It was the start of autumn. Mornings were still warm, birds sang on, the crowns of trees held on to colour, and people could comfortably wear all their colourful summer dresses, thin shirts, and sandals.
Neia Baraja, accidental Goddess to a growing number of people, was enjoying a breakfast of cheesecake, milk, popcorn chicken, and Caesar salad. Starting a month ago, once Neia's pregnancy was first noticed, the High Priestess' diet was further fine tuned and refined to ensure the child would get all the necessary and important nutrients, as well as avoid anything harmful during such a paramount stage of development. The new diet was in large part based on "nutritionist" books from a great library within Nazarick, though that one apparently did not account for the peerless skill of Nazarick's chefs, or the transcendent quality of the ingredients available to them. Apparently many of the things Neia ate were considered unhealthy to the point there existed the term "junk food" to describe them, but Nazarick had the means to turn these meals into truly nourishing cuisine.
But besides savouring the hearty meal, the young woman was also reviewing today's schedule. The first item was wedding a young couple, and an unusual one at that.
... ...
Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, last known living member of the once-great House Vaiself, sat in a well-lit room, absorbing report upon report with steadfast concentration. They concerned mostly the movements of the Minotaur Nation, as well as the collection of mostly-isolated villages which once called itself the Elven Kingdom. When it came to the latter, Renner was still unsure what intricate scheme the undead lord could have laid, his overall inaction a labyrinthine puzzle, though such a thing was only to be expected by now.
Finishing yet another document, the former princess put it down before breathing in deeply, gaze wandering for just a moment in an effort to briefly rest prior to moving onto the next piece of paperwork. But with that, Renner noticed the present state of the person sitting across, a frequent cooperator as of late. His head was resting in his palm, fingers obscuring the mouth, a frown betraying deep contemplation.
"Lord Demiurge?"
"Hm?... Ah, it seems I'd gotten lost in thought. No matter."
Without delay, the fearsome demon returned to work, pen once again moving deftly across a half-blank page. Renner did not need to ruminate hard about what must have been on his mind.
It seemed his master's love for what the beings of Nazarick see as a lesser, pathetic creature still occasionally gave Demiurge pause. In truth, Renner did agree the matter was something to ponder. Was Ainz Ooal Gown's love for that Neia Baraja exactly what Renner felt towards her sweet puppy, Climb? Or is affection something different altogether to an existence as powerful, ancient, and terrifying as Ainz Ooal Gown?
... ...
A young man stood outside one of the largest cathedrals in Roble, as did the massive crowd of eager people lining the entire plaza and surrounding streets, all the way to within the place of worship itself. He was fidgeting nervously, heartbeat refusing to settle, gaze never settling on one thing for longer than a moment.
Today was the day of his wedding. And God's wife, the fabled war hero and visionary prophetess, Neia Baraja herself, was going to wed him to his darling.
It was of course unacceptable for anything, from decor to the attitudes of the other guests, to be less than outright immaculate in anticipation of the High Priestess' arrival. He was already done with triple-checking the altar, its surroundings, and everything the holy woman would definitely see, while his soon-to-be spouse was inspecting the rest. But things were taking a bit long, causing the man's anxiety to soar to ever greater heights.
And just then, he felt a hand on his left shoulder. Turning around, he saw a smiling man around his age, dressed in a beige vest with white sleeves peeking out from under it, both contrasting well with the light brown, cotton pants. With a smile, he turned around fully, greeting him.
"Hey darling, is everything ready? Are you?"
"Yes, honey. You really shouldn't worry so much, you know?"
Santiago sighed, entirely unable to understand how his soon-to-be husband, Mateo, could be so calm and confident when it came to such a pivotal moment of their lives. Regardless, this felt a good time for a kiss. As Santiago leaned in, so did his beloved. The joining of their lips of course a joy.
After pulling away, Santiago could feel the stares of those observing intensify. Most watched without judgement or disgust, some simply hid it, and a few did not bother doing so at all. Still, to see that an item of two men was being wed publicly and officially, let alone by someone like Neia Baraja, a living person deified and venerated by his own countrymen... it had brought Santiago to tears of joy many times in the prior weeks. It seemed too good to be true. When they were randomly selected to graciously be offered the opportunity, it was simply unbelievable.
It felt like not too long ago when Santiago's mama had beaten him as a 10-year-old for kissing who was his first boyfriend, saying he should've been grateful it was not his papa who saw, who would've given out a proper punishment. Santiago only wished they were still alive. Both would surely convert to the true faith, and then he could tell them about how his love for other men was allowed by His Majesty, and they'd see that even God's own wife was willing to wed him and-
"Honey?"
