"... I see. Very well, I shall oversee your mannerisms for just this once, Mister... Kotsuba." The king of Rugnud raised his hand, and signaled the guards to stand down.
"So, what bring you to Rugnud?"
K : "Oh!... Oh, er, well... You see, I'm currently looking for my wife."
"Ah-... Your wife?"
K : "Yes, King Matal... Matal.... King of Rugnud. I am looking for my wife."
*Cozy's notes : LOL HE STILL CAN'T PRONOUNCE THAT ANNOYING SURNAME*
"... Aren't you a little too young to be married?"
K : "Oh, er, you see, King of Rugnud, well, a... A- according to the Origin Clock, I'm supposed to be 13 years old."
"Are you, now? Guards - Check his age with Axia's dial."
K : "Oh, er, mister... Oh wait, I mean, King of Rugnud, uhm, if, if you use Axia's dial, you would get a different result from the Origin Clock. I suggest you use both, as a uhm... Sort of proof."
"... Very well. I shall honor your request."
First, a dial the size of a cartwheel was held up towards Katachi. With a click, a light illuminated Katachi's body, and the dial opened up, to reveal a lot of tiny clicks. The wooden clicks clattered loudly, and finally rested on the appropriate places on the dial, to display that he was 11 years old, 7 months, and 12 days old.
Next, the guards brought in a large-scaled Origin Clock on a stand, one far larger than the one Mother Rinnesfeld had back at the church. Seeing a huge-scale Origin Clock for the first time, Katachi felt a little excited, and nervous at the same time.
Katachi dipped his finger into the small wooden cup of water on the stand, and the wooden plate mechanisms on the Origin Clock began moving - To an age of 1 decade, 3 years, 5 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, 20 hours, 47 minutes and 16 seconds.
"... ! Truly interesting indeed... Why do the clocks count differently?"
"No need to be alarmed, your honor," began his adviser, "Axia's Dial begins counting from this young boy's moment of birth. The Origin Clock, however, begins counting from his moment of existence. We would normally use Axia's Dial here in Rugnud, but in Findel they would prefer the Origin Clock. There is nothing surprising about it, just as how our minimum age for marriage is 16 while theirs is 13."
"! I see... Very well then. It seems that you are indeed... Old, enough to marry."
K : "Yes I am, uh, King of Rugnud."
King Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo relaxed his shoulders.
"... I suppose, as a token of gratitude for further enlightening me to Mielfeud's mannerisms and the differences in our culture, I could offer to search for your wife."
K : "Oh, er, no need to worry, King of Rugnud. She's already here."
The entire court goes into a rapid commotion - His wife was amongst the crowd? Who is his wife? The young girls amongst the crowds were all passively questioned by his one sentence.
"! Ahh, you must either have good fortune, or good eyes to have seen where your wife is. I congratulate you for finding her. So, where is she? I would like to meet and bless the both of you."
At that point, Katachi's hand turned cold and numb.
K : "... Lord of Rugnud, your honor... My wife... Is sitting to your left."
"!?"
King Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo's eyes widened at that response. Jerking his head to the left, there was only one person there that could classify as his 'wife'. He stared at that only female seated on the smaller part of the elegant throne.
His very own daughter, Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Roberia.
"Roberia... YOU MARRIED THIS, THIS... THIS COUNTRY BUMPKIN!?"
R : "... Katachi, you idiot... DIDN'T YOU GET THE MESSAGE OF NOT TELLING OTHERS THAT I'M YOUR WIFE!?"
Roberia's head and ears were red both with frustration and embarrassment.
The entire court room has been thrown into a state of chaos and disorder at the abrupt, unannounced news.
*** ***
P : "Roberia! What is the meaning of this!?"
Pierre ran up the steps of the throne room, only to stumble down halfway towards Roberia, and proclaimed loudly.
P : "It was agreed that I am to be your fiance! Why have you married another on your own accord!? I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!!!"
"Yeah, why did you do that!?"
"We demand an explanation!"
"Explain yourself!"
"To think that all this time, I saw you as a pure, untainted girl!"
