Chapter 68 Like a Dream
On the last day of the New Year’s Festival. The sun had sunk completely.
Although it was the last day of the Festival as well, the town was still lively.
Various households were making merry with the neighborhood people gathered in them; in bars, the gathered customers clamoured about and drank with each other.
Tatsumi and Calcedonia were slowly walking towards their home in the streets of such a lively town.
Calcedonia’s left arm was draped around Tatsumi’s right without letting go. On the ring finger of that arm, the ring she had gotten from Tatsumi earlier that day, gleamed like a flickering fire.
Of course, Tatsumi’s left hand had the same shine. Also, the two were wearing earrings of the same set on their ears which had been on the opposite side until yesterday.
They had put them on each other when they had finally gotten engaged, it was a result of their consultation to have not just rings but also to keep wearing these earrings.
They walked without exchanging any words─no, there was no need to exchange any words.
The lamps flickered in the night breeze. The bustling sounds flew on that night breeze.
However, Tatsumi and Calcedonia’s minds were mainly occupied by each other’s body heat.
Calcedonia and Tatsumi officially became a married couple.
Up until a few moments ago, a banquet celebrating their marriage was held at The Elf’s Resthouse.
Close friends of Tatsumi and Calcedonia had assembled there.
Other than Verse, Nanau, Jadokh, Miloulle, Laraina and Kuri, there were also Eru’s employees of The Elf’s Resthouse and the regulars who came and went.
Neez and the others who could not come to the ceremony due to guard duties also came running; the banquet was celebrated grandly.
Having heard from somewhere, Jolt and Gyle also participated and had their fill of the food Eru was carrying in her arms.
Of course, they celebrated the marriage of Tatsumi and Calcedonia with the bottom of their hearts.
For entertainment, Laraina put up a performance with the lalaena, a musical instrument that had the same pronunciation as her name. And like some time ago, Eru and Calcedonia sang Japanese songs as Tatsumi played the music.
By the way, Laraina’s father was a music instructor and named her after the tools of the trade when she was born so that she doesn’t go astray. Laraina, who had been trained by her father, gave a considerably good performance.
They also received somewhat rough blessings from the familiar faces of the demonic beast hunters, but they too blessed the marriage of Tatsumi and Calcedonia from the bottom of their hearts.
“………… This…… isn’t a dream, right?”
Calcedonia was walking while tightly holding onto Tatsumi.
If I let go of his hand now, I might wake up from the happy dream I’ve been having so far. This was the crisis going on inside her mind.
However, her lover’s voice quickly dispersed the thorn in her heart.
“It’s not a dream. We are…Calcedonia and I are a married couple from today.”
It had been about a year since Tatsumi was summoned to this world. It has also been a year since the two of them started living together.
Because they had been living together for more than a year, there was no new differences now that they had gotten married.
But still, from today the two were certainly different from yesterday.
“…Well, we can say that we were caught up in Giuseppe’s scheme, but…”
“Could it be…you’re having regrets?”
“Hahaha, no way. I don’t even have an atom of regret in me.”
They turned their faces to each other─Calcedonia then looked up, and Tatsumi then looked down─they both giggled at each other.
“But, it was also troublesome for my grandfather. He’d wanted to do a flashy event at the festival so much, even if me and husband didn’t get involved it would have been fine……”
After the wedding, Calcedonia heard about everything from Tatsumi at the place of the banquet, The Elf’s Resthouse.
Today’s plan was all Giuseppe’s doing, and a lot of people had been in the know. The young man walking with her was also one of them.
“Isn’t it fine. From now on, every year a new couple will probably be born like me and Chiiko.”
It seemed like Giuseppe intended to carry out this plan next year as well.
It may be embarrassing to propose marriage in front of the public, but if the Patriarch of the Savaiv God gave out blessings regardless of social class then there will probably be many people who wish to participate in this scheme next year.
It could be said that from the point of contemporary Japan, it was like being able to freely hold a wedding ceremony at a first-class hotel.
There may be people who participate while having decided on marriage in advance, people who take this chance to confess to someone of the opposite sex, people who participate expecting to be rejected, or there may also be people who use it for advertising or something. Even so, surely there would be no people who wouldn’t hope to participate.
What kind of people would come after themselves? Tatsumi looked like he was having a little fun.
“…… No, is it Verse and Nanau next?”
At today’s banquet at The Elf’s Resthouse, Verse and Nanau were constantly bombarded with “it’s you guys next,” from their surroundings.
