Chapter 1: I’m Going Back to My Hometown to Get Married

Description

Night fell.

Deep within the tent of the Hero’s Party, situated at the center of the Saint Kelin Empire’s frontline knight encampment.

Emilia, the silver-haired Hero, was double-checking a recently finished report by the light of a desk lamp enchanted with Illumination Magic.

This was a document intended for the Empire, and her personality would not allow for a single error.

Once she confirmed everything was correct and required no further revisions, she finally set down her quill and tidied her materials.

Rubbing her aching wrists, she spoke to her teammates, feigning an air of casual indifference.

“The war between the Empire and the demons has finally ended. We set out for home tomorrow… What are your plans for the future?”

There was a hint of… guilt in her voice, so subtle it was almost imperceptible.

“…Hmm, as for me, I suppose I’ll go back and assist with the restoration work for The Order. Or perhaps I’ll continue my theological studies. After all, that is the primary duty of a Priestess of The Order…”

As soon as Emilia finished speaking, the young Priestess sitting on the other side of her looked up.

She had been busy writing something, and she answered in a soft, gentle voice.

Though Emilia was curious about what the girl was writing, she didn’t ask, noticing how the other girl deliberately moved to hide the paper.

Emilia simply continued the conversation.

“If I remember correctly, the restoration work for The Order starts immediately, doesn’t it? Aren’t you going to rest for a few days?”

“I will. Everyone in The Order is very kind, and… I believe the Goddess would grant her believers the right to rest,” the Priestess replied in a small, sweet voice.

A smile that could only be described as cute graced her delicate face.

Platinum-blonde hair, as bright as the dawn, peeked out from beneath her headwrap.

She wore the solemn attire of a nun, which, though slightly worn from the campaign, remained meticulously arranged.

Most notably, she possessed the aura of a pure, young maiden.

If one ignored the manuscript she was desperately trying to hide, she looked exactly like a legendary Saintess descended upon the mortal world.

Emilia wasn’t particularly surprised by her choice.

As a Saintess Priestess of the Empire’s state religion, Nili had been exceptionally responsible throughout the war.

The only strange thing was that after spending so much time together, Emilia had only just realized her teammate had a habit of writing.

‘Could it be… about Faon?’

Emilia was startled by the sudden thought.

‘No, no, that’s impossible…’

As a Priestess of The Order, Nili strictly followed the commandments. How could she possibly be writing about Faon?

“And what about you, Miss Emilia? What are your plans?” Nili’s voice, laced with curiosity and concern, broke Emilia’s train of thought.

“I… As for me, I suppose I’ll have to deal with post-war matters…” Emilia found herself feeling guilty again.

Beyond simply wanting to know her teammates’ futures, her true goal was… to set the stage for her upcoming “confession” to Faon.

“Hmm? For our ‘battle maniac,’ Miss Emilia, to care about her teammates’ future whereabouts is certainly a rare sight.”

Just as Nili tilted her head, looking at her with a trace of confusion, a voice rang out. It was a woman’s voice, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet instantly recognizable as mocking.

Emilia didn’t even need to look.

Between that voice and the icy tone, it could only be the party’s magic caster—the Witch, Veya, who loved to mock people with an expressionless face.

“As the leader of the Empire’s Hero’s Party, I naturally want to know where my teammates are going. It is also a sign of concern for my long-time adventuring companions… ‘Miss Witch’.”

“Is that so? I thought Miss ‘Battle Maniac’ only knew how to scream about ‘combat.’ It seems I misunderstood. My apologies.”

The flat “my apologies” held no hint of actual remorse to Emilia’s ears.

However, considering the girl had inadvertently given her an opening, Emilia decided not to press the issue for now.

She looked toward the corner.

“What about you, Veya? What do you plan to do?”

Veya sat in the shadows.

She was tall, possessing jet-black hair that was extremely rare on this continent.

As the holder of the [Witch] title among magic casters, her beauty was undeniable, but she carried an aura of freezing cold that kept everyone at a distance.

Hearing Emilia’s question, she tucked away the magic scroll she had been reading.

“I will continue to collect magic. However… I suspect our Miss [Hero] isn’t asking this just to know where we are going, is she?”

Emilia fought back her panic.

“What else would it be… I just told you, it’s just a leader’s concern for her companions.”

“Really? Because I suspect what the [Hero] wants to know most is the whereabouts of the currently absent Faon—or perhaps… she wants to do something else?”

Emilia stood up so abruptly she nearly knocked her chair over, her face the very picture of someone who had been caught red-handed.

She eventually quieted down, choosing not to hide it any longer.

The usually proud Hero now spoke in a voice as thin as a thread, yet her tone was incredibly firm.

“…Yes. I’m going to confess to Faon. if I don’t do it now, I might never get another chance. Besides, what kind of [Hero] would I be if I confessed at some formal ceremony…?”

