Side Story 2: The Eve of the Wedding (1) |
People always say that the more you look forward to something, the further away it seems, while the things you dread arrive in the blink of an eye.
For Jenkins, at least, marriage was something he had long anticipated. It wasn't just because the women had promised him he could do anything he wanted on their wedding night, but because today, he would finally marry the women he loved.
The day was June 4th, 1867, of the Eighteenth Epoch. Jenkins had specially commissioned Miss Brolignans to perform multiple divinations, confirming that it was an "auspicious day." The people of this world had no custom of calculating auspicious dates for weddings, so Miss Brolignans had been rather perplexed by the request, though she had helped him nonetheless.
Preparations for the wedding had begun in January of that year, right after the birth of the new little Williams. For a full six months, countless people had bustled about for this very occasion. And yet Jenkins, one of the day's protagonists, was incredibly nervous this morning.
He wasn't sure why he was so tense. Life wouldn't really change after the wedding; after all, the women had moved in long ago. This was just a symbolic ceremony.
"You're nervous."
In the groom's preparation room at Coldspring Palace, Mr. Hood, serving as a groomsman, stated with certainty.
"Yes, he's definitely nervous. It reminds me of my own wedding day."
Mr. Black Cat, another groomsman, chimed in. He was sitting in a chair by the table, checking over Jenkins's wedding vows.
Although they all knew each other's real names by now, the friends from the gathering still called one another by their codenames out of habit.
"Wine probably won't help," Jenkins suggested. "I think I just need some fresh air."
For this special day, Jenkins had once again used his power to disperse the foul air, allowing bright sunshine and a fresh breeze to grace the city that was about to host the grand wedding. Nearly a year had passed, but the cataclysm had not yet fully subsided; dark clouds and gray fog were still common.
Mr. Hood walked to the window and pushed it open. In a flowerpot on the sill, a sword was planted.
The moment the window was open, Silver Flute Miss popped into view. She was also dressed exquisitely for the occasion. Behind her, in the courtyards of Coldspring Palace, bustling servants were already making the final preparations.
Flowers, white chairs, a red carpet, the emblems of the gods, and meticulously trimmed flowerbeds—every detail underscored the importance of the day. Cotton-like white clouds drifted across a blue sky. Nothing could stand in the way of today's great event.
"Gentlemen, are you all ready? We need at least one groomsman to come for a run-through of the ceremony!"
Silver Flute Miss called out in a loud, clear voice. Though not a bridesmaid, as an important friend to both the groom and one of the brides, she was deeply involved in the wedding preparations.
"I'll go, I'll go!"
Mr. White Cat, who had just walked back into the room with a bottle of wine, immediately volunteered.
"Damn, this place is enormous. Wait for me, I don't want to get lost again."
"Did someone mention getting lost?"
Just as Mr. White Cat left, Old Jack walked in, wearing a crisp suit and carrying a small jar. Jenkins had never seen the old gentleman dressed so formally. For that matter, he'd never seen Papa Oliver in a proper suit either, which made him all the more eager to see him later.
"Your gift."
Old Jack placed the jar of Wayward Butterflies on the table.
"The Church has an urgent mission, so I have to leave for a bit. I'm giving you your gift first."
Wedding gifts were supposed to be delivered uniformly upon entry, but given how dangerous the Wayward Butterflies were, Old Jack chose to hand them directly to Jenkins.
"I just saw Oliver. He looks ridiculous. Try not to laugh when you see him."
The cheerful old man, smiling, took his leave. At the table, Mr. Black Cat moved the Wayward Butterflies next to a messy pile of other gifts. These were all the "dangerous" presents that had to be delivered to Jenkins personally. Old Jack wasn't the first to bring a gift this morning; Lakur and Mr. Augustus had already been by, along with many of Jenkins's other friends.
"Where's the unicorn? It's time to rehearse its part pulling the flower carriage through the air!"
Outside, the gardens of Coldspring Palace were adorned with colorful flags and ribbons—in fact, the entire city was decorated this way, as Jenkins certainly wasn't about to be stingy with his gold pounds on a day like this. Someone shouted in frustration from a distance; it sounded like one of Jenkins's elf friends.
"This wedding will be remembered for many years to come," Mr. Hood said with a smile.
Jenkins, however, still felt tense.
"You only get married once. Of course it has to be grand."
He loosened the top button of his formal shirt, trying to relax.
"Speaking of which, has anyone seen Magic Miss today? She told me weeks ago that she had a surprise for me at the wedding."
Mr. Hood didn't know anything about it, but Mr. Black Cat had heard something.
"She's probably preparing that surprise right now. It's not much of a secret, so I can tell you. She's brought out that train of hers again. I heard she's planning to fly it over Coldspring Palace and sprinkle colored confetti while the queens walk down the aisle."
It certainly sounded like a wonderful surprise.
"Where did Magic Miss get the energy for the Dawn Express?"
Jenkins asked curiously. That train was a product of Magic Miss's flash of inspiration, sparked by the Creation Slate, but its biggest flaw was its massive energy consumption.
"That, I don't know."
Mr. Black Cat shrugged. Just then, Julia rushed in, leading a team of maids.
"Jenkins, the delegation from Cheslan has arrived early."
"Don't worry about them. Let them wait," Jenkins said with a dismissive wave.
Today was not only his wedding but also the day the Hamparvo Kingdom would formally ally with the Fidektri Kingdom. Salsi II had practically acquiesced to a de facto union of the two nations, all because Jenkins had promised that Dolores would be a queen. As for Cheslan, both kingdoms shared the same stance: Jenkins had no intention of restarting the war but hoped to unify the three nations peacefully.
So there was no need to appear too eager at this moment. It was fine to let them wait.
"Julia, why haven't you changed yet?"
Jenkins looked quizzically at the head maid. She was currently Dolores's head maid, but after today, she would be the head maid of all of Coldspring Palace.
Julia would not be participating in the wedding as a queen; that was her own insistence. However, at the request of both Dolores and Jenkins, she would accompany Dolores down the aisle and accept a ring from him, so she too needed to be formally attired.
And the ladies' wedding gowns were notoriously complicated.
"Her Highness sent me."
Julia, still in her maid's uniform, ushered the team of maids inside. She gently pushed Jenkins down onto a stool and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Her Highness instructed me to make sure you are perfectly ready."
"But aren't I ready already?"
Jenkins had no desire to be fussed over with makeup again, but the young maids had already gathered happily around His Majesty the King.
Jenkins shot a desperate plea for help toward his groomsmen, but Mr. Hood and Mr. Black Cat merely offered him helpless expressions.
On the eve of a wedding, it was best for the men to listen to the women. After all, this was truly the happiest day of their lives.