Chapter 198
Marriage
In truth, the people around Aiden were not the kind who could be described as having particularly bad relationships with each other.
To be precise, it was more like a relationship where they treated each other like strangers passing by. They knew who the others were, but it was hard to say they had any genuine interest in one another. Most of them were connected in that sort of way.
In that sense.
If you gathered such people into one room, it was only natural for an awkward silence to settle in.
“…….”
“…….”
Katya, Noel, Rania, and even Cretin.
The four people sitting there stared at one another with expressions as if they could kill each other.
It was obvious from their faces that none of them had ever imagined experiencing something like this in their lives.
Perhaps the very first words that slipped out captured that feeling perfectly.
“I’ve met plenty of crazy people in my life.”
“Yeah.”
“……but someone who handles marriage like this, I’ve never seen or even heard of before.”
As those words came out from someone, everyone present quietly nodded in agreement.
As it stood, Wornil, a powerful god who could throw the entire Pantheon into chaos if left alone, would soon come to harm him in one way or another. To crush that head-on, he needed to strengthen his power, and the best way to do that—according to the nature of the divinity dwelling within him—was to have many ‘marriages.’
…Logically speaking, it was a perfect explanation. Even someone with no particular knowledge of theology would find it hard to refute.
No, in the first place, how could anyone argue against it when the divinity within Aiden itself worked that way?
The clothes everyone was wearing right now were no different from usual. Just their everyday outfits.
…And that, without a doubt, was one of the things making their tempers flare.
They had never wished for something extravagant like a pure white dress or a veil, but still.
…No matter what.
They all looked at each other with faces full of things they wanted to say.
“……Isn’t this illegal?”
And the one who spoke—Katya, sitting closest to the door leading outside—voiced what was likely the question most of them were thinking.
It was probably the first doubt anyone in this situation would have.
“According to the current laws of the continent, it’s not… illegal.”
Noel said it as if letting out a groan.
“Although only a few nations allow polygamy, it does exist. And if it’s permitted by the royal family, or if someone has accomplished something extraordinary, then even in the Empire, which follows monogamy, it’s not strictly forbidden.”
And Aiden Kellermain was a man who, in one way or another, satisfied those ‘loophole’ conditions.
“…That’s not the kind of logical explanation I was looking for.”
Despite the excellent explanation, Katya pouted as she said that.
Normally, Noel would have responded with a sigh or some kind of negative feedback, but this time she didn’t argue back at Katya.
And that was because—
“……Brides, please proceed with your entrance.”
In a situation where such a sentence could be heard, anyone would feel like complaining. She understood that deeply as well.
“…….”
“…….”
Good grief.
At those dizzying words, everyone’s expressions turned faint.
The one showing the least reaction was Rania, who was puffing on her pipe and staring up at the ceiling with the eyes of someone who had already lived through everything in life…
“…Who smokes at a wedding?”
Cretin, sitting next to her, muttered in a drained voice as she scolded her, but Rania didn’t even pretend to listen. She simply packed more tobacco into her pipe and replied,
“Even I can’t handle something like this very well.”
“…….”
“Just leave her be.”
Hmm.
Considering her usual stone-like demeanor, this was practically the most intense reaction her younger sibling could show.
And Cretin fully sympathized with that reaction as well.
As the door opened and the long ‘aisle’ stretched out before them, Cretin scratched her head and let out a deep sigh that seemed to come from the bottom of her being.
If the people who had set this up saw her now, they would probably be horrified, but honestly, she just wished they would try to understand how she felt.
“…A wedding is usually something that happens once in a lifetime, isn’t it?”
Cretin muttered, but no answer came back.
It wasn’t that they were ignoring her. It was because they sympathized with her more than anyone else, so she didn’t get angry either.
“Isn’t this too much? Can’t you at least consider how people feel—”
That was why she spoke again in a gloomy tone, but—
“Please keep quiet.”
“…….”
“Could you consider who among us is feeling the worst right now?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
At the icy words that flew from the very front, Cretin immediately shrank and shut her mouth.
Indeed, the person taking this situation the most like hell…
…was undoubtedly Noel, who stood at the very front leading them.
On the surface, she didn’t look any different. She still maintained her usual gentle and dignified appearance, just like always.