Emilia expected Veya to have some sort of reaction—perhaps even a cold, mocking remark.

To her surprise, Veya simply picked up a teacup nearby, her voice remaining flat.

“Then go do it. Faon is right outside. As for our friendship-building session… we have plenty of time for that, don’t we?”

“So that was why Miss Emilia was dazing off… Please have confidence in your own charm.”

Nili’s voice didn’t sound surprised at all either.

Emilia frowned as she looked at the two of them.

“Veya, Nili… did you both already know… about my feelings?!”

“Miss Emilia… before you said you were going to confess, we were absolutely unaware.” Nili sat up straight, trying her best to explain.

Seeing her reaction, a deep blush climbed onto Emilia’s face.

“You two…”

“Whether we knew or not makes no difference. Knowing doesn’t seem to help your confession at all.”

Veya set down her teacup, looking at Emilia with indifferent eyes.

Emilia gave an arrogant huff and walked out on her own.

—

Once she stepped outside the range of the tent’s Shielding Magic, she heard the tired voices of the surrounding knights discussing their plans for the future.

The evening breeze brushed against her cheeks, clearing her head slightly.

At the same time, she realized something strange.

Setting aside the mild-mannered Nili, that girl Veya had actually told her, “Then go do it,” and even encouraged her to be alone with Faon.

That was completely unlike her usual self.

“It’s a bit strange… but, I suppose I should thank that stubborn, soft-hearted woman…”

Her quiet grumbling stopped abruptly. She saw a familiar figure by the bonfire in front of the tent.

It was Faon, the [Paladin] of the party.

He was the person she loved.

Sensing her presence, Faon spoke up.

“Leader?”

“Yes.”

Giving a soft reply, she sat down beside him.

Feeling the warmth of Faon’s body next to her, Emilia’s heart began to race with anxiety.

On the surface, however, she merely gave a slight nod.

She felt herself becoming strange.

This sensation was entirely different from the adrenaline she felt before a battle.

The great [Hero] didn’t even dare to look Faon in the face.

She simply stared at the burning fire, pretending to space out while secretly observing him from the corner of her eye.

He was wearing casual clothes, which he rarely did.

Under the reflection of the firelight, he looked very gentle.

Suddenly, a wave of panic washed over her.

She had marched out here so confidently after telling the other two she was going to confess.

But truth be told, she hadn’t prepared anything at all.

Having boasted to the others, she was too embarrassed to retreat now.

Besides… the feelings in her heart wouldn’t allow her to run away again.

Faon was the first to speak. His tone carried a hint of apology.

“Sorry, Leader. I left you to organize the reports alone.”

“It’s… it’s fine. Organizing reports is the duty of a leader and the Imperial [Hero].”

Emilia paused for a moment, her voice softening.

“Besides… didn’t you say ‘don’t treat resting as a mistake’ yourself, Faon?”

‘Hehe.’

She was secretly delighted. Being able to talk to Faon normally in this state was something worth being happy about.

But immediately after saying it… she felt a bit of regret.

She was here to confess, so why was she acting like his teacher?

Faon blinked, then nodded with a smile.

“You’re right, Leader. I just didn’t expect you to remember something I said in passing so clearly.”

“Honestly, Faon, isn’t it only natural for a leader to remember the suggestions of her teammates?”

“That’s why you’re the leader, I suppose. Being able to remember the advice of subordinates and teammates is a rare virtue.”

Emilia gave a soft hum.

She did remember the suggestions of her subordinates… but remembering Faon’s words had nothing to do with that.

‘Why doesn’t he understand?’

Thinking of her objective, she gave a light cough.

“Ahem… let’s not talk about that. Faon, you… what are your plans for the future? Nili is likely going to help with The Order’s post-war restoration, and Veya is going to keep collecting magic.”

She didn’t ask why he was out here. Faon thought for a moment before speaking slowly.

“That certainly fits those two. Me? I’ll probably do the same as most of the knights. I’ll head back to my hometown, find a job, get married, and start a family. I want to move forward with the life that was put on hold by the war. And you, Leader? Life is a very long journey.”

Hearing the words “marry and start a family,” Emilia suddenly became bashful.

Scenes of her life after confessing to Faon flashed through her mind…

They would date for one year and then get married.

The wedding would be presided over by Nili, and the two of them would embrace and kiss under the statue of the Goddess.

Even the [Witch] would offer a magic caster’s blessing. After marriage, they would definitely have several children.

She would have them grow up to learn the skills of their parents and their old teammates.

In this way, she would watch over Faon and their children… living a happy life until the end.

Just thinking about it made Emilia feel as though she had eaten her favorite pudding.

It was wonderfully sweet. But the prerequisite for such a life was a successful confession.

