Objection! #1
“The man who will become my husband is the monk Hyde!”
Psyche declared it boldly in the garden.
Hearing that, I thought, Well, here we are—exactly as expected. Of course most of the people present could not accept the situation and began murmuring among themselves.
“Sir Loras was rejected? What on earth is going on?”
“And not even that scrawny scholar Selim—a Wood Badge monk named Hyde?”
If there were sheep panicking at the sudden appearance of a wolf, they would look exactly like the people here now. As their gazes gathered on me one by one, I was watching Loras.
The knight’s sun-tanned face had flushed so red it looked as though he were burning with pure humiliation.
Whoosh—!
Unable to endure it any longer, Loras swept his cloak dramatically and stormed out of the garden.
Serves him right.
Of course, Loras’s real troubles were only just beginning.
It wasn’t only Loras. The thought that I could bundle Priest Manaan and all his little hangers-on and drive them out together already lifted my spirits.
And what made me happiest of all was the simple fact that I would now be able to marry Psyche, the woman I had quietly loved for quite some time.
That beautiful, proud, and devout woman would become my bride!
She would become the lady of the church I would one day build!
While I was still bathing in that emotion, Psyche spoke again.
“Then let us hold the wedding at once. I have already sent word to Priest Manaan, who oversees the church of the Agarpe domain. He will soon arrive to serve as our officiant and notary.”
Priest Manaan, that bastard.
When he learned that the man he had so thoroughly looked down on was about to become the son-in-law of a count’s house, his eyes would roll back in shock.
And he would even have to stand as the notary for that very marriage—his feelings would be thoroughly mixed, to say the least.
With that pleasant thought in mind, we waited in the garden for the priest to arrive.
But when time had passed, the only person who appeared was the single servant who had been sent to fetch him.
“Priest Manaan refuses to notarize the marriage?”
Psyche’s eyebrows shot up at the news the servant brought. The man, who had just sprinted to the church and back, caught his breath and added:
“Haa… huu… He said he is beginning an all-night vigil of silence and fasting prayer. Not only Priest Manaan—Iron Badge Priests Gurvan and Ogid as well!”
People who had been perfectly free until now suddenly decided to enter silent fasting prayer?
And because of that they could not serve as celebrant or notary for a wedding?
What exquisite timing.
Anyone could see this was deliberate.
In this world, a marriage that did not receive the notarization of a priest of Iron Badge or higher was never officially recognized.
Even if a pure and spotless man and woman who loved each other came seeking marriage, if the Church said “No,” they simply could not marry.
Why did the Church possess such absolute authority?
Because the Church had won the war against the royal house.
I had heard that the direct cause of that war was a member of the royal family attempting a marriage the Church refused to recognize, and the fighting that followed.
That was why the churches of the kingdom now held unmatched authority over all matters of marriage.
“A-and… there is something else I must tell the young lady…”
The young servant, sweating profusely, glanced nervously around. While everyone watched to see what he would say, he squeezed his eyes shut and shouted:
“Oscar Archibold has arrived in the Agarpe domain!”
Oscar Archibold.
At that name, Psyche drew in a sharp breath.
“Lord Archibold has already reached the domain?”
As far as I knew, the reason Count’s daughter Psyche had rushed into marriage as casually as one might pick up a stray cat was precisely to escape the man named Oscar Archibold.
Yet before the wedding could even take place, Oscar Archibold had come to this very domain. It was only natural that Lady Psyche’s worries would deepen.
Watching her click her tongue, I fell into thought myself.
A bright midday hour.
A stir rose from the garden.
Looking out the window, I saw a man in a purple cloak striding unhindered into the garden of the Agarpe mansion.
He walked with a wooden staff like a shepherd guiding his flock. His platinum-blond hair fell long like a woman’s, and his face was as delicately handsome as a girl’s.
“So that man is Oscar Archibold.”
I recognized him.
