561 - Early Spring Wedding # 1

Marriage.

To be honest, I had never really thought about marriage that seriously.

I had just vaguely lumped it together as "I'm entangled with Luna and Hippolyte by fate, so I should take responsibility like a man."

What would Elfriede have said? She didn't seem to care much for institutions like marriage, though....

In truth, the idea of marriage didn't feel real to me.

It would be fair to say I just vaguely thought, "Oh, I'll be able to live together legally without worrying about what others think," and then shoved all thoughts of marriage into a corner.

It's also fair to say I put off serious contemplation and thought because there were so many immediate problems to solve.

But now that I think about it, I wonder if I was just running away.

I was escaping and avoiding a problem that I should have considered important and pondered deeply.

If I get married, can I be a good husband?

Hippolyte has a child in her belly, too.

Can I be a good father?

I wish there were some married couples around I could talk to about this.

"Yeah, I know that feeling well."

The Innkeeper of the Nymph Wing Inn listened to my story and slowly nodded his head.

After the busy lunch hour passed, the Shop became somewhat desolate, giving us some free time.

Taking advantage of that time, the Innkeeper sat across from me and spoke.

"Before marriage, you might think only women get all flustered. But men also have delicate hearts, you know. Naturally, there's a lot to worry about."

"Did you feel that way too, Innkeeper-nim?"

"Even more so, if anything. Certainly no less. Look at me-! Look at my wife!"

At the Innkeeper's words, my eyes turned to Echo, the Nymph of the stream, who was diligently wiping the tables.

When I first saw her, she seemed like a naive Nymph, but now she's a famous queen of the entertainment district in Sodomora's western region.

At night, she gathers VIP guests and performs various shows with water magic.

And her skill is quite impressive, they say.

The Innkeeper said.

"As you can tell from me and my wife, our marriage didn't start smoothly either. I married a Nymph, you see. People gossiped. My family disowned me. That's how it was."

"Disowned?"

"That's right. As you know well, Nymphs have a childlike nature, so there used to be many scoundrels who would sweet-talk them and do wicked things."

I recalled the past of the Gaia continent, where Nymphs were used as precious magic ingredients.

But after Byeokryeokje's ascension, Nymph abuse was eradicated, they said.

Thanks to that, now, conversely, there are many who point fingers at those who harass Nymphs, right?

Nymph relief foundations were even created, he said.

Perhaps the Nymphs' protectors didn't approve of the Innkeeper trying to marry a naive Nymph.

"Many things happened, indeed. But Echo, she was different from other Nymphs. Though she looks that way, she's quite old. Like a Nymph of the stream, she was thoughtful and considerate."

The Innkeeper seemed to be briefly explaining his pre-marriage story. Normally, I would have considered someone else's love story just gossip to pass the time.

But for me, on the verge of marriage, a married man's story was as precious as a treasure map marking the location of traps in a dungeon.

"So, what happened?"

So I leaned in and listened to his story.

"What happened? We got married and are living like this, aren't we? Honestly, those memories are so old now, they don't come to mind easily. But, as a senior married man, if I have any advice for you-."

"Yes?"

"If you can live alone, it's best to live alone."

Live alone, he says.

"Are you telling me not to get married?"

As I asked, the Innkeeper seemed to be advising me not to marry. This wasn't exactly fitting advice for a man about to get married, but his words seemed quite sincere.

As I was slightly flustered, the Innkeeper said.

"However, most people can't live alone. So, if you can get married, get married. In truth, you have to experience it yourself. Words can't explain it."

"Is that so."

"But, it's best to be as cautious as possible about having children. In that sense, my wife Echo and I are expecting a child. A legitimate heir to the Inn has arrived."

"A child, is that true?"

I looked at Echo, the Inn's proprietress, who was wiping the tables.

I thought she looked like a voluptuous married woman, no different from when I met her before. To hear she was expecting a child in her belly, this was truly something to celebrate.

When I expressed my genuine surprise, the Innkeeper subtly hinted that he had a request.

"So, about that, Hassan, could you perhaps name the child? You're a great god, after all. If you name the child, I feel like good luck will be bestowed upon them."

A child's name, huh.

I know well how important a person's name is.

A name strongly embodies the hopes and aspirations of the person who gives it. It's like setting a direction for how the child receiving that name should live their life.

To ask me to name something so important.

I was a bit flustered, as I hadn't thought of anything immediately.

However, this Inn was a meaningful place to me in many ways.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the place where everything began, much like our Cabin.

I had spent so much time here with Luna, Hippolyte, Elfriede, Paranoy, and many others.

If the Innkeeper and Echo were to retire someday, and this Shop were to close, or be taken over by others, remodeled, or changed into a different Shop, I would be very sad and regretful.

