A Wedding on the Border Line

Today the Lesser Bus is on the larger side. In it are Fran, Monica, and Nicola, who serve as my attendants; Hugo, my personal cook, along with four cooks from the castle; two attendants of the Chief Priest; and then the divine implements required for the Star Binding ceremony, the Chief Priest's and my ceremonial robes, food and changes of clothes for the attendants, and so on—a massive amount of luggage had been loaded aboard.

The companions from the castle side were Ottilie and Brünhilde, Hartmut, and the guard knights Angelica and Leonore. Since we would be staying at Leisegang, relatives and high-ranking individuals had been given priority.

Damuel, Judith, Philline, Liesereta, and Richarda were staying behind.

Brother Cornelius was not serving as my guard knight, but accompanying us as a relative of the groom's side. Similarly, Father was not the Knight Commander today, but the groom's father.

My adoptive father's guard knights had been assembled around the Vice Commander.

Since the participation of the Lord's family had been requested, not only the Lord and his wife, but Wilfried and Charlotte would be coming as well. Technically, Bonifatius should have also accompanied us as a member of the Lord's family, but since he had already publicly announced his retirement, he would be staying behind to protect the castle. With this many people each bringing their own retainers, the castle would be quite thinly guarded.

The group performing the ceremony at the Temple, along with their attendants; the Lord's family and their retainers; the knights serving as escorts; and for the groom, not only Brother Lamprecht but also a man named Freude and his family.

When I had been briefed on the companion list for this trip, I had been stunned by the scale.

"There are so many people."

"If Aub Ahrensbach had not pushed forward the tension between territories by emphasizing his position as the uncle of the Aub, it likely would not have come to this scale."

According to the Chief Priest's explanation, in the case of a normal noble with a bride coming from another territory, after obtaining permission from each respective Lord, only relatives would go to the gate at the border to welcome the bride, exchange greetings, and then bring the bride and groom back. At this point they were still engaged—the formal marriage would have to wait for the Star Binding ceremony in summer.

"And what kind of situation would not be considered 'normal' noble?"

"The marriages of Lord candidates or royals are different again."

For royals and Lord candidates, permission was needed not only from the Lord but also from the King, so during a Lord's conference, the High Priest from the Central Temple would come and the Star Binding ceremony would be performed. It would be held in the prayer room with the altar that one passed through when going to receive the will of the gods, and afterward, only a formal presentation would take place in the territory.

Either way, it seemed that a ceremony at the border line, like this one, was unusual.

"I wonder why the bride's transfer has become so extravagant this time? I believe that Aub Ahrensbach insisted on holding the Star Binding ceremony at the border gate specifically to send a message of 'please take good care of my beloved niece' to the Leisegang family, whose blood runs strong."

That was what I believed—a message from the Ahrensbach side not to treat Aurelia the way they had treated Gabriele.

"But that alone cannot be the purpose. If we trust Lamprecht's words, the bride is the daughter of the third wife from Frewbartelk. There would be no need to go to such lengths. Could it be that the true purpose is to restrain Ehrenfest, which has been distancing itself from Ahrenfest after deciding on trade with the Central Temple and Klassenberg? Ahrensbach must be feeling the pressure as well."

The Chief Priest said this and let out a sigh.

"For decades, the Veronica faction—or rather, the faction with strong Ahrensbach influence—had been the most powerful in Ehrenfest. And with Sylvester, who carried Ahrensbach blood, becoming the Lord, that power should have become unshakable. But Sylvester sentenced the previous High Priest and his own mother, Veronica, to save you, cutting away a huge portion of the very faction that had been his foundation."

Through the Chief Priest's words, I finally grasped my adoptive father's situation. When I had known nothing about noble faction politics, I had thought, "Why do they allow these tyrannical criminals to run rampant?" But that sentencing had been an act of severing his own faction—something necessary for him to remain Lord.

If I were to put myself in his position, it would mean imposing some form of punishment or pushing away nearly all of his family—his wife, his siblings, his father and mother, and most of his retainers. In that state, he would have to face the opposition faction nobles, whom he had previously held little connection with and who harbored old grudges, with almost no allies.