Tatsumi smiled, remembering the two who had been embarrassed but seemed happy.
That was when the wedding of Tatsumi and Calcedonia came to a successful ending.
The bride and bridegroom exited from the chapel.
The gathered people separated left and right and made a flower shaped road for the exiting bride and groom.
Tatsumi and Calcedonia walked slowly towards the exit, arm in arm, on that flower road.
The people congratulated the couple with applause and whistles.
The friends of the bride and groom were among the front rows of those people.
Tatsumi, who saw the goblin woman next to Verse gazing at Calcedonia with shining eyes, softly whispered in Calcedonia’s ears.
Smiling gently, Calcedonia stepped away from Tatsumi for a bit.
And, the one she turned to was obvious.
“Huh…? Calcedonia…?”
Nanau blinked her eyes in surprise at Calcedonia who, suddenly separating from Tatsumi, was now standing in front of her.
Calcedonia smiled and presented the thing in her hand to such a Nanau.
“Her, take this, Nanau.”
“Huh? Huh? By this, you mean the…bundle of flowers?”
“Yes. This is called a ‘bookay’ in my husband’s country’s words. And, in my husband’s country, whoever gets the bride’s ‘bookay’ is said to become the next bride. That’s why…this is for Nanau.”
Originally, the bride’s bouquet is thrown behind her, but in this country where no one knows about bouquets, that is not necessary.
Sensing that, Tatsumi had asked Calcedonia to hand over the bouquet to Nanau.
“T-Thank you!”
Nanau happily took the bouquet and smiled at Verse who was beside her.
Verse also expressed his thanks to Calcedonia, and showed a thumbs-up to Tatsumi.
Tatsumi answered with the same gesture when Calcedonia strolled back.
Once again, Calcedonia wrapped her arm around Tatsumi’s.
And so, the bride and groom left the chapel surrounded by applause.
There was a horse-drawn carriage waiting for them when they left the chapel. It didn’t have a roof; speaking in terms of a car it could be said to be a convertible with the roof detracted.
And, Eru was sitting on the driver’s seat of the carriage. She was also dressed as a butler, wearing male uniform.
“Huh, Eru…? And the horse carriage…”
Tatsumi was surprised. Looking at Tatsumi, Eru laughed.
“The wife of the predecessor of the Duke of Quartz’s household specially prepared this horse carriage for today. Come, get on. We’re going to The Elf’s Resthouse on this.”
“Umm…… there are lots of things I want to ask you…… Eru, are you experienced as a coachman? Also, why are you dressed as a butler?”
“Hehehehe. It’s because, even though I look like this, I am an adventurer! And when you speak of a coachman, isn’t it the same as a butler?”
Eru pumped out her chest while saying so. Apparently, in Eru’s world, adventurers could also be coachmen. Besides that, she seems to have weird conceptions about butlers.
Eru jumped down from the driver’s seat and opened the door of the carriage, and acting like a real butler, ushered the two inside.
“Here you go. Because you two are the main characters of today.”
Tatsumi and Calcedonia looked at each other. They suddenly smiled and decided to take this as a favour from Eru and Elysia.
Tatsumi got on the carriage first and then stretched his arm out and pulled Calcedonia up.
In contemporary Japan, no, in the world, the custom was to let the woman get on first. But the carriage of this world had a higher seat so, in this situation, the man would get on and get off first and then lend a hand to the woman to get on or off.
Being drawn up by Tatsumi, Calcedonia got into the carriage without even worrying about the hem of her wedding dress.
At that moment, it goes without saying that she was extremely happy.
After affirming that the two had gotten on the carriage, Eru grabbed the reins and set off the carriage.
With a clatter, the carriage slowly ran through the streets of Levantes which were bustling with the festival.
If carriage had the crest of the duke’s household, and the one driving it was a beautiful woman – in other words, Eru – dressed as a man, there was no way it would not draw attention. Moreover, since there wasn’t any roof on the carriage, the people riding inside were also visible.
The two young people inside were wearing unfamiliar costumes of a tuxedo and a wedding dress. But, looking closely it would immediately become known to the public that the woman was the “Holy Maiden of the Savaiv Church.” [hnm_ip]
And as for the man, judging by the characteristic black hair and black eyes it was also easy to deduce that he was the recently rumoured partner of the Holy Maiden.
People who saw the carriage pass slowly through the town whispered with those around as to what it could mean.
At that time, someone started telling about how the two had just had a marriage ceremony at the Savaiv Church.