But somehow, just looking at that smile made it feel like I was staring into the abyss. It was like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment, in any way…
…So this is what it felt like to be dying inside.
Katya, who had been glancing at her from the side, let out a small huff and scratched her chin.
Honestly, if you had to pick the one person here with the least dissatisfaction, it would probably be her.
In the first place, she had always been rather insensitive to things like this, and as long as she could stay by that man’s side, she didn’t particularly care what form the relationship took.
So, it would be better for her—the one in the most stable emotional state—to comfort Noel…
Having dragged out every ounce of empathy she had never used in her life, she started racking her brain to squeeze out something she could say to console Noel.
Let’s see. In order for this woman to realize that her situation was far better than the others…
“…You did it first.”
“…….”
“At least you’ll probably be the first to have children.”
“…….”
“Have a drink.”
“…Miss Katya, please shut that mouth of yours.”
At the familiar reaction she had seen once before, Katya nodded and closed her mouth.
Yeah, better not try to comfort her.
The killing intent radiating from Noel right now was even greater than when she had actually fought desperately with her before…
“Groom, please make your entrance.”
Compared to the four brides walking out, the groom’s entrance was absurdly simple.
Seeing Aiden walking out as usual with that absent-minded expression, Noel took a deep breath.
It was obvious she was barely holding back the urge to smash his jaw the moment she saw him.
“…Groom, brides, this way.”
Dunadan, who was officiating, spoke with hollow eyes.
After being persuaded day and night for several days by Aiden’s almost divine-level persuasion—about why this was necessary, why it had to be done, and how he would make their daughters happy—this role as officiant was the result.
Of course, they were all adults who had to bear the consequences of their own choices, but even so, from a father’s perspective, attending a ceremony where he was marrying off two daughters to the same man at once must have felt like living hell.
“…….”
“…….”
Even Aiden himself thought this was excessive, but there was nothing he could really do about it.
Among the high-ranking people who could oversee and conduct such a ceremony, Dunadan was the only one who could endure something like this.
Of course, seeing that he hadn’t opposed it to the very end, it seemed he had eventually accepted it, but emotionally, that was a different matter.
“…I will definitely make you happy—”
“No, I get it. Just… get your thoughts in order.”
Even though Aiden spoke out of guilt, Dunadan immediately cut him off, which said everything.
“…………Mr. Aiden.”
But before Dunadan could bring the ceremony back on track, Noel spoke in a trembling voice.
It seemed she had somehow accepted things up to this point, but still.
There was a sentence filled to the brim with the feeling that she couldn’t endure it without saying at least something to him while he stood right in front of her.
“We… later, we definitely need to have a proper talk about this—”
But Noel’s sentence was abruptly cut off midway.
Most likely because Aiden had walked straight up to her, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her in.
Her face flushed red as she was drawn right in front of him, and Aiden lightly kissed her forehead as he spoke.
“…Even if things have turned out like this, I have no intention of treating you lightly. And even less of any intention to betray your feelings.”
“…….”
At that utterly serious voice, Noel fidgeted.
Huh.
Wait.
Since the moment she met this man until now, had he ever shown such a forceful side even once?
And to openly say something this embarrassing, no less.
“I’ll make you happy, Dame Noel.”
“…Hah, you always say things like that, just smooth words, trying to brush everything aside—”
Noel muttered that with a flushed face.
But judging by how she fidgeted with her lips and turned her head away, it was clear that all the venom and anger she had been holding earlier had completely drained away in an instant…
“Have you ever seen me break a promise?”
“…….”
“I may do trashy things, but I don’t lie.”
“…Mr. Aiden, seriously.”
“I love you.”
Ah, that was the finishing blow.
Seeing Noel, whose face had turned so red it looked like it would ooze color if lightly poked, everyone present thought the same thing at once.
Watching her fumble her words, unable to even properly say the things she had brought up to argue with him, and eventually tear up as she was completely sunk—it was obvious.
Ah… they say the one who falls in love first loses, but being swayed this much really was something else…
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Katya, Rania, and Cretin looked at each other.
Hmm.
No matter how you looked at it.
…That was easy.
If you thought about who had fallen the deepest for that man first, the answer was already obvious.
