Chapter 136
"It's already the wedding day, Baron."
A sigh mixed with worry naturally came from my mouth.
I like marrying Erica itself.
Her face is so beautiful you'd believe if someone said she was an idol, her body is good, and she seems able to give more than enough baby food.
Far from using her status as a duke's daughter to lord it over me, she respects me by using honorific speech to her husband.
'She could treat me however she wants using her status and I couldn't do anything about it.'
Honestly, even though it's a political marriage, I should bow three times, no, twice before bed in the direction of Duke Visconti for being able to marry such a perfect woman, shouldn't I?
"Baron, why are you looking at my face so intently?"
"It feels like a dream that I'm marrying such a beautiful wife."
Hearing my words, Erica blushed her face red like an apple and lightly bit her lip.
She grumbled while slightly averting her gaze:
"It's unfair to come at me like this when I'm not mentally prepared."
After I proposed to Erica last time, our relationship developed rapidly.
If before the proposal there was just a bit of goodwill towards each other…
Now it's clearly noticeable that Erica likes me?
The day after I returned, she came to our mansion herself and baked cookies for me.
While I was eating them, the Viscount came and...
'Is it delicious? You must eat it deliciously. Because Erica baked these cookies for you with all her heart.'
Everything was good except for feeling creeped out because he whispered those words in my ear.
"Erica, how about you stop calling me Baron now? Until now you called me that because of etiquette and such. But from now on, I'd like you to comfortably call me 'Fabio'."
Originally in noble families, regardless of etiquette, it's common for husbands to speak informally regardless of age or status differences.
Conversely, it's natural for women to use honorific speech.
This is because of the Deus religion's doctrine that 'women should serve men'.
But I don't like creating distance through speech between spouses who will rely on each other for life and live as equals from now on.
'This will probably meet resistance from Erica too, so I'll have to solve it one by one...'
Perhaps because our relationship has progressed but we haven't even held hands yet?
Even at the request to call me with the term 'you' that couples would use, Erica fidgeted with her lips and averted her gaze.
"...... Fabio."
She said that and bowed her head deeply.
It feels like the progress is incomparably slower than with Chris and Chloe.
'But this fresh love is nice too.'
I firmly grasped Erica's hand without asking her permission.
It was like interlocking fingers without permission, but originally at weddings, all couples hold hands like this.
It's a bit awkward to be this fresh even when marrying after living in a world accustomed to love marriages.
But thinking this is also another form of love, it feels new and good.
"Let's go, Erica. Many people are waiting outside to congratulate us on our marriage."
A fairly big festival celebrating our marriage will be happening in downtown Florence now.
Many citizens will be participating there, watching performances by clowns or artists hired with money I and the Duke put out, and various plays.
Fairly good food and alcohol will be distributed for free to thousands, tens of thousands of people.
In a world lacking entertainment, providing entertainment, and in a world where food is precious, giving delicious food - there's no reason not to congratulate our marriage.
Everyone will probably sincerely pray for us to live happily.
"Yes, Fabio."
We matched our strides and proudly came out of the bride and groom waiting room in the cathedral.
As soon as we came out, young masters and ladies from other noble families came out and scattered flower petals in front of us.
It's bewildering that noble children are doing this.
Is this the power of a ducal family?
Standing in front of the podium of Florence Cathedral, the Grand Archbishop of Florence smiled contentedly at me.
To live as clergy, you must always have a 'contented smile' equipped...
But that's a genuinely contented smile without a drop of pretense mixed in.
I did make a lot of donations to the church for this wedding, and gave quite a lot of political funds in the name of assisting His Excellency the Archbishop's clerical activities.
As expected, people's goodwill can be bought with money.
Even if you can't buy love.
"In the name of Deus, I bless the marriage of groom Baron Fabio de Rothschild and bride Lady Erica de Visconti."
Immediately after those words, the Archbishop began a sermon so long it would drive us listening crazy.
To summarize, it was roughly this content:
Husband and wife becoming one flesh is the will of Deus, and children are precious beings who will protect my life like arrows in a quiver, so have many.
Specifically, it would be good to have enough children to make a soccer team by the time Erica turns 20.
Make lots of donations to the church and attend mass diligently, be loyal to the Emperor and live exemplarily as nobles, etc.
'How many hours has this been going on?'
At this point, it makes school principals who talk so long you might wonder if they have dementia, or division commanders who believe they can change soldiers' rotten mindsets through division commander's lectures, look cute in comparison.
At least those gentlemen didn't go over an hour.
I don't miss those people, but isn't this a bit too much?
Erica and I are standing so it's fine, but nobles like Duke Visconti will fall asleep listening.
"Baron Rothschild, Lady Visconti. I declare in the name of Deus that you two have now become one flesh."
With those words, the Archbishop smirked.
"Baron Rothschild, Baroness Rothschild, prove before the guests that your love will be eternal with a kiss."
Originally this is one of the reasons for inviting guests to a wedding.
Because you need the consent of all guests here to divorce, so don't even think about divorce and live well.
Because of that culture, it's said that until 30 years ago, important guests even came to see newlyweds consummate right after the wedding.
Though this was really done live hundreds of years ago, even in the era of confirming consummation, it ended with just seeing the couple covered with the same blanket...
'Now that's changed to a kiss.'
In this era, even just kissing on the lips between a man and woman could be a speeding violation and you might have to take responsibility for life.
"Erica, I love you."
Saying that, I immediately grabbed Erica's face and kissed her.
Of course I'm relaxed having kissed and embraced two women, but Erica who held hands with me for the first time today was at a loss for what to do.
Her body stiffened with her ears flushed red like apples.
But there was no sign of pushing away or resisting at all.
Instead, she just embraced my body very gently, almost imperceptibly.
"I love you too, Fabio."
With this highlight, the core ceremony ended.
As soon as the ceremony ended, I immediately approached the Emperor.
Originally, it would be natural etiquette to first greet Duke and Duchess Visconti, Viscount and Viscountess, and my father and mother.
'But according to etiquette, if the Emperor attends, he takes priority...'
The Emperor looked at Erica and me with a bittersweet expression.
"Congratulations on your marriage, Baron Rothschild. You're now a full-fledged noble too."
"It's all thanks to Your Majesty."
Then the Emperor wiggled his finger at me.
When I brought my ear close, he suddenly sighed and whispered quietly:
"I'm sorry for the delay in formally granting you a barony. To give you just the title without granting territory."
I don't particularly mind the Emperor being late in granting territory.
Though my achievements are achievements, he made me a baron in just 3, no, 4 years while breaking through political opposition.
I can say he's a lifelong benefactor.
"I'll consider this a debt."
....... You rascal, you're planning to use me under the pretext of bestowing grace.
If Erica were 20, I could use the excuse of being busy having children.
But she's 15 so that excuse doesn't work.
How on earth does he plan to use me...
Come to think of it, it wouldn't be strange at all for the Emperor to declare war and invade the Grand Duchy of Millania now.
My spine suddenly chilled and my knees trembled.
Then the Emperor declared looking at me:
"Taking this opportunity, I will formally bestow title and territory on Baron Rothschild."
Thinking about it again, all the nobles staying in Florence are attending as guests following the Emperor now, right?
It's really a great honor to be granted a title in such a place.
Probably, our father who's somewhere here will come to my house after the wedding today and sing praises of His Majesty the Emperor while lamenting there's no such glory, with momentum to go on and on.
Erica will calmly listen to that and show the qualities of a good wife.
Father will drink a crucible of emotion saying it seems I married too well, followed by a chain of wailing (from joy).