14. Marriage
After waking up in this place called Rondia and rolling around like a dog to learn firsthand the brutal laws of this cutthroat world, I'd written off "marriage" as a luxury for other people—something I'd never seriously considered for myself, let alone building a proper family.
So when Lumentar declared that Selene and I had to get married, my retort shot out immediately.
"You show up after two days and start talking marriage? What the hell is that...? Sure, I slept with your sister, but that was just to save her life, wasn't it?"
"I understand how you feel about suddenly gaining a wife... but according to our race's traditions and laws, Selene must take you as her husband. And you must accept her as your wife."
"Don't those ancient laws always have an 'exception'? Besides, I'm a human, not a dark elf... Let's at least talk this over first."
Marrying a woman as stunning as Selene was every man's dream, sure. But actually staring down marriage was a completely different beast. Never mind my creed of trusting no one—the sheer weight of responsibility that came with becoming her husband right now was beyond imagining.
So I tried to buy some time, persuading Lumentar to talk it out first. But his reaction to my words was anything but casual.
His excited expression hardened into ice, and he opened his mouth in a voice that sent chills down my spine for reasons I couldn't quite place.
"An exception... Yes, there is one."
"What's that?"
"If one of the parties dies, or possesses a serious impediment to married life."
As he spat out "serious impediment," his gaze blatantly fixed on my crotch—specifically my groin—while a faint killing intent leaked from him.
"In other words, Selene or you must have some defect that makes marriage impossible... but the detoxification process two days ago proved neither of you has any issues."
"..."
"Which means, to avoid this marriage, one of you needs a new defect... As you know, I value Selene more than my own life."
Right then, his hand went to the sword at his waist, nailing down exactly who the defective one would be. As he ramped up the killing intent, I had no choice but to fold.
"Fine. I'll do it... marriage. But can we at least take some time first? Date or something?"
"You can court her to your heart's content after the wedding, brother-in-law."
Hmm... Yeah. Marrying a certified beauty like Selene? Good deal. Hell yeah.
At the same time, Selene—who'd been eavesdropping with barely open eyes on her brother and the human man—felt her mood sour. Big time.
She, beautiful enough to have fielded proposals from nearly every man in the village since adulthood... had just been more or less rejected by some human.
'Who does this human think he is, acting all high and mighty just 'cause he's decent-looking? Lucky bastard took my virginity and gets to marry me, and he's asking about exceptions? Fuck... Should I just get up and smash everything right now?'
Selene clenched the bedsheet hard, her fury bubbling silently. The ecstasy that had melted her body days ago—and the fondness it built—faded fast. But her feelings toward Eugene didn't sour into outright hate or loathing. He was still the man who'd saved her life, after all.
That aside, his blatant attempts to dodge marriage with her were infuriating. So she made a vow: no skinship whatsoever until she truly accepted him as her husband.
Not long after I'd hashed out the marriage agreement with Lumentar, Selene woke up. And with that, full-on wedding prep kicked into gear.
One thing nagged at me, though.
"Is your body alrig—"
"Thanks to you."
"If you don't want to marry me, we can try persuading your brother togeth—"
"No, I don't mind. And I have no intention of defying our proud tradition."
"Ah... okay."
Her words claimed zero objections to the marriage, but the icy chill in her gaze and demeanor said otherwise.
Plus, Lumentar's words from our talk echoed: dark elves never forget a grudge—or a debt of gratitude.
'Looks like Selene's only going along with this out of tradition and gratitude to me.'
Naturally, that led me to conclude she wasn't sincere about marrying me, either.
'Is it really right to push through with a marriage neither of us wants?'
I second-guessed forcing this unwanted union, but Lumentar's overwhelming swordplay—cleaving four men in a single stroke—and his "terrifying" insistence on marriage with veiled threats flipped my thinking.
And that wasn't all. It sparked a full rethink.
'Sure, it's sudden, but this could actually be a huge win. How the hell else am I gonna land a beauty like Selene?'
Even piling up wealth and fame as a mercenary for life? Impossible. Lucky break into nobility? Still, snagging a dark elf wife would be like plucking stars from the sky.
And Selene was the most gorgeous dark elf I'd ever laid eyes on. Her becoming my wife? Reconsidering it cleared the shock, steadying my judgment.
This marriage might be the once-in-a-lifetime jackpot of my life.
Suddenly, answers bubbled up to all my nagging worries.
Settling down? Money's a tad short, but two or three more years, and I could snag a solid house and land. Worst case, play house-husband in her homeland, the Night Forest.
Personality clashes? Cultural gaps? I'll adapt. Hell, with Selene, she'd have to rake my back three, four times a day for me to complain. Just staring at her now was lifting my mood.
'My married buddies said the same: check personality and specs, sure, but looks are king. That's what keeps the fire burning.'
Just like that, my stance on marriage did a full 180. By then, the sun had set, the moon risen, and night fallen.
Behind the cathedral—where kids romped by day—Selene, three others, and Kell with his tail wagging happily had gathered.
Then, one reason for Lumentar's rush: the full moon broke free of the clouds, bathing us in its soft glow.
"Now, the two of you face each other."
Lumentar's voice, officiating, rumbled low. Following his words, I slowly turned left.
"Gasp—"
Selene, silhouetted against the moonlight, stole my breath.
I'd seen her naked already, and her in the wedding dress during prep. But under the moon, scattering an ethereal haze... she looked like the goddess Isyrin had descended. Otherworldly beauty on another level.
Silver hair cascading like drawn threads down her lower back. Her deep, half-lidded silver eyes seemed to draw my soul in.
A simple silver dress, no flashy ornaments—the starkness only amplified her overwhelming presence, her voluptuous curves wrapped tight, squeezing my heart dizzyingly.
Meanwhile, as I got lost in her heaving bosom...
"Today we gather to bless the union of Selene, daughter of the Silvervein house, and Eugene..."
Lumentar's officiation flew by quick. By the time I snapped to, the ceremony's climax was upon us.
"Under Isyrin's watchful gaze, I declare you husband and wife. As proof of your unchanging love, I bind you with mithril that has drunk the moonlight."
Soon, over our facing hands, Lumentar wrapped a thin chain of mithril—more precious than gold—securing it tight.
Then he began murmuring in dark elf tongue, a whisper.
Shockingly, the mithril glowed faintly in sync with his voice, a chilling cold—or heat?—rising where it touched skin.
"Ugh—"
Startled, I reflexively tried to yank free. But Selene's soft hand clamped down, holding firm.
Moments later.
A faint rattle as Lumentar's incantation ended. The glow faded from the mithril chain as it slowly unwound from our hands.
Where bare skin showed again on our hand-backs: faint blue-glowing marks lingered. Like chain impressions... but somehow like letters or runes.
Right then, Lumentar—with the chain removed—cleared up my curiosity.
"The moonlight's mark, proving you are husband and wife. Invisible day-to-day, it reveals itself only on full moons like tonight. Now, finally, seal this wedding with a kiss."
Urged on by Lumentar—now truly my brother-in-law—I leaned in, hands still clasped.
As my lips neared her pink ones...
Her head tilted back just a fraction.
Our lips brushed close enough to feel each other's warmth—then pulled apart again.
Uh... bad sign, right?