Santiago realised he'd been staring off into space, tears slowly building up in the corners of his eyes. Clearing them with a few blinks, he put on a smile, and looked to Mateo.
"Everything's fine, darling. I suppose I'm just emotional, you know?"
... Not too long after, semi-distant cheers came from the couple's left, slowly creeping closer. Once again, Mateo was amazingly calm, whereas Santiago felt like his heart was going to burst with the tempo and strength at which it was beating.
Soon, the opulent carriage came into view, as did the eight riders surrounding it on horseback from the front and rear, four of which were some kind of powerful-looking undead. The other half was paladins, one of which seemed to have horns coming out of their helmet, which was also a different shape. Santiago had not heard anything about demi-humans successfully entering that order of holy warriors, and so seeing one be trusted to guard the High Priestess came as a surprise, making him momentarily wonder if such paladins had existed for some time now.
But he pushed that, and all other thoughts away for now. It was time to focus.
'Concentrate... No mistakes now... Be as deferential and dignified as possible... Avoid anything that could even vaguely be appraised by anyone as some sort of slight…'
When the carriage finally stopped a chunk of distance afore the cathedral, and by extension the pair, the paladins swiftly dismounted. With haste, they took up positions on either side of the carriage door facing the cathedral, two on each side. And then, one of them opened it, allowing the holy woman to step out.
Although Santiago had seen Her Holiness at a distance several times before, it now seemed a different experience altogether. The High Priestess walked with a profound elegance, the astonishing white-gold dress as radiant as her smile, wings and covered eyes giving the woman a sort of otherworldly air. Many would surely call it divine, even without knowing anything of the life Baraja has led. As the queen consort closed the distance, the couple bowed in wait for permission to do otherwise.
"Greetings. Please, raise your heads."
After obeying, Santiago only felt everything about that presence intensify now that the awe-inspiring woman stood near.
"Is everything ready, or did I arrive in the middle of preparations?"
"Oh, everything is waiting only for Your Holiness!"
"Ah, did I arrive late, then? My apologies in that case."
It felt as if his heart stopped momentarily, sweat dampening his undershirt.
"N-no, please don't apologise! I simply meant that we made sure to prepare everything well ahead of time!"
"Oh, is that so? Still, that must have been a lot of trouble... You're very considerate."
"Not at all! Such a thing should only be expected when welcoming Your Holiness!"
"In that case, I thank you. You're an affable young man. May I have your name?"
"Santiago Therin."
"In that case, you must be Mateo Stibil, right?"
The holy woman said, turning to his darling. The idea that someone like her would bother to find out and remember the names of such insignificant people was beyond surprising, the first-hand experience of her care for the common people instilling in him a deepened admiration.
"Yes, Your Holiness. That's me."
"Hm. In that case, I suppose it's time for me to meet the guests of honour?"
In truth, there was barely anyone for the High Priestess to meet. Not from his side or Mateo's, as the latter preferred not to speak of his family unless necessary. The best they had were a few mutual friends.
"Uhm... perhaps it'd be better to start the ceremony already?"
"Oh, why's that? I was quite excited to attend in full..."
Panic gripped Santiago again, harder than before.
"N-nevermind then! Let us go, as you wish!"
"Well, I don't mean to impose."
"Y-you're not imposing at all, Your Holiness! We just assumed Your Holiness would want to get done with this quickly. If not, then everything is still alright!"
...
Following some introductions and small talk in which Neia Baraja stressed Santiago and his friends out with great kindness and unthinkable humility, it was time for the ceremony proper.
Since they were both men, and without their parents present, certain traditions were a bit confusing, and so the couple walked to the altar together, hand in hand, Santiago having a bit of trouble not tearing up. Once the pair reached Baraja, it was time to stand proud in front of everyone, and show the world their love.
With mild volume-enhancing magic and a merry yet still somehow serious tone, the High Priestess started the officiant's speech, occasionally also looking slightly downward, likely eyeing the lectern.
"Hello everyone. Today, we've all gathered here to witness and celebrate the union of two kindred souls, two fates intertwining, two people who love each other, two faithful who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. For this wonderful moment, we also have their other loved ones to thank for. Those who've supported them on their journeys, their lives up until this point, and who will hopefully continue to do so, continuing into this new chapter.
