Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Storm

Sun and Judgment are getting married.

Yes, I know, it came as a shock to the rest of us too. But trust me, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Why and how exactly did they arrive at this particular decision, you ask? According to what I had pieced together from various sources of gossip, the "why" and "how" resulted from a long and twisted chain of events that would put any romance novel to shame. And believe me when I say I've read my share of those. To this day, I resent whichever Storm Knight it was that decided romance novels were a required reading for all Storm Knights-in-training.

Anyhow, back to the main topic. The "why" and "how" really aren't that important right now. For this is not a story about their romance; this is the story of us observers. Yes, we, the underappreciated observers of this whole spectacle who did 99% of the work, and only received a slice of wedding cake in return.

For all you romantics out there, forget about the courtship and proposal and whatnot for a second. There are much more pressing issues at hand. Seriously, do you have any idea how many problems this whole wedding ordeal comes with?!

Simply the fact that the two of them, being the Sun Knight and Judgment Knight, were getting married was a huge deal. Never mind getting married to each other. And noooo, they weren't going to settle for a small and discreet private wedding either. Somewhere along the line the decision was made to have a "proper" wedding.

Which means, it would be public. Which means, it would be the wedding of the century. Which means, my paperwork load had tripled overnight.

I could only thank the God of Light for giving me Roland. Without whom I would not have the time, or any life in me to begin narrating this story. (Adair is much too busy to lend a hand with paperwork. At the moment he and Vidar are conducting some sort of joint training boot camp with their platoons. Apparently it's to promote "family bonding.")

But before we could get to the bulk of all the prep work, one issue was left to the newly engaged couple to debate over.

Who was going to wear the dress?

Chapter Text

Adair

I know that the issue of who would wear the wedding dress is on everyone's minds, and believe me, it's on mine too, but before we can get around to that, I have to first tell you about all the changes in the Sun Knight Platoon and the Judgment Knight Platoon that the sudden marriage announcement brought about.

Think of it this way. You've always known that the men in black armor are your enemies, and thus you must treat them with animosity, like they had slaughtered your entire family, but one day, you're told, "Forget about all that. Now you're best buddies! Your leaders will even bond in the most intimate of ways and marry each other!"

While I always knew that the day would come that my captain would shock everyone into a heart attack with his boldness, as my captain was never a follower of rules, I could not help but feel despondent that my captain would be moving onto his next stage in life. Nothing would be the same after this, especially when he had basically overthrown years and years of traditions by declaring his intent to marry his "sworn enemy," the Judgment Knight.

But personal feelings would come later. Vidar and I both had our hands full at the moment.

Although it was expected of our platoons to get along now, years of conditioning meant habits were difficult to break.

"It must be your captain who seduced Captain Judgment!" a judgment knight claimed.

"Your captain is obviously the one who frightened, I mean, demanded Captain to offer himself!" yelled one of the sun knights. Thankfully, he changed his wording halfway. You never knew when Captain might be eav- I mean, checking in on us.

I stood off to the side with Vidar. I shared a look with him. Our two platoons were nearly flying at each other's throats. While we expected such behavior of them in the past and even went out of our ways to train it into them, now we had to undo all of that.

"We seriously need a bonding session or something," Ed said offhandedly.

I crossed my arms, a smile coming over my face. He had given me a good idea. A sudden hush came over the Sun Knight Platoon. They collectively took a step backward. Once the judgment knights realized their opponents had fallen silent, they too fell silent, turned to look at me, and then took a step back in unison.

I smiled a bit wider.

Ed groaned. "Now what have you thought of? I don't like that smile. Having Captain do that is more than enough!" He turned to the sun knights. "And let me say this first! It's not my fault, whatever he cooks up!"

None of the sun knights looked very impressed, as all of us knew that if something was up, it was usually Ed's fault. But this time, I thought his offhanded remark to be quite genius. I clasped Ed on the shoulder and said, "Thanks Ed, you gave me a great idea."

I turned to Vidar. "What do you think of a joint training camp?"

Vidar appraised the unruly knights before us. "A sound idea, Vice-Captain Adair. I will drill discipline into those sun knights!"

Even as I nodded, I thought that Vidar could use the bonding time too, and both he and I could use something to take our minds off of the upcoming wedding, when our captains would no longer belong to us.

Before we left, I had to apologize to Knight-Captain Storm. I would not be available to help him with the paperwork that the wedding would no doubt generate. When he finished listening to me explain, he groaned and covered his eyes with his hands.

I watched worriedly and decided to make an additional trip, this time to Knight-Captain Hell's quarters in an attempt to make sure Knight-Captain Storm would not die from overworking himself. Even a wedding between the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight would not be enough to cover up such a matter, and my captain would no doubt try to resurrect poor Knight-Captain Storm to doom him into completing more paperwork upon his awakening. If that didn't work, we would perhaps have another undead among us... Knight-Captain Hell and Knight-Captain Storm would make quite a pair.

Thus began the joint training camp between the Sun Knight Platoon and the Judgment Knight Platoon, with not-quite-blessings from the Storm Knight. True to his word, Vidar tried to drill discipline into the sun knights to varying degrees of success.... or failure, depending on how you wanted to look at it. It was only after I reminded the sun knights that honing their individual skills would most definitely help their skills in surrounding their opponents that they finally put in more effort.

When the first evening of the training camp rolled around, Vidar sat down on the log opposite of mine and gave a huge sigh. Not even the crackling fire between us covered up his sigh.

"They'll come around," I said. While the sun knights were not as practiced in drills, unlike how the Judgment Knight Platoon always diligently went through their drills every morning (our training sessions were a lot less by the book), they were not unfamiliar with them either. They were only trying to give Vidar trouble with their reluctance, and Vidar could sense it.

Vidar frowned. "This is going to take a lot of work."

I bit into my rations. After swallowing the nearly tasteless food, I said, "If anyone could drill discipline into them, it would be you." The judgment knights were no easy holy knights to lead, and Vidar had done it splendidly despite the flak they had initially given him for his baby-face. If Vidar could win them over, then he could win anyone over, even rebellious sun knights.

He gave me a tiny smile that I thought looked quite nice. It suited him much better than the frowns he tried to put on to look more serious.

The next morning, I was given the leadership, and so I led all of the holy knights in nine laps around the forest. Though we were not in the city, and the Judgment Knight Platoon had joined us, that did not mean we should let up on our traditional morning routine.

By the seventh lap, a gap had grown between the front of the pack and the rest, and there was a clear division between sun knights and judgment knights, white uniforms and dark ones. I slowed my pace down until I was side-by-side with Vidar.

"You okay?" I asked.

Vidar nodded but did not spare energy to speak. I took a look at the judgment knights behind us and called out encouragingly, "Two laps left! Keep it up!"

Then, I jogged back to the front to lead us to the finish.

Once we reached the camp, the judgment knights all collapsed onto the floor. Most had fallen to their knees, some had shakily made their way to the shade of trees to sit down, and a few had completely sprawled over the floor bonelessly.

Vidar was part of the middle group. With his back resting against a tree, he said while panting, "Do...you...do that every...day?"

"Yeah, we do," I answered. Ed and the others were chatting by the side, not nearly as winded as the judgment knights. It was clear to everyone now that if we competed in endurance, the sun knights would emerge as the victors.

Vidar looked at the sun knights with new respect. "How long...?"

Although he hadn't finished his question, I could guess what he wanted to ask. "We haven't always been doing this many laps, but we started running two years before our captains took office."

"No wonder," Vidar mumbled. Then, he glanced at me with a wry smile and said, "So they do know discipline."

I laughed. "Just a different brand of it."

With a captain like ours, we'd learned to adapt.

After a short rest, I led everyone to the cliffs. The sun knights immediately started groaning while the judgment knights looked on in confusion.

"Not this again, Adair!"

"We'll die!"

The judgment knights' looks of confusion turned into wariness upon hearing the Sun Knight Platoon's complaints.

One look from me silenced the sun knights though. It was now the Judgment Knight Platoon that I had to worry about, as they did not seem willing to join the practice.

"Come," I said, "nothing speaks comradeship more than sharing a bit of danger together. Surely you judgment knights are not so spineless as to refuse to do something we sun knights have been doing for years?"

That did the trick. Scowling judgment knights immediately threw themselves into the task.

What task was this, you ask? Why, "falling," of course. On flat land and even halfway from the cliff. I was not so heartless as to make them fall from the top of the cliff. We did not have any clerics with us, and none of us were as proficient at healing as my captain.

The practice session that followed after that was one of the most interesting ones I'd overseen, with "oofs," "guhs," "owww," and "nooo, don't flatten me like a pancake!" as our background music. I strongly believed that the art of falling was one of the most important skills one needed to learn, and I was proud to claim that all sun knights could be considered experts at it. Years of practicing falling by the cliffside did wonders. It also made us a very tough platoon to deal with in a fight. Not only were we resilient with high endurance, we were also masters at avoiding damage.

I overheard a pale-faced judgment knight whisper to one of the sun knights, "I never knew Adair was so scary!"

Despite how he tried to lower his voice, several sun knights overheard him and laughed. "You haven't seen anything yet!"

Good, they're bonding.

Near the end of the session, a bruised Ed limped over to my side. "You are a total sadist," he complained.

"Thank you for the praise," I replied, though I was not without scratches myself. I cast a Minor Heal in the direction of a limping judgment knight, causing him to straighten up and thank me.

Ed pouted. "What about me?"

"You can heal yourself," I said.

After all, we sun knights were more proficient at healing magic than the judgment knights. It was another area that they could show off in to their brethren and would surely elevate the judgment knights' opinions of them.

That was, as long as they didn't remind the judgment knights why they'd received the injuries in the first place, but I've found that most people usually didn't hold grudges very long if you showed a willingness to make up for things... unless your name was Grisia Sun.

He was definitely not "most people."

I looked at the cliffs fondly before joining everyone else.

That night after we finished training, instead of surviving on tasteless rations again, I split the platoons into groups of four, with two sun knights and two judgment knights in each group, to prepare dinner. Some groups were responsible for hunting, some for gathering vegetables, some for drawing water, some for gathering firewood, some for setting up the barbeque racks and the stew pots, and some for cooking.

I assigned myself to the cooking side while Vidar decided to join the hunting groups.

When the hunting groups returned with boars, the cooking groups got to work. I was pleased to see the sun knights and judgment knights joking around with each other as they lugged the carcasses of the boars before us. The cooking groups likewise bonded as they complained over the many difficulties of food preparation, like one big happy family.

I instructed them on how to skin the boar and prepare the meat, and then I made sure another group started the fire to boil water for stew. When we were finally done and the other groups returned from refreshing themselves, we all sat down to enjoy the meal that resulted from all of our efforts put together. Unfortunately, the "vegetables" scavenged by the vegetable groups all had to be thrown away, as I did not want anyone to end up poisoning themselves. We settled for a meal of only meat, but even so, the aroma was heavenly.

"So delicious!" I heard several people exclaim. "I've never tasted anything more delicious!"

Then you must not have tasted Knight-Captain Ice's cooking, or Knight-Captain Leaf's. Still, I understood where they were coming from, and the cause of their exaggeration. There was truly nothing like preparing the food yourself, and there was truly nothing like making a meal together for people to bond. The food itself was a great way to win people over. I knew that fact very well.

I looked down at my skewer of meat, recalling the first time I'd successfully made food for my captain, and how his face had lit up. That was when I'd learned what his true smile looked like, and how I became a hundred percent certain that all his other smiles were faked. His true smiles were rare, but they came to him easily whenever Knight-Captain Judgment was involved. Now that Captain no longer had to hide his relationship with him, would I still be able to bring him breakfast every morning like I used to?

"I take it back," a judgment knight suddenly said, eyes shining as he bit into the savory meat. "Adair, you're the best!"

The sun knights all laughed and said once more. "You haven't seen anything yet!"

The mood grew jovial, chatter filling the air. I grew less morose myself and looked across the fire, catching Vidar's gaze, pleased that we had come this far.

I gave him a smile.

Perhaps our platoons could grow closer after all.

He smiled softly in return.

Besides, I won't be alone, will I?

The next day, it was once again Vidar's turn to lead our platoons. Since the holy knights had begun to bond the day before, they were a lot more willing to participate, but they were also a whole lot chattier.

Apparently, the thought of who would wear the wedding dress was never far from their minds, and now both sides were finally comfortable enough to start what my captain hated the most from us -- gossiping.

Especially if the gossip involved him.

"Surely your captain will be wearing the dress!"

"I actually think so too..."

If Captain were to hear them, he would surely explode or flip a table. Or both. Sadly, he was the reason why a wedding dress had to be involved. If two men wanted to get married, why not wear suits? There was no need for one to wear a dress.

However, in the case of the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight getting married, one of them had to wear a dress.

The entire affair of the wedding dress actually came about because of the Pope's insistence. When my captain proposed to Knight-Captain Judgment and declared his intent to marry him, the Pope grudgingly allowed it -- only if one of them wore a wedding dress.

Stubborn to a fault, and gleeful that he had managed to wheedle such a compromise from the Pope, my captain had agreed. It was only afterward, when the Pope smirked, that my captain realized the Pope had played him. A wedding between the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight, with one of them guaranteed to wear a dress? It was bound to become the event of the century, and you can be sure the Pope would rake in all the money he could from it for the Church.

The wedding came just in time too, since Elijah and the princess had only just gotten married, which the Pope claimed gave too much power to the royal knights. Although Knight-Captain Leaf's marriage with the second princess of the Kingdom of Moon Orchid brought in new converters to the Church of the God of Light from the neighboring kingdom, it also meant that some people had decided to move to the same neighboring kingdom. That led to a loss of followers who had decided to convert to the main religion over there, so Knight-Captain Leaf's marriage did not provide much of a boon.

At the end of our joint training camp, Vidar, who had learned the importance of rewarding people for a job well done from his captain, suggested that we celebrate at the tavern. Sharing drinks was also a great way to bond, so I heartily approved of the endeavor. I was also pleased that he was getting along with the Sun Knight Platoon a lot better now, no doubt because they had actually earned his respect.

Vidar was that kind of person, one who only respected you if he felt you deserved the respect. Once you earned his respect, he was loyal beyond measure.

At his suggestion, we made our way to the tavern and ordered rounds for everyone. It was while many were drunk that the conversation once again returned to the matter of the wedding dress.

"Have you heard?" one judgment knight said. I felt deeply touched that they'd learned the art of gossiping so quickly. My platoon was truly wonderful at luring people to our side. "There's a betting pool going on over who will wear the dress!"

Of course, we hadn't needed to give them much of a push. Most of the holy knights in the Holy Temple were skilled at gossiping. Some were just more reluctant and tight-lipped, with the Judgment Knight Platoon being at the top of that list, given who their captain was. So, I counted it as successful bonding that we had gotten them to loosen up.

"The odds for Knight-Captain Sun are 1.083 to 1!" another judgment knight added.

"While the odds for Captain Judgment are 563 to 1!" a third judgment knight chimed in.

That, of course, led to the question of who they would bet on.

"Knight-Captain Sun, of course," nearly everyone agreed. "Betting on Knight-Captain Judgment would just mean we would lose money! Though betting on Knight-Captain Sun means we wouldn't get much of a return... at least it would be a guaranteed return!"

Vidar nodded. Even the judgment knights shuddered a bit at the thought of their captain wearing a dress. The sight would not be very pretty, they claimed. Now I was sure they were drunk, since if they hadn't been drunk, they would surely have protested (even if only a little), that their captain would look fine in a dress.

"Are you betting on my captain too?" I asked Vidar.

"Yes, I have no doubt that your captain will be the one wearing the dress," Vidar answered, his cheeks rosy. I could get used to the look.

I laughed into my cup and downed the wine. As I placed it down, I flashed Vidar a grin, "That's only because you don't know my captain well enough. Tell you what, I'll bet on your captain."

Maybe it was because I was drunk. If anyone asked though, it was because I was that confident in my captain.

Chapter Text

Roland

'Dear Duke xxx,

The Church of God of Light cordially invites you to the wedding of our 38th Sun Knight and Judgment Knight -- Grisia Sun and Lesus Judgment.

Please join us on this momentous occasion to celebr-'

"Lesus, pleaaaaaaaaaase!"

I paused, ears perking up at the voices coming through the wall.

"I am not wearing a dress Grisia. It would be an appalling sight."

Ah, so it was this argument again. I wonder what kind of approach Grisia would take this time.

Yesterday, he had tried to annoy Lesus by following him around and asking him to wear the dress every hour or so, which resulted in a very fed up Lesus. Who then threatened to cut off Grisia’s blueberry pie supply if he did not stop his bothersome antics. Pie obviously ranked higher than his plan on Grisia’s list of priorities, for he left Lesus alone after that.

The day before yesterday, he had tried to bribe Lesus with... certain activities. I shall refrain from going into detail about that particular conversation, even though it hadn't made a lot of sense, Storm's face had turned a bright red when I reported what I had heard to him. He then made me promise to never repeat the same thing to anyone else.

I settled back to writing. Due to the sheer amount of invitations I'd written today, it wasn't hard to put my attention elsewhere and let muscle memory take care of the words. Even though eavesdropping was an action unbefitting of a knight, in this particular situation the pros of it outweighed any cons. For the information gained was vital to the survival of our Storm Knight. So to ensure that Storm would not suffer a fate similar to mine, I kept my ears peeled.

"And you think it would look any better on me?!"

…

I wonder if that was what they call a rhetorical question.

It was very easy to judge based on Grisia's body build that a dress would fit him better. After all, clerics wore robes all the time, and those were quite similar to dresses in structure. On the other hand, Lesus had a knight's build through and through, and try as I may I could not imagine him in anything but pants.

After a long pause, a frustrated groan came from Grisia.

"Just because I'm not as muscular as you doesn't mean I should wear a dress! Why does everybody assume that I'm the one to wear the dress?!"

"Because you would make a much more beautiful bride."

Another pause. As I finished writing the invitation in front of me, I vaguely wondered if Lesus would be able to end tonight's argument like this.

While it's true that mind games and ruses were Grisia's strong point, one mustn't underestimate Lesus' capability of manipulation either. After settling into this room and overhearing many conversations floating over from next door, my respect for Lesus had risen to another level entirely. It is impossible not to admire how well he can deal with Grisia. In fact, I honestly think that he may be the only person who can effectively handle Grisia's every quirk. Which is not only beneficial to the rest of us, but Grisia as well. Lesus provides the unwavering stability that he needs to remain grounded. A Grisia left unchecked is a fearsome concept, as we had all learned from the Demon King case.

It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that they're getting married now. I felt like it wasn't that long ago that we were all still candidates at the holy knight selections, when the three of us first met through helping Grisia beat away bullies. I felt my lips lift into a smile as I began the next invitation. Thinking back, we really hadn't changed all that much from when we were children. Grisia is still exploiting everybody around him, with Lesus by his side supporting his every action. As for myself, being no longer alive counts as quite a large change, doesn't it? But other than that, I don't think I am too different from how I used to be.

However, we had grown up and matured. Grisia and Lesus now bear the heavy burdens of leading the whole temple. And I am proud to be able to stand by their side as the Hell Knight. Though this is a position I would have never dreamt I'd fill, I now cherish it with my whole being. Even though my identity as a Death Monarch will always haunt me, I am content here, with the knights who have taught me the meaning of family and allowed me to truly live.

I was snapped out of my inner musing when Grisia spoke up again. This time, his voice took a calculating tone. I shuddered, as that tone never bode well for whoever he was targeting.

“Lesus.”

Lesus, may the God of Light bless you. I wholeheartedly pray for your well-being.

“...What is it…”

“If I remember correctly, you still owe me two demands, right?”

I held my breath, put my pen down, and listened with all my focus. Something told me this conversation was vital, and I wouldn't want to miss a word of it.

“Grisia, you can’t be thinking of-”

“I am using my second demand right now.”

“... Are you serious?”

“Yes. Very serious. My second demand is that you’re wearing the dress for our wedding.”

If I hadn't already been holding my breath, I would have surely gasped. To think that Grisia would go so far just to make Lesus wear the wedding dress! It was no secret that Grisia had a complex over his masculinity (or rather, the lack thereof), but I never would have thought it was that extreme.

A long sigh came from the other end of the wall. It sounded like Lesus had resigned himself to his fate. Perhaps he had known all along that this was the inevitable end. After all, when Grisia has his mindset upon something, there is very little anybody could do to sway him. Come to think of it, it was quite a feat for Lesus to have lasted this long against Grisia.

“Fine. I will wear the dress.”

“Yay-”

“But! I have three conditions.”

Only someone like Lesus could talk conditions with Grisia at this point. In my mind, I was silently clapping for him.

“One. I get to pick the dress myself.”

“Fair enough.”

“Two. I am not wearing a garter. So you can forget about that whole notion right now.”

“Awwww. But Lesus! It’s tradition!”

“Grisia, we’ve already thrown tradition out the window by getting married. Surely something this trivial does not matter at this point.”

“... Fine.”

Once again I must commend Lesus on his quick thinking. The image of Lesus in a dress was shocking enough already. I would not want my mental fortitude tested by the sight of Lesus wearing a garter. Shaking my head to get rid of that disturbing thought, I distracted myself by finishing the last invitation in front of me.

“Three… Your bribes from before still stands, right?”

“...You!!”

“Surely the respectable Sun Knight would not go back on his word.”

“Argh, fine! Have it your way…”

“It’s a deal then. I’m looking forward to our honeymoon.”

“...!! a;sldkfja;slkdfjas;ld!!!”

By this point, I figured that I’d heard enough. So I quickly gathered up the piles of paper on my desk and made my way to the Storm Knight’s room. When it comes to important pieces of gossip, one must waste no time in sharing them. That was something I had learned from Storm.

Knock knock.

“Who is it……”

“It’s me, Roland.”

“Oh… come in then…”

As I opened the door, I was greeted by the familiar sight of a room covered by paper. In the midst of all the paper sprawled Ceo Storm, who looked to be on the verge of death, yet was still diligently going through the stacks that covered his desk.

I placed my pile of invitations on the side of the room reserved for finished paperwork. Despite the way it looks, Storm’s room is actually very organized, with specific spots for specific types of paperwork. Unfortunately, only Storm himself knows exactly where to put what. The extent of my knowledge ends at being able to decipher between the locations of finished and unfinished paperwork.

“Storm, I put the finished invitations by the window,” I dutifully informed him.

“Ah, thanks, Roland.” Storm looked up and gave me a tired smile. “Could you help me with the stacks on the desk? These budget expenses need to be reviewed by tomorrow.”

I nodded and sat down in a spare chair across from Storm. As I began working on the expense forms, I could not help but observe my companion with concern. The black bags under his eyes were much heavier than usual, and his skin was border lining an ashen tone. In short, Storm looked more like a Death Knight than myself.

“...Storm. When was the last time you slept?”

“Huh…?” He blinked at me owlishly. “Uh… I can’t really remember…”

I frowned. That did not sound good.

“You need to sleep. Go get some rest and I’ll finish up the paperwork.”

“What?! But there is so much! I can’t stop now!” He protested, gesturing at the overflowing piles of paper on the desk.

It was true that the amount of paperwork due was frighteningly large. But I was determined that Storm should rest. Inspired by the conversation I had just overheard, I decided to try my hand at bargaining.

“I just overheard Sun and Judgment talking about the wedding dress,” I began slowly.

Storm jolted as if someone had just electrocuted him, and looked up at me with wide eyes that brimmed with eagerness.

“What did they say? Have they finally decided? Tell me everything!!!”

“They did come to a decision.” I smiled, “And it was a very interesting discussion too.”

“Don’t leave me hanging, Roland! Who’s gonna wear the dress?!”

Storm’s face was only inches from my own now. I must say having his bloodshot eyes staring at me with such mad intensity was somewhat frightening.

“I’ll tell you, but on one condition,” I mimicked Lesus’ words.

“Anything! Just tell me!”

“You have to go to sleep right after.”

I looked at Storm straight in the eyes to let him know that I was dead serious. And he stared back at me with an expression that looked like a mix between disbelief and amusement. Slowly, he sank back into his chair and chuckled.

“You win, Roland. I promise I’ll sleep.” He smiled at me. “Can you tell me what happened now?”

Satisfied with his answer, I wasted no more time on updating Storm with the news.

“Sun used one of his three demands from Judgment to make him wear the dress. Judgment agreed, but with three condi-”

“JUDGMENT IS WEARING THE DRESS?!”

Storm shouted, surprise and shock coloring his expression. He then immediately covered his own mouth, eyes darting around as if to make sure nobody overheard his outburst. After a few seconds of silence, he began to laugh. At first, it was just a giggle; then he was visibly shaking from laughter. I stared at him in concern. Has Storm finally cracked from overwork?

“Thank goodness!” he blurted, apparently done laughing. “I was going to bet on Sun too. Thank the God of Light for all this paperwork taking up my time! Haha!

“You sure saved me, Roland. Thank you for the news!”

I smiled weakly, even though I was relieved that Storm was simply celebrating his good luck and hadn’t gone entirely crazy. Still, his grin looked somewhat too crooked for me to put down my worries.

“Oh right! What are those conditions you were talking about?” He asked, apparently just remembering the fact that I didn’t get to finish my sentence.

I repeated Lesus’ words back to Storm. By the third condition, he was in a laughing fit again.

“Ahahaha… Oh dear God of Light, Judgment in a garter! Ahahaha! And way to get back at Sun! Looks like the bride’s role will be reversed for their honeymoon hahaha!”

At this point, I was really concerned. So I got up, plucked the still laughing Storm from his chair, and towed him to his bed. It took some work clearing away enough space for a person to lie down without getting suffocated by paper. But after a few minutes, Storm was neatly tucked in under blankets.

“I’ve upheld my end of the deal. Now it’s time for you to sleep,” I told him sternly.

Storm regarded me with a strange expression, as if he was seeing me for the first time and was sizing me up. After looking me over for a few more seconds, he snuggled himself further under the blankets and closed his eyes.

“Okay, Roland.”

Relieved by his cooperation, I went back to the desk to continue going through the daunting pile of paperwork there. Halfway through the form I was filling out, Storm stirred.

“Roland, you’re the best,” he mumbled, seemingly half asleep already. “Can I marry you?”

I stared at him.

“But I am an undead creature.” Marrying me would be nothing but a burden to you.

“And that’s great… Who else can go without sleep and food to hel me whi papewuu...zzzzz.”

I was stunned. Partly by Storm’s words, and partly by the fact that he had fallen asleep mid-sentence.

However, is it really possible for me to… marry someone? Already the life I am living is a luxury, granted to me by Grisia. Dare I allow myself to ask for even more than what I already undeservingly have?

I sighed. These were questions I would have to ponder over. But for now, there was a desk full of paperwork to get through. So with one last glance at the peacefully sleeping Storm, I picked up my pen and continued writing.

Chapter Text

Chasel

I was always glad that my student never usually did anything unreasonable. Ever since I had met him, I'd known him to be responsible and dutiful. He was far more upstanding than any of the other Judgment Knight candidates at the selection, and I was only too thankful that he had sneaked into the Holy Temple that day and solved my biggest problem. The rest of the boys who had applied to the Judgment Knight position were all little rascals. I could not in good conscience leave the city's future safety in any of their hands.

Unlike any of the others chosen along with Lesus, my student was never a handful. Fahr often complained about Chikus running off yet again or breaking one too many doors. Lanbi always complained about Ceo being too shy. Eller was always afraid Ecilan would end up getting dismissed because he did not know how to appear stoic. Each of them complained here and there, but no one complained as much as Neo.

"He snuck more candy into his room!"

"He fell off his horse again!"

"He froze the entire forest with ice magic!"

"He went and solved my case behind my back!"

I could only shake my head each time. Like teacher, like student.

In my case, while Lesus did react badly to interrogations, he did his best to keep his reactions controlled all the time. He had never ever carried out his duties unsuccessfully, and he always diligently trained with his sword. I had never needed to spend much time training Lesus in character development classes, as he had always solemnly accepted his role.

In fact, while I did not worry over needing to replace Lesus with a back-up candidate, I did worry over his mental fortitude. He was always so focused and serious, his own harshest critic. Being the Judgment Knight required one to harden his heart and would be especially tough for someone as kind as Lesus. We Judgment Knights needed to show cruelty, yet we could not forget ourselves in the process either. Would Lesus be able to stand the pressure?

I worried all the way until the day I caught Lesus scaling one of the courtyard walls. He stood on the tip of his toes to reach a tall branch to pull himself up. I watched curiously, having never known Lesus to break rules. He took a furtive look around once he was on top of the wall, and then he jumped off the top to the other side.

He didn't return until much later. A bundle came up over the wall first before a head of black showed up, eyes darting around to see if the coast was clear. He then pulled himself onto the wall and heaved a sigh of relief when he had the bundle back in his hand. He had on a look of fond exasperation as he glanced down at the bundle, but he quickly wiped the expression off of his face.

After that, he started climbing down the wall, bundle held carefully in his grasp.

I watched all of this amusedly from behind a tree.

Later, I found out from Neo that his student Grisia had produced a pie out of nowhere. From the glances Grisia and Lesus shared and thought they were hiding whenever the pie was mentioned, it was obvious to me how Grisia had acquired that pie.

I took to observing Lesus more, but he never showed any indication that he had left the Holy Temple without permission. I hadn't known my student was that sneaky! Later, I began to notice that Lesus actually started to hold himself higher, as if he were no longer plagued by what his position required of him. It was ironic, really, that a bout of sneakiness was what brought forth higher self esteem.

It had always been Grisia who could make Lesus do things that surprised me, and it had always been Grisia who brightened his world, and who made him accept himself.

While Lesus usually never did anything unreasonable, I'd always known that that was only in the case that Grisia wasn't involved.

In this case, Grisia was very much involved.

"I'm getting married, Teacher," was my student's first words to me after we exchanged pleasantries. He was never one to beat around the bush. Two warm cups of tea sat between us.

Marriage itself would not have been shocking. Wen had married early on, nearly right after we took up our positions. Lesus was indeed at the age to get married, and considering how Elmairy was already married, perhaps starting a tradition of the Leaf Knights getting married first, Lesus would not even be the first of his generation to get married.

Lesus, who sat across from me, was truly no longer a boy. His shoulders were broad and his face sharp. He had filled out admirably over the years, his slender build replaced by a strong physique. Standing, he would even be taller than me, and I had no doubt that he would best me in a swordfight eight out of ten times. He and his fellow holy knights had even experienced more hardships than my generation, having had to deal with lands of darkness expanding exponentially and the subsequent birth of the Demon King. He had shouldered all of that and lived to tell it. This, I believed, was well beyond the student surpassing the teacher. I couldn't have been prouder.

I took a sip of my tea, and just as Lesus was drinking his, I said, "So, who is the lucky person? Grisia?"

Thanks to his many years of training, Lesus did not outwardly choke on his tea. He gently placed his cup down and cleared his throat. It only took a few tries before he could speak. Not bad. "H...How did you know?"

How could anyone not know?

I too placed my cup down.

"There is truly no one who can make you feel as strongly as he does," I murmured. Whether it was anger, relief, happiness, exasperation, pride, protectiveness, it didn't matter. The list was endless, and Grisia always brought out these emotions in the strongest of ways. I was not surprised that the other person was Grisia. I was only surprised that they had actually decided to get married.

After all, the Judgment Knight and the Sun Knight getting married was unheard of, and they must know that this would not be an easy journey.

Of course, Grisia and Lesus never were ones to settle for anything easy.

Lesus was lost in thought for a moment, a soft smile coming over his face. He clasped his hands around his cup. Finally, he looked up from his cup and said, "You're absolutely right, Teacher."

I smiled. There was truly no one else who could make my student look like this, unguarded and smitten.

"I suppose congratulations are in order," I said.

I held my cup up. Lesus held his up. We clinked them together.

Just as I took a sip, Lesus, and I suspected his timing was as purposeful as mine, said, "By the way, I will be wearing the wedding dress."

Instantly, I felt the tea slide down the wrong way, but my years of experience as the Judgment Knight were not for nothing either. I quietly coughed twice, and then I placed the cup down. I swept my eyes across his broad shoulders and his muscular physique.

Still, former Judgment Knight I may be, even I could not help the disbelief that ran across my face.

Lesus had on an awkward expression. "I know, right? It is shocking."

My student, along with being responsible and dutiful, was not one to joke around. If he said he would be wearing the wedding dress, then he would be wearing the wedding dress.

Lanbi had always thought of Ceo as a daughter to be taken care of. Ceo used to blush the brightest of reds whenever he was flustered, and his long hair only added to the image. Had I always been thinking of Lesus in the wrong way? Perhaps he would have liked to wear his hair long like mine.

Lesus sighed. "The truth is, I owe Grisia three demands. He decided on this as his second one."

Ah, Grisia again.

My student was definitely no pushover, but he could never win against Grisia.

It had always been so, from the day Lesus decided to climb walls to buy blueberry pies for Grisia.

No, perhaps even before then?

As the closest thing Lesus had to a parent, I accompanied him on his shopping trip for a wedding dress. Although his uncle or aunt could have claimed the spot in the past, Lesus confessed that he felt closer to me after all the years we had spent together and all that I had taught him. I could not help but feel touched. (Though part of me did wonder if he just didn't want his uncle or aunt to see him in a dress just yet.)

I made a stop along the way to send a letter I had penned to Aldrizzt, along with the wedding invitation that Lesus had brought with him. Luckily for Grisia and Lesus, Neo and Aldrizzt were not adventuring too far away at the moment. The last status update I had received from Aldrizzt indicated that they were within the borders of the Kingdom of Forgotten Sound.

"They should be able to make it back in time for the wedding," I told Lesus.

"Thanks, we didn't know how to contact Grisia's teacher," Lesus said.

"It's a good thing we have Aldrizzt around," I replied. It was likely, however, that it wasn't that they didn't have the means to contact Neo. They would just rather Aldrizzt break the news to Neo, and they would rather I break the news to Aldrizzt. After all, Neo's reaction was bound to be explosive.

