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Chapter 42
Sika Rius.
He was the captain of the infamous “Fingers” pirate crew.
At the cave entrance, the rough sea breeze made the sparsely placed candles flicker violently once again.
For a brief instant, the strange glow revealed Captain Sika’s figure clearly.
His face was darkened and coarse, not so much from the sun but from grime that had accumulated because he rarely washed.
His hair, bleached from constant exposure to seawater, was littered with visible lice and white flakes, like the pearl powder noblewomen applied to their hair.
The clothes draped on him were yellowed from not being washed.
But they looked very expensive.
“Who’s the mad dog marrying?”
“Another mad dog, of course.”
“They’re marrying each other?”
At his subordinate’s report, the captain’s lips twisted into a sly grin, revealing rotten teeth between which foul breath leaked out.
“Well, that’s a shame.”
Sika clicked his tongue.
“The female one’s got a pretty face. I always thought I’d get her under me one day.”
The sly grin on his face gradually sharpened into a murderous gleam.
His tightly clenched fist trembled with rage—he only had four fingers.
“…Come to think of it, this is a gift from heaven.”
If those notorious mad dogs were truly getting married, most of the special corps soldiers—who were loathsome enough to tear to pieces—would be away from their posts.
And with one of their drug suppliers in the capital outskirts recently busted, their income had dried up. It was the perfect chance.
“Let’s make a killing while we can!”
At the captain’s roar, the crew bellowed back with thunderous cheers.
June 5th.
The dawn of the wedding day was still chilly. The faint pre-sunrise glow was barely pushing back the night.
“……”
It was that early, and Noah was still fast asleep.
“I thought I’d wake up to see her rolling around naked with the colonel…”
“The young miss spent the night at her friend’s house.”
“That man has friends? That’s shocking.”
“You’ve got friends too, so what’s so shocking?”
“Selene, your mouth’s gotten real sharp lately.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“That wasn’t a compliment!”
Just then, Noah scrunched her face and pulled the blanket over her head.
She rolled over as if to escape the noisy chatter.
But instead of stopping—
“Wake up!”
The loud voices shook her mercilessly until she jolted upright in fright.
Still dazed, her blue eyes stared blankly at the people standing before her.
As awareness returned, her expression stiffened.
“…Why are you here?”
Her voice cracked as she pointed at Ammy and Selene with a trembling finger.
“We’re here for our unmarried friend who’s about to be a married woman.”
“And since we came at the crack of dawn, you’d better be grateful.”
Not grateful in the least, Noah glared at As.
“Please keep your voices down. The young lady’s still resting.”
As pressed a finger to his lips.
“These two are here to help prepare for your wedding. I can’t manage everything alone.”
“All I need is to put on a dress, tie my hair, do some makeup, and get in the carriage to the cathedral…”
Noah trailed off, realizing something.
As, Ammy, and Selene all nodded in unison.
“First off, I don’t even have a driver’s license.”
“That’s why I brought my cutie car.”
Ammy jingled her keys with a grin.
“And I’m in charge of styling!”
Selene proudly displayed a box of cosmetics and combs.
“You know how good I am with trends.”
“Funny, coming from someone who’s never had a boyfriend.”
“Says the one who’s never dated either.”
Sniping at each other, Ammy and Selene dragged Noah into the bathroom.
The moment she stepped inside, Noah froze.
“…What the hell is this?”
The soft floral scent was nice. The rose petals floating in the bathtub were fine too.
But the problem was the scraps of cloth lying nearby.
“What are these rags supposed to be?”
She had a horrible guess, one she prayed wasn’t true.
They weren’t rags so much as strings—like cat’s cradle. Noah pinched one up between her fingers.
It looked more like a fishnet with enormous holes.
“Mosaic required,” she muttered.
“Impressive, right?”
Ammy introduced it proudly.
“You told the colonel in front of the squad once that you’d wear something sexy for him, remember? So, we bought you a wedding gift—trendy lingerie!”
Selene added, “We picked the most popular ones from a specialty shop downtown.”
“…Ones?”
There were more of these?
Noah realized her friendships had long since entered the realm of ruin.
