After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 142
Episode 142: Wedding Celebration
Ayaka-san, dressed in a pure white kimono with a fluffy cotton hat on her small head, looked incredibly beautiful. Despite usually having a face close to no makeup, today she lightly applied white powder and vivid red lipstick on her thin lips.
“Ah, Ayaka-san…”
“I feel uneasy in this unfamiliar attire… What do you think?”
“Y-you look incredibly beautiful! I-is this perhaps…”
“Yes. Everyone will be celebrating the wedding between Lord Lutz and me from now on. I found out just a few days ago… Margarete-sama planned it and prepared various things with the chieftains in the capital. I’m grateful, but also feel it’s too much…”
Ayaka-san smiled happily, but a hint of complexity shadowed her expression.
Oh right, Gretel shouted something like “I’ll make sure Ayaka has a wedding too!” when heading to the capital.
She seemed incredibly busy there, not interacting with me at all, because she was arranging Ayaka-san’s wedding. Gretel can be rough and thoughtless, but she’s a kind girl… I should definitely praise her later.
But I understand Ayaka-san’s mixed feelings. She desires our ceremony and is happy with the clan’s blessings, but considering Gretel’s feelings, she can’t simply rejoice innocently.
Gretel eagerly wants my child. Of course, Beato and the others also want a child, likely with expectations for my strange magic cheat abilities. But Gretel is different. Whether the ability is ordinary, and whether it’s a girl or boy, she wants to carry our child as a crystallization of our love.
Even I, slow as I am, understand that much now.
Glancing at Gretel, Ayaka-san holds two of my children in her hands.
They are girls with exceptional magical abilities, exuding nothing but cuteness.
Ayaka-san always feels inferior because of this, and modestly defers to Gretel and Beato.
It’s natural for her to feel sorry for the wedding Gretel produced.
Looking closely, Gretel stands quietly with Max at the edge of where the Dark Clan gathers, gently smiling.
Yeah, that’s Gretel. She’s straightforward, experiencing joy, sadness, even anger without hiding anything.
She might have had complex feelings seeing Kaori and Honoka drunk, but at this moment, she sincerely celebrates Ayaka-san’s happiness. I shouldn’t hesitate strangely.
“It’s okay. Gretel is a kind girl. Let’s make this day, prepared by everyone, a memorable anniversary for us.”
“Y-yes…”
Her black eyes tremble, and a tear streaks down her cheek. It seems to express her strong feelings for me… I desperately endure the desire to embrace her.
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“Today, on this auspicious day, we will conduct the wedding ceremony before Hinokagutsuchi-sama.”
Ayaka-san, in her white kimono, recited the oath to the gods with a clear voice.
In the former world, I think it was the groom’s role at a Shinto wedding, but this is a reversed world, so this feels natural.
Speaking of Hinokagutsuchi-sama, wasn’t that an ancient Japanese deity… the god of fire, I think. Akitsushima, which is said to be the clan’s ancestral land, is pretty much Japan now.
“From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful to God for meeting a partner whom I can believe in and respect. With love and trust, I hope we can support and help each other, becoming a good married couple. Also, I thank the gods for being able to strongly connect the bl00d of the Dark Clan to the next generation. Please grant protection to my partner Lutz and our clan for a long time to come.”
From those brief words of oath, Ayaka’s feelings for me overflowed. Upon closer listening, it became clear that the plea for protection from the god Hinokagutsuchi was for me and my clan, not including Ayaka herself… It’s just like her to always think of others around her, with strict words towards herself.
And then, a firm toast. Filling cups of various sizes with sake, three times each… This reminds me of the old world, the ritual of San-san-kudo.
The cups resemble Japanese ones but are made of pure wood instead of lacquer, and the poured sake is white wine, so there are various points to nitpick, but the emotion is the same.
After finishing the last cup in one gulp, I looked to my right, where Ayaka was smiling at me with a gentle smile, like that of a loving mother.
——
“Mommy is very beautiful.”
“Yeah, Dad is lucky to have such a beautiful mom to be married to.”
The banquet was now completely informal, with everyone in the clan enjoying themselves, forgetting about the bride and groom.
Thanks to that, I could relax and enjoy blissful time with Kaori on my lap. Honoka wasn’t brought along because she’s still small… At least that’s what’s said publicly, to prevent Honoka from charming everyone indiscriminately.
“How did Mommy and Daddy meet?”
“Well, uh, that’s…”
Hey, come on, she’s only one year old and asking such things.
And how am I supposed to explain? “Well, I met your mother for the first time and then, bam, you were conceived,” or something like that?
“When you have a favorite gentleman, I’ll tell you, Kaori. Until then, please be patient.”
“Yes, Mommy.”
Seems like Kaori understood and accepted it thanks to Ayaka’s smooth handling, which is a relief. Kaori looks sleepy too, so it’s about time to take her to bed.
And after that… well, it’s what they call the wedding night. Even though we’ve already had two kids together!