Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Story of Getting Married - 2
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The wedding was planned to be a simple affair.
With the war having thinned out the population, and this being a rural village ceremony, there was no way it could be extravagant.
Still, I figured a ring was essential, so I sold off the monster hides and byproducts I'd accumulated as a hunter to a traveling merchant and bought a gold ring.
"It's definitely a gold ring."
"Thank you, Tom."
"Haha, it's nothing. It's just what a craftsman like me should do."
Considering the possibility of it being plated, I'd asked the blacksmith Tom to appraise it, and thankfully, it was solid gold.
"Giving a gold ring to a wife you've never even seen... Suits you perfectly."
"Well, it's not like we're in love or anything, but since we're building a family together, I have to do my best."
In a way, my marriage was akin to an arranged deal.
The village had set it up because they wanted a young man like me, with my specialized skills as a hunter.
'I just hope she doesn't faint at the sight of my face.'
My face had been ugly since childhood—ugly enough that I sometimes wondered if that's why my parents abandoned me.
And then there was the scar across my face from my battle with the Black Tiger.
As a kid, I was just plain ugly, but now as an adult, I looked downright scary. That's why the village women avoided me after I returned.
"She seems to have taken a liking to you. Don't worry. From what I know, Chloe's a good girl."
"Pardon?"
"She's kind-hearted and doesn't judge by appearances. Besides, aren't you perfect in every way except your looks? Have some confidence."
"Thank you for the kind words."
The 'except your looks' part stung a bit, but Tom's words restored my spirits.
With preparations complete, the next day I finally met my bride-to-be, Chloe.
"Hello. I'm Chloe."
"Huh?"
And I nearly fainted myself.
'What the...?'
Contrary to Tom's warning not to get my hopes up, Chloe was a beauty so stunning it hurt to look at her.
To describe her with my limited vocabulary, she was more gorgeous than any TV celebrity from my old world.
Her silver hair was especially striking, but what really caught the eye was her incredibly generous... heart.
'What about those breasts?'
I'd thought this world, with its magic and monsters, had plenty of beautiful women, but I never imagined my bride would be on this level.
I shot Tom a glare, and he just shrugged.
"I didn't say anything wrong."
"How exactly..."
I followed Tom's gaze and turned my head.
There stood a woman who appeared to be Chloe's mother, Sylvia. Fittingly, she was quite beautiful herself.
'Didn't they say she's almost forty? Why does she look so young?'
Her smooth, wrinkle-free face belied her age, and despite having borne three children, she looked youthful.
The village's top beauty? The standards in this rural place are sky-high...
"Please take care of my daughter."
"Yes, of course, Mother-in-law. Though I'm not worthy, I promise to make Chloe happy."
Sylvia approached and greeted me, and I responded with the line I'd prepared. Just then, a girl of about fourteen stepped forward from her side and blurted out,
"You're ugly."
"Clia!"
Judging by her looks, she was Chloe's little sister.
"I'm sorry. She's been spoiled rotten."
"No, no. I appreciate her honesty."
I meant it.
Most little girls would cry or run away at the sight of my face, but Clia stood her ground and said her piece.
"Can you feed Big Sis properly, big bro?"
"Pardon?"
"Sis eats a ton. She used to sneak rye bread when Mom wasn't looking. She's such a glutton that guys from other villages avoid her."
"Clia!"
This time, it was Chloe scolding her.
Stealing food must be quite embarrassing, it seemed.
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility and make sure Chloe, Clia, and even you, Mother, are all well-fed."
Unlike my old world, food was hard to come by here. Resources were scarce, and I'd gone hungry plenty before reaching adulthood.
But not anymore.
"For real?"
"Even if I don't look it, I'm this country's top hunter."
Of course, that was according to my adoptive father Ian, but I took pride in my skills as a hunter.
"Then I want bear meat."
"Starting with the tough requests, huh..."
Clia's bold demand left me a little flustered.
Bear meat was great, but its strong odor made it tricky to prepare.
"Sorry to interrupt the good vibes, Sian, but we need to start soon."
"Ah, right."
As Tom said, villagers began gathering.
True to form, there were no young men my age—just older folks or men with disabilities.
"Then let's begin the wedding."
Normally, a priest from the Church of Love would officiate, but in rural villages without a chapel like ours, the Village Chief took charge.
Of course, the chief had to memorize the Church of Love's standard ceremony script, but that wasn't my concern.
