#438 The Parade

It’s me again.

Prince Arowana and Puffer’s wedding ceremony ended splendidly.

That being said, the place is in a gruesome state, with seemingly dead bodies lying all over the place.

“Awawawawawa...!”

“God... Lord Poseidon is right before us...!”

Everyone is petrified by the god’s appearance.

They knew the couple would be exchanging vows, but they never expected a deified being would be present.

As a result, about 60% of the attendees collapsed.

“What a wedding this is! To think they’re actually pledging their love for each other before Poseidon!”

“Such a wedding is unheard of! Will this ceremony perhaps herald Prince Arowana’s excellent reign?”

With that, Prince Arowana appears even more charismatic to his people.

I guess that’s plus points for him.

“Lord Saint! Thank you for coming!”

Prince Arowana comes with his wife after the ceremony.

Puffer, beside her husband, gives off a fresh, graceful aura I’ve never sensed from her.

“Ah, anyway... Congratulations on your marriage!”

“Thank you very much! The ceremony isn’t over yet, though! The reception is about to take place, and we’d love for you to join us, Lord Saint!”

I wonder if it’s held in a similar fashion as my world.

After a shinzenshiki’s religious ceremony, a banquet is held to celebrate the festive occasion.

“Mm? Didst someone mention a feast? If the saint’s food is also available, I must not passeth up this chance!”

Oh. Poseidon’s still here.

Just go home, please.

“Show some modesty, sweetheart. Thou must not disturb the children of the sea,” chides Medusa.

Now, that’s polite.

“Gods shouldst not indulge in the children of man too much. The celestial gods has’t proven this time and again. We has’t already done our part in the ceremony, so it is best we depart now.”

“Aww... But those gents hath said they art serving food...”

“I doth not think the children has’t any of the saint’s cooking today.”

“Let us depart, then.”

She knows how to persuade her husband.

As expected of the sea consort.

“Unlike Amphitrite, Medusa pampers me a lot. I absolutely loveth that about her.”

Not interested.

Just leave.

“Before that, there is one last thing I wisheth to say.”

“Yes?”

“The trick to having a peaceful life with two wives under one roof is not to outwit them.”

Stop it!

Don’t spread any more secrets to keeping a polygamous relationship happy!!!

Darn it! He may not be as bad as Zeus, but these gods are ultimately all the same! They never leave behind any good wisdom!

Now look at how awkward the atmosphere has become after they left!

“...A-Anyway, let’s just move on and go to the reception hall.”

“Good idea. Let’s forget Poseidon ever said anything.”

I sounded like I impersonated Nietzsche, but I didn’t mean it that way.

“The reception will be held on Paradise Island.”

“Ohh, that place.”

Paradise Island is an isolated island owned by the Mermaid Kingdom.

This nation, located deep underwater, has made it its diplomacy hub to interact with those on land.

They invite land-dwelling diplomats to do negotiations and whatnot.

I’ve been there once, and it was opulently filled with tall buildings that amplify its name as the Mermaid Kingdom’s diplomacy hub.

The natural scenery was superb, reminiscent of a resort.

“There are already diplomats gathered there to celebrate our marriage. Every little thing turns into large-scale events with the position I’m in, I’m afraid...”

This is your marriage as a prince/future king, after all.

It’s natural other nations would want to congratulate you.

“There will also be a parade on the way to Paradise Island to report our marriage. A ruler mustn’t neglect the importance of reporting to their people...!”

Royal marriages sure are a lot of work.

There are so many people you need to interact with.

The ceremony is for the concerned domestic parties.

The parade is for the citizens.

The reception is for the rest of the world.

“We’d appreciate it if you could join us in the parade, Lord Saint. The more spectacular it is, the better.”

“You sure? If we join in, everyone will think Dear and I are today’s stars,” jokingly says Platy.

I kind of get the feeling she’s not joking, though.

“Bring it on. I want the people to see that the future king and I are more dignified than some inferior princess and her husband.”

“What did you just say?”

“Got a problem?”

Puffer retorts, not willing to be outdone.

It seems her personality hasn’t changed even after getting married.

And so, a parade is to be held to make the prince’s marriage known to his people.

The capital (which is inside the belly of a giant fish) has a large canal running through its center where the merfolk swim.

This was also the chosen course for the parade.

The canal is so large even tankers can easily pass through it, so parading is no problem.

Like a daimyo procession, mermaid soldiers line up in a row and march down the center.

In the middle of the line is a ship that looks like a mikoshi, where the prince and his wife wave their hands right and left.

The people below watch the prince and the beautiful bride who had won his heart.

Behind them, a line of officials followed, and everyone boarded a ship that, although luxurious, was smaller than the couple’s, who were the main attraction.

Platy, Junior, Lampeye, Hendra, Garra Rufa, Zoth Syra, Sensei, and I are all on it.

I guess this is how the attendees are going to the reception hall.

“Royal weddings are so stressful...” I think to myself.

I was surprised to know that it’s not just up to the couple’s will to get married, but they also have to ask for the consent of the whole nation.

“Just thinking about me having to go through this if I hadn’t married you drains all my energy away. Ugh...” says Platy.

It was expected of her to do a ceremony since she’s a princess. But due to the circumstances of marrying me, it didn’t happen.

“...Hm, but wait...”

While pondering, something happened.

“Huh?!”

My body shook.

The ship suddenly stopped.

Junior, startled, began to cry.

“What happened? Why did the parade stop?”

“It wasn’t supposed to stop here, was it? What’s going on?”

I jumped off the ship and ran along the canal.

Thanks to Platy’s potion, I can run underwater.

“Wait, Dear! I’m coming with you!”

Platy jumps off the ship after me, swimming awkwardly because she has to keep Junior in her arms dry.

When we got to the front of the parade, we found a strange sight.

A group of women are blocking the route.

“We are an association of Prince Arowana’s true wives!”

“Show yourself, fake! You will be dealt with for seducing the prince!”

What are they talking about?

But I guess they’re all mermaids... How many of them are there?

I wonder if they can hold off a procession with such a group.

“Must be an association of upset women after hearing Arowana’s marriage,” says Platy, who has finally caught up. “Despite looks, he’s pretty popular. They must’ve dreamed of marrying my brother in the future but are now angry at him ‘cause it didn’t come true.”

“So, now they’re protesting against Puffer?”

“To them, Puffer is just an adulterer who snatched the seat away from them.”

How absurd.

Prince Arowana and Puffer’s decision to get married is theirs alone, so these ladies are irrelevant.

But, among the mermaids who are sabotaging the procession, one of them clearly looks way older than the prince.

Um, madam?

You’re not possibly thinking of wanting to get married to the prince, are you?!

“If that’s what they want, so be it,” says someone from behind me.

It’s Puffer, still in her wedding dress.

“I’ve never backed out on a challenge. Never will. I’ll wipe out all these delusional maggots. Looks like this makes it my first duty as the prince’s wife.”