A few days later.
The date was set for a rest day, and the time was in the afternoon.
Genis had politely declined, and Soldat was too busy with meetings to attend.
Both of them seemed busy.
I had worried Badigadi might be too busy to come as well, but His Majesty surprisingly had free time and announced he would attend.
The remaining eleven people also received invitations.
Yes,
---
"This is a wife's job, so leave it to me!"
She'd been busy preparing since the crack of dawn.
Apparently, Sylphie had learned to cook at some point without my knowing.
She'd been taught everything a wife needed to know by Lillia.
The spare room on the second floor had also been tidied up for the occasion.
Though all that meant was bringing in a simple bed, a closet, a table and chairs, a water pitcher, and the like.
It was for anyone who might not feel well during the event.
While preparations were steadily progressing,
the first to arrive were Linia and Pursena.
It was about two hours before the scheduled time.
Could it be that these two had gotten the time wrong?
"In our common sense, you're supposed to come early to a celebration with a catch in hand, nya."
"That's right. We brought the biggest one. It's proof of loyalty to the Boss."
They had brought a massive boar—
in a sleigh.
For beastfolk, apparently it was customary to go hunting in the morning on the day of a marriage celebration and bring back whatever they caught.
The earlier you went out, caught something, and returned, the greater the respect it showed for the other party.
When I asked what they'd do if they hadn't caught anything,
they said they'd just buy something at the market.
Is that so.
They were wearing
I had decided on this.
The guests had wildly varying levels of wealth, and if people showed up in overly elaborate outfits, those with ethnic flair would stick out.
Fortunately, everyone who was attending had a uniform.
Ah, well,
The two of them were welcome to relax in the living room until the meal began.
Hosting guests was the husband's job.
The two had been outside since morning and were apparently quite cold.
Linia was curled up on the warmest sofa in front of the fireplace, hugging Pursena.
"Still, to think the Boss and Fitz would get married, nya..."
"Fitz really was a woman after all. I had a feeling based on the smell."
"Right, nya. But now it makes sense."
While saying such things, the two were grooming each other.
Incidentally, we had informed the guests that Sylphie = Fitz.
I'd told them to keep it quiet, but it was inevitable that word would spread to some degree.
"What makes sense?" I asked, handing them cups of warm tea.
"The Boss likes them small, nya."
"The fact that he never came after us even though he was reeking of sexual desire—it must have been a matter of preference, nya."
How rude.
As if I'm some pervert who'd pounce on any woman he sees.
Absolutely rude. Maybe I should give them a good thrashing.
But I kept such thoughts to myself.
Just yesterday, Sylphie and I had enjoyed a pleasant evening together.
I'd left all my desires inside Sylphie.
Today, I was a sage.
The second to arrive, surprisingly, were
About an hour before the start.
"My apologies. On the way, there was a rather fine doll that caught my eye, and I couldn't help but be drawn in.
If Julie hadn't been with me, it could have been dangerous."
That was Zanoba.
Julie was wearing her Ranoa Magic University uniform.
It was sized for a small-statured race.
She looked compact and doll-like.
"Gran-don, Mas-ter, thank you for the invi-ta-tion," Julie said, lifting the hem of her skirt and giving a polite bow.
She was so cute.
I glanced at Zanoba, and he too had his head bowed.
Then, in a formal tone, he spoke:
"Master Rudeus Greyrat. I am grateful for the celebratory invitation."
Oh.
Zanoba was being proper for once.
That's right—he wasn't incapable of pleasantries.
Alright, I should follow suit and be serious for once.
"Prince Zanoba, today—"
"Ah, Master. There is no need to be formal with me. It is merely a formality, after all.
Please continue to treat me with your usual... casualness."
"...Right. Then go rest in that room over there."
"Hahaha, understood. Come, Julie, let's go."
So much for trying to be serious. What a waste.
But I still prepared tea for them.
Casual or not, I was the host and they were the guests.
As I was thinking this, I heard Linia and Pursena's proud voices from the living room.
It seemed they were boasting about being the first to arrive.
A moment later, I heard Zanoba's frustrated voice as well.
It sounded like everyone was having a good time, which was all that mattered.
Third to arrive were Ariel and her party.
About thirty minutes before the start.
Ariel, Luke, and two female students I'd seen somewhere before.
Were they Ariel's attendants?
Sylphie's comrades. I wouldn't dare treat them poorly.
"Thank you very much for the invitation today.
As we are unversed in the customs of commoners, please forgive any lapses in etiquette."
Ariel was the one who bowed.
I had expected either Luke or one of the attendants to bow, but perhaps she was matching my level.
