In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Side Story, Chapter 35

Father was silent.

He just stood at the doorway, quietly looking at me.

The veil draped in front obscured my vision.

“Father.”

What was he thinking?

It was a feeling I couldn’t yet fathom.

I didn’t rush Father, and just waited quietly.

Of course, while trying to remember where I had put my handkerchief.

After a while, the sound of the door closing behind Father was heard.

“Tia, are you ready?”

Father’s voice was trembling.

“S-should I give you a handkerchief?”

“Oh, no. I won’t cry.”

Father quickly walked over to me and said.

“I can’t show tears on such a happy day.”

It seemed he was saying it to himself rather than to me.

“Then I’ll hug you.”

I said, opening my arms to Father.

I have to comfort my father like this.

Father blinked for a moment, looking at me, then let out a weak chuckle.

“I should be hugging you.”

With that, Father hugged me tightly.

Was Father’s embrace always this big?

His arms, holding me tightly, felt especially strong today.

“You don’t have to worry.”

“I’m not worried. You’re a child who always makes wise decisions, aren’t you?”

A warm hand patted my back.

“It’s just that various thoughts are coming to mind, so you don’t have to worry about your father.”

The hand that had stroked my back now gathered and held my two hands.

“There was a time, Tia, when your hands fit right into my palm.”

“That’s right. It feels like just yesterday Father cried buckets seeing my debutante ball dress.”

Even at the light joke I threw to lighten the mood, Father just looked at me silently.

Then, suddenly, a hint of laughter appeared in his green eyes.

“Why are you laughing, Father?”

“An old memory suddenly came to mind.”

Father’s fingers, a little colder than usual due to tension, rubbed the back of my hand.

“When you were still in her belly, Shan said something.”

“Mother did?”

“One day, she woke up from a long nap and said, ‘Our daughter will meet a wonderful person and live happily ever after.’ ”

“Ah.”

“She smiled with such a relieved expression. I can still see it clearly. And then she even scolded me, saying, ‘So don’t cry at the wedding, Gally.’ ”

What did Mother see during that long nap?

“Everything Shan said has always been true. So Tia, you will definitely be even happier in the future.”

Mother, who had seen my future long ago, and Father, who was conveying it to me.

A gift that my parents had prepared a long time ago had arrived for me today, after many years.

“Happily ever after.”

My heart, which had been a little restless sitting alone in the waiting room, calmly settled down.

This time, I hugged Father tightly.

“You’ve truly suffered a lot raising me alone all this time.”

Father, who always rushed to me first whenever something happened.

Father, who stood up to Viese, even though he was afraid of him, to protect me.

Father, who smiled as if nothing was wrong even in the face of death.

And Father, who became stronger than anyone for me.

“Thank you, Father.”

“…”

Instead of a reply, I felt his shoulders, hugging me back, trembling slightly.

He was probably trying his best to hold back tears.

Knock, knock.

Just then, a knock was heard from outside, signaling it was time.

“Ahem.”

Father quickly pulled me out of his embrace and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

Oh, my father.

I pretended not to notice and stood up, putting on my white lace gloves.

All preparations were truly complete.

“My daughter.”

Father, whose eyes were red from crying but had wiped away all his tears, approached and held out his hand to me.

“A wedding only begins when the bride enters, doesn’t it?”

“Of course.”

I nodded briefly at Father’s words.

“Shall we go?”

Holding the hand that had always supported me, and which I had once longed for so deeply, I stepped onto the wedding aisle.

Emperor Perez and Lombardi Matriarch’s wedding was held in Eleanor Hall, the largest and most splendid hall in the Lombardi mansion.

Nobles who entered the hall with their wedding invitations were surprised twice.

“Oh, my.”

“We expected something given it’s the Emperor and the Lombardi Matriarch’s wedding, but…”

Eleanor Hall was beautiful, and at the same time, magnificent.

Intertwined tree branches soared upwards as if supporting the transparent glass ceiling.

And between them, large, flawless red flowers bloomed.

“Is that the World Tree now?”

“Isn’t it the symbol of the Lombardi family? By the way, a World Tree with flowers blooming, it feels like a dream.”

The second time they lost their composure and were surprised was after the wedding began.

“It looks like His Majesty… is smiling, my eyes aren’t broken, are they?”

“I didn’t know he could smile like that.”

The guest seats stirred.

The solemn atmosphere kept it to whispers with the person next to them, but in a typical banquet, it would have been quite noisy.

