READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Wedding
Chapter 53: Wedding
Now, winter has passed, and spring has come. Today is the wedding of Professor Kabaneru and Carol-san.
“Congratulations!” “Congratulations!”
“Kyaa, Carol-sama looks lovely!” “Clement-sama, be happy too!”
Amidst the cheers from the sidelines, the two waved their hands from the carriage. Charlois may be a tranquil and peaceful place, with a small church on a small main street, but the residents came out in full force to shower them with blessings.
The ceremony was sacred yet warm. They exchanged vows in front of the statue of the goddess and exchanged rings. Urrica and I were in charge of enchanting the rings with the status ailment nullification. It was the one we obtained by repeatedly defeating the boss of Maroll’s reptile dungeon. I did my best.
The open carriage was a congratulatory gift from the Marquis de Charlois. The fact that the Duke and Duchess, as high-ranking nobles, took the time to come all the way to Charlois to celebrate with their lady is natural, considering it’s Professor Kabaneru’s parents. However, it seems the economic impact of alcohol is still high, as the Duke himself visited the wedding of the seventh son of the Fourth Lady. I only saw them from a distance, but they were a cool and stunning couple. Professor Kabaneru seems to have lived here using his maternal surname, but as a noble, he probably has various circumstances.
In the early spring, still chilly, the town was brimming with vitality. Everyone’s expressions naturally softened at the start of a new couple and a new farming season.
“Ah, it was a nice ceremony.”
“Indeed, those two were taking their sweet time. It’s finally settled.”
Urrica, who has known them since childhood, sighed while taking off her coat. We skipped the subsequent reception. Although we received a gracious invitation from the Kabaneru family, it was a seat attended by the Marquis de Charlois and other influential nobles. We watched the church ceremony quietly from the back, but there seems to be a separate celebration prepared later for the local residents, so we plan to visit that. Urrica, who has a long-standing relationship, is fine, but I’m just a commoner and originally one of Professor Kabaneru’s students, so there’s no need for me to be there.
“So, what’s this?”
What I presented was a small shortcake.
“What is this?”
While refraining from attending the reception, it doesn’t mean we won’t celebrate at all. I conspired with the Kabaneru family to secretly prepare a wedding cake. By now, the two are probably cutting it together, and everyone is being served slices. I saved some of the ingredients and baked a small one.
“Urrica said she’s born in spring, right? So, happy birthday.”
I lit the candles on the candlestick, performed a mediocre acapella, and then prompted her to blow out the candles. I applauded alone as she blew them out.
“Congratulations!”
“W-What’s all this suddenly? Is this some kind of spell?”
“Um… it’s a celebration from a distant land.”
Urrica blushed her cheeks, prepared to deliver a karate chop, but I managed to distract her, saying, “Just eat it.” After taking a bite, she whispered, “Delicious!” and quickly finished it.
Nevertheless, making this cake was quite a task. I once saw a machine in a video that automatically whipped cream in a bowl, and if it weren’t for that memory, I wouldn’t have been able to make it. Shaking the milk to extract the cream, whipping it up, fluffy sponge cake requires whipping up egg whites. Despite the busy preparations for the wedding by the Charlois family, they secretly assisted me in making a prototype, relying on my vague memory. In return, I handed over the automatic cream whipping magical tool and the prototype.
Using the Autumn Thunder Max, I secretly slipped out to the southern region. It’s warmer there, and fruit cultivation is thriving. I managed to get strawberries at the market. As a result, their wedding cake ended up more like a Christmas cake, but the harmony of whipped cream and strawberries is something I couldn’t compromise on.
I thought about preparing something else thoughtful, but unfortunately, Urrica is more knowledgeable about everything I can prepare. However, fluffy cakes like this haven’t become popular here yet, so I borrowed it for Professor and Mrs. Kabaneru’s wedding. Besides, it would be awkward to receive a lasting gift from a temporary fiancée who is avoiding a marriage proposal. Something that disappears is safe enough.
As she finished eating my portion while requesting seconds, she suddenly stopped.
“Alexi, when is your birthday?”
“It’s in September.”
Right. Last year, I was temporarily stationed in Marol, caught up in advanced studies and graduation.
“In that case, I’ll celebrate it this year.”
With cream smeared around her mouth, Urrica nodded with a “Mmm.”
Yeah, that’s right. My birthday is just half a year away, and then it will soon be October, followed by a whole year. I’ve come halfway through the loops, and I still don’t know the cause and how to end them. While I think maybe I shouldn’t be advancing the research on bestowal with Urrica at this point, I can’t let go of the easygoing life I have now. I go out to gather materials, and Urrica applies bestowal in the workshop. Sometimes we hunt together, rejoice in new materials, get disappointed. She’s like a mentor but also like a colleague, like a friend. Enjoying this moderate distance with her is fun and also troubling.
Once the next loop starts, everything will be reset, and I only have another year and a half. Should I continue enjoying the present and deepening my knowledge of bestowal, or should I try to infiltrate the royal capital and search for the cause of the loops even a little? No, there’s a chance that this loop might end now, and life might continue as it is. But if that happens, how long will I maintain this temporary engagement with Urrica?
Being a coward, I ponder these inevitable thoughts in my head as I head towards the dungeon once again today.