Together, Damien and Edmond returned to the wedding ceremony, with Damien dragging along the cart filled with bottles of fish oil. The estate was beautifully decorated in white and gold. Rich nobles swarmed the garden, holding glasses of wine as they engaged in laughter and chatter.
The atmosphere felt nostalgic for Damien. The sight of clean-shaven men and elegantly dressed women in silk and velvet woven with strands of gold and silver stirred something within him. Their refined laughter, distinct from that of the commoners, added to the tranquility of the scene.
Mr. Walton, who was entertaining guests, stopped and approached them as he caught sight of Edmond.
"Greetings, Sir Edmond. Glad you could make it," he said, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Of course I could," Edmund replied, his tone admonishing Mr. Walton's silliness. "It's my own wedding, after all," he finished, casually draping his coat over Mr. Walton's outstretched hand.
Mr. Walton seemed to accept Edmond's rudeness, but the slightest quiver in his brow betrayed the smile on his face. Edmond then left Mr. Walton and moved toward the guests, leaving him standing beside Damien like a butler tending to his master.
"Lucas," he said, directing his ire at Damien, "just leave the cart and go. You'll ruin the mood if you stay here. I'll have one of the servants take care of it. Go where no one can see you or smell you."
"Yes, sir."
To avoid ruining the wedding, Damien returned to his shed. As he headed back, he spotted Felicia sitting on a bench at the far end of the estate, closer to the farm than to the wedding ceremony. She wore a worried expression; despite it being her wedding day, she wasn't smiling. Her beautiful white dress was supported by a crinoline, and her hair was adorned with floral ornaments.
Damien was a little surprised that Felicia was marrying Edmond. He knew how strongly Lucas felt for her, and the pathetic memories of Lucas's love for her irritated him. It seemed Lucas's mind was filled only with thoughts of her, leaving little room for anything useful.
Damien tried to walk past her, but surprisingly, she called out to him.
"Hey, you. Come here; I want to ask you something." Reluctantly, Damien approached her. "Um… is Sir Edmond here yet?"
"Yes, ma'am. He arrived a short while ago."
"Really?" she exclaimed, her face flushing red as she hastily started to fiddle with her hair.
"Is everything okay, ma'am?"
"What?!"
"Sorry, that was rather rude of me. I just wanted to make sure you're doing alright since you're all the way out here."
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern. I've just been feeling a bit nervous."
"I'm sure you'll be fine, ma'am. I'll be on my way now; your father ordered me back to the farm to avoid causing trouble."
"Oh, okay then. Well, anyway, thanks for your help, Lucas."
"You know my name?" Damien asked, a little shocked.
"Yeah, you're the farmhand my younger sister is always talking about. She said the two of you often played together and that you have a pet dog named Fortune. She really likes you a lot; since my father only has daughters, she's come to think of you as her big brother. So thank you for that."
Damien was surprised to hear that from her. He knew she had a sweet personality from Lucas's memories. Lucas spent all his time admiring her but never had the courage to actually speak to her.
He could see why Lucas fell for her; she was beautiful, and though a little self-centered, she was also compassionate. She exuded the naivety of a little girl who viewed the world with wide-eyed wonder. He almost felt pity for her.
They separated from one another, and Damien returned to his shed to rest while Felicia made her way to the garden, where her groom awaited her.
The wedding proceeded without a hitch, with both Felicia and Edmond exchanging their vows and wedding rings.
The reception followed immediately after, with the bride and groom seated beside each other, surrounded by friends and family. Laughter filled the air as they enjoyed a masterfully prepared meal created by a mage well-versed in culinary magic.
Seated to the left of Edmond was Mr. Walton, Felicia's father, who wasted no time in expressing his happiness about his daughter's marriage. However, Edmond soon grew tired of the conversation and decided to change the subject.
"You know, Mr. Walton, I've been meaning to ask a favor of you."
Mr. Walton's interest was piqued by Edmond's words. He had no idea what favor Edmond was going to request, and a part of him felt a twinge of fear at the thought of being asked for something he couldn't provide. He took a sip of his wine to calm his nerves before speaking again.
"A favor? Of course, I'll do anything for my future son-in-law. Please, ask anything."
"You see, Mr. Walton, I've been running short on staff due to the ongoing conflict. My servants are dropping like flies, and I'm in need of a good set of hands. I was wondering if I could take one of your servants."
A servant? A flood of relief washed over Mr. Walton. If a servant was all Sir Edmond needed, he would be happy to oblige.
"Of course! As I said, I'd be happy to help you in any way I can. In fact, I have the right man for the job. His name is Darious; he's highly proficient in magic and even fought in a war, so you won't have to worry about him being killed. I'll go fetch him after the marriage is officially complete."
"Actually, I had someone else in mind."
"Someone else? You're welcome to choose any of my servants. Most of them are highly skilled, so anyone you choose will undoubtedly be of service to you."
"Thank you; you'll be doing me a great service," Edmond said, bowing his head politely. This act surprised Mr. Walton, who was used to Edmond's passive rudeness, as that was typical of higher nobles. He couldn't help but crack a small smile. "I would like to take Lucas with me."
"Lucas?" Mr. Walton's smile faded. "I don't think that's the best idea. The boy doesn't possess any mana. He won't be of much help to you. It would be better if you chose someone else."
"Are you going back on your word, Mr. Walton? You just said I could choose anyone I wanted, and now you're changing your mind."
"No! It's not like that; it's just that, um…" Mr. Walton glanced around, noticing the eyes of the other guests peering at him. Their chilling gazes made him feel uncomfortable. He couldn't go back on his word now. He had no choice but to agree, or else he would be seen as dishonorable. "You're right, Sir Edmond. Please forgive me. You can take the boy if that's what you desire."
Pleased, Edmond gave a small nod and the tension in the air soon died down.
The night erupted in a cacophony of laughter and cheers as dancers performed a splendid dance for the couple. Then came the time to make Edmond and Felicia's marriage official. Next would be the bedding ceremony. For a marriage to be considered official, it must be consummated, meaning the couple must have sex.
With cheers and applause from the guests, both of them were led to a beautifully decorated room. They would be locked inside until morning. The next day, the bride would be inspected by a white mage—a mage with an affinity for healing magic—who would confirm that they had consummated their marriage.