I had crossed paths with him once or twice on the battlefield in the past.
That was all, so my memory of him had been hazy.
It turned out he was quite the young lord.
Thud.
Oscar took his place in the center of the garden like the protagonist of a play and called out to the surroundings.
“News that Lady Psyche has recovered from her illness has reached even beyond the domain! Is it true? If so, it seems my prayers have been answered!”
He shouted in a warm, pleasant voice.
A fine speaking voice was always a plus for priests and pastors, and the man possessed a beautiful tone capable of captivating a crowd.
Psyche stepped out into the garden and soon faced him.
Oscar, second son of the archbishop, bowed with the elegance of a refined young noble.
“Lady Psyche, it is an honor to see you again in such good health. Even illness could not hide your beauty. You are as lovely as an angel.”
As lovely as an angel.
What a cheap compliment.
She isn’t pretty like an angel—angels are pretty like Psyche.
While I was thinking that, Psyche answered with perfect courtesy.
“Lord Oscar, I thank you for the excessive praise. But if we speak of beauty, I have heard that your younger sister is the foremost beauty in the kingdom. Is she well?”
As she spoke, Psyche lightly touched her own shoulder. The slight frown that crossed her face suggested she was still in some pain.
“My lady, let us not speak of my tomboy sister just now. I wish to speak of myself and of you.”
Oscar’s eyes curved into thin crescents.
In my opinion the bastard was definitely staring at Psyche’s white, slender neck, her 70F chest, and her narrow waist.
He seemed to be trying to be careful with his gaze, but my eye never missed even a speck of sin.
How dare you look at my wife’s body with those greasy eyes?
Archbishop’s son or not, that was an immediate three-out call.
Completely unaware of my thoughts, the young lord placed a hand over his heart and spoke to Psyche like a deeply moved orator.
“Lady Psyche, that you recovered from your illness just before my arrival is the most marvelous coincidence. Or perhaps it is no coincidence at all. I feel the Creator’s providence at this very moment.”
“Providence?”
“Lady Psyche, please marry me.”
Oscar Archibold dropped to one knee.
In his hand he held a ring set with large pearls—clearly an expensive piece.
Thanks to his looks, the scene appeared thoroughly romantic, and several of the maids let out soft, swooning sounds—“How wonderful!” “So romantic…!”
I did not care for the situation at all.
At the same time, something about Oscar’s claim that “it is no coincidence” began to click into place.
So that’s why Priest Manaan refused to notarize the wedding. He was stalling for time until this bastard arrived.
What a pathetic little scheme.
Did he really think he could stop the tide?
Of course, everything depended on Psyche.
Her choice here would decide how the story unfolded.
Then Psyche took Oscar’s hand and raised him to his feet.
“Please don’t, Lord Oscar. I am already promised to another. All that remains is to hold the wedding ceremony.”
Crumple—.
Oscar’s handsome brows twitched strangely.
Still, he kept his smile as he asked:
“To be promised marriage to you is truly the greatest fortune. Is that man present here now? It couldn’t possibly be this Midbar native, could it?”
At last Oscar looked at me.
I extended my hand toward him and said:
“I am the monk Hyde. You are Oscar, second son of the Archibold house, correct? I have heard much about Archbishop Archibold. You seem a fine priest in his image as well.”
Oscar did not take my hand.
That was fine by me.
I didn’t want to hold hands with a man either.
Clink—.
I carefully examined the silver cross hanging around Oscar’s neck.
Oscar Archibold was almost certainly a Silver Badge priest.
At the very least, bishop-class.
Then Psyche smiled brightly and said:
“Would it not be perfect if Lord Oscar himself notarized our marriage right now? That a priest should arrive just when one is needed feels exactly like heaven’s providence.”
Have Oscar notarize it?
Psyche truly was a clever woman.
To smile and deliver a counterpunch to the very man who had just proposed to her—I was suddenly curious what Oscar would say next.
“…….”
