider than usual.
I hope it’s because she was surprised… and not because it smelled bad.
「Good. With this, the two of you are officially husband and wife. Your vows shall be eternal」
The king declared loudly, and applause finally filled the silent hall.
Phew. Somehow it’s over.
「Argusta-sama」
「What?」
「…Never mind」
She cut the conversation short and turned her face and gaze away.
Did I make her hate me by suddenly kissing her? But I had no choice!
Still, maybe I should apologize…
「Report! Report!」
「What is it!」
The king raised his voice at the man who suddenly burst in.
Barging in and yelling during a celebration is rude even in another world.
The soldier who tumbled down the aisle somehow regained balance and dropped to one knee.
「Multiple medium-sized dragons approaching from the northeast! Urgent request for reinforcements from Bajar Fortress!」
The one who reacted to those words was Noie-san.
She ripped off her veil, tore away the unnecessary decorations from her wedding dress… and handed the torn pieces to me.
「I will go」
「…Yes. I’m counting on you, Knight Noie」
「Yes」
Then she looked at me.
「Argusta-sama. I’ll be back」
「Eh, ah, yeah. Don’t get hurt, okay」
「…Yes」
She gave a small nod and dashed down the aisle at incredible speed, disappearing beyond the doors.
And so, our wedding ceremony came to an end.
Since we had completed the vow ritual, it was apparently valid.
But… with the bride gone, the rest of the event turned pretty chaotic.
Leave a Reply