With that taken care of, we made our way to a wedding dress shop suggested by the princess. It seemed that the rest of the holy knights would have a tailor sent to the Holy Temple, but since Lesus did not want to try on dresses in front of so many of his brothers, he had opted to come to this shop instead. I did not blame him.

The moment we took a step inside the shop, it fell completely silent. Then, all chaos broke loose.

"Oh my God of Light! It's the Judgment Knight! No, it's not even just the Judgment Knight! Even the former Judgment Knight is here!"

"I didn't do it!" one person shouted.

"It was him! He hid the money!" another person shouted.

"Don't drag me off to the Judge's Complex!" a third person shouted. "I promise I will pay the taxes I forgot to pay!"

"You are holding up our reputation well," I commented.

Lesus inclined his head. From watching his profile, I thought he was probably thinking, But that might not hold for much longer.

After that, Lesus squared himself and walked forward, robes billowing out impressively. He looked every inch the formidable Judgment Knight, leaving behind the relaxed air he had allowed himself in my presence. In an instant, the clamor died down. Then, Lesus said, in the silence that followed, "I wish to be fitted for a wedding dress."

I had to hand it to my student. His delivery was excellent.

All of the shop assistants turned into statues, and so did the three customers who had pleaded their innocence. Finally, one shop assistant unfroze and said, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

Once again, Lesus said, "I wish to be fitted for a wedding dress."

A customer unfroze to blurt out, "Are you sure it's not for the former Judgment Knight instead?"

Apparently, that was all it took for all of them to unfreeze, as everyone's eyes swerved to stare at me. They were no doubt paying attention to my very long hair and my much slimmer physique in comparison.

"I assure you, I am not the one getting married," I said.

With wide eyes, all turned their attention to Lesus. "JUDGMENT KNIGHT IS GETTING MARRIED?"

Of course. Why else would he need a wedding dress?

I covered my mouth. It would not do to laugh at my student's predicament.

As expected of a shop chosen by the princess, the shop assistants quickly regained their professionalism. Two shop assistants continued helping the three customers, while one came over to help Lesus try on dresses.

"What do you have in mind, sir?" asked the shop assistant. Apparently, they had decided it would be best to send their lone male worker over rather than have one of the female workers deal with a Judgment Knight who wanted a wedding dress.

"Your latest fashion," Lesus said.

My eyebrows nearly shot up.

Lesus then added, "My betrothed would like me to try that first."

The shop assistant gulped and wringed his hands. "If you say so! Right this way. Ah, over here, I mean. I'm afraid none of the dresses over there are your size..."

I waited outside while Lesus tried on the wedding dress. I had not gotten a good look at it before the curtains were drawn. All I knew was that it was suspiciously pink.

When Lesus emerged from the dressing room, it was only because of all the years I spent controlling my emotions that I did not outwardly react...too much.

The dress was extravagant, to say the least, and very, very pink, with many layers and lots of frills and lace. There was even a large bow on the back, like what one might put on a present, giving me the disturbing image of Lesus saying, "Surprise! I'm your present!" None of that, however, was what stood out to me the most.

It was only moments ago that I had been admiring Lesus' broad shoulders and how he had grown up and filled out his frame. The dress truly...showed off his broad shoulders, as his shoulders were entirely bare, and the laced top of his dress looked to be bursting around the seams.

However, I very much doubted the dress was supposed to bring so much attention to how broad his shoulders were, nor was it supposed to be bursting around the seams.

Stiffly, Lesus lifted the dress and walked forward, revealing matching pink high heels underneath complete with mini bows. I had to wonder how they were even able to find a pair in his size.

The shop assistant wrung his hands and forced a smile. "What do you think? The size is a little small, but we can resize any dress that catches your fancy."

I stared. Everyone else in the shop had stopped whatever they were doing to stare too. Lesus himself seemed speechless. He probably hadn't known what he was getting himself into, but an honest knight never went back on his word.

I finally found my voice and resolutely said, "No, definitely not this one."

Lesus was not the only one who looked relieved at my words. Even the shop assistant relaxed his shoulders and said, "If you say so!"

I was only too thankful when the curtains closed behind Lesus, but apparently we were too late, as one of the customers had already fainted from the sight. I held my head, nearly a hundred percent certain that Neo's student must have known exactly what the latest fashion was and how disastrous it would look on Lesus.

After that, the shop assistant said, "If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, perhaps we should try something outside of the latest fashion?"

It was obvious that pink, frills, and bare-shoulders did not go well together with Lesus, though I wasn't very assured from the start that any dress would look good on Lesus. The shop assistant didn't despair though, and started bringing out wedding dresses of all sorts of designs for Lesus to choose from.

"Perhaps black is more your color?" the shop assistant suggested, seemingly no longer afraid he would end up offending us and end up in prison. After all, even ending up in prison probably wouldn't top seeing Lesus in a dress of the "latest fashion."

"Perhaps," Lesus said. He sighed and chose a dress.

When he next emerged from behind the curtain, I shook my head. While his appearance was not as shocking as before, I still could not say that he wouldn't give little kids nightmares.

"Hm," said the shop assistant. "I believe we should put away all of the dresses of this cut and instead go for something simpler that would look sharper on you. Believe me, there are broad-shouldered women out there too, so there is no need to despair!"

It seemed that the shop assistant had caught on to Lesus' negative emotions. He was truly a professional. Perhaps a generous tip was in order. Lesus nodded his understanding, steeled himself, and headed back to the dressing room with a much more modest black dress.

This time, when the curtains were pulled back and Lesus walked out solemnly, I looked him over and thought that he actually looked passable. The cut of the dress was very simple and actually made him look refined instead of frightening. The dress still bore ruffles, but they were reduced to just a few that helped obscure his broad chest. They were no different to the ruffles you might find on one of Grisia's shirts.

"This dress will..." I was about to say "this dress will do," but I let my sentence trail off. Although he looked much more presentable now, there was still something off about his current appearance despite that he was dressed in his usual black, but I couldn't put my finger to it.

The shop assistant frowned and held out a veil. Once Lesus put it on, a sudden realization came over me. The shop assistant seemed to have come to the same realization because he blurted out, "Sir, may I suggest a white dress instead?"

"Why?" Lesus asked with a frown.

With a forced smile, the shop assistant said, "Well, you see, it would not do to look like you are in mourning."

Indeed. With the veil and his solemn expression, Lesus looks more like he is wearing a funeral dress than a wedding dress.

In the end, we settled on a white dress of the same design. He looked elegant in its simplicity, and the dress accentuated his excellent posture instead of bringing unwanted attention to broad shoulders. The shop assistant promised that the dress would be delivered to the Holy Temple within a week after they finished the necessary tailoring.

As we left the shop, Lesus was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Are you regretting your decision to marry Grisia?" I asked.

"...Maybe," Lesus answered glumly, once more appearing much more like my student instead of the imposing Judgment Knight who could strike fear even into hearts of the vilest of villains.

I clasped Lesus on the shoulder, his thankfully, well-covered shoulder, and said in utmost seriousness, "Child, you are truly very admirable."

After all, few would be willing to go this far for their lover.

I had always known that Lesus was very responsible and dutiful, never one to do unreasonable things. Only Grisia ever made him lose reason, and I had always thought it to be a good thing...

But now I was not so sure anymore.

Chapter Text

Vidar

Ever since we returned from the joint training camp, the Sun Knight Platoon has been joined by the Judgment Knight Platoon in their morning run. After witnessing the extent of the sun knights' endurance, it was clear that we had a lot to catch up on. Just because the two platoons were on much better terms now, did not mean it was alright to be outdone by them. So, nine laps around the city were added to our morning routine.

To the credit of the Judgment Knight Platoon, it only took a few days before we were able to complete the run without collapsing at the end. In fact, today the judgment knights even had enough energy left over to join the sun knights in their morning routine of gossiping. While I was glad to see the two platoons getting along, I could not help but frown at this particular aspect they had decided to bond over. Not that there was anything particularly bad about gossiping, but it would not do for judgment knights to be caught gossiping! What would Captain think if he were to find out?

I voiced my concerns to Adair as we made our way to the captains' rooms that morning. To my surprise, he responded with a lighthearted laugh.

"Don't worry so much," Adair said with a grin. "The Sun Knight Platoon is expert at avoiding being caught. To this day, even Captain has not directly caught us gossiping!"

My eyes widened at his words. The sun knights were full of surprises. I had truly underestimated them too much in the past.

Soon, we arrived at our destination. Adair came to a stop in front of Knight-Captain Sun's door as I stopped in front of Captain Judgment's. We exchanged a glance, then knocked on the doors at the same time.

Ever since Captain and Knight-Captain Sun began seeing each other, Adair and I would often find them emerging from the same room when we arrived to await orders. In the beginning, they had tried to be more discreet. Likewise, we cooperated with them. I never questioned why my captain had the scent of lavender on him sometimes, just as Adair never questioned his captain's stiff way of walking on certain mornings. And both of us would leave immediately whenever... suspicious sounds came from the other side of the door.

There were certain things I would rather not know about my captain. Bedroom activities were without a doubt top of that list.

As their relationship became less of a secret, the chances of seeing them in the same room became more frequent. By the time their marriage was announced, it was a rare sight to see them emerge from different rooms. However, in order to keep up appearances, Adair and I still dutifully knock on both doors. At this point, though unspoken, this routine has become a game of sorts for us- Which door would open? Whose room would they be in today? It was a silly thing really, but it did make the otherwise mundane routine more interesting.

Today, the door in front of me opened. Captain Judgment stepped out, looking stoic and impressive as usual. Knight-Captain Sun followed right after, with a beaming smile on his face.

"Captain!"

Adair and I saluted together. As usual, our captains nodded at us, then began to address today's duties.

"Vidar," Captain Judgment spoke. "Today you are to follow Knight-Captain Sun's orders. For I will be out on an errand."

Yes si-... wait, I have to follow... Knight-Captain Sun's orders for the day? What's going on? Despite how confused I felt, I quickly schooled my expression to not let it show on my face. Captain's orders were never without reason.

"Yes sir!" I replied resolutely.

Captain regarded me with a look of satisfaction, which made me swell up with pride inside. Then, he turned to Knight-Captain Sun.

"I trust that you will take care of the rest?" He asked, then added with a worried frown, "Don't go too overboard."

"Of course," Knight-Captain Sun replied with a smile that looked almost cheeky. "Leave it to me. You just focus on your... errand."

While I was glad that the captains trusted us enough to speak plainly in our presence, the conversation was still so cryptic they might as well have been speaking with the God of Light speech. I looked over at Adair to see if he might have a better idea of what was going on. Catching my glance, he gave a small shrug to show that even he had no clue either. It looked like we could only wait and see.

After bidding goodbye to Captain Judgment, Knight-Captain Sun turned to us. His ever-present smile was now business-like.

"Under the guidance of the benevolent God of Light, Sun and his brothers have much to do today. To prepare for Sun's humble wedding, we must be fitted for the garments that are to be worn. Thank the God of Light for granting Sun aid in the form of not one, but two capable vice-captains. Sun is truly grateful."

...I take back my previous statement. Obviously, the simplicity of Knight-Captain Sun's speech was only due to Captain Judgment's presence. Now that Captain was gone, it seemed like I will have to try and decipher his words all day. Thankfully Adair is here with me; he had never had a problem with translating his captain's words.

"Adair," Knight-Captain Sun called out. "Sun believes that under the shining light of His benevolence, the merchants will enjoy even more prosperity on this beautiful day. Sun is deeply touched by the God of Light's kindness; not only will he be praying wholeheartedly all day, but he will also be sure to share this joy with his dear brothers."

"Yes, Captain!" Adair answered without missing a beat. "I will go and contact the tailors to do suit fittings for all the knight-captains. Which prayer room should we meet you in?"

"The God of Light is never far away from us. One only has to reach out to feel his blessings."

"Understood. I will bring the tailors to the prayer room nearest to the knight-captains' chambers."

I could not help but gape. No matter how many times I witnessed it, I could never get over how Adair can interpret his captain's words so easily. It just doesn't make sense! But enough of that. The more pressing issue on hand is that... Adair is leaving! Without him, how will I be able to understand Knight-Captain Sun's words?

Adair! Don't leave me here alone with your captain...!!

Knight-Captain Sun must be in a very good mood today. He actually took care to tone down his speech when he spoke to me.

"Radar, the compassionate God of Light bids Sun to fetch his brothers. Won't you aid me in this endeavor?"

Even though I knew that he was purposefully calling me by the wrong name, I refused to resign myself to being called "Radar."

"Understood. Also, my name is Vidar." I replied. Then, I suddenly realized something important. "Knight-Captain Sun, if I may ask... Will Captain Judgment be back in time for the suit fitting?"

His smile widened.

"Certainly not, Radar. For Knight-Captain Judgment will not be needing a suit." His expression softened into an amused one as he added, "...Lesus will make quite a beautiful bride, don't you think?"

In that instant, I felt my world crumble into pieces.

I am ashamed to admit that I could not recall how exactly we rounded up the rest of the Twelve Holy Knights. The shock of hearing that my captain is to wear the wedding dress was too great. I could only follow after Knight-Captain Sun in a daze as we went around gathering people.

Soon enough, eleven knight-captains plus myself stood in the empty prayer room. After Knight-Captain Sun explained the day's activities to the other knight-captains, the room exploded with cries of disbelief.

"Where is Captain Judgmeeeent?!"

"You have got to be kidding me! Judgment, in a dress?!"

"Why is this happening... My betting money..."

"Sun, you're in the wrong place!!"

"I refuse to believe this! I won't believe this until the wedding!"

In a way, the knight-captains' outbursts actually made me feel better. At least I wasn't the only one who found this news to be shocking. Almost everyone in the room wore expressions of utter disbelief.

Almost.

Knight-Captain Storm seemed to be too busy dozing off to care about the ruckus around him. And Knight-Captain Hell had his gaze fixed on Knight-Captain Storm, with a look of worry. I suppose Knight-Captain Storm did look to be in danger of toppling over. Neither of them was paying much attention to the bomb Knight-Captain Sun had just dropped. Which made me wonder if they had already known the news.

The ones who really caught my attention though were Knight-Captain Ice and Knight-Captain Leaf. The former actually had a small smile on his face, while the latter was beaming as if he had just won a hundred gold ducats... Ah! They must have bet on Captain Judgment! Come to think of it, Adair had bet on Captain Judgment too. That lucky bastard, I should make him treat our platoons to drinks next time.

Knight-Captain Sun's smile twitched as he beheld the knights in front of him. I could almost see the tick marks appearing on his head. Then, as if just remembering something, his face suddenly lit up with a shining smile that looked much too happy. I felt an eerie sense of déjà vu as I involuntarily took a step back along with all the other knight-captains. Adair... Why must you pick up on your captain's scary habits?

"Before the kind God of Light sends the tailors to us, Sun needs to discuss a very important matter with his beloved brothers." Knight-Captain Sun began cheerfully, "As per tradition, the bride and groom need to be accompanied by a bridesmaid and best man. Under the God of Light's benevolent guidance, Sun has decided to entrust brother Hell with the role of his best man."

Everyone turned to stare at Knight-Captain Hell, who looked very flustered under all the attention. He sputtered a bit, then tried to put his hands up as a gesture of protest, but stopped mid-way because Knight-Captain Storm had fallen asleep while leaning on his shoulder. Unable to move, Knight-Captain Hell could only glance around helplessly before resigning himself to nodding his acceptance.

Satisfied, Knight-Captain Sun continued to talk.

"The God of Light teaches his children the importance of balance. Therefore, we have decided the bridesmaid shall be chosen from the faction under Sun's leadership, seeing that brother Hell belongs to the faction of Sun's betrothed." He paused to let that sink in. As the knight-captains from the warm faction began glancing at each other in anticipation, Knight-Captain Sun revealed the reason behind his frightening smile earlier:

"So, which one of Sun's brothers would like to accompany Knight-Captain Judgment and be adorned in a dress?"

Immediately, the knight-captains all looked to Knight-Captain Sun in horror. Then, in a rare display of complete synchronization, the knight-captains in the warm faction collectively took a step back. Even Knight-Captain Cloud, whom I have not seen since entering the room, appeared for long enough to make his retreat show.

Which left Knight-Captain Storm, who was still fast asleep with his head nestled upon Knight-Captain Hell's shoulder. Interestingly, Knight-Captain Hell did not seem to mind. He even had a hand on Knight-Captain Storm's arm to make sure he wouldn't fall over. Despite being an undead creature, Knight-Captain Hell is truly a very kind-hearted knight. I can see that Tyler's boasts of his captain's greatness were not simply exaggerations.

Knight-Captain Sun clapped his hands together in a manner that seemed more gleeful than anything else.

"Thank the God of Light's radiance for brother Storm stepping up to the role. Sun is certain that brother Storm would make a stunning bridesmaid."

Upon hearing his name, Knight-Captain Storm jolted up from his slumber. Groggily, he wiped at the bits of drool on the side of his mouth, then gave Knight-Captain Hell an apologetic look before glancing around and asking, "What did I miss? I heard my name and something about a bridesmaid..."

Snickering, Knight-Captain Earth eagerly filled him in.

"H-how brave of, of you Storm. V-volunteering to wear a dr-dress." He stammered unconvincingly, "Ha-have fun being the-the bridesmaid f-for Judgment!"

All trace of sleep was immediately gone from Knight-Captain Storm's face as his jaws dropped in shock.

Knight-Captain Metal chose that moment to chime in, with words that sounded more flattering than poisonous, "With such smooth long hair and a slim physique like that, it'd be a waste not to wear a dress!" With that, he glanced meaningfully at Knight-Captain Sun, who sent him a chilling smile in return. Neither paid attention to Knight-Captain Storm, who looked as if he wanted to drop back to sleep to escape reality.

I could not help but think back to my own captain's short hair and muscular physique. How will Captain pull off wearing a wedding dress?

Captain Judgment, stay strong! Wherever you may be, know that your vice-captain's heart goes out to you!!

Adair came back with the tailors not long after Knight-Captain Storm's appointment as the bridesmaid. I was beyond glad to see him. The day's events were just too much to take in alone, and Adair's presence is very calming in these situations. I went to stand next to him as the knight-captains began their suit fittings (Knight-Captain Storm was taken to a corner of the room sectioned off by curtains for his dress fitting). Adair seemed to understand my still-somewhat-horrified mood, for he patted me on the shoulder and gave me an encouraging smile. To which I tried my best to return.

We watched the tailors bustle about the knight-captains. Taking measurements, choosing colors and suit styles... The process went quite smoothly; the only interlude to that was when Knight-Captain Sun chose the color for his wedding suit. To the surprise of everyone (except perhaps Adair, since at this point I highly doubted he'd be surprised at anything his captain did), Knight-Captain Sun insisted to be fitted for a black suit. Even the tailors paused to gape. After all, everyone expects the Sun Knight to dress in white. Black is Captain Judgment's color!

Seemingly unfazed by the looks of surprise and confusion around the room, Knight-Captain Sun flashed an innocent smile to the gaping tailor who was laying out white suits for him. Then he began to preach to the tailors in what seemed to be utmost sincerity.

"Sun is terribly sorry for his troublesome request. But he must heed the God of Light's benevolent advice and uphold the theme of balance that oversees the unity between Sun and his beloved. As we speak, the bride is choosing his dress under the God of Light's kind gaze. Sun has no doubt that his bride will be wearing a white dress; therefore, he would like to humbly request to be fitted for a black suit."

I am not quite sure how much of that the tailors actually understood, but it was clear that Knight-Captain Sun will not settle for anything but black. So black it was. As the room resumed its busy state, I continued dwelling on Knight-Captain Sun's comment about a white wedding dress. While fighting the urge to hit my head on the nearest hard surface, I began the process of convincing myself that Captain Judgment would look great no matter what he wore - white wedding gowns included.

As each knight-captain's suit was decided and all the measurements taken, everyone's attention began to gather at the curtained-off corner that Knight-Captain Storm had disappeared to. Anticipation filled the room as finally, the tailor who was in charge of fitting him for a dress stepped out and pulled back the curtains. The room fell silent as we took in the sight in front of us.

To complement the Storm Knight's trademark blue hair, the tailor had chosen to put Knight-Captain Storm in a pale orange dress. It was a short dress that cut off at the knees, revealing long, stocking-clad legs that ended in a pair of matching orange heels. A large bow adorned the front of the dress, with ruffled short sleeves on the side. Together, they effectively concealed Knight-Captain Storm's chest and shoulders.

I was certain that I was not the only one who was having a hard time remembering that Knight-Captain Storm is not actually female. My suspicions were confirmed as Knight-Captain Moon broke the silence with a shout of:

"A beautiful girl who is over 180 cm tall! Please date me!!!"

Knight-Captain Storm threw him a dirty look as he tugged at the dress in embarrassment. His face turned even redder when the rest of the knight-captains began to voice their thoughts as well.

"Ah! As Sun had expected, brother Storm indeed looks stunning in a dress!"

"Wow Storm! Who knew you'd make such a pretty girl!!"

"Storm!! You shouldn't roundhouse kick people while wearing a dress!!!"

That last comment was from Knight-Captain Leaf, who immediately rushed over in concern to the crack on the wall with Knight-Captain Moon embedded in it. Honestly, I don't blame Knight-Captain Storm. After all, it was kind of overboard when Knight-Captain Moon began attempting to serenade him.

As I was focused on observing the operation to drag Knight-Captain Moon out of the wall, Adair tugged on my arm. When I glanced at him in confusion, he gave me a look that said "interesting gossip," then discreetly pointed a finger at the direction of... Knight-Captain Hell?

As I turned my attention to where Adair was pointing, I soon realized why he had pointed it out. Amidst the chaos brought about by Knight-Captain Moon's trip to the wall, Knight-Captain Hell was the only one who was still rooted to his spot. Upon closer observation, I could tell that his gaze was tightly locked on Knight-Captain Storm. And... Was he actually blushing? Just then, Knight-Captain Storm glanced over and their eyes met. Which caused both of them to freeze, blush, then quickly turn away in a fluster.

I looked back at Adair incredulously, and he gave me a knowing smile in return. Well then, this will be an excellent piece of gossip to share after tomorrow's morning run. I wonder how Tyler will react when he finds out.

Overall, the suit fitting went successfully. It was now night time, and I was once again heading to the captains' quarters, this time with reports on the day's trials for Captain Judgment. As I approached the door, voices floated from inside the room.

"You knew."

That was Captain Judgment's voice. My eyes grew wide; his tone was the same as the one he uses when interrogating criminals. What was going on?

"What? Of course not!" Knight-Captain Sun's voice protested.

"Then explain your insistence that I try 'the latest fashion'."

I froze. T-the latest fashion?!

"I just thought it never hurts to be in style! Is it wrong to want you to try on a fashionable dress?"

"Grisia Sun."

"... I admit I might have known a little bit about what the latest fashion looked like... So, you actually tried it on?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"H-how was it?"

"A customer fainted from the sight. Even Teacher looked horrified."

"Pfft- No I'm sorry I'm not laughing don't glare at me like that!"

"If the fainted customer complains to the temple, you will be taking care of that."

"Alright alright. So what kind of dress did you get?"

"A simple one. It's in white."

As the sound of Knight-Captain Sun's excited cries of "I was right!" came through the door, I was still frozen in shock from "the latest fashion." I distinctly recall one of the sun knights mentioning it while gossiping about the wedding dress. And if it is what I imagined it to be... And Captain Judgment actually tried it on... I shuddered violently. Then, I promptly turned on my heel and left the captains' quarters.

The reports could wait until tomorrow morning. I had more pressing matters to worry about. Namely, a much-needed therapy session with someone who has much more experience dealing with his captain's image crumbling into something frightening and unwanted.

As fast as my legs could take me, I went to find Adair.

Chapter Text

Metal

A few days before the wedding, our factions held separate parties for our leaders in a final celebration. When deciding who would organize the bachelor party, I immediately raised my hand and shouted, "Me, me, me! I want to do it!"

Across the conference room, Blaze had also held his hand up, and he'd slammed the table with his other hand, using so much force that the table shook and papers scattered all over.

We blinked owlishly at each other before we flew into an argument over who would organize the party. Obviously, he would not have Captain Judgment's best interests in mind!

While we argued, Storm had snapped awake, his bizarre paperwork senses tingling, and cried out in alarm at all the scattered papers. After Hell helped him gather the papers, Storm crossed his arms. The bags under his eyes were so dark that it looked as if someone had socked him in the eyes. He glowered at both of us, his voice disturbingly calm. "Just hold two parties or something. I don't care as long as I'm not responsible for them."

Under Storm's bloodshot glare, Blaze and I both sat down, duly chastised. Storm was probably way past the point of caring. Over the course of all the wedding preparations, he'd gotten closer and closer to looking like death warmed over. It really wouldn't do for Captain Judgment to have such a ghastly bridesmaid!

Everyone else nodded their agreement, so that was that.

Since Captain Judgment and Sun weren't to see each other during the final days leading up to their wedding, and one was the "bride" and one the groom, two parties actually worked out. Traditionally, the job of organizing the bachelor party (now parties) would fall to the best man, but Hell was much too busy making sure Storm stayed alive. Storm, the bridesmaid, was terrible at taking care of himself and was in no shape to organize the party for their faction either. And so Blaze and I both got our wishes granted.

I hummed to myself as I finished decorating the location of the bachelor party for the "cruel, cold-hearted" faction, putting the last candle in place.

Or wait. Should this be called a bachelorette party instead?

I still found it difficult to believe that Captain Judgment would be wearing the dress. Just how did that no good Sun force Captain Judgment to agree?

In one fell swoop, most of the Holy Temple had become broke beyond broke because of the shocking turn of events, and we all secretly cursed Sun in our hearts. Or not so secretly, especially when our stomachs rumbled. We'd all been so sure. If not for Ice's many trial wedding cakes, I might've starved. My pockets had become so empty that I'd had to borrow money from my vice-captain to finish the preparations.

None of us had seen the dress yet, since Captain Judgment had gone off to get the dress on his own, and then the shop had sent it over all secretive and stuff. I bit my lips. I couldn't say I wasn't curious what he'd look like and what it'd be like to be whipped by him while he was dressed that way.

Mm, sleek black dress, high heels digging into my back~~, sharp crack of the whip, oh~~

I finished setting up the interrogation room with a grin on my face. It was perfect. There were all sorts of different interrogation tools and weapons ready for our use, not to mention candles and ropes as well.

Our party was definitely going to own anything Blaze could put together!

"Tadah!" I said, opening the door to the interrogation room. The six of us piled into the room. The others glanced around, and I thought I heard someone mumble, "Of all places to have a party..."

"Is that a chain whip?" exclaimed Moon.

"Sure is," I grinned.

Ice wordlessly picked up a ball and shackle. Stone inspected the long needles I'd prepared. Hell picked up a set of sharp daggers. Captain Judgment, the star of the party, held a black riding crop. I shivered in anticipation just from seeing it in his hands. The color matched him perfectly.

As he put the black riding crop down, Captain Judgment said, face expressionless, "...You really went all out."

But of course! This is a party for you, Captain Judgment! Nothing less would do.

There was no way I would let our last time together before his inevitable marriage end on a dismal note!

I beamed and pulled out a chair. "Sit, sit! I can't wait until the main event, but food first!"

Everyone sat down, except for Ice and me. I helped Ice bring out all the food he had prepared for the party. We laid out the table. First was the arugula salad mixed with other leafy greens, good for your body and all. Then came the soup, which Ice sprinkled with some kind of weird seasoning that he'd gotten from Leaf. Lately, Leaf had stopped looking like someone had killed his puppy and instead always had on an expression of utter glee. I hadn't known anyone could look that bizarrely cheerful, but apparently, having his pockets weighed down by ducats made him a much more lighthearted man. His situation had gotten fairly bad not too long ago, what with how his wedding had pretty much bled him dry of his savings and his seasonings. Now, he could finally buy more of his favorite spices, and boy did that revitalize him.

Ice had gotten one heck of a deal out of the bet too, which was why we were having such a feast right now. In addition to the soup, he brought out some vegetable courses with some type of melon I couldn't even name, and then delicious meat followed after that. With candles casting a low glow around the room and such a hearty meal before us, the atmosphere couldn't be any better!

After Ice and I sat down, we all began to dig into our meal. As I chewed, my face twisted so much that you probably couldn't tell me apart from some wrinkly old guy about to croak.

Similar expressions were coming across everyone else's faces, even Ice's (hey, you're the cook! It's your own cooking!). Only Captain Judgment remained unaffected, truly amazing, as well as Hell.

Stone chuckled even as he painstakingly lowered his fork. "Wow, you really went all out too, Ice."

Ice had made all of Captain Judgment's favorite foods. Meaning, everything was so bitter I thought I'd die.

After Stone spoke, he moved some of his food to Hell's plate. "Here, have some more salad. It's good for you."

Moon also did the same. I was tempted to foist some of my food on Hell too, but I steeled myself and swallowed my food in gulps while trying to hold my breath. These were Captain Judgment's favorite foods. I couldn't let him eat all by himself, with only Hell to keep him company!

Eyes watering, I hurriedly downed some wine to wash out the taste. At the same time, Ice piled some of his food on Captain Judgment's plate.

I...should have done that too!

As the dinner wore on, we all managed to eat something, but not without our faces twisting horrendously. It was all worth it though to see the small, grateful smile on Captain Judgment's face. It was well known to all of us that Captain Judgment was the farthest you could get from a picky eater. There wasn't anything in particular he disliked, but it just wasn't common for foods that he particularly liked to get made.

Our faces pretty much told the whole story why.

When Ice brought out the cake, I was grateful enough that I thought I'd hug him, but sadly there was cake between us. But! Finally! Finally, here was something we could all eat without being afraid of looking even uglier than rotting undead creatures with our twisted faces! Hell didn't count -- he wasn't rotting.

"Opinions?" Ice asked. He had paper in hand, ready to take notes.

Captain Judgment tried out the cake. After lowering his fork, he said, "You've done a fabulous job, Ice."

Oh how I wish that compliment was directed toward me!

While Ice jotted down Captain Judgment's thoughts about the cake and then went around asking everyone else's opinions, I heard Captain Judgment strike up a conversation with Hell about the food. It hadn't gone unnoticed to either of them that they were the only ones whose faces hadn't puckered up like wrinkly raisins.

Hell said in a serious voice, "It was nothing. It is a waste for me to eat but even more of a waste for the food to go uneaten."

"Nevertheless, thanks," Captain Judgment said. "I'm sure Ice appreciates it. I appreciate it too."

Hell gave a small nod, and then somehow their conversation drifted elsewhere. I'm not sure how talk about super bitter food led to whatever they were now conversing over, something about food and inadequacy, about not being good enough, but that's how it ended up being. Hell lowered his voice, so I couldn't really hear much. They talked for quite a long while. Finally, they stopped whispering all secretively. I was surprised that their conversation turned to "the former Knight-Captain Storm." That totally came out of nowhere. It was true that Storm's teacher had taken to haunting the hallways though, and although he didn't look like someone had socked him in the eyes, like what his student looked like, he often made me feel like his entire family had been slaughtered or something with how depressed he was, red rimmed eyes and all.

"He is truly a..." Hell paused, trying to search for a word to describe the man, "very compassionate teacher."

Captain Judgment nodded. "Indeed. He has helped Grisia and me a lot too. Though I am afraid we gave him a lot of trouble during our marriage counseling."

Translation: We might have traumatized that poor man.

What in the world did Sun do this time? Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised...

Hell murmured, "Ceo has a good teacher."

Captain Judgment lifted one eyebrow. "Oh? So it's Ceo now?"

Hell nodded solemnly. With any other person, they probably would've blushed or denied it. I think his face might be slightly pink, but other than that, he owned up to it right there. Then, he pulled out something from his pockets to show Captain Judgment.

Whatever it was, it made even the other eyebrow of Captain Judgment's shoot up. Hell remained stoic, shoulders tense. But soon after, Captain Judgment gave his eyebrows a rest and smiled a rare, soft smile and said, "Don't worry so much, you're doing just fine."

"But I'm..." Hell began to say.

Captain Judgment interrupted and said, "You're just as human as the rest of us, maybe even more. It's okay, really."

Hell fell silent.

"Things will work out, you'll see."

Captain Judgment was truly such a thoughtful captain, looking out for all of us like this!

My attention was pulled back to the cake when Ice approached me for my opinion. I'd already taste tested several versions of the cake already. This time, Ice had done an even more outstanding job on the appearance of the cake. This one looked so much more impressive than all the others. I looked over the cake and cut a piece from the bottommost layer for myself. Ice looked like he wanted to say something, but before he could, I'd already put the spoon in my mouth (I was hungry, okay?).

Bitter!!!!!!

"...that's Judgment's layer," Ice finally said. "This one is yours."

He pointed at another layer, which I was pleased to see was very close to Captain Judgment's layer.

It really tasted a whole lot better.

As the hour grew later and the candles melted nearly all the way, wax pooling around the bottom, I refilled our glasses of wine and lit new candles. Captain Judgment hadn't partaken in much wine, but he did take a sip now and then for our sake. I raised my glass and said, "To Captain Judgment!"

Then, the rest raised their glasses into the air as well. Captain Judgment also raised his.

Each of us took our turns speaking. Moon raised his glass and said, "To the best leader I could have ever asked for!"

I drank to that wholeheartedly.

Stone added, "To our most dependable comrade, I wish you the best in life!"

I downed my wine and refilled several of our glasses.

Ice spoke quietly. "To Judgment, our brother, our leader. May happiness find you."

I drank to that as well.

Finally, Hell said, "To Judgment, who always believed. I thank you on Grisia's behalf."

We all lifted our glasses into the air. I watched as Captain Judgment took a gulp of his wine, the liquid sliding down his throat. He had been drinking to each of our toasts, but he took the largest gulp with this last one. It was hard to see with the flickering candlelight and how his bangs shadowed his face, but I thought that Captain Judgment's face was starting to turn somewhat red.

I polished off my wine and poured myself some more, suddenly very much wanting to get drunk. Captain Judgment was soon going to get married. Married! To that no good Sun, no less! That super irresponsible Sun who always pushes all of his work onto Storm and Adair and even forces Captain Judgment to buy him blueberry pies like a dog playing fetch. Captain Judgment was no servant of his!

