"Well... she says she will marry you if you accept her condition."
"A condition?"
I understood why Adelia was having trouble answering.
I was willing to marry her daughter despite her poor health, yet it was their side that was making demands.
"What is the condition?"
"Isabelle says she wants a gold ring for her wedding ring."
"A gold ring..."
Gold rings were rather expensive.
‘Was the going rate one gold coin?’
That was equivalent to a farmer’s annual income.
There was a reason commoners had silver rings made for their wedding bands.
‘Isabelle isn’t the type to be greedy for money.’
The Isabelle I knew was extremely frugal.
Unable to properly control her body because of Rose’s Punishment, she had tried her utmost not to burden her family.
‘This is a kind of insurance.’
Isabelle was likely demanding a gold ring so that even if I ran away because of her illness, her household finances would stay afloat for a while.
That way, she could still be of help to her family.
"Very well. I will prepare a gold ring for the wedding band."
"Ian, are you sure you’re all right with that?"
"It is for the woman I love. Why wouldn’t I be?"
A gold ring was no issue for me.
Spending one gold coin to obtain the Big-Dick Herb could even be called a bargain.
‘Besides, I extorted plenty from the village chief.’
Naturally, Adelia, who knew none of those circumstances, had no choice but to misunderstand.
"Ian, you truly have fallen for Isabelle. Sob..."
I had no idea what to do when Adelia suddenly began to cry.
‘She must be unbelievably happy.’
I gave her some space so she could cry to her heart’s content.
. . .
The next day, I visited the church once more to buy a gold ring.
There, I ran into Reina, who was sweeping the floor with a broom.
"Good morning, brother."
"You are diligent from early in the morning, Sister."
"Diligence is one of a nun’s virtues."
Reina greeted me with a radiant smile despite the early hour, then guided me again.
"Have you come to pray again today?"
"No, I came to buy a gold ring."
"Oh my, are you getting married?"
"That is how things turned out."
"Will you be settling down in Entiel Village once you are married?"
"Yes. I intend to spend the rest of my life here."
"Congratulations. I am not originally from this village, but I do not think there is any village as nice as this one. The air is good, the water is good, and there is even a church."
"That last part is the biggest reason."
"Hehe. Please wait here. I will go inform the Mother Superior."
After saying that, Reina returned shortly afterward with a woman with dark gray hair.
"This is Vanessa, the Mother Superior of this church."
"...I am Ian, a hunter."
I did not show it, but I was startled upon seeing Vanessa.
‘She was an NPC in the game, so I never realized it, but she is younger than I expected.’
Vanessa looked like a woman in her late thirties at most.
Considering that the position of Mother Superior was no easy one in this world, she must have attained it at a rather young age.
And while she was not an astonishing beauty like Isolde or Reina, Vanessa was still quite lovely, as befitted a world from an erotic game.
"I heard you wish to purchase a gold ring. Have you prepared the donation?"
"Here it is."
I held out one gold coin to Vanessa.
She inspected the coin’s condition, then placed it into the donation box.
"I will have the ring ready by the day of the ceremony."
"Mother Superior, there is one favor I would like to ask."
"What is it?"
"My wife is not in good health, so it will be difficult for us to hold a normal wedding ceremony."
I explained Isabelle’s condition to Vanessa.
Vanessa seemed to know Isabelle as well, because she looked startled.
"So the woman you are to marry is Miss Isabelle."
"If it would not be improper, could we hold the ceremony at our home?"
"It would not be improper at all. On the contrary, we will assist you from our side."
"Thank you."
I was briefly surprised by her unexpectedly enthusiastic response.
I had been certain Vanessa was conservative and inflexible.
‘Well, does it matter?’
I did not know why, but thanks to her, I would be able to save on the wedding costs.
"Reina, I will make the ring, so please prepare the holy water."
"Are you holding the ceremony today?"
"The sooner, the better."
"Yes. Brother, please follow me."
They even put aside their other work to focus on mine and Isabelle’s wedding.
