Chapter 213: Chapter 214: Wedding Feast in the Wilderness (4)

A peaceful morning dawned.The villagers had gathered in one place, discussing something important.They were talking about the wedding feast from the previous night.

“That groom is quite a vile and wicked fellow.”“Since he’s unfamiliar with our traditions and customs, perhaps we should teach him?”

They were discussing the groom’s character.In their minds, the new groom ‘Judas’ was a terrible man.They felt it was their duty to make an example of him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Listen here, new groom Judas, we’ve decided to teach you some manners! One of our traditions is 「Beat Up the Groom」, so don’t take it personally!”

The villagers summoned the bride and groom, making their threats clear.While the new groom remained motionless, the bride Cariote was deeply shocked.

“Wasn’t 「Beat Up the Groom」 already abolished as a day-after wedding tradition?”“It still exists!”

Rumble— Rumble—The men seized the new groom.They bound him tightly with rope and dragged him into a room.Though Cariote tried to intervene, they warned “Women stay out of this!” leaving her helpless.

The men laid the groom down in the cramped room and began mercilessly beating his feet with thick, sturdy clubs.Thwack— Thwack—The impacts echoed loudly.Yet the new groom didn’t flinch at all.

Soon one of the men whispered quietly.“You’re supposed to scream loudly…, even if you’re strong and it doesn’t hurt, you should at least pretend it does.”

“Ah, I understand.”

The new groom nodded as if finally comprehending.Then he began to scream.

“Arghhhh! I’m dying!”

It was an incredibly fierce scream.Hearing her husband screaming as if being stabbed in the stomach, Cariote waited outside, greatly distressed.That Judas was screaming—.She had no idea what torments were happening inside.

“Cariote! Save me! These people are trying to kill me!”

Judas continued shouting dramatically.As Cariote stood frozen in uncertainty, the women called out:

“Cariote! Sing a song! Calm everyone down by singing or dancing!”

The women saying this were laughing as if it was all terribly amusing.But Cariote’s face burned crimson.Dancing and singing—These things were very far from her nature.

That’s when Lady Leone appeared.She had prepared food early that morning, knowing 「Beat Up the Groom」 would occur.When she distributed it among the people, the noisy shouts of “You thief!” and “Village maiden thief!” from inside quieted somewhat.But Judas’s screams persisted.

“Arghhhh!”

“……”

Cariote gritted her teeth.Then parted her lips to sing softly.

“In the wide wide prairie… a little house…”“What? We can’t hear!”“Beat the groom harder!”

The people were stirring up trouble.Cariote felt mortified.As she struggled with her embarrassment, Cecily opened her mouth.

“Ditch, ditch, ditchwater~ small ditchwater~”

It was an incredibly cheerful song.Everyone listening was satisfied and gradually the sounds of beating inside grew quieter until the screams ceased.

“Hurrah for Miss Cecily!”“Hurrah for Cecily!”

Everyone praised Cecily for peacefully resolving the situation.As Cecily basked in the praise, the groom emerged from the room.He appeared completely unharmed.The people invited the bride and groom to breakfast, shared food, and exchanged kind words.

This concluded the wedding feast in the wilderness.All that remained was a small farewell.Cecily was trembling intensely with anxiety.Now that mom and dad were safely married, it meant time for a temporary parting.

“H-Hieek…!”

But unlike Naru and Hina who had been solemn yet detached and made promises for someday with their own grand aspirations, Cecily was terrified.She refused to disappear like this.

“I, Cecily, will live forever…! Elizabeth…!”

Whistle—!When Cecily put her fingers in her mouth and made a sharp sound.Flutter—A thunder eagle appeared from nowhere and grabbed Cecily’s shoulder.Whoosh—And began soaring high into the sky, seeing this Cariote became greatly alarmed.

“C-Come back Cecily! Who knows what will happen if we stay apart like this! You need to quickly become one to minimize variables!”

Cariote didn’t want Cecily to disappear either.Because Cecily was her precious and adorable daughter.But if Cecily refused to merge with her past self like this, who knew what variables could arise.Something irreversible might happen.

