< Ending Maker SS #23 After the wedding >
Ending Maker SS #23 After the wedding
The marriage of Duke Uther August Bayer, patron of the Pleiades and protector of the Kingdom of Cailun, and Duchess Cordelia August Chase became a national event.
To be honest, guests from all over the world flocked to the wedding, and not only the citizens of the royal capital of the Kingdom of Seilun, but also many from the north and south headed to the royal capital to attend the wedding.
It wasn’t like this even at the wedding of Henry II and his first wife, Justa.
Tens of thousands of people – maybe even hundreds of thousands – filled the plaza.
Thousands and tens of thousands of tents were spread out outside the capital, forming a sea of people.
Naturally, the wedding ceremony proceeded differently from the usual procedure.
There was no elaborate wedding speech, and the positions of the bride and groom were also different.
Uther and Cordelia held each other’s hands and went out in front of the crowd, receiving cheers and blessings from everyone.
But there was something that didn’t change.
No matter how large the event became or how different its format became, it was still the wedding of Uther and Cordelia.
It was a place to celebrate the union of two people.
Count Chase stood still and looked at Uther and Cordelia.
The balcony of the palace overlooking the Grand Plaza.
Two people kissing each other in front of a large crowd of people.
Uder was laughing.
Cordelia smiled.
The two people who had kissed each other smiled brightly and then exchanged rings.
Count Chase watched it all quietly.
Henry II’s speech and declarations were concluded.
All over the capital, pure white doves soared into the sky, and a loud shout that shook the entire capital erupted.
Cordelia smiled brightly once again, her face flushed red, either from embarrassment or from joy.
And the wedding was over.
It was truly a happy day.
&
Cordelia’s father, Count Chase, was given the best guest room in the palace and more than ten servants.
But Count Chase did not return to his room immediately after the wedding.
There were many people who wanted to talk to him, but instead of facing them, he quietly left the palace and headed to a certain place.
Count Bayer knew where Count Chase was headed.
So instead of rebuking Count Chase for trying to escape on his own, he helped him escape.
He drew people’s attention to himself and acted as a surrogate for those who wanted to meet Count Chase.
The footsteps continued.
Count Chase, who had left the royal capital filled with people, stopped on a small hill.
It was a place where the entire view of the royal capital could be seen.
But that’s not why I came here.
To Count Chase, this place had a different meaning.
“Aeris.”
Cordelia’s mother.
Count Chase’s own love.
Countess Chase, who no longer exists in this world.
Her tomb and memorial tablet were located at the Countess of Chase.
This was the place where he first met her – Aeris Eloa, the daughter of the Eloa Viscount, Count Chase.
&
For the aristocracy, marriage was a kind of business.
A mutual transaction to obtain what is desired.
That is why, unlike commoners, marriages for love rarely took place.
To begin with, Uther and Cordelia were engaged to be married since birth.
There were only a handful of cases where couples fell in love like Adelia and Gail.
A union between families.
That is why, in the center, where there were far more minor nobles than in the north or south, there were not a few extreme cases where couples would only see each other’s faces for the first time on their wedding day.
Since the purpose was originally to trade between families, it was not uncommon for the age difference between the bride and groom to be large.
Young brides and grooms being sold like commodities.
This atmosphere somewhat eased after the accession of King Henry II, but when the Earl of Chase was young – that is, before the reign of Henry II – love marriages between nobles were a luxury that only appeared in love stories.
Such an era.
Count Chase, who had just become a full-fledged wizard, encountered the carriage of the Eloi family on the hill leading to the royal capital, which was stuck in a ditch with its wheels stuck.
And there, he fell in love with Aeris Eloa, whom he met for the first time.
&
Fateful love.
We fell in love with each other at first sight.
That wasn’t the case.
Count Chase fell in love with Aeris the moment he saw her, but Aeris herself did not.
She was two years older than Count Chase, and, most importantly, she was already engaged to be married.
Her partner was Viscount Zenadu, who was twenty years older than her, and Aeris was his third marriage partner.
“I just want to go to the capital city once.”
That was why she, who lived in the Eloa House, located at the central end of what could practically be called the North, came up to the royal capital.
I want to go to the capital just once.
Count Eloah could not bear to refuse the request of his daughter, who would soon be sold to a man who was old enough to be his father, for the sake of his family and younger siblings.
Moreover, Viscount Jennadu was a nobleman from the south.
Considering the cases of the two wives of the Viscount who had passed away before, it was highly likely that Eloa would not be able to leave the Viscounty of Jenadu for the rest of her life after getting married this time.
No, maybe even leaving the Viscount’s mansion would be a long way off.