"Will he even treat you right?" I grumbled. "He's always asking so much of you..."

It wasn't that I didn't care about Sun. I did. He was our Sun Knight after all, and boy did it feel wrong when he wasn't around. But he wasn't Captain Judgment, and I'd always felt that Captain Judgment cared a lot more about Sun than Sun cared about Captain Judgment. I knew Sun had a lot on his plate, being the leader of the Twelve Holy Knights and all, and even a huge factor in keeping the world stable, but it didn't seem very fair to Captain Judgment.

Captain Judgment proved to be an excellent mind reader. Even with only half of what I was thinking spoken aloud, he answered my worries.

"Sun asks for favors. Sun makes requests. Sun makes demands." Captain Judgment said.

A whole dictionary could be written just on the nuances among the ways Sun makes people do things! Are you really sure about this, Captain Judgment?!

His smile was wry. "He's someone who will even maneuver me into wearing a wedding dress. But he wouldn't be Sun without his mischievousness."

Even though Captain Judgment hadn't said it outright, I could hear the sappy words, "And I do so love his mischievousness," hanging in the air.

Captain Judgment continued speaking. "He is all of that, but Grisia has saved me much more than the other way around. Those words of his, how we might have our backs facing the darkness, but we will still be walking under the light, have meant the world to me."

I filled in the blanks after that for him. And he is my light.

This, I knew too. Captain Judgment was hopelessly in love, and had been, since forever. It was why Sun had always rubbed me the wrong way. I knew that he'd take Captain Judgment away one day, and that there was nothing any of us could do to stop it.

I poured myself another glass of wine and raised it up, this time saying, "To an everlasting marriage between the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight! May you shock the world to death!"

Besides me, Moon giggled. "With lightning?"

"At least he's good at that!" I said.

Then, I drank some more.

After we finished eating, it was finally time for the main event. Stone wondered, for a fleeting moment, if I'd hired strippers, to which Ice murmured that Sun would kill us if I did, but all I said in response to that was, "Of course not! Captain Judgment already has Sun!"

Moon giggled some more. "Yes, yes, Sun can strip for him."

Exactly!

Captain Judgment rubbed his temples and looked over at us, face flushed. The wine was really kicking in now. "Let Sun hear that...and...he'll fly into a...rampage."

Moon's eyebrows did a suggestive little dance, like, you know, this crazy wiggle, probably because he couldn't really move his neck, and he said, "Oh come on, I'm sure he's done it countless times for you already in the bedroom! Like, this!"

After he spoke, Moon got up and looked like he had every intent to strip right then and there. Actually, by the time I noticed, his jacket was already on the floor, and he was working on his pendant, but he looked very confused, fingers fumbling. I scrunched up my face and shoved him.

"Hey! We said no strippers!"

He blinked. "Oh, right."

Then, he sat down again. Since there was a glass of wine in front of him, he chugged it down.

His jacket was still on the floor.

Meanwhile, Stone had engaged Ice in talking about the month's patrols where Captain Judgment and Sun had gone out in joint patrols to show off their newly gained understanding of the God of Light's will, that to honor the God of Light was to love thine enemy or all that nonsense that Sun had taken to spouting during the patrols. I couldn't really recall exactly how he'd worded it, but the citizens ate it all up like cake, and just like people high on sugar, they were totally high on all the gossip that resulted.

Seeing Captain Judgment and Sun patrol side-by-side was no doubt an impressive sight. At first, the citizens had been too shocked to react in any sort of way, but then they began clamoring to line up along the streets to catch a glimpse of the soon-to-be-married couple. The streets became so congested that patrolling nearly became impossible, and even Captain Judgment's heart-stopping glare couldn't get the crowd to part right away. The invitations Storm and Hell had sent out came pouring in. Everyone, and I meant everyone, wanted to come to the wedding. This was totally going to blow Elijah and the princess's royal wedding out of the water. The location that the Pope had first secured wasn't nearly going to be enough, but he wasn't complaining at all. In fact, he was downright delighted.

As Stone rambled off to Ice about what the citizens were now saying about the wedding dress, something about how Captain Judgment seemed to like the "latest fashion," Captain Judgment stood up and made his way over to the weapons and tools. He fumbled through them and said, "We should thank Laica..."

Stone stopped mid-speech, shared a glance with Ice, and then looked at Moon, who had somehow gotten his buttons open, and then glanced over at Hell, who looked completely out of it. I grinned and stood up, making my way over to where the weapons and tools where. Stone, Ice, and Moon followed behind me and each grabbed a tool for themselves.

Captain Judgment had selected the black riding crop once more and was lightly flicking it against his palm. How I wished it was slapping against my skin instead, sharp, tingling pain to keep me company! A parting gift, one last one to remember all the lovely times we had shared over the years.

But it wasn't to be, not today, and probably never again.

Captain Judgment murmured, "I probably won't be able to help you as much as before in the future."

I figured. With Captain Judgment's choice to marry Sun, he was definitely going to be on a very short leash from now on. Unless Sun decided to join in... Ahhhh, the lightning~~~

"Thank you," I said. If not for Captain Judgment, I probably wouldn't be at the Holy Temple anymore. I definitely wouldn't be able to enjoy myself like this. Seeing Hell seek out Captain Judgment's advice earlier in the night brought forth memories of how Captain Judgment had settled my worries of inadequacy too. I was good enough. I wasn't a failure.

I slid my finger against the sharp side of the knife hooked by my side. I grinned at the sharp pain.

I could do this.

Just as Captain Judgment went on to explain that while some people might find this "good practice," it wasn't going to help him much because Sun was totally an S and not an M, I cut in and said, "Let's spar."

Captain Judgment blinked and looked up from the riding crop in his hand. "Did you...say 'spar'?"

I nodded. "This is a night for you, Captain Judgment. Let's spar."

The rest were just as puzzled as Captain Judgment. They looked at the tools in their hands, not knowing what to do with them. How little they trusted me! It wasn't like pain was the only thing that was ever on my mind! I knew Captain Judgment! He would like this much more than what they all thought I had planned.

"Since this is Captain Judgment's party, I declare this a test of skills among the 'cruel, cold-hearted' faction! Begin!" I shouted.

Even Hell managed to lift his head from the table when he heard my shout, and he stumbled to get up.

Stone was the first to fight against Captain Judgment, needles against Captain Judgment's riding crop. The rule was to strike the other person three times. Stone was quite steady on his feet while Captain Judgment kind of...swayed. Moon giggled as he flew his hand across the air, copying the trajectory of the needle Stone had thrown.

"Swooosh!" Moon said.

...But maybe we're all too drunk for this. Am I drunk? I'm not, right?

"Are you going to use a whip?" I asked Moon.

Moon ran his hand along the chain whip he had eyed ever since entering the room. "Oh definitely this fine one here."

Oooh, yes, that would feel so good against my skin.

As we watched the battle, Moon rubbed at his eyes. He said dejectedly, "When will I ever get married?"

Ever since he had broken up with his girlfriend, he'd had a difficult time finding a new one. There were few who matched what he required of his lovers in height, and there were even fewer who could handle the craziness that was being together with one of the Twelve Holy Knights.

I blurted, "I hope you never get a girlfriend!"

Moon blinked and then narrowed his eyes at me. "Laica, there's no need to speak poisonously here."

But I wasn't trying to be mean!

If even you're taken... Then what am I to do? Moon is... Moon is...

"Your whip is only meant for me!" I sobbed.

You're my one and only SM queen!

All of a sudden, dark element burst out around Hell. I blinked, my mind still confused because that was certainly no fault of mine...right? My outburst couldn't have been that powerful to even cause Hell to lose control.

I turned to look in his direction. He had taken off the weird, heart-shaped ring he had on his fingers, and now his eyes were blazing.

Oh, and he had wings too.

Not to mention gray skin.

Huh.

"Huh?" Hell echoed my exact sentiments. He gazed at his hand in confusion.

Did he want to join the fight like that or what?

I had no idea what he was trying to do, but he had totally reverted to his death monarch appearance.

Then, he scrunched up his face and... a bunch of undead creatures appeared. From skeletons to spiders to zombies to witches, you name it...

Stone and Captain Judgment both froze. Moon and I also turned our attention to the undead creatures. Ice stood up. We shared a look, and despite being downright drunk, began to dispatch the undead creatures with the tools I had prepared. The undead creatures shrieked. Stone shot needles into their eyes. Captain Judgment dismembered the skeletons with precise flicks of his black riding crop. Moon flayed a zombie until it wasn't recognizable anymore. Ice threw the ball and shackle, knocking over several of them all at once. I threw myself into battle too, grabbing the rope I'd prepared. I grinned when one of the high-leveled skeletons nicked my arm with its blade made of bone.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and outside the door stood none other than Blaze who had his foot raised. We all turned to look at him, well, nearly all of us (Hell was still out of it), and Blaze stared back, baffled. Behind him was actually the entire "good, warm-hearted" faction, minus Sun. Storm was babbling at a high speed, something about how they all had to run away from their party because of how terrifying it was (it really made me wonder what in the world had gone on in that party), but once he saw the state we were in, with gunk all over and corpses littering the floor, he shut up.

Hell finally relaxed his shoulders for some reason. He looked up, saw Storm, and smiled. Despite Hell's alarming appearance, Storm smiled back very easily.

Ah, I thought.

I licked the blood that was trickling down my arm.

"Hi," I said.

Earth threw his hands up. "Is there no one sane around here anymore?"

Still, despite his words, he and the rest of the "good, warm-hearted" faction helped us take care of the remaining undead creatures.

Chapter Text

Blaze

I hummed to myself as I walked down the corridor that led to the Twelve Holy Knights' rooms. Sun's party preparations were going great. The best thing was, all the boring tasks were taken right out of my hands! Sun had taken care of the location by providing his cellar, which conveniently took care of the booze as well. Meanwhile Leaf had offered to prepare all the food, and that was something none of us would ever object to. Leaf's cooking was to die for, especially now that he had a full stock of seasonings again.

With all that out of the way, all I had to do was decorate the cellar and plan an awesome main event! I already had the perfect idea too!

I looked fondly down at the bundle I was carrying. This was pure genius, I tell you. Our party will definitely blow away anything Metal could put together. Literally. After all, the key to a good party is to create a festive mood packed with exploding fun, right?

"...Blaze."

I paused. Did someone call my name? I looked around and saw nothing. Shrugging it off to my imagination, I kept on walking.

"Knight-Captain Blaze."

I paused again. I was sure that my name was called this time. I glanced around wildly and shouted, "Who's there!"

Still nothing. I frowned. As far as I could tell, the only person in the corridor was myself. Then, I suddenly realized something.

"...Cloud?" I called out. "Where are you?"

"Here."

A weak voice replied, and I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. Aha! I knew it! I turned around. Lo and behold, there stood Cloud. I grinned.

"There you are! I found you this time!" Without setting you on fire too! I added to myself.

Cloud smiled back timidly. Then, he pointed a pale finger at the bundle in my arms.

"What is that for?" he asked curiously.

"I'm glad you asked!" I beamed and proudly held up the items from the bundle. "These are for Sun's party! These will make the most kick ass main event ever!!"

Cloud stared at me with his mouth hanging open. I smiled wider. See, my idea was so awesome it made Cloud speechless!

"...Blaze." Finally, Cloud found his voice. To my surprise, instead of being in awe, he sounded more like he was horrified. Why is that?

"Sun will never let you set those off in his cellar."

Huh?

"Why wouldn’t he?" I was hurt. "Don't you think fireworks are great for a party?"

Cloud gave a small sigh.

"You're bringing explosives into an enclosed space full of alcohol." He spoke slowly. "You could potentially set the whole place and everyone in it on fire."

"WHAT?!"

I... I didn't think this through...!

Dejectedly, I stowed the fireworks into my room. Dejectedly, I went down to Sun’s cellar. Dejectedly, I plopped myself down next to the pile of paper streamers I had prepared for decoration. Now that my grand plan was botched, even the brightly colored streamers looked dull and uninteresting.

Cloud sat down beside me and patted my hand softly.

“It’ll be alright.” He comforted. “Even without fireworks, there are still the decorations to make the party festive. I can help you hang them up, and then we can figure something else out for the main event.”

I looked at him gratefully. Cloud is such a nice guy! Not only did he save me from certain doom by Sun’s wrath, he’s even offering to help me as well!

“Cloud, you’re a life saver!” I exclaimed, tossing my earlier dejection out the window. Now’s not the time to mope! The party is tonight and there are still lots to prepare! Sun had promised to stay out of his room for the day so I could set up the party. I couldn't just sit here and waste precious time!

“Alright!” I jumped up and clutched my fist. “Let’s get started!”

Cloud smiled and nodded obediently. Together, we set off to work.

Sun’s cellar was really too boring. There was nothing but barrels and bottles stacked along the walls and shelves. I began by hanging streamers along the walls, alternating between bright colors.

Hmm… Red, orange, yellow…. Was it green or blue that came after yellow in the rainbow? I stared at the two colors in confusion for a moment. Then, I decided to not worry over the details too much. As long as the colors didn't repeat, it should be fine. On that happy thought, I kept going.

While I was working on the walls, Cloud was busy decorating the big wine barrels. Since this was a party for Sun, booze will definitely be the star of the night. So of course they needed to look bright and cheery as well! Cloud was a really good helper. A bit too quiet, but he sure was efficient. In no time, we had the once drabby cellar transformed into a colorful party room.

To avoid any fire hazards. Cloud even suggested that we use holy light instead of candles to light up the place. He was really good at making little orbs of holy light too. Must be from all the practice he had while holed up in cupboards. It took some time for me to get the hang of making the light orbs. But once we were done, the place looked freaking amazing. The little balls of light floated around the ceiling like fireflies, casting a warm glow on everything. This totally beats fireworks!

As we surveyed our handiwork, I gave Cloud a big pat on the back. Without his help, I couldn’t have pulled of anything nearly as good.

After that, I followed Cloud to the library. We flipped through the party planning books Cloud had found, looking for something we could use.

“Ah! This could work…”

Soon enough, the evening rolled around and all six of us piled into the newly decorated cellar. As the others beheld the transformed room in awe, I grinned proudly. Especially when Sun’s face lit up with a smile as he entered the cellar too! Considering that he was technically colorblind, it felt twice as great to have Sun’s approval.

It wasn’t long before we all sat around in eager anticipation as Leaf set the table with tasty looking food. There was seasoned bread, roasted meat sprinkled with lots of seasoning, a hearty looking stew that was also topped with seasoning… The list went on.

“Ah, the God of Light’s generosity had blessed brother Leaf with such an abundance of seasoning. Sun is gratefu-”

“Will you cut it out with the God of Light speech?!” Earth cut Sun off before he could confuse us any further. “This is a party! A party! Speak plainly!!”

As Sun and Earth began to squabble, I wasted no time on digging into the food in front of me.

“This is so delicious!” I shouted after biting into a chunk of meat. Leaf really was a master with seasoning.

Around the table, similar reactions came from everyone else as well. Leaf was absolutely beaming with happiness.

“Eat as much as you’d like!” He said as he replaced the now-empty plate of roasted meat with another one. “I made plenty!”

Everyone cheered at that.

“It’s been so long since I’ve eaten such a good meal.” Earth lamented. “Leaf, how did you manage to win the betting pool anyways?!”

Leaf laughed, somewhat stiffly. “I was just really desperate. I had to bet on a something with a high return!”

“What?” Sun cried out, sounding betrayed. “And I thought you were the only one here with faith in me, Strawberry!”

“O-of course I had faith in you as well, Sun.” Leaf sounded pretty nervous now. “Have more food! I made your favorite fish porridge.”

When it didn’t seem like food was enough to distract Sun from the topic completely, Leaf glanced around for something else. His gaze settled on Storm, who was, for once, not nodding off.

“Wow Storm, your complexion looks much better today. Did you get a good night’s sleep?”

Leaf’s comment brought everyone’s attention to Storm’s face. True enough, even the permanent bags under his eyes were barely noticeable today!

“I actually got over five hours of sleep last night.” Storm looked up from the soup he was sipping and sighed blissfully. How overworked must you get to be this happy about only five hours of sleep?! I was really glad that I wasn't the Storm Knight. I can’t even imagine being stuck doing paperwork day in and day out.

“Roland finished the day’s pile of paperwork for me so I could finally have a good night’s rest.” Storm continued, somewhat dreamily. “What would I ever do without him...”

Ewww! I made a face at the lovestruck expression Storm had on. This was so sappy it gave me goosebumps! Though I was apparently the only one who felt that way. Earth was snickering while Leaf fawned over Storm’s words. Cloud was invisible as usual, but judging from the randomly disappearing food, I’d say he was busy eating. Sun had a knowing smile on his face as he ate his porridge. I suppose he was immune to the sap since he was just as in love as Storm was. And people who are in love were generally kind of crazy. Don’t get me wrong now, even with all the crazy, Sun is still and will always be the brother I respect the most. Nothing will ever change that!

Anyhow, back on topic. It was no secret that Storm and Hell had something going on. In fact, I had even witnessed it myself! I shuddered a bit as I recalled that particular event.

It was a regular old day, and I was itching to kick down some doors. As I made my way down the hall, I settled for Storm’s door. Though my interest level in his door had gone down over the years, his was still one of the safest doors to kick down. So BAM! Down it went. I had expected an ordinary scene with Storm slaving over his paperwork as usual. But what greeted me was anything but that.

For one, Storm was fast asleep. Which would have been normal enough if not for the fact that he was sleeping in Hell’s arms. There wasn’t enough time for me to process all the details, but they totally had their arms wrapped around each other all mushy and stuff. When the door hit the wall with a loud bang, Hell jolted and Storm snapped awake. As I stood there trying to process the scene, Hell scrambled to coax Storm back to sleep. It only took a few moments before Storm dozed off again, and then Hell turned his gaze to me and glared.

I wasn’t quite sure how I managed to quietly fix Storm’s door back in place and escape with my life intact. But that experience had put Storm’s door on the “never again” list. I could only comfort myself with the thought that at least it hadn’t been as bad as when I kicked down Judgment’s door a few weeks earlier. Uggggh. The image of Judgment and Sun locking lips was not something I needed to see. And I could really have done without Sun’s revenge in the days that followed. That really sucked.

When all the food had been devoured and dishes put away. It was time to drink! Sun eagerly poured us all glasses of wine, while settling for the entire bottle himself. Taking that as my cue, I lept up and declared:

“Alright! Since this is Sun’s bachelor party, we need to make some toasts!”

Murmurs of agreement went around the table. I beamed and raised my glass.

“I’ll start!” I turned to Sun. “To our irreplaceable brother, Sun! Don’t let Judgment mistreat you in any way, or he’ll have us to answer to!”

Sun laughed and took a swig from his bottle. “Thank you Blaze. I’ll… remember that.”

As I chugged down my glass of wine, Storm lifted his glass with a lazy grin.

“To Sun, I wish you an everlasting marriage.” Then he murmured to himself. “I don’t ever want to see how much paperwork a divorce would cause.”

Sun’s mouth twitched, but considering how much Storm did for his wedding, I guess Sun couldn’t really retort in any way. So he just drank some more.

Next up was Leaf. His eyes were shining with tears as he spoke. “I’m so happy for you Sun. I wish you and Judgment the very best with your marriage.”

Sun drank gratefully to that. “Don’t start crying on us now, Leaf-mommy!”

“Congrats on actually getting married, Sun.” Earth raised his glass with a smirk. “May you bear plenty of children!”

“Earth, you bastard!” Sun had nearly choked on his drink. “I’m a guy, damn you!!”

He made the point of not drinking to that particular toast and turned his attention to Cloud, who had stood up with his glass raised.

“To our leader, Sun.” He said, quiet as always. “I hope you will find your happily ever after with Judgment.”

Sun smiled and then reached over to pat Cloud on the head. “Thanks, Didi.”

After that, Sun turned to all of us and raised a newly opened bottle (he had finished the last one already). “To my dear brothers, Sun will surely keep your words to heart!”

Cheering, we all drank some more.

“So.” Earth put his glass down impatiently and glanced at me. “Did you plan anything fun, Blaze? Please tell me you prepared strippers at least.”

“Strippers? Are they edible?” I asked. What’s a stripper?

“You idiot! Strippers ar-”

“Strippers are not edible!” Leaf interrupted in a hurry. He then smiled all mother-like. “We don’t want them anyways, right Blaze? I’m sure whatever you’ve prepared is much better!”

Right! Cloud and I had found something that’s much more fun!

“Drinking games!” I shouted. Since Sun liked drinking so much, what better way to celebrate than to make it a game we could all play?

Sun did look very interested. Earth seemed kind of disappointed, but Leaf and Storm looked quite curious, so Earth was outnumbered. From beside me, Cloud appeared to explain the game. “It’s called ‘Never Have I Ever...’. The players take turns saying one thing that they’ve never done. And whoever has done it will have to drink. Whoever passes out first loses.”

“Sounds likes fun.” Sun smiled. “I’ll start then. Never have I ever gotten flat out drunk in public.”

I gulped. I’ve done that a few times… Oh well! It’s only the first round. Good thing I wasn’t the only one. Across the table, Storm had taken a drink as well. I wasn’t surprised. Storm always had to drink a lot in public events after all.

“Never have I ever made others do my paperwork.” Storm smirked.

All of us shared uneasy glances, Sun looked especially guilty as he chugged back his drink. I think Storm had got to be the only one who always did his own paperwork- along with the rest of the temple’s.

Crap, I’m getting kind of woozy. If this keeps up, I might lose! Thinking fast, I blurted, “Never have I ever kissed a girl!”

“That, I will gladly drink to.” Earth declared proudly. Leaf happily drank to that as well.

“Ooo, never have I ever kissed a guy!” Leaf mentioned while looking quite red in the face.

Sun of course drank to that. And that was it.

“Whaaaat?” Leaf looked shocked. “Storm, you and Hell haven’t kissed yet?”

His disbelief was mirrored by everyone around the table. Storm shrank back, while blushing like crazy and protesting.

“O-of course not! It’s not a big deal!”

“How can it not be? It’s been more than enough time for you to make a move!” Sun declared. “Lesus kissed me right after he confessed!”

“Don’t compare me to your relationship!”

“But Hell’s been staying overnight at your room for weeks now!” Earth accused.

“We were doing paperwork. Thanks to a certain somebody’s wedding.”

The certain somebody looked to be deep in thought. Slowly, Sun raised his head and asked very seriously, “Come to think of it… Does Roland even know how to kiss?”

Silence.

Earth patted Storm on the shoulder. “My sincere condolences, dear brother.”

Cloud then poofed back into existence out of the blue and handed Storm a book titled “Beginner’s Guide to Kissing and Other Related Activities.” As Storm stared at him in horror and confusion, Cloud giggled and poofed back out of existence. Was he drunk?

By now, Storm was tomato red and looked like he very much wanted to kill someone. With a grudge-filled look at Leaf, he gritted out, “Never have I ever married a princess.”

Leaf must be drunk as well. For he only laughed happily and held out his left hand. “I have~!”

Looking at Leaf’s ring, I was reminded of something.

“By the way, what kind of wedding ring did you pick, Sun?” I asked eagerly. “Can we see?”

“... Actually…” Sun shifted uncomfortably, then admitted with a sigh. “I haven’t found one yet.”

A chorus of “ehhh?!”s went up. The wedding was just around the corner! How could Sun not have picked out the rings yet? He was usually so prepared for these kinds of things!

“I just couldn’t find the right one!” Sun took a gulp of wine and went on to explain, “I want to get something special, and nothing in the shops seems right… I’m hoping to make something myself with magic, but I’ll need help from Aldrizzt when he gets here with Teacher.”

Sun looked really frustrated, but there wasn’t anything any of us could do. The only magic I knew was fire-based. I frowned, then looked down at the glass of wine in my hands. That’s right, wine! Sun needs to drink more! We should go back to the game!

"Never have I ever cast an Ultimate Heal!”

Everyone stared at me dumbly. Then Sun laughed and drank, so back to the game we merrily went. Except now, it seemed that we’d all come to the silent agreement of ganging up on Sun.

“Never have I ever learned necromancy,” Cloud muttered.

Sun drank without a complaint.

“Never have I ever been put in confinement,” Storm said.

Sun winced and drank.

“Never have I ever been called despicable by a princess.” Leaf smiled.

Sun sighed but drank anyway.

“Never have I ever slept with a guy.” Earth grinned.

Sun’s face was red as he drank.

“Never have I-

BANG!!

We all jumped and turned to the source of the crash. The cellar door was kicked right off its hinges. From above the door came a smooth voice.

“Looks like I’ve made it back in time for my beloved student’s bachelor party. Thank the God of Light for His benevolent guidance.”

Then the owner of the voice jumped down to where we were. The only thing we could do was stare in fear as he straightened up and smiled at us.

I-it’s the former Knight-Captain Sun!!!

“Teacher! I’m so happy to see you!” Sun rushed to where his teacher stood while we all blinked in confusion. Wasn’t Sun usually the one who dreaded his teacher the most?

Former Knight-Captain Sun looked just as confused, but that passed quickly as Sun kept on talking.

“Where is Aldrizzt? Is he with you? I desperately need him!!”

“Child!” Sun’s teacher gasped. “I did not raise you to be this way!”

“Huh?” Now it was Sun’s turn to look confused.

“You’re already marrying Lesus! How dare you want Aldrizzt now as well!”

Our eyes widened. What is going on here? Then Storm spoke up, “Come to think of it… There had been rumors a long time ago about Sun having a foursome! The dark elf Aldrizzt was apparently involved too!”

Earth joined in, “It’s true! It was during our fight with that lich Scarlet a few years back!”

“That can’t be true!” I was angry. How could they believe such stupid rumors about Sun? “Sun would never do such a thing! I trust him!!”

“I agree with… Blaze. Sun woul-wouldn’t cheat on Judgment like that.” Leaf nodded drunkenly, holding his wine glass tightly.

In the end, it was Cloud who put an end to our argument. He was blearily flickering between visibility and invisibility as he mumbled, “I… was with Sun that day. Earth was too. Nothing happened hic, people just misunderstood.”

See? I was right! Of course Sun is innocent here!

Meanwhile, Sun had also explained to former Sun Knight Neo that he needed Aldrizzt for help with magic. And the two had settled down at the table with Sun pouring his teacher some wine.

“Hahahaha!” Sun’s teacher laughed as he clasped his student on the shoulder. “I misunderstood your words, child. Aldrizzt is with Chasel at his house. You can go find him tomorrow. For now, let us drink!”

As Sun agreed with a pained smile, no doubt lamenting his fate of drinking until dawn tonight, the former Knight-Captain Sun turned to us.

“What about you guys? You can either drink with us, or spar with me!”

We froze in terror. Then, after sharing looks with each other, we followed our survival instincts.

We ran for it.

Chapter Text

Aldrizzt

Traveling into town was always a difficult matter, but this time even more so. I had my hood secured to prevent people from fainting or gasping upon seeing me, but Neo sauntered in as if he owned the place. Someone gave a shout of, "Is that the Sun Knight?" and then immediately after that, the public swamped him, and I lost him among the sea of people.

Although he was the former Sun Knight, a well known figure in Leaf Bud City, it was never usually this bad when we dropped by. I had really underestimated the magnitude of Grisia's wedding.

"Oh my gosh, it is the Sun Knight!"

"Sun Knight! Congratulations!"

"Sun Knight! Can you bless my wedding?"

"Please name my baby!"

"We are very much looking forward to the wedding!"

"My family has already sent our blessings to the Church!"

"Sun Knight, you are such an inspiration!"

"Sun Knight, you have helped me see the light! Why be enemies when you can stand on the same side? Although he and I have been enemies for our entire lives, we have decided to get married!"

At that last one, which had been spoken in a single breath, I finally squeezed my way closer to the head of blond I had barely managed to catch a glimpse of. Neo had a smile plastered on his face, his entire demeanor completely different from that of my traveling companion.

"I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart," Neo said with a bright smile. "It is the God of Light's will for enemies to forgive each other and join hands, and you have carried out His will brilliantly."

After speaking, Neo looked away from the man who had spoken, caught sight of me, and grinned, his perfect and polite Sun Knight smile from earlier turning much more feral.

"Aldrizzt, what are you hiding there for! Come! Dally any longer and my hair will turn white like yours!"

I rolled my eyes. Whose fault is it for getting caught in the crowd right away? And are you sure you want to be drawing attention to me right now?

It seemed that Neo's patience toward maintaining the Sun Knight's demeanor had greatly diminished over the years. He had only said a single line in a graceful manner before he defaulted back to his usual.

"Oh right." Neo turned to the young mother who had asked him to name her baby. "Ahem. A name, you say?" He peered down at the baby in her arms. "From now on, I declare you to be Nagga! May she grow as strong as the serpents of legend!"

"Uh... thank you, Sun Knight! What a unique name!" The mother had her brows furrowed. She probably didn't know what to make of the name.

I dearly hoped the mother and the daughter never learned the real origin of her name. Just last night before Neo and I had reached the city, Neo had been complaining of how Chasel always nagged, how Grisia always nagged, and how I always nagged as well.

"You are all such a bunch of naggers! You really should have been named Nagga! I get it, already, Aldrizzt! I'm not going to give Grisia a hard time, okay?"

Back in the present, one of the townspeople looked suspiciously at me. "Sun Knight, may I ask who your companion here is?"

Neo didn't even bat an eye as he said, "He's yet another I've saved from the darkness. That's all! May the God of Light shine on us all!"

A chorus of "oooos~~~" sounded, and Neo finally extricated himself from the crowd. I tugged on his hood, intent on helping him pull his hood up before more disaster struck.

"Let's not have a repeat performance of that," I said.

He snorted and knocked my hand away, single-handedly fixing the hood in place himself. "Those people seriously have no eyes, always mistaking me for Grisia! I'm fit. He's not. Am I dainty like a girl? No! We don't look alike at all! Blind, the whole lot of them! And I thought my student was blind!"

They were truly not very observant. Neo's empty right sleeve dangled from his shirt. Surely that should have been enough to clue most in that Neo and Grisia were different people? Then again, maybe they hadn't mixed them up. Not once had they said that Neo was the one getting married. They had just called him the Sun Knight, which he technically was in the past.

"You've said before that blond hair and blue eyes is really all it takes, right?" I said. And presence. "Besides, being mistaken for Grisia is not a bad thing. He's young." And I thought you liked looking young.

Neo eyed me strangely. "Do you have a thing for my student? You better not! That's cradle-robbing!"

"I never said anything like that!"

"He's already getting married, you know!"

"I know!"

Unlike what Neo had initially thought when we first laid eyes on the invitation that Chasel had sent, the city had not burned as a result of the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight getting married, and neither had the Sun Knight's reputation crumbled to dust. In fact, I'd say that the Sun Knight's reputation was actually shining more brightly than ever. Neo was even laughing as we made our way to Chasel's house, buoyed by what he had seen in the city.

"I can't believe it! He actually did it... He actually made it into an example for people to follow! Hahaha! Only Grisia!"

As we walked through the city, we'd heard plenty of gossip, and there were even fictional stories detailing the "beautiful" love story between the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight being sold right next to the newspapers. The names were changed, but the stories were obviously about them.

"Read all about it! Read all about how one man was saved from the shadows to walk under the light together with his savior!"

"What a heartwarming story." A group of housewives sighed dreamily.

One of them picked up the story, looked at the cover, and said, "They should have drawn him in a dress!"

"Who? The Sun Knight?"

"No! The Judgment Knight? Haven't you heard? The Judgment Knight is a huge fan of 'the latest fashion'!"

"No way!"

"I won't believe it until I see it!"

"We might get to see him in a dress if we go to the wedding reception!"

"But I heard you need to buy tickets to enter the reception..."

It was with such talk following us that we made our way to Chasel's house. Although the streets grew farther apart and the buildings sparser the closer we got to Chasel's place, talk about the wedding didn't die down much. Practically everyone was talking about the wedding with it only being a few days away.

"I-Imagine Chasel in a wedding dress," Neo finally managed to squeeze out in between his laughter.

What in the world are you imagining, Neo...

I'd asked Neo earlier if it were common for men to wear dresses when they get married. It turned out that there was no such tradition, so why was Chasel's student going to wear a dress?

Neo eyed me speculatively. "Or what about you, Aldrizzt? Fancy wearing a dress?"

"Not really," I said. "My robes are much more practical." Just like how it was much more practical for Neo to wear a knight's outfit than to wear a dress. I couldn't imagine him fighting in a dress, especially not one of the puffy dresses I'd seen being worn by several women around town. What would that look like...

"Che, you're no fun."

Neo, is this your way of...

I frowned, but Neo had already strolled off. I quickly caught up to redirect him.

When we finally got to Chasel's quaint little house, Neo made a gesture as if to shoo me along, and then he jerked his thumb at the street behind him. "See you later, Aldrizzt. I'm going that way."

"Aren't you going to at least say hello to Chasel?" I asked.

"No, no, I must pay my student a visit before his wedding to remind him of his dear teacher's presence. He has likely forgotten, seeing that he didn't even send the wedding invitation himself!"

"Okay," I said, even though I knew it was more of an excuse so that he could escape from Chasel. "But Neo, you should head that way."

I indicated the street opposite of the one he had pointed out. "The Holy Temple is that way."

"I knew that," Neo said when he obviously didn't. He even grumbled about Chasel's choice to live in such a desolate part of town, as if that made any difference. I watched him disappear down the street.

Will he even reach the Holy Temple before nightfall? Maybe I should go with him...

Then again, Grisia probably would not mind if his teacher did not make it in time. I shrugged to myself and knocked on Chasel's door, intent on catching up. With Neo out of the picture, I could even give Chasel a status update in person instead of how I always did it by letter.

"Chasel, you really think too highly of me," I said as he set out the tea. I pushed my hood down and shook out my hair, running a hand through it to get rid of the snags. "I nearly thought it to be a joke when I saw your letter."

"Oh? Did Neo give you a lot of trouble?" Chasel asked. "I'm hurt he didn't even come in."

