Chapter 1832 Covenant of Marriage
A gentle breeze enveloped the couple as Shaai conveyed her unwavering commitment.
"I shall be the keeper of your secrets, the supporter of your dreams, and the companion in your journey as a fellow Practitioner of the Path. As the Grand Elder of the Darkmoon Fellowship, I extend my powers to nurture and protect our union, binding our fates forever."
With measured grace, her vow reached its eventual crescendo.
"With this pledge, I intertwine my life essence with yours. Jolly Jalen, may our connection be as unyielding as the roots of this ancient tree and as enduring as the moonlight that bathes us now."
The enchanted assembly bore witness to the weight of Shaai Sena's words.
Upon the conclusion of her vows, various branches of the ancient tree gracefully surrounded Shaai. They climbed over her body like sentient serpents, lifting her gently from the ground. Shaai acquiesced to the tree's ethereal embrace.
In the center of the sacred space, a parchment resembling the skin-like outer layer of some arboreal woodland entity materialized, hovering motionlessly.
A vine extended from the ancient tree, its pointy wooden tip acting as a pen that delicately inscribed Shaai's vows onto the parchment in intricate runic patterns. This, as Shaai had mentioned, was the covenant of marriage.
In the presence of the ancient tree and the benevolent gaze of the Goddess Two Lips, the covenant of marriage became a binding force, mutually linking Shaai and Jolly.
Shaai, with calculated wisdom, had chosen to intertwine her life essence with Jolly, ensuring that any action on his part against her would be met with consequences.
Initially resistant to the idea of marriage, Shaai recognized the safety the covenant offered. Through her vow, she made it clear that her commitment was genuine, and she had no intentions of betraying Jolly or divulging his secrets.
He knew that as long as his actions were not against Shaai or her coven, the covenant would not harm him. Since he had chosen his words carefully, possessing Jolly's body during the covenant's authentication by the divine powers of the Goddess Two Lips would not be an issue.
Eren's predictions came true. He observed his version of the vows getting inscribed onto the parchment without setbacks. The vines and branches of the ancient tree surrounded him, lifting him into the air.
In the next moment, a peculiar mana pulse enveloped the area as the branches of the tree interacted with Shaai and Jolly's souls. They inscribed the rules of the covenant onto their souls, enforcing the pact before gently bringing them closer to each other in the air.
Shaai was relieved that her mana-core-based restrictions wouldn't be used against her, looking at Jolly as if he were her savior.
On the other hand, Eren was pleased that he had saved years of his time by orchestrating this marriage with Shaai. He was also eager to gain access to the wealth and knowledge of her coven, making him view Shaai as the shortcut in life he needed.
As they embraced in the air, Shaai and Jolly affectionately hugged each other. They gazed into each other's eyes before sealing the covenant with a final kiss.
As they kissed, the runic forms of the two lips representing the Goddess Two Lips on the trunk of the ancient tree shifted slightly. A spectral tongue extended out, licking the lips as if they were dry.
'True inheritor of the elder Ichor, I see you. Hehehe,' a soft chuckle of a mature woman resonated in Eren's mind. He scrutinized the ancient tree, expecting something to happen.
'Don't worry. Just like a certain goddess you know, I am also not your enemy. We will talk when there's an opportune time,' the voice conveyed to Eren before falling silent.
Eren would have withdrawn his consciousness from Jolly's body if he sensed a threat approaching. However, the two lips went dormant once again, not uttering anything.
'Haah! I guess I saw this coming. But at this point, some risks need to be taken to move forward.'
In the end, he sighed and shook his head, choosing not to delve any deeper into the matter than necessary.