“Have a nice trip.”
“Thank you, Father.”
The trip required a lot of money.
But it was the first wish Aerith had expressed out loud since she became wise.
Count Eloah sold one of his wife’s treasured possessions to raise money for his travel expenses.
The travel period is one month.
Considering the position of the Eloa family, the time they could stay in the capital was only two to three days, but this was the limit.
After all, her wedding with Count Jenadu was only a couple of months away.
&
Aeris had a strong sense of responsibility.
That was why she decided to marry Viscount Jenadu, who was twenty years older than her and whose face she did not even know.
Because she had many younger siblings.
At least I hoped that my younger siblings would achieve what they wanted and marry into good places with large dowries.
Count Eloah was not incompetent.
However, he ended up incurring too much debt to support his terminally ill wife, and when his wife – Aeris’s mother, Viscountess Eloa – finally passed away, the Eloa family’s fortunes were already in jeopardy.
That’s why Aerith thought she should marry a rich man.
Although Viscount Jennadu was old and had a rather rough personality, he was wealthy enough to build the House of Eloa and have some money left over.
That’s why she accepted the proposal of Count Jennadu at the party.
&
As mentioned before, Aeris had a strong sense of responsibility.
So she tried her best not to look at the handsome, goofy, and, to top it all off, very tall young man who was looking at her with a bewildered expression.
But even when the young man, like the knight, lifted the carriage using magic, not brute force or the horse he was riding, he couldn’t do it.
It was surprising that the young man who looked like a knight to anyone was a wizard, but I had to express my gratitude.
Aerith raised her head and faced the young man.
Arthur Chase.
Count Chase in his younger days, before he inherited the earldom.
“Thank you. Thanks to your help, I was able to get out of a difficult situation.”
Aerith thought as she muttered her thanks.
What if they ask for a return favor?
Of course, it’s right to return the favor since they helped, but even travel expenses are tight.
It was a petty thought, but it was a realistic concern, and that fact once again made Aerith’s heart suffocate.
And at that very moment Count Chase spoke.
“You are magical.”
“yes?”
When Aeris asked again without realizing it, Count Chase looked extremely flustered instead of continuing to speak.
Because I was surprised by the words I said myself.
“No, that, that is.”
The sight of the handsome young man blushing and flustered was enough to bring a smile to the young girl’s face.
Aeris smiled irresistibly even though she knew it was rude, and Count Chase fell in love with her bright face once again.
&
“So it comes down to having a good face.”
“No. It’s not just about having a good face.”
Alex Bayer.
Count Chase responded to Count Bayer’s point with great seriousness.
Count Bayer, curious, asked again.
“Then which is better?”
“Everything is good.”
“Yeah, if that’s what you’re saying, then that’s what it must be.”
Normally, there would have been a backlash here, but this time there wasn’t.
Count Bayer smiled bitterly at his friend’s still half-asleep face, then quickly changed his expression.
“Arthur.”
“Yes, Alex.”
“You’re a married woman.”
“Not yet. I just have a fiancé.”
“Are you trying to play with fire?”
“That’s not it. I’m serious.”
“Arthur, it’s only been a day since I met you. In reality, we only spent an hour or so together fixing the carriage and walking to the capital.”
“I know, too.”
“Do you know someone like that?”
“Because she’s magical.”
There was no answer.
So Count Bayer decided to help his friend for the time being.
It was funny to hear a young man say such things, but even stories like A Midsummer Night’s Dream were one of the luxuries that only youth could enjoy.
But Count Bayer found out less than a day later.
Count Chase was as serious as he said.
That too, very much.
&
‘Maybe there really is such a thing as fateful love.’
Count Chase and Aeris fell in love.
In fact, perhaps it was a natural thing.
The Chase Counts were one of the twelve northern families, and as expected from a family of great magicians, they had considerable wealth.
Moreover, Count Chase – Arthur Chase – was a young and handsome youth.
It couldn’t have been better than Viscount Jennadu, who was old enough to be his father.
But Count Bayer thought of fateful love.
At least the Aeris he had met was not the type of person so shameless as to ignore a marriage promise that was about to be fulfilled based on such cost-benefit calculations.
‘It’s not easy, either.’
Just because a count is a family doesn’t mean he is necessarily higher or stronger than a baron.
Of course, it was a different story when it came to the 12 northern families, but that didn’t mean they could just randomly pick on the Jenado family.
Moreover, the Counts of Chase were a northern family, while the Viscounts of Xanadu were a southern family.
It would not be easy to annul the marriage since even the justification was with the Jenado family.