Chasel blew gently on his tea, dark eyes regarding me curiously.

"To him, you're probably even scarier than a dragon," I said. Do you even have to ask about Neo and trouble? "And to the town we were in, Neo was definitely even scarier than a dragon."

"How did he respond?"

I counted on my fingers. "One smashed table, three broken wine bottles, two broken chairs, three unconscious men, and a collapsed roof. Not too bad. I can still count that on my fingers."

I held my fingers up to show Chasel.

Chasel chuckled. "That really isn't all that bad in consideration."

I sobered, letting my hands fall to rest around my tea cup. "Indeed, it wasn't. It was more... after he got tipsy that was more worrying."

We had drunk well into the night, under the starry sky instead of having a roof above us (since Neo had seen to the destruction of that). As the empty bottles grew more and more numerous around us, Neo in turn grew more and more somber. He'd gazed up at the night sky, moonlight shining down on his blond tresses, casting an ephemeral glow around his figure. To me, Neo had always been someone who lived in the moment, and I admired him for it, but at that particular instant, I knew very well that he was stuck in the past.

I could only look on, forced to acknowledge that time wasn't something that ever stood still. We couldn't just live in the present, disconnected from the past and the future. Despite having only known Neo for a handful of years, merely a tiny fraction of my life, I couldn't imagine not having him in my life anymore.

Yet it would eventually come to pass.

I didn't want to have regrets like theirs.

Chasel waited for me to continue. Neo's wry smile surfaced to the forefront of my thoughts.

"At first, he talked about Grisia when he was younger and complained that Grisia was so much of a church hermit that he was even marrying someone from the Holy Temple, but later on, he started talking about you..." I said, voice trailing off.

"Ah," was all Chasel said. He took a sip of tea. Then, he stared down at it, dark eyelashes brushing against his cheeks. This time, it was my turn to wait for him to speak, just like I had listened to Neo. Finally, he glanced back up at me. "I suspect he just never thought it possible between us, and to see our students managing what we couldn't..."

The Judgment Knight and the Sun Knight getting married is unheard of! Neo had shouted. Chasel and I both know it clearly!

"Grisia is quite something, isn't he?" I asked.

"That he is." Chasel laughed. "Much more daring than either Neo or me."

"I never understood why either of you let your positions tie you down like that." Just how did they have it in them to honor a god they could not see, to don masks and pretend to be someone they were not? Why let the reputations of dead men dictate their lives? Humans were strange beings indeed.

Chasel shook his head sadly. "For us, our positions were both our bonds and our excuses. In any case, Neo was never meant to be tied down. I'm glad he has you now."

"Don't you miss him?" I asked. Neo was like a force of nature, never someone who could ever be forgotten. Although I didn't understand humans and their marriage customs, it was clear that marriage was an important step for many of them, and Chasel and Neo had both wanted something like it.

Chasel chuckled. "I do have a Neo-sized hole in my life, but what can I do? The man runs at the very sight of me. Am I really that scary, Aldrizzt?"

Perhaps if I had met Chasel when he was the Judgment Knight, I might have thought him to be intimidating. However, the moment I'd met him, he'd greeted me with a small smile, and we'd immediately bantered over the great burden that was Neo. His house was the coziest I'd ever been in, with a small fireplace and meticulously pruned plants, inviting conversation waiting to be shared over tea. Coming here was always very relaxing. Chasel's calmness always made me feel tranquil too.

I smiled behind my cup. "I was jesting earlier. Rather than scary, I think Neo just doesn't want to be nagged at."

"True, even though Neo is the one who inspires that kind of reaction from everyone. He even makes his student nag at him," Chasel lamented. "Still, I do miss him."

He took a sip of his tea. Then, he placed his cup down on his saucer and glanced over at me with a small smile. "But well, I'm glad I have you now too."

I felt my smile grow.

Although both Chasel and Neo had regrets over their past decisions, I was thankful Neo had decided to go off adventuring. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here sharing tea with Chasel, chatting about the very person who played such a huge part of our lives. Who knew I could have such bonds too?

I sipped my tea, and we continued chatting late into the night.

When two sharp knocks sounded on the door the next day, I thought Neo might have miraculously made it back from the Holy Temple without getting lost. That, or he had returned without having made it to the Holy Temple at all. However, Chasel's greeting indicated that the person outside was indeed the Sun Knight, though not the one I had in mind.

"Now, this is a rare visitor," Chasel said. "Congratulations on your marriage, Grisia."

"Thanks. Teacher told me that Aldrizzt is here?"

"He's inside."

Chasel opened the door wider, and in stepped Neo's student. Grisia had on a cloak with a hood. He pushed his hood down once he was inside.

"Neo's not with you?" I asked.

Grisia turned in my direction and shook his head. "He went looking for the rest of the Twelve Holy Knights to drink or spar with them, but he hasn't had any luck. I heard from Adair that they were all passed out in the interrogation room. Vidar had quite the fright this morning."

They were all passed out in the... interrogation room? Did a prisoner of theirs give them a hard time?

I furrowed my brows. Seeing my confusion, Grisia started explaining, but the more Grisia spoke, the more confused I became. "Vidar nearly tripped over Moon who was only in his boxers! Storm was cocooned inside Roland's wings, snuggled up against him, and Leaf was collapsed on the very table that Cloud later emerged from, scaring Vidar out of his wits. But most importantly, can you believe that Metal was all wrapped up around Lesus' leg, and Lesus himself had a riding crop in his hand? How dare Metal hold their party at an interrogation room, of all places! He's totally corrupting Lesus! And I wasn't even invited!"

Chasel murmured, "Likely because you've corrupted him enough already..."

Wings? Riding crop? Did he say party? In an interrogation room? Bizarre images sprang to mind, but nothing added together. I asked, confused, "What are you talking about, Grisia? What party? What interrogation room? Why was everyone passed out?"

Grisia looked blank. "Huh? Haven't I explained it yet? We had our bachelor parties yesterday."

Chasel explained, "That's when friends hold a party as one last get-together before the marriage."

And it involves riding crops? What a strange human custom...

"They were all passed out from it. It wasn't like we drank that much! But from what Adair told me, it seems that everyone has a hangover today." Grisia huffed. "In the end, before Adair could finish reporting, Teacher abducted my vice-captain!"

Chasel raised an eyebrow. "So who's taking care of the Holy Temple right now?"

"...My vice-captain."

"While abducted by Neo?" I asked, not knowing how that worked.

Grisia shrugged. "They're still in the Holy Temple. He'll be...fine."

Are you sure... No matter how skilled Grisia's vice-captain was, this was Neo we were talking about here! Handling Neo was a full-time job in and of itself.

After Grisia got all of that off his chest, I congratulated him on his marriage, and then he finally revealed that he was here to seek my help. We sat around Chasel's table as Grisia explained what he had in mind.

"I've been looking for wedding rings, but there isn't anything suitable on the market. Nothing special enough. I thought I'd make the jewels myself out of magic so I could imbue them with protective spells and enchantments."

He rummaged around his pockets and pulled out a rose bead to show me. "Here's a bead I made out of magic, imbued with healing spells. Crush it, and the person is healed. I'd like to make something similar for the rings, but with no crushing involved."

I took the bead and studied it. It was well crafted, the petals intricate, but more importantly, I could feel the holy element that permeated it. Between this example and the Eternal Tranquility, I had a good basis for what Grisia had in mind. I gave him a nod. "I can help you figure it out."

Grisia beamed. "Knew I could count on you! Now, I just need to purchase the bases for the rings..."

Chasel placed his cup down. I glanced at him. He was deep in thought. Grisia and I began debating about how to go about creating his own gemstones for the rings. He wanted Lesus' ring to be blessed with healing spells and protective charms, while he wanted calming properties for his own. When Chasel heard that, he murmured that Grisia was giving this serious thought, to which Grisia answered, "Of course!"

His words hung in the air. Chasel waited for Grisia to explain. Grisia breathed in deeply, as if bracing himself, and said, "I won't let anything hurt Lesus... myself included."

Chasel's reply was a quiet, "I trust you."

For a moment, it didn't seem like Grisia was able to reply. He opened his mouth but closed it, and he blinked his eyes hard. In the end, he smiled a wobbly smile and murmured a small, "Thank you."

Although the conversation drifted back to the creation of the gemstones after that, I couldn't help sneaking glances at Chasel. He was once again deep in thought, fingers curled around the handle of his teacup yet making no move to bring the cup to his lips. From time-to-time, he would glance over at Grisia. When he caught me looking at him, he smiled wryly at me, his smile reminiscent of Neo's smile that night we drank under the stars. Then, he sat back, shoulders relaxing. His fingers uncurled from the handle of his teacup. I turned my attention back to the discussion on hand.

Some time after that, Chasel left his seat. I thought he had gone off to do something else, but he soon returned and set something down on the table before us.

Both Grisia and I stopped and looked at him. Grisia glanced down at the table. "Is that...?"

"Rings," Chasel said. He nodded at them.

Grisia picked up one of the rings and turned it around in his hand. He rubbed his finger along the metal. Immediately, he picked up the other ring and examined it too, running his finger against the inside of the band. He whispered, "Engravings of a moon and a sun...?"

He raised his head to regard Chasel silently. I too, had my eyes trained on Chasel. His smile had melted into one that was truly gentle.

"Think of it as my gift to you and Lesus."

Chapter Text

Lanbi

The midday sun shone through the leaves, blinding me for a few seconds as I reached for the next branch to grab hold of. I squinted, then swung my legs up to wrap around the branch. Hugging the bark closely, I gingerly eased myself onto my knees. I rose up bit by bit until I was standing on the branch, arms reaching back to stabilize myself against the tree trunk. Then, I took a deep breath, eyes locked on my target. I put my right leg forward, leaned back on my left leg, and with a running leap launched myself from the branch.

With a soft thud, I landed lightly on the windowsill. I grinned to myself. After years of practice, this was practically a piece of cake! Peeking through the window, I saw that the coast was clear. So as quietly as I could, I pulled at the window, grin widening when I found that it was unlocked. Opening the window just far enough for myself to slip through, I glanced around once more before poking my head into the room.

I was immediately greeted with a sword's sharp blade against my neck.

"You have a lot of guts." A deep voice growled out. "Breaking and entering in broad daylight!"

I gave a lighthearted laugh. "Relax, this is my own house~"

"...Lanbi?!"

The blade was gone as fast as it had appeared. And from behind the curtains, the sword's owner stepped out. He was wearing an expression of shock, his pipe nearly falling out of his mouth.

"Hi Fahr." I waved, then jumped down from the window and into the living room of our shared house. "I'm back! Did you miss me?"

Fahr sheathed his sword with a sigh. "How many times must I tell you to use the front door..."

"And yet you keep the window unlocked for me anyway." I replied and plopped myself down on a chair. Fahr shook his head exasperatedly, then sat down on the chair across the table from mine.

"I thought you were going to stay at the Holy Temple until the wedding?" he asked.

"Change of plans." I leaned back on my chair. "Neo's back, and he's on a rampage at the temple."

"Ah. I see." Fahr nodded in understanding. We'd dealt with the terror that was Neo for over twenty years already while in office. It was more than enough to last a lifetime.

“I guess I’ve seen all I need to see at the temple anyways.” I shrugged. “The kids are doing well.”

Fahr smiled, and while taking a puff from his pipe, he asked, “Your note never explained why you decided to stay this long. Did the counseling go badly?”

“No… That wasn’t the reason.” I sighed. “It’s a long story.”

I suppose I should start from the beginning. A few days ago, I had received a summons to the Holy Temple from the Pope. The official explanation was, “The God of Light requires the aid of the former Storm Knight, in a matter of utmost importance. The future of His children’s happiness is at stake.” The unofficial, and much less inspiring reason, had been for me to play the role of a marriage counselor all because the Pope was too stingy to hire a real one, and the whole ordeal was more or less a matter of procedure anyways. So why not con the former Storm Knight- the icon of romance- into the job?

Needless to say, I was not too amused. However, the task did provide me with the opportunity to check out the hottest gossip nowadays in person. As well as pay my dear daughter- ahem, I mean, student a visit. So off I went.

After checking in with the Pope in the Sanctuary of Light, and winking at dozens of clerics in the process, I made my way to Ceo’s room in the Holy Temple. Standing in front of the familiar door, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. I allowed myself a wistful smile as I knocked on the door. This room was no longer my own, so I suppose common courtesy was required.

“Who is it?” Ceo’s voice called out. He sounded drained. How much paperwork did Neo’s brat ditch my student this time?!

“Ceo, it’s me,” I replied simply.

The sound of a chair scraping came from the room, followed by hurried footsteps. The door flew open and Ceo greeted me with a happy smile. “Teacher!”

“Child.” I answered happily, stepping forward to give him a hug. “How have you been?”

Ceo’s smile turned sheepish as he answered, “Same old… Kind of. Come in! Sit sit!"

With a quizzical glance at my student, I stepped into the room filled with paperwork. Honestly, the sheer amount of paper in this room is ridiculous! And are they all for the upcoming wedding? For what felt like the millionth time, I found myself lamenting the path Ceo had been manipulated into. Though I suppose I should take comfort in the fact that Grisia had decided to take Lesus as his wife. I don’t know what I’d do if I really had to give my daughter away to Neo’s student!

I sighed, taking in Ceo’s pale face and dark eye bags. “My poor child, when was the last time you had a good night’s sleep?”

“I’ll be fine, Teacher,” Ceo reassured me, which only made my heart ache more. “Besides, Roland’s been taking care of me. Making sure I sleep enough and all that.”

“Roland?” Hell’s new student? I didn’t know Ceo was close to him… Wait. “What do you mean by taking care of you?”

I narrowed my eyes. This sounds suspicious. Very suspicious. To my horror, Ceo blushed bright red and looked down in embarrassment. I was more than familiar with that particular look, having seen it adorn the faces of countless women in the past. But that’s not of importance! Why was my student, my precious daughter, my hopeless child who could not even look at pictures of women without getting flustered… Why was he making such an expression right now?!

Ceo finally looked up and met my eyes. “Teacher… About that, I have something to tell you.

“I… I’m in love with Roland."

“What!” Fahr nearly choked on his pipe. “C-ceo? He’s… He’s…”

His good eye was nearly bulging out of its socket. I could only nod gravely.

“My reaction exactly.”

I had gaped at Ceo, mouth opening and closing in a manner that I was sure resembled a fish. After a few tries, I found my voice and rasped out, “C-child… You’ve jumped straight past crushes?!”

Ceo ducked his head again, looking off to the side as he mumbled out, “...By the time I noticed, it was no longer just a crush…”

Dear God of Light. This was serious. It looked like this trip was as the official summons had said- "of utmost importance to His children's happiness." Except, it was specifically for my child's future happiness.

"Tell me about this Roland." I said, "He's the replacement Hell Knight Grisia brought in years ago, right?"

Ceo nodded. I frowned.

"Wasn't he a demon king candidate as well?" I asked in concern. "Not to mention a high-level undead creature..."

While I couldn’t care less if Ceo had fallen for a woman or a man (in fact, after all the years I’d taught the kid, I would be surprised if he ever got hitched with a lady. Ceo used to run away at the mere sight of girls!) it was quite worrisome when the person my daughter was in love with was dead.

Ceo was silent for a moment, but when he spoke, his voice was strong.

“Teacher. Roland may be an undead creature, but to us he is no different than any other human being. He’s one of the gentlest people I know, and I can always rely on him.” Ceo smiled fondly, and suddenly my previous worries seemed so very insignificant. He’s in love, I marveled, Ceo has found that special person.

“He makes me happy, Teacher. I like being with him,” Ceo continued. “Besides, Roland is great at doing paperwork.”

Child… Is that where your priorities lie?!

“So, have you told him?” I asked curiously.

Ceo nodded. I grinned. “And? Does he feel the same way?”

I was expecting another nod. But instead, Ceo’s response was to nod, then change the motion into a hesitant shake, then back to a nod again. If I didn’t know what he was doing, I might have thought that my student was having a seizure. Raising a questioning eyebrow at Ceo, I waited for him to explain.

“I think… He does feel the same.” Ceo frowned. “Then again, I can’t be certain… He seems unsure of himself…”

“What? How could he!” I growled. How dare that Roland be unsure about my lovely daughter?!

“I-I mean, he doesn’t have any experience whatsoever with things like this… And, and Roland is really dense! B-besides… He’s still struggling with himself over the whole undead creature part…”

"That's no excuse!" I stood up and stomped my foot on the ground. "I should go have a word with him!"

"No!" Ceo hurriedly grabbed my arm. "Teacher, don't! It's fine! Really!!"

I paused, heart softening as Ceo's eyes went teary. He knew that I could never resist that look. With a sigh, I turned around and put my hands upon Ceo’s shoulders.

“Are you sure, child? Are you really fine with this?” I pouted, surely I was doing the right thing! “Daddy just wants the best for his darling daughter. I won’t stand for any idiot boys taking advantage of you!”

Ceo, who was used to being referred to as my daughter by now, patted my hand in reassurance. “Yes, I’m sure, daddy. Rather than worrying about me, don’t you have to head to the marriage counseling now? Sun and Judgment are probably waiting for you already.”

Ah! I had nearly forgotten about the actual reason why I was here! I glanced at the door, then back to Ceo. Sensing my reluctance, Ceo all but pushed me to the door.

“Please Teacher, what if Sun and Judgment’s marriage fails because they didn’t get counseling? I’ll end up with even more paperwork!”

When he puts it like that…

“Alright, alright. I’ll go…” I mumbled and saw myself out the door. However, as I closed the door behind me, a slightly different plan formed in my mind.

I’m sure that Grisia and Lesus could wait just a bit longer…

Fahr sighed. “You went to find Roland, didn’t you?”

“Of course not!” I protested. “I just… Ran into him in the halls. And we had a friendly chat, that’s all.”

Fahr didn’t look convinced in the least. “What did you say to the poor boy? He sounds like a nice kid.”

“The kid is a brick! A dense, old fashioned brick!” I fumed, recalling the conversation. “It turned out that he was actually totally serious about Ceo!”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No!! He’s too serious! Too sincere! I can’t even find a reason not to give him my daughter!”

“... And you accuse me of being too soft-hearted when it comes to Chikus…”

I crossed my arms. The feeling of bitter reluctance to let go was surging up once again. “... In the end, I did give him my permission to… to court Ceo. What can I do? It’s obvious that the two are head over heels for each other. I’d feel like a villain if I didn’t consent. Also, after observing them the past few days, I can’t deny that Roland is indeed good for Ceo.”

“So that’s why you stayed at the temple.” Fahr smiled. “I was worried that there might have been something wrong with the wedding.”

I shook my head. “No no, the wedding preparations are going quite smoothly. Chasel and Neo’s students are really quite something.”

When I had finally arrived at the room where the marriage counseling was to be held, Grisia and Lesus were already in their seats waiting. Putting on a cheerful smile to hide the emotional turmoil I felt after the chat with Roland, I took my seat and spoke as lightheartedly as I could manage.

“Sorry that I’m late! I’ll get us started right away.” I cracked open the guide book I had picked up at the library. “Let’s see… Basically, I’m here to help you two prepare for marriage. Making sure that you are clear on what you’re signing up for and all. So drop the masks and feel free to talk about anything!”

The couple visibly relaxed at the last part of my words. Grisia dropped his smile and Lesus’ stern demeanor faded into a much more natural one. They also shifted closer to each other -whether that was a conscious action or not I did not know- with their shoulders touching.

Glad for their cooperation, I turned to the book again and flipped through it. “First thing on the list is ‘to accept that you are different. There will be disagreements between the two of you, and compromise is important.’”

Lesus and Grisia shared a look with each other, then turned to look at me with matching expressions of amusement. I could understand why. I mean, one can tell from just looking at the two that they were as different as they came. One was the Sun Knight, the other the Judgment Knight. And both were the complete opposite of their images.

“I think we’re more than clear on that,” Lesus said with a small smile.

“That’s right,” Grisia added. “Just last night I had to settle for only one pie when I specifically asked Lesus to buy five!”

“It was for your own good…” Was Lesus’ exasperated reply.

It was my turn to look amused as I beheld the bantering couple in front of me. “Well then, it does seem like the two of you have that one covered. Moving on…

“Next up is to… expect surprises.” I pursed my lips. This sure sounds familiar. “There will come times when you are hit by things that you are absolutely not prepared for.”

Such as coming home one day to find your daughter all grown up and getting whisked off to the sunset… I added to myself bitterly.

“Surprises huh.” Grisia mused. “We’ve gone through quite a few of those…”

Lesus smiled wryly. “That is true. Such as that time you disappeared and lost your memories.”

“Haha...ha…” Grisia shifted his eyes guiltily. “That was the first time you threw me into confinement too... I definitely did not expect that.”

“Then imagine the surprise I felt when you threw me into confinement,” Lesus retorted.

“Hey! I was just as shocked as you were!”

What is up with these two… I listened with wide eyes. What kind of couple throws each other into confinement?

“I’m guessing that I probably don’t want to know the details…” I muttered.

Seeing that Grisia and Lesus didn’t particularly want to feed me the details either, I resumed flipping through the book. “Hmm… ‘Let nobody get in between your marriage.’ If I may say, I highly doubt anyone will, given how well you have publicized it.”

Grisia grinned while Lesus gave a small chuckle.

“It was a daring move,” I continued, curiosity peaking. “What made you want to take that chance?”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew heavy as they pondered over my question. After a few moments of stagnant silence, Lesus spoke up. “We didn’t want to have any regrets.”

“What we have together is something I want to make the most of,” Grisia added softly. “Especially with the Demon King…”

He trailed off, while his hand moved to grasp at the front of his shirt where the pendant that kept the dark element in check lay. Lesus took his other hand and laced their fingers together- a silent reassurance. I observed quietly as Grisia gave Lesus a grateful smile and leaned into him. Their small, intimate gestures spoke volumes- It’s okay, I’m here, we’re in this together.

As the moment passed, they once again turned their attention to me.

“What’s the next point, Teacher Lanbi?”

“Ah, let me see…” I quickly checked, then chuckled as I read it out loud. “‘Stay committed to each other. Hardships are an inevitable part of any relationship. Do not let it drive you apart. Perseverance is essential to strengthening your bonds.’”

This was truly a useless point. These kids have gone through enough hardships together to fill a stack of books. And yet here they are, hand in hand, taking on the world together. Their commitment to each other was as clear as day.

It was Grisia who spoke up first. But instead of me, his words were directed at Lesus.

“You never gave up on me.” He murmured, “Even when I had given up on myself.”

“You have always been the light that lit up my path,” Lesus replied gently. “And I will do anything to keep you by my side.”

Grisia seemed at a loss for words. He then scowled rather unconvincingly. “I-idiot! You’ll just get yourself killed. And I’ll have to cast Resurrection to bring you back!”

“You know I won’t allow myself to die in your presence again.” Lesus’ fingers ghosted over Grisia’s eyes, then tenderly stroked his hair. “You’ve already lost too much…”

“You would not believe how sappy they were getting! How did Chasel and Neo raise them to be like this?!” I complained. “I felt like such a third wheel.”

“It sounds like Grisia and Lesus are quite happy though,” Fahr commented. “Your counseling went well.”

“I wasn’t done yet,” I grumbled and reached over to snatch Fahr’s pipe from his hands.

Taking a puff and ignoring Fahr’s indignant protests, I went on with my story.

“I think we’re done here!” I had declared with a smile. “Obviously, even death cannot do you two apart. I don’t think you need this counseling at all.”

And Ceo can rest assured that this marriage is not going to fail and give him more paperwork. I thought to myself. Which was a relief, seeing how he will soon… No! No no no. I shook my head. Don’t think about that right now, Lanbi! You’ll make yourself cry!

“Uhm… Teacher Lanbi?”

Huh? I looked up, and found both Lesus and Grisia looking at me in concern.

“Are you alright?” Lesus asked. “You seemed to have a lot on your mind ever since this session started.”

“Eh? Ah… I’m fine!” I quickly replied. “I’m just… Thinking about some new… gossip. Yes, new gossip I’ve heard.”

Grisia pursed his lips in suspicion. Then, he seemed to come to some realization. “Could it be that you’ve heard about Storm and Roland already? I’m right, aren’t I? Your heart has sped up!”

Crap, I forgot about that annoying sensing ability Grisia has! Having been pushed into a corner, I had no choice but to relent.

“You’re right,” I admitted grudgingly. “It was quite a shock.”

I received two identical looks of sympathy in response, though Grisia’s looked a bit too amused to be completely sincere. I sighed. Since we were on the topic, I might as well get everything off my chest.

“I just can’t fully grasp it. They’re so serious about each other already! And I’ve just heard about the whole thing.”

Grisia nodded. “I think Storm’s had a crush on Roland ever since Roland started pulling all-nighters with his platoon to help Storm with the paperwork. And that was years ago!”

T-that long? My child, why have you not said anything to me?

“These wedding preparations have really brought them together,” Lesus stated matter-of-factly. “Roland has barely left Storm’s room these few weeks.”

They’ve been living together?! “Has that Roland been taking advantage of my Ceo?!”

“Roland?” Grisia laughed. “I doubt he even knows how to! Storm would totally jump him first.”

…

“Grisia, that’s enough. Teacher Lanbi looks like he’s in shock.”

“Ehhh? But I only said the truth!”

“Those are your speculations. Who is to say that Roland couldn’t make the first move?”

“...Lesus, now you’re traumatizing Teacher Lanbi.”

...My daughter… Just how much have I missed?!

“So… You ended up getting counseling from those two instead of the other way around.” Fahr concluded as he lit up his spare pipe.

I nodded.

“And because of that, you decided to spend the next few days stalking your student.” He went on to say.

“It wasn’t stalking,” I grumbled. “I just wanted to check up on them… In detail…”

“Lanbi.” Fahr sighed. “You do realize that you can’t baby Ceo forever. He is capable of taking good care of himself now.”

“I know, I know.” I knew it all in theory, but when it comes time to put it into practice, it was hard to just let go of the child whom I had raised as my own.

Reaching across the table, Fahr put a hand on my head and ruffled my hair. “It’ll be alright. Ceo is in good hands.”

“Heh.” I couldn’t help but crack a smile. “He’d better be!”

Which reminds me…

I jumped to my feet. “Now that we’re done talking, let’s go!”

Fahr looked at me in surprise. “To where? You just came back.”

“To pay a visit to Hell of course. His new student is stealing mine, no way I’m letting him off the hook!”

Chapter Text

Moon

The big day is here.

Guests from all across the continent have been arriving over the week, inns all over the city filled to capacity. Even the Holy Temple's spare rooms which were rarely ever used have become full with countless guests, including all of our retired teachers who don't have accommodations elsewhere.

My teacher had also returned. I smoothed my hair down in remembrance.

While the rest of the city fell over themselves to get ready, I wasn't spared from the frenzy either. I'd been tasked with escorting Judgment from his room to the prayer room where he would get dressed and have his makeup and hair done. Yes, his makeup and hair.

Let me tell you first. Escorting Judgment from his room wasn't an easy task at all. It's been around a week since Sun and Judgment stopped being allowed to see each other. Since they're getting married, and we'd all put so much work into helping make this happen, we wanted to make sure nothing would go wrong. That meant keeping them apart and following tradition to the extreme.

But can you imagine how monumentally hard achieving a feat such as keeping them apart is? They work in the same place, have the same friends, and even live right next to each other. We nearly went nuts trying to schedule everything apart so that they wouldn't run into each other. Their vice-captains pretty much had to escort them everywhere, but at least they seemed to enjoy it.

However, even more than the problem of living and working in the same place, just how do you keep such a pair of lovebirds apart?

You really can't.

When I asked Judgment how he was holding up, he answered, "Not bad." After I lamented that I would definitely miss my lover if we had to be apart for so long, he grudgingly admitted, "Actually, we've been talking through the wall each night..."

Through the wall each night!

I nearly melted on the spot.

Judgment had truly blossomed into an amazing romantic. And to think we had to lock him and Sun together before Judgment finally confessed! That confession eventually led to where we were now -- Sun and Judgment getting married. I mean, we did urge them to get together, but we never thought they would actually decide to get married. So publicly even!

Sigh. Theirs was truly a touching love story.

I couldn't be happier for Judgment and Sun that this day was finally happening for them. Tons of things had occurred over the past few years to finally bring us to this point. I think the turning point was actually Sun's death and his insanity after his resurrection. It made Judgment realize that everything we knew could change in a single moment. One moment, we were celebrating finally getting Sun back from the other demon king candidate, thinking things had been resolved. The next, Sun tumbled onto the conference table with a loud bang, completely lifeless. He was revived immediately, sure, but even then he hadn't truly returned to us. Judgment often stayed by Sun's bedside in that nerve-wracking half year, keeping a silent vigil. It was stifling, being in that room, not knowing how to console Judgment, not knowing if Sun would ever truly wake up. For once, I was thankful not to have to look anyone in the eye. I kept my gaze trained on the ceiling, high above Judgment's lonely figure. If not, I think I might have cried.

That was when my girlfriend broke up with me too. I just couldn't handle everything that was going on. I don't know how Judgment was able to. We really relied on him too much when he was already in such turmoil.

Thankfully, Sun eventually returned to us, but with all that happened after Sun woke, Judgment kept his feelings for our wayward Sun Knight to himself. Somewhere along the way, Sun also realized his feelings with all that they had suffered through together.

Yet neither of them made any move to confess! It made me want to climb walls watching them! They had each other! Why not make it clear?

That's why, we gave them a "push." Right into a nice, cozy cabinet Cloud had found for us, and Blaze hurriedly helped us kick the doors closed while even Scarlet helped us out by sealing the cabinet with magic, stating that the doors won't unlock until they sorted their feelings out. She explained that it was for the sake of her child's happiness.

"But what about food and water and going to the bathroom!!" Sun immediately protested.

"Child, everything is taken care of," Scarlet had answered. "Sort out your feelings!"

They didn't emerge until an entire day later.

When they finally did, Judgment had on a small smile while Sun's cheeks were pink, and their clothes were rumpled, but most of all, their hands were intertwined. The loud cheering that filled the library that day was deafening, and Earth wouldn't stop snickering, but our cheers were immediately silenced when Sun shot out Chains of Darkness and made all of us fall into a huge heap on the floor. But even from the floor, we couldn't stop grinning.

That was the "official" start of their relationship even though they'd danced around each other for way longer than that. But just because they were together didn't mean their hardships stopped there -- many more things happened after that. I don't even know half of it. Then, after all of the tumultuous events, they shocked us all by declaring their intent to marry each other.

They more than earned it!

So now, here we were. The day of the wedding.

I ushered Judgment into the room. Three women came forward to greet us -- I could only see the top of their heads, but they were the eldest and second eldest princesses of Moon Orchid and our very own princess Jasmine.

Immediately, Princess Jasmine and Princess Alice circled around Judgment like hawks. Princess Ann hung around near the back.

Princess Jasmine's head bobbed up and down as she exclaimed, "You're finally here! We've been waiting for you!"

"So you're the one who managed to tame that despicable bastard," Princess Alice said, impressed. "This is so exciting! To think that there's actually someone capable of dealing with that demon!"

Princess Jasmine added, "I never thought that shameless bastard would ever settle down!"

At this point, Princess Ann also warmed up to the conversation and said, "Have we thanked you for marrying the Sun Knight yet? Now that that despicable and shameless bastard is finally getting married himself, maybe he will stop bullying Elmy all the time."

I couldn't see their expressions, but I could see Judgment's. He was completely expressionless.

These princesses really hold little love for Sun, huh? They keep calling him despicable and shameless... But what's more, they're not even afraid of Judgment at all!

I darted my eyes down. Surprisingly, they all had smiles on their faces.

Maybe they're actually happy for them?

"We'll be over here setting up. Go change over there!" Princess Alice ordered and pointed to the corner.

As the only one already with children, she was really quite commanding, likely used to ordering her children around. I obediently walked with Judgment over to the curtains to help him change into his wedding dress. The zipper on the back was a tough opponent.

"You look amazing, Captain Judgment," I said, once he was all dressed up. I took a step back so I could see him better. Thank goodness my teacher had not returned to the city in time to participate in the betting pools. Teacher Hayseth would most definitely have lost the bet, but he would not be the only one. In fact, I had also lost quite a sum of money over this. Who knew Judgment could look so stunning in a dress? Combined with his height, he really cut a fine figure.

I blurted, "You kind of remind me of my ex-girlfriend."

Judgment fixed the top part of his dress and asked, "Are you still unable to forget her?"

I sighed. That relationship had been my longest one. If I could have shaken my head, I would have. "It's more that I just really wish I could have a relationship like yours and Sun's. Well, not exactly like yours. I really think only the two of you are capable of overcoming even death. If I could have even a fraction of that, I would be happy."

"It'll happen," Judgment promised.

"But where am I going to find a lover over 180cm!" I exclaimed. "That's the first hurdle!" And a towering hurdle too!

"Maybe you should look closer around you," Judgment suggested.

Immediately, a wicked grin surfaced in mind, one with a tantalizing piercing toying at his lips.

I slid my eyes over to regard Judgment. He was not very good at this matchmaking business, but I was somewhat touched by his attempt to look after us. "You know he only has eyes for you, Judgment! And he only cares about my whip!"

Judgment chuckled. "I never mentioned anyone directly, but it sounds like you have someone in mind."

I slowly shut my mouth and blinked. Wait, didn't Judgment mention... No? He didn't?

Why did I think of Metal then? He's over 180cm... but it's not like he's the only one...

Confused, I put an end to the conversation by pulling the curtains open. Immediately, the princesses fell upon us, gushing over Judgment in his dress. He was made to sit down, and then the princesses attacked his hair and face. I tried to stop thinking about Metal and his grins. It somewhat... worked. Somewhat.

After all, it wasn't everyday that a flock of princesses giggled over Judgment for his amazing hair and skin. There wasn't even much Judgment could do to appear intimidating in front of them, not when they were busy squealing over the wedding, seeing him in a dress, and doing his hair and makeup for him.

"Your hair is so fine!" Princess Jasmine said while running a hand through Judgment's hair.