If there was ever a bride who collapsed from hysteria before even walking down the aisle, it would be her.
She glared resentfully at her friends.
But unable to reject a heartfelt gift, she folded the lingerie neatly and handed it to As, who nodded silently.
It would be packed into Noah’s honeymoon luggage.
“Alright, bath and beauty prep time.”
With As urging them on, the bridal preparations began.
Soaking in the rose bath at the perfect temperature, washed clean, dried, massaged…
“…Suspicious.”
Ammy narrowed her eyes as she towel-dried Noah’s hair.
“You seem too used to being pampered like this.”
Most people would squirm being touched and kneaded, but Noah accepted it as if it were perfectly natural.
“Do you boss her around like this?” Ammy asked As.
“If she really bossed me, do you think she’d just sit there quietly?”
“She seems like the type who’d demand the same treatment herself.”
“Haha, fair point.”
But As firmly denied it.
“The Velo family’s motto is ‘Do your own tasks yourself.’ The young lady never orders me to do unreasonable things.”
“Yeah, unless she paid you.”
“That would just be fair wages for labor.”
“Guess we’ll have to save a lot of money for your wedding someday…”
Selene muttered while massaging Noah’s shoulders.
Once the pampering was done, the three of them ate breakfast.
Clare, now awake, spotted Ammy and Selene and widened her eyes.
“Clare, long time no see!”
Selene waved cheerfully.
“You’ve gotten prettier.”
“Hmm, maybe a little.”
Clare answered coyly as she gulped orange juice.
“So why are you here? To eat?”
“We’re here to help your sister with her wedding.”
“Oh, right! My sister’s getting married today!”
“Did you forget?” Ammy teased.
Clare puffed up her cheeks in protest.
“No! I just woke up. Last night I even prayed for sunny weather today!”
“That must be why the skies are so clear.”
As kissed Clare on the cheek and glanced out the window.
The morning sun had risen into a bright, cloudless sky—the perfect wedding day.
“Finish your breakfast, then help the young lady dress.”
“Okay!”
Clare bit into a piece of toast.
“But where’s Sis?”
Indeed, Noah wasn’t at the table.
“She’s lying down in the guest room.”
“Why? Not eating?”
“She’ll eat later, just a little. Brides can’t eat too much.”
“So brides have to starve, huh…”
Clare learned another lesson that day.
“Ugh, hangover…!”
At the cathedral entrance, Laxo clung to a column, repenting his foolishness from last night.
“Mother in heaven, please take this hangover away. I swear never to mix soju and beer again…”
“Tsk tsk.”
Beside his kneeling son, Chaplain General Benedict adjusted his tie and clicked his tongue.
“You’re so weak to alcohol—how do you even run a tavern?”
“Dad, please, keep your voi—urk!”
“Go vomit outside.”
“Come on, isn’t this only natural? We were drinking until two hours ago at my place!”
Last night, the military officers gathered to celebrate Leto’s marriage had drunk so much that even the god of wine would’ve fled.
“Couldn’t you at least order some snacks?”
“That would ruin the taste.”
Benedict, famous as the life of any drinking party, licked his lips, twitching his fingers.
“Monsters, the lot of you…”
Groaning, Laxo turned his glare toward someone else who had been quietly present the whole time.
The other groom of the day—Leto. One of those very monsters.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“Willpower and good constitution.”
“What?”
“It means, unlike you, the colonel never loses to drink.”
“Why are you translating for him, Dad…”
Too dumbfounded to argue, Laxo just gulped down water.
His father reached out and patted his head, casting a light healing spell. The hangover vanished instantly.
Feeling better, Laxo finally noticed the loud chatter beyond the doors.
“Kids? They sound lively.”
“My sister-in-law’s friends.”
Leto replied absently, fiddling with his fingers. His gaze had been fixed on the window for some time.
Seeing this, Benedict smiled knowingly. He had a good idea why.
“Clare is quite famous at headquarters.”
“…How could she be famous there?”
What’s that brat done?
Laxo was about to ask when—
“…!”
Leto suddenly leapt to his feet, eyes shining.