Oscar still wore a subtle smile, but his eyes were rolling as though he were inwardly flustered. Had he never imagined a situation like this?
It was precisely then.
“I object! I object to this marriage!”
Someone shouted at the top of his lungs.
Everyone turned toward the booming voice. Knight Loras, clad in silver plate, strode forward vigorously and bellowed at the crowd.
“Lady Psyche has not yet fully recovered and is incapable of sound judgment! Therefore this talk of marriage must be examined far more carefully!”
Loras, you bastard.
Coming back now to act this pitiful?
The problem was that his words made Oscar’s expression brighten.
“You must be Sir Loras, runner-up of the tournament. I have long heard of your martial prowess. More importantly, Sir Loras—is what you just said true? Lady Psyche’s illness has not healed?”
“It is true! The proof lies in this blasphemous question and answer sheet! Look at the problems and answers used to select marriage candidates! Hyde—he is a heretic who claims the earth is round!”
The earth is round—.
At those words the people around us began to suck in their breath one after another.
They trembled with fear, as though they could not comprehend the situation.
“How can the ground be round?”
“Wouldn’t we fall off then?”
Amid the growing unrest, Loras clenched his fist as though he had stupidly seized the upper hand.
He seemed not even to notice Count Doban, who had remained silent until now, muttering, “That bastard dares speak of my daughter—”
Was a knight of the count’s house prepared to earn the count’s hatred just to stop Psyche’s marriage to me?
Perhaps after wrecking this affair he planned to lean on the Archibold family and join the Holy Crusade.
Knights, honestly.
This is exactly why I never liked knights.
Soon Oscar examined a scroll and an answer sheet he had somehow obtained and spoke.
“To take as bridegroom a man who speaks such heretical things… Lady Psyche, that would be impossible unless she were possessed by a demon. Lady Psyche is clearly demon-possessed!”
Psyche possessed by a demon.
What an utterly absurd and entertaining claim.
A woman who had been faking illness now had to suffer under a fake demon.
Loras looked at me with an expression that said, How do you like that? He seemed thoroughly pleased at having landed what he thought was a decisive blow.
Interpreting my silence however he liked, he twisted his lips into a sneer and said:
“Hyde, even you said at the banquet that the lady was possessed. Knowing that, you tried to marry her while her mind was clouded, didn’t you? Or are you the one controlling the demon?”
Accusing a man as faithful and devout as me of controlling demons.
Loras, you ignorant fool—have you never even heard the commandment not to bear false witness against the innocent?
Just as I was about to speak, Doban roared:
“Insolence! To call my daughter Psyche, a member of a count’s house, a demon! Retract those words at once, or even you, Oscar Archibold—”
Doban’s face was mottled red and purple like a volcano about to erupt.
In my judgment, Count Doban’s temper was quite fiery.
If he caused a scene in front of Oscar Archibold like this, the Archibolds would seize the pretext they wanted.
That was exactly what those Archibold bastards desired.
I decided to step forward barefoot for the sake of my future father-in-law and my wife.
“I also object! I am no controller of demons, and Lady Psyche is not possessed! Therefore I demand a public trial! Gather as many people as possible!”
A public trial.
It was the act of gathering a large crowd and loudly arguing who was right and who was wrong. Oscar hummed as though my suggestion displeased him.
I added one more line to lure him in.
“As a witness who will prove the innocence of myself and Lady Psyche, I request the attendance of Priest Manaan, the priest in charge of the Agarpe church! Though he is currently engaged in fasting and silent prayer, Oscar—would he not listen if it were a request from you?”
Priest Manaan.
At that name Oscar’s face truly blossomed into a wide smile.
“Priest Manaan is a trusted disciple of my father, Archbishop Archibold! He will judge fairly from every angle, so he is the perfect witness! Very well! I shall ask him to testify!”
“Yes. A ‘man of conscience’ like him would never lie—he would speak only the truth.”