Chapter 86: The Wedding

“Help…” I called upon the strong body I had built through harsh training and ran for my life. Behind me was the Necromantic Warlock Poirot, clumsily swinging his battle blade.

“Stand still, let me chop you to death!”

As if. Why would I ever do such a stupid thing that would only cost me and gain me nothing?

“Everyone in front, get out of the way, or I’ll dock next month’s allowance!” I, being somewhere in the middle of the food chain, ignored Poirot’s threat and instead threatened the patrolling soldiers who blocked my way. The authority of being the legion’s logistics officer was completely displayed at that moment. Those soldiers made way for my escape as if avoiding the plague. I ran even faster than before.

“I refuse to believe I can’t catch you!” As he said this, Poirot brought out his signature skill. He threw the heavy long knife in his hand to the ground and loudly chanted a familiar incantation. A magical light indicating acceleration spell attached itself to his body. He suddenly increased his speed and closed the distance between us.

“Ah, you have no sportsmanship!” I cursed.

“I am an elegant sage, not a beast of burden pulling a cart,” he retorted.

My soldier’s pride and sense of honor spurred me. I tore open the buttons of my formal suit, threw my heavy coat and tight shirt aside, and ran joyfully with my upper body bare. The reason I was letting loose like this was not because I was truly afraid of Poirot’s joking threat; it was because my heart had been oppressed by the heavy sorrow of war for too long, and the enormous joy that had come one after another today made me too happy. A heart crushed by misery and fear for too long had almost forgotten the feeling of happiness, as if only by exhausting my body could I feel happy.

Without any restraint, we ran out of the city, shouting with joy. On the empty, uninhabited plain, we were no longer the admired warlock and the fearsome officer. We were just two young men with childlike hearts, two bright and sincere lives chasing after happiness.

Watching Poirot getting closer step by step, I remembered the scene when we first met. It was the first time in my life I had experienced the cruelty of the battlefield, the first time I had killed someone. My first business partner had just died right in front of me, and the most important mentor in my life had saved my life and led me out of danger. Back then, I was just a battlefield rookie who had barely seen blood, and Poirot was a clumsy Mage who could only use one spell. It was the cruel war that brought us together and bound our lives closely together.

And now? I had grown used to facing tens of thousands of deaths every day. The number of my own kind who had died at my hands was too many to count. On the battlefield, I had lost so many comrades and friends, which made me cherish even more the friendships that could be separated by life or death at any moment. And Poirot was no longer that insecure young man. He had found the value of his own life, and even more, he had found the destination of his love.

Even though only a little more than three years had passed, we were already qualified to look back at the road we had walked and say to ourselves: We had once been so young.

By this time, Poirot was running side by side with me. He must have been thinking of the same things. He no longer shouted loudly; he just silently ran beside me. His silver hair fluttered in the wind, filling me with an indescribable peace.

After running for who knows how long, when the city walls of Chamela Town became a tiny shadow in our eyes, we were exhausted and lay down on the grass.

The withered yellow grass blades brushed against my bare back, ticklish and comfortable. I picked a blade of grass and put it in my mouth, and the fresh fragrance of soil instantly filled my mouth. A fierce soreness seeped out from the gaps between my bones and joints, making me feel waves of happy exhaustion.

Poirot did not care that his fine robe would get dirty. He sprawled on the ground just as freely. With our heads touching, we looked up at the clear sky.

There were no clouds in the sky; it was as clear as our mood at this moment…

“Jeff…”

“What?”

“I’m going to get married.”

“What did you say?” Ignoring the soreness all over my body, I sat up in surprise.

“As soon as Eli’s wound heals, I’m going to propose to her. If she doesn’t agree this time, I’ll keep proposing until she does. I’m such an idiot. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized I can’t live without her.”

“You’re crazy!” My first reaction told me that Poirot’s madness still didn’t seem to be cured. Poirot, that lustful, womanizing lecher, had actually really made up his mind to get married now. Even though his behavior over the past few days had told us this day would come sooner or later, I hadn’t thought it would be so soon.

“I’m not saying this without a bit of malice,” I said to him. This was one of his main excuses for repeatedly rejecting Eliot. “For an adult unmarried young man, keeping his own free self and the right to pursue more beauty and pleasure, that’s the most important thing. Tying himself to one tree too early will make him lose many joys in life.” He always replied jokingly like this. This attitude of his made the Dark Elf who adored him both love and hate him. And the rough female pirate Kelsey, more than once because of these words, wanted to stand up for Eliot, who was also a woman, and roared that she would “teach this lecherous corpse worm a lesson.”

