Chapter 292
My father was speechless.
He just stood in the doorway and looked at me still.
The view was not clearly visible due to the veil lowered forward.
"Father."
What are you thinking?
It was still a feeling I couldn"t dare to count yet.
Without urging my father, I waited patiently.
Of course, while thinking about where I left my handkerchief.
Soon after, there was a sound of the door closing behind my father"s back.
"Tia, are you ready?"
My father"s voice was shaking.
"Do you want a handkerchief...?"
"Oh, no. I don"t cry."
My father quickly walked in front of me and said.
"I can"t cry on a happy day like this."
Rather than saying it to me, it seemed to be a word of self-determination.
"Then I"ll give you a hug."
I said with my arms open to my father.
I should comfort my father like this.
My father blinked his eyes for a moment and then looked at me and then burst out laughing with a "pheu".
"I should give you a hug."
My father, who said so, hugged me tightly.
Was my father"s arms this big?
The two arms that held me tight were rea.s.suring today.
"You don"t have to worry."
"I"m not worried. You are a child who can always make wise decisions."
Warm hands patted my back.
"It"s just that a lot of thoughts come to my mind, so you don"t have to worry about your father."
The hand that swept my back like that held my hands together this time.
"Tia, there was a time when your hand could fit in the palm of my hand."
"That"s right. It feels like yesterday when my father burst into tears when he saw my debutante ball dress."
Even with a light joke thrown in to lighten the mood, my father just stared at me.
Then, suddenly, a smile appeared in his green eyes.
"Why are you laughing, Dad?"
"It"s because something from a long time ago came to mind."
Perhaps because of tension, my father"s fingers, which were a little colder than usual, rubbed the back of my hand.
"When you were still in your mother"s stomach, there was something Shan said."
"My mother?"
"One day, she woke up after a long nap, and said "My daughter will meet a very wonderful person and live happily for a long time.""
"Oh."
"She smiled with a relieved face. That look is still good to my eye. Then she said, "So, don"t cry at the wedding, Gally.""
What did my mother see during that long nap?
"There is nothing wrong with what Shan has said so far. So, Tia, you will definitely be happier in the future."
My future that my mother watched in advance a long time ago and my father who delivers it.
A gift that my parents had prepared for a long time has arrived at me today after a long time.
"Let"s be happy for a long time."
Sitting alone in the waiting room, my mind, which had been a little restless, calmed down.
This time, I hugged my father tightly.
"You"ve worked so hard to raise me by yourself, really."
My father, who always the first to run to me when something happened to me.
My father, who was afraid of Viege who threatened him, but he stood up to protect me.
A father who smiled as if nothing had happened in the face of death.
And my father who has become stronger than anyone else for me.
"Thank you, Dad."
"......"
Instead of answering, I felt my shoulder shaking as I was hugged by him.
Perhaps he"s struggling to hold back his tears with all his might.
Knock, knock.
Just in time, I heard a knock from outside, signaling the time had come.
"Hmm."
My father quickly pulled me out of his arms and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.
Oh my, my father.
I got up from my seat, pretending not to know, and put on my white lace gloves.
Indeed, all preparations are complete.
"My daughter."
He wiped off all the tears, but my father, who couldn"t hide his eyes, approached me and held out his hand.
"Wedding starts only when the bride enters."
"Of course."
I nodded briefly at my father"s words.
"Then shall we go now?"
I took the hand that had always supported me that I had long missed, and I took a step towards the wedding road.
***
The wedding ceremony between the Emperor Perez and the Matriarch of Lombardi was also held at Eleanor Hall, which is famous for being the largest and most luxurious in Lombardi"s mansion.
The n.o.bles who entered the entrance of the hall with wedding invitations were twice surprised.
"Oh, my".
"It"s the wedding of His Majesty and Matriarch Lombardi, so I expected it to some extent."
Eleanor Hall was beautiful and magnificent at the same time.
The tangled tree trunks burned as if supporting the transparent gla.s.s ceiling.
And in the meantime, a large, flawless red flower bloomed.
"Is that the world tree now?"
"Isn"t that the symbol of Lombardi? After all, it"s like a dream of a world tree in bloom."
The second surprise they felt was after the wedding began.
"His Majesty... he looks like he"s smiling, but my eyes aren"t broken, are they?"
"I can"t believe he could smile like that."
The audience was buzzing.
It was a solemn atmosphere, so it was enough to whisper with the person sitting next to them, but if it was a normal banquet, it would have been quite noisy.
"Wouldn"t it be someone who looks exactly like His Majesty?"