Now was the perfect moment. She took a deep breath, composed her expression, and slowly eased into the topic.

“As for me, I’ll probably be similar to you, Faon. I’ll return to the Empire to fulfill my duties, and then… get… get… married…”

For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence when she reached the part about marriage and children.

“Leader? What’s wrong?” Faon’s concerned voice came from her side.

“No… it’s nothing.”

Emilia waved her hands frantically, terrified that Faon would see how red her face was.

“Should you go back and rest? You’ve been acting strange since the beginning. Is it because you’re too tired?”

‘Is it really that obvious?!’

Emilia remained silent for a while to sort out her emotions.

She looked up at Faon and spoke softly.

“I’m really fine, Faon. I just wanted to ask… have you thought about… who you’re going to marry?”

Her voice faltered.

Internally, she was filled with regret for what she had just said.

On one hand, she hated herself for saying unnecessary words instead of just expressing her feelings.

On the other hand, she worried if her tone was too suggestive… what if he realized?

After all, she had stuttered for a long time on the word “married.”

If he noticed now, whether he accepted or not, she wouldn’t be happy.

She absolutely refused to let her confession be a muddled mess.

Faon was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “I never expected the Leader to be so gossipy.”

“Gossip…? It’s just a leader’s concern…”

Then, shifting her tone, she spoke with caution.

“Besides, I’m a girl too… Does Faon also think his leader is just a battle maniac?”

‘His only thought is “gossip”?’

‘And what does he mean by “also”?’

Before Emilia could think further, Faon’s expression suddenly became tender and serious.

“I just didn’t expect the usually serious Leader to have a side like this. But as for the person I want to marry and have children with…”

He paused, his voice growing soft. “Well… I have someone in mind, but I wouldn’t say it’s settled yet. After all, I haven’t mentioned it to her yet.”

“…”

“Then… what kind of person is she?” Emilia asked softly, sensing something.

A figure flashed through Faon’s mind, and his eyes filled with affection.

He spoke slowly.

“She is gentle and serious. She took great care of me back when I was a newcomer. No matter what I didn’t understand, she would always accompany me. She remembers even the smallest things—down to a single sentence or a certain expression I made. Of course, she has her flaws… she’s very prone to overextending herself, but that flaw only makes me feel closer to her, as if she’s always been by my side. I’ve been influenced by her in many ways.”

“To use the words from the Church’s legends about forming a contract… she is… my moon.”

He wore an expression Emilia had never seen before.

She was at a loss, her prepared words completely scattered.

Faon’s voice echoed in her mind.

‘Down to a single sentence…’

‘I didn’t expect you to remember something I said in passing…’

And when the war first started, every time Faon sent a letter back to his hometown… she was the one who went with him.

‘Could it be!’

‘Is it possible!’

‘Could it be that…’

Was the person Faon just described… her… Emilia?!

Even if she couldn’t be certain, her heart was racing wildly because of her own suspicion.

The world around her seemed to fall silent.

She could only hear the thumping of her own heart.

She stared at Faon dazed, her cheeks burning fiercely. “Hey… Faon, I’ve… I’ve never heard you mention this before!”

‘Dammit… I had already decided to confess properly.’

Her slightly complaining tone made Faon scratch his head.

“I never had the chance to tell you before, Leader. Back then, I felt like I couldn’t let these things affect the party…”

After saying this, he pulled something out of his pocket.

“I originally planned to give this to you after things settled down… since it’s a bit strange to give this out before everything is confirmed.”

‘A token of love?!’

Muddled and dazed, Emilia reached out and took it.

She stared at the object in her hand.

It was something like an invitation, entirely red, with the words “Wedding Invitation” written on it in the Imperial script.

Below that, in smaller letters, it read: “We cordially invite you to the wedding of Mr. Faon and Miss Evalyn.”

‘Who is Evalyn?’

‘I don’t go by Evalyn…’

She froze on the spot, her mind instantly clearing.

Refusing to believe the reality before her, she asked, “Fa—Faon… what is this?”

Her voice trembled involuntarily.

“An invitation. I made it according to the customs of my hometown. Of course, I’ll send out the formal Imperial invitations later, but those are back in the countryside.”

“You… you’re going back to your hometown to get married?”

Faon scratched his cheek, looking a bit bashful.

“Yes… I’m sorry. I kept it a secret the whole time. But now that the war is over, I felt like the Leader… no, my comrade-in-arms, should know.”

Emilia just stared blankly at the [Wedding Invitation] in her hand.

All her happy daydreams had shattered, drifting away into the starry sky with the smoke from the bonfire.

Facing Faon’s somewhat excited voice, Emilia spoke in a very calm tone.

“Oh. I see. I wish you happiness. As for your wedding, I’ll go if I’m not busy.”