Chapter – 20
“Surely he didn’t actually go to hunt a dragon…”
The words her son had said when announcing the engagement—“I want to go see a dragon”—kept replaying in her mind.
She also remembered how he had asked, “Could you help me catch a dragon?” Iola’s graduation thesis for natural science had been about dragons, after all.
No, surely, there was no way he really went to hunt a dragon. Who in their right mind would go dragon hunting with the fiancé they just met?
Even if he had that kind of enthusiasm, it was practically impossible. Iola must know that much at least.
He’s smart enough to know…
“…No way!”
Monain knew her son well.
She could almost see the bright, insistently optimistic face of her son saying, “Trust is an important asset, and believing in others is a kind of virtue.”
Where had she gone wrong in raising him? She had taught him to be a reliable person who loves and trusts their neighbors, but he had turned into someone completely opposite to what she expected.
A person who loves and trusts their neighbors, and yet ended up like this…
Thanks to him, things had come to this state. Monain was exasperated to the point of pain, especially because Cadlen had gone ahead with the engagement ceremony even in the absence of the people involved.
“You can’t even draw swords on the battlefield at an engagement ceremony…”
“Why haven’t my sister and brother-in-law come to the ceremony yet?”
A youthful voice reached Monain’s ears over the grim thoughts. It was Dylan, heir to the Medlidge family. He had been talking with his father in a corner, and upon hearing the news, shook his head in disbelief.
“They went to hunt something? You just let that happen?”
“They didn’t just let it happen. But you know Biretta. She slipped past the family and climbed over the wall.”
“That’s why I told you to put up barbed wire!”
“We did, but Biretta cut it all.”
“Then you should have made the wall twice as high!”
“That was already attempted five years ago.”
Dylan Medlidge, sharply dressed, was visibly furious. Knowing he wasn’t the only one in distress made Monain feel somewhat relieved.
At the same time, the father-and-son exchange grated on her nerves. The fiancée’s audacity in their actions was astonishing.
“What will your father-in-law think? Even if you were broken off with, he’d have no grounds to complain. How will my brother-in-law face this?”
“That’s fine. She ran off with her fiancé.”
“What’s fine about that?!”
Dylan lost all formalities and threw his hat in the air in exasperation at his father’s nonchalant response.
Muttering to himself, he walked off and gave instructions to a servant. Soon, a large blackboard was brought forward.
While the servant prepared it, Dylan walked over to Monain, bowing deeply right before her.
“I’m sorry that things have turned out this way. Because of my sister, the engagement has been thrown into chaos. I apologize.”
“No, not at all. My son disappeared with her as well.”
If both the daughter and son had vanished, the blame would normally fall on the son, yet Dylan steadfastly placed it on Biretta.
All of the children seemed to have inherited their father’s stubbornness. Monain scrutinized them carefully.
“No, he must have played along with Biretta. Who would foolishly believe in a ridiculous, boastful idea like hunting a dragon without any preparation?”
“…That person is my son,” Monain thought, speechless.
“Since you’ve said you won’t call off the engagement, we’ll handle this well.”
“How?”
Neither Biretta nor Iola were present. Monain hadn’t heard of any plan to use stand-ins.
Even though it would be absurd to use stand-ins at an engagement ceremony, Monain was determined enough to consider it.
While he was lost in thought, Dylan dragged the blackboard to the front, where the gathered guests could see. Over a hundred people watched him at once.
“Attention, please! On behalf of my little sister, Biretta Medlidge, and the renowned mercenary captain of Nagin, Yeongsik Iola Jin, I thank you all for attending our engagement ceremony.”
“When will the ceremony start?”
“When will Biretta appear?”
“What does the fiancé look like?”
Every time guests clamored to see the couple, Monain’s party could only display awkward expressions.
“But I must convey some unfortunate news. My sister Biretta and her fiancé are not present. Their engagement remains unchanged, but they will not be arriving at today’s ceremony.”
Dylan announced the absence of the couple loudly, and the guests became restless.
What? What did you say? They didn’t even show up at their own engagement? The words spread like wildfire.
It was a grave breach of etiquette for the engaged couple not to attend, regardless of status or nationality. A disgrace for the family.
