Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 313

"Good morning."

I woke up to Freed's voice. It seems I had been sleeping quite deeply. I raised my body and checked the clock - it was two hours before the scheduled time to leave the room.

"Good morning. Freed, did you sleep properly?"

I asked Freed who was lying on his side and watching me. While gently smiling, he nodded.

"Of course I slept. However, I got up a while ago. In anticipation of today, I woke up earlier."
"Fufu, Freed, you're like a child."

He's just like a child who can't sleep, excited before a trip. When I smiled at the thought, his finger poked my cheek.

"I can't help it. Today is our long-awaited wedding. Lidi, how about you? Aren't you looking forward to it?"
"Of course I am."

The wedding is an opportunity to see Freed in the military uniform for the first time in a while. That alone is worth looking forward to.

"How nice, Freed in the formal wear. I don't get to see it much, so I'm looking forward to it."
"I always think that, but you really like me in the formal wear, Lidi. Aren't you tired of it?"
"Not at all. Tell me, what is there to get tired of? Everything about it is cool, I regret that I have to blink."

I declared it with a full-power smile. And then I suddenly realized.

"Ah, that's right, what do I do? Even under usual circumstances I'm troubled by how cool Freed is. Add the military uniform on top of that, and I might die today."

Gorgeous Freed in the military uniform has been my favorite food from before I realized I loved him. Now that all it takes is Freed to get me going, it might be a little too stimulating.

"Mumu… I'm getting a little anxious."

Moreover, today is the wedding. Clara and her subordinates will be full of enthusiasm, so he should be a hundred times cooler than usual. I hope I don't become so captivated that I forget the words or the order of the ceremony.

"Lidi. What ominous thing are you saying?"

When I seriously shuddered from unease, Freed made an amazed face.

"Lidi, you are today's protagonist, the bride. If you so desire, I'll embrace you without changing from the formal wear, so don't get too excited, Lidi."
"Really? Yay!"

Unexpectedly, it looks like the wedding night will become 'Military Uniform Festival Returns Part 2'.
Although I wondered for an instant if we really will be doing this on our wedding night, I decided not to worry, since in a sense it's just like us. Besides, the honeymoon will last for two weeks. The first day being the Military Uniform Festival might be good.

"Lidi, in exchange, let me embrace you in the wedding dress."
"Eh…"

I blinked my eyes at Freed's request.

"Because, you will be dressed for me, right? There's nothing strange about wanting to embrace the Lidi I will only see once in my life."
"Err, Freed, if that's what you want, fine."

Seeing that I also desire the Military Festival Uniform, I should respond to his wishes.
However, a wedding dress play… Since Freed desires it, I'm willing, but now that I've calmed down a little, I really wonder what we are doing.
But well, married couples are like that. Since neither of us dislikes it, there's no problem.
After an early breakfast, I took out a new dress from the closet. That said, since I'd been wearing dresses with the same design for the past three days, there wasn't much novelty.
While we were roughly cleaning the room, the scheduled time came just like that.

"―― It's time. Lidi, come here."
"Yup."

Freed was standing in front of the mural depicting a blue rose that I'd been about to erroneously touch on my first day here.
The blue rose was painted on the chest of a woman who was reaching her hand to a dragon. It was so similar to mine that I ended up staring at it again.

"Freed…"
"Lidi, touch that rose."
"Ah, yup."

Per Freed's instructions, I reached out to the rose. As soon as I softly touched it, the wall in front of me disappeared.

"Eeeeeh!?"

In place of the wall was a long narrow passage. There were candlesticks on the left and right walls that lit up on their own. While I was surprised, Freed pulled my hand.

"Now, don't be so surprised and come."

Pulled by Freed I advanced. When I looked back out of curiosity, there was no room, only a wall.

"What happened…"
"It's just that kind of thing. There are stairs ahead, so watch out."
"There really are."

As Freed stated, after a short while I saw stairs. After scaling them, we exited into a small room. While I was wondering where we were, I was called out to from behind.

"Lidi, we have been waiting."
"Mother-in-law."

When I turned back, I saw Mother-in-law and the King. While smiling, Mother-in-law said.

"Welcome back, Lidi. This is a room on the ground floor of the royalty quarter. The room you had spent the last three days in is in the basement of this building."
"Basement…"

Indeed, the darkest place is under the candlestick. But, hearing that we'd been in the castle basement until a moment ago somehow sounded convincing.
While looking at my chest, Mother-in-law said.

"It might be needless now, but this is also part of the ritual. ―― I have confirmed the Royal Flower. I deem the ritual safely finished."

With a stern face, the King also said.

"Freed. Your symbolic flower is a blue rose. I have also confirmed it. I deem you can advance with the marriage ceremony as the Crown Prince."
"Thank you."

Freed calmly bowed his head. I followed him and also bowed mine.
When I raised my face, Mother-in-law said with her eyes on me and Freed.

"Now then, according to the schedule, you will both now prepare for the wedding ceremony. Follow me."

In silence we followed after Mother-in-law and the King. There was no one outside the room. people must've been cleared out beforehand. We easily reached our room. I thought we'd return to it for a moment, but we went past it and were led to the dressing room.
Outside the room was Clara and her subordinates bowing their heads.
I have five court ladies attached to me, but it seems there are more today. Mother-in-law addressed Clara.

"Clara, I entrust preparing Lidi to you."
"Yes, Queen. Please leave it to me."
"Friedrich, you too prepare."
"Yes. ―― Lidi, see you later."
"Yup."

Chapter end