Once I understood what it meant to lose one's backing, it was a terrifying prospect.

"It was what Sylvester deemed necessary. And in truth, it was necessary. You need not make that face. ...Besides, I believe that part of Ahrensbach's objective this time is to observe you—the one they were unable to see at the Noble Academy."

"I know. You've told me many times. Don't act on my own until the Chief Priest gives me the signal, and keep blessings to a minimum, correct?"

In order to appear as though I was simply following my guardian's instructions, I planned to hover behind the Chief Priest like a chick trailing its parent, staying out of sight.

We departed early in the morning and arrived at Leisegang by noon. Compared to the Dedication Ritual, when we had toured the various winter estates, this time we headed straight there, so the journey was considerably faster. The fact that the entire party consisted of nobles of mid-rank or above traveling on steeds, allowing them to increase speed, also contributed greatly.

"Welcome."

Count Leisegang and his family came out to greet us. The Lord and his wife, along with Wilfried and Charlotte, entered the mansion, but I could not go in right away. I had to instruct Fran and the others on how to manage our steeds at a distance so they would remain under control.

I had the castle retainers wait in front of the guesthouse, and then the Chief Priest and I went to give instructions to the Temple group.

"After we finish lunch, the Chief Priest and I will come to the guesthouse to change. Please have everything ready."

"Understood."

Just as during the Dedication Ritual, the Priests and Shrine Maidens were not permitted to enter Count Leisegang's mansion. They would be staying in the guesthouse. As such, food provisions were needed, and the Chief Priest and I would also have to go to the guesthouse when changing into our ceremonial robes. When told that this was simply how things were done, I reflected that Ilkgner, who had allowed the Gray Priests free access to take care of us during the Harvest Festival, had indeed been quite lenient.

"We will head to the border gate first to prepare the altar. There is not much time to spare."

At the Chief Priest's words, the Gray Priests set to work. They had to clean the guesthouse, eat the lunch boxes that Ella had prepared, and carry in the luggage needed for changing. It would keep them quite busy.

After watching the Gray Priests begin their tasks, the Chief Priest and I headed to the mansion with our own retainers.

"The cooks are this way."

Hugo and the court cooks who had come from the castle were reinforcements for tonight's banquet to welcome the brides. In lieu of lodging fees, they would demonstrate the proper methods for the recipes that my great-grandfather had purchased.

We were assigned rooms, and after eating lunch, we changed into the High Priest's ceremonial robes. Then the Temple group departed first. The term "Temple group" included the Chief Priest's and my own retainers as well.

Since the ceremony would not be performed at the gate, there was naturally no altar. A makeshift altar would have to be constructed. At the same time, to prepare for any surprise attacks, the Chief Priest would be placing various contraptions in the gate's waiting room and the room where the ceremony would be held.

I had Monica and Nicola help me change, then climbed aboard the Lesser Bus. Once I confirmed that Angelica was in the passenger seat and the Gray Priests were seated in the back, we set off.

We flew southward from Leisegang through the sky.

"...What?"

During the Dedication Rituals of my Blue Priestess days, when viewed from above, there had been no discernible difference between Ehrenfest and Ahrensbach—just an endless stretch of the same kind of forest. Naturally, it had been impossible to tell where the border was.

But this time, the border was visible. It truly looked as though a line had been drawn—rich forest on one side, low shrubland and grassland on the other. I had not visited the southern edge under noble jurisdiction in some time, having spent the recent period at the direct territories' Dedication Rituals and Harvest Festivals, so I had not realized how much the landscape near the border had changed.

When I turned to look at the Chief Priest, I saw him narrowing his eyes with a troubled expression, gazing down below. It was indeed a situation that could not be called normal.

I wanted to ask the Chief Priest all sorts of questions, but since this was not an emergency, shouting across steeds would clearly earn me a scolding for improper conduct as the Lord's adopted daughter. Reluctantly, I decided to hold my tongue until we reached the gate.

