"What do you mean… seal the vow with lips?"
Erza tilted her head, genuine confusion written across her face. Her brows knitted slightly, as if she were trying to recall some forgotten rule of magic.
"I didn't know the human world had a ritual like that," she added honestly.
Yuuta let out a quiet sigh, already preparing himself to explain, but before he could open his mouth, Father Nelson chuckled softly.
"I thought this part might surprise you, my child," he said kindly. "But the sealing of vows is important. Without it, the promise remains incomplete—a small gap, perhaps, but even a small hole can weaken something precious."
Erza froze.
A gap?
A risk?
After everything she had sacrificed…
After worlds crossed, memories erased, and lives rewritten…
She would not allow something so trivial to threaten what she had fought for.
Before Father Nelson could say another word—before Yuuta could even blink—Erza stepped forward and pressed her lips against Yuuta's.
It wasn't graceful.
It wasn't practiced.
It was urgent.
Yuuta's mind went completely blank.
The warmth.
The closeness.
The unmistakable truth that this was real.
His eyes widened in shock—but only for a heartbeat.
Then he relaxed, gently returning the kiss.
The church erupted.
Applause thundered through the hall, cheers echoing against the ancient stone walls as if the church itself was celebrating their union.
Outside the great stained-glass windows, Allen clapped harder than anyone, tears streaming freely down his face as he waved a handkerchief in the air.
"That's my Master family!" he sobbed proudly.
Laughter, joy, relief—everything blended together into a single, unforgettable moment.
Nearby, Sara nudged Elga with a grin.
"Look at that, Erika," she said teasingly. "Your—ahem—former crush just got married. Don't you feel even a little jealous?"
Erika crossed her arms, pouting. "Hey, Fiona, what about you?"
Fiona watched the couple quietly, a gentle smile on her lips.
"It's her win," she said calmly. "They were meant to be together."
Erika blinked. "What do you mean? Wasn't Yuuta your—"
"No," Fiona interrupted softly. "He never was."
She shook her head, as if releasing something she had carried for far too long.
"It was one-sided from the beginning. I wasn't in love—I was just jealous. Of what they had. Of what I couldn't understand."
She exhaled, smiling freely now.
"That jealousy is gone."
She turned slightly, her eyes meeting Loid's—her childhood friend, who had been standing beside her all along.
And for the first time, Fiona felt truly unbound.
At the altar, Yuuta and Erza pulled back just enough to look at one another.
Erza's cheeks were flushed, her composure completely gone.
Yuuta laughed softly, still stunned.
And under heaven, before fate, before every world—
Two souls were sealed.
Soon after the ceremony ended, the celebration flowed into the second great hall.
At the far end of the hall, Yuuta and Erza sat side by side upon twin thrones—simple in design, yet dignified. They were not seats of power meant to intimidate, but places of honor, offered to a newly bound couple.
The hall itself was alive.
Long tables overflowed with food, laughter, and conversation. Guests moved freely, some raising glasses in quiet toasts, others already swaying as soft, romantic music drifted through the air. Lanterns and old lamps glowed warmly, casting golden light across the stone floor and giving the hall the feeling of a dream suspended between eras.
Elena ran through the middle of it all, laughing as she chased her friends, her small footsteps echoing joyfully. At times she spun in place, mimicking the adults, her dress fluttering as if she were dancing with the air itself.
Then the music shifted.
Slower.
Deeper.
More intimate.
A gentle voice announced the beginning of the Marriage Dance—a tradition where couples danced together, celebrating not power or ceremony, but companionship.
One by one, people rose.
Parents took their partners' hands. Friends laughed as they stepped awkwardly into rhythm. The hall slowly filled with movement—circles of warmth and shared joy.
Fiona watched quietly from her seat, nibbling on a dessert while Erika sat beside her, scanning the room with interest.
That was when Loid approached.
He stopped in front of Fiona, hesitated for a breath, then knelt—not dramatically, but sincerely.
"May I have this dance with you, Fiona?"
Fiona blinked in surprise.
Then she smiled.
"Yes," she said simply.
Loid's face lit up as he took her hand, and together they joined the dance, their steps hesitant at first, then gradually finding rhythm.
Elena, not wanting to be left out, grabbed the hands of one of her classmates and dragged them into a spinning, laughing imitation of the dance. Parents chuckled, some joining their children, others simply watching with fond smiles.
It was a spectacular scene.
And yet—
One thing was missing.
Yuuta noticed it at the same time the guests did.
The groom and the bride were still seated.
He turned his head toward Erza.
She was watching everything with quiet fascination—her expression soft, amused, unaware that this tradition included her as well.
Yuuta stood.
He stepped down from the throne and walked toward her, then knelt before her as he had earlier—this time with a playful smile.
"My Queen," he said, holding out his hand,
"may this mortal have the honor of a dance with you… as a symbol of our love?"
Erza's heart skipped.
Her breath caught, and heat rushed to her cheeks.
She placed her hand in his without hesitation.
"Yes," she replied softly, her voice trembling just a little.
"My mortal husband."
Yuuta rose, gently guiding her onto the floor.
The moment Yuuta and Erza stepped onto the floor, the hall seemed to fall quiet.
Not because the music stopped—
but because something changed.
Yuuta placed one hand gently at Erza's waist, the other clasping hers. His touch was careful, almost reverent, as if he feared that even a careless movement might shatter the moment.
At first, they moved slowly.
One step.
Then another.
Yuuta followed the rhythm awkwardly, his body stiff from nerves rather than lack of skill. He let out a small breath, trying to steady himself.
And then—
His eyes began to glow.
It was faint at first, barely noticeable—like embers hidden beneath ash. A soft crimson light bloomed within his gaze, deep and warm, reflecting the emotions he had never learned how to voice.