"Many different species are gathered here today, so please don't worry about etiquette. If anything, we're the ones worried about being discourteous..."
"My thanks. All of you."
At Ariel's glance, the two attendants stepped forward.
"I am Elmoa Bluewolf, attendant to Lady Ariel."
"And I am Kryne Elrond, likewise."
Names aside, their surnames were easy to remember.
A blue wolf and a legendary knight.
My name was
Did the nobles of the
If so, a "white hind" must exist somewhere.
In that case, white... what was "deer" again?
Horse was "horse," and fool was "fool."
So by that logic, it'd be "hall"?
A white tomorrow awaits you, then.
"Please accept this."
The two extended what they were holding toward me.
It was a box wrapped in expensive fabric.
"A wedding gift."
"How very kind of you. Thank you."
"We chose something that would be useful in your married life. Please have a look inside."
At their urging, I peeked inside and was struck speechless.
A small bottle filled with pink liquid, and a wooden rod.
To put it bluntly, it was an aphrodisiac and a dildo.
What the heck is this...
"I don't doubt that the men of the Greyrat Family can satisfy their women,
but if the need arises, please make use of it."
"Y-yes."
Ariel was perfectly composed.
Was this normal for her?
Luke and the other two were equally unfazed.
The culture gap was real...
I guided the four of them to the living room.
Linia and Pursena immediately tensed up.
"..."
Surely they wouldn't start a fight.
Even for beastfolk, they wouldn't ruin the festive atmosphere at a celebration, right?
When I gave them a meaningful look, the two seemed to understand.
"It's been a while, Linia, Pursena. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused back then."
"It's been a while, nya."
"The trouble was mutual."
Ariel settled herself near them in a soft-spoken manner, sitting down.
The other three remained standing.
Just in case, I signaled Zanoba to step in if anything happened.
Zanoba nodded, but apparently misinterpreted the situation, stood up, and bowed to Ariel.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Ariel. I am Zanoba Sione, Third Prince of the Kingdom of Siluone and most dedicated disciple of Master Rudeus Greyrat."
"Prince Zanoba. I am glad to see you well. I visited shortly after your enrollment to pay my respects, but have you forgotten?"
"My. How rude of me. You see, I am the God-Child of Brute Strength—my mind tends not to keep pace with my brawn..."
"Oh, but I hear you've achieved excellent marks in Earth Magic classes."
"All thanks to Master's teachings..."
I was somewhat surprised by Zanoba's social grace, but I busied myself preparing tea.
Right at the last moment, ten minutes before the start,
And so did Nanahoshi.
An unusual combination.
I had expected Nanahoshi to come alone.
"She was dithering at the gate, you see. You know her, don't you?" Elinalise said.
"Yes, of course. She's Silent Sevenstar."
When I said that, Cliff stared at her with wide eyes.
It seemed he had never actually seen Nanahoshi before.
"I-I see. So you're that Silent. Hmph, I'm Cliff. You must have heard my name at least?"
"...Yes, I've heard it. The name only. You're quite amazing, apparently. Silent," Nanahoshi replied.
An obviously robotic delivery.
An incredible air of pretending to know.
She probably had no idea who Cliff was at all.
But Cliff looked happy enough, so I said nothing.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Elinalise Dragonroad. What a lovely mask," she said.
"Thank you. Your hairstyle is lovely as well."
Nanahoshi's response was monotone.
Watching their interactions was nerve-wracking.
That said, Nanahoshi wouldn't want to get involved in unnecessary trouble either, so she probably wouldn't say anything inflammatory.
Honestly, I hadn't expected Nanahoshi to come at all.
I had given her an invitation, and she had accepted it.
But at the time, she hadn't said she would attend.
"Marriage... So you really intend to live here permanently," she had said in that emotionless voice of hers.
I sidled over and spoke in a low voice.
*'That's unusual, coming out of that room.'*
*'...You're the one who invited me.'*
*'True. Well... take it easy today. I've prepared potato chips and stuff.'*
*'Potato chips? You made potato chips?'*
*'Thanks to your cooking, I can get cooking oil easily now.'*
*'Impressive.'*
*'Not really.'*
All it took was slicing potatoes thin, frying them in oil, and sprinkling salt.
The oil, salt, and potatoes were all different from what I'd had in my previous life, so the taste varied a bit.
"Well then, pardon us," Elinalise said.
Elinalise led Cliff and Nanahoshi into the living room without hesitation.
Her stride was decisive.
As an adventurer, her rank was second-lowest among the guests, just above Julie.
But she didn't seem like the type who cared about such things.
When species varied so wildly, social rank became rather meaningless anyway.
The two who entered the living room fell into their usual dynamic.