However, if the couple's child, who will be born someday, were to take good care of it and continue the legacy of this place, which holds so many of my memories, I would feel a great sense of relief.

"How about it, can you do it?"

At the Innkeeper's subtle question, I shook my head.

"No, a name. If it's alright for me to name it, I think I can, Innkeeper-nim."

"That's a relief-. I was worried you might refuse."

Only then did the Innkeeper break into a wide smile. This middle-aged man could smile so brightly. Is this the smile of a father for his child?

"The child still has some time before being born. So you can take your time thinking of a name."

"Then, I'll think about it seriously. How many months along is she?"

"About three months now. So there are about seven months left. Really, there's so much to prepare, from decorating a new baby room for the child to all sorts of other things-!"

At the Innkeeper's complaining, I felt a little prick.

I wondered if I had prepared anything for Hippolyte's child.

Since the superhumanly capable Hippolyte was meticulously handling everything from baby supplies to the knowledge needed for childcare, there didn't seem to be much for me to do.

Still, it certainly felt like I had been less interested in Hippolyte and the child, using various tasks as an excuse. I regret it.

Just then, the Innkeeper said.

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"I used to wonder why a child had to be carried in the womb for ten months. It's hard for the wife, and hard for the child. And I, watching my pregnant wife, was anxious. But now, I think it might be the child's own consideration for its parents."

"Consideration?"

"That's right. The child gives us time to prepare to become parents. Before it's born. Time to prepare, organize, and decide various things, I think."

Indeed, that makes sense.

I nodded silently.

As expected, a married man's perspective is different.

If I get married someday and live as a married man for a long time, will I be able to speak like that?

At that moment, the Door opened with a *dallang-dallang-* sound.

━The city's all a flower garden. It feels good to see flowers after only seeing snow.

━They say Mitchuri swarms have broken out outside the city because the weather suddenly got warm. Gotta eat quickly. Then go deal with them. It's nice to earn some money after a long time-!

━Heh heh, those Mitchuri bastards are all dead.

It seemed adventurers had come to the Inn after finishing a job. At their sight, the Innkeeper wiped his hands on his apron and prepared to greet them. Then he looked at me and said a word.

"If I may give a piece of advice to you, who has become a great god. Talk a lot. And worry a lot. That's the best way."

Talk, huh.

I put on my robe and stepped out onto the street.

* * *

Upon returning to the mansion, the Nymph maids, having sobered up, were busy tending the garden. It looked a bit tough, as the garden had turned into a jungle with a sudden growth of trees.

"Hoe-e-e, Doris's Bashkir Bees have so many more places to build hives-! This might greatly increase the honey harvest-!"

"Ononoi is a tree Nymph-! It feels so good to be in a forest like this-!"

A forest also had its own way of bringing a sense of stability to one's heart. Where did the elephants and dinosaurs go?

Of course, what was important to me right now wasn't elephants or dinosaurs. I headed towards the back of the mansion while I was in the garden. That was where Luna's workshop was located.

That place with the red roof and chimney puffing out smoke is Luna's workshop. I stood in front of the Door and knocked 'tok, tok-', and someone opened it.

It was Luna.

"Hassan-! What brings you here so early-!"

"Just, to see if your work is going well."

"Work? Hassan, didn't you not really like watching me work? It's not a very interesting job, though...!"

Luna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. As Luna said, I didn't particularly like watching her work.

Back when the Mars Guild was destroyed and I lived in Luna's Cabin like a kept man.

That is, almost exactly one year ago from now.

When Luna had just opened her workshop and was busy, I, who was staying in Luna's Cabin, used to watch her work whenever I was bored.

The sight of the soft pink-haired girl busily moving around and handling various things was quite interesting, but.

Even that gets a bit tedious if you watch it for a whole week or two. And even if I offered to help, Luna would refuse, saying it was her work.

"Hassan, are you still drunk? To say you want to watch me work-!"

"Sometimes, I just want to watch, you know."

"Really...? Then come in for now-!"

I stepped inside Luna's workshop. The workshop was filled with wet mist, making it feel like entering a steam sauna.

The smell of boiling medicinal concoctions and steam everywhere made my skin feel like it would become smooth. Is this the secret to Luna's smooth skin?

I slowly looked around.

Since there were naturally no chairs or sofas to accommodate guests, I was looking around, wondering where I should sit, when.

"That's the chair Gloria sat on earlier. Hassan, just sit here for now."

Luna pushed a wooden box towards me with a *deureureuk-* sound.

"The chair Gloria sat on? Gloria was here?"

"Yeah! She came and watched me work, then suddenly hugged my waist and shook me around before leaving! She's a strange girl-."

"Is that so?"

Why did Gloria come here? As I wondered, Luna answered.

"She seems to