"Whoa! Your skin is super smooth!" Princess Alice gushed as she dabbed at his skin with some cotton. "Is it natural?"

"...I've been applying facial masks every night," Judgment admitted.

"No way! Don't tell me it's the Sun Knight's secret formula?" Princess Alice gasped. "He never ended up sharing it with me! I still feel like my skin is super dark..."

While the princesses gushed over Judgment's skin and chattered about all the different skin regimes they'd tried in the past, I sat down near Judgment so I could see him better. His skin did look quite smooth.

"You've really been applying facial masks?" I asked. It didn't sound like something Judgment would think of doing.

Judgment answered, "Grisia said there's no way the bride could have bad skin."

And so you even did facials for Sun...

Judgment, having seen my expression, chuckled. "It's a once in a lifetime event. If all of you went out of your way to see this succeed, the least I can do is do my part."

First the wedding dress, then facial masks...

Wow, if only I could find such a dedicated lover! Would Metal be willing to put on a dress for me... No, no, stop thinking about it...

I tried to focus. As the princesses fixed Judgment's hair and applied his makeup, they continued chatting non-stop, now moving on to talking about their married life.

Princess Ann marveled, "The other night, Elmy didn't put any extra seasoning in my cooking!"

"Oh dear God of War and most accommodating Shadow God, you've come so far, Ann!" Princess Alice cried out.

Knowing Leaf, that was truly quite an accomplishment for anyone who ever made food for him. To this day, the first thing Leaf did upon seeing any type of food was to reach into his possessions and pull out his jars and bottles. It seemed, however, that Princess Ann had finally graduated from that stage.

Princess Jasmine gathered Judgment's hair, braiding it while she talked. "So, do you or Sun Knight cook?"

Judgment, if he was surprised that the conversation had turned to him, didn't show it. He replied, "No... I just buy him pie."

That immediately sent Princess Alice and Princess Ann oohing and aahing. They didn't even know the extent of the pie buying! The act was nearly a declaration of love between the two. Meanwhile, Princess Jasmine gasped. "So the pie was for him? And here the whole city thinks the Judgment Knight loves pie! You don't like pie?"

"I'm actually not very fond of sweet things," Judgment explained.

"Wow, wait until I tell Elijah! But I guess it will still be okay for us to gift some pies," Princess Jasmine mused. "We just thought they were going to go to you."

"Please make them blueberry pie," Judgment said.

The princesses all giggled.

Judgment was actually not bad at this small talk with the princesses, even moving on to add that he sometimes made porridge for Sun. He was actually giving their questions serious thought. I was feeling a bit left out, having no lover to brag about. I listened glumly as Judgment added heavily, "But porridge usually signifies that he's gotten injured."

All three princesses sighed simultaneously.

"I know, right? I always worry that Elmy might be taken advantage of! He's too nice," Princess Ann complained.

Princess Jasmine said, "Sometimes I wish Elijah weren't a knight. Even a spar might mean he would return with injuries."

"Awaitsun really takes his job too seriously. Not only does he get hurt all the time, he doesn't even spend enough time with me!" Princess Alice grumbled. She placed a hand over her stomach. "I bet he's not even going to be around again when this one is born!"

"Oooo, you're expecting?" Princess Jasmine asked.

Princess Alice smiled. "Yes! Shuis is going to be a big brother now, no longer the youngest! We still have a long way to go before reaching our dream of twelve children!"

I remembered Princess Alice's children. They had all been handsome little babies the last I'd seen them. They must now be handsome little toddlers. Thankfully, Sun was devious enough and had enough foresight to make Awaitsun promise us three of his handsomest and most beautiful children. Perhaps one of them would even be the child still in Princess Alice's stomach!

"So, when are you going to have children, Ann?" Princess Alice teased her younger sister.

Princess Ann spluttered. "Elmy does want kids, but I'm not...I'm not ready yet!"

I tried to imagine mini Leafs running around.

That would be kind of adorable...

"What about you, Jasmine?" Princess Ann asked our princess, trying to pass on the attention.

Princess Jasmine shook her head. "Not yet. Elijah and I are waiting for my brother and sister-in-law to have children first. Otherwise, the line of succession may very well fall to our child, and I don't wish to do that to my brother."

"Aw, what a sweet sister you are!" Princess Alice exclaimed. She then turned to Judgment and asked, "Any plans for children? Will you adopt?"

These princesses really aren't holding back at all!

Though I'd never asked Judgment what he wanted out of his married life, the topic of children was one I already knew the answer to. For each of us Twelve Holy Knights, whether we got married or not, whether we eventually had children of our blood or not, we all knew that there would be at least one other child that would hold a special place in our hearts.

That was exactly how Judgment answered. "In a few years, we will have our students."

Future Judgment Knight, future Sun Knight, whoever you may be, you will have very huge shoes to fill!

Princess Ann mused, "True enough. Elmy did say that he's looking forward to what kind of student he'll end up having." She sighed. "He preferably wants a kid who will enjoy his seasonings..."

Thank the God of Light Leaf won the bet and is no longer as poor as before... Otherwise, I would be worried for his family. Still, by the time all of us picked our students, Leaf was likely to be penniless once more at the rate he was spending his money.

"There!" Princess Jasmine suddenly declared and patted Judgment's hair. "All done!"

I looked over at Judgment. The longer parts of his hair in the back had been braided and wrapped around his head. The rest was clipped so that his neck was fairly bare. Princess Alice put the finishing touches on Judgment's makeup, and then Princess Ann placed the veil over Judgment's face.

I tried to recall if we were missing anything. "Oh! Judgment, did you remember to bring something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue? For good luck!"

Judgment nodded and gestured at himself, pointing out what was new. "I'll pick up my 'something borrowed' once my teacher arrives. Grisia said he would take care of 'something blue.'"

"So that only leaves 'something old'?" I asked.

In answer to my question, Judgment rummaged through his discarded robes and pulled out a very unfamiliar mask. It framed only the left eye and would hug the left cheek with sharp, claw-like metal once worn, while the top expanded outwards like a dragon's scale.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's said to be a mask belonging to the first generation Judgment Knight," he answered.

Oh!

Now that he mentioned it, I had seen paintings depicting the very mask he held in his hands.

"Wow, where did you find that?" They really couldn't get any "older" than something from the first generation! He was practically holding a relic in his hands.

"It was in one of the storage closets that Cloud hid in. He was the one who found it, and he showed it to us. It was somewhat damaged, but we fixed what we could."

Cloud probably knew exactly what it was when he had stumbled upon it. He was very well read.

"Put it on!" I urged.

Judgment gave a nod and then fixed the mask on his face below his veil. It immediately made him look super striking. His left eye appeared even sharper than before. Now, even though Judgment was in a dress, I was sure no one would forget that he was indeed the imposing Judgment Knight.

"I bet the first generation is rolling around in their graves with what you and Sun are pulling," I mused.

"Who knows?" Judgment said. "But don't bet on it. We already have a penniless Moon Knight. Try not to emulate your teacher too much."

I laughed. "So, you think the first generation would actually approve?"

Judgment commented, "We really don't know much about them, but as long as we continue to uphold our duties, I don't think it matters how we do it."

After what our generation had gone through together, I couldn't agree more. We might not be exactly like the legends, and we might not always interpret our duties the same way as those before us, but we continued the legend. Thirty-eight generations later, and the Twelve Holy Knights were still around. Even after us, the legends would continue, no matter if the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight stopped being public enemies, or if all future Sun Knights and Judgment Knights decided marriage was the solution to everything.

As I gazed upon Judgment wearing the mask of the first generation, all I could think about was that we were truly part of an amazing legend, and today was pretty much a huge day for the history books. Sun and Judgment were definitely creating an unforgettable legend.

Some time after that, Judgment's teacher came to escort Judgment with Storm in tow. Former Knight-Captain Judgment stopped in his tracks upon seeing his student, but he didn't freeze for long. He smiled and murmured, "Child, you look marvelous."

"Thank you, Teacher," Judgment replied with a small inclination of his head.

The princesses giggled, bidding Judgment the best of luck with his future despicable and shameless husband, and then we all left the room.

When I exited, a figure unfolded himself from behind a pillar. It was Metal.

"All ready?" he asked.

I flicked my eyes over. He really was quite tall. I didn't even have to strain my neck to gaze at his face. We wouldn't have to find stairs... His lips were very enticing... Especially with that piercing... He would probably enjoy it if I bit his lips...

I smiled and said, "All ready."

It was time!

Chapter Text

Stone

The stream of arriving guests was endless.

I had been tasked with the job of greeting and seating the wedding guests, which was what I had been doing all morning, non-stop! The ceremony hall was absolutely overflowing with people. The last time I had seen something even close to this had been during the hymns for our king's coronation. But even that paled in comparison to Judgment and Sun's wedding.

The earliest guests to arrive had been the princesses who were helping Judgment get ready. They disappeared to the dressing room almost as soon as they arrived, leaving their husbands- Elijah and Silent Eagle to sit awkwardly together in an almost empty hall (Leaf was busy somewhere else with preparations). Apparently, the rest of the royal knights attending would be arriving with the king, while Silent Eagle was the only attendee from Cathedral of the Shadow God. It wasn't really a surprise, since the royal family of Kissinger was not exactly fond of Sun after what happened during the Demon King event.

Anyway, seeing how the princesses had arrived with their husbands in tow at least an hour before any other guests were scheduled to arrive, I had joined Elijah and Silent Eagle in making small talk. Even with all the awkwardness, it was still a better alternative to standing in front of the door like a statue.

We made an odd trio I must admit, as none of us had ever really interacted all that much with each other before. However, through some idle chatter about the weather and the wedding, followed by a collective moment of admiration for Judgment taking on the wedding dress, we settled comfortably on the topic of today's soon-to-be-wed couple.

"I still remember when I was first introduced to the Judgment Knight by Sun Knight," Elijah mused. "I was so shocked by the mere fact that they were friends! And now they're getting married! Unbelievable!"

Silent Eagle nodded in empathy. "I was shocked when I received the invitation as well. I had always thought them to be enemies." He then furrowed his eyebrows in thought and murmured, "... Though some things do make more sense now."

"Oh?" Elijah and I wore matching expressions of curiosity as we waited for him to elaborate.

"When the Sun Knight was… You know." Silent Eagle lowered his voice meaningfully, his gaze shifting around for any signs of eavesdroppers. We nodded in understanding right away. After all, even though there was no one near us, one can never be too careful when mentioning anything regarding the Demon King affair. "He would often mutter the Judgment Knight's name, usually while he was deep in thought or asleep."

"Ohhh." Elijah and I leaned in closer. This was exclusive Demon King gossip we were hearing. I could just imagine how much paperwork Storm would be willing to take on for this! I grinned a bit as I imagined pawning off the stack of paperwork on my desk to Storm. Or Hell, for that matter, seeing how he had been taking care of the bulk of Storm's paperwork lately.

Still whispering, Silent Eagle continued, "I had assumed it was because of the battle. However, at times he seemed too… melancholic for it to be so. His was definitely not a tone one would normally use when speaking of one's enemy. Thinking back, could it have been unrequited love?"

Silent Eagle sighed. "Oh it is just like a fairytale! The princess trapped in a palace of darkness, putting on a strong front while deep down, was waiting for her knight in shining armor to rescue her!"

As expected of someone who had chosen to elope with a princess, the Silent Eagle was truly a romantic. Though I had to wonder a bit at his choice of words. Sun was by no means a princess (the real princesses would be furious to have Sun join their ranks!), and Judgment's armor certainly did not shine- that was the specialty of Sun's armor.

"But surely they were together before the Demon King crisis," Elijah speculated. "Why else would Judgment Knight have gone to such lengths and risked so much for Sun Knight? Or, going by your story- why would the knight go rescue a princess that he was not in love with?"

"No, that cannot be. Surely they had not reached that stage back then." Silent Eagle argued, then shot back, "If the Sun Knight already had a lover, why would he have wasted his time on kidnapping random princesses and women?"

As Elijah and Silent Eagle bantered over Sun and Judgment's relationship status, my thoughts drifted back to the time when Sun had first found out that he was a demon king candidate. That was a tense period for all of us, with Sun going about as if he was living on borrowed time, Judgment keeping secrets while worrying over Sun, and the rest of us desperately trying to figure out what was going on while our leaders took everything upon themselves.

Come to think of it, as painful as that year was, it was also the catalyst that had sped their relationship along. The Demon King was the metaphorical wrench that was thrown into their status quo. As Sun was overtaken by the dark element again and again, it became painfully apparent how quickly and easily he could be lost. I think that was what made Judgment take action on his feelings instead of playing the waiting game. On the other end, through Judgment's revival and the many risks he had taken to bring Sun back from the darkness, even someone as emotionally dense as Sun could figure out that their feelings for each other were not entirely platonic.

It was truly amazing how it took the end of the world to bring those two together. They were really both much too stubborn! Either of them could have made a fine Stone Knight who would be better at stubbornness than me. I was not stubborn at all! Truly, I am not stubborn, no matter what anyone says, I am not!

As the time of the ceremony drew closer and more guests started to arrive, I left Elijah and Silent Eagle -who were now no longer awkwardly sitting in silence but were rather chatting amiably- to fulfill my task.

The family members and our teachers were one of the earlier groups to arrive. Judgment's uncle and aunt had specially reserved seats in the front row, along with Sun's lich- Scarlet, who had donned a human appearance with magic to attend her child's wedding. Former Knight-Captain Judgment and Sun had the roles of the bride and groom's parents. The rest of the teachers took the remaining seats in the front.

I spent some time exchanging pleasantries with them. Judgment's family seemed quite overwhelmed by the grandeur of the wedding, as well as the close proximity to the 37th generation of Knight-Captains. The teachers, on the other hand, did not hesitate to rope Judgment's aunt and uncle into their conversation, most of which revolved around the wedding dress. In fact, that had been the topic of conversation among pretty much all the wedding guests. I can't say I was surprised, as Judgment being the bride was probably the most effective advertisement for this already monumental event.

A wave of nobility entered next, important people from the royal court who had to be invited due to obligated courtesy. Amidst all the polite greetings and directions to seats, I could not help but notice the similarities in all the ladies' dresses- they were all super frilly and adorned with many layers of lace. Pink seemed to be a popular color choice as well. Apparently, the "latest fashion" has gotten even more fashionable after Judgment had given it a try, though I dearly hoped that he did not actually choose it for his wedding gown. If he did, we might have a lot of fainting guests to deal with...

Finally, as the start of the ceremony drew closer, the royalty arrived in a flurry of fanfares. All the guests stood up and bowed as they entered. First, came the queen of Moon Orchid, along with the youngest princess who was escorted by the Son of the God of War. As their entourage was seated, our own king and queen came in. The king was in a grand mood as I showed them to their seats.

"I've been looking forward to this wedding for ages!" He beamed, then whispered to me, "Is it really true that Grisia has managed to put his Judgment Knight in a wedding dress?"

I nodded, and His Majesty's grin grew even wider. "That child will never cease to surprise us." He chuckled. "I was afraid that this would be a huge hoax to attract guests and make money! I really would not put it past the Pope to do that."

Truthfully, I would not put it past the Pope either. Or Sun himself for that matter. In fact, that had been what everybody who had lost the bet argued when it came time to pay up. Apparently, it got so rowdy the Storm Knight Platoon who was running the betting pool could not handle it themselves. In the end, it took the confirmation of a very happy Adair and a nod from a very pale faced Vidar to silence the masses.

On the topic of the Pope and Sun, they were in the backroom. I made my way to there to inform them that all the guests were now seated, and we were ready to go.

The Pope exited the room to begin conducting the ceremony as soon as I delivered my message. He was dressed in his fanciest robes, with flowing layers and a silky veil to hide his child-like features. I could not help but think, Your Holiness, are you trying to steal the bride's spotlight?!

I was left to wait with Sun and the former Sun Knight. Sun looked very sharp and impressive in his black tuxedo. We've always only seen Sun wear white before. Who knew he could pull off black so well? What really caught my attention though, was the sword strapped to Sun's side. Now, a sword alone was normal enough. As knights it was common practice to carry your sword as part of the wedding ensemble. However, Sun was not carrying his Divine Sun Sword. He was not even carrying the plain sword he had liked to use in the stead of the Divine Sun Sword.

Sun was carrying the Divine Judgment Sword.

Judgment's sword.

I stared at the familiar sword and could not help but gape. Why is Sun wearing Judgment's sword? Is it some kind of fashion statement- to match with his black tuxedo?

Sun noticed my incredulous gaze and grinned. "Ah, so you noticed! What do you think?"

"W-why..." I stammered, brain still not quite processing the image.

"Lesus and I switched swords," Sun replied lightly, as if he were telling me that he and Judgment had switched tea cups, or swapped rooms, or anything else equally mundane. I kept on staring at Sun, hoping that if I stared enough, he would tell me something that made sense. Sure enough, Sun continued, in that same casual tone, "It's for 'something borrowed.' You know, part of the four somethings superstition."

That made much more sense.

I nodded in comprehension. That made a lot of sense actually. In fact, the more I thought about it the more fitting it became, since the whole theme of this wedding was balance- the union of light and darkness and all that flowery stuff Sun was so good at coming up with. It was a perfect touch for Sun and Judgment to swap their weapons with each other. Nothing says perfect union more than wielding your partner's divine sword.

So that meant Judgment would be wearing the Divine Sun Sword, along with his wedding gown. Somehow, Judgment with the Divine Sun Sword was a much easier notion to accept. I suppose it was due to the numerous times Judgment had used that sword because of Sun. He had used it to help Sun, to fight against Sun, to bring Sun back... And now, finally, Judgment will be marrying Sun with that sword by his side. It was truly a fitting set up.

I smiled, and patted Sun on the shoulder.

"Try not to skewer anyone with the Divine Judgment Sword, Sun."

Then I left the room with an indignant Sun hissing (because the guests would hear if he yelled) behind my back. I chuckled to myself as I took my place alongside the rest of the Twelve Holy Knights.

That's payback for calling me stubborn way back then, Sun!

Chapter Text

Neo

If there ever were a huge commotion, you can bet that Grisia would be at the center of it. If he weren't personally part of the commotion, then he would be the mastermind behind it. Whatever the case, he was bound to involved!

He had always been the sort to attract attention, both positive and negative. How could he not with that personality of his, and that appearance? He has the sort of appearance that makes one want to bully him so that fewer people would fall to his charm!

Before he had even become the Sun Knight-in-training, I'd already known that he attracted attention. The other candidates loved to bully him. He was a weak little thing back then, his strongest skill being his ability to seek out those stronger than him to fight his battles. I still remembered the time when he and Roland had been surrounded by a bunch of bullies. (I only remembered because I'd been looking for him to ask him why he wanted to be the Sun Knight.) At the time, Grisia had found help to back them up. If memory served me correctly, the "reinforcement" he'd brought back was none other than Lesus, that child who had always had good swordsmanship.

Come to think of it, Lesus' fate must have been sealed ever since that moment in time! I really had to hand it to my student. He sure knew how to pick people from the start.

Then, on the day I took Grisia to find his "big sister," I discovered the shocking truth that Grisia was a demon king candidate.

Child, just how outrageous can you be? There's being the center of attention, and there's... this!

Grisia was definitely a special child, one of a kind. I, Neo, was not only raising the next Sun Knight. I was also raising the next Demon King!

But I didn't let that knowledge change how I taught Grisia. He would always be at the center of attention, no matter if he were the Sun Knight or the Demon King or just Grisia. That meant he needed to be able to withstand everyone's scrutiny! And protect himself! No falling drunk, no letting other people see his imperfections or exploit his weaknesses, no losing in a fight, and most importantly, no dying! If he dares to die, I might as well kill him myself to save us both the trouble!

"Aren't you afraid that Grisia will one day want revenge on you?" Chasel once asked after he'd watched Grisia practice "falling gracefully" for the hundredth time. At first, I'd only meant it as a joke, but who knew Grisia would actually be able to make falling look so graceful? Why was it that he couldn't learn swordsmanship, but he could learn this? It wasn't like learning how to fall wasn't an essential skill in fighting!

I'd laughed it off. "Revenge? He's too scared of me for that!"

Grisia was indeed scared of me, always wanting to run at the sight of me, but despite how I always treated him, Grisia still dared to fuss over me all the time. Was he the teacher, or was I? It was obviously not him!

To train him, I tossed him into all sorts of danger. Grisia always prevailed. That child who had been so scared when I left him alone in the forest that he actually cried and later threw himself into my embrace when I finally showed up... was no more. He'd grown up before I knew it.

Even if Teacher were not with him, Grisia would be fine.

I'd raised him into a tough man.

Grisia would be fine.

But before I left the Holy Temple, I still went to find Lesus. Why I had done it, I hadn't known at the time.

Now, I knew it was because of what he reminded me of. What he and Grisia reminded me of.

A pair of tired, dark eyes surfaced to mind.

Are you leaving, Neo?

Of course! I've been stuck here for the past thirty years. Now that I can leave, you bet that I'm going to leave right away!

Then what about...

What about us?

What about us? There never was an "us"! We were the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight! What "us"? It just wasn't... possible.

It wasn't.

But perhaps these two youngsters would not end up like us. Like me.

Perhaps they could make the impossible happen.

"Lesus, listen well, because I'm only going to say this once."

Serious eyes, so similar to another pair but much less weathered, stared back at me.

"Grisia is a demon king candidate," I said.

With that, I left Grisia in Lesus' care. He really hasn't disappointed me at all. Chasel indeed raised his student well.

And now, of course I would find Grisia at the center of all the commotion. A wedding between the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight?

Only Grisia.

I'd smiled wryly.

"I'm getting married, Teacher," were Grisia's first words to me on the day of his wedding. I was sure that he'd shocked plenty of people into a faint with his intent to marry Lesus, and that there were people out there that hadn't believed the marriage would truly happen until it was actually happening, but what in the world was Grisia stating the obvious for?

"Come child, let Teacher take a look at you," I said, gesturing for Grisia to walk closer. Black looked sharp on him, giving him much more of an edge. The Divine Judgment Sword, on the other hand... I half wanted to snatch it away. Who knew what kind of abuse Grisia would put Chasel's sword through? Even I couldn't predict it!

When Grisia walked close enough, I whacked him on the head. "Duh, you're getting married! And you're holding that sword wrong. Tilt it up more."

The pain was probably enough to tell Grisia that yes, this was really happening. He grinned stupidly while rubbing his head.

I could only say, "Do you want to make a fool of yourself on your wedding day? Idiot child!"

He really was getting married, my child.

On the day I returned to Leaf Bud City, I crashed my student's bachelor party and drank through the night with him.

Both Aldrizzt and Grisia could hold their liquor, but if they ever had a competition, I had no doubt that my idiot student would come out the victor. For each bottle that I chugged down, Grisia chugged down two. We sat in the Sun Knight's wine cellar, surrounded by wine made by us. There were even a few bottles left from our predecessors that we took out to drink. Bright, colorful streamers hung on the walls, celebrating this festive occasion.

I lifted my bottle into the air. "I toast you for breaking tradition!" I told Grisia and knocked back my bottle. Then, I slammed the empty bottle down on the table and grabbed another bottle.

Grisia drank, but after he finished, he lowered his bottle and asked, "Teacher, you're not... mad?"

"Of course I'm mad!" I pushed another bottle of wine toward him. "I found out about your marriage through a letter!" And he wasn't even the one who sent it!

Grisia took the bottle. "But you're not mad about the marriage?"

"Child, I thought you manned up. Stop being so wishy-washy," I admonished. "Just because you drank a few bottles of wine doesn't mean you should get all sentimental on me."

"But I..."

"You're not wrong, idiot student."

My stupid student always put everyone else before himself. For the sake of his brothers, he would give his sight, his holy light, his identity, his everything. Just be selfish already, and do what you truly want to do, even if that includes stupidly letting yourself get tied down!

I knocked back another bottle of wine. Sitting here in this cellar brought me all the way back to a time when this room had been mine, and I'd had to make bottle and bottle of wine for a future student who I had no clue about. I'd often ended up drinking more bottles than I'd made, causing Chasel to roll his eyes at me. He never drank even when he came down here, but he'd keep me company, and we'd joke about our future students, wondering what our future students would be like. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my student would be someone like Grisia, stupid Grisia who couldn't even hold a sword right, who always nagged, and who always took everything upon himself!

Now, my student sat across from me with a stupid smile on his face.

"Does getting married make you that happy?" I asked, perplexed.

Grisia immediately nodded. "Of course!"

"Even if it means getting tied down? You're having the most world-shattering wedding of the century. There's no backing out of this," I warned Grisia.

Grisia laughed. "Teacher, why would I ever back out of this? I'm getting married to Lesus! Besides, how am I letting myself get tied down? I'm staking a claim on what's mine!"

I stilled. Staking a claim on what's his?

Then, I pounded the table in laughter. "Hahaha! Well put, child, well put!"

He and I were truly very different people, our choices altogether different. While I thought marriage to be a restraint, he saw marriage as another bond. He had always treasured his bonds no matter what form they came in. Even though I was the teacher, I had to hand it to him this time.

I grabbed a bottle and toasted him once more. "Teacher has been enlightened. Grisia, you have more guts than Teacher!"

He nearly choked on his wine.

Soon after, Stone's student came to inform us that all the guests had been seated. After he left, Grisia and I prepared to enter the Hall of Praise as well. At a glance, I could see that all of the 37th generation had come, even the most elusive Hell, and Aldrizzt sat with them. Wen had come with his wife. Lanbi kept glancing at the entrance, but each glance meant he'd catch the gaze of several women, so he could only throw all of them winks and stop fidgeting. Archie and a bunch of royalty were also in attendance. Who would miss this huge event?

Grisia and I took our places to the left of the Pope while Fahr's student and the rest of the "good, warm-hearted" faction stood to our side. The "cruel, cold-hearted" faction stood on the other side. Then, the Bishop of Brilliance began playing the organ while the Bishop of Radiance opened her hymnbook. The clerics at the front of the ceremony hall began singing, making me feel like I had been thrown back in time and was attending one of the worship services, but thank the God of Light I didn't have to sing. Those worship services had always been a pain!

Holy light filled the front of the hall, which had already been very bright because of the sunlight shining in through the stained glass. While I hated how piercing it was, I'd always enjoyed how the light made my hair glow. I'd hold myself tall and grin as everyone watched me reverently. Today, Grisia and I stood among the light together, as if under the God of Light's embrace.

I could tell the moment Lanbi's student walked in because Lanbi nearly jumped out of his seat. He would've done it if Fahr hadn't pulled him back down. I didn't know what he was so worried about. His child pulled the dress off well! Just look at all the girls eying him with envy! I watched in amusement as Ceo threw the girls winks even while wearing a bridesmaid dress, his grin bold. Their envy immediately melted away, and some even began gazing dreamily at Ceo and the guy next to him -- Roland, that all too solemn boy whom I had not chosen all those years ago.

I was not sorry to have chosen Grisia over him. I could not imagine anyone else as my student, my dumb child, but even though he was not my student, I was glad that he'd found a place for himself. Now, he even had a pretty girl, I mean, a pretty man, on his arm!

Not only were girls staring at them, there were also guys staring, though they mostly stared at Ceo. To my amusement, Roland leveled glares at them. With half his face covered by a mask, his glare was all the more piercing. With the Storm Knight winking at everyone and the Hell Knight glaring at everyone, they splendidly carried out the public image of the two factions.

Most of those who weren't staring were glancing at each other in disbelief.

If the Storm Knight really did go through with wearing a dress, did this mean the rumor that the Judgment Knight would wear a wedding dress was also true?

I had no doubt that Lesus would actually do it! He wasn't one to ever go back on his words. Just like how he had promised me he would look after Grisia, he'd decided to wear the dress, so wear the dress he would.

Following Ceo and Roland came the ring bearer and the flower girl. Those two brats that Grisia had picked up some years ago had been super happy when Grisia had asked them to be part of the ceremony. When the boy walked in, I could see several of the 37th generation begin to whisper among themselves. He had a head of short, wavy blond hair and a pair of blue eyes... Well, close enough to blue that the 37th generation was glancing suspiciously between him and me. Hayseth looked especially annoying with that raised chin of his!

Oh please. I already have Grisia. Why would I need any other brats?

The sister resembled me a lot less. With her long, flowing hair, she looked a lot more like Grisia. She was all dolled up in a pink dress with lots of frills and lace. I half wanted to point out to Lanbi that this was what a daughter should actually look like.

Then again, Ceo currently wore a dress that did not lose out to this little flower girl's dress.

When I turned my head, wanting to tease Grisia about having children before even getting married, I was immediately struck by the smile on Grisia's face. His face had completely lit up with a brilliant smile, and it wasn't one of the trademarked Sun Knight smiles either. As bright as those were, they couldn't even hold a candle to the expression Grisia currently wore. His smile was one of pure happiness, as if he were in the presence of a lifetime supply of blueberry pie or something!

Wait, come to think of it, Chasel's student was pretty much the equivalent of that. Well then, it looked like my idiot student did end up getting married to pie.

Based off of Grisia's expression, Lesus must have entered the Hall of Praise. Everyone in attendance stood up. Or, at least, they tried. Too many were so shocked they couldn't even stand right away, including Lesus' own aunt and uncle.

I glanced back toward the entrance where Lesus had just entered. There he was, Grisia's bride.

He wore a modest, white dress. A very long, modest white dress. Did he want to accentuate his height or something? He was even wearing heels! I spared a moment of pity for my student, who had never been the tallest out of his generation. But other than Lesus' towering height, there was nothing all that unflattering about his appearance. In fact, I'd even say that his height was what made the dress work. Not very many people could pull off this look.

He'd exchanged his normal, billowy robes for a jacket with large, billowy sleeves. Instead of a sword, he held a bouquet of roses and what was that flower again, oh right, forget-me-nots. He did have the Divine Sun Sword with him, but if I hadn't been looking for it, I would not have been able to find it behind the folds of his sleeves and dress. On his face was a striking mask and a veil.

Chasel, who was clad in black, escorted Lesus by the arm, and together they slowly walked down the aisle. Lesus looked straight ahead, not at all paying attention to all the incredulous stares. He had a small smile on his face. Even when the stragglers finally managed to pull themselves up, they could not stop staring. Not only was the Judgment Knight wearing a dress and getting married to the Sun Knight, he was even smiling.

I snickered.

"Teacher..." Grisia said.

"Child, just look at their expressions! Don't tell Teacher you're not proud of shocking them senseless?"

Around us, the singing went on.

"I'll always remember this moment," was Grisia's eventual answer. He was still smiling that blinding smile of his.

It was definitely a moment to remember.

As Ceo, Roland, and the two brats reached the front of the hall and took their spots, the singing grew softer. Then, Chasel and Lesus reached the alter. Chasel shared a glance with me. I quirked my eyebrow at him and then eyed Lesus' dress that was definitely "new."

I'd heard that Chasel had gone with Lesus to purchase the dress. It was too bad Chasel hadn't purchased a dress for himself while he was at it! A long, flowing dress would have suited Chasel quite well.

Chasel rolled his eyes at me.

Hey, just because your back is facing the crowd doesn't mean you should roll your eyes at me in broad daylight!

The last notes of the song graced the air. The Bishop of Brilliance lifted his hands from the organ. The Bishop of Radiance closed her hymnbook.

All at once, the hall was quiet.

The Pope invited everyone to sit down. He introduced Chasel, who really needed no introduction. Chasel then brought Lesus' hand up to join it together with Grisia's, entrusting his child to mine. He didn't immediately let go but rather seemed to whisper something to both of them. I could see Lesus smile just a bit wider. He then clasped Lesus on the shoulder.

After he did so, Chasel stepped backwards, joining the "cruel, cold-hearted" faction in standing to the side. Left alone, the two lovebirds gazed at each other, as if there were no one around them. They were totally off in their own little world.

From where I stood, all I could see was Grisia's back.

From the other side, Chasel no doubt saw a similar sight, the back of his child who was soon to be married.

What kind of student will I end up having, I wonder?

Someone who we will raise and love.

And who will grow up before we know it.

We shared another glance.

Our two idiot students were just about to create an entirely new legend, tearing down tradition to make it their own.

Now that I had Grisia and Lesus as an example, our two stupid students who were so daring that our predecessors were probably all rolling in their graves, I could not help wondering...

Why have I run for so long?

Chapter Text

Pope

I have seen a great number of things as the Pope. Throughout the decades, I have watched over generation after generation of holy knights and have borne witness to countless battles and celebrations. Eventually, everything just seemed to blur together. The fear and exhilaration of battles simply became a matter of carefully calculated spending. And the only true joy I got out of celebrations was counting the money that was raked in afterwards.

After all, there was little to be worked up about when you've already seen it all.

Or so I had thought.

I really could not have been more wrong.

I had thought myself to be a bystander in battles. But when the Holy Temple waged war against its Demon King, I found myself rooting for the knights- my knights in their near impossible endeavor. I found myself investing not just money, but knowledge and magic and everything I could offer into that battle. So when they finally claimed success, I found myself smiling along with them.

I had thought celebrations to be nothing but money-making schemes. The same things repeating over and over- birthdays, coronations, weddings. If I were to claim to be second most experienced in conducting weddings, I bet nobody in the continent would dare to claim first. I had married all sorts of couples- kings and queens, princes and princesses, knights and clerics... But now, the Sun Knight and Judgment Knight?

Well, that is certainly a first.

The 38th generation of holy knights is truly something else. Although every generation has its share of adventures and feats, this one definitely stood out among the rest. How could they not? With their Sun Knight being who he was. Admirably cunning, annoyingly protective, and with an unrivaled knack for throwing common sense out of the window.

Who else would be so daring to overthrow a king, recruit a death knight into the Twelve Holy Knights, cast Resurrection like it's no big deal, befriend everything from liches to dark elves (though, I must admit I too am quite fond of the particular dark elf Sun had befriended), become the Demon King... And now, he is not only marrying his "sworn enemy," he even managed to get him to wear a wedding dress! Even though the idea was initially mine, I had definitely not expected such an outcome!