Cliff said something tactless that soured the mood, and Elinalise smoothed things over.
Cliff didn't mean any harm, but he had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth.
Nanahoshi was mostly silent, but she responded when spoken to.
She was even engaging in conversation.
I had thought she was a shut-in with social anxiety, but that apparently wasn't the case.
After a while, Sylphie came to report that preparations were complete.
Now, the only one left was Badigadi.
If he took too long, the food would get cold.
Just as I was worrying about this, Elinalise spoke up.
"Badigadi won't be arriving on time, of course.
Beings who live for thousands of years are terribly lax about punctuality.
You should expect him to show up about a month from now."
With that, we decided to start the meal on time.
Sorry about that, Badi.
---
The venue was set up for a standing reception.
After agonizing over seating arrangements, I had removed the chairs entirely.
Fortunately, the room was large enough that you could walk around even with tables set up.
For those who got tired, I'd placed chairs along the edges.
I'd chosen food that was easy to eat standing up.
First, I distributed cups of wine to everyone.
Nanahoshi had declined alcohol, so she got fruit juice.
I was the one who would lead the toast.
I stood at the front alongside Sylphie.
Eyes turned toward us.
Eleven pairs of eyes.
Not an unpleasant feeling, exactly.
But it was making me nervous.
I had prepared cue cards, just in case.
Then Sylphie gave my hand a tight squeeze.
I looked at her face, and she gave me a shy smile.
"Do your best," she whispered.
I wanted to carry her off to the bedroom right now.
"Oh my, Rudeus, your face is completely red. How amusing," Elinalise giggled.
"Rieze, quiet down."
Elinalise was laughing, and for once, Cliff read the room.
Alright.
"Ahem.
Thank you all for gathering here today despite your busy schedules.
I would like to formally declare that I, Rudeus, and this person here..."
"FWAHAHAHA! And now I make my grand entrance!"
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
I turned around, and there he was.
A black body with a towering frame.
Six arms stuffed awkwardly into a uniform.
The Immortal Demon King Badigadi burst through the door with a flourish.
From the door leading to the kitchen.
"...!"
Everyone was struck dumb.
By his magnificent, imposing presence.
Even Cliff swallowed his words.
I, too, couldn't think of what to say.
At that timing, it looked almost as if Badigadi and I were the ones getting married.
Your wife is over there—the one with the toothpaste name, remember?
"Badigadi, you're late," Elinalise pointed out.
But Badigadi was completely unfazed.
"Hmm. Indeed, I am late. However, among our kind, it is tradition for royalty to make a grand entrance at the gathering's most dramatic moment to stir things up!"
"That's a lie."
"It is no lie. It was decided on a whim by Kishrika, and I myself think it's utterly ridiculous!"
Ridiculous, yet he still did it.
What a bunch of random people.
No wonder they'd been wiped out by the human race so many times.
"I went out of my way to shed a layer for you, circled around to the back entrance, and made the effort of appearing from behind! You should be grateful! FWAHAHAHA!"
He had gone out of his way to circle around?
Damn you... damn you...
No, calm down. You knew Badigadi was like this.
"Hahaha, well, thank you very much."
"There is no need for thanks. Now, go ahead and get married to your heart's content. A wedding ceremony in the presence of the Demon King—how often does that happen? I don't usually offer such services!"
With that, Badigadi plopped himself down on the floor.
Maybe I should have prepared a chair for him after all.
But demons tended to sit on the floor quite often, so it was probably fine.
"Well then, let me compose myself..."
*Ahem.*
"Thank you all for gathering here today despite your busy schedules.
I would like to formally declare that I, Rudeus, and Sylphiette here are getting married.
We are both still young, so there may be shortcomings, but we intend to support each other and make it work.
Um, the twelve people here are the ones we've grown especially close to over the past few years.
Some of us met only recently, but I consider all of you to be friends, despite—or perhaps because of—our immediate rapport.
When you are in trouble, I will be there for you as a friend.
If we ever find ourselves at odds with each other, I hope you'll think of my face and let it go—or at least pour it into the river for my sake... um."
This was too formal, wasn't it?
Everyone looked a bit uncomfortable.
Had I said something wrong?
Then Badigadi clapped me on the shoulder.
"Drop the stiff formalities.
You two love each other, and you want everyone here to acknowledge that, yes?"
Oh.
Right, right, exactly.
Alright.
"Well, here it is.
I'm going to spend my life with Sylphie.
If anything comes up, lend me a hand. Let's do this."
"Now then, a toast to the future of these two young souls!"
"Toasts all around!"
Badigadi raised a wine glass he'd somehow acquired.
