Chapter 258: Oath
「Alright. The two have successfully exchanged rings. Now, let’s move on to the final ceremony. Deris will swear to Nell that he will love her forever, and Nell will swear to Deris that she will support him forever. As a proof of that, do a kiss of oath in front of everyone.」
Deris and Nell face each other again. Deris lightly places his hand on Nell’s arm.
「*Whisper* (Chinatsu-chan, Chinatsu-chan! Whoa, whoaaa….!)」
「*Whisper* (H-Hey, Haruna, be quiet…!)」
「*Whisper* (That said, Chinatsu-san also staring at them desuwa!)」
「*Whisper* (For future reference, this is for future reference….)」
The disciples and their friends are all staring at their masters. However, Deris and Nell have no time to mind about that. They feel a little embarrassed even though they have come this far.
「*Whisper* (Listen, when this is over, there’s no turning back, you know? I will take you as my wife, okay?)」
「*Whisper* (Just take me already. You have to treasure me. That’s a promise, okay?)」
「*Whisper* (……That face is not fair.)」
「*Whisper* (H-Hmph….)」
As they were having such a conversation, Deris kissed Nell. It’s unknown who started it, but a storm of applause erupted throughout the church at that moment. Everyone gave their blessing, and even Joseph joined with a look that’s as if saying ‘oh well’.
「Alright, the two have been approved by God as a couple. Everyone, let’s give them big applause once again!」
「Shishō! Congratulations!」
「You look beautiful!」
「U-Uhh…! I can’t stop my tears desuwa!」
「Therese-san, here, a handkerchief….」
「Thank yu bery muj…!」
Deris and Nell tied the knot amidst everyone’s congratulations and hugged each other with smiles on their faces. Deris felt that the power adjustment was a little dangerous, probably because Nell was deeply moved, but it’s just a trivial matter.
――――However, what waiting for them is the devil reception. No one knows yet if this unidentified event, which was adopted from the opinions of the Great Eight Demons, will end peacefully as the ceremony.
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The ceremony at the church is over, and an outdoor reception is held with a short break. There are a lot of tables set up on the grounds of the knight order’s headquarters, where gorgeous dishes prepared by the cooks under the supervision of Haruna are lined up. Now they are taking a short break, and Deris and Nell return to the waiting room. The invited guests are heading to the outdoor venue and are enjoying a chat and the buffet.
Haruna and the girls also seem to haven’t cooled down from the excitement, and they are having a lively chat such as, ‘Nell was beautiful’, ‘Muno was manly’, and ‘where did he go after that?’.
「Leader Nell looked very happy desuwa!」
「Basically, Nell-shishō always looks like in an angry mood. I think Deris-san would fall easily if she normally acts like now.」
「Maybe… he actually prefers the former…?」
「Eh, Shishō has that preference!?」
In some cases, the conversation wandered off in unnecessary directions, but mostly it was to congratulate the marriage of the two.
「Hey, Onee-san~.」
At that time, they heard someone with a lisping voice speaking to them. It belongs to a pretty girl, and then four turned around.
「Are you the rumored disciples of Deris and Nell?」
「「――!?」」
It was a silver-haired little girl dressed in a cute dress, the one who suddenly appeared at the end of the battle with Hund in Crocus, the 『Vampire Princess』 Maria Irygal of the Great Eight Demons. Haruna and Chinatsu, who know about her, were surprised and took a battle stance, but Weerel is tilting her head because she was only looking at Black (Deris) at that time. As for Therese, she was sleeping like a log, so she doesn’t know her.
(She should have been in the church a while ago, but I didn’t notice her until now…!?)
(The Great Eight Demons!)
Even though the two took a battle stance, their expressions are different. One has an anguish face, and one has a happy face. Haruna was kidnapped not a long ago, so for Chinatsu, she’s an opponent that she feels uneasy about the most. The irony is that she’s also the best opponent for Haruna.
「Oh my, what a cute girl desuwa! I can feel the elegance desuwa! …… Haruna-san, Chinatsu-san? Why did you suddenly take a stance?」
「Err, well…」
「Ufufu, I’m sorry~. Anyone would be surprised if you suddenly spoke to them, right?」
Maria giggled like a child who had successfully pulled of a prank. Then, she picks up the hem of her skirt and elegantly greets them.
「Nice to meet you, my name is Mary. Don’t mistake it, okay? I live in a country a little far from here. I hope you can get along with me ♪」
It was a very friendly greeting, along with a reminder to not mistake her name.
「I’ve known Deris and Nell for a long time, so I was really looking forward to seeing their disciples today~.」
「Ufufu, you’ve known them for a long time? Mary-san is a precocious child, isn’t she?」
「Not really… no, maybe you are right!」
Maria and Therese are getting along, and they are giggling and laughing. That scene is too bad for the heart that Chinatsu is already on the verge of giving up.
「But, their disciples are only Haruna-san and Chinatsu-san there.」
「Yes…. Haruna-san is Deris-san’s disciple…. Chinatsu-san is Nell-san’s disciple….」
「Hee, hmm. You have good expressions there. I’m looking forward to your future growth.」
「T-Thank you very much, Mari… Mary-chan.」
「Yes, I’m also looking forward to it!」
The moment Maria looked into Haruna and Chinatsu’s faces, her eyes became a little sharper. ‘She is appraising us!’ Chinatsu instantly felt that way, and she didn’t feel alive. Even the power of Divine Protection, which usually protects Chinatsu, can’t predict where the danger will come from since the surroundings are full of monsters.
「Mary-san, did you come with your father and mother?」
「No, with Lily-oneechan!」
Chinatsu almost burst into laughter, but she managed to hold it back.
「Lily-san…? A-Ahh, I see! Now that you say that, you somehow look like her desuwa!」
「Ehehe, I know, right? Ah, that’s right. Haruna-oneechan, Alezel-oneechan called you, you know? She said it’s about time to get ready. I wonder what you are going to do?」
「Eh, already? I understand! I’m going now!」
「Ah, Haruna―― ahh, jeez! She’s gone again….」
「See you~」
It’s unknown what Alezel said to Haruna, but Haruna ran to the back again at full speed.
「… Haruna, what is she going to do?」
「I don’t know anything, okay? But, I think that they will hold the most interesting event. You can’t miss this ♪」
「You know about this, don’t you?」
「Now, I wonder about that~」
「……? What are you talking about…?」
「No, nothing. Well, I have to prepare something, so I will take my leave now. Please continue to take care of Lily-oneechan~」
Maria left as if to follow Haruna. She was acting like an innocent angel, and the adults in the surroundings were watching her warmly.
「She’s a good girl who loves her sister desuwa~」
「Y-Yes… I hope that’s true.」
「Chinatsu-san…? You’ve been acting suspiciously for a while now, are you okay…?」
It will be too late if something were to happen. ‘But, even if something were to happen, isn’t it beyond the scope of what I can stop?’ Chinatsu’s speculation went deeper, and the wrinkles between her eyebrows also went deeper.