“Perhaps it’s someone else who looks exactly like His Majesty?”

“Don’t say such scary things, that there are two people who look like that.”

The nobles shuddered, yet couldn’t take their eyes off Emperor Perez.

The already handsomely sculpted young Emperor stood facing the door where the bride would soon enter, constantly smiling, captivating everyone, young and old.

And the Emperor’s smile deepened even further as the Lombardi Matriarch walked down the wedding aisle.

“Ohh.”

“Wow.”

The Lombardi Matriarch, holding a bouquet made of red Bomnia flowers in one hand and escorted by her father, Gallahan Lombardi, was beautiful as she entered.

Though her face was not clearly visible through the veil, her beauty was already known throughout the Empire, and her subtly glowing presence was like a noble pearl.

At the end of the long yet short wedding aisle, the Lombardi Matriarch bowed to her father.

Gallahan Lombardi looked as if he was about to shed tears, but no one reprimanded him.

How many emotions must be swirling within a father who raised his daughter alone, now at her wedding?

Many guests quietly wiped away tears, empathizing with the father.

And finally, Lombardi Matriarch Florentia Lombardi turned to face Emperor Perez.

By principle, the young Emperor should have waited for the bride on a lower step, but he couldn’t wait.

He quickly came down, took the Lombardi Matriarch’s hand, and said.

“So. So beautiful, Tia.”

It was a small whisper, but in the quiet hall, no one failed to hear it.

“…Be quiet.”

When the Lombardi Matriarch finally disciplined the Emperor, a small laugh rippled through the guests.

With their hands clasped, the bride and groom stood before the officiant, Rulac Lombardi.

“Today, in this place, Emperor Perez Brivachau Durelli and Lombardi Matriarch Florentia Lombardi…”

The officiant’s speech was seemingly ordinary.

Except for Rulac Lombardi occasionally glaring at Perez with strict eyes.

Some guests even flinched at his gaze, but Emperor Perez, on the contrary, was unfazed.

It seemed his happiness at marrying the Lombardi Matriarch made him impervious to such things.

“Perez Brivachau Durelli, make your vow.”

Finally, it was the groom’s turn, who had not taken his eyes off the bride.

“Once forgotten by the world, I met you and gained a new life. All the happiness and sorrow I have felt, and even my throne, are due to that day’s salvation. Therefore, I offer my crown and my life to you, Florentia Lombardi.”

People gasped.

An Emperor vowing to offer his crown and his life.

Such a thing had never been heard of.

“Ahem. Florentia Lombardi, make your vow.”

Naturally, everyone’s gaze turned to the Lombardi Matriarch.

“Everyone says there are regrets at the end of life.”

She took a breath and opened her mouth.

“But if you are not by my side at the end of this life, I will inevitably yearn to repeat this life. Therefore, I promise the beginning and end of this life to you, Perez Brivachau Durelli.”

Sniff.

Finally, Gallahan Lombardi began to cry.

But he wasn’t the only one pulling out a handkerchief.

In front of the couple who solemnly promised everything to each other, Rulac Lombardi, who was officiating, and many of the guests, had red eyes.

Even the groom, Emperor Perez.

He gritted his teeth, unable to shed tears at his own wedding, and stared intently at the bride’s veil.

The wedding hall instantly became a sea of tears.

Amidst it all, the Lombardi Matriarch, who stood calmly alone, finally spoke, unable to bear it any longer.

“…Grandpa.”

“R-right. Ahem. I, Rulac Lombardi, hereby declare that these two are husband and wife.”

No sooner had Rulac Lombardi finished speaking than Emperor Perez lifted the Lombardi Matriarch’s veil.

And immediately kissed her.

It was a deep and sincere kiss, unlike any seen at other weddings.

Clap, clap, clap-!

Applause as fervent as the bride and groom’s kiss filled Eleanor Hall.

One by one, guests rose from their seats amidst the ensuing congratulations and cheers.

Emperor Perez and the Lombardi Matriarch, now husband and wife, pressed their foreheads together, looking at each other and smiling happily.

The wedding ended successfully.

The reception, which might have been for us or for the guests who wanted to have fun, also concluded successfully.
***

And on the first morning as husband and wife.

Perez dropped a bombshell in the Lombardi mansion’s dining room, where we were all eating together.

“What did you just say?”

Perez gently dabbed my lips with a napkin, as I had dropped my cutlery in surprise, and replied.

“I told them I’m moving my residence to the Lombardi mansion, Tia.”