Everyone raised their glasses in response.
A little wine sloshed over, and the feast began.
---
Pursena was the first to reach for the meat.
The pork had been steaming for a while now.
Was it beastfolk tradition to eat the catch they'd brought first?
No, that wasn't it.
Linia had claimed a spot by the fireplace and was gnawing on what could be called fried chicken.
Nanahoshi took the entire plate of potato chips and retreated to the corner of the room, crunching away.
Julie sat down beside her without warning.
Nanahoshi was startled. Julie, undeterred, began eating the chips.
A few days ago, I'd had Julie taste-test the potato chips as well.
She must have been eyeing them ever since.
Nanahoshi and Julie.
An interesting atmosphere was forming.
Drawn by that atmosphere, Badigadi wandered over.
Nanahoshi hurriedly fished a ring out of her pocket.
Silly Nanahoshi.
She kept saying she didn't want to be involved with anyone, yet her appetite got the better of her.
Setting Julie aside, Zanoba was glancing my way.
I wondered what he was hesitating for, but it turned out he was waiting for Ariel to make the first move.
Ariel brought her three companions over to where Sylphie and I stood.
"Sylphie, congratulations."
"Princess Ariel... thank you."
Sylphie gave her usual bashful smile and bowed to Ariel.
"How does this man and this home compare to your ideal?"
"Somehow, it's even better than my ideal. This house even has a bath!"
"Oh my, having a private bath—even in Asura, only a handful of people do. How enviable.
Sylphie, if you'd like, you could take a year off from your bodyguard duties?"
"Th-that... well... when we have children, perhaps..."
Ariel was chuckling softly.
After that, Luke and the two attendants also chatted with Sylphie about various things.
I'd only learned the attendants' names today, but they apparently shared a deep bond with Sylphie.
They seemed close, and the blue wolf girl was on the verge of tears.
It was like a high school track team's farewell party, in a way.
Then Luke approached me.
"Well, I imagine there's still some... lingering feelings between us, but let's make an effort, shall we..."
He extended his hand.
Lingering feelings? I didn't have any of those, but...
Well, if he was extending an olive branch, I was happy to take it.
"Yeah, let's get along, Luke... senpai."
"Take care of Sylphie."
Luke said that curtly, then released my hand.
If anyone still had lingering feelings, it seemed more like Luke.
It wasn't quite jealousy, but something adjacent.
After Ariel's group left, Zanoba came over.
Was he mindful of hierarchy or something?
He was royalty, so perhaps he was particular about such things.
"Once again, Master. Congratulations."
"Thank you, Zanoba."
Zanoba turned to Sylphie.
And bowed.
"Lady Sylphie. I had honestly believed you were a man.
To mistake my Master's spouse for a man... please forgive my discourtesy."
Sylphie hurriedly waved her hands.
"No, no, please raise your head. You're royalty—this isn't right. Someone like me..."
"Someone like you? You are the honored wife of the Master I respect most. If anything, you are second only to God."
"Rudy made the same mistake, so it's okay, right?"
Right? She looked to me.
Embarrassingly enough, I had indeed mistaken Sylphie for a man.
It had to be because she lacked sexual desire at the time.
I nodded in confirmation.
After Zanoba moved on, Linia and Pursena came over.
"Do humans really greet people while eating, nya?"
"That's poor manners."
That was all.
No congratulations or anything like that.
When it came time for their wedding, I'd make sure to properly learn the beastfolk customs.
"But if Fitz and the Boss are getting married, it makes sense, nya. It's good when strong ones pair up."
"That's right. Strong children will mean prosperity for the clan."
Having such candid conversations over a meal seemed like poor manners to me.
After the two of them came Nanahoshi.
She seemed to have escaped from Badigadi.
Her hair was disheveled from whatever he'd done to her.
Badigadi, meanwhile, was carrying Julie on his shoulders and making a ruckus.
"...Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Nanahoshi said those words briefly, then turned to leave.
Sylphie called after her.
"Um, Nanahoshi-san, may I ask one thing?"
"What is it?"
"Before, you and Rudy mentioned being from the same hometown. What did that mean?
Um... you came from another world... right?"
Sylphie's voice grew quieter in the latter half.
Nanahoshi looked at me.
What do you want to do? her eyes asked.
I didn't particularly care either way.
I had no intention of keeping secrets from Sylphie...
But being found out might lead to awkward looks.
"...I only figured it out because I could handle language. It was just a misunderstanding."
Nanahoshi said nothing more.
Nothing at all.
The last to arrive were Cliff and Elinalise.
Cliff lined us up and, with one hand, traced a cross-like symbol and delivered a short blessing.