“This quick spreading of information is…definitely the work of Giuseppe or Elysia…”
Tatsumi who heard the audible conversations of the people, instinctively came to that conclusion. It was those two who would actually do such a thing.
Probably, a subordinate of Giuseppe or Elysia were spread out among the masses and announcing that the two had gotten married.
“Come now, how about Tatsumi and Calcedonia wave their hands at everyone?”
Eru turned back from her seat at the front and told the two. Tatsumi suddenly understood that thing.
“Eru…did you, perhaps, got some suggestions from Giuseppe?”
She stuck her tongue out cutely. “I was found out?”
The parade after a wedding was a scene often seen on Earth, regardless of country. It was no wonder that Giuseppe, having heard about it from Eru, was interested in it.
“I’m not a celebrity, nor a royalty of any country……That’s right, I guess I am a person who was trapped by Giuseppe.”
Apparently, there was a part in Giuseppe’s trick that even Tatsumi didn’t know about.
Tatsumi shrugged his shoulders and smiled bitterly.
And with a big sigh, he turned to Calcedonia.
“Well it’s already become this desperate! Okay, Calsey, wave your hands.”
“Ummm…Like…this?”
After being told by Tatsumi, Calcedonia turned towards the town’s people and waved her hands. Yet, Tatsumi himself didn’t wave his hands, so it can be said he was a bit cunning.
Well, rather than Tatsumi waving his hands, it would look better if Calcedonia to wave hers.
People in the town looked curiously at the slowly walking carriage.
The Holy Maiden was sitting on the carriage in an unfamiliar but beautiful white dress. The people who looked at the Holy Maiden smiling and waving, were captivated by the glamour and beauty. Also, they cheered loudly when they heard she had married the black haired, black eyed man next to her.
The people who heard they had gotten married, murmured words of blessings from their mouths.
This way, they got blessings from the people of the town as well. The carriage maneuvered by Eru slowly made its way to The Elf’s Resthouse.
This time, I wonder if the excitement is still continuing at The Elf’s Resthouse.
Tatsumi thought while he walked towards their house with Calcedonia.
The two were the main characters at today’s banquet, but they were urged to go home by everybody.
Probably, someone got the wrong idea. There was also a magic beast hunter who bluntly told Tatsumi “Good luck tonight!”
As one might expect, they could not just walk in a tuxedo and a wedding dress so they had changed their clothes at The Elf’s Resthouse.
The two of them had been walking slowly to enjoy the time spent together, but still the goal was coming closer.
Tatsumi and Calcedonia saw their house come into their view.
“……We’ve arrived…”
Calcedonia murmured quietly. Apparently, it was regrettable that the time they spent together was coming to and end.
A little sad air flew between them.
Tatsumi gently pulled out his arm that had been entangled with Calcedonia’s, and wrapped it around her shoulders pulling her to himself.
“…… Husband?”
Calcedonia’s face went blank. Tatsumi smiled gently while looking down at that face.
“We haven’t arrived. We’re just starting from here. From today…… my relationship with Chiiko.”
“Husband……”
“Once again…… Take care of me, my wife.”
“Y-Yes!! Same here, please take care of me!!”
Calcedonia’s face shined with happiness after being called “wife” by Tatsumi.
And then, they suddenly touched their lips together – just then.
“Ah, you’ve finally come back? Hey, hey, Tatsumi and Calsey are back!”
With that voice, people from their neighbourhood came crawling out of the nearby houses.
Of course, there’s no need to say that they separated as if flung apart.
The people surrounded Tatsumi and Calcedonia with a smile.
“I heard! You guys have finally really become husband and wife?”
“Why didn’t you tell us about today’s ceremony? If you told us then we would have prepared even better celebrations.”
“Well, they also have various stuff to do, surely.”
It looked like their neighbours had also heard about their marriage and made arrangements to celebrate it.
“Since it was so sudden we couldn’t prepare anything big, but it’s a celebration from our hearts. Then, come here.”
The wife of the neighbour that Tatsumi also knows really well, grabbed their hands and took them to her house. This was probably the place of the next banquet.
While their hand was being pulled by the wife, Tatsumi and Calcedonia smiled at each other.
Today, how many times had they smiled at each other like this? No, from now on, how many times will they smile at each other?
Without worrying about whether or not that would be fun or worrying, Tatsumi and Calcedonia entered the place of the new banquet.
It seems like it was going to be a while before Tatsumi and Calcedonia would be able to be together.