Swish—Cariote grabbed a net that was lying nearby.And hurled it high into the sky.The net with fairly heavy stones attached spun through the air and spread wide before the thunder eagle.And captured both the thunder eagle and Cecily.

Seeing this, the people were filled with admiration.

“Catching a thunder eagle with a net, truly the daughter of a great hunter.”“She won’t starve to death.”“The new bride is quite remarkable.”

Flutter—“…H-Hieek!”

Cecily and the thunder eagle that had soared high began plummeting toward the ground. If they hit the ground at this speed they would surely be gravely injured.Swish—Cariote spread her arms toward the sky.Soon the net holding Cecily fell precisely into Cariote’s embrace.Thanks to her soft chest cushioning the impact, there wasn’t much force.

“I-I Cecily don’t want to go back to being a baby…!”

Cecily struggled like a captured wild beast.Cariote carefully removed the net from Cecily’s body.

Swish— Swish— Swish— Swish—Soon Cecily’s body began emitting white light.At this mysterious sight everyone exclaimed “Oh” and “How amazing” while Cecily shouted.

“I’ll remember…! I won’t forget a single face of the people who troubled me…!”

As Cecily growled, Cariote shed a quiet tear.Because she knew well it was time to part with Cecily.Since Cecily was such a precious and lovable daughter, Cariote couldn’t help but kiss her cheek.

Smooch—Now she wouldn’t be able to pinch those chubby cheeks for a while.At that moment Cecily’s body glowed even brighter and began to fade away.

“H-Hieek…! Fuck…! Just you wait…!”

Cecily vanished, leaving behind strange screams and curses as her final words.It was truly a mysterious sight.

# # #

When we returned home, Brigitte and Salome were waiting for us.They studied Cariote’s expression and asked.

“What about Cecily?”“What happened?”

Cariote answered simply.

“She went back.”

Only then did Brigitte and Salome feel somewhat relieved.It meant Cecily would be able to safely enter the world.

Cariote went to Cecily’s room.After laying down the traditional carpet received from Iscariote Village, she set up a cage and carefully placed the thunder eagle ‘Elizabeth’ inside.Flutter—

“…Cecily.”

Pat— Pat—Cariote gently stroked Cecily’s bed with her palm.When would mother and daughter Cariote and Cecily meet again?

She hoped that day would come soon.Because the Junk Mansion felt too quiet with all the children gone.

Of course there were still lively moments.Daily life flowed peacefully and quietly.One month, two months…Around when the women’s bellies started showing slightly—That child appeared in the garden.A child with beautiful silver-like ash-gray hair.Her face shone brightly and though young, her features were already refined, making her look like a princess.

“Tywin.”

I called out.Then Tywin, who had been looking around the garden awkwardly, said “…Hello.”How long had it been since we’d last seen Tywin?I was so delighted to see the child in the garden that I called to everyone.

“Everyone come out! Tywin has returned!”

At those words the women rushed to the garden.They were overjoyed to see Tywin, though she seemed slightly uncomfortable as she blushed and quietly avoided their gaze.And softly asked.

“How are the children?”“They’re all doing well.”

Tywin nodded at my response.Soon, as if remembering something, Tywin rummaged through her pocket and took out a small container. It was a white plastic container labeled 「Tywinlenol」.What could this be?As I wondered, Tywin spoke first.

“It’s fever medicine that’s safe for pregnant women. When the baby in the womb is sick, taking this will help significantly. My mother Elle Cladeco made it, I hope it proves useful.”

I see.Had Tywin met Elle Cladeco on Earth?Tywin continued speaking.

“I met mother. And finished our talk. Mother said she won’t come to this world anymore. She said she’ll remain in that world.”

Tywin explained she had met Elle Cladeco on Earth and resolved things. Though I wanted to ask for more details, I couldn’t press Tywin who said they had finished talking.But her expression appeared quite unburdened.

“Then what happens to the child sleeping in the tank.”

There was still a girl sleeping in Elle Cladeco’s laboratory.What would become of that child, I wondered as Tywin gripped the medicine container tightly.

