IABCBMH Chapter 10

June 10, 2022

Disclaimer: Some words or phrases may be lost in translation. The word might not have a literal translation in English or there may be sayings in Korean culture that I am not familiar with.

Johannes frowned.

“Even if I followed the backs and tails of the priest, nothing would fall apart…”

Although it was a very peaceful scenery of a nice, gentle looking woman holding a dog that looked just like her, it was strangely unpleasant. Surely it feels like she is talking to herself rather than the dog.

“Oh, I found it.”

At that moment, the priest picked up a dusty document and rejoiced. He had finally found the documents needed for the simple wedding.

“An informal wedding… It has been a long time… I think my last informal wedding was 10 years ago.”

The priest, who was looking at the documents with young eyes in reminiscence, stood in front of them as if to begin earnestly.

“Well, then, after exchanging answers to a few questions, sign here. The questions contain the essence of marriage and help each other understand.”

The priest held both hands of the man and the woman who were standing still in a distance and asked.

“First question. What do you want from someone you truly love?”

Eloise and Johannes were lost in thought for a moment. The first person to answer was Eloise.

“It is the truth.”

Johannes was surprised by two things. The first was the fact that she openly said the word ‘truth’ during such a simple wedding ceremony, and the second was that her eyes were unexpectedly serious as she spoke those words.

Eloise continued with unimaginable caution.

“Because it is the hardest thing for me to give to others. So, if you really love someone, I want you to give me the truth.”

“Being true to the person you love is definitely important because love should be based on trust.”

The priest added, looking at Johannes’s face. Then he looked at Johannes with a look that asked him to speak.

Eloise answered so seriously that Johannes, too, was conflicted to think carefully. Johannes replied with a calm look after a moment of consideration.

“To stay”

He briefly added the reason.

“If it’s true love, I don’t think she wants anything but for her to stay by my side.”

“Oh, that’s a good reason, too.”

The priest was quite satisfied with his romantic answer. Then he asked the second question.

“The Duke Johannes Noavik, can you give the truth to the one you love, oath before the statue? And Eloise Renoir, can you stay with your lover, oath before the statue?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Both of them responded pretty quickly. There was no room for consideration. Fortunately, it was a relief that he said “my beloved” instead of each other’s name.

“All right, so lastly…”

The priest asked the last question with a satisfied face.

“Tell me how you are feeling right now.”

It was something that like this that should have been answered roughly. Johannes spoke with no sincerity.

“Moderately good. I hope nothing goes wrong in the future.”

But unlike Johannes, who spoke rudely, Eloise still looked gravely lost in thought. After a while, Eloise answered slowly.

“It’s cliché to meet the Duke like this, but it is like a fate.”

Upon hearing the answer, Johannes frowned slightly. It felt like the ground he was standing on suddenly shook.

“We’re meeting like this again… It’s cliché, but it must have been fate.”

There was a voice that overlapped similarly in his memory. It was a strange feeling. He looked at Eloise with a strangely shaky expression.

“Now, I hope these three questions will help you understand each other and live together in the future.”

The priest smiled kindly and clapped his hand once. The wedding procedures were over.

“Now, after you sign this document, the marriage proceeding will be over. I will submit it to the government office right away.”

Johannes no longer contemplated as he signed the papers presented by the priest. The two signed one after another, and the priest spent some time collating the documents with the signatures on their ID cards.

Eloise Renoir (born 1592)

Johannes glanced at Eloise’s ID. It was issued to her by the South and also matched her age.

If all of this is the Crown Prince’s scheme, it is too cumbersome to configure, but the documents have been checked.

“Now, I declare the two of you husband and wife in the name of the goddess.”

The old priest grinned as if he had seen a pretty pleasant sight for the first time in a long time and held the dog that was still wagging its tail at Eloise’s feet.

“I hope that love, happiness, honesty, and commitment will be with you in the future.

The priest, who uttered the last words of blessings, turned around with the papers.

Such the simple wedding was over. Now they were officially married.