Apparently, when a noble crossed the border between territories, the Lord could sense it. Conversely, someone whose magic power did not meet the noble standard would not be able to perceive it. Thanks to the barrier protecting this border, the Lord could quickly detect the intrusion of foreign nobles.

And the border gate had been established so that nobles could pass through proper procedures to and from other territories without being suspected of invasion or other suspicious activities.

"...That is the border gate?"

"What a relief that there's no chance of getting lost."

As Angelica said, there was indeed no chance of mistaking it. There was a road, so the area was somewhat open, but with the surrounding forest stretching out on all sides, the lone, massive white gate standing there was extremely conspicuous even from the sky. It was built on the premise of nobles using it for bride transfers, so it was far larger and wider than the city gates.

However, unlike the city wall, an invisible barrier extended from the border gate, so having just a gate standing alone in the forest gave it a rather odd feeling.

"Rozemyne. Ferdinand. We have been expecting you."

When we arrived at the border gate, the knights standing guard came to greet us. Naturally, this border gate had not only Ehrenfest's knights, but also Ahrensbach's knights.

"This is a grand affair with both territories' Lord families gathered together, so I'm sure it will be demanding, but I ask for your cooperation."

Following the Chief Priest's instructions, I greeted both representatives, and then handed over the leather pouches the Chief Priest had given me. The rattling sound they made came from the money inside—for the knights stationed at the border gate to enjoy celebration wine later.

Since serving the actual celebration wine ran the risk of someone tampering with it, it was decided that it would be safer not to provide the real thing from our side. With no actual wine on hand, no one would sneak a drink while on duty, and since it was being handed over in front of everyone, the representatives could not embezzle it either.

"Much obliged."

Perhaps because money had been given for celebration drinks after a major operation, the faintest hint of smiles appeared on the knights' faces. First impressions are important. Since they seemed pleased for the moment, I had one of the Ehrenfest knights guide me to the room where the ceremony would be held.

"Priests, prepare the altar. Rozemyne, you will wait in the waiting room."

The Chief Priest issued his orders, glanced at the luggage being carried in by Fran and the others, and once he confirmed that everything had been unloaded, he put away his steed and headed for the waiting room.

While Fran and the others made preparations, the castle retainers took care of me. Ottilie and Brünhilde bustled about and brewed tea for me. The snacks were cookies that Ella had prepared before our departure.

As I was munching away, the Chief Priest appeared in the waiting room—it seemed he had finished issuing instructions and setting up the magical tools and such. Justus immediately began brewing tea. The Chief Priest's retainers included Justus and several others I did not recognize. I found it strange that Brother Eckhart was nowhere to be seen.

After reviewing the ceremony and the division of roles for the day, I brought up the topic of the landscape I had seen from above.

"...In any case, the scenery has changed quite dramatically. My memory tells me it is different from what I recall. That was near the site of the attack back then, wasn't it?"

The Chief Priest furrowed his brow but nodded. "...Roughly the same, yes." The conspicuous gate had not been in my line of sight back then, so while we were a bit removed, it was still near the Ahrensbach border—close enough to be the same area.

The Chief Priest pulled a leather pouch from the belt at his waist and took out a magical tool for preventing eavesdropping, holding it out toward me. "Since there are Ahrensbach knights present," he murmured in a low voice with a resigned sigh, and I realized I had spoken out of turn once again.

"I'm sorry."

"No matter. This border area was likely under the jurisdiction of Count Bindewald. After Count Bindewald was punished, either the noble dispatched here lacked sufficient magic power, or the territory was denied a noble as punishment, or perhaps Ahrensbach's overall magic power has declined. ...Either way, Ahrensbach seems to be suffering quite a shortage of magic power."

At the Chief Priest's words, I pouted my lips.

"In the midst of such a severe shortage, what could be their purpose in sending two brides? Being the Lord's niece means she is a high-ranking noble with more magic power than Brother Lamprecht before compression, correct? She would be a precious resource..."

