A Tomb for Two
【Thank you for the ride, Ursila.】
After stepping off the ship, I bowed my head.
It was my way of thanking her for bringing us all the way from Kudses. At my words, Ursila, who had been lighting a cigarette, waved her hand dismissively.
【No need for thanks. A sailor’s job isn’t done until everyone’s home. How could I just drop you off and say “good luck”? We shared a table, even if only for a short while.】
【Heh. Sailors really do have a strong sense of honor.】
I mixed in a bit of sincerity with the lip service. Ursila brushed her hands as if she understood.
【Of course we value honor. We got paid for it, after all. I’ll make good use of the gift your wife gave me.】
【Please do. Feel free to brag about it wherever you go.】
【Naturally. No matter how trivial the adventure, if you’ve got a treasure in hand, it becomes a fine tale.】
On Ursila’s wrist was an unfamiliar bracelet.
A magic item woven from twigs like a floral crown! Veronica had crafted it from the Burning Branch while holed up in the inn. It could produce a small flame without consuming mana, and with mana, it could extinguish fire even without water.
It would prove useful during naval battles or ship work where a fire could spell disaster.
‘She made it from the leftover materials after crafting her staff.’
Still, its utility was undeniable.
If rarity were factored in, even diamonds might not compare. Though without the right buyer, it might only fetch a high price from collectors.
【Anyway, take care. We’ll stock up on supplies while we’re in Britannia and pick up some goods to sell back home.】
【Beer?】
【Looks like the Kitai bumpkin went mad from the long voyage. I hear this country even milks cows for beer?】
【Never tried cow piss, but it’s probably indistinguishable if someone swapped it in.】
After exchanging jokes and laughter, we shook hands.
【I won’t say we’ll meet again, but if we do, a nod of recognition is fine. I’ll pray that in a day or so, your name comes with a surname attached.】
【A surname?】
What kind of idiom was that? Ursila shrugged.
【Oh. Was I mistaken? I thought you’d abandoned your surname like a Viking.】
【I don’t know much about that culture. Only what I’ve heard in rumors.】
【It’s a trivial story. Vikings and sailors cast off surnames, which are shackles of the land. Since the sea is the mother of all things, they sever lingering attachments and ties so they can return to her embrace without regret, even if they drown.】
【I see.】
Just custom or something of the sort. Sensing my polite but uninterested smile, Ursila moved to her conclusion.
【A sailor keeps a surname in only three cases: if they’ve retired, if they ignored the custom from the start, or if they achieved great deeds and earned a name worth praising. Most Vikings dream of the third.】
【Ah. So you were wishing me that kind of success. Thank you for the encouragement.】
A surname, huh. That was worth thinking about.
In this world, families unified under one surname. Veronica was a divine being, but Dana and Franc, from a matriarchal society, had aligned their family name with their mother’s. Yet taking multiple wives and unifying them under one surname wasn’t impossible.
‘I’ll have to come up with a surname myself.’
It was valuable advice I hadn’t expected.
Anyway, this was farewell to the eccentric former married naval officer. Thinking so, I hesitated briefly before asking.
【Ursila? I’m asking because I think it’s better to, but if I send an invitation in a month or two, would you come?】
【That’s a bit much. It’d be awkward meeting again just weeks after parting. If you need extra hands, I’ll consider it, but why? Planning some celebration?】
Ursila tilted her head. I replied awkwardly.
【No. I was thinking of sending wedding invitations.】
The fires under our feet from the past half-year of being chased by time and external factors had finally been extinguished.
It was finally time to hold the wedding ceremony that had been postponed indefinitely since the proposal.
***
Weddings in this world differed somewhat from those in my 21st-century homeland.
While customs varied by country and region, I’ll give the most common example.
First, the officiant had to be a properly ordained priest or nun who had received baptism.
There was no asking a close friend or respected person to officiate. This was a world where gods existed openly, so it couldn’t be helped.
It was a clause that secretly benefited someone like me, who had wide connections but whose friendships were a mess.
Next, there were no monetary gifts.
Instead, guests brought household items as presents or prepared the wedding feast themselves.
Finally, the decisive difference: weddings themselves weren’t held lavishly.
‘On Earth, it wasn’t unusual to spend a whole year just on preparations.’
An older brother I knew had started wedding preparations when I was a private and was still at it by the time I was discharged.
But in this world, they finished preparations in just a month. It was a lightning-fast wedding that would astonish even Koreans with their “hurry hurry” spirit.
Apparently, extravagant Western-style weddings weren’t common here.
This seemed to stem from the commoner perspective.
For commoner men and women, a wedding meant gathering in a humble church hut, serving neighbors pig slop, cheering “Hooray! So fun!”, and ending with giggles. The customs of this world’s people from that bygone era when ancient civilizations had roughly collapsed into a medieval, medieval-ish state had persisted to the present.
