New here? I'm Roha — want a quick tour?
- That would have been reckless. I think even the Empress wouldn't have spared you for that. - He lowered his head, looking away, which was uncharacteristic of him. - I admit, it was my fault.
Late in the morning, he is awakened not by a dragon king, but by that very admiral.
- Good morning! - Smiling broadly, she places her hand on his face and looks intently into his eyes. - So, when are we going to get married? It's not good to break traditions.
She fell silent, giving him time to process everything.
- And to you as well. - deciding that he likes these cheerful expressions after waking up more than before, he smiles in response: - Ha-ha, even now! But besides our customs, there are also yours... According to which, I think I need to first order engagement rings from "someone," then invite you to a secret dinner date, and finally, with a face flushed with embarrassment, propose on one knee, anxiously awaiting your answer... Am I missing anything?
Ayano tries to keep all these instructions in her head and go through them, constantly missing something and trying to correct it, and as a result, the whole process turns into a confused mess.
- And this... is more complicated than it seems, - she puffs, almost coughing and blinking back tears from the smoke that got in her eyes.
- We'll have to postpone the wedding, - Guyon sighed sadly, stuffing the last piece of sausage into his mouth and taking a large gulp of brine. - There won't be a dress. There won't be rings. There won't be a cake from Alaria... - He glanced warily at Beata, but she maintained a stony expression, - ...so we'll just go on being unmarried, yay, - he sadly saluted with the jar of brine.
- Guyosh, are you an idiot? - Beata snorted. - What good will this wedding do us? An official status - that's cool, of course. More rights and opportunities and all that. But...
- ...and you also said that I could officially write my marital status as "slave" when we get married, - Guyon giggled into the jar.
- I'm going to hit you, Guyosh, - she smirked.
- Heh, and you smiled for the first time this evening.
- Because you're an ass. You know how to cheer me up, - Beata smiled shyly, lowering her gaze.
- Glad to be of service, my lady, - he smirked in response.
- ...that's what I was getting at, that we're closer to each other than husband and wife, even without a wedding.
- ...but I'm still not sure if I should introduce you as my lady, and you introduce me as your...
- Just as yours, - Beata snorted. - Forget it, seriously. This damn curse has been gone for almost a month, it's time for you to get used to freedom.
- And I have. I felt freer even under the curse when I was with you. Because you're the best.
- Okay, you convinced me. We'll order rings from the boss, I'll make a dress out of a curtain... And I'll bake a cake, fine.
- Oh no, no, no, you're not going to bake a cake.
- ...?
- Margel has had enough disasters. Or do you want the port district to turn into a crater like the center?
- Oh, I'm not that bad of a cook.
- Okay, okay. By the way, there are many different no-bake cakes. Tiramisu, cheesecake, just take cookies and spread them with condensed milk...
- Guyosha, Guyosha...
- As with all things in life.
...
Having somehow finished the chicken and finally coming to her senses, she reaches into her bag:
- Among other things, I have another question... - a sphere emerges from the bag. - I would like to determine exactly what it is. There are few people I can think of who are knowledgeable enough about curiosities. But... please exercise extreme caution. This thing fell out of a very strange and evil... my double. Among other things, something else fell out of it. A well-known "diamond" that "She" likes to collect. This is to make it clear that I didn't find this ball at a flea market. It's a serious matter, it needs to be investigated.
- It would make sense if we had just started dating, but I think it's too late for that; we already live together like a married couple. And frankly, I'm not familiar with the usual order of things – you know, I haven't been married before.
- It is believed that if you don't formalize your marriage vows before the Goddess-Mother, your souls will be separated after death, - said Astellia, who was tidying up and whom everyone had probably already forgotten, - so I wouldn't ignore such things if I were you.
—"Technically," our cohabitation didn't initially happen because of some romantic development... —flexing his impressive abs, he sits up in one swift motion: —...But after we went through hell together, and I mean that literally, I think it's "about time" we stop acting like just a "married couple." Because, gods be good, I don't want to wake up in the unknown future and not be sure that I haven't tied the knot with my soulmate. —He gently strokes the captain's cheek with the back of his hand. —So, leave the church stuff and rings for the bonuses to me, and once we restore Criderar, I'll arrange a beautiful, traditional folk wedding for us... if you want, of course.
He lowers his feet to the wooden floor and stretches again, this time not from fatigue. —And how did you sleep? I hope I didn't snore or hog all the blankets...
- So, unless another crisis happens. What do you mean by "work," and what's so special about this... "series"?
- After yesterday, I passed out almost immediately; it felt like we walked around the entire city several times, and then there was that contest in the park, followed by the arena battles and that chaos... No surprises there. As for the people – well, I hope your fellow countrymen will accept me alright, considering your new status and everything... By the way, since there's no church, could we ask the princess to marry us? I mean, she should be able to do that, right? And do you think it would be too presumptuous of us?