Chapter 816
"Rinne evaluates tight-lipped operations highly.”
Rinne puffed out her chest and shook her head with an expressionless face. Despite the lack of emotion on her face, Davey could tell she was quite pleased with herself.
"Alright. It was something I was bound to do eventually... though I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do," Davey murmured, eyes downcast as he became lost in thought.
As Davey stayed silent, Rinne approached him and gently placed a pure white flower in his chest pocket.
“Let's go.”
Davey realized there was no need to waste energy worrying. If it was something that had to be done anyway—if he wanted to see everyone in the passage—he figured there was no reason to hesitate.
"Let's go," Davey repeated. In response, Rinne picked up some random boxes and followed him, flying up into the air.
The Saintess's Sanctuary, prepared for the wedding, was filled with heroes waiting on the railings, just like the first time. Perserque was nowhere to be seen, likely assisting the two somewhere in the back.Soon, Daphne, who was standing at the officiating table, pointed toward Davey.
“Hey, come and stand over here.”
“You’ve got quite the temper,” Davey replied, grumbling as he approached her. When he stood across from her, Daphne couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Congrats.”
"Thank you," Davey responded, not bothering to hide his emotions.
Daphne nodded, seemingly satisfied with his response. She leaned in close and whispered, “You really have high standards, don’t you? Even though you already have a wife, you’ve had relationships with some very beautiful girls.”
“It wasn’t intentional.”
“But that beastfolkman girl? I can see why.”
“What?”
“She’s like Rho Aias, with her elegant and pure atmosphere.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Tsk, tsk. You foolish bastard.”
Despite her teasing, Davey knew there was some truth to her words, so he didn’t argue. As he slowly turned his head, he saw two girls entering the passage of Saintess's Sanctuary.
"Ah…"
Davey stared at them in a daze as they walked in. They continued to walk with their gazes at their feet.
“Given the situation, I hope you can understand why we’re having the ceremony at the same time,” Daphne said, thinking that the situation was troublesome as she scratched the back of her head.
“How is she? So beautiful that you’re at a loss for words?”
“Yes.”
"Huh?" Daphne was taken aback by his straightforward response.
“Mute made the dresses.”
Mute, the hero who had taught Davey everything he knew about being a bard. As he turned around, he saw the small-sized fairy sitting quietly on one side. In addition to being a bard, she was a nymph from the continent of Peslisa, just like Rho Aias. She had told him that she didn’t care whatever else he did, but she didn’t want him to sing. As they looked at each other, she waved back at him quietly.
“Davey,” Illyna called softly.
"Ah…Mhmm."
“How… do I look?” she asked, nervously fidgeting with her white dress.
Davey wondered if she was shy or nervous about herself. He knew there was only one thing he had to say in response.
“You look good.”
“...”
“You look beautiful. Really.”
Ilina frowned slightly at his first response but then smiled at the following words.
Aeria, wearing a veil, then cautiously approached. Her dress was different from Illyna’s, exuding a cute and dreamy charm rather than pure beauty.
“Aeria, you look lovely too.”
“Thank you… Davey, you look really good too.”
Davey noticed Perserque looking at him with a playful expression from behind.
"Alright, alright, alright. Let’s get started,” Daphne said, interrupting his useless thoughts and pulling himself back to the moment.
The ceremony began as Mute, or Muse as she was famously known, started playing her instrument. The wedding proceeded slowly, with Davey standing between the two.
* * *
The wedding itself went off without a hitch. Although Daphne made mischievous pranks in between, they managed to lighten the mood so Davey didn’t mind.
Davey handed Illyna and Aeria the rings he had crafted with the help of Josiah Frances. They, in turn, each gave him the rings they had prepared. Traditionally, secondary wives didn’t exchange engagement rings, but Davey accepted them all—he intended to treat the three equally.
But of course, he couldn’t wear all the rings on one finger.
“Congratulations, Davey,” Daphne said with a bright smile. She stood on her tiptoes and reached out, ruffling his hair.
“Have a happy life.”
"Daphne.”
“We may be spectral essences, but you’re a living person,” Mute said after finishing her performance. She stood up and addressed Davey in her unique tone. She then called Perserque over and spoke to her, Aeria, and Illyna, all of whom were dressed in their gowns.
“The blessings I can give are nothing extraordinary, since the ones I offer through music are always short-term. So, as the last nymph of the continent of Peslisa, I’ll bestow upon you the fairy’s blessing.”
With that, she gently kissed their foreheads, and a warm power seeped into them. Davey watched this and asked, “Why don’t I get one?”
Then Mute replied with a mix of honorifics and casual tone, “What more do you expect after stealing these ladies? You really have no chance, sir.
"Anyway, is that hellish serenade of yours still the same?" she asked.
“It’s not that bad. I can sing at an average level.”
“In my eyes, there’s no difference between your tone-deaf shouting and your singing voice.”
"You sure do have a twisted mind..." Davey muttered, clicking his tongue, but Mute simply ignored his complaints.
The three who received the fairy's blessing looked down at their bodies with puzzled expressions, fascinated with the warm energy coursing through them.
“This time, it’s my turn,” Daphne announced, stepping forward. She grabbed Aeria’s wrist, put her index and middle fingers together, and raised her divine power.
“Goddess Freyja, who governs all things, please grant an enormous blessing so that our youngest will not know sadness,” she prayed. With her rather interesting prayer, a pure white light seeped into Aeria’s body.
“You won’t suffer from any minor illnesses.”
