Chapter 76

"Come on! The ceremony is about to start!"

I hurried towards the cathedral and asked the maid,

"By any chance, when will the lord's new work be completed?"

The maid looked at me with a wary eye, as if my question was unexpected.

"You're curious about the lord's new work?"

I was actually curious about when it would be completed, but I couldn't say that truthfully.

I replied with a serious expression,

"There's no one who loves art as much as the lord. If it's his work, it will surely be moving, and I really want to see it."

This answer was tailored to Delve's taste, so it naturally gave a good impression to the maid of the lord's castle.

The maid smiled brightly, lowering her guard.

"I'm so glad to hear that. By the way, what's your name, miss?"

"Tereze."

"A name that exudes grace. When the lord's work is completed, there will be an exhibition, and I'll send you an invitation."

"Thank you."

With that, we arrived in front of the cathedral where the wedding would take place.

The maid let out a short exclamation and pointed ahead.

"There's the groom!"

They were overjoyed upon spotting Clyde.

Their reaction made me feel strange, as if I were seeing Klyebe.

Of course, Clyde's appearance was so striking that anyone who wasn't blind would exclaim in awe...

Clyde stood straight in front of the cathedral in a tuxedo, looking as if he were a perfectionist.

'He looks so straight, yet it's hard to make him look casual.'

This is why they say that one's inner character is reflected in their appearance.

However, my thoughts didn't last long.

The closer we got, the more my lips parted in awe of his dazzling appearance.

Clyde, with his long, neatly combed back bangs, looked much stronger, colder, and more mature than usual.

'Frankly, the exterior is perfect.'

I shook my head.

'Don't be fooled by his face. He's a devil.'

Metaphorically or biologically.

Clyde, sensing my presence, turned to me and frowned.

"You're late."

"Sorry, it took a while to get ready."

Considering how much effort I put into walking here in this uncomfortable dress, his immediate scolding was really disheartening.

"Phew, it's hot."

I lifted the front of my veil to let out the heat that had built up inside from walking quickly.

"......"

Suddenly, Clyde fell silent.

His face was expressionless, but he looked strangely shocked, which made me curious.

"Clyde?"

When I called his name, Clyde seemed to snap back to his senses and growled,

"Put the veil down."

Why is he like this? He's really hard to please.

I grumbled inwardly and put the veil back down.

Ding!

[The seat 'Ksibang' has donated 10,000 coins.]

[Oh... so cute.]

That seat seemed to have a serious case of infatuation.

The maids giggled lewdly.

"Isn't the bride beautiful today? Do you think she's the most beautiful in the world?"

"Does she look like an angel descended from heaven? Does she shine so brightly that it hurts your eyes?"

Please stop...

The maids were quite obnoxious.

"Shut up."

Clyde, though he didn't swear, silenced the maids with a menacing presence.

Then, without looking at me, he extended his arm.

"We should go in."

"Ah, yeah."

We stood at the entrance, awkwardly linking our arms.

Soon, the cathedral doors opened wide.

The interior was surprisingly crowded.

It seemed that everyone had abandoned their daily lives to attend, as there was no place to sit, and people were packed in every available space.

Someone shouted excitedly,

"Hey! The bride and groom are here! Start the music!"

♬♪♬♪! ♬♪♬♪!

A march, arranged to sound like a grand party, echoed through the cathedral.

"Bride and groom, enter!"

At the announcer's call, we walked down the aisle.

"I never thought a wedding could be this chaotic."

As Clyde said, the wedding lacked formality and solemnity.

It was not at all aristocratic.

'But I don't mind that people aren't focused on us and there's no tension. The place is also very beautiful.'

Though my vision was somewhat obscured by the veil, I could still feel how beautiful the cathedral was.

Perhaps because this world reflected Delve's mindset, everything was as delicate and splendid as a work of art.

"I never thought I'd have my wedding in such a beautiful place."

Clyde responded to my spontaneous comment,

"Your wedding will be on par with the royal family, so this is just unnecessary fuss."

Of course, that would be true if I were a squire's daughter.

But that was only if I got married.

I shrugged.

"I never thought I'd get married in my life."

"Why did you think that? You had a fiancé, didn't you?"

I could have brushed off the question, but for some reason, I didn't want to.

Perhaps the festive atmosphere of the wedding, with its boisterous cheers and celebrations, had lifted my spirits.

I found the courage to speak about my weak and pitiful side, which I usually wouldn't want to reveal.

"I never believed anyone would love me."

"......"

That belief still held, but I didn't say it.

Instead, before we reached the end of the aisle, I said,

"This isn't a real wedding, but it will be a fun memory. Where else would I have such an experience?"

Clyde seemed to want to ask me something, but we had already arrived in front of the priest.

The priest, who was officiating, tried to calm the excited crowd.

"Please be quiet, everyone. This is a cathedral."

Finally, the noise from the trumpets and whistles subsided.

'Thinking about it, it's quite amusing. A wedding with a cathedral and a priest in a demon dungeon.'

This unexpected twist piqued my curiosity and imagination, allowing me to stand quietly and ignore the priest's boring sermon.

"Now, we will exchange rings."

'Oh? Are there rings prepared?'

Surprisingly, an attendant brought out rings on a velvet cushion.

They weren't as elaborate as those used in a noble's wedding, but they were cute, with a small diamond in the center.

We put the rings on each other's left ring fingers.

Finally, it was time for the last part of the ceremony, the vow.

The priest asked,

"Does the groom vow to love and cherish the bride for the rest of his life?"

"...I vow."

Clyde, who had twisted his eyebrows at the word 'love,' fortunately answered in time.

"Does the bride vow to love and cherish the groom for the rest of her life?"

"I vow."

"Then, the groom shall lift the bride's veil and seal the vow with a kiss, promising eternal love to God."

...What?

A kiss between the bride and groom at a wedding is not a new ritual.

Yet, Clyde and I froze.

Did they sense something strange?

The crowd began to murmur, finding it odd.

If the groom were a different male protagonist, a kiss for the sake of the story would have already happened.

But Clyde was a male protagonist who hated love and rejected all related actions.

'Ugh. Should I just close my eyes and do it myself?'

At that moment,

Rustle.

Clyde lifted the veil and bowed his head.

...What?

I stared at him with wide eyes, and he said,

"I'm going to kiss you, so close your eyes."

When I opened my eyes even wider in disbelief, Clyde covered my vision with his large hand.

In the sudden darkness, my senses became more acute.

Soft flesh clumsily pressed against my lips.

"I hereby declare that the two are now husband and wife."

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

"Wow!"

"Be happy!"

"Whoo! You look great together!"

BOOM!!

However, our kiss was interrupted by a sudden explosion.

"Ah!"

"What's happening? What's going on?!"

Sharp screams and shouts erupted from all around.

Clyde, to protect me, who had no power, wrapped his arms around my waist and glared at the source of the noise.

I immediately understood the situation.

'The waiters are attacking.'

"Kill anyone who resists! Take their bracelets!"

Sure enough, armed people were attacking and taking people's bracelets.

"It's an attack! The waiters are here to take our bracelets!"

The cathedral quickly turned into a scene of chaos.