As I stood upon the altar, between the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight who were probably in the middle of undressing each other with their gazes, I could not help but feel more emotional than I had felt in a long long time. Here I was, taking part in an amazing legend, not to mention one that is raking in more money than I could have ever hoped for. Ever since news of the wedding got publicized, and then thoroughly promoted, the donations to the Church have absolutely skyrocketed. If only I had known marrying the Sun Knight and Judgment Knight together could make this much money, all the knights I had watched over would be married to each other by now!

I gazed around the ceremony hall, eyes sweeping over all the guests before taking a deep breath and delving into my opening words.

"Children of the gods," I began. "We are gathered here today under the blessing of the God of Light, to join Grisia Sun and Lesus Judgment together in holy matrimony carrying out the will of the divine; and therefore is to be entered into faithfully, lovingly, and solemnly. Into this - these two knights present now come to be joined."

I paused for effect, then spoke to the crowd:

"If any person can show just cause to defy this holy joining of these two blessed children - let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

The entire hall was silent as expected. After all, who would dare to oppose both the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight? Especially with their platoons flanking the walls, staring at all the guests in warning. I bet that even if someone were rash enough to speak, they would be dragged out with a sack over their head before they could even finish their sentence. Courtesy of the Sun Knight Platoon, of course.

After waiting a few moments, I nodded and continued on to the prayers and speeches that are mandatory parts of the wedding ceremony. As I spoke the words that I had spoken so many times already, I let my attention wander.

Hm, most of the guests looked to be as bored with this part as I was, with their eyes glazed over and probably just waiting for me to get on with it. Even the couple I was currently marrying did not seem to be paying full attention! Then again, I could hardly fault them... These prayers are quite long winded. I was ever so thankful of the veil that covered my face and prevented anyone from seeing my expression clearly.

However, as I surveyed the halls again, I found one person who was actually paying full attention. Or rather, one elf, one dark elf to be specific.

Aldrizzt was leaning forward in his seat, hanging onto my every word, the very picture of curiosity. I looked him over appreciatively, for he was not hiding under a hood or cloak today. With both the present and former Sun Knights vouching for him, Aldrizzt was actually able to attend the wedding without worrying about his identity as a dark elf. Therefore, he was dressed in dark robes that seemed to be traditional elven wear, with his hair loose and face uncovered. It did attract some incredulous stares of disapproval at first, but the 37th generation holy knights who sat near him very dutifully glared them off.

Anyway, with Aldrizzt paying such close attention, I felt the need to take my speech much more seriously. So I put in the extra effort to make the rest of my address about the meaning of such a wedding as heartfelt as possible. I was rewarded with the look of innocent wonder on Aldrizzt's face as I finally finished.

Now, it was time to let the lovebirds speak their vows.

The guests all fell into an attentive hush and trained their eyes upon the couple. But even with everyone staring at them, neither Sun nor Judgment's gaze ever left the other's face. I took a small step back, letting them have this important moment to themselves.

Sun spoke first, his clear voice ringing throughout the Hall of Praise.

"Lesus Judgment, I give my heart to you. Today, I am grateful for the God of Light's benevolence that has brought us together. I cannot imagine a future without you by my side. You have always been my confidant, my anchor of unwavering support. Thank you for everything you are, and will be, as we take this step forward to our future under the God of Light's guidance. Lesus, my love, I will forever hold you dear. May death never part us, for I am yours until the end of time."

When he finished speaking, Sun's eyes were shining and from where I stood, I could see how tightly they were gripping each other's hands.

Then it was Judgment's turn to speak. It was truly praise-worthy how he was still able to keep his voice steady at this point.

"Grisia Sun, my heart belongs to you. Today, I thank the God of Light for bringing us together. You have lit up my path, chasing away the darkness. I swear to never leave your side. Despite any hardships that may come our way, I will never lose faith in you. I will forever cherish you for everything that you are. My friend, my shining light, my love, and now- my future. Grisia, I love you, through life and death, until the end of time, I am yours."

Until the end of time... I felt the corners of my lips lift up into a wry smile. Had it been any other couple, a simple "'til death do us part" would have sufficed. But not those two, no, they had already gone through the test of death too many times.

The first time, when Judgment had been killed during his pursuit of Scarlet, I had only been a bystander alongside the other knights, watching Sun cast Resurrection with feelings of both hope and fear. Unlike the others, who were simply concerned about what part of himself Sun might lose, I was fearing repercussions much worse than that. The God of Light may be a benevolent god, but matters that concern life and death were not things even a god could afford to be generous about. Sun had already tested his luck by resurrecting Leaf. What if this time he pushed it too far? What if Judgment's time was truly up? What if Sun lost something really important? Resurrection was not a spell to be taken lightly; the price of a life is not to be underestimated. Especially when Sun was asking for a complete resurrection with no side effects, he could very well have to pay the price with his own life!

Sun did not even pause to consider any of our worries. His expression back then was frighteningly calm. Too calm, really. I could not even imagine what kind of turmoil must have been going on inside him. But one thing was clear, he was not going to let Judgment die.

So the magic was cast, and I was beyond surprised that the only thing Sun lost was his golden hair. Did the God of Light really favor him that much?

But if He did... Why did Sun have to die too?

If Sun's expression back when he was resurrecting Judgment was frightening, then Judgment's expression when he demanded that I resurrect Sun was downright nightmare-inducing! However, I was not Sun. I did not have his youthful rashness, his daring, or his impressive reserve of holy light. I was cautious. I was much too aware of the risks.

But I did it anyways. I risked the spell with my measly one eighth chance of success. Perhaps it was Judgment’s intimidating expression that pressured me into it. Perhaps it was the hopeful gazes of the other holy knights that pushed me into it. Perhaps, I simply did not wish to see the Holy Temple without its Sun Knight.

The Sun Knight. The Judgment Knight. They were both irreplaceable pillars. That had been so for every single generation of holy knights. And it was especially true for this generation. Not only were they both important in their own right, their paths were so tightly intertwined, one could not exist without the other.

Much like the sun and moon that were carved on their rings.

As I took their rings from Elaro, that kid Sun had picked up and made the ring bearer, I observed them in curiosity while muttering the short prayer of blessing for the ring exchange. The rings were identical platinum bands with three blue magical stones embedded onto each- one that is slightly larger, flanked by a smaller gemstone on each side. The one for Judgment had protective charms imbued within the larger stone, while the smaller ones held healing spells. Sun’s ring had water element filling all three of the gemstones, which achieved a calming effect that resembled the Eternal Tranquility.

I must say, Sun did an outstanding job with embedding magical stones onto the rings. They were powerful ones too. I had to wonder just how much effort Sun had put into the making of these stones. Even Judgment, who had little experience in magic, must have been able to feel the magic pulsating around the rings. His eyes widened, and he looked questioningly at Sun, who only smiled as he took the ring with the sun engraved upon it and slid it onto Judgment’s finger.

“I, Grisia Sun, give you, Lesus Judgment, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you.”

Judgment stared at his ring for a moment, then back at Sun with a gaze that promised many more questions for later, before he mirrored Sun’s actions and slid the ring with the moon engraving onto Sun’s finger.

“I, Lesus Judgment, give you, Grisia Sun, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you.”

They then shared a smile.

“So that’s the ‘something blue’.” Judgment whispered. Sun answered with a nod and a very self-satisfied grin.

It was amusing how it all worked out. After all, blue is quite a meaningful color to these two. I recalled when all eleven knights -including even Roland, dreamed of Sun’s blue eyes. That was what inspired our plan for the final confrontation with Sun, the Demon King.

Hidden behind a fallen pillar, I had witnessed Judgment’s brilliant act. His "last words," spoken so reverently, accented by the tender way he had stroked Sun’s eyelids. It was beyond effective. The shock of seeing everyone dead, of seeing Judgment "die" in his arms was what brought Sun back to us.

It brought the blue color back into Sun’s eyes. The same color that now adorned their matching rings.

The ring exchange was followed by the unity ceremony. Both Sun and Judgment gathered an orb of holy light within their palms, which were then joined together into one. Neo and Chasel contributed their own holy light right after, followed by the rest of the warm and cold factions. Even Roland joined in with a special holy light storage crystal we had prepared for him beforehand.

As the orb of holy light grew larger and larger, I guided it upwards, toward the decorative chandelier that was right above us. The audience let out a gasp of wonder as the holy light lit up the chandelier and bathed the altar in a warm glow.

Finally, it was time for the grand finale.

“By the power vested in me by the benevolent God of Light, I proclaim you to be joined in marriage.” I announced. “You may now kiss the bride.”

What happened next though, was absolutely unexpected.

Before Sun could even reach an arm out to pull Judgment into a kiss, Judgment had already took hold of Sun’s chin, tilted his head up, then planted a very passionate and very thorough kiss onto his unsuspecting lips.

I beheld the spectacle in front of me cheerfully. Sun had his eyes opened wide in surprise, Neo looked absolutely shocked, Chasel had a small grin on his face, and all the guests were just frozen in their seats.

After what felt like an eternity, Sun regained his wits and returned the kiss as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. But I was certain that Judgment was never going to hear the end of this one. Chasel then began clapping, the cold faction quickly joined in, and the warm faction followed suit with great enthusiasm. Soon, the entire hall was filled with thunderous applause for the newlyweds.

Amidst the clapping and cheers, I thought I heard a faint whisper.

"Happy cooperation."

Chapter Text

Leaf

Back when we first took over our positions from our teachers, none of us ever thought that I would be the first to get married. I definitely never thought it'd happen! Actually, we never really thought any of us would get married. Our heads had been full of thoughts about knighthood, about the God of Light, about fulfilling our duties, about everything except romance.

But romance comes at the strangest of times. It's really not something you can plan. When I opened my eyes again with Sun bowed over me, romance had definitely been the farthest thing from my mind. However, as Mike knelt down to carry Sun on his back, I had climbed onto Ann's back. She'd carried me without saying a single word, our journey away from the site of my death carried out in silence. I'd placed my arms around her, and she'd gripped it so hard that it hurt. I was alive. Alive. I struggled to stay awake so I could tell her to put me down if she grew too tired, but despite her uneven gait and her death grip, I was soon lulled to sleep, exhausted by my dalliance with death. She carried me just like that all the way to town.

I don't actually know when I fell in love. Was it when she carried me, or when she had first called me Elmy? Or was it when I argued with her, searing anger I had never ever felt before rushing through me?

Whenever it was, I knew that I could show my true self in front of her, and that she wouldn't mind. She had already seen me at my worst. Through each of our letters and each of the words we exchanged, I could not help but fall deeper and deeper in love.

Being in love is... an indescribable feeling. Each time I received one of Ann's letters, my heart would pound so fast, it would be like discovering a new spice on the market all over again. It was difficult, with her being so far, but it only made the time we got to spend together even more precious.

Then, there was a month when her letters suddenly stopped coming. I frantically read over all of our latest correspondence, trying to figure out if I had said something wrong. Millions of thoughts plagued me. Is she tired of the long distance relationship? Has she finally realized that I'm really not a good person at all? Maybe this is for the best... She is a princess. I am merely a holy knight, a penniless one at that.

Besides, when it all came down to it, our relationship had started out of shared guilt.

"Is your Sun Knight alright now?"

"No, Ann. He... He... It's all my fault! I should never have died."

"No! Elmy! It's not your fault. It's mine..."

Just when I had started convincing myself that maybe it was best that we part, Sun had come barging into my room, unwilling to let me wallow in my negativity. When he found out that I was indeed still feeling guilty over his sight, he flew into a huge rage.

"If you like her, you like her!" he yelled with not an ounce of grace. "Don't you want to be with her forever? I can't believe you're still going on about my eyes!"

"But, but..." My voice grew small.

"Don't you dare use me as an excuse, Elmairy!"

That was perhaps the first time I had ever made Sun mad. He grew so angry that he even dropped the nickname he always liked calling me.

"You are going to write to her," Sun said.

I hurriedly nodded.

"And you are going to propose to her."

I hurriedly nodded once more. Then, his words actually registered, and my jaws dropped. "What?!"

Suffice it to say, my marriage with Ann came about largely thanks to Sun, who gave me the final push. He was the reason why we got together and the reason why we finally got married. If we had been left to our own devices, we would have danced a long distance relationship for eternity. In the end, Sun had even sent me directly to the Kingdom of Moon Orchid using instant teleportation to prevent me from backing out. There, I finally got to see Ann again. The mere sight of her took my breath away. It had been much too long since the last time I'd gotten to see her in person.

Without a doubt, I love her.

I later found out that Ann had felt uneasy about our relationship, not because she no longer liked me or that she was tired of how far we were from each other. She worried about how her duties would affect our relationship. She was the second princess. Since her elder sister had married the Silent Eagle of the Cathedral of the Shadow God and moved out of the kingdom, Ann was basically the next in line.

She knew of my promise to Sun. I could never move to the Kingdom of Moon Orchid. Neither of us even considered the possibility that I'd become the king. I wasn't someone who could lead a kingdom. Years down the line, even after my retirement, I would remain in Leaf Bud City, which wasn't fair to her, but she hadn't thought of it that way. Instead, she had been afraid that she would inconvenience me. I feared that we would have to part after all, and it had nearly come to pass. Her sister Alice had convinced her to take some distance and time to think things over. If I had dallied any longer, Ann might have decided to end things once and for all.

I really didn't want that. I wanted to be with her forever and ever.

After I rambled off my apologies, declared just how much I loved her, and actually blurted out a proposal, Ann didn't speak for the longest time, and for the same amount of time, I fretted over her possible responses. When she finally spoke, it was to whisper, "I can't leave before my younger sister is able to rule."

"Then that means...?"

"Yes! Of course, Elmy! How could you ever doubt?"

Then, she threw her arms around me.

Ann was, as expected, very strong. She nearly squeezed the breath out of me when we hugged, but I didn't care about that at all. To be able to be with her was a miracle. While I felt guilty that she would be the one leaving her homeland, she assured me that she did not mind. She just hoped that I would not mind that even after we got married, she would not be able to move to Leaf Bud City right away, not before her sister grew up more.

Now, we were husband and wife.

Truly, when I became one of the Twelve Holy Knights, I never thought I would get married. No one actually thought I would get married first, and none of us ever thought Sun would even have anything to do with the word marriage!

But here we were.

I wiped at my eyes. I couldn't stop my eyes from growing wet during Sun and Judgment's vows. For them to be able to be able to marry each other, and in public no less, was so touching that I thought my tears would never end. When a handkerchief came into view, I took it gratefully.

"Thanks..." I said and turned my head, only to see Earth raising his eyebrow at me.

"Wasn't me," he said with a shake of his head.

It was then that I heard a quiet little hic from my side. I hurriedly turned, managing to catch a glimpse of Cloud.

Just because his bangs were long didn't mean he didn't need his handkerchief! He needed it more than me!

In any case, my tears stopped after that. I was glad because the sight of Judgment passionately kissing Sun was one no one would want to miss!

Ann's hand found its way over to mine as we greeted each of the guests and guided them to their seats. I gave Ann a small smile, and she squeezed my hand. Then she leaned in and said, "I didn't know Judgment Knight could be so romantic. Why didn't you ever tell me about their pie-buying courtship?"

"Did you hear about that from Judgment?" I asked.

"A little bit, but he didn't really elaborate."

I chuckled. "If he told you, then I guess I can say that Judgment has always been buying blueberry pies for Sun. He used to climb the temple's walls to sneak out to Sun's favorite store."

Ann squealed. "I can't believe it! Judgment Knight really did that?"

"Yeah. He still buys blueberry pies for him. He just doesn't have to climb the walls to do it anymore."

Ann giggled. I could not help smiling wider. I found my hand reaching out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Under the sunlight, her eyes shimmered beautifully, her skin radiant.

She returned the favor, grinning as she brushed her hand through my hair.

We continued to guide the guests to their assigned tables. Because of just how many people wanted to attend the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight's wedding reception, the Pope ended up choosing an outdoor location to accommodate as many people as possible. There was even a small entrance fee for attendees, with the earnings counted as donations to the Church of the God of Light. Even the wedding gifts that the attendees had brought, that were sitting by the entrance next to the refreshments, looked like they might end up as donations to the Church. I thought I saw clerics going through the gifts and tallying them up under the Pope's orders. Sun was not likely to let that one go.

Storm, on the other hand, took one look at the mountains and mountains of gifts and despaired. "How many thank you cards would this be... If I ever get married, it's going to be the smallest event ever with no paperwork involved!"

He pulled at his tie in frustration. He was now wearing a suit the same color as his dress. Beside Storm, Hell had his eyebrows furrowed and looked deep in thought as he stared relentlessly at the piles of gifts. It made me wonder what was going through his mind.

Right after the wedding ceremony, both Storm and Judgment had left to change out of their dresses, having fulfilled the bargain with the Pope. Now, Judgment was going around from table-to-table with Sun to personally greet the guests. Some looked disappointed that Judgment was no longer wearing a dress, but the women didn't seem to mind too much even though several of them seemed eager to show off their dresses in front of him.

Despite the entrance fee, the plaza was packed, and the guests kept coming. Ann and I hurried back and forth between the tables and the entrance. Just like how we had been seated in the Hall of Praise, the seating at the reception was similar. But instead of having our teachers at a separate table, we had a long table that would sit all twenty-four of us, including any guests that we had brought with us. The table was slightly apart from the rest of the tables.

"There you are, Elmairy!"

When I turned to greet our latest guest, I found a wine flask shoved at me. I hastily grabbed it, only to realize that it was my teacher who had given it to me. Teacher Wen smiled widely at me and took a swig from his wine flask -- a different one than the one he had given to me.

"Teacher, are you drinking already? We do have wine prepared," I said, worried. My teacher had always had a problem with drinking. If he drank too much now, he wouldn't be able to enjoy the other wines, yet I was sure he would still attempt to do so anyway when he shouldn't drink so much.

"Oh, don't you worry," he said, giving a nod toward his wife who was mingling with a few other housewives. "It's coffee, like usual. She made sure of it!"

"I heard that too much coffee isn't good either."

"You worry as much as always!" My teacher exclaimed. "This is a day to be happy, Elmairy!"

"I'll always worry over your health, Teacher," I said. "But you're right! I'll try not to worry too much today." I raised the wine flask Teacher had given me. "Is this a present for Grisia and Lesus?"

"Indeed it is! It's wine of the highest caliber!"

Just as I was wondering why my teacher had given their gift directly to me, he explained, "Better to get it directly to your hands than to chance that wily old coot from stealing it!" He gestured behind him.

I glanced in the direction my teacher had pointed out, immediately noticing the Pope who was excitedly watching the piles of gifts grow taller. Even though I knew the Pope was much, much older than me, at this moment, he really resembled an eager kid.

"To think Neo's student would get married and that Chasel's student would be the one wearing the dress!" my teacher said. "If I hadn't seen it with my very own eyes, I would never have believed it."

After he spoke, he gave me an admonishing glance. "Child, if you had inside knowledge, you should have imparted some insider information with your teacher. I bet a lot of money on Neo's student wearing the dress!"

"Ah..."

Actually, Teacher... I was just desperate when I bet on Judgment!

Even though I never thought I would win the bet, the earnings from the bet did line my pockets quite nicely, which meant I was able to cater the food at the reception to my heart's content. While the Pope did give me funds for the event, they weren't nearly enough for all that I wanted to do. After the guests had all arrived, the servers began bringing out food for each table.

I then went from table-to-table, adding the final touch to each dish. At our table, cilantro was a given. I remembered Sun enjoyed saffron quite a lot too. It went well with soup. Then, I added basil, rosemary, and garlic powder as well, chatting a bit with each table as I made my rounds.

"I can't help but marvel at how different you and your teacher are each time I meet him," Ann said. Even though she hadn't said it out loud, I knew she was wondering how my teacher could be the Leaf Knight with the way he behaved.

I sprinkled some pepper on the boar and thought over Ann's words. "We're not all that different," I eventually said. "He worries a lot too, just in his own way."

During my training years, I hadn't understood why my teacher liked to drink so much. It wasn't until later that I realized one could only worry so much without being overwhelmed. Teacher had his wine. I had my straw dolls... and also my seasonings.

With each flick of my wrist, each shake of a jar, each taste of bursting flavor, I could feel my worries tossed to the back of my mind. For a split second, only "taste" mattered, and nothing else.

I smiled and added my finishing touches.

After I finished, I sat down to eat and watch Sun and Judgment finish making their way around. They probably wouldn't be able to finish soon. Everyone wanted to speak with them, and Sun had to praise the God of Light in every three sentences, so his words likely wouldn't be succinct. Maybe it would be faster if they had Judgment do most of the talking? The public seemed not to be as afraid of him today.

"It's a little surreal, isn't it?" Stone asked as he too watched the two of them.

We all nodded. It was truly surreal, to be here at the wedding reception of Sun and Judgment. However, that surrealness was broken when Blaze exclaimed, "This soup is amazing! You really outdid yourself, Leaf!"

We dug in, hearty chatter filling the air as we ate. The conversation mostly centered on Sun and Judgment's relationship as each person tried to figure out just how this wedding had come about. The teachers were particularly curious. I even heard Teacher Neo and Teacher Chasel debate on how Grisia was the one who had proposed.

"About that..." I said.

While I did not know the details of the entire process, I did know the particulars of the marriage proposal. The moment I accidentally revealed this fact, all eyes were suddenly on me, urging me to share the juicy details. Even Ann begged me, and I could never resist that look of hers.

I did worry if Sun would be angry at me for talking about it, but then I remembered how he had tricked me into proposing. So fair was only fair! Especially since Judgment actually had a larger part in the proposal than Sun was making it out to be.

"It's actually a little funny..." I began. Just thinking about it was already making me smile.

I was no expert on romance, but being the only married one out of us all seemed to make the others consider me an expert. After Judgment and Sun's latest fiasco, both of them seemed to have come to some sort of realization.

"I really wish we could make our relationship public," Judgment had confided in me. Seeing him at my door really surprised me. He rarely ever came to find me, and he was even pouring his heart out to me. This was extremely nerve-wracking. He went on to say, "Whenever Grisia gets hurt yet I am unable to hug him right then and there is much too painful. I know I should be happy with what we have, but is it selfish of me to wish we could be as public as your relationship with Ann?"

Before I was even able to say anything, Judgment shook his head. "I'm sorry, forget I said anything. I just... had too much going on in my head. Thanks for listening."

Then, he left hastily. I blinked at my door.

When I heard knocking on my door again, I thought that Judgment must have returned and decided to talk it over after all. I had thought over his words, trying to think of what to say. I was lucky, very lucky. Not only was Ann female, we weren't the leaders of opposing factions that were supposed to hate each other, and neither of us were vessels for the dark element. Truth to be told, Judgment and Sun had walked a tough path, and it wasn't going to get any easier.

I was deep in thought when I opened my door, only to be surprised again. Judgment hadn't returned. Instead, Sun was the one outside my door. While both of them were very good friends of mine, having both leaders come to my door in a single day was still a little intimidating.

When Sun walked in, he sighed heavily.

"What's wrong, Sun?" I asked.

"It's..." He sighed again. "It's nothing."

"It can't be nothing if you're so worried," I said.

He then poured his heart out to me, going back and forth about how he really shouldn't have given in to his desires. He would only hurt Lesus! How could he tie Lesus to him like this?

But Sun, can't you see how good you are for each other?

The fact that they had both come to me within minutes of each other, concerned about the other, warmed my heart. If that wasn't love, then what was? It was like their hearts were connected!

I was completely certain that they would want to be together forever and ever.

"Sun," I called out.

He raised his head to look at me. Sometimes, it was all too easy to forget he couldn't use his eyes anymore when he did things like this, but I would never forget. My heart ached just from thinking of how much he had had to sacrifice over the years.

Sun, why not let yourself have this?

"If you like him, you like him!" I stated. "You want to be with him for all eternity, right? What does it matter if you're the Demon King or not?"

"But..." Sun began to say.

I cut him off. "Sun, you've been the Demon King for years, and none of us have died! Don't you dare look down on us, Sun! Do you think so little of Judgment's love for you?"

"I..." said Sun weakly. "Leaf, you're really intense today."

"Well, that's because I'm right!" I said and folded my arms across my chest. "Now listen, Sun, you're going to go find Judgment, okay?"

"...Okay. Wait, why does this sound so familiar... Oh no, no. Just Lesus getting corrupted is bad enough! Strawberry, don't you dare become bad!"

I smiled. I had learned from the best. "And you are going to propose to him! No more excuses!"

"No way, you got Sun to propose?" Metal shouted. There were astonished looks all around the table. Sun wasn't someone so easily convinced, and I wasn't good with persuasion like Storm or Stone.

I shook my head. "Not exactly. What happened was, he started thinking about it. I even gave him a straw doll of Judgment so he could practice proposing to it."

"You gave him a straw doll. Of Judgment," Earth said. Then, he snickered but stopped when his teacher sighed.

"Yeah. Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No, no, c-continue with the story." He waved his hand in the air.

"Well," I said, "It's actually kind of anticlimactic. Judgment walked in on Sun when he was practicing proposing to the straw doll and pretty much heard all of Sun's true intentions. Even though Sun wanted to pretend like he'd never said anything, Judgment wouldn't let him. They had a heart-to-heart and decided to get married after all."

"So Sun didn't 'propose' to Judgment! He proposed to a straw doll!" Storm shouted and laughed, suddenly wide awake.

Teacher Neo grumbled, "So he didn't propose all dramatically! I was all proud and everything too."

"Strawberry, I can't believe you told them!" A sudden voice sounded. I looked over and saw Sun walking over with a "wide" smile on his face. Judgment was not far behind him and was dressed in a tuxedo much like Sun's, except it was white. When he came to a stop by Sun's side, he wove his fingers with Sun's. Immediately, a bunch of our eyes glued themselves onto that gesture. It was really, really sweet.

Moon teased, "What, no denial about what happened?"

"The God of Light deemed it time for Sun to get married. Why would Sun be in denial about being the one to propose?" Sun said, smile growing even wider.

"Yeah, to a straw doll," Earth snickered quietly, but we'd still heard him. Then, he flinched. "Ow!"

"Oh, oh, zap me instead!" Metal said. Sun did not hold back at all, immediately sending a zap of lightning at Metal. It was such a small and instantaneous zap that only our table would be able to see it, but they seemed to have forgotten about the teachers.

Metal's teacher, Teacher Dansbert, held his head and muttered, "I didn't hear that. I didn't see that."

"Grisia," was all Judgment had to say, and Sun stopped.

I watched, so happy for them that I thought I might drift into the air. It was like yesterday when both Sun and Judgment had worried that their relationship could never work out, that they would only hurt each other, that they could only hide.

But now, they were married and holding hands in public. They were actually married even though it had seemed an impossible feat. Both of them had been so worried. I blinked my eyes, hard, and then stood up.

I pulled Sun into a hug.

I couldn't wipe the smile from my face, nor could I prevent my voice from cracking. I clutched at Sun's tuxedo. I was probably getting it wet.

"C-congratulations, Sun! I'm so, so happy for the two of you."

Sun hugged me back tightly and said, "Thank you."

Chapter Text

Ice

I took off running as soon as the wedding ceremony ended and it was deemed adequate to leave.

Please do not misunderstand; I had enjoyed the ceremony as much as any other holy knight, though perhaps not on the same level as Metal or Blaze, who were sobbing uncontrollably by the end, or Moon, whose high pitched keening sounds were audible as I stood right next to him. Despite not matching many others’ displays of emotion, seeing Sun and Judgment married was indeed one of the most emotional and wonderful moments I have ever witnessed. In fact, my face even felt sore from smiling non-stop the entire time! A small part of me worried if Teacher would scold me later, but I reassured myself by thinking if even Judgment was smiling so widely the whole time, surely I could make an exception for today as well.

Back to the matter at hand, as I dashed to the kitchen, the thoughts in my mind were replaced by cake, cake, and more cake. The reception starts in just a few minutes, and the wedding cake needed to be presented in under an hour.

There were still many finishing touches left to make.

As I skidded into the kitchen and made my way to the sectioned off area reserved especially for the wedding cake, I had to pause to chug down a cup of extra strong coffee—Storm’s special blend in fact. I am unsure of what Storm mixed into this drink, but I think I’d rather not find out. Just a small cup’s worth was already enough to chase away the yawns that had been threatening to bubble up throughout the whole ceremony and make me feel quite jittery. Any other day I would have been worried over Storm drinking this regularly, but today I was exceptionally grateful.

The nearly complete cake tower that sat on a trolley in front of me would not have been here if not for this special coffee.

If I may say so myself, this is truly the greatest baking feat I have ever pulled off. The tower had twelve layers in total, ranging from the bottom, largest layer of plain vanilla buttercream cake that would feed most of the guests to the uppermost, smallest layer that was only for two very special people.

This cake is my masterpiece; therefore, it absolutely needed to be the best it could be. And the number one rule of delicious baking is the fresher the better. So, the only sensible decision was to make the entire cake the day before the wedding.

I had planned extensively in the weeks before, carefully calculating the specifications of each layer and making countless test batches. The top layer was especially tricky to craft, taking up the most testing time.

The plan was to make a layer featuring each of the Twelve Holy Knights’ preferred cake. Even though some tastes may be more out of the ordinary than others, it would be a wonderful symbol of unity and comradeship that had been of utmost importance to Sun and Judgment’s relationship. However, it was also Sun and Judgment’s cakes that caused me the most trouble. While I believe normal guests would be able to enjoy slightly abnormal cakes such as the seasonings-embedded savory layer for Leaf, or the frighteningly spicy chocolate cake that’s Metal’s favorite, or the layer for Storm that’s so heavily laced with coffee that a sign should probably be put next to it to make sure no small children consumed any pieces… Sun and Judgment’s tastes are another matter entirely.

While Storm’s cake might cause small children to bounce around the temple like rubber balls, Judgment’s extremely bitter dark chocolate cake may very well make them cry.

Actually, it could possibly make the adults cry as well, if the reactions during Judgment’s bachelor party were anything to go by.

As for Sun, I have no misgivings about the effect his preferred sweetness level would have on a regular person. It would not do to have guests choking during a wedding.

For the health and happiness of everyone involved, it was clear that there should not be more than one portion of each of those two’s cakes. The problem was, two single-serving cakes would look highly out of place on top of the cake tower. Thus, the idea was born to merge them into one cake, sharing the top spot together. I had been quite pleased with myself—not only was that a fitting solution, it also perfectly represented their union. Little did I know, such a cake was easier to imagine than to make.

Now, you may be thinking: why not just make the two separate cakes and then glue them together with frosting? Indeed, that would be the common and perhaps even reasonable method, but neither of these things have any place in this entire grand affair. For this cake—this masterpiece of proportions most grand—to be perfectly fitting for this most grand occasion, common sense and reason need to be thrown out of the metaphorical window. It simply would not do to make two separate cakes. How could that even begin to represent Sun and Judgment’s relationship? They were soulmates, and soulmates don't come in something as detached as two separate pieces.

As I embarked on my quest to bake a single cake that can merge these two extreme flavours perfectly, it seemed that I was alone in my belief that this was achievable. As days turned into weeks and the failed batches piled into a small mountain, words of doubt began to pop up. It began with tentative comments like “Ice, maybe you should consider a back up plan…” to concerned questions of “Ice, when was the last time you slept…?”

Disbelievers, all of them. I merely drank more coffee and continued to the next experiment. I had complete faith in this cake, no matter what common sense may dictate. And I would be right, just like before—when nobody else had yet to believe that Sun and Judgment were hopelessly in love with each other.

See, I had always known that Grisia and Lesus were special to each other. Thanks to my close friendship with both of them, I had been privy to much insight over the years. Like how much care Lesus actually put into the sweets he brings to their bathroom rendezvous—small candies when Grisia needs to watch his weight, more substantial pies when Grisia’s been busy and thus skipping meals; or how Grisia actually enjoys watching me make the bitter chocolates for Lesus, and each time like clockwork, would sneak a taste before the chocolate is poured into the moulds, giving his seal of approval in the form of a scrunched up face and a shudder at the bitterness. Or how they would always know when each others’ sweets bag needs refilling, and more often than not, one of them would show up at my door with both empty bags for refills (and occasionally in Lesus’ case, ask that I keep the bags and refrain from refilling). They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so naturally I interpreted the meaning behind these interactions for what it was: love, plain and simple.

To me, that had been common knowledge since our training days, as mundane as the fact that Sun’s robes were white and Judgment’s were black. Little did I know, that I was apparently the only one who held that particular belief.

The realization came during one of the hardest times we had to endure: that terrible half year period when Sun was out of his mind after being resurrected. While that had been a painful time for us all, there was no doubt that Judgment suffered the most. Whenever he held vigil over Sun’s bedside—which was most the time—the atmosphere in the room was too unbearably heavy for any of us to accompany him for long. So, with Sun out of commission, Judgment by his side, and Roland away as the demon king, the rest of us often found ourselves convening together in the conference room whenever we ran out of tasks to busy ourselves with. There we would chat about nothing and everything, often with Earth or Metal leading the conversation and everyone doing their best to contribute whatever they could. It was an unspoken rule to never let the room go silent, lest the silence suffocate us all.

It began during one of those conversations. Metal had been worrying over Judgment’s state.

“Captain Judgment is barely eating these days. What if he collapses?” he fretted.

“When I brought him lunch today, he looked like he had been crying…” Moon added sadly, “I wish there’s something we could do to cheer him up…”

Hearing that, I sighed and chimed in:

“It can’t be helped. His loved one is in an insanity-induced coma. How could Judgment cheer up?”

Silence.

I looked up, concerned, and found eight pairs of frighteningly wide eyes trained on me.

“W-what did you just say…?” Earth stammered.

I frowned in confusion. For once, Earth’s stammer didn’t sound forced.

“That Sun is in an insanity-induced coma?” I replied slowly, unsure how that could still be shocking to everyone.

“Not that!” Storm cried out. “The part before! You said ‘his loved one’!”

Around the room, everyone nodded along, wide eyes still trained on me.

“Yes.” I shrunk back, slightly frightened by the intensity in the air. “Judgment and Sun are in love with each other…”

The ensuing disbelieving chaos had resulted in a heated debate that lasted long into the night. However, even when the sun came up, they still had not come to a consensus on the exact nature of Sun and Judgment’s feelings.