Just as Monain felt a chill of despair, Dylan tapped the blackboard and announced with excitement:
“Then, where and what are Biretta and Iola doing right now? Wager starting at one silver coin, odds at least 1.5x!”
“I bet five silver coins that they went to duel with the fiancé!”
“I’ll bet ten silver coins that they went to fetch an ornament for the ceremony!”
“I’ll bet five silver coins that they didn’t like the ceremonial attire!”
“Keep it going! You can even predict when they’ll return!”
“Two silver coins for four days later!”
“Seven silver coins for two weeks!”
“You’re all stingy! Fifteen silver coins for half a month!”
When the engaged couple isn’t present, it’s a huge breach of etiquette. But if it’s Biretta Medlidge, a heated betting frenzy breaks out.
“Give us a hint! What does the fiancé look like?”
“He’s a gentle and refreshing gentleman!”
“Then I’ll bet ten silver coins that she went to fetch a gift for him.”
“Last time, Melissa guessed correctly about the birthday present! Will someone guess correctly this time?”
Cheers and applause rang out.
Everyone close enough to attend Biretta’s engagement was familiar with her. Biretta Medlidge was known locally as a notorious braggart.
“Many have shared their opinions. Now, we’ll use this interlude to play a quick quiz. What item would Biretta absolutely want to decorate the ceremony with?”
“Captain! Lord Iola has sent something!”
Just as Dylan was about to liven up the ceremony, a subordinate burst in awkwardly:
“Bring it immediately!”
All eyes turned to the gift as Monain quietly announced:
“The answer has just arrived! Let’s all give a round of applause!”
“Waaaaah!!”
Dylan fanned the excitement. The engagement ceremony, which should have been simple and elegant, now had the atmosphere of a street festival.
“…What is this?”
“It’s a wedding gift from Lord Iola and Miss Biretta.”
The subordinate reluctantly presented the gift.
“I mean, what is it?”
“Haha, I suppose you’ve never seen this before, father-in-law. It’s a rhinoceros head. They just sent the head.”
Cadlen pointed to the large rhinoceros head, neatly packaged and loaded onto a cart.
In a wedding, sending something like this could generally mean one of a few things:
I will kill you like this.
This is your future.
Let the blood festival begin!
Heehee! Take that!
“You just sent a giant, blood-soaked animal head to the engagement? This is an outright declaration of war against us!”
“The first joint effort of the couple. They must be close.”
Cadlen confidently proposed a new hypothesis.
“Excuse me? What are you talking about? Look at reality.”
“I am. At weddings, couples cut the cake together or ring the bell in some countries. Our children cut a rhinoceros instead of a cake. How brave they are!”
Cadlen’s gaze remained as lifeless as a fish’s eyes left out in the sun.
“How brave! Even as a parent, my pores… no, my heart trembles with fear.”
“You’re trembling with anger, not fear,” Monain corrected.
“No, my daughter even wrote a letter herself.”
Cadlen handed over a letter:
[Dear Father, to make our engagement shine, we send the result of our hearts together, Lord Iola and I. Please wait patiently.]
Seeing the “result of our hearts” = a bloodied rhinoceros head, Monain’s expression darkened.
“This borders on a death threat.”
“Haha, my daughter’s unique style sometimes causes misunderstandings. But notice she wrote ‘I and Lord Iola’. Using ‘we’ already shows they are ready for marriage.”
Cadlen’s eyes remained as dead as a fish’s, yet Monain’s heart wavered.
“I… suppose… you are right, father-in-law. Nothing beats hunting as the first joint task for the couple.”
Moreover, Monain did not wish to call off this engagement lightly.
“Yes. And see how they wrote ‘please wait patiently.’ They are showing concern so the elderly father doesn’t overexert himself. Your son is admirable.”
“Ha… ha… ha… th… th… at’s… right,” Monain muttered.
Despite half being in shock, Cadlen’s cheerful tone remained unbending. Monain was convinced that Biretta must take after her father.
“Father-in-law, I trust they’ll do well.”
“And so do I.”
Monain thought, if they didn’t do well despite all this, he would kill them himself.
Nearby, Dylan turned to the guests and shouted:
“The answer is: they went to fetch an ornament for the ceremony! Congratulations to Riley and Aaron!”
The guests cheered as the engagement—without the engaged couple—concluded successfully.