Mateo and Santiago, with this, you are entering a commitment, making a promise to always be there for each other, to always love, respect, trust, and support, your devotion unwavering in the face of hardship, great or small. You will not keep petty secrets, not do anything to slight or trick each other, never judge with scorn, and never let small things slowly form cracks in your bond. And, as any married pair should, you will do this all as-"
Suddenly, in that beautiful speech delivered with an even more beautiful tone, there was a pause, seemingly hesitation. The High Priestess was staring blankly at the lectern for about a second or two, until she slowly coughed into a closed fist.
"My apologies. And, as any married pair should, you will do this all as equals... Now, do you have personal vows to read out?"
Mateo, who had tears in his eyes despite not being the type to cry often, began his declaration proudly.
"We understand each other so well by now that there is little left to say. We both know how much we mean to each other, and how committed we both are to our love."
"Ahh, how cute! Wonderful!"
Surprisingly, Her Holiness sounded quite enthusiastic and cheery just now, notably more so than before.
"In that case, Santiago Moreno, with all this said, do you understand the commitment of marriage, and take Mateo Molina as your husband?"
WIth tears now making their way down his cheeks, Santiago responded.
"I do."
"Mateo Molina, do you understand the commitment of marriage, and take Santiago Moreno as your husband?"
"Yes, yes I do."
Neither could help but chuckle warmly, the moment outright euphoric.
"Then it is time to exchange rings. Miss Sanchez?"
Rika, their mutual friend, stepped out from nearby, looking visibly nervous and holding an ornate wooden board with both hands. Before recent years, these would be decorated with all sorts of engravings, gems, or precious metals, ornaments always numbering four to represent the Gods of the old faith. But in present times, there were only two decorations, usually a black and a white pearl. On top of this board were two small pillows, each bearing one of the rings.
Once Rika got close enough, she stopped and bowed down slightly, letting the pair each pick up the other's ring. Santiago was the first to slowly place the ring on Mateo's finger, tearing up while doing so. And when he, too, bore a ring, this powerful symbol of their union and undying love, Her Holiness continued.
"And now, you two may kiss."
Slowly, the pair leaned in and did as asked.
It was the best day of Santiago's life.
... ...
Neia Baraja now sat back inside her personal carriage, pondering the events of just earlier while waving to the ecstatic people.
Every wedding Neia had participated in as High Priestess always made her wonder about her and Satoru's own wedding ceremony. It involved many traditions Neia recognised, but was also very brief, lacking several highly romantic components, ones she'd normally consider integral, making their omission by Satoru puzzling. Still, it would be a blatant lie to say that the day of their espousal's officialisation was not one of the happiest of Neia's life.
But besides those recurring ponderings, today's couple also warranted some. Instead of man and woman, this was the union of man and man. And while such a thing was acceptable as per the Sorcerer Kingdom's law, Neia could not help feeling strange about the whole thing, unable to really imagine choosing that kind of lifestyle. Could it really be as fulfilling as a normal relationship? Well, those two made her consider that it could be so.
Still, this was a productive trip. Not only was it a public appearance of positive tone, but it also served to reinforce and show to the people that this kind of relationship was to be considered acceptable. There were also some other weddings serving this purpose planned within the next few months, including one between a human and demi-human, and one between two women. But for now, everything will have to be tuned down a bit, as to not draw too much attention away from the announcement of Neia's pregnancy.
... ... ...
Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, head of the Baharuth Empire, stood by the window of one of his offices, snacking on some prunes and nuts. It was a quiet, beautiful morning in the capital, and the young Emperor was intent on fully enjoying this calm day to the fullest. Things have been very quiet in recent months, with so many matters now handled directly by the Sorcerer Kingdom without any of his input, or even knowledge. But as powerless as Jircniv was, there were occasional moments when this did not trouble his mind, and all seemed tranquil.
... Some time later, when the snack bowl was closer to empty than brimming, a knock broke the silence, shortly followed by the voice of Nimble.
"Your Majesty."
Jircniv, knowing what this likely meant, sighed in a manner that any outside observer would surely describe as nothing short of melodramatic. But it was precisely because of this lack of prying eyes that Jircniv felt comfortable expressing himself in a manner otherwise impossible, unless irrevocable and thorough humiliation was the goal.
"... Come in."
The door opened slowly in response to his command, a solemn Nimble stepping through with haste. With the knight's expression, Jircniv's fears were confirmed, making the Emperor avert his gaze in frustration, and the early stages of despondency.