No one panicked.
No one screamed.
Most thought it was simply the light of the lamps… or perhaps a trick of reflection.
But Erza noticed.
Her breath hitched.
The moment she saw the glow in his eyes, something within her responded.
A color bloomed in the air around her.
Violet.
Not sharp.
Not violent.
It unfurled like silk in water—gentle, regal, and impossibly beautiful. Threads of soft violet light traced their movements, curling around her steps as though the world itself wished to follow her lead.
With each turn, a faint red shimmer followed Yuuta's motion, intertwining with Erza's violet like two colors discovering harmony for the first time.
Red and violet.
Human and queen.
Mortal resolve and eternal pride.
They moved together now—no hesitation, no fear. Yuuta no longer counted his steps. Erza no longer controlled her posture.
They simply danced.
Guests froze mid-breath.
Soldiers forgot their discipline.
Some placed hands over their mouths without realizing it.
Others felt tears rise for reasons they could not explain.
The colors did not burn.
They did not dominate.
They caressed the air—painting it with warmth and devotion.
It was as if the hall itself had become a canvas, and their love the brush.
Elena clapped happily, unaware of the miracle unfolding before her.
Grandpa watched with trembling lips, his eyes wet, understanding more than he let on.
Father Nelson whispered a prayer without knowing why.
No one thought of dragons.
No one thought of curses or power.
All they saw was beauty beyond words.
Yuuta spun Erza gently, and for a heartbeat, sunlight from the high windows struck her just right—violet light blooming like petals around her white dress.
In that instant, Yuuta's heart nearly stopped.
She was radiant.
Not as a queen.
Not as a dragon.
But as his wife.
Erza met his gaze, her violet eyes shimmering—not with magic, but emotion.
And as they swayed together, red and violet intertwined once more, fading softly into the air like a promise—
A promise that even in a world that feared the unknown,
love could still shine… quietly, beautifully, and unbroken.
When the music finally softened and faded into silence, the colors in the air dissolved as gently as they had appeared.
Red warmth dimmed.
Violet light settled.
And the hall breathed again.
Applause erupted—not loud, not wild, but heartfelt. The kind born from witnessing something beautiful without fully understanding why. Yuuta and Erza stood still for a moment longer, hands still entwined, as if neither wished to be the first to let go.
Erza was the one who broke the silence.
She leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
"…Is it over already?"
Yuuta smiled, a quiet, tired smile that held more joy than any celebration around them.
"I think so," he replied. "But I wouldn't mind if it lasted a little longer."
Her fingers tightened around his.
For a brief second, Erza rested her forehead against his chest. No crown. No power. Just warmth and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear.
It was… peaceful.
Something she had chased for centuries without realizing what it truly was.
Around them, the hall slowly returned to life. Laughter resumed. Music picked up again, softer this time. Children ran past, their footsteps echoing against stone. Elena tugged at a passing guest, proudly announcing that her mama and papa were the best dancers in the world.
Erza watched her with a softened gaze.
"She's happy," Erza murmured.
Yuuta followed her eyes and nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "She really is."
They moved to sit together again, side by side, not on separate thrones but close enough that their shoulders brushed. Erza leaned into him without hesitation, her head resting lightly against his.
No guards approached.
No ceremony interrupted them.
For once, the world allowed them to exist quietly.
Yuuta glanced down at her.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
Erza hummed thoughtfully.
"…A little. But not in a bad way."
She paused, then added, almost shyly,
"This kind of tired… I don't mind."
Yuuta chuckled softly.
"Then let's stay like this for a while."
She didn't answer—she didn't need to.
Her hand found his, fingers lacing together naturally, as though they had always belonged there.
Above them, lanterns swayed gently, casting warm light over stone and silk and smiling faces.
(LATE EVENING)
Late evening settled quietly over the church.
The celebration had finally softened into distant laughter and fading music, leaving only the sound of the wind brushing against stone. Yuuta stood on the balcony, Elena asleep in his arms, her small fingers curled tightly around his sleeve. She was exhausted—tired from running, laughing, and experiencing more joy in one day than most children did in a lifetime.
Her breathing was slow and even.
Erza stood a short distance away, resting her hands against the balcony rail. She gazed upward, her eyes fixed on the moon and the scattered stars beyond it, as though they were old friends she hadn't seen in a long time.
Yuuta walked over quietly and stopped beside her.
"Do you miss your home?" he asked softly.
Erza turned toward him, surprise flickering across her face.
"How did you know?" she asked. "That I miss it."
Yuuta glanced down at Elena, adjusting her gently so she wouldn't wake.
"Elena told me," he said. "She said that whenever you feel… unusual, you look at the moon and the stars. Like you're talking to them. So I thought… maybe you're missing where you came from."
For a moment, Erza didn't speak.
Then she nodded.
"Yes," she admitted. "I do miss it."
She looked back toward the sky.
"It was my birthplace. The world I learned to walk in. To fight in."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"But it also became a place of endless training… killing… rivalry. Power struggles that never ended."
She exhaled slowly. "A home that turned into hell."
Her gaze softened as she glanced back at Yuuta and Elena.
"But here," she said quietly, "I feel peace."
Yuuta watched her carefully, then spoke with quiet determination.
"I'll do my best," he said, "to make you happy. So you'll never regret choosing this life. Choosing us."
Erza laughed softly, a gentle sound carried away by the night breeze.
"I've already accepted this planet as my second home," she said. "So don't worry."
She paused, then turned fully toward him, her expression suddenly serious.
"But before that…"
"There's something I want to discuss with you."
Yuuta raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
Erza met his eyes without hesitation.
"How many children do you want me to have?"
Yuuta blinked once.
"Pardon.??"
To be continued…