‘This doesn’t apply to noble or wealthy weddings.’
Therefore, for my wedding with Franc, I planned to invest generously—one gold ingot, just as it was.
“Nord, you’re such a doting husband. A simple wedding would’ve been fine.”
Franc, nestled in my arms, said this.
After seeing off Ursila and the crew of the Goldine Ship, we returned home, unpacked, and rested for a night.
The next day arrived, and the macho Nord was in his wife’s room, planning the wedding schedule.
Unlike the proposal, the wedding couldn’t be a surprise. This wasn’t something to decide unilaterally. I’d have to discuss it with Franc for days on end.
‘Damn, a surprise wedding. Even the sound of it is awesome.’
Just imagining it made my head spin.
It was like a wife shoving a pregnancy test at you and saying, “I secretly took it while you were asleep and got pregnant! Surprise!”
“It’s your one and only wedding. It should be done lavishly. If we half-ass it, you’ll regret it 100%.”
I said this while stroking Franc’s hair.
Think about it. I already had three wives.
If I treated Franc’s wedding like a casual house party and held Dana and Veronica’s on a scale that would make royalty’s jaws drop?
How heartbroken would Franc, attending that wedding, feel?
No, she’d never show it, but if it were me, my heart would be torn apart.
In my time, getting by with an electric scooter while buying a flashy Rolls-Royce for the second husband? Damn, that’s grounds for divorce.
‘My wives have big hearts, but that doesn’t mean I can do whatever I want.’
The best approach was to never create comparisons between wives in the first place.
That said, we couldn’t lower the bar and treat every wife’s wedding like cheap soup, gulping it down for value!
Considering the wives’ hometowns and backgrounds, it might differ from what I imagined, but since Franc wasn’t bound by her homeland’s culture, I wanted to put even more heart into it.
‘More than that, damn, I still haven’t given engagement rings to Dana and Veronica.’
I’d been holding back on Franc’s wedding to avoid seeming like I was spreading myself too thin, but in that sense too, the wedding had to be done properly.
“Let’s decide on the venue together. You pick my outfit, Franc.”
“Me? Hehe. Somehow that feels weird.”
“Heh. What’s weird about it? I need to look like the coolest husband in our Franc’s eyes. If the suit doesn’t sit right when you’re on my arm, it’ll stick in your memory forever, right?”
“Ugh… Nord’s words are strangely persuasive.”
—Shiver. Franc trembled as if she could picture it.
That’s how we set the wedding schedule. Being quick to prepare helped. It meant letters would be sent and replies received faster too.
I outright banned Franc from adventurer work until the ceremony.
Because lines like “I’m getting married when I get home” were a universal rule leading to movie-tragedy endings.
Even staying home, there was no worry about living expenses. There was plenty to do.
Repeating training, receiving wedding invitation replies and tallying attendees.
Securing the venue size, renting formal wear, and in between, sparring with Franc too.
Larilura, as she’d said before, brazenly sat on our living room sofa, slapping her knees and giving me eyes that said “Transform. Hurry.”
Veronica got scolded by Franc while holed up researching space magic tablets.
On top of that, I got dragged off by our noona and did the graduate student returns thing, so I was busy without a moment to breathe. Before I knew it, a month had passed.
‘Damn. That last part was a bit weird.’
The smell of ink and stamina recovery potions wafting from Dana’s lab was so familiar it felt like passing through Nonsan.
It gave me twice the chills compared to when Enrir had summoned Mjolnir from hell.
No wonder I felt like reuniting with 10-year comrades even though the researchers were strangers.
That shaggy-haired kid, he was at Carmine University and Germania University too. Why the hell is there one in every lab I go to?
Schrödinger, you were wrong. If you’d done the quantum mechanics experiment with graduate students instead of cats, humanity would’ve succeeded in space exploration by 2020.
Anyway, no matter how my daily life rolled, time passed moment by moment, and before long, the wedding day arrived.
Along with the end of November, as the winter wind began to grow slightly colder.
***
I’d explained at length about this world’s wedding culture, but experiencing it firsthand, there were more similarities than I thought.
For example, things like wedding cakes or wedding dresses.
Besides that, there were guests crowding into the bride and groom’s waiting rooms.
“Cute junior, descent☆!”
The pink-haired minor (one month left on the expiration date) who’d be loud even in sign language appeared in the waiting room wearing plain clothes.
It was a thoughtful fashion choice to let Franc, the star, shine. Suppressing the urge to fix my collar, I tilted my head.
“Huh? What? Weren’t you with Franc?”
In this world, oddly enough, the “men and women over seven shouldn’t sit together” rule activated on the wedding day itself. The bride and groom waited in separate rooms.
‘No, there were times like this on Earth too, weren’t there?’