The people of the capital and perhaps even Crown Prince Diego, who ordered this marriage, could not have imagined that the Duke of Noavik’s wedding would be held like this.

After the ceremony, Eloise put on a rather emotional look.

“I… got married.”

Johannes, who thought of this marriage as something strange or a simple trap from the Crown Prince, looked at Eloise without realizing it.

She murmured, as if her feelings were new.

“I can’t believe I have a husband and a son.”

The tone was quite moving, and Johannes could not help but laugh. He was so bewildered that he could only laugh.

What is that face that left the wedding in a rough afternoon, now comes back to being deeply impressed. But her whimsicalness seemed to suit her quite well now.

As this woman, she was able to smile even though it was not a happy and pleasant situation. And she was not strangely offended by his laugh.

If it was a trap set by someone, it was to the point of thinking that they were quite considerate.

“If anyone hears this, they will think you were reborn.”

At that, Eloise smiled wildly.

“You don’t need blood to be family.”

Johannes narrowed his eyes for a moment at the strange feeling of surprise once again. It seemed that time had stopped for a moment.

“You don’t have to be blood to be a family.”

Glimmering blonde hair, softly shining blue eyes, and a wistful smile standing with the blue sky on her back, and…

It felt like faint memories were floating in the ocean of his subconscious. Johannes suddenly felt his stomach churn.

“… Is it truly over?”

Pagan scratching his chin as if feeling sorry, spoke to Eloise first.

“No one knows of this yet, but when the rumour starts to spread, the capital will turn upside down. The Duke of Noavik finished the wedding in 5 minutes. Everyone is going to say that behind the scenes. Will you be okay, Eloise-nim?”

Eloise smiled brightly at his worried words.

“Ah, whatever they say about Noavik, it doesn’t matter.”

“Now…Eloise-nim is also a Noavik, right?

Eloise tilted her head in response to Pagan’s absurdity.

“Still, I will not be in the capital. It is not my problem.”

This time, Pagan also failed to refute. Johannes, who heard her brazen answer, sighed in vain as if he could not stop her. She was not ordinary.

“Anyway, I will leave for the North then. See you later. You are chasing the ‘Blue Ruby’ in the capital’s vicinity. The ‘Blue Ruby’ is only active near the capital.”

“The North…”

Looking at Eloise, who seemed rather excited, said calmly.

“…do not expect too much. The days are short, and the nights are long.”

“Oh my, are you worried about me right now? You are so sweet. After all, you are only cold-hearted to the ‘Blue Ruby’. I am impressed.”

“I don’t think it is particularly impressive.”

“You are quick-witted.”

Eloise grinned and brushed her long hair.

“Anyway…”

However, as if he had not listened to his words, Eloise smiled and replied belatedly.

“It must be precious, as it is a short year.”

The years in the capital were long. The sun rays dispersed over their heads. Eloise, who resembles the warm sunlight, added calmly.

“It is okay to have a long night. If you wait, the morning will come.”

Pagan showed a slightly moved expression at those words. He wiggled his fingers in proportion of his size [1] and spoke.

“… You speak very nicely…”

Looking at Johannes’ crazy face, Pagan continued with a worried expression.

“By the way… it is quite cold in the north, Eloise-nim. As the Duke said, you will have to be prepared to go.”

“Ah, the cold is really okay.”

Eloise nodded as if she knew everything.

“There must be no bugs. And it will not smell like a corpse.”

“… Smells like a corpse? Umm, do you mean a rat carcass?”

“Oh yes, yes! Rats! Rats! I dislike mice!”

At the bright and cheerful words of Eloise, Pagan grinned and murmured.

“I think the North needs someone as bright and positive person like Eloise-nim. Leo-nim too.”

“Ah. Leo!”

Eloise smiled brightly and clapped her hands.

“We’ll be close now that we’re family.”

It was clear that her brother was alive with his eyes open, yet it was as if she was seeing family for the first time. Johannes looked at her flushed cheeks with confused eyes.

[1] Does anyone know if this is some kind of saying?

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