Eventually, Sun woke up. Then, the demon king happened, and passed, and as life returned to normal, I began getting visits from the other knights.

“Ice, you were right! How could I have missed their loving gazes at each other? I look at Ann the same way!” Leaf gushed.

“Ice, you were right! I heard from my vice-captain who heard from a maid who heard from Adair who was talking to Vidar that Sun is doing Judgment’s paperwork! Which could only mean that Sun has either gone insane again or is in love!” Storm rambled.

“Ice, you were right! Captain Judgment postponed our SM session today to buy that bastard Sun pie… and I thought our arrangement was special!” Metal sobbed.

“Ice, you were right! …”

……

The memory of their revelations brought a small smile to my face as I carefully placed the final and most important cake layer onto the tower. Soon, everyone will be able to appreciate yet another feat that was previously doubted.

After many, many failed batches, and many more filled up notebooks documenting the effects of different ingredient ratios, I had finally come across the perfect balance. And now, in my hands, was a delicate cake that was half extremely sweet honey castella and half extremely bitter chocolate sponge, marbled seamlessly together in the middle. For fillings there was the usual blueberry jam in Sun’s portion, and in Judgment’s—dark chocolate ganache.

With the cake tower assembled, I then carefully wrapped up the entire thing with a thin layer of white fondant, making the cake resemble the graceful pillars that were a trademark of our Holy Temple. Now for the final touch, I retrieved from a cooler the assortment of frosting flowers I had created beforehand, which featured the same flowers present in Judgment’s bouquet. Slowly and carefully - as to not disturb the delicate petals—the flowers were placed onto the cake, trailing from the top down like a cascading waterfall.

As the final sugar blossom took its place, I let out the breath I had been holding and stepped back. There, it was done. Pride and relief washed over me as I took in the finished product. At the risk of sounding boastful, I truly believed that I have created a wedding cake that could go down in history along with this wedding of the century. Now, all that was left to do was to bring the cake cart into the reception hall. I felt tears threatening to well up as I wheeled the cart out of the kitchen. Perhaps this is what parents feel like on their children’s first day of school?

Chapter Text

Earth

Sun and Judgment were feeding each other.

I turned away from the disgustingly sweet scene, refilling my wine glass instead to distract myself. While Leaf had outdone himself with the catering, that did not mean I wanted to see my leaders flirt so blatantly over the food! Have some pity for our eyes, geez. 

I had refilled my glass with perfect timing. Soon after I put down the bottle, I saw Ice wheel in a monstrous cake with flowers trying to suicide off the sides. How he was even managing to keep that thing from teetering over the edge of the cart was a mystery beyond me, but since the cake was here and accounted for, that was my clue to get things rolling.

"You're up," I told Hell.

Hell, who had been in the middle of listening to Storm chatter on about the delicious amount of caffeine in the cake he had taste-tested and how awake it had made him feel when he had taken a bite, had completely forgotten it was time for those damn speeches. And this was why I, the only lucid person here not melting into a puddle over the idea of true love, had to play babysitter.

That, and as Sun's "best friend," plenty of followers had expressed their disappointment upon discovering that I wasn't the best man. I gave them that unity and balance excuse that Sun had been spouting, but even that hadn't taken care of the frowns adorning several of our clerics' faces. In the end, I reassured them that even though I wasn't the best man, I was helping my best friend out behind the scenes. They cooed after that and exclaimed, "How sweet! The best of friends!"

Of course, that got back to Sun and somehow I ended up responsible for making sure this whole thing ran on schedule, "best friend's" wedding and all. As the pseudo MC of this reception, it was my job to give the resident death monarch a poke to wake him up from his lovesickness.

"Are you going to say something to everyone first?" Hell asked.

I thought about it for a second. "Nah."

"Oh."

Hell stood up with his wine glass.

Thank the God of Light I wasn't the best man, or even worse, the maid of honor. Saved me the trouble of having to stutter through an entirely fake speech. The crowd didn't immediately quiet down, continuing to eat and chatter. If Hell sprouted his leathery wings in the middle of the room, he'd definitely get a different response, but at the moment, he was just another well dressed guy. 

With lots of girls staring at him. And a fair share of guys glaring. 

As more people stared or glared, other people began noticing and turned in Hell's direction. The chatter ceased, and Hell had the stage. Just as Hell was about to speak, Storm tugged on Hell's sleeve to stall him and gave me a pointed look for putting Hell on the spot.

Hey hey, he's the best man. He's supposed to speak! I'm just here to make sure everything runs on schedule. Is someone protective or what? But ugh, fine. 

I plastered on a small smile and stood up to call everyone's attention to our speakers. "C-citizens of Leafbud, children of the God of Light, and our esteemed g-guests, a m-moment of pause for the best man, who w-will be sharing with us a toast for our newlyweds. Please welcome, Supreme Dragon Hell!"

I sat down and raised an eyebrow at Storm. There, happy?

Storm was smiling widely, but he was no longer even looking at me, and instead had his eyes fixed on Hell. Why did I even bother?

Hell started by thanking everyone for coming and introducing himself as the Hell Knight, the best man. As the Hell Knight, he'd always been one of the shadows. Seeing him take the stage was a strange sight, especially when it was for making a speech instead of fighting with a sword.

That was more Storm's forte. Shy, bumbling Ceo who masqueraded as a footloose charmer who loved attention. He had blushed even at the sight of paintings , not to mention talking face-to-face with an actual girl. How he had even survived to adulthood without combusting was just as much of a miracle as Sun not killing himself with his sword. Yet, Ceo had winked his way into office, and he had taken to crowds like a fish to water, a complete natural under the spotlight.

Hell was just the opposite, much more down to earth, much less accustomed to being the center of attention, much more succinct. They say that opposites attract, and dear God of Light, everyone around me lately were hellbent on proving that true. 

If it had been up to Hell, he probably would have ended the speech there, but the Pope was adamant that the speech needed to be long to sell the wedding even more. Therefore, Hell continued on in an uncharacteristic fashion. Given that we had the public to consider, there was a lot he couldn't talk about. But somehow, he was managing. I bet Storm had a hand in that.

"It feels like just yesterday, yet also a lifetime ago, that I became acquainted with Sun Knight and Judgment Knight. We were children then, if you can imagine us in such a way, with the world before us." Heh, I bet Storm wrote that line for him. "Even back then, Sun Knight led with his generous heart"—I held back my snicker; it wasn't like Sun could've led with his swordsmanship —"and I gladly followed. If not for him, I would not be here today."

Hell really wouldn't have been here if not for Sun. Who else would've been stupid enough to instate a death lord, now a death monarch, as the Hell Knight? Sun had invited trouble right to his door. Hell's lich must've had the time of her undead life laughing at Sun for handing over his life on a silver platter. If Sun hadn't been dead, I'd have wanted to shake him back and forth and ask him how he could've been so blind —his eyes were no excuse—and I'd probably have wrung his neck myself for his stupidity. 

What a generous heart indeed, to forgive his murderer so easily after that. Sun had never blamed Hell for what had occurred, and while Sun hadn't seen it coming—how could he, when Hell was his childhood friend—he had never wondered why none of us had seen it coming either. How could we have let him walk to his death? I surely could have done something with the Shield of Earth to prevent him from dying at all. The Earth Knight is the Sun Knight's shield, dammit. Sun was supposed to be as undying as a cockroach! Sun may have forgiven it all, but I never had.

So, let Hell sweat out there some more. Who knew if he could even sweat, but whatever. It wasn't like he was going to go blind standing in the spotlight, no matter how awkward it might feel.

Plenty of people probably just thought Hell was talking about how he was supposedly Sun's "substitute." The Hell Knight was rumored to be the Sun Knight's double, a rumor that Sun had made widespread because of his harebrained scheme back in our third year in office when he had announced Hell as his substitute in the three way deathmatch for Princess Jasmine's hand. 

In any case, Hell went on some more about being here thanks to Sun, but by the time I tuned in again, he had moved onto Judgment.

"Even back then, Judgment Knight had considerable skill with his sword. I am lucky to have him as my superior." Hell paused, thinking for a moment, but I bet he'd forgotten what he had wanted to say. When he finally continued, he said, "His blade flies true in the face of justice, so that no wrongdoers might stand in his way." Another pause. "His judgment is swift and just, as steady as his swordhand. Judgment Knight wields his sword with strength and skill, leaving no one unsatisfied—"

Pfft! Hey, hey, if you wax any more poetry about Judgment's sword, someone is going to get jealous! 

Not just a someone either. Two someones. 

Oh, the look on Sun's face! Someone's mind was in the gut—

A sudden foot kicked me in the shin, but really, what did the owner of the foot think that would accomplish? I barely felt a thing. I raised an eyebrow at Sun, who was smiling the fakest smile ever—his foot must be smarting—and of course that was when he zapped me. Again. Just like earlier. 

"Ow!" Come on, if you want to zap someone, zap Metal instead! He enjoys it!

"Stop snickering," Sun warned me under his breath.

"I'm not, " I said and kicked him back, and I can assure you my kicks hit much harder. The resulting "ow!" he tried to muffle was music to my ears.

Judgment gave both of us an unimpressed look and used his eyes to indicate the wine glass he was suddenly holding up. Well golly, I'd missed the rest of Hell's speech thanks to someone's trigger happy zapping. What a pity . 

Hell had finally reached his limit and had no more to say, and thus, it was time for him to lead the toast. 

Sun quickly grabbed his own wine glass, while I grabbed mine at a much more leisurely pace. Sun was so whipped . I gulped the contents down and refilled my glass again. Hell finally got to sit down. Storm immediately patted him on the back to comfort him. 

"All yours now, Storm," I reminded him, as he was still rubbing Hell on the back. This is no time to feel him up, Storm.

To think, shy, bumbling Ceo had learned to feel someone up. Will wonders never cease? We've just been throwing the wrong sort at him all these years, when all he needed all along was a death monarch.

Storm got up after what felt like a lifetime. It had already been long enough that the crowd had begun talking among themselves again, but Storm just had something to him that drew people's attention to him right away, so he didn't have to stand there for very long for everyone to notice him and quiet down, unlike someone else earlier.

It was probably the blue hair, among other things.

Without Storm's prompting, I stood up and announced to the crowd, "And now, please w-welcome the 'm-maid' of honor, Ceo Storm, who will be leading us in our next toast." He raised an eyebrow at me for my unprompted behavior— hah, take that! —but quickly turned to address the citizens instead. How boring. But I sat back to watch.

Storm cut quite a figure in his tuxedo, his smile ever charming. He gave the crowd a sweeping glance, emerald eyes containing a gaze that commanded all to look his way. Even I could not help but look his way. Those clerics behind him couldn't even hold a candle against his beauty, which shone all the more whenever he was in the spotlight. He was a far cry from that timid bundle of nerves that had stalked me all those years ago, wanting to observe how I interacted with girls.

What a pity that he wasn't a girl. Why must I be surrounded by pretty boys ? The God of Light must be making fun of me, for my leader to be a stunning blond, and for yet another stunning man to be fluttering by my side all these years. All that beauty, wasted on guys.  

Just like Hell, Storm had plenty he couldn't talk about, not when the reception was such a public event. But that mattered little to Storm, not when he was such a good public speaker who could spin all sorts of tales. He brushed a strand of his hair behind his ear and said, "I, Storm Knight, thank you all for joining us on this momentous day, in which we celebrate the union of our leaders, Sun Knight and Judgment Knight." 

He gestured at Sun, who smiled, and Judgment, who gave a nod. Storm gave his own smile and continued, "Long have our two factions been at odds with each other, but today is the day that we put all of that behind us to truly join as a united front. I am honored to stand here today as Judgment Knight's 'maid' of honor. You must be wondering, how is it that I am not Sun Knight's maid of honor, but rather Judgment Knight's? Well, that is a long story, but suffice to say, it is thanks to Sun Knight's warm insistence that we embrace our foes and love our differences that I stand here before you in such a fashion, in a show of true unity between our factions."

You just didn't hear Sun when he asked for someone to volunteer. I snickered to myself, but I quickly snapped my head up, just in case Sun had heard me. I really did not need him zapping me again. 

Good, he wasn't paying me any attention, as he was completely focused on Storm's speech. A single look from Judgment earlier, and Sun was behaving. Will wonders never cease? We've been dealing with him the wrong way all this time, when all he needed all along was getting married with his "public" enemy. People do say that wives rule the roost, after all.

Storm continued, "Thanks to the amiable relations between our factions that we now share, I have come to know Judgment Knight just as well as I know my own leader. He is someone who takes his work with utmost seriousness, and while you will more often than not see a frown on his face as opposed to a smile, he is truly caring deep inside behind that scary face. Yup, that's exactly the face I'm talking about right there!" 

Dear God of Light, Storm knew no fear, and damn was he good at dramatic pauses. He wasn't giving any particular details, yet even that was plenty to string people along, making them hang onto his every word despite their Judgment Knight's intimidating glower. 

"For countless years, you and I alike have watched Judgment Knight and Sun Knight at odds, their ideologies clashing. But I ask for all present to cast your memories to that dreadful year when darkness sought to steal our land and break our spirits. Yes, I am referring to that year, the beginning of the encroachment of darkness. Sun Knight was absent from our side for many dreadful months, too severely ill from the sudden imbalance of holy and dark elements across the continent to even leave his bed. For these same number of months, I cannot tell you how often we, the rest of the Twelve Holy Knights, found Judgment Knight by Sun Knight's bedside, silently watching over him. Judgment Knight would hold Sun Knight's hand with his head bowed, praying for him to recover."

Ah, that story again, but with a spin on it for the public. Now they too, will know just how lovesick they are. I tilted my wine glass, eyes flicking over to Sun and Judgment, only to see Judgment reach his hand out to clasp Sun's, perhaps in memory, his glower melting into a fond gaze directed at Sun, joy and gratitude alike for having Sun here with him. Now that Judgment could show his feelings for Sun in the public, it was like he was trying to make up for all those years that he couldn't, geez.

Storm held his hand over his heart and glanced over at Sun and Judgment as well, continuing on with his tale. "It was then that I knew he was secretly a romantic, and that the hatred he had professed for my leader all these years was just the opposite—a deep, passionate love. If love and hate are two sides of the same coin, I daresay that theirs has landed on the side of love, when Judgment Knight wished with all his heart for Sun Knight to once again walk by his side."

He raised his wine glass and said, "To Judgment and Sun, my leaders and brothers, I wish you happiness, health, and love, through life and death, until the end of time. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" everyone else echoed, followed by several glasses clinking against each other. I sipped at my wine, watching Sun pretend to grow a bit tipsy from his second glass of wine, cheeks turning rosy, while what was in Judgment's wine glass was likely to be some sort of tea, as he was drinking it with no problem whatsoever.

Sun's teacher spoke up next, regaling us with tales of a much younger Sun and his first meeting with Judgment, and how they had immediately begun arguing (when in truth, their teachers had instructed them to argue as practice). When he toasted the newlyweds, Sun raised his glass and was about to drink, but Judgment took the glass and downed it for him instead, causing dropped jaws and squealing alike. Sun smiled widely and kissed Judgment on the cheek for his gallantry, causing even more squealing.

That was wine, wasn't it? If Judgment planned on drinking every toast after this in Sun's place since the "Sun Knight" couldn't hold his liquor past three cups, he wasn't going to last the night. But seriously, they're getting married. Who cares about the Sun Knight's image of being a lightweight? Judgment had even worn a dress! They sure have strange priorities.

Judgment's teacher continued after Sun's. He didn't say much, only that Judgment's love for Sun knew no bounds, even if it meant wearing the dress in this relationship, as we had all witnessed. It was to giggles and chuckles that we had our final toast, with Judgment once again taking on Sun's share. 

I pushed a jug of water over, just in case. With the speeches over, next would be cutting the cake, followed by dances. We were still on schedule. Not bad, not bad. My job was almost done. I was about to stand up and announce the cake cutting when Storm grinned and said in a loud voice, "Hey Earth, as Sun's 'best friend,' do you have some words for him before we move on to the cake?"

I stilled, already knowing what he had done. While I wanted to brush him off, he had spoken loudly to catch everyone's attention. All eyes were on me now, putting me in the spotlight. Never let it be said that Storm didn't hold grudges because he so did. He was totally getting back at me for putting Hell on the spot earlier.

Come on, Storm. It's not like Hell even knew I had done anything. You are so overprotective of him.

It was sobering, actually, to see Storm fall in love like this. I hadn't thought it would ever happen.

I tilted my wine glass, watching the wine swirl inside. Then, I stood up, casting my memories back. I hadn't prepared a speech. I had had no intention of stuttering through a speech, considering it was all a farce that I was Sun's "best friend." But it was what the public wanted, what Storm wanted, and I actually knew just what I wanted to talk about.

Now, while Ice was the first to realize that Sun and Judgment had the hots for each other, and Leaf was the one who got Sun to propose, they wouldn't even be in a relationship if it weren't for me. I still remembered Sun chatting up that archer girl in his room, clearly intent on bidding his church hermit status goodbye with some frolicking.

I had thought it would be the perfect payback to interrupt him, given how often he interrupted me all the damn time, and dear God of Light was it the best revenge seeing the girl bid him a hasty farewell and fleeing as if her life depended on it. I mean, getting caught canoodling with the Sun Knight in his room was quite the scandal. The public would've probably blamed her for seducing their Sun Knight and leading him away from the God of Light's side, and they actually wouldn't have been off the mark. What did Sun know of wooing anyone? Absolutely nothing. She had to have been the one putting the moves on him.

Lucky for them that I was around!

While I didn't know it then, Judgment apparently already had a thing for Sun even back then, for some unfathomable reason. In any case, Judgment would have possibly given up on pursuing anything with Sun and just watched over him from the sidelines, convincing himself that that was better for Sun, so Sun really should be thanking me for preventing that and for helping his relationship along. It was all meant to be.

Aren't I such a good friend?

Earlier in the day, I hadn't forgotten to bring that up with Sun.

"Aren't you glad I barged in that time you were alone with that archer girl?" I needled Sun.

He rolled his eyes at me. 

"And that time with Charlotte the second," I said, this time lowering my voice so others wouldn't overhear. 

Sun grimaced. He never liked admitting his mistakes, and that had been one huge mistake in the making. All three of them had been miserable, even when none of them knew why. I barged in on Sun and that Charlotte girl plenty of times, intent on never leaving them alone as payback for the countless times Sun had interrupted me, and never did I actually see either of them face each other with fondness. They definitely weren't the center of each other's worlds.

By then, I knew what Judgment felt, and I was pretty sure that Sun returned his feelings. It was just that neither of them were taking the first step, and then there was Charlotte throwing herself at Sun, visiting him in his room all the time, and Sun wasn't turning her down. 

I mean, if I were in Sun's place, I definitely wouldn't turn her down. There was no harm in experimenting or fooling around, but even I could tell that none of them were in it for a fling. Pity. Flings were so much more enjoyable. Why give up an entire forest for a single tree?

She had guts, I had to give her that, as she didn't flee whenever I busted the door open, but it wasn't like they could do anything with me there. Sun had been frustrated with me, but geez, way to take your frustration out on the wrong person!

Considering that she had been the Demon King's captive for an extended period of time, Charlotte had to have nerves of steel. That aside, she was trying to prove something. I could tell. It was a classic tale of the captive growing sympathetic toward the captor. Even I could tell it wasn't love.

So, I invited her to tea, somehow ending the night with a sobbing girl stuffing her face with cookies and confessing that she did like Sun, having seen him at his worst. She admired him for his tenacity despite the bad hands life had dealt him.

But admiration wasn't the same as love, and I soon found out that she was actually trying to convince herself to fall in love with Sun because he seemed interested in her. She dearly wanted to be in love again, this time a requited one unlike her infatuation with some Teddy guy. Besides, she felt he deserved being loved, as he had been so lonely as the Demon King.

It was too bad for her that Sun had been giving mixed signals. This definitely wouldn't have been a requited love for her, and I told her as much. She hadn't needed much convincing—all you had to do was witness Sun and Judgment in the same room, and you could see the care they had for each other. So no, Sun wasn't going to be lonely anymore. There wasn't a chance we would let that happen, and Judgment would certainly be the first to make sure of that.

Besides that, she was obviously still in love with that Teddy guy.

Just how I ended up playing relationship counselor, I would never know. That certainly wasn't what my tea or snacks were for.

"Do you have to bring that up on the day of my wedding?" Sun grumbled.

"Duh, of course! I'm never going to let you live that down. You should thank me for helping you out! Who knows, if I didn't interrupt, you might be marrying Charlotte right now, and all three of you would mope for all eternity."

And wouldn't that have been miserable for everyone? Yes, even me, as Storm and the others had been a huge pain during those days, always lamenting about poor Judgment and how stupid Sun was being. I shudder to imagine what they'd be like if Charlotte had managed to sweep Sun off his feet. Of course I was going to bust open that door, even faster than Blaze could kick it!

I held my glass of wine and smiled widely. "I, Earth Knight, cannot say how h-happy I am for my b-best friend today." I gestured at Sun, who could only smile back.

"Sun Knight, as th-the leader of the Holy Temple and the spokesperson of the G-God of Light, has only ever l-loved the God of Light and has n-never ever b-beheld a woman." Even though he did try, pft, but payback is payback. "It c-came as no surprise to me that Sun Knight f-fell in love with J-Judgment Knight, as he had never had eyes for women"— or anyone, considering how blind he is; oh man, better hold back that scowl, Sun— "instead e-embracing the b-benevolence of the God of Light, loving and accepting even those with their b-back against the light. It is my h-honor to c-congratulate Sun Knight and Judgment Knight on their union today, in a b-beautiful marriage of opposites, a c-completion of two halves."

For a moment, even Storm's eyes were on me, surprised that I managed to pull something out of nowhere, even if not as grand as his speech had been. He probably thought he could stump me by putting me on the spot, but hey, it wasn't like I hadn't been pulling compliments out of thin air for all the lovely ladies, or making digs at Sun for practically half my life. By now, it was as easy as breathing, and it wasn't like I hated attention either. If things had happened differently, I bet I could have rocked that Storm Knight position.

I almost smirked, but I smoothed that away to a much more acceptable smile and raised my glass high. "I ask for all to join me in this 'f-final' toast to our n-newlyweds. May the God of Light b-bless this cherished union."

As I drank my wine, I could see Judgment once again taking over for Sun, while Storm was starting to do the same for Hell. Even Leaf and his wife were making eyes at each other as they took a sip of each other's drinks. Ugh, love birds everywhere.

But hey, with all of them pairing off like this, that meant there was more fish in the ocean for me. I caught the emerald eyes of a woman sitting at a different table. While she wasn't a drop dead beauty, she was still a looker, and she totally had her eyes on me the entire time. I smiled at her, pleased when she didn't look away, instead smiling back at me. Her smile was rather charming, and her fine figure was a sight for sore eyes, especially when Sun and Judgment started feeding each other again, this time taking turns to shove cake into each other's mouths.

Chapter Text

Cloud

As the band played the opening notes to a slow dance number, our shining newlyweds made their way to the dance floor. The crowd parted for them eagerly, then hovered around the hall, necks stretched like hungry baby birds. A hush descended; the only sounds remaining were the music, and the soft footsteps as two dancers glided over the floor, moving as one. It was as if everyone had forgotten how to breathe, having been completely captured by the performance. There was magic in the air, and nobody dared to interrupt it in any way.

Their figures spun and twirled expertly. Neither seemed to be leading, yet their steps never showed any hesitance. White and black blended together seamlessly, a union of light and darkness, a meeting of day and night…

Hmm, perhaps that description is slightly overboard for just a dance.

I tilted my head, studying Sun and Judgment’s dance closely. They truly looked amazing together. The choreography of their first dance wasn’t an easy one. I should do some research on dancing if I want to do it justice with my words. It seems that no matter how many books one reads, writing your own is another matter entirely. 

When Sun and Judgment went public with their relationship, it became the hottest topic and trended overnight. As a result, many novels inspired by their story were published in a matter of mere weeks. The Holy Temple ended up acquiring copies of all of them through donations. Perhaps the publishers wanted canonical approval? Regardless of the reasons, I had an abundance of reading material for the duration of the wedding preparations. It was fortunate since I found myself with no particular task assigned to me even as the others bustled about. Of course, I tried my best to offer help wherever possible, but more often than not I was left to my own devices. With the extra free time, I was able to devour all of the new novels in my little corner of the library.

The authors of Leaf Bud were both talented and creative. There were so many varieties of Sun and Judgment’s love story, each one more fantastical than the last.

In one story, they were sworn enemies who often crossed swords in private. Their burning hatred for each other led to both seeking the other out day after day, year after year. Until one day, in the middle of a fight, the line between hate and love blurred, and they fell into a passionate love affair. The author was very skilled at describing sword-fighting scenes. Judgment may enjoy reading it.

Another story chose to focus on the wedding. After it became known that Judgment was to wear the wedding dress, there were many speculations over the reason. One author in particular took their imagination to new heights. In this novel, Judgment was actually a woman in disguise. Through an accident, Sun found out about “her” secret, but instead of using it to take Judgment down, he kindly offered to help “her” continue along “her” chosen path. Through this shared secret, their relationship bloomed. Finally, on the day of their joyous union, Judgment wanted to be true to “herself”, and decided to don a wedding dress for “her” beloved. Sun had found this novel while he was in the library one day, and didn’t stop laughing for three days straight. 

Sun likely won’t laugh anymore if he kept browsing the selection. One novel, in particular, took a dark turn. In this interpretation, Sun was the one who was secretly a woman (for some reason, this was a popular trope). In an attempt to convince the harsh and villainous Judgment to embrace the light, “she” offered “her” secret as an olive branch. Unfortunately, Sun was not as fortunate as the Judgment of the previous story. This story’s Judgment immediately took advantage of the innocent and benevolent Sun Knight. This eventually resulted in the birth of Elaro, but even a child was not enough to mend this rocky relationship. Over the years, they went through many conflicts. Manipulation, threats, fights… it was two steps forward and one step back, until the two finally reached the present day. They shared a love strengthened through many cycles of breaking and mending, along with a dash of Stockholm Syndrome. However, all was not in vain, for Judgment had eventually learned to truly embrace the path of light. As a show of his repentance and resolve, he had decided to put himself in the position of wearing the wedding dress. Despite its cruel portrayals and twisted plot points, the story was so addicting that I pulled an all-nighter to finish it, and was left disoriented for an entire day. Books are truly powerful.

However, after reading every single one of the published fictions, I found myself feeling oddly empty and unsatisfied. While every one of these stories was interesting in their own right, they were stories about the Sun Knight and Judgment Knight. The people featured in them were strangers, completely made-up characters. 

Will these stories be how future generations learn about the special bond between the 38th Sun Knight and Judgment Knight?

I did not want that. 

I had always felt a bit disappointed by the lack of records regarding previous generations of the Twelve Holy Knights. Aside from notable feats, the books in the church library rarely if ever held information about their personal details. That is how things are and have always been. The moment we were sworn into office, we discarded our true selves to uphold the tradition of the Twelve Holy Knights. I know that it is not reasonable to want our personal lives known, however…

However, I selfishly did not want the story of Grisia and Lesus to be lost to speculations. I did not want our story to be reduced to mere recounts of battles and achievements. I did not want the world to forget our precious bonds. 

With that resolve in mind, I decided to write my own novel. After years and years of reading, it was time I put my experience to use. 

Blending in with the crowd, I had an ideal vantage point from which to observe the dancing. The married couple’s first dance had concluded, and I clapped along with the others. Now that the floor was open to everyone, the band struck up an upbeat tempo. I watched as Judgment got dragged into a dance by a laughing Teacher Neo, who did not let his missing arm deter him and twirled Judgment around with his good arm. While Judgment’s complexion began to turn slightly green, Sun and Teacher Chasel danced together at a much more normal pace, their gazes following the other pair with a mix of worry and amusement. 

With them setting the example, many others also made their way onto the dance floor. Earth could be seen shyly chatting up a lady with blond hair and green eyes. It did not take long before he led her to dance. 

It wouldn’t do for the Earth Knight to be seen as the first to mingle, I saw Storm catch Hell’s eyes, and they moved towards each other. But before either was able to ask the other to dance, Storm’s teacher swooped in out of nowhere and whisked Storm onto the dance floor. As Hell was left blinking at the suddenly empty space in front of him, Blaze’s teacher came and patted him on the shoulder. 

Speaking of Blaze, he seemed to be looking for something, his distinct red hair flitting left and right through the people. I wondered if he needed any assistance, and made my way towards him. As I approached, he suddenly spun around and grabbed me.

“Ah! Cloud! There you are!” Blaze yelled. “Man, I knew it was you when I felt a spirit-like presence behind me!”

“I’m still alive…” I mumbled. Was I that much like a ghost?

Blaze just threw his head back and laughed. 

“Anyways. I was trying to find you! Ice got kidnapped by his old man again. Wanna come with me to rescue him?”

I looked around and indeed saw Ice being led to dance with his teacher. Ice’s teacher had defrosted over the years. He was speaking animatedly to Ice as they moved. Ice had a soft smile on his face; he must be happy to catch up with his teacher. 

“They look like they’re having fun. We don’t need to rescue him,” I told Blaze seriously.

“Nonsense,” Blaze huffed, “this is a party! A party! We should be having fun with people our age instead of taking care of geezers! Ah, speaking of which, where is your teacher?”

“He’s at the refreshment table.”

“Huh? Really? I don’t see him.” Blaze craned his neck and squinted at the table.

“He’s right there,” I pointed out, “by the cake. It looks like he’s trying a slice of Metal’s cake.”

Blaze squinted some more.

“Gah, I give up! You have really good eyesight, Cloud. I can’t see him at all… But may the God of Light bless him. Didn’t Ice buy that record-holding hottest pepper to use in it?”

I nodded. My teacher is quite the daredevil. 

I felt a tug on my arm, Blaze was pulling me towards the dance floor again. 

“Come on let’s go! Ice must be dying by now!” 

Any other protests I may have had were preemptively ignored, and I was pulled into the crowd. 

Teacher Eller must have been in an exceptionally good mood today. He didn’t even bat an eye at the notion of Ice hanging out with the warm faction in public. Then again, given the theme of today’s main event, the public may be disappointed if we didn’t mingle.

He handed Ice off to us easily but paused for a moment to address Blaze.

“Now Chikus, have you gone to greet your teacher yet?” He asked. 

“Ehh…” Blaze scratched his head, “I’m sure I said hi at some point…”

“Go talk to him.” Teacher Eller demanded, face growing cold and he rambled on. “Lanbi has been complaining my ear off about his student being stolen. I won’t have a moment of peace if I have to also listen to Fahr complain about his student ignoring him!”

“But--”

“Go.”

Unable to win against the chilling aura of the former Ice Knight, Blaze could only relent.

“Alright alright, I’ll go find him… Cloud! Ice! Don’t move from here! I’ll be back and then we gotta dance!”

With that, he rushed off.

Satisfied, Teacher Eller turned to Ice and me.

“Ah, as expected my Lan is the sweetest student. Now have fun with your friend. Teacher is going to go taste every single layer of your magnificent cake!”

“Teacher wait--”

Before Ice could finish, his teacher was gone. 

It is quite impressive how every single one of our teachers is so fast, able to disappear in the blink of an eye. I wondered how this collective trait came to be… It took only a moment before the answer came to me. Of course, our teachers had spent decades with Teacher Neo. It must have been a survival of the fastest.

“....ud… Cloud?”

Ice’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. I smiled at him, and he smiled back gently.

“Cake?” He asked, taking out his notebook.

I nodded. “It’s delicious. The coconut flakes are a nice touch.”

He hummed and took notes. I’m sure I will find much more coconut in my sweets bag now. It is something nice to look forward to.

“How would you describe Sun and Judgment’s dance?” I asked, taking out my notebook.

Ice thought for a long moment.

“In sync, graceful, inspiring.” 

I quickly jotted these keywords down. 

“Thank you.”

Ice glanced at my notebook as I put it away. 

“Which part?” He asked.

While I had been taking notes left and right, and writing down scattered scenes as fancy strikes, the official progress of my novel was slow going. After weeks of writing, I feel like I’ve barely even begun. 

“The date.” I sighed. 

I did not have to specify which date, for there was only one Official Date that Sun and Judgment went on, and it was as much of an important milestone in their relationship’s development as it was an ordeal for everyone involved. 

Everyone ended up involved. 

The gist of the story went like this: A few weeks after they had gotten together, Judgment began to plan out the first date for himself and Sun. However, the logistics of the date proved to be a major issue. The Sun Knight and Judgment Knight couldn’t be seen casually going on a date in public. It was also impossible to seek privacy by picking a location outside the city, for then they’d have to take the rest of us along, and nobody wanted that. Fortunately, Judgment was able to work something out with Ice’s help, and ended up arranging for their date to take place in Ice’s father’s bakery. Unfortunately, even though Ice’s father had closed the bakery to provide a private space that day, Judgment and Sun were still spotted. In the end, Sun had to make up some excuse on the spot about how they were merely conducting joint inspections on local shops.

To play along with Sun’s excuse lest suspicions are raised, the rest of us had to quickly put together an inspection schedule, and partner up to conduct these completely unplanned investigations. Amidst the busyness that ensued, neither Sun nor Judgment were in a good mood. Though eventually, they returned to normal, they never tried to go on dates outside the temple after that incident.

“I’m stuck on how to wrap this part up.” I confided to Ice. “I don’t know what exactly happened after that first date failed, or how they resolved the conflict…"

Ice nodded in understanding.

“Father said that they both looked upset when they left.” He supplied helpfully in a quiet voice so that the people around us wouldn’t overhear the Ice Knight speaking so much. “From what Lesus told me later, they were both unhappy about not being able to be friendly in public.”

I quickly wrote this down. 

“Is that why they gave up on dates?”

“Not quite, they just had dates inside. In their rooms or the Judgment Complex bathroom.”

“What are we talking about?”

That last question wasn’t from me. Ice and I both turned, and greeted the owner of the new voice. 

