GMWB 43

Chapter 43

Clare stepped out of the small magic-powered car, dressed in the light pink gown she had prepared for today.

Her blonde hair was tied up like a flower bud and decorated with a green ribbon.

With her cute outfit that evoked the image of a fairy heralding early summer, she drew admiring glances from the people around her.

“Hmph…”

But the little fairy’s expression was far from pleasant.

“Ami unnie’s ‘Cutie’ is so uncomfortable.”

Stretching out her cramped body, Clare grumbled.

“Hey, I didn’t buy this car for your comfort, you know?”

As if afraid her ‘Cutie’ would be hurt, Ami hugged the roof of her car and cooed at it like a baby.

Clare looked at her with an expression that said she couldn’t understand her at all.

“Our Cutie, don’t listen to things like that. You’re my lovely zoom-zoom, okay? Let’s stay together till the end!”

“You said you’d sell it the moment you had money…”

Celine, who had just stepped down, held the car door and leaned inside slightly.

“Can you get out by yourself?”

“Careful with your head, little master!”

As, still inside the car, worried more than anyone.

Not far away, Clare and Ami stood holding hands, watching.

“Ami unnie.”

“Hm?”

“Marriage seems really hard.”

“You’re telling me. I don’t ever want mine to be like that.”

“Do you even have someone to marry?”

“…Did I do something to upset you?”

Why are you hurting my heart so much today?

As was poking Clare’s side, tickling her, when—

“Ami!”

At Celine’s call for help, Ami and Clare rushed over.

And then, a moment later.

“…Oh my!”

“How beautiful.”

“She must be the bride today.”

“Mom, look! A princess!”

There stood Noah, wearing a pure white wedding dress, captivating everyone’s gaze.

“Unnie, you’re so pretty…!”

Clare jumped up and down, shouting.

“You look like a real princess! No, a queen! An amazing noble lady!”

“Clare, you’re very pretty too.”

At Noah’s compliment, Clare beamed.

Feeling a little embarrassed under all the admiring stares, Noah suddenly noticed a different gaze and turned her head.

A window half-open near the flowerbed of the cathedral’s main building.

“….”

Inside was the groom, eyes blazing with passion.

When their gazes met, Leto quickly looked away.

“Unnie.”

At Clare’s voice calling her, Noah turned back.

“Are you happy to be getting married?”

“Hm?”

“You’re smiling so brightly.”

Like this—

Clare demonstrated by pushing her mouth corners all the way up to her cheeks with her fingers.

“…You saw?”

“Everyone else saw too.”

“….”

“Right? You all saw?”

When Clare asked, As, Ami, and Celine—who had been helping Noah move—nodded reluctantly with stiff expressions.

“…Didn’t I ask you already?”

As sighed wearily, repeating for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Please, restrain yourself.”

“So I can’t even smile?”

“Not that kind of… educationally harmful smile.”

“Huh? But unnie smiled beautifully.”

“I’ll let the smiling slide, at least.”

“This unnie loves power just as much as money.”

Celine respected As’s flexibility, faithfully reflecting the head of the family’s views.

“Noah went into the bridal waiting room.”

“Did you see her earlier? She looked so pretty!”

“She was always pretty, but now… I almost don’t want her to marry.”

“But the groom was so handsome too.”

“And I heard her partner is Major General Oceanus himself!”

“The Navy heroes are getting married.”

The female guests visiting the bride’s waiting room all gushed about Noah’s bridal look.

They didn’t forget to add well-wishes, praising how well the couple suited each other.

Blessings for the marriage flowed endlessly.

“Hey, don’t you dare go peeking now!”

Meanwhile, the groom’s waiting room was just as noisy.

Ever since Leto had glimpsed Noah arriving in the car through the window, he had been restless.

Whining like a dog waiting for its master, he eventually couldn’t take it anymore and insisted on running to the bride’s waiting room.

“She’s my bride. Of course I should be allowed to see her.”

In his black formalwear and bow tie, Leto was the very picture of the most reliable, dashing groom in the world.

…Except for his slightly unhinged red eyes.

“They say it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony!”

Trying desperately to hold him back, Raxo looked like the saddest groomsman in existence.

“Our Major General is surprisingly passionate,” chuckled Chaplain Benedict, watching like an amused bystander.

“He already saw her through the window.”

“No wonder he kept staring at it.”

“If it brings bad luck, he can just shoot it all away—he’s Navy.”

“…Do you even hear yourself? You’re just spouting nonsense.”

Finally managing to calm Leto down, Raxo slumped down, drenched in sweat.

“Helping you get married is going to kill me…”

“Think about all the liquor I ordered from your shop for the reception.”

“Collapsing for a friend’s sake… that’s what friendship’s about, right?”

Just as Raxo was regaining some spirit—

Knock, knock.

