Chapter 43

Lane and Riene, wearing matching wedding dresses, entered the room where Alec and Clarence had already finished their preparations and were waiting.

Clarence was dressed in formal attire befitting a royal, while Alec wore the ceremonial garb of a hero.

At the sight of their dignified figures, Lane couldn't help but be captivated.

When Alec saw Lane in her dress, he squinted his eyes and smiled softly.

"Ah, Lane. You look beautiful."

"Thank you..."

Blushing at the straightforward compliment, she looked down.

"Brother, you didn't say that to me? Even though I'm your only sister getting married."

Riene said this with a pouting voice, though it wasn't her true feeling.

"Of course, Riene, you look beautiful too. ... Are the dresses the same?"

Alec, who had said this after looking at the two, seemed to have known nothing until today.

"Yes. We're having a sister wedding."

"Sister wedding?"

Tilting his head at the unfamiliar term, Alec looked at Riene with a slightly exasperated expression.

"You didn't tell Lane the meaning before doing it?"

"Huh? Does this dress have some meaning?"

When she asked, puzzled, Riene nodded.

"Yes. It's an old charm from our hometown. Sisters who get married on the same day in the same dress are promised eternal happiness."

"... Is that so?"

Realizing that there was a reason for choosing the same dress despite the lack of time, Lane understood.

Riene, by wearing matching dresses, was wishing for Lane's happiness.

"Lane isn't your sister."

"She's my sister-in-law now. Sally and Mary and I worked hard to find a dress that would suit Riene."

"Huh? So this is..."

Lane was surprised and looked down at the dress she was wearing.

The slightly mature design, adorned with expensive embroidery and lace, was elegant. Indeed, a more luxurious design might have suited Riene better.

"But, this is your once-in-a-lifetime wedding."

Realizing it was a dress meant for her, Lane panicked.

"Because I want Lane and Brother to be absolutely happy. Lane, thank you for making Brother happy. I love you so much. I truly wish you happiness."

Tears rolled down Riene's cheeks.

It was Clarence, not Alec, who now embraced Riene's shoulders as her husband-to-be.

Seeing this, Alec looked relieved but also a bit lonely. Lane entwined her arm with his.

"Thank you, Riene. I love you too. ... Let's be happy together. Forever."

"... Yes."

Tears streamed down both of their cheeks.

Sally and Mary came over and hurriedly fixed their makeup.

The wedding ceremony was yet to begin.

Thus, Lane and Alec, and Clarence and Riene, took each other's hands and moved to the cathedral where the wedding would take place by carriage.

Many people lined the streets to welcome them.

People with flower baskets scattered petals while offering words of blessing. As they waved in response to the blessings, they noticed familiar faces among the crowd.

(That's Meg, Mie, Claire? Trisa, Ron, and Solda too.)

They were childhood friends from the village.

Had they come to the capital just for this day?

Holding flower baskets, they looked uncomfortable and apologetic but still scattered petals and offered words of blessing.

"Thank you."

When she called out, they seemed to understand.

The childhood friends, with tearful faces, bowed their heads quietly.

"Did you have a lot of experiences with them?"

Shaking her head with a smile at the worried Alec, she replied.

"It's okay now. I'm happy now."

Now, she only prayed for the peace of their beautiful hometown.

The carriage slowly stopped in front of the cathedral, and they entered, each holding their partner's hand.

The sound of the wedding bells rang out.

Nobles lined the wide corridor, bowing and offering words of blessing as they passed. In the large hall, the royal family and Lane's parents were waiting.

Under the supervision of the high priest, they signed the marriage certificate.

This made them officially husband and wife.

A wedding banquet was planned to be held at the royal palace afterward, but Alec and Lane had declined to attend.

The king had wanted to grant Alec a title until the end, but he had declined. If he accepted a title, it would be difficult to respond quickly to calls for help from other countries.

Alec hoped to return to his adventurer's life.

To continue helping others.

Lane intended to support him as his partner.

After the ceremony, the two changed out of their wedding dresses. Lane changed into a simple outfit, while Riene had to change into a dress for the banquet.

Despite her busy schedule, Riene saw Lane off to Alec.

"Lane, we'll part here, but if I call you, will you come?"

Nodding, she reassured the slightly anxious Riene.

"Yes, because I'm your sister-in-law."

Smiling, she hugged her, promising to come no matter where she was for her sister.

"Brother, thank you for protecting me all these years. Because of you, I've been able to live this far."

"Of course. We're family, so it's only natural to protect each other."

Alec said this and stroked his sister's head.

They wouldn't have such brother-sister moments for a while.

But there was no anxiety in Riene's eyes, only strong resolve, likely because of Clarence's presence.

Thus, Lane left the bustling royal palace, where the banquet was being prepared, and quietly departed with Alec. The street, still covered with many petals, looked like a flower field.

They planned to move to the town where Alec grew up and live there for about a year, just the two of them.

They would rent a small house near the sea and spend their days quietly like ordinary newlyweds.

In the morning, they could go shopping at the morning market together, and in the afternoon, they might try fishing.

And in the evening, they would watch the sunset together.

Their parents had agreed to this plan, and Clarence and Riene had also approved.

Alec would likely take up his sword and fight if monsters threatened people again.

Lane intended to follow him as a saint.

No matter how much time passed since the defeat of the demon king, they would not forget their duties as a hero and a saint.

But for this one year, they wished to spend peaceful days. Was it permissible to hope for that?

The carriage slowly left the capital.

It was the capital where she had been brought after hearing that her fiancé was getting married, a place that had been painful and difficult.

But here, Lane had met her beloved.

(Ah, that's right...)

Lane, who had dreamed of a peaceful life, realized her mistake.

With him, even if they had to fight monsters or deal with nobles, she would surely be able to live with a smile.

"Lane, what's wrong?"

Alec, puzzled by her sudden laughter, looked at her.

"I was just thinking how happy I am."

She was happy to leave the capital, where she had suffered, with a smile.

Hearing this, Alec gently embraced Lane.

When they returned to this capital a year later, Lane would surely be smiling by Alec's side.