"They will certainly demand compensation greater than the two brides' worth. I still do not know their aim, but..."

Saying that the information was woefully insufficient, the Chief Priest sipped his tea.

When the altar was nearly complete, the Ehrenfest group arrived, followed by the Ahrensbach group.

The two Lords exchanged lengthy greetings. While listening to them in a daze, I studied the people from the Ahrensbach side.

The brides, wearing veils that obscured their features, were positioned at the back, so the first thing that caught my eye were Aub Ahrensbach and his family, who were doing the greeting.

...So this is Aub Ahrensbach.

Aub Ahrensbach was old enough to be called a grandfather. Perhaps in his mid to late fifties. When Georgine stood beside him, they looked like they could be father and daughter in age, and with Dietlinde standing together, it clearly looked like three generations.

Hiding behind Aub Ahrensbach was a girl even younger than Dietlinde—about my age, it seemed. With golden hair and blue eyes, she was an absolutely adorable child.

...Could she be the other Lord candidate?

If she was a Lord candidate, she must be the Lord's child. But she could not be Georgine's daughter. I had heard that Dietlinde was the youngest. Besides, her features were different from Georgine's, and judging by their positioning, they were not close enough to be mother and daughter.

...Did the Lord have another wife, or was she an adopted daughter from a branch family, like me?

As I watched the Ahrensbach Lord's family, the greetings between the Lords seemed to have concluded. Georgine wore a gentle smile and stood half a step behind Aub Ahrensbach, in a demure posture. She seemed different from how I had seen her in Ehrenfest, giving more the impression of a modest wife.

Then Dietlinde approached with a smile to greet Wilfried, and Wilfried returned the greeting.

"Wilfried, I hear you are engaged to Rozemyne? ...The two of you do not seem to have changed at all, though."

"Rozemyne has always been family, so nothing has changed."

"Is that so."

While I caught Dietlinde and Charlotte exchanging a perfectly civil first meeting in my peripheral vision, I turned my gaze to Aurelia, Brother Lamprecht's bride, and her family.

Aurelia wore a veil, so her features were not clearly visible. But as befitting a bride marrying in as the Lord's niece, she wore a rather lavish outfit.

She was somewhat tall for a woman, and standing next to Brother Lamprecht, they looked like a well-matched pair.

Aurelia's father was also quite elderly, like Aub Ahrensbach. In the worst case, he could be of the generation whose first grandchild was already an adult. Aurelia's mother, the third wife, must have been a late marriage. The third wife looked about the same age as my own mother.

Then my gaze fell on the young girl standing beside her mother.

...Could that be the younger sister who was said to be charming, quick-witted, and well-liked? She looked a bit like Turi.

Her fluffy hair was done up in braids, and her cheerful, active demeanor reminded me vaguely of Turi. At a glance she seemed about Turi's age as well. Turi was well-developed compared to those around her, so she was probably about the same age as Dietlinde. Even if there was some difference in their school years, I was sure she was enrolled in the Noble Academy.

Behind Aurelia and her family, I could see Freude's relatives exchanging greetings with the family of the middle-ranking Ahrensbach noble who was to be his bride.

"Then, let us begin the Star Binding ceremony."

At the Chief Priest's direction, the Star Binding ceremony commenced. The relatives moved to the room with the altar, while the brides, grooms, and the Chief Priest's and my own retainers remained in the waiting room.

"You are the younger sister of Lamprecht and the High Priest who will perform today's ceremony? I have heard that you are the Saint of Ehrenfest, but is it truly alright for someone so young?"

Startled by Aurelia's voice, I turned around. I had been told not to make contact, but when someone spoke to me directly, I could not simply ignore them.

The moment I turned, Angelica and the other retainers swiftly moved forward, surrounding me in a protective formation. In response, the bride's guard knights narrowed their eyes and assumed a defensive posture as well.

"There is no need to create such an unsettling atmosphere on such a joyous occasion."

Speaking from behind my retainers, I called out to Aurelia as well.