As the simple ceremony neared its end, I slipped the gold ring onto the ring finger of Chloe's left hand.
"Sian, what's this?"
"It's a ring. I couldn't afford two, but I prepared it for you."
"Th-thank you so much... Sob..."
"Chloe?"
I'd thought it was a given, but apparently not to her. She suddenly burst into tears.
Then, flashing a radiant smile, she said,
"I'll be a wife worthy of you, Sian."
"Then I'll make you happy, no matter what."
And just like that, I was married.
...
The new house I'd built wasn't just for Chloe and me—my mother-in-law Sylvia and sister-in-law Clia would live with us too.
It wasn't the usual arrangement, but with her eldest brother Leon missing in the war, leaving only women in the household, I'd have to take them in.
'Is that why the Village Chief arranged the marriage?'
After my adoptive father passed, I had no family to support, making me an ideal match for Chloe's family.
Thinking about it that way, the chief's choice felt thorough—and rather cold. He'd arranged it with this situation in mind.
Well, for me, getting a lovely wife made it the best outcome possible.
"Wow~ The house is huge!"
Clia started running around the moment we entered, while Sylvia inspected every corner of the spacious home.
Chloe, looking astonished, asked me,
"I saw it from afar, but I didn't realize it was this big... You built all this yourself?"
"Yeah, Tom helped, so it went smoothly."
Chloe used formal speech with me, while I spoke casually.
I'd wanted to use honorifics with my wife too, but she'd insisted against it.
Something about the head of the household needing dignity.
Patriarchal system, huh?
"There's a separate outdoor kitchen space. Is that meat hanging for smoking?"
Sylvia, having looked around inside, came over to ask.
"Yes, Mother-in-law."
"Hehe, don't call me 'Mother-in-law' so stiffly. Just Sylvia."
"Well..."
"You're the head of this house now, Sian. And the head should be treated—and act—like one."
Patriarchal it was, then.
'This comes with heavy responsibility.'
In the modern world, patriarchy got a bad rap, but in this medieval-like setting, it meant something different.
I was responsible for everything concerning them.
"Got it, Sylvia."
"No need for formal speech either."
"That might be tough."
I could drop formalities with my wife, but speaking casually to my mother-in-law—old enough to be my mom—clashed with my Confucian soul.
Though her looks made that hard to remember.
"Hey, big bro."
"Yeah?"
"Where do we sleep?"
Clia, who'd been playing around, tugged my arm and asked.
"The room to the left of the front door is yours, Clia."
"Huh? Then where do Sis and Mom sleep?"
"In their own rooms."
"Eek?! Separate bedrooms?"
"Yeah?"
Clia looked shocked at my words.
Not just her—Chloe and Sylvia seemed surprised too.
"You made all these extra rooms just to use them separately?"
"That's right."
The layout was modern-style: four bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathroom.
The toilet was flush-style in appearance only.
I had to fill and empty it manually.
"Sian, we're not nobles. You didn't have to go to such lengths."
"It wasn't a hassle."
"Once we... have children, you won't be able to give them all their own rooms."
Chloe's face flushed as she spoke, leaving me speechless.
This wasn't the low-birth-rate modern world; in this medieval setting, people averaged four kids or more—six or seven if they wanted.
'How many will we have?'
With Chloe's beauty and my vigor, it could spiral out of control.
The thought made my face heat up too. Chloe, equally red, changed the subject.
"And a house this big will need tons of firewood for heating."
"Don't worry about heating."
Floor Heating solved that, and I'd even added a living room fireplace just in case.
I was confident heating was perfect.
"Still..."
"I told you, I'll make you happy. No worries."
"Okay... If you say so, Sian."
"Then it's you and me in one room, and Sylvia and Clia sharing another."
"Ugh, but I wanna sleep with Sis."
"Clia, come with Mom for a bit."
"Why?"
"Now."
Sylvia took the young Clia off somewhere—probably to pack for the move.
"Chloe, we should move the bed too..."
I turned to reassign rooms when Chloe suddenly clung to my arm and hugged me.
"Chloe?"
"Sian."
Her generous heart pressed against my chest, and my heart pounded wildly.
Aware or not of my feelings, Chloe looked up at me with flushed cheeks and said,
"It's not night yet, but how about a kiss first?"
"A kiss?"
Her words brought a rush of thoughts that vanished just as quickly.
Sudden as it was, I didn't refuse. I simply met her gaze silently, then slowly leaned in.
And it was incredibly soft.