No, maybe it couldn’t be invalidated after all.
Count Chase knew that fact well.
So he decided to do something reckless.
I went on a midnight runaway with Aeris.
‘I’m crazy, I’m crazy.’
Love’s midnight elopement.
A runaway couple?
Does this make any sense?
It’s no wonder that Arthur Chase, of all people, committed such a reckless act that only appears in love stories.
Of course, there was chaos.
Society was in uproar, and Countess Jennadu, with the support of the South, who was eager to denounce the North, began to pressure the Earls of Chase.
He even challenged her to a duel, saying he would punish her for defaming him.
Of course, it wasn’t Viscount Jenadu himself who stepped forward.
Enrico Luclia, a southern swordsman and heavy swordsman, sent his nephew and disciple, Matteo Luclia, to be the great warrior of the Xanadu Counts.
Mateo was strong.
He stood out at the Sword Banquet and was even called the Ten Swordsman of the Future by people.
He challenged him to a duel.
If he refused the duel, the already awkward honor of the Count Chase family would be thrown to the ground, and if he accepted, Arthur Chase, a wizard and not a swordsman, would have difficulty staying safe.
Of course, there was a method in which the Count Chase family would send out a warrior and accept the duel.
But who on earth would be prepared to fight against the Ten Swordsmen, let alone the disciple of the Ten Swordsmen who is called the future Ten Swordsmen?
In the first place, it was Count Chase’s fault, and so it was not honorable to even stand up for the Count.
“It’s always my job to clean up after myself.”
Count Bayer smiled bitterly and drew his sword.
I had no intention of listening to what my family had to say.
He drew his sword for Arthur Chase, and although he and his friends were lumped together and called scoundrels, he did not care.
“Because the wind is free.”
Little did the young Count Bayer know that his own words would cause his future self to kick the covers off several times while he was sleeping.
&
The wedding was not held with much fanfare.
The marriage of Arthur Chase and Aeris Eloa was quietly announced at the Chase Counts’ residence, with only family and acquaintances in attendance.
Count Chase raised his head.
He spoke to the back.
“Your mother was a very active and lively person.”
“Yes, Father. I remember.”
Edward Chase took a few more steps and stood beside his father.
Her mother passed away shortly after giving birth to her youngest sister, Cordelia.
The age difference between Edward and Cordelia was nearly ten years, so Edward could remember his mother’s appearance much more than his siblings.
“In some ways, it was a bit extreme.”
“That’s right.”
Aeris often gave gifts to those around her.
It’s not that she suddenly squandered the family fortune because she married into a rich family.
Most of the gifts Aeris gave to those around her were simple and cheap.
“You always carried candy or snacks in your small pocket.”
It wasn’t just young Edward and Adelia.
Aerith would give small gifts to many people around her, including those working at Count Chase’s house.
Count Chase also remembered that time.
So he whispered with a face full of longing.
“I once asked her why she liked giving presents so much. Aerith said, “The precious time we can spend together doesn’t last forever. Maybe this moment could be our last.”
So, I want to express my feelings a little more whenever I can.
Count Chase was unable to respond immediately to the unexpectedly heavy story.
And a few years later, when Aeris passed away from the same illness as her mother.
When I cried and cried as if I was breathing, and finally even my tears dried up.
When Count Chase realized that there would be an eternity of time without Aeris.
“Aeris, your mother was always right. Always.”
Count Chase took a step forward. He hid his face from Edward and slowly took a deep breath to calm his emotions.
Aerith probably already knew then.
That the time given to Aerith herself was not very long.
“Edward.”
“Yes, father.”
“Don’t be afraid to express your love to those you love. One word of love, one small smile, is worth more than a million flowers when you’ve bid them farewell.”
“Okay, Father.”
When did Count Chase start to shower those around him with excessive gifts?
It’s embarrassing to just say it, so I add harsh words that are obvious.
Edward didn’t bother to attack his father.
But Count Chase attacked his son without hesitation.
“Of course, I need to find someone I love before that.”
Edward flinched for a moment at the harsh words, but soon smiled bitterly and said.
“It would have been nice if the Counts of Bayer had a daughter.”
“Stop talking nonsense and look carefully this time. It is no exaggeration to say that all the nobles of the kingdom are gathered in one place.”
“I will try.”
“Don’t just work hard, get results.”
What should I say to this?
Instead of giving a proper answer, Edward simply looked at the royal road, and Earl Chase looked at the ring that he had not taken off his hand despite the twenty years since his wife’s death.
I smiled awkwardly, thinking of Aeris’ smile.
fin
< Ending Maker SS #23 After the wedding > End