"You would rather marry this Segus follower!?"
"You have shamed the whole of Rugnud!"
Mockery and spite flew across the court room, all of them directed towards Roberia.
R : "People, listen to me- Please, let me explain- I married h- KATACHI, SHUT THEM UP!!!"
Katachi had known what Roberia wanted - Silence, to explain herself. Upon hearing his own name, he immediately abused his Scholar knowledge.
(安静! Silence - Court Room!)
Two words formed beneath the floor of the court room - 安静. Since it was well hidden, nobody could suspect that it was caused by a Word of Power, and had assumed that some sort of silencing magic had been used.
The complaints and arguments of the riled-up people halted immediately. Or, factually, they were unable to be voiced out. When the crowd's anger had been doused enough, Roberia grinned at Katachi. With an 'ok' signal, Katachi released the Word of Power, and Roberia began her explanation.
R : "People of Rugnud... You may think of me as being foolish, for marrying a Segus follower. You may think, that I am deranged to weaken the country by having him as my consort, and king. Well, I am not. And I shall prove it to you, right here."
Roberia pointed a finger towards her childhood friend Jullan, and asked:
R : "Jullan. Do you remember the question I've asked you when we were little? About what you will become for me, and why?"
J : "Of- Of course, Roberia. I told you that I'd be your aegis."
*Cozy's Notes : Not the shield aegis, the shoulder guard aegis.*
R : "Why?"
J : "! Be... Because I want to be the one closest to you, to guard you where you are weak at, and to protect you from both physical harm and harassment from the evil ministers."
R : "Thank you, Jullan. I still love your answer, even today."
J : "..."
R : "You, random guy who proposed to me at one point. What would you have become for me?"
"Ah? Uhh... I would have become your shield, one that protects you from harm... ?"
R : "And you, Pierre. What did you promise me?"
P : "I... I promised to be your sword, one that shall slay those that may threaten or harm you."
R : "What about you?"
"I promised to be a shield as well..."
"I promised to be a book, one that shall educate you in this cruel world!"
"I promised to be a pillow, to cushion you from harm!"
*Cozy's Notes : lol Cozy reference. Cuz pillow is Cozy :3*
"I am your pair of boots, and I would go everywhere with you!"
"I... I don't have much to offer, but I can be your lover, one that offers you company!"
Many different responses came up, and the crowd was by now angrier than before. Yet...
Raising her hand up in a 'Stop' symbol, the court simmered down quickly.
R : "... When you answer that question, think deep down, and think carefully - How many of you, envision me to be a princess when you answer that question?"
The crowd of marriage candidates remained quiet.
Looking at Katachi, Roberia then asked politely, "Katachi, tell them your answer."
K : "!" *turns to look at Roberia* "A-! But... It's embarrassing..."
R : "Don't worry. Just tell them. If anything, you can just kill them all off anyway."
K : *annoyed* "... Don't use killing as a solution for something like this!..."
Facing the audience, Katachi looked at all the faces of those around him. They were all of people who were anxious to know his reply to that enigmatic question - Why did Roberia choose him? What did he say to touch the Empress's heart? What was his answer?
K : "... Wings."
!!!
The entire crowd was left speechless. Turning back to look at Roberia, Katachi continued.
K : "... I... I don't want to be some object that's easily removable... I am her wings. I am a part of her as much as she is a part of me... I don't offer wealth or status, but I promised a life not of luxury, but of adventure, so it's okay... I think. And it's an adventure she will come to love, one she won't want to forget. I'm taking her on a flight, a journey she has never experienced before. I..."
Katachi's eyes widened a bit, and his cheeks reddened.
K : "... I am in love with her. Whether she is a princess or not doesn't really matter, I just..."
His eyes rolled towards Roberia.
K : "... I love her, for her strong-willed love for her country, Rugnud. I love her for the extent she would have gone, for her beloved country. I loved her for that, and then... I came to realize, that I... I loved every part of her. All of her little mistakes, her habits, her way of life, it... It conflicted with Segus's ideal way of life, but I love them all..."
Roberia was blushing by this point.
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