“That was just an excuse.” Poirot gently shook his head and said, somewhat ashamed, “An excuse to escape responsibility. I knew a long time ago that I liked Eli, but I didn’t dare admit it. I always felt I was too young, unable even to take responsibility for myself, let alone take responsibility for a woman for her whole life. I only wanted to use more time to prepare. I hoped to give Eli more, and more lasting, happiness, even if my life is still so short in her eyes.”

“So then, you’re still a responsible person, are you?” Before this, I had never applied the word “responsible” to Poirot, especially in matters between men and women. But now, I believed what he said. I believed his feelings were genuine and reliable. The reason I still teased him with a contemptuous expression was entirely because of that ironic way of communication between friends.

He was neither impatient nor annoyed at my words, and continued, “It was only after she got hurt that I realized I was wrong, so terribly wrong. If I didn’t fight for it, if I didn’t try, no matter how much time I was given, I would never be ready to take responsibility. If we have confirmed that we are the source of each other’s lifelong happiness, then we should give this happiness to the other person even earlier.”

“After Eli was hurt, I kept regretting it, regretting my cowardice. I wanted to give her a lifetime of happiness, but if she had died then, I wouldn’t have let her feel even one day of happiness. And what had caused all this was my stupidity and cowardice.”

“Thankfully, Jeff, thankfully the gods gave me a chance to make up for my mistake. I must seize this chance. As long as I live for one day, I will give Eli one day of happiness and joy.”

“As for what happens after that… I don’t care…”

I looked at the young warlock lying in front of me, his eyes shut in happiness, and I was deeply happy for my friend’s decision.

“You’ll make a good husband, I believe. You two will definitely be very happy.” I had once thought these blessing words that appeared in novels were so cheesy they were almost disgusting, but at this moment, I said them with extraordinary sincerity, and felt that only these words could express my sincere blessing.

“Of course. I’m a remarkable warlock, and more importantly, when it comes to dealing with girls, I have rich experience…” His annoying, arrogant look climbed back onto his face.

“Put away that vile face. Whether you’ll be a good husband has nothing to do with me. What I’m truly curious about is what your children will grow up to look like—will one ear be long and the other short…”

“I knew your mean mouth would never say anything good… Oh, right, do me a favor.”

“What?”

“Pull me up. I’m too tired to move…”

“Weren’t you using magic the whole time?”

“That consumes physical strength too. Do you think I’m a polar wild donkey that can run all day without stopping? Hurry up and pull me up. Hey, why are you leaving?”

“Don’t you remember who chased me all the way here with a knife? Aren’t you a responsible man? Then take responsibility for your own foolish act.”

“Ah, you heartless guy…”

…

Compared with Fred, who was almost too upright, the Necromantic Warlock was indeed a romantic and passionate person. This could be confirmed by the way he proposed.

At that time, he walked into the room with a serious expression. Looking at Eliot, who was recovering day by day under the careful care of Millia and Kelsey, he said with extreme firmness:

“From now on, you are not allowed to use excuses to get close to me anymore, you are not allowed to say those mushy love words to me anymore, you are not allowed to follow me all the time anymore, and you are not allowed to do those dangerous, stupid things for me anymore!”

The poor girl was frightened silly by his words. She didn’t know what mistake she had made to deserve such a hurtful punishment. For a moment, she even forgot to be sad or to cry; she just stood there blankly, saying nothing.

Kelsey, who knew the inside story, also thought Poirot had gone too far. With her back to the Dark Elf, she made a threatening gesture at Poirot.

At that moment, Poirot suddenly, out of thin air, took out an exquisitely carved box from a shadow. He gently held it up to Eliot with both hands, knelt on one knee, and said with an incomparably soft voice:

“Yes, don’t do these things anymore, because from now on these are the things for me to do. From now on, let me find excuses to get close to you, let me say mushy love words to you, let me follow you and protect you all the time, and let me do foolish things for you.”

“I, Poirot Jonas, on the fifteenth day of October in the year 1461 of the Continental Calendar, formally propose to my one and only beloved, Miss Eliot. Swearing by the unchanging Path of the Dead, I am willing to spend my entire life with Miss Eliot, walking through the years together, passing the days together, until the end where the pillar of my life collapses…”

“…Will you… be willing… to marry me?”