I wouldn’t know, being a 20-year-old brat. At my reaction, Larilura pouted.
“I came all this way to see you, and that’s your reaction? The sisters are stuck to Sister Franc like glue, so the free-spirited me came to scout?”
Was this a wedding or UFC? Why the reconnaissance in enemy territory.
That’s what I thought, but I welcomed her without showing it.
“Yeah, come on in. How’s Franc?”
“She’s trembling like a dog caught in the rain! The sisters are holding both her hands!”
“Sounds like Franc.”
If she wasn’t nervous in this situation, it wouldn’t be our Franc.
When she wasn’t in full tension mode, getting nervous and shaking was very Franc-like. Larilura frowned as she looked at my hairstyle.
“Ah, Senior! You touched your hair again! I told you it’d mess up the shape!”
“It was itchy so I scratched a bit. Does it show?”
“I can’t live like this. Come here. If you mess it up again, I’ll leave it until right before the ceremony. If you don’t want to get embarrassed greeting guests, stay still.”
Larilura grumbled while fixing my slicked-back hair.
She applied wax-like potion—cosmetics made from glue.
“Got it? Since you look better without bangs, you should thank your junior’s devoted styling again and again?”
“Loyalty, loyalty. I’m grateful for General Priscilla’s mercy.”
Still, let’s not use a tone that makes it sound like my hair roots are getting “Vegeta’d.” It’s ominous.
—Creak.
While I was enduring the itchy feeling of the wax, the waiting room door opened again.
It was a man with a bulky build and a fierce face. If this were a mafia movie, he’d definitely be the guy who came to cause trouble at the wedding for family revenge. Larilura and I recognized him.
“Ah☆! It’s Dorka! Hello?”
“Oh, you came? I heard you’d replied, but you pushed yourself even though you’re busy.”
“Kk. This guy’s got guests coming and he’s sitting there getting his hair done by a much younger girl. What, are you some noble?”
The innkeeper Dorka, who’d dressed up, twisted his lips. I replied cheekily.
“No hard feelings. If I get up, Larilura will scold me. Anyway, thanks for coming. When I tried writing invitations, I realized I didn’t have many close friends.”
The feeling of having invitation paper left over even after sending out a bunch—only those who’ve experienced it would know.
I could really feel why there were part-time guest jobs.
“I figured as much, so I came. I even hired someone to handle the reception.”
“That’s great.”
While talking with Dorka, the door opened again.
This time it was Cromwell, a sorcerer from the Mage Guild, and Carlyle, the branch leader of our damn Audumla.
No, damn, there were still five hours until the ceremony, and they were already showing up? Since they were strangers, Larilura stopped applying wax. I stood up from my chair.
“Ah, thank you for coming even though you’re busy.”
“The treatment difference is bullshit.”
Ignoring Dorka’s complaint, I shook hands. Cromwell smiled.
“Not at all. We should be thanking you for inviting us.”
I’d even called branch-level personnel. I’d invited Edlyn too, but she was probably with Franc? This was the full activation of macho Nord’s network.
Carlyle spoke.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Nord. It’s nice to see capable adventurers tying the knot.”
“Ah, you beat me to it. Congratulations on your marriage. I left the gift with the venue staff.”
“My, it’s already an honor that you’re gracing us with your presence, and you even prepared a gift? I’m overwhelmed.”
Exchanging appropriate small talk while keeping social mode ON.
Cromwell, who’d been smiling, looked at Dorka and gave a hand greeting.
“Dorka. You came too. Did you know Nord through inn business?”
“Yeah. Thanks to the equipment you fenced, I got some extra cash.”
“I was holding onto it. Think of it as a pawnshop and come repay it later.”
“Kk. My hands are too busy massaging my wife now. No time for weapons.”
Were they acquainted? Maybe Dorka, like me, had used adventurer earnings to build his own house.
Well, with that face, being a warm innkeeper was a stretch. Dorka said.
“We’ll be going. See you later.”
“Yeah. Show your face to my wife too. She’ll be happy.”
“Sure, why not.”
After sending off the three hairy males, I waited until the ceremony began.
I greeted the blacksmith Clara, the Gold-class adventurer team I’d fought alongside twice since the black mage subjugation, the researcher slaves from Carmine University, and other grateful guests.
“You seem to be doing well? Franc looked happy.”
Beynya, the owner of the inn “Mutarat’s Children” where Franc used to stay, also came to see me and said this.
“Yes. I even visited the grave to pay respects to my father-in-law.”
“Mm, mm. That’s how young folks should live.”
Seeming satisfied, Beynya exchanged a few more words of small talk before heading to the venue. I bowed to see her off.
My back was going up and down like crazy today.
“Groom. It’s time for you to enter.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
The last guest to visit my waiting room was Beynya.