"I understand that entrusting such an important ceremony to a child must be worrying for Ahrensbach, but I have performed many ceremonies as High Priest. Please rest assured that I will deliver a proper blessing."

"Rozemyne, contact is forbidden."

At my retainers' words, bracing myself for the scolding I would receive from my guardians later, I turned my face away with a pout but held my head high.

"I have made no contact. This is simply me talking to myself."

"My, what a loud soliloquy."

No matter what they said, I insisted it was a soliloquy. Then, a thin voice drifted over from the Ahrensbach side. It was difficult to hear clearly with several people in the way, but it was probably Aurelia.

"...I too am only speaking to myself, but... would you bless me?"

Hearing the anxious voice tinged with surprise, I blinked. Within Ehrenfest, the internal factional split was well known—information from the old Veronica faction must have been flowing to Ahrensbach. From our perspective, it was a push from the Ahrensbach side, but perhaps for the brides as well, this had been an exercise of power from above. If that was the case, the ones who would feel most anxious about being married into such a situation were the two brides themselves.

"I am only speaking to myself, but blessing a newly married couple is only natural, isn't it? That is why I am here. ...Given the complicated state of the territories, there must be many concerns on both sides. But life in Ehrenfest is something that husband and wife build together through discussion, mutual support, and shared decisions. My wish is for that life to be filled with happiness."

The guard knights on both sides exchanged glances and withdrew with resigned sighs, and the atmosphere in the waiting room relaxed. At the same time, Fran's voice came from beyond the door: "High Priest, please enter." I smiled warmly at the two brides, clutched the Holy Book, and headed for the open door.

Feeling the intense gazes from the Ahrensbach side on my back, I walked straight toward the Chief Priest, who stood before the altar. I was careful with every step to avoid stepping on the hem of my robe and stumbling.

Behind the altar, where the Holy Book would be placed, a step stool had been set up for me. As usual, I handed the Holy Book to the Chief Priest and had him place it on the altar, then climbed onto the stool.

Once I was ready, the Chief Priest raised his voice.

"We shall now begin the Star Binding ceremony. Brides and grooms, come forth!"

The door, opened by the Gray Priests, admitted the brides and grooms. Though the ceremony took place amid the tension of each party's knights, the relatives offered applause and congratulations—I watched from my perch with a slight sense of relief.

The Chief Priest gave a reading from the Holy Book, after which, in the presence of both Lords, the two couples were asked of their intent to marry. Since they were marrying into Ehrenfest, it was Ehrenfest's side that prepared the marriage documents. Using the pen of a magical tool, the brides and grooms signed the documents my adoptive father had produced.

Two marriage contracts burst into golden flames, and once they had completely burned away and vanished, the marriage was sealed.

"With the marriage of the new couples sealed, the High Priest shall offer her blessing."

This was my turn. To control the amount of blessing, the Chief Priest handed me a magic stone that had been precharged with my magic power. The blessing would be performed using only the magic within this stone—a fail-safe against excess, devised by the Chief Priest.

I gave a small nod in response to his gaze that clearly said "Absolutely do not do anything unnecessary," took a deep breath, and offered my prayer to the gods.

"O Supreme Gods, divine couple of Darkness and Light who preside over the lofty heavens—hear my prayer. Bless the birth of this new couple. What I offer in your honor are their heartfelt wishes. With prayer and gratitude, may you bestow your holy grace upon them."

As I prayed for the blessing of the supreme divine couple, the usual gold and black light spiraled from the ring and soared toward the ceiling. The gold and black intertwined, overlapped, and burst.

All of it broke into tiny particles of light that scattered and rained down upon the two couples. I had been told to hold back, and since there were two couples, the blessing was not particularly large.

I let out a sigh of relief that my blessing—so susceptible to being influenced by emotion—had flown equally to all four people. From the Ahrensbach side, a breath of awe escaped as a murmur.

"That was a magnificent blessing, Saint of Ehrenfest."

"I am honored."

Aub Ahrensbach's face softened into a brief smile.

But his gaze was not directed at me. It was aimed at the Chief Priest.