The box blossomed open in his hand. Inside it was an exquisite ring. At the top of the delicate ring band made of mithril rested a violet carved from pure purple crystal. By the windowsill, the ring seemed to absorb all the sunlight. Inside itself, layers of sparkling purple light burst open, rippling outward in circles like a real, living flower. I believed this ring must contain some kind of magical power; otherwise, Poirot would not have locked himself in his room for five days to finish it.

The sudden happiness was like an unreal dream, and Eliot couldn’t believe it. Her dazed expression lasted for a long time. She said nothing and made no gesture of either agreement or refusal. Just when even Poirot himself believed his first proposal had failed, the beautiful Dark Elf suddenly ignored the pain in her body, screamed, hugged Poirot, and shouted loudly, “I will, I will!” as she cried tears of joy.

Without pretentious reserve, without shy concealment, the Dark Elf responded to her happiness with her warmest joy. This simple girl’s forthright display was so much that even Poirot felt a little unaccustomed. He only knew to gently hold the woman who had just promised to be his lifelong companion and smile like a satisfied fool.

Warm, romantic, and straightforward—this was the best love we could have encountered during the extraordinary period of war. It came so fast, with no sign at all beforehand. But looking at the tightly embracing couple before our eyes, who could say it was hasty and blind?

The wedding was held one month later.

During that month, the Cretans “kindly” did not launch any attacks, and we, while consolidating the territory we had recaptured, made grand preparations for Poirot’s wedding. Although the supplies that could be gathered during wartime were extremely limited, that did not mean the wedding preparations became simple. Inviting guests, buying goods, assigning tasks, rehearsing the ceremony… To be honest, I think a wedding is the time that best tests a person’s overall abilities. Even a commander like Fred, who never miscalculated on the battlefield, fell apart before the cheerful yet ordinary word “wedding.” Even the happy groom Poirot himself, after half a month of preparing the wedding, no longer showed the slightest trace of happiness. At the most critical moment, it was the two ladies who stepped forward and took over the entire coordination and scheduling of the wedding. I believe that if not for them, I don’t know what the wedding would have turned into in the end. But it couldn’t be denied that, once they were involved, we all wondered whether we would live to see the wedding’s conclusion.

“God, that crazy woman actually made me try on more than forty outfits today, and in the end, because she couldn’t find suitable shoelaces, she rejected the entire day’s work. Only under the Good God would there be such a picky perfectionist. Fred, I’m really worried about your future happiness.” Poirot said this while rubbing his shoulder, which had been strained from changing clothes.

“Well, don’t talk about me. Today, Kelsey drilled our best two hundred cavalrymen in formation for the wedding’s honor guard, and actually worked nearly thirty of them to the point of fainting. Red Flame, if it weren’t for you, I would have long since…” Even Fred, who had always been silent and steady, had started complaining. He let his whole body collapse into the chair without caring about his posture, doing his best to relax his arms and legs.

“Hey, what does this have to do with me? I ran all over the whole city today and only managed to buy half of what Millia needed. Things like the Bressanone sixth-generation crystal belt, the Baidunsen new Blue Moon Heart diamond necklace, and Aisatinia limited-edition diamond high heels on the shopping list—I have no idea what they even look like. Jeff can testify for me—I’ve run my legs off.” Perhaps only a woman’s neurotic vanity and the strange aesthetic sense invented by some god or other could make the Elves, who were so good at running, run around until they were exhausted.

“Don’t ask me…” I picked up a large cup of cold water and gulped it down. “From beginning to end, you didn’t say a single word. Asking prices, comparing, choosing, bargaining… I did all those tasks. Listen, my throat has gone hoarse from talking…”

Even though on the night before the wedding, all of us only had enough strength left to gasp for breath, we still had to thank the two ladies. It was their pickiness and diligence that brought our friend a nearly perfect, unforgettable wedding.

The town square was temporarily decorated as the wedding venue. Flowers gathered by nearly five thousand soldiers from the grassland outside the town almost filled the place. Compared with killing, the soldiers seemed to like this kind of work more. This was probably the only thing they had done in this war that had nothing to do with destruction and death, but only with construction and happiness.

Two hundred Light Cavalry lined up neatly in two facing rows in front of the high platform in the square. The joy on their young, handsome, and valiant faces could not be hidden. Eliot and Poirot had lofty prestige and reputation in the army. The soldiers loved them no less than they loved Fred, the supreme commander. Today, being able to offer a blessing to the new couple in this way was an honor for them.