I sent Larilura ahead first and had the ceremony assistant fix my outfit. Then I headed to the venue.
I’d sent invitations to celebrities like Nefertiti, Hotulusil, and Selena, but naturally they were busy and either sent refusals or left them unread. It must’ve been hard to free up time in just a month.
—Step. Step.
I walked down the wedding hall aisle.
The Romanian-style church was the most splendid among those in Sargadis where weddings could be held. The guide led me to a room with a door and bowed.
“Please wait until the nun calls your name. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you.”
After thanking the stranger, I opened the door.
Franc had arrived first and was looking at the ceiling decorations as if waiting for me.
The white wedding dress and veil were dazzlingly beautiful.
It was the wedding dress I’d commissioned from Hela in Hremar and had delivered. Franc’s black hair and blue eyes were accentuated like highlights, and it suited her perfectly.
“……Ah.”
We both stared at each other in surprise before coming to our senses.
“Hehe. Nord, you look handsome as expected.”
“Sounds like flattery. I thought standing next to you would make me look like a thief.”
“That’s fine. I’m a thief and you’re a thief too. A couple of thieves.”
When I offered my arm, Franc carefully linked arms so as not to wrinkle the tuxedo.
“Did the nerves ease up a bit?”
“Yeah. But now I’m getting nervous again. If someone startles me, I might burst into tears.”
“You can cry whether you’re happy or sad. It’s a husband’s duty to make sure there are no days when you cry from sadness.”
“It’s a wife’s duty too.”
Just then, a voice calling us rang out, signaling preparations were complete.
“Groom, bride. Please enter.”
It was time.
We stepped forward with strength in our linked arms. The ceremony assistants opened the doors without a sound. Perhaps the sound of the doors opening was drowned out by applause.
The guests seated in the pews applauded in response.
Honestly, I’m sorry, but the first ones I saw were Dana, Veronica, and Larilura. What could I do? They were familiar faces.
Even with so many guests who’d come, the human heart was truly fickle.
—Step.
We walked down the virgin road stretching forward and ascended the stage.
Swish…. The nun lifted the veil and revealed her face. Someone in the guest seats seemed to recognize the nun’s face and swallowed their breath.
Maria Hennessis.
The lord’s daughter, Lady Hennessis.
“Dear guests. Please be quiet.”
She, who had obtained official nun qualifications in Romania, swept her hand horizontally.
In this world, nuns and priests held similar ranks, and marriage was also possible. It wasn’t strange for a noble like her to join the church to learn healing magic.
She possessed the natural charisma of a noble and the devout posture of a nun. The ceremony hall quickly fell silent.
“On this day, November 28th. Even in this cold season when the red leaves have fallen and vegetation sleeps, one beautiful love has bloomed.”
Lady Hennessis spoke with a voice that carried far.
“On this beautiful day, as the groom Lord Nord and the bride Lady Francesca Aitrynen receive everyone’s blessings and wish to form a new family, as the representative of the gods, I sincerely congratulate their union.”
Perhaps because the officiant’s words carried a religious perspective, making them solemn. The speech was short and dignified.
“I pray that even if trials and hardships come in the future, the two of you will embrace your spouse with love. I hope you become a couple who cherishes and cares for each other with grateful hearts. Next—”
Lady Hennessis realized her mistake and closed her mouth.
Normally, this would be when the bride and groom’s parents stood, but as everyone knew, our couple had neither parents nor family to stand in their place.
Still, without faltering at her mistake, the officiant continued.
“Next will be the couple’s vows. Groom, Lord Nord. Do you swear to love the bride, Lady Francesca Aitrynen, for the rest of your life?”
“I swear.”
By the time I thought to open my mouth, the words had already left. It was a heavy voice, unlike my own.
——As they say, marriage is the tomb of life.
A well-known black humor in the world. But today, I’ll interpret its meaning differently.
If marriage is a tomb——then a loving couple entering the same tomb could also be seen as a vow to live together for a hundred years.
Marriage was truly a promise to love until black hair turned white, to make the tomb of life the same place.
“Bride, Lady Francesca Aitrynen. Do you swear to love the groom, Lord Nord, for the rest of your life?”
As the final step of the union, Lady Hennessis asked Franc.
Franc looked with lonely eyes at the empty guest seats where the bride and groom’s parents should have been. As if a wound carved into her heart since before she came of age was now manifesting in form.
So I took Franc’s hand and kissed the back of it.
So that Franc would no longer have to look at empty seats and feel sad.
“……Heh.”
My Franc laughed a little and cried a little.
And then, as if she’d shaken it all off, she whispered.
“——Yes. I swear.”
……Ah, right.
This is also part of the rambling, but since I almost forgot to mention it, I’ll say it.
One of the etymologies of Francesca.
The wish first given to the newborn Franc.
That wish’s meaning was…… Freedom, they say.