“With this she should be able to wake up. Since it’s an illness caused by two worlds meeting. With medicine containing knowledge from both worlds…”

Tywin said this as she headed to the laboratory.Inside was the pharmacist Ilgast who always worked late, and after hearing our explanation he adopted a somewhat determined expression.After examining and analyzing the medicine received from Tywin, he administered it to the tank.

Swish—As the strange liquid seeped into the tank—Beep— Beep— Beeeep—The signals from the devices attached to the girl’s body showed anomalies.

Swish—The girl opened her eyes.They were eyes exactly like Tywin’s.Crash— Shatter—!Soon it seemed intense power was released and the tank shattered.

Drip— Drip—The girl fell outside the tank.Ilgast brought what appeared to be a warm towel and wrapped it around the girl’s body.

“My body…”

The girl examined her body as if shocked.We were surprised too.We hadn’t expected the girl to move so skillfully.

“…Tywin.”

Tywin addressed the girl.Then the towel-wrapped girl spoke to Tywin.

“Tywin.”

It was the moment two Tywins met.The towel-wrapped girl spoke.

“I was conscious. Just my soul was trapped in this body called my flesh and couldn’t wake up. So I know everything that happened, what mother did.”

The towel-wrapped girl, Tywin, knew most of what had transpired until now.Soon she embraced the girl Tywin who looked just like her.

“Tywin, I’m sorry. You’re like my sister…”

The embrace of two identical girls.There was something deeply touching about it.The two girls did not merge into one.Though they were the same Tywin, they were indeed different beings.

Swish—Tywin held out a doll to the towel-wrapped girl.It was the doll I had given her as a gift long ago.

“If you imagine where you want to go, you should be able to go there.”

It was an artifact with the ability to travel anywhere as long as there was magic power, powerful enough to be a national treasure.To give away such a gift.

“Is that okay?”

I asked Tywin.Then she replied with a very serious expression.

“It’s fine. I’ve already come to where I want to be. I kept thinking of this noisy chaotic mansion every day. And children like Naru too. This is where I wanted to come.”

“I see.”

Pat— Pat—I stroked Tywin’s hair.The towel-wrapped Tywin changed into clothes we provided then hugged the doll tightly.And waved her hand.

“Thank you everyone.”

Swish—With those words Tywin’s figure vanished.We didn’t investigate or search what happened to the tank girl Tywin and Elle Cladeco.Their lives were their own and we had our own lives.

Anyway.Tywin became our family’s eldest daughter and first child.With a child in the previously quiet mansion, daily life became more enjoyable.

“Tywin, want to go buy magic tools with me?”“Brigitte! No cutting in line! Tywin promised to see a play with me today!”“No. She promised to go hawk hunting with me.”

Tywin was so popular her schedule was packed every day.To the novice apprentice mothers, Tywin was the perfect daughter and an excellent partner for gaining experience as mothers.

Time passed like that.In winter of that year Brigitte began suffering from a fever with severe symptoms. Brigitte’s mother Lady Bathory also visited the Junk Mansion to nurse Brigitte.The ice-cold woman was greatly distressed and anxious seeing the pregnant Brigitte suffering.

“The symptoms are exactly like mine…! If this continues the child might not survive…!”

It was an illness that occurred when people from different worlds married and had children. It greatly affected both child and mother and in severe cases could even claim the child’s life.That was the case with Tywin who lost consciousness at age 6.Ilgast named this illness 「Elegy」.He explained it meant both ‘sad song’ and ‘Elle’s sorrow’.

Fortunately research on the Elegy illness was complete.Through medicine researched lifelong by a certain woman, Brigitte was able to easily overcome the fever and quickly regained her health.Only then did Brigitte’s mother Lady Bathory breathe a sigh of relief.

Time passed like that and soon it was August.It became August 7th.It was Naru’s birthday.In other words, it was the already determined due date.On this tense day.An unexpected problem arose for us.

Brigitte cried out in bewilderment:

“…There’s no sign of Naru being born!?”

What in the world was going on?