"From the Sorcerer Kingdom, right? Just leave it here."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Following several footsteps moving back and forth, Nimble was out, door shut again, the young man's stress left to fester in silence. Jircniv continued snacking for a moment longer, delaying the inevitable with continued snacking, a pathetic little attempt at maintaining at least some hint of control over the situation. But as much as the once great Emperor dreaded doing so, it had to be done eventually.
Taking the bowl and what remained of its contents to the table with him, hoping to derive comfort from food, Jircniv sat down on the thickly cushioned chair. Even then, it took him a good while before he could finally muster enough courage to open the missive and start reading.
'... Huh?! Baraja is pregnant?!'
He had read the same sentence over and over again, as if doing so would transform its contents into something more sensible. But it never did.
'Pregnant?! She's married to a damn skeleton! How is... why... gah, whatever!'
After a moment or two of confusion, the puzzling nature of the details seemed utterly unimportant. The accursed undead must have whipped up some zany pregnancy magic of the millionth tier or whatever. It didn't matter, and was not even that surprising considering what else he could do. What was pressing, however, was Jircniv's next course of action. Not only was there some sort of massive festival mentioned, but he would now be obligated to shower the couple in gifts related to child-raising. This was the heir to the Sorcerer King, after all.
It all made Jircniv sigh yet again, pain taking hold of his abdomen. This was going to be awful.
...
The queen of the Dragon Kingdom sat noiselessly in her office, contentedly enjoying a morning view of the calm and quiet capital with delicious, imported green tea, something acquired easily due to the safe and efficient trade routes their vassalisation brought with it. Almost every day since has been like this, the threat of beastmen a trivial one thanks to the overwhelming military power of the Sorcerer King, the stress of previous years gone all thanks to that undead man's generous terms. There might've been other ways to secure the lives of her people, but none would have brought this much of a promising and safe future, and with such a quickly recovering economy.
In simple terms, Draudillon Oriculus was honestly grateful to the Sorcerer King.
And then, a knock disturbed the relaxation, but only slightly. Bad news almost seemed a thing of the past, after all.
"Your Majesty?"
It was the Prime Minister, his voice unburdened by nervousness; an excellent sign.
"Come in."
After opening the door, bowing, and shutting it yet again, the man moved deftly, and in his hands Draudillon could observe what appeared to be some sort of sealed missive from the Sorcerer Kingdom.
"Has your morning been pleasant, Your Majesty?"
"Indeed it has. And yours? I didn't think you'd be working this early."
The man, now at the foot of her table, shrugged with a playful smile, and placed the letter on top of some other documents.
"I don't see why not. Mornings are the perfect temperature this time of year, so I thought to enjoy the dawn today."
"Hm. I suppose that's from the Sorcerer Kingdom, right? Did you have any other business here?"
"Nothing else, Your Majesty."
"Then you may take your leave."
... Once the room was empty again, Draudillon reached for the newest arrival to the day's modest pile of paperwork with a sip of tea.
'... Ah, Her Holiness is pregnant?!... And I'm invited to the celebratory festival...'
It was a little surprising, but definitely made sense, considering the powerful magic Ainz Ooal Gown boasted. That stray thought aside, Draudillon found this news rather anxiety-inducing. The Dragon Queen felt it necessary to consistently express the gratitude of both herself and the people, and this was another opportunity to do so. Well, for such a big occasion, it would already be abundantly prudent to offer copious gifts, but since Draudillon wanted to express gratitude in addition to that, it will be necessary to go above and beyond.
And there was also the issue of her proposal to the Sorcerer King. Since the evidence that he and the High Priestess are truly, deeply in love only grew with time, the Queen felt rather embarrassed about the proposal in retrospect. Even though the holy woman was always very polite in the limited direct correspondence they've exchanged, Draudillon could not help but fear she had earned the couple's mild contempt.
With a sigh, she put the missive away for now, reaching for another document instead. Brainstorming a way to break out of the negative, self-made first impressions of herself using this occasion would have to come later. There was still a good bit of time until the festival.
…
Hello.
Sorry about the really long wait again. I, in fact, continued to be sick, and a bit busy with some other errands. Hopefully it was worth it? Please, do tell me what you think either way!
Also, did I accidentally tease this whole festival? I originally just wanted to skim over it, but now it feels like I've set it up without even realising. Oops. Just don't be disappointed if I end up not doing anything with it.
Well, I think that's about it. Thank you for reading, everyone! See you soon, hopefully. :3