#774 The Joint Wedding’s Recap

Happy Wedding—it’s me.

The joint wedding ceremony that started on a whim turned out to be livelier than expected.

Firstly, having four couples combined for the event brought in a considerable crowd.

It’s like the equation: More people = more power.

The ceremony was bustling, seemingly proving this point.

There was a moment when I thought things were going downhill when a bunch of dragons crashed the party.

But thanks to their head, Ardheg, handling the situation, it all went smoothly. 

In fact, it turned into a highlight of the event.

The four-wheel-drive dragon vehicles showcased by Veil piqued everyone’s interest. A special track was even set up next to the reception venue because of it.

The invading dragons seemed to have conceded defeat and decided to stick around and enjoy the feat.

“This is sooooo delicious!!! Is this what mankind cooks?! It’s amazing!”

“Why were we just swallowing monsters whole all these years?!”

We had prepared ample food, but with the rate they were devouring it, I started to worry we’d run out.

The gods, who had come to bless the marriage, also started getting concerned.

“Goodness! Would ye not show some restraint, having come uninvited?!”

“Aye, should thou consume all, what shall be left for the rest of us?!”

Those were the words of Hades and Poseidon.

Please, your role ended with the wedding ceremony. You don’t need to be at the reception.

Go home.

But they seemed to have no intention of leaving and wanted to munch on the delicious food at the reception.

How troublesome.

There were many other guests, all of them sharing their blessings and wishes with their relatives and loved ones.

The reception was reaching its climax, so it was about time to wrap things up.

For my part, I thought I’d highlight a few of the most noteworthy attendees.

***

First, Mermaid King Arowana... 

...’s wife, Queen Puffer.

She’s a witch, just like Zoth Syra, one of the brides today, and they’re directly in a mentor-student dynamic.

Zoth Syra, as it turns out, had taken in an orphan like Puffer and raised her until she became independent. Their bond wasn’t just that of a mentor and student - it was akin to mother and daughter.

“*sniffle* I’m so happy...! I’m sho hapbhy phor youuuhuhuhu!!!”

Queen Puffer is in tears, moved by the sight of her mentor, who was like a mother to her, getting married.

“I always thought that old hag, with her bluster and bravado, would end up alone...! It’s great that she found someone good...! She dheshervs it...!”

I remember when Puffer got married; Zoth Syra, as her mentor, cried just as hard.

Maybe they are more alike than I thought, being mentor and student and all.

Meanwhile, a heartwarming (?) scene unfolded with Teacher Carp.

On the occasion of her wedding, all her students came rushing to offer their congratulations.

“Cheers to Teacher Carp’s future!”

“Congratulations!”, “Congratulations!”, “Best wishes on your wedding!”, “Congrats!”, “Way to go!”

Students from the Mermaid Witch Academia, where Carp teaches, clapped and shared their words of blessing.

“And congrats on your retirement!”, “Even if you leave the school, we’ll never forget about you!”, “Finally free from the terror teacher!”, “Good luck in the next chapter of your life!”

Their excitement seemed to be more about her retiring from teaching and leaving the school.

I mean, it’s easy to imagine her being a strict, overbearing kind of teacher.

To this, Teacher Carp, in her wedding dress, replies, “I’m not quitting my job as a teacher.”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!”

“Why would you think I’m quitting? I believe teaching is my calling. My husband understands this. Using teleportation magic, I’ll commute to school daily from now on, so please look forward to it.”

“Oh noooooo!”

“I’ve fully grasped how you feel about me. To repay those feelings, I’ll be sure to guide you all even more rigorously from now on.”

The students seemed to have inadvertently poked the bear.

Or, given they’re merfolk, maybe they poked a pufferfish?

Eh, doesn’t matter.

The dynamics among the merfolk group were certainly entertaining. But the demons were lively in their own right.

The demon bride, Batemy, was already drinking with Demon Queen Astres.

They once had a relationship as a Heavenly One and her aide, so their closeness was to be expected. 

Demon Queen Astres says, “I’m teaching Batemy how to be a good wife.”

Interesting.

“Considering she’s not marrying into a common family but rather the nobility, it’s essential for her to support her husband and build their household. For her not to be a burden in her new home, I, her former boss, must teach her properly.”

Even so, there’s no need to teach her right now… right?!

As I stood there, flabbergasted, someone firmly grabbed my shoulder.

Startled, I turned around. Isn’t she Batemy’s sister, Fleurety?

She was attending the ceremony as well?

Well, being the bride’s sister, it makes sense, I guess?

“Lord Saint, I have a favor to ask.”

“If it’s about a sewing machine, I’m not giving you one.”

“I’d like a groom.”

Your other demand is just as absurd.

You can’t just put a price on a groom and buy him off.

“The grandeur of this wedding ignited my desire to marry. And what’s more humiliating for an older sister than to see her younger sister get married first? Please, gift me a groom. And yes, the sewing machine, too.”

What avarice.

Anyway, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find your own fated partner.

Having had enough, I quickly slipped away. Only to bump into another familiar face.

It’s the human feudal lord, Lord Dalkish.

“Please, help me, Lord Saint...!!!” 

He looks more haggard than the last time I saw him.

What happened to him?

“Demons and merfolk keep coming to greet me... It’s overwhelming! I think they’re all getting the wrong impression!!!”

Ah... Well...!

It’s probably because you were seen chatting warmly with both the Demon King and Arowana at the start of the ceremony. 

If they see you as an equal to those two, of course, you’d get special attention.

Perhaps people think you’re an influential contact to have?

“Aren’t you the one who’s best friends with those two kings? Please, Lord Saint, step forward and handle their relentless overtures! I’ve exhausted all my diplomatic skills as a lord!!!”

Poor Lord Dalkish, really pushing his limits.

But I have no intention of getting involved. 

Noble politics is a headache!!! 

That’s why I wanted to live in seclusion and started the farm in the first place!!!

So, Lord Dalkish, hang in there on my behalf!

Ignoring his plea, I handed him a stamina-recovery steak and quickly moved on.

In another corner of the reception, an unexpected event was unfolding.

“Lady Seidour, please marry me!”

“Oh my, what now?”

In a quirky turn of events, a proposal is taking place at the wedding venue.

The one proposing was one of the dragons who had barged in earlier.

“Today, by witnessing the marriage of the Dragon Emperor and his Emperess, we realized dragons can marry too! I, Glintz Dragon Crowley Seima, wish to take you as my wife!!!”

“Goodness, really?”

This dragon... wasn’t he the one who lost a battle to Veil? And as a punishment, didn’t he drink 100% concentrated dragon extract?

Not to mention, an extract that came from Seidour herself?

Could it be that the dragon extract also functions as a love potion?!

Terrifying...!

Yet, it seems dragons might start marrying now. It’s a tempting prospect after seeing Ardheg and Bloody Mary tie the knot.

With everyone having fun, the wedding reception was nearing its end.

One last event to go.

The bouquet toss. A tradition where catching the bouquet hints you’ll be next to marry.

As the brides were explained the rules, the eyes of bachelorette attendees gleamed with ambition.

“I WILL catch it!”

“No, I will!!!”

Their eyes are filled with predatory excitement.

With four brides, there were four bouquets to catch.

The promise of increased acquisition rates made all single ladies more motivated than ever.

With a collective spirit to get a bouquet for themselves, the excitement was palpable. However, as the specially crafted bouquets were tossed... they emitted a burst of red particles and soared into the sky at three times the expected speed.

And with that, the joint wedding ceremony concluded in harmony!!!