“Storm.” Ice gave him a nod. 

“Weren’t you just dancing with Hell?” I asked. I had seen them on the dance floor just a minute ago.

“Ah, Roland’s dancing with his teacher now.” Storm replied with amusement. “I think he got it in his head that dancing with your teacher is mandatory.”

We looked, and sure enough, Hell was leading his teacher in a slow dance. It was a strangely solemn picture. 

“Anyways!” Storm spoke to us eagerly, “What were you chatting about? I heard something about dates and the Judgment Complex bathroom.”

Storm’s gossip senses were on point as always. Knowing that it would be futile to try and deter Storm, Ice and I quickly filled him in on the topic. 

“Ah… The Date Incident.” Storm mumbled darkly. “We got so many inquiries from the local stops about inspections! I didn’t sleep for a week because of it. Seriously, with his scheming skills couldn’t Sun have come up with a better excuse?”

“Sun was upset.” Ice spoke in Sun’s defense. I agreed.

“It must have been hard, not being able to go on proper dates.”

To our surprise, Storm only scoffed. 

“No no, did you guys forget what a hermit Sun is? He wasn’t upset about the date. He was more hung up on the fact that Judgment was too busy for him- both in the days leading up to the date and afterward.”

“Really?” I asked, Ice’s eyes were wide as well.

“Mhm.” Storm nodded proudly and rambled on. “Roland overheard them talking back then. Sun got all huffy at Judgment and told him that planning a date isn’t worth him spending so much time over. One date in exchange for days being too busy to see each other is a stupid deal. He just wanted to spend time with Judgment comfortably. But of course, Sun’s too repressed to just confess all that himself. That’s why they were so weird around each other for a while, then Judgment got fed up and bullied Sun into admitting all that.”

Before we could react to Storm’s words, a new voice chimed in.

“Sheesh, Sun has no sense of romance!” 

Moon sauntered over to us. Metal was with him as well.

“Doesn’t he understand that a date is an art form; and that every little detail is a love poem?”

“Yeah!” Metal added indignantly. “Our Captain Judgment worked so hard on that date. He even consulted all of our platoon members with girlfriends to gather information!”

“A-Are we talking about that Date Disaster?” 

Earth and Leaf approached us as well, both of them were holding cake plates. After paying their compliments to Ice for the cake, they too joined in the discussion.

“I-if you ask me, Judgment was definitely at fault. No matter how much Sun looks like a girl, we shouldn’t forget that he’s totally a species of his own. Normal plans won’t work for him.”

His words were met with nods all around. Though whether people were nodding about Judgment being at fault, or about Sun being a different species, I did not know. 

“But… it still must have been uncomfortable to not have the option to go out…” Leaf mused with a worried frown. “Do you think that’s why they decided to marry so publicly?”

“Ah, the God of Light’s mercy knows no limits, Sun is so kindly blessed by the presence of his brothers. What a joyous coincidence to see the God of Light’s children bathing together in His benevolence. Sun is humbled that his brothers are so diligently holding counsel over the God of Light’s shining teachings. May Sun inquire though, what holy epiphanies have his brothers arrived at as they pray among His lambs?”

All of us froze and regarded the latest newcomer in trepidation. 

“....... What did he just say?” Metal whispered.

“He wants to know why we’re gossiping in public.” Storm mumbled.

Sun smiled at us blindingly. Yet I felt a chill. 

“May Sun share with his esteemed brothers the glorious achievements of Brother Stone? He has been working tirelessly under the guidance of the most merciful God of Light, spreading his teachings far and wide with the utmost devotion. Sun cannot help but lament that he is not doing more under the God of Light’s benevolence. May the ever so benevolent God of Light forgive His children's sins.”

“Look at Stone, he’s busy being a diplomat. We should be more like Stone.” Storm translated. 

Sure enough, Stone could be seen holding what looked to be an amicable conversation with the royal knight Elijah and the Silent Eagle Awaitsun. 

“The God of Light’s benevolence--”

“Stop! That’s enough!” Storm stopped Sun before he could get any further. “I get it, I’ll go entertain some guests. Just please stop talking.”

Sun beamed beautifully and nodded. Storm quickly ran off. 

With our translator Storm gone, everyone quickly fled in different directions. Soon, only Ice and I remained. 

“Seriously, what are we, the 12 Gossiping Knights?” Sun huffed at everyone’s backs, voice lowered so only Ice and I could hear his plain and not at all elegant words. 

“Congratulations,” I said, hoping to change the subject.

“Ack! Didi, you’re here too?” Sun jumped. “Don’t tell me you’ve also been gossiping. Don’t succumb to their bad influence!”

“Judgment?” Ice asked. I gave him a grateful look. I didn’t know how to explain to Sun that gossip was valuable research. 

“He’s in the bathroom… Teacher did a number on him. Speaking of which I should go check on him… We haven't finished preparing the bouquet to chuck yet…” 

Thoroughly distracted, Sun left as quickly as he came. 

Once again, Ice and I were by ourselves. The comfortable quietness was a welcome change.

“Enough notes?” Ice turned to me.

I nodded happily. With the information gathered just now, I would have no problems finishing this arc of the novel. 

“Hey! You guys are still here! Awesome!”

A booming voice caught both of our attention, Blaze was back. He rushed over to us and swung his arms over our shoulders.

“Sorry for making you guys wait. That old man of mine sure can nag! Let’s go dancing now!”

Ice and I shared a small smile, and let ourselves be pulled onto the dance floor. 

Chapter Text

Hell

My missions often took me out of the kingdom all year long. I had only returned momentarily to choose the 38th Hell Knight trainee, knowing full well that I would have to leave again and would not be able to personally oversee the kid's training. It was unfair to the kid, but there was no way around it. My undercover work was important, and it definitely wasn't going to get done by playing house. Any kid who wished to be the Hell Knight had to be tough enough to accept that his teacher wasn't going to be around holding his hand all day long.

When I saw the kid converse amiably with a bunch of other candidates who had just mocked him for his appearance, clearly out of jealousy, I thought he could be the one taking up the mantle after me. He was still just a brat barely out of infancy, but even then he was already showing promising signs at being socially adept.

His fine features were easy on the eyes as well, a boon for weaseling his way into the good graces of any kingdom's nobility. The advantages would be worth any trouble his appearance being too memorable might bring. His was a face that could mature into one that would make others want to reveal information to him. A perfect tool for the Hell Knight, one that would make his job a lot easier.

I didn't stay long after the selections, agreeing to the Pope's mission of sending the brat to the palace to become our eyes and ears there. He was the perfect age to pretend to be a royal knight hopeful, and this was a suitable first mission for him to understand what it meant to be the Hell Knight. It certainly wasn't going to be all fun and games. If he could not carry out this mission, then perhaps the Hell Knight position was not meant for him. Becoming the Hell Knight meant leaving a part of yourself behind to take up countless other identities instead.

He performed beautifully over the years, successfully becoming a rising star among the royal knights, so much that he rose to the position of captain. Even while away, I made sure to keep tabs on him. Chasel, however, often warned me that this was no mission for someone so young and still impressionable, but I didn't agree. Our students would eventually become the next Twelve Holy Knights. We could not coddle them so much.

Chasel's worries never came to fruition, or so I had thought, until I heard something strange while I was all the way in the Kingdom of Kissinger after my retirement, researching old legends about the demon king as a favor for Neo. There was little news of my homeland so far away, but even such a great distance could not put a stop to the rumors of the Hell Knight making an appearance for the first time in years to fight the Sun Knight for the princess's hand. Some claimed it was the ultimate romantic gesture of the year, while others claimed that the Hell Knight merely wished to usurp the Sun Knight's position, so it had little to do with romance. Such rumors were gleefully shared among the shadowpriests, with many wishing they had had a front-row seat to such a much see marvel.

I knew to take the rumors with a grain of salt. Who knew how it must have distorted after traveling across the lands to reach even my ears all the way over here? But whatever the case was, for rumors of the Hell Knight to even arise meant that something was terribly wrong. The Hell Knight was meant to be invisible, to work behind the scenes.

What in the world is that brat doing?

I wrapped up my business in Kissinger, having found worrying information about how the dark element could overpower a person's senses, which was evident in the many insane demon kings who had risen to power over the course of history, but any further information was beyond my grasp. I would have to return with a different identity if I wished to be able to discover more information. However, even what I had found out so far should prove a helpful stopgap for now.

With that thought in mind, I returned to Leaf Bud to inform Neo of my findings and confront my student. Or more accurately, I returned to keep Chasel in the loop, who would be much more capable of reaching Neo than I could. Even though I did not quite want to chance hearing from Chasel "I told you so" with regards to my student, I was banking on Chasel being too kind to rub it in my face.

"Please also relay to Neo that the most effective way to subdue the dark element is with objects of strong water element," I said after rattling off all I had discovered about the dark element's harmful nature. "Here are some locations I found with rumors of powerful artifacts that he may want to look into."

Chasel gave me a nod, already penning a letter as we conversed. He was as efficient as always, even though he always tried to waylay me with tea after talking shop.

With my favor for Neo addressed, I turned my attention to the worrying matter of my student. The whole city was still buzzing with chatter over some sort of deathmatch, and now I was even hearing that the Son of the God of War had also been involved. Just what in the name of the God of Light happened here?

"One of Grisia's schemes. You'll have to hear the details from Grisia," Chasel told me. "Though I have heard from Lesus about what happened, you'll want to see for yourself."

With that said, he even slid a letter over to me.

I opened the letter. It was written in an overly fancy script.

Dear Teacher Hell,

When you are in town, please drop by the Holy Temple. Grisia has happy news to share with you.

Sincerely,
Grisia

Well, that was ominous and a complete waste of parchment.

Grisia, Neo's brat, had always been someone I had thought would make a fine Hell Knight, if not for how flashy he was. He could talk his way through anything and had the world wrapped around his finger, as evident in how he had his group of holy knights doing favors for him left and right. What was even more impressive was that he had even gotten Neo ensnared. Neo may seem like he was just off adventuring for the hell of it, but Chasel and I both knew that he was searching for ways to keep Grisia safe. Grisia didn't even know how much he meant to his teacher.

He stood before me now, with a pleased grin on his face, a grin I really didn't like. It was far from a benevolent smile, if that was what he thought it was. By his side stood some masked stranger who remained silent while Grisia greeted me with God of Light this, God of Light that, and on and on and on...

"Just get to the point," I said, already tired of his contrived pleasantries.

Still with that grin on his face, Grisia gestured beside him and said, "It has been a long time since my dear brother Supreme Dragon Hell has seen his teacher, so I wished to provide this time for you to catch up. Dear brother Hell has helped Grisia tremendously, taking Grisia's place in the deathmatch against the Son of the God of War and the royal knight Elijah for the princess's hand. While Elijah is the one who ultimately won, I cannot thank Brother Hell enough for what he has done for Grisia. Grisia has no regrets ceding the match to a pair of true lovers."

For a moment, I thought the strange man beside him might be Elijah, the brat I had chosen all those years ago, and I wondered how I could possibly not recognize him despite how long it had been since I had last checked in on him, but then the rest of Grisia's words dispelled that notion.

Even though it was a convoluted explanation, I knew exactly what he meant. My student, with a face that could help him weasel his way into the good graces of any royal family, had instead been won over by the royal family. He was no longer my student, if he had ever been. I could count on my fingers the number of times I had truly interacted with him. I could not really call myself his teacher.

Instead, this masked person that Grisia had chosen himself was now the Hell Knight. I didn't know if I should be impressed or not that Grisia had been able to install his own Hell Knight, one who was clearly loyal to Grisia. Even Neo had not been this ridiculous.

I waved Grisia's letter in the air. "How is this happy news?"

The royal family now had something to hold over us. That would not do.

"Brother Hell has returned! Is that not happy news?" Grisia said. "He is staying this time, too, and no longer has missions that will take him away from the Holy Temple for so long. This time, he will be able to perform his duties here, just like the rest of his holy knight brethren."

That was as clear of a warning as any I had ever heard. This "Hell" Knight was not to be sent on lengthy undercover missions, or any undercover missions really.

"Good for you," I commented dryly. "Tell that to the Pope."

While my own investigations had never stopped even after retirement, I was no longer the Hell Knight. Whatever ridiculousness Grisia wished to stir up had nothing to do with me anymore.

"The Pope is well aware. Teacher Hell, please take this time to catch up with your student. You have many years to catch up on with each other."

Another warning, this time of my negligence as a teacher, and for me not to repeat the same mistake. While Grisia could be the perfect Hell Knight, manipulating the field with ease, he was also, at the same time, too caring, too protective.

The Hell Knight is meant to be used, not coddled!

With that, Grisia gave a nod to the guy who was apparently my student now, despite that I hadn't chosen him. Who is he, to be capable of being chosen by someone like Grisia to fill the shoes of one of his brothers?

After exchanging a glance with Grisia, the new Hell stepped forward and took off his mask, revealing a face that surprisingly held some familiarity, when I had thought he would be a complete stranger. However, I could not place where I might have seen him before.

I frowned. "We've met before."

Grisia cut in to say, "You are his teacher. Of course you have met before."

Finally, Grisia was being less long-winded, but his words were of no help at all.

My "student" was either playing along, or he was being surprisingly honest, as he responded with, "I was at the selections."

Since he was now the Hell Knight, of course he had to supposedly have been at the selections. But he really did sound like he meant it. I studied his appearance again, thinking back to the candidates who had shown up for the Hell Knight selections. If he had been among those brats, I should have some recollection of him. After all, there had only been a handful of them.

He twisted some sort of ring he was wearing, his black hair turning lighter, into some shade of brown. "Does this help?"

"Do you always wear a ring of disguise?" I asked, startled, but also impressed. Perhaps this kid can make a fine Hell Knight after all.

He gave a nod, his eyes that were now a bright blue making me wonder if he had tried for the Sun Knight's position instead. Wait, hold up...

I snapped my head in Grisia's direction. He had the nerve to keep smiling at me.

Who in the world would do that, placing someone who used to be a rival in such a close position? How did he even get the kid to agree? Is this not the kid Neo admired for his swordsmanship? Neo had said that swordsmanship like that was unforgettable, especially in one so young.

"My identity requires it," Sword Boy said in a serious voice. "I do not belong here."

It made sense that he needed to disguise himself, now that he was taking on the identity of the Hell Knight out of nowhere. He would need to distance himself from his previous identity.

Grisia shook his head. "Nonsense, Roland, you are Hell. You belong here, and Teacher Hell will tell you just as much."

I had the feeling that he had repeated these same words many times before, that this was a disagreement they often revisited.

The true reason Grisia wanted me here was to reassure this kid—Roland—that I approved of him. Just how strait-laced a kid is Roland, that he has to do this by the books?

Well, far be it for me to put up a fuss, when I was given another student after losing the first. I was a poor teacher, but if the brats wanted me to play this role, I could damn well do so, and this time, I was going to nail it. If even Neo could be a teacher, then I definitely could too.

"You'll do fine," I told Roland. "Grisia said you helped him out. You're already doing what a Hell Knight should do—support his Sun Knight."

At first, Roland did not say anything in response. He fiddled with the ring on his finger, although his appearance did not change this time. Then, as if he had made up his mind about something, he looked at me straight in the eye and said, "Teacher Hell, I hope to live up to your expectations."

Well, this kid was taking seriousness to the extreme.

"Call me Teacher," I told him.

With a nod, Roland continued on. "Teacher, if I ever do not meet expectations, if I ever bring harm to Grisia instead of aid, please burn me at the stake."

What the hell? Who asks stuff like this?

Grisia was holding his head, his hands covering his face, preventing me from giving him an incredulous look.

"It's easier to just show you," Grisia finally said and let his hands drop. He gave Roland a nod.

I watched as Roland took off the ring. Dark element burst forth, followed by a pair of leathery wings extending from his back. Those blue eyes had turned into flames, and tear-like markings flowed from his eyes, set against ashen skin.

I could only stare. Then, I gave a bark of laughter.

He's a death lord.

A death lord was my new student, the 38th Hell Knight, a holy knight of the God of Light. How fitting, for one such as Grisia to have a death lord by his side. Does Grisia really not know his own identity, like what Neo claims?

"You'll do just fine," I told Roland again. Then, I bared my teeth and said, "If not, I will burn you like you've asked."

"Teacher Hell!" Grisia protested. "That's not what I had you come here for!"

"Thank you," Roland said at the same time.

I gave another bark of laughter. This serious death lord wishing to protect the Sun Knight as the Hell Knight? Now, that's as fitting an identity as any for the Hell Knight to take.

I could get behind that.

Lesus, Chasel's kid, was not someone suited for a position like the Hell Knight. No, he was too dedicated, too kind for that. I'd heard from Chasel that the most common place to find Lesus nowadays was right by Grisia's side. Or well, bedside.

It was not happy news that brought all of the 37th generation back to the kingdom.

Just like Chasel said, I found Lesus by Grisia's bedside. The dedication of these judgment knights never failed to astound me. He was murmuring softly to Grisia as I walked in.

"You asked for me?" I said in lieu of a greeting.

Lesus gave a nod, his gaze never leaving Grisia, whose skin was deathly pale. The furrow between Lesus' brows was deep and only grew deeper as Grisia suddenly began thrashing on the bed, muffled groans accompanying the wild motions. The shackles clanked against the wooden frame and pulled taut, allowing Grisia little room to maneuver.

Instead of backing away, Lesus leaned forward to hold Grisia down.

I lifted an eyebrow and said, "That's what the shackles are for."

"Yes, but if Grisia pulls against them too much, they will chafe, and he may bleed again."

Yet, even such pain wasn't enough to snap Grisia out of his insanity, while his Judgment Knight may very well be the next to go insane if Grisia's situation never improved. I doubted that Lesus left this room much.

When Grisia finally calmed, Lesus slowly let go, sighing in relief when Grisia did not begin thrashing again.

Lesus smoothed Grisia's hair back and began to talk. "Teacher Hell, I conducted an investigation of Grisia's death. He was revived, but that does not mean he did not die in the first place. I wish for your help in this investigation."

"Roland killed him," I simply said. "I've already started pulling together an identity as a servant to a Kissinger noble. Roland may be protected by the Cathedral of the Shadow God, but I can sneak in at any time."

After all, I did promise to burn him.

The death lord protecting the future demon king... Turned out to be a demon king himself.

"No, I have no need of that set of skills of yours. Teacher Hell, I only wish for a second opinion. As Roland's teacher, you know him better than many others."

Can I really be considered his teacher? I did not really mentor him. I could not really say I knew him. I thought I did.

But, I humored Lesus, and listened to all that he had found out. About the magic circle in Pink's private room. About how the Pope ascertained that the magic circle was one used to strengthen control over death knights.

Lesus lay down fact after fact, all tightly woven together by logic.

I found my lips twitching up. Did Lesus have any need of my presence to confirm his conjectures? No, not at all. He was just too kind, too kind to let this failure of a teacher continue to think of his student as a murderer.

As I had thought, Lesus was not at all suited to be someone like the Hell Knight.

Good thing he isn't.

Ceo, Lanbi's little rascal, wasn't someone I thought could ever carry out the duties of a Hell Knight. He had been a shy little thing, blushing so frequently that I'd be rich if I received a ducat each time his face flushed red. It was too obvious a tell. No matter what identity he tried to take, that reaction would give him away.

But look at him now, mingling among the crowd with ease, commanding everyone's attention with his words. Never had I ever thought that Ceo would be confident enough in himself that he could even take on the identity of a bridesmaid for his Sun and Judgment. This time, what brought me back home was happy news indeed.

Lanbi had better foresight than I thought, to choose Ceo out of all the other brats before this was evident. Perhaps I was giving Lanbi too little credit.

I slid my eyes to where Lanbi had slumped over, hand clutching his glass of wine, as he bemoaned to Eller that his daughter had been stolen from him.

By the God of Light, he's still going on about that?

He had even accosted me with Fahr in tow, when I'd only just gotten back to the city, to complain about the same thing.

"Your student has a lot of nerve to go after mine!" Lanbi had shouted the moment I opened the door after his incessant knocking.

"Did Roland kill someone again?" I asked. Lanbi had even conveniently brought Fahr with him, so if there was any burning to be done, it would be a cinch.

Fahr snorted and shook his head. "No, nothing that dire. He means that Ceo and Roland are together."

Well, that was anticlimactic. Nothing surprising there. I made to close the door, but Lanbi quickly stuck a foot in. I had half the mind to close the door on his foot anyway, but Fahr's apologetic expression made me decide differently. When I let go of the door, Lanbi sauntered right in.

Sure, make yourself at home.

Lanbi poked me right in the chest. "What do you have to say about this, huh?"

"What does this even have to do with me?" I swatted his hand away.

"He's your student!"

First Grisia, then Lesus, and now Lanbi, all claiming that Roland was my student. I had not chosen him back then, and I had not really taught him much, but he was indeed the only one I had simply calling me "Teacher."

"Okay fine," I admitted. "So what?"

"So what do you have to say about this?!" Lanbi demanded.

I didn't have to think about it at all. "He's serious about this. You don't have to worry. I'm sure he told you that if he ever hurt Ceo in any way that you should burn him at the stake. He values Ceo even more than his own life."

Lanbi groaned.

Fahr laughed and said, "And you were still thinking of denying being his teacher. That's exactly what he said."

"Who even says things like that?" Lanbi complained. "How could I not give him my permission? So unfair. You better watch out, Hell, because Roland even asked me..."

Lanbi had complained plenty, and he was still complaining now, unable to reconcile with the idea that his kid had grown up. Lanbi would have made a terrible Hell Knight. So no, I'd attributed just the right amount of credit to him. Despite Lanbi's mentorship, Ceo had grown up into a fine young man who could have been a perfect Hell Knight, but had instead fallen in love with the Hell Knight.

For someone like Roland who had always considered himself expendable, this was happy news. Having more connections would do him good.

Roland, my student, wasn't someone I had chosen. He had not been chosen by Neo either, a fact that was briefly brought up over the campfire in a rare lull before we dealt with more lands of darkness. Briefly, because Neo was never someone to dwell on anything for long.

No, neither of us had chosen him, but Grisia had. And Ceo had as well.

Which led to Roland being here with us. Truly here with us. He had even gotten it into his head the idea that all students had to dance with their teachers. So, here we were, slowly swaying to the music.

By no means was Roland a poor dancer, just one who only knew one way to dance. Slowly and earnestly, putting on quite the romantic mood, that was, if his dance partner was anyone but me. I was quite certain that Ceo must have been the one to teach Roland how to dance. I myself had been remiss in instructing Roland in this essential skill all Hell Knights should know.

In another life, perhaps it would have been Elijah leading me on the dance floor, regaling me with tales of all the sights he'd seen with each identity he took. He had, like I thought he would, grown up into someone who played to the crowd with ease. After dancing with his wife Jasmine, he'd gone off to dance with the queen, the king, and many others, including the princesses from the other kingdoms. He absolutely would have made a fine Hell Knight, but this role suited him even more, one that was not hidden out of the spotlight. A smile was never far from his face. He'd found his place. His happiness. That wasn't something everyone could claim.

In this life, it was Roland who led me across the dance floor, Roland who had been chosen to be best man, Roland who was here with us among the Twelve Holy Knights. When we brushed past Elijah, he gave me a small smile over his latest dancing partner's shoulder. I nodded at him, and that was all, our paths splitting once more.

To our right, Chasel must have saved Lesus from Neo at some point, as our former Judgment Knight and Sun Knight were now sharing a dance, a sight that would not have been possible if not for their students breaking tradition.

Even during the time Grisia had to be chained to the bed, and we of the 37th generation had all come back together to lend Neo our aid, Neo had not let himself show such vulnerability. Instead, he had chosen to keep Chasel at arm's length, always ready with an excuse. But now, Neo was smiling widely without holding himself back, with Chasel's arms around him. I had no doubt that Chasel must also be smiling in return, perhaps fondly.

While I did not know where their paths would lead them after this wedding ended, as Neo was definitely not going to stop adventuring, they had at least allowed themselves this moment of happiness. Wen would be pleased. I'd heard enough of his complaints over the years about how Neo needed to get over himself.

Perhaps, now that Neo's self-appointed mission of finding ways to save his student had come to a happy conclusion, he could stop by Leaf Bud more frequently than before.

I repositioned Roland's arm and nudged his foot. "Like this," I instructed, to which I received a serious nod. My lips lifted in a smile. "I saw you dancing with Lanbi's student earlier. You can show him your new moves later."

"He would like that," Roland agreed, our conversation halting momentarily as Roland focused on his footwork. I let my attention drift, enjoying the charming music, my ears catching wisps of conversation. My favorite was from this one couple who was dying to know if there was any enmity between the Judgment Knight and Princess Jasmine, given that Princess Jasmine used to command the Sun Knight's love, to the point that he had fought for her hand.

That very battle was also the one that had brought me my student. Grisia had made a fine choice, even though it might not have always seemed that way.

"Teacher," Roland began but did not continue right away. I made a noncommittal noise after which he said, "I just wanted to let you know that Ceo is very important to me. I find that I wish to be with him forever."

Forever, huh?

Like Elijah, Roland too had found what was important to him.

"Lanbi has been worried out of his mind," I brought up with a chuckle.

"Are you worried, Teacher?" Roland asked.

The smile on my face had never left. Roland was still so proper. "Not at all, kiddo. You have my blessing."

As our dance came to an end, I clasped him on the shoulder and said, "Roland, I also have something I want you to know." I paused and looked him in the eye. "You've done well. There's no need to burn you at the stake after all. You have so much to live for. Go, enjoy life to the fullest."

With that, I gave him a push to where Lanbi's brat had been mingling among their companions. When Ceo noticed Roland, he waved him over. Roland approached with eager strides, their hands soon finding each other.

Lanbi had been heartbroken over seeing his brat grow up and fall in love. Well, I'd already experienced that with the first brat, and now the second was subjecting me to the same.

I sat back down and poured myself more wine. Fahr's brat Chikus had somehow dragged both Ecilan and Demos into the weirdest dance I'd ever seen, one that didn't even fit the music. Now, that was a kid I'd never have chosen to be the Hell Knight.

"What is he doing now?" Fahr said, aghast.

Lanbi burst out laughing. "Is he leading them in some sort of line dance?"

"This music doesn't even work for that!" Eller protested.

But as more people got roped into the dance, with even the married couple joining in with bright smiles on their faces, the music changed to fit. There was laughter all around. By now, all of the 38th generation had joined the strange dance, and even many of the 37th, including Neo and Chasel. As Roland passed by us, he called out, "Teacher, I hear that it is a must for everyone to join this dance."

I gave a bark of laughter. He was too serious for his own good. But I got up to much teasing from the rest.

I was often out of the kingdom all year long, perhaps even giving Neo a run for his money, but this time, I might stay just a bit longer. My student may have crossed paths with me at an age where he no longer needed a teacher, but getting to see him find a place for himself, among people who adored him, was a delight.

I may not have chosen him myself, and he was truly not the best fit for the Hell Knight as tradition dictated, but it mattered little. What were traditions, after all, if not for breaking? This entire wedding was proof of that.

He, Ceo, and all the others were going to be fine.

Chapter Text

Storm

Well, we have finally arrived at the end. This wedding felt as if it lasted years . 

I was already daydreaming about my bed and going to sleep for a full day. As the dancing and mingling wrapped up, I began planning for the sign I would put up on my door. Something like “ Do not disturb, beware the Death Monarch ” should suffice. Roland was the best guardian of sleep. He needs to obtain an official award for it. 

Only one final event was left, then we’d be able to pat ourselves on the back for a job well done and take a much-needed vacation.

When the married couple got ready for the bouquet throw, all the ladies went wild and crowded the stage with an energy that could only be described as feral. I, with my self-preservation instincts intact, retreated as far as possible from the hoard to save my eyes. 

Judgment held up the bouquet, and the crowd held their breath. A quick look was exchanged between the couple—was that exasperation I saw on Judgment’s face? A sense of foreboding bubbled in my stomach, as Judgment drew his arm back and hurled the bouquet into the air in a swift and decisive motion.

Cheers immediately turned into gasps and screams of fear as the bouquet hurtled through the crowd, a deadly projectile.

Sun, Judgment, what on earth did you two put in that bouquet??

Judging by the speed of the thing, catching it would break an average person’s hand. The guests dodged left and right; nobody dared to put themselves in the bouquet’s path. Just as it seemed like the bundle of flowers was going to end up denting the floor, a pale hand reached out and snatched it from the air, saving us all from certain catastrophe. 

As expected of Roland, he is truly the definition of reliable. 

A hush fell over the crowd. All eyes were on Roland and the bouquet in his hand. From where I stood, I could see him stare at the bouquet with furrowed brows. Does he know what it signifies? I should go help him out before this situation turns awkward—

Then, Roland turned toward me and met my eyes, his gaze unwavering. 

In quick strides, he approached me. 

“Here.” The bouquet was carefully deposited into my hands. It was extremely heavy. I could feel something hard and rectangular underneath the wrapping paper. Was there a brick stuffed into it?

Wait, why are these flowers in my hands?

I could only stare blankly at Roland as I tried to comprehend what was happening.

He said, "Did you still want to get married?"

Oh, so he does know what the bouquet signifies… Wait, did he say “ get married ”? Wait, what did he mean by “ still ”?

I racked my brain until I came upon a near-forgotten memory. 

【Roland, you’re the best. Can I marry you?】

Did he take my half-asleep mumbles seriously? 

I must have resembled a fish or something equally dumb as I gaped at Roland. I could feel my face grow hot and my heartbeat race. Roland seemed to have taken my blushing as an answer, for the next thing I knew, he had knelt in front of me and pulled a ring out of nowhere. 

Yup, he was dead serious. 

I would like to say that many meaningful memories and thoughts flew across my mind at that moment. You know, the way it goes in novels, all profound and romantic. In reality, my mind had ceased to function altogether. All I could see was Roland’s smile as he gazed up at me, all I could hear was the echo of his words, all I could think of was… 

“Ceo Storm, I want to do paperwork with you for as long as I exist. Will you marry me?”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Only Roland could think up such an earnestly ridiculous line to propose with, and say it with utmost seriousness. 

Dear God of Light, I love this man so much.

“Yes.” My voice came out shaky, but I was grinning too hard to care. “Of course I will.”

With that, I pulled my new fiance into my arms and kissed him hard.

All was silent for a moment. Then, from the stage, Sun cheered loudly (in a graceful manner, a fantastic feat), then Judgment and the rest of the Twelve Holy Knights joined in. Soon, the entire hall followed suit, though I swear I could hear my teacher crying. 

Once all the craziness died down, we gathered outside. The sky had already darkened, perfect for the fireworks show Blaze had prepared for us all. 

A myriad of bright shapes and colors lit up the sky. 

My teacher had finally calmed himself down and was now sharing a smoke with Teacher Fahr. The rest of the teachers had also gathered around, watching the sky leisurely and chatting among themselves. The dark elf Aldrizzt was among their ranks, conversing amiably with Teacher Chasel, while Teacher Neo hovered around the two. Was he trying to fit into the conversation?

Off to the side, the Pope was ignoring the fireworks entirely, focusing instead on reviewing the list of wedding gifts. 

Around us, Stone had finally pried himself away from his new friends Elijah and Awaitsun. He was now being dared by Metal to try that ultra-spicy cake. Beside them, Moon was staring happily up at the sky, his neck condition for once not a hindrance. 

Earth was gallantly putting his coat around a dark-haired lady’s shoulders. Wasn’t he dancing with a blond earlier? 

Ann must have also witnessed Earth’s “gentlemanly” act. Giggling, she took off her shawl and draped it over Leaf’s shoulders. Leaf blushed and fed her a bite of cake in retaliation. They were adorable. 

A loud whoop drew my attention next. Blaze had his arms around both Ice and Cloud and was pointing out each new firework excitedly. I heard that he had prepared these for Sun’s bachelor party, thank the God of Light for this change of plans. I did not want to imagine what would have happened otherwise.

Speaking of Sun, he was also enraptured by the fireworks in the sky. On his face was a genuine smile of wonder. He must be able to “see” the elements bloom in the air. Judgment, however, was ignoring the show entirely in favor of watching Sun’s eyes light up, his expression soft and doting. They made quite a picturesque scene; the temple could probably make a fortune selling paintings of this moment. 

A small tug on my hand brought my attention back. I smiled at Roland and let myself be pulled even closer into his arms. He took my hand and brought it to his lips, leaving a tender kiss on my knuckles. 

I take back what I had said before. I got much, much more out of this wedding than merely a slice of wedding cake. 

Bonus Scenes:

Honeymoon

“Ahh, now that the wedding is over, we have to hurry up and pack!”

“Why do you guys need to pack? Lesus and I are the ones going on our honeymoon.”

“Did you forget? You can’t leave the city without the rest of us!”

“What? How will we have any privacy with all ten of you around??”

“Don’t worry, none of us want anything to do with your privacy.”

“Oh right, the Pope said since we were going on a trip anyways, we might as well take care of some lands of darkness along the way.”

“That old fox won’t let any opportunity go to waste, huh…”

“Nooooo, I don’t want to work during my honeymoon!”

Ring

“Wow Hell, that is one nice engagement ring you got Storm!”

“Take a look, Sun. Hell even prepared an engagement ring ahead of time. You should learn from him!”

“Yeah Sun, you really should have been more like Hell.”

“Guys, don’t compare Sun to my Roland, are you trying to insult him?”

“Hey! I made our wedding rings myself! You can’t beat that sincerity!”

“... Didn’t you get help from Teacher and Aldrizzt?”

“Lesus, not you too!”

I Raised That Man

"Whoa, Tyler, are you crying?"

"I... I'm just so proud! Look at him! Just look at him!"

"Hey, he is handsome alright, but I don't want to get kicked by Knight-Captain Storm for looking too much!"

"No, no, that's not what Tyler means at all, right?"

" Sigh , I raised that man..."

"Ohhh, Tyler's caught proud parent feelings!"

"I get what you mean, Tyler! To think Captain is now the one kicking people instead of getting slapped. He's come so far! I sure raised him well!"