She then took Illyna’s hand and drew the same divine pattern with her fingers, granting her the same blessing. Finally, she hugged Perserque, who wasn’t the star of this wedding but was still Davey’s wife.
“You really are a person with a big heart.”
“...”
“Your father would be so proud.”
Then a pure white light seeped into Perserque as well.
“I hope that you will one day achieve the miracle you seek,”
After Daphne, other heroes who were capable of giving blessings stepped forward to offer their services one by one. Pale light powder spread throughout the center of the passage with each blessing, creating a beautiful sight.
Finding the special effects to be strange, Davey turned his head and saw Rinne behind him, expressionless as always, scattering something from a box. It seemed like she was in charge of the special effects. Davey noticed that her eyes were sparkling.
“Rinne rates the special effects very highly.”
‘Of course it was you,’ Davey thought.
Those who couldn’t give direct blessings instead offered gifts to the three in their own way. Then, one by one, they left with their well wishes.
It was an exceptionally simple ceremony for a royal wedding, yet it was more splendid and grand than any other. And just like that, the wedding came to an end.
* * *
The first night as a married couple was surely a term that meant a lot and made one nervous.
“The two have already completely frozen up.”
Most of the heroes were already celebrating at the back of the temple under Daphne’s leadership.
It was a pretty common scene in the Hall of Heroes, so it was nothing new to Davey. However, the three, including Per, seemed amazed by the fact that people who had lived so long were behaving in such a lighthearted and carefree manner, singing and giggling. It seemed like they did get a new feeling that, despite everything, they were also still people after all.
He was grateful they had cleared the hall for him, but despite this not being his first time, he couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous.
“So, have you decided what to do?”
“On what?”
“The first night as a married couple,” Perserque asked. “You married not one, but two people at the same time. How are you planning to handle the first night?”
Davey fell silent, caught in the ambiguity of the situation. The first night was an important tradition, a way to consummate the vows made as a couple.
“Hah…
Do you remember our first night?” Davey asked. She then smiled as she reminisced about their night.“Oh, yes. We were so nervous, we didn’t know what to do.”
Perserque, who had pretended to be calm, had been so anxious that she didn’t even think to remove the cork from the wine bottle properly—she ended up blowing off the tip with her hand. The two had hesitated, almost as if they were meeting for the first time, drinking wine and gauging each other’s thoughts before finally giving in to the atmosphere.
“It’s different this time. You may be nervous, but it’s not your first time.”
She smiled warmly as she stroked his cheek.
“So, don’t make them embarrassed. Just give them an enchanting night. If you truly love your wives, love them even more than you do now.”
That was, of course, a given. But he had other concerns.
“The problem is that spending the first night with both of them at the same time is a bit… unusual.”
“It’s not something I had considered before, but I suppose if you spend time with one the other might feel left out. Even if they say it’s alright, who knows how that might affect things down the line.”
Ironically enough, both Illyna and Aeria had been willing to give up the first night to the other, neither making a move to claim it for themselves. But then Perserque, unable to stand the awkwardness, had dropped a bombshell suggestion of sharing the night together.
The impact of that suggestion had been immense. Aeria and Illyna, understanding what she meant, had frozen on the spot, faces turning a deep shade of red. Yet they hadn’t rejected the idea, perhaps seeing it as the only fair way for each other.
Davey got the impression that his opinion on it didn’t matter. Even a king with dozens of concubines rarely had two in the same bedroom at the same time. It was almost unheard of! He wasn’t trying to be some Casanova.
“If there’s no precedent, just set one. Remember what I told you? Don’t worry about the world’s prejudices, just do what’s right for the four of us. Do things the way we want to.”
Just because others did things a certain way didn’t mean they had to follow suit. They were doing things the way they did because they wanted to, not because they had to.
Davey looked down at his wine glass and took a sip, even though he had sworn off drinking.
“Want to join?” he asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
“Keep talking if you want to die.”
“So sensitive…” Davey muttered, though he knew it was just her way of easing the tension.
“Today isn’t about me,” she said, giving him a quick kiss before pulling away. “It’s not too hard to give up just one day.”
She then pushed him and said, "Alright, then. I wish you luck.”
He left her smiling face and headed toward the bedroom where Aeria and Illyna were waiting. As he walked down the hallway, his thoughts raced concerning whether this was really okay to do. He knew it was pointless to overthink things now, but he still felt uneasy.
Glancing outside, he saw Rinne struggling with a wine bottle while Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon reached out to grab it.
“Red Ribbon wants to drink!”
“Blue Ribbon is curious too!”
“Rinne… determines that alcohol is bad for growth! Rinne values confiscation highly!”
“I don’t like you!”
“Blue Ribbon is leaving!”
Davey found the sight of the two children causing a ruckus while Rinne tried to stop them, breaking out in a cold sweat, amusing. He figured they were probably just curious about the taste of alcohol.
He then wondered what it would be like if he just lived here for the rest of his life. This place with its isolated time zone didn’t seem so bad. As long as he was happy, that was enough. Here, with Perserque, Illyna, and Aeria; this was his reality.
With those complicated thoughts swirling in his mind, Davey reached the door to their bedroom and slowly opened it. He could sense their presence inside. As he quietly stepped in, their eyes met his. He saw two figures hurriedly adjusting themselves in the atmosphere lit by candlelight.
The two reminded him of his own awkwardness when he had spent his first night with Perserque, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Are you two building something?”
ChubbyCheeks & FriedNook's Thoughts
Editorb’s Thought
Daphne going to bed after all her wedding pranks and hazing:
Bonus points to the readers who can recognize my own little touch to the chapter. Here’s a big hint: