Chapter 245: Wedding

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On July 31, Emperor History Calendar 2322, two weeks after the third anniversary of Carol’s passing, I found myself attending a wedding.

In Shanti culture… or more accurately, in the cultural sphere of the Holy Marsh faith, which originated from the Great Shantilla Empire, weddings were held in front of a marsh. In the royal capital, there was a temple specifically for this purpose, and behind this temple, there was a pond. Although it was actually called a marsh, it didn’t have the appearance of one, being quite clear, and it was known as the Sacred Marsh of the royal capital.

The term “Sacred Marsh” referred to the Black Sea. These types of marshes were not called Sacred Marshes. In this context, the “Sacred Marsh” referred to a special ritual where water from the Black Sea was transplanted, making the marsh a kind of branch of the Sacred Marsh. During the Great Empire era, when access to the Black Sea was available to people, it was natural to fetch seawater directly from there. However, after the collapse and restricted access to the Black Sea, a culture developed where newly established temples would transplant water from the first generation transplanted marshes. Marshes that had water transplanted directly from the Black Sea long ago were considered highly prestigious, and the royal capital’s temple had one of these distinguished marshes. Although importing Black Sea water nowadays wasn’t particularly difficult, there was resistance to dismantling long-standing cultural practices, so there hadn’t been any requests from the clergy to change this tradition.

Even so, the pond in the capital was beautiful. The culture of the noble Karakumo households might sound rough if described as “crude,” but it was more accurately “rustic” and simple, often just a plain pond. In contrast, the Sibyaku pond, crafted to suit the Witches’ tastes, was splendid. A stone bridge led to an island in the pond, surrounded by various trees creating a grove. The pond was meticulously maintained, with no household waste entering it, ensuring clear water even in the middle of summer. Combined with the calculated aesthetic of the surroundings, this spot felt like an ancient forest, despite being within Sibyaku.

“—Do you vow to take each other’s hands and walk together, in wealth and poverty, in sickness and in health, until old age?” (??)

“…Yes.” (Dolla)

“I do.” (Telor)

The ones making these vows were Dolla Godwin and Telor, who had just discarded the surname Chartres to become Telor Godwin. Telor looked elated, on the verge of tears, as if this was the peak of her life.

“Ugh, sob, sniff…” (Hinami)

Though I was seated at the head table, I was placed in the front row for a direct view. Next to me, Hinami Welz was sobbing uncontrollably. She had been looking after Telor since their escape from Kilghina, and the emotional impact was clearly immense for her. She held a handkerchief, now a soggy mess.

“…Here, take this.” (Yuri)

I whispered, handing her my handkerchief.

“…Huh?” (Hinami)

“One handkerchief doesn’t seem to be enough.” (Yuri)

I felt like I was watching a bizarre event, so there was no need for me to wipe away any tears.

“…Thank you.” (Hinami)

Hinami pinched her nose to wipe away the last of her snot, took my handkerchief, and used it to wipe her fresh tears.

“…Hic.” (Hinami)

Hearing a sound I wasn’t supposed to, I turned to my left and saw Myaro with a handkerchief to her eyes.

Thinking my ears had deceived me, I looked again and indeed saw her eyes were moist. Although she wasn’t crying as intensely as Hinami, Myaro was clearly moved to tears. She was focused on the scene of the couple exchanging vows and didn’t seem to notice I was watching her.

In front of me, the bride and groom shared their vow kiss.

—

“Haah, I’m exhausted.” (Yuri)

Leaving the celebration early, I moved to the Hou Household’ second residence and immediately loosened my tie.

“It was a lovely wedding. I was really moved.” (Myaro)

Myaro, who had accompanied me, said.

“Even so, was there really anything to cry about?” (Yuri)

“What, you saw that?” (Myaro)

“I saw it.” (Yuri)

“I know how dedicated Telor-san has been… After the battle, Dolla-san was in a pretty rough state after the battle.”

After Carol’s death, indeed, Dolla had been fervently leading the army in a vengeful campaign to erase his unpleasant memories.

“There was a time when Dolla-san kept Telor-san at a distance, and they didn’t see each other for about 6 months. Those two have overcome many obstacles together. Today was the fruition of all that.” (Myaro)

“Well, I guess everything turned out as it should. So, did Gin end up coming?” (Yuri)

Gin Toga was currently occupied with stabilizing and managing the Kilghina region and had claimed he was too busy to attend the wedding. Since Gin could ride an eagle, I suspected that was just an excuse.

“He didn’t come. I guess it’s understandable. It’s not good to overthink it.” (Myaro)

“He probably had his reasons. Seeing someone you admire end up with such a fool is something no one wants to witness.” (Yuri)

“Dolla isn’t a fool, but it’s a bit ironic. Dolla, who was heartbroken by you, Yuri, is now causing the same pain for Gin. It’s a strange twist of fate.” (Myaro)

Myaro commented wryly.

“…” (Yuri)

“Anyway, this will likely encourage the Kilghina people to lean more towards unification rather than separation. It’s unfortunate for Gin, but from a national perspective, things have settled quite neatly.” (Myaro)

“That’s right. Well, the city-states area will be dealt with soon enough. The Galilia Union won’t be able to act as they have before.” (Yuri)

“Entering the second year, we’ve found effective ways to govern the Kuran people. With this year’s tax revenue, there should be some surplus production, leading to more stability.” (Myaro)

Military operations required massive amounts of supplies and food, which needed a stable supply chain. The rear must be well-controlled to support the front lines effectively. If recently conquered territories were directly behind us, the military’s movements became more cumbersome.

Granaries in these new territories were naturally empty, so it took time to cultivate and store enough food to function as a supply base. Simultaneously, bandits and brigands needed to be dealt with to ensure safe transport routes. Rebellion in the rear territories during a campaign would be disastrous, so potential uprisings must be quashed. Only then, a stable supply chain could be established to support the military’s operations.

The governance policy Myaro and I devised was simple, “Land ownership is guaranteed for one generation, and taxes will be lower than before. However, children will be taken under our care for education”.

The prohibition on land ownership transfer, the arrest of Catholic clergy, and the criminalization of denying the Crusaders’ past invasions were among the various minor laws, but these three policies formed the main directives. The last one causes the most friction, but with the elimination of the 7% tax, effectively lowering the tax rate, we had managed to suppress discontent to a level that prevents rebellion. The policy of exempting taxes for the year of occupation had also been effective, and the rationale that people could freely move south if they dislike the conditions, as they were not being wrongfully bound to the land, also seemed to be working.

We confiscated land from landlords who exploited serfs tied by debt and redistributed it to those serfs for cultivation. Even if self-sufficient farmers moved south, where higher tax rates and a fresh start await them, many prefer to stay put.

The number of Shanti people from Shantinion to Sibyaku was insufficient to fill the former territories of the Grand Shantilla Empire. Considering the conquest of the southern lands after the east was subdued, it was crucial to stabilize the governance of the former Grand Shantilla Empire territories now. Eventually, the Shanti population would need to increase, but for the next 50 years, we will need the Kuran people to continue cultivating the land.

“Well, it’s almost time for another war season.” (Yuri)

The army was advancing up to the frontiers of the Galilia Union. We would likely engage this year.

“Yes, the Galilia Union is not a mere rabble like the city-states. We will need to be fully prepared.” (Myaro)

“We should seriously start planning our strategy.” (Yuri)

In the last two years ago, we had set the Galilia Union as our next target. We had hired a competent individual from the Albio Republic, not as a spy but to infiltrate and gather detailed internal information. With reports now coming in, it was time to seriously review them and formulate our strategy. Sᴇaʀᴄh the NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“But first, there’s a task I need you to take care of.” (Myaro)

“Hmm? What is it?” (Yuri)

“It’s about the new Hou Household Engineering Research Institute. We received a message from Lily Amian declining the position.” (Myaro)

“What?” (Yuri)

“The institute is intended as a base for weapon research, right? It’s a pretty significant project. What are we going to do about it?” (Myaro)

—

TLN: Please note that the map is available in the previous chapter of 245. It’s an intermission chapter. If you notice about the map, the year is still 2320/2020. However, this chapter started saying it’s currently in 2022. I’m not sure if it’s typo or maybe it’s true. I’m thinking there’s no way the Shaalta Kingdom can take over almost all Papal States country immediately after winning the war in 2320/2020. If that happens in between 2320/2020 until 2322/2022, it’s logical.

In conclusion, I’ll leave the map as it is for now.