Clear music began to play. Poirot and Eliot appeared at the left and right ends of the square. Poirot wore a glossy black magic cloak, with a tight-fitting formal suit in an aristocratic style underneath. The formal suit had no excessive decorations; only a delicate brooch of a rose and a violet crossed was placed on the left chest. His silver hair was tied into a ponytail behind his head, making him look both spirited and proper. This outfit had cost Millia and five tailors five whole days. Although the process had been extremely painful for the Necromantic Warlock, the final design forced Poirot to admit that the Monk, who had been raised with refined art since childhood, truly had an aesthetic standard above ordinary people.

If Poirot was like a moonbeam appearing in the square—mysterious, hazy, yet full of seductive charm—then Eliot’s appearance was as blazing and brilliant as the sun. Her wedding dress was made of the purple she had always loved, decorated with many glittering jewels. Forgive me, I really couldn’t tell the fabric of her wedding dress. It was like an elegant mist that veiled the dazzling light, making our beautiful bride look not quite so blinding. Believe me, this wedding dress did not make the Dark Elf look more beautiful. On the contrary, it lowered its owner’s beauty to some extent. Because of this, people could feel that Eliot’s beauty belonged to the mortal world and could be looked at directly. Otherwise, I’m afraid the entire wedding scene would have fallen into chaos.

Eliot held Red Flame’s arm and walked slowly toward the center of the square. By bloodline, the brave Ranger could be considered a close relative of the Dark Elves—although the relationship between these two races was not very harmonious—and at this important moment, he was the perfect choice to lead the bride in. Now, who could still tell that these two should have been irreconcilable mortal enemies? Red Flame looked at Eliot tenderly, like an elder brother looking at his blood-bonded sister. When he placed Eliot’s hand into Poirot’s hand, he could not help shedding tears just like a true elder brother.

“Take good care of her, or I won’t let you off!” Red Flame said.

When the new couple walked up to the formation made of two rows of cavalry, Rodrick loudly ordered, “All troops, raise… lances!” The two rows of valiant young knights simultaneously thrust their lances diagonally into the sky. Instantly, a corridor glittering with metallic light appeared before them. Every time they passed two knights, two lances would be withdrawn to the side, standing upright on both sides, pointing at the clear sky.

After the last two lances were withdrawn to both sides, they finally stepped onto the high platform and came before Millia, who was dressed as a priestess. Although Poirot had repeatedly said before this, “I don’t want that religious fanatic to preside over my wedding,” at this moment his expression held only gratitude and relief.

“God says, no matter what you believe, if you can be happy and give even greater happiness to others, then you are my most beloved child. I will protect your soul, whether or not you pray. Now, I respectfully stand in the place of the eyes of the Supreme God, bear witness to the love of this couple, and wish them eternal happiness, free from disaster and misfortune.” We saw Millia appear before everyone in such a respected role for the first time. She still wore a holy and noble expression, but what she could not hide between her brows was the joy produced by witnessing her friend’s happiness.

“Eliot, do you have anything to say to your husband?” she asked.

Eliot raised her head and looked at Poirot with her clear, sparkling purple eyes—after years of surface life, she had adapted to this environment and could completely give up the protection of the Shaded Crystal Spectacles to live freely under the sunlight—and said firmly, “Being able to hold your hand like this is my greatest happiness.”

Again, it was true emotion expressed without shyness or concealment. These straightforward yet gentle words made people fond of her and respectful of her.

“Poirot Jonas, do you have anything to say to your wife?”

“I do.” The handsome groom turned to his beloved and said with a solemn tone rare for him, “You once told me that when you were sad, you wanted to lean on my shoulder and cry. Now, I formally reject you…”

Poirot’s words caused an uproar among the crowd below the platform. Many young men, stirred by the Dark Elf’s beauty, could hardly stop themselves from rushing out to give that detestable fellow, who had said the wrong thing at such a critical moment, a good beating. But this could not stop Poirot from continuing to finish his words loudly.

“…I don’t want to make you cry, because I only want to see your smile. Nestled against my shoulder will be your beautiful smiling face…”

“…I am willing to use the effort of my entire life in exchange for your lifelong happiness!”

Millia’s joyful and loving voice promptly rang out in the center of the square:

“You may kiss your bride…”