"I can"t believe there are two people who look like that. Don"t say such scary things."
Even though the n.o.bles were fed up, they could not take their eyes off Emperor Perez.
The young emperor, who was already handsome like a sculpture, stood looking at the door where the bride would soon enter and smiled, and everyone, regardless of age or gender, was half possessed.
And the emperor"s smile grew even deeper as the Matriarch of Lombardi walked on the wedding road.
"Oh oh".
"Wow."
The Matriarch of Lombardi was beautiful as she entered with a bouquet made of red bomnia flowers in one hand, and with her other hand was escorted by her father, Gallahan Lombardi.
They couldn"t see her face well because of the veil, but her beauty was already known to everyone in the empire, and her subtle shining figure was like a n.o.ble pearl.
At the end of the long and short wedding road, the Matriarch of Lombardi bowed to her father and greeted him.
Gallahan Lombardi looked like he was about to burst into tears, but no one criticized him.
How much will there be mixed feelings at the wedding of the daughter raised by himself?
There were many people who sympathized with her father and quietly shed tears.
And finally, the Matriarch Florentia Lombardi turned toward Emperor Perez.
According to the principle, you have to wait for the bride on a low staircase, but the young emperor could not stand it.
He came down quickly and took the Matriarch of Lombardi"s hand and said.
"So. So beautiful, Tia."
It was a small whisper, but there was no one who did not hear it in the quiet banquet hall.
"...Be quiet."
Eventually, when the Matriarch of Lombardi cracked down on the emperor, a small laugh flowed out among the guests.
The bride and groom, who holding hands like this, stood in front of Lulac Lombardi, the officiant.
"Today, on this occasion, the Emperor Perez Brivachau Durelli and the Matriarch Florentia Lombardi..."
At first glance, the officiant was ordinary. Except for Lulac Lombardi"s occasional stare at Perez with stern eyes.
Some of the guests even flinched at that look, but Emperor Perez was rather fine. (TN: LoL. He"s used to it.)
The happiness of marrying the Matriarch of Lombardi seemed to throw away all of that.
"Perez Brivachau Durelli declares his oath."
Finally, it was the groom"s turn, who couldn"t take his eyes off the bride.
"I, who was once forgotten by the world, met you and gained a new life. I dedicate my crown and my life to you, Florentia Lombardi, because the happiness and sorrow I have felt so far and even my throne are all thanks to the salvation of that day."
The people were shocked.
An emperor who swears to give his crown and his life.
They"ve never heard of such a thing.
"Well, Florentia Lombardi declares her oath."
Naturally, everyone"s eyes turned to the Matriarch of Lombardi.
"Everyone says they have regrets at the end of their lives."
Once she took a breath, she opened her mouth.
"If you"re not by my side at the end of this life, I will inevitably wish to repeat my life. So I promise to you, Perez Brivachau Durelli, the beginning and the end of this life."
Eventually, Gallahan Lombardi started weeping.
But he wasn"t the only one who started taking out handkerchiefs.
In front of a pair of men and women who faithfully promised everything to each other, Lulac Lombardi, who was officiating, and many guests also shed tears. (TN: Anyone need a handkerchief? Don"t worry, towels are prepared enough here.)
Even the groom, Emperor Perez.
At his own wedding, he couldn"t show tears and bit his teeth, and only stared at the bride"s veil.
In an instant, the wedding hall became a sea of tears.
In the meantime, the Matriarch of Lombardi, who was calmly standing alone, couldn"t stand it and said a word.
"...Grandpa."
"Well, yes. Hmm. Lulac Lombardi hereby declare that the two are married."
Emperor Perez lifted the veil of the Matriarch of Lombardi, fearing that Lulac Lombardi"s words would end.
And he kissed her right away. It was a deep and sincere kiss that could not be seen at other weddings.
Clap clap—!
The sound of applause as hot as the kiss of the bride and groom filled Eleanor Hall.
One by one, guests stand up from their seats and continue to celebrate and cheer.
Emperor Perez and Matriarch Lombardi, who are now married, smiled happily as they looked at each other with their foreheads pressed against each other.
***
The wedding ended safely.
The reception, which may be for us or for guests who wanted to have fun, was also successfully completed.
And the first morning as a couple.
Perez dropped a bomb in the dining room of the Lombardi mansion, where everyone was eating.
"What did you just say?"
I was so surprised that I even put down the tableware, and Perez, who wiped his mouth with a napkin, replied.
"I said I"ll move to the Lombardi mansion, Tia."