"You're not followers of Milis, but this is the best blessing I can offer."
I'd accept even the sentiment.
Our god was benevolent enough not to take offense.
Originally, I was Japanese—celebrating Christmas without attending Mass was just part of daily life.
I loved names like Michael and Gabriel, but I'd never read the source texts—that was the type of person I was.
Now I had a god I believed in, but receiving blessings from other denominations didn't bother me.
"Rudeus. I'm glad. You've recovered."
Elinalise said this with a slightly pouty expression.
Right—I had never reported the completion of my ED treatment to her until now.
"You could have informed me a bit sooner, you know?"
"If I had, you would have said something like 'Let me verify it for you' and attacked me, wouldn't you?"
"Perish the thought. As I've told you before, I have no intention of becoming
Oh.
Then maybe I should have told her sooner.
Among everyone here, Elinalise and I had the longest history.
Though that was only an extra half year or so.
"Well, but if Cliff and Sylphie weren't around, I might have considered it once."
"And if Sylphie wasn't around, I might have considered it once, too."
"What a waste. But since things have turned out this way, let's simply remain friends as normal."
"Yes, I look forward to our continued friendship."
Elinalise turned to face Sylphie.
With a gentle expression, she spoke to her:
"Sylphiette. Congratulations.
From the bottom of my heart... from the bottom of my... heart... I... wish you..."
Tears began to tumble from Elinalise's eyes.
She looked down at Sylphie and let out a sob.
I was startled.
I didn't understand why she had suddenly burst into tears.
With trembling hands, Elinalise touched Sylphie's cheek.
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.
Her face crumpled as she simply stared at Sylphie's face.
"I-I'm sorry. Forgive me..."
Sylphie must have been equally surprised.
...or so I thought, but that wasn't the case.
She looked a little dazed, but not particularly shocked.
"Um, I've been meaning to ask for a while... but are you my grandmother, Elinalise-san?"
"...!"
I wasn't the only one who was stunned.
Cliff was too, and Elinalise as well.
"My father told me. My grandmother was a companion of Rudy's father."
So that's what he'd said.
Well, it wasn't hard to believe that Paul and Rawls had that kind of connection.
Rawls had said he'd gotten close to Paul during guard duty at the village...
It was entirely possible that the conversation had eventually revealed an Elinalise connection.
The world was smaller than you'd think.
Now that I thought about it, the wooden pendant Sylphie had carved for me and the pendant on Elinalise's sword hilt were identical.
Looking at them side by side, their facial features were similar too.
"Elinalise-san... so it's true?"
"N-no. Your grandmother couldn't possibly be someone like..."
"My father told me. That because of you, he was driven out of the Great Forest, and that you opposed his marriage to my mother."
"...!"
"He was so depressed about it that he said he might not reveal his true identity even if you met."
So Elinalise and Rawls had that kind of past.
Though I could understand the reason for opposition.
I myself had hesitated quite a bit when Cliff asked me to introduce Elinalise.
If your own daughter were to be with such a woman's son, there were bound to be parents who'd object.
"That is... *sob*... *sob*..."
Elinalise dissolved into sobs.
She seemed to be trying to say something, but the words wouldn't come.
Sylphie, unsure whether she'd said something wrong, began to look flustered.
"Cliff."
I called out to him.
Cliff was also white as a sheet.
"W-what is it?"
"Could you take Elinalise-san to a spare room upstairs and let her rest?"
"R-right. I-I understand."
"Sylphie, maybe we can talk about this later, when things have calmed down?"
"Y-yes."
Elinalise was led away by Cliff, but she looked back at me with frightened eyes.
"R-Rudeus, I-I'm like this, but Rawls is a perfectly normal person. And of course, his child Sylphie too, so..."
So what? Was she asking me not to look at her with prejudice?
She didn't trust me.
Well, I had been avoiding Elinalise recently, so I could see how misunderstandings might have piled up.
I leaned close to Elinalise's ear.
"Don't worry. I won't break up with Sylphie because of you, Elinalise-san."
"But—"
"More importantly, shouldn't you be worried about becoming relatives with Paul, whom you despise so much?"
"...Heh. Rudeus. You say the most amusing things at times like these."
Elinalise managed a weak smile.
That was a relief for now.
She needed to calm down a bit more.
"Regarding that matter, please talk with Sylphie privately later, when you've both had time."
"Yes. Thank you for your concern."
Elinalise was led out by Cliff.
Cliff, please handle this well...
---
Badigadi didn't come to greet us.
He had claimed a corner of the room and sat there laughing "FWAHAHAHA," filling the space with a lively atmosphere.
He was a welcome presence.