The door opened, revealing the cathedral cardinal, his wrinkled face kind as he greeted them.

He was the one who had gladly lent the cathedral for the young couple.

“Director, the ceremony is about to begin.”

At those words, the barely-calmed Leto shot up from his seat again.

“Haha, the groom is brimming with energy.”

“Major General, save some of that strength for your grand entrance.”

“To me, this place feels worse than the brig.”

Leto’s breathing shook as he answered.

“You’ve never even been to the brig. You sure love your metaphors.”

“I’ve sent enough men there to have an idea.”

“That’s not something to brag about.”

With a chuckle, Chaplain Benedict left with the cardinal.

“Hey.”

Raxo, following after, suddenly remembered.

“Congratulations on your wedding.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Leto smirked faintly.

“…Thanks.”

“If you ever get divorced, I’ll be your drinking buddy.”

“That will never happen.”

For what would be his first and last wedding, Leto slipped the white gloves from his pocket onto his hands.

The ceremony began with the officiant’s greeting.

Chaplain Benedict stepped to the podium, and the groomsman, Raxo, entered.

Then came the flower children scattering petals.

The five little ones, dressed beautifully, brought warm smiles to the adults’ faces.

“Okay, everyone!” Clare declared boldly.

“As members of the secret organization that protects the Sharpe territory—!”

Her voice was far too loud for a ‘secret’ organization.

“Our mission today is to ensure unnie and brother-in-law’s wedding ends safely! We are here to bless their future!”

Clare held out her hand, palm up. One by one, four little hands stacked on top.

“…But what’s the point of blessing them?” asked Borr, pushing up his glasses.

“They won’t get divorced,” Clare replied.

Then Lili asked another question.

“But Sensha’s aunt got five blessed weddings and still divorced every time.”

“Isn’t your dad in a divorce trial right now?”

“Yeah. He snuck back into the house the other day, but Mom caught him and nearly buried him alive.”

“See? You only really know after you’ve been married,” Sensha said, passing on what she’d learned from her aunt.

“…And during divorce, property division is what matters most,” added the quiet Sereni.

The little members all gasped in enlightened agreement.

Then they huddled together, whispering.

“…Members!”

After the short meeting, Clare stuck out her hand again and shouted.

“Our mission is to bless this wedding beautifully, so that one day when they divorce, they’ll remember it fondly!”

“Remember fondly!”

“Remember fondly!”

With solemn determination, the children began scattering petals as they entered.

The five children spread flower petals along the long aisle leading to the podium where vows would be made before God.

With their innocence added, the couple’s path already felt overflowing with blessings.

“Pfft…!”

“Oh dear, my lady…!”

But many guests were struggling to hold back laughter, still thinking of the children’s bizarre earlier conversation.

Even the nun playing the pipe organ accompaniment was trying her best not to crack up.

Her notes trembled here and there, but no one dared criticize.

If anything, the playful rhythm matched perfectly.

The flower children finished their mission with proud faces and marched out.

“Now then.”

At Benedict’s glance, all eyes turned toward the entrance.

“The groom shall enter.”

The organ’s tone changed.

With a calmer, more solemn melody filling the holy space, Leto strode forward.

In his perfectly tailored black suit, the tall, handsome man drew gasps of admiration throughout the hall.

Those seated near the back were struck dumb by the view of his broad back, tapered waist, and strong legs—like a masterpiece sculpture of an ancient god.

“Oh my…”

Especially Rivelli Ice couldn’t look away.

She was Sensha’s aunt, who had just returned from her fifth divorce, and the younger sister of Colonel Ice.

“Brother, honestly! You should’ve introduced me at least once!”

“What did the Major General ever do to deserve being introduced to you?”

While the grown siblings bickered, forgetting their age and surroundings—

“Sensha, did you see? You should bring home a man like that one day.”

“But he’s a soldier.”

“A man like that is forgivable, even if he’s a soldier!”

“Okay, I got it!”

Mother and daughter sealed a secret pact.

At the podium, Leto met Chaplain Benedict’s gaze and nodded lightly.

But the moment he turned toward the entrance—

“…!”

His gloved fingers froze.

His broad back shuddered with a ragged breath.

From afar, his beloved master shook his heart violently.

“Ladies and gentlemen,”

Chaplain Benedict, pretending not to notice, even feeling proud of Leto’s emotions, smiled kindly.

“Please rise and welcome today’s heroine.”

As the guests stood, eyes widening, the pipe organ swelled into a new melody.

A softer, gentler tune—consideration from the nun for the nervous bride.

First came the bridesmaid, Ami, in an ivory dress with a faint yellow sheen. She exchanged a brief nod with Leto.

And then at last—it was the bride’s turn.

Leto forced his trembling legs to move, ready to meet the one walking toward him.