"Brother, were you very surprised?"
"Yes. I did not expect you to do this much for us."
"Hehe. It is part of our doctrine to help a beautiful love like yours."
"I see."
It appeared they had mistaken me for marrying Isabelle out of a pure heart.
Isabelle’s poor condition was well known even at the church, and there was also Helia’s blessing.
That was apparently how this misunderstanding had arisen.
‘Not at all.’
The only reason I was marrying Isabelle was to obtain the Big-Dick Herb, not because of the beautiful love Reina imagined.
‘Well, does it matter?’
There was no reason to correct them if they misunderstood me in a favorable way.
Especially since having a good reputation at the church would come in handy many times later.
‘Before they pull out, I need to suck them dry of everything I can get.’
Due to a certain incident, the church would withdraw from Entiel Village.
There was no harm in steadily preparing for that day.
"Brother, you may pray here until the ring is finished."
"I do not know much about this. Is there a reason I need to pray?"
"Yes. With a devout heart, you must tell the goddess of your love."
"...Understood."
Somehow, I ended up spending two days in a row in the prayer room.
It was bothersome, but it could not be helped.
‘Let’s just think of it as grinding favorability.’
. . .
The wedding was held in the early evening.
Normally, weddings of the Church of the Sun had to be held at the church, but considering Isabelle’s health, most of the ceremony was simplified.
"Before we begin, Brother Ian, please receive the ring."
"Yes."
I received the gold ring from Vanessa.
‘Did becoming a Mother Superior require metalworking skills, too?’
Perhaps Vanessa had put considerable effort into it, because the words ‘Ian’s Woman’ were finely engraved into the ring.
It could not have been made without exceptional dexterity.
"Next, we shall perform the washing of chastity."
Vanessa washed Isabelle’s reddened hands with holy water.
"Sister Isabelle, this may hurt a little."
"Nngh..."
Isabelle squeezed her eyes shut, apparently in pain from Rose’s Punishment.
Perhaps to ease Isabelle’s pain, Vanessa did not spare the precious holy water.
Once she had washed Isabelle’s hands, Vanessa likewise washed mine with holy water.
The holy water looked like ordinary water, but I could feel something being washed away.
"Lastly, we shall have the covenant of vows."
Vanessa brought out a chalice filled with holy water and held it before me.
"Brother Ian, do you swear before Helia, who governs the sun, that you will love Sister Isabelle in times of pain, sorrow, and poverty?"
"I swear."
Without hesitation, I drank the holy water from the chalice.
Upon drinking it, I found the holy water was simply salt water.
"Sister Isabelle, do you swear before Helia, who governs life, that you will serve Brother Ian as your husband in times of pleasure, joy, and prosperity?"
This time, Vanessa held the chalice out to Isabelle.
"I swear... cough cough, I am sorry."
"Sister, you may take your time."
Because of Rose’s Punishment, even answering was difficult for Isabelle.
Vanessa waited until she could slowly drink the holy water.
"I swear... I will serve him as my husband."
When Isabelle drank the holy water, Vanessa made the sign of the sun and declared,
"In the name of Helia, who governs love, I hereby certify that the two of you are husband and wife."
Once every part of the ceremony was over, Reina, standing behind me, whispered to me.
"Brother, you must give her the ring now."
"Understood."
As Reina instructed, I took Isabelle’s left hand.
Then I personally slipped the ring onto her ring finger.
"Miss Isabelle, I will make you happy from now on."
"...How?"
My mind failed to respond properly to the unexpected question.
I could tell from her clouded eyes and pain-filled face.
She had no hope, and because she had no hope, she had noticed that I did not love her.
Just as she expected, I did not sincerely love her.
"That is something I should show you through my actions, not words."
Yet my mouth answered regardless of my will.
"So I will make you, Miss Isabelle, happier than any other woman. I swear it."
Apparently startled by my confident reply, Isabelle showed something resembling a genuine emotion for the first time.
And I, too, wondered why I had said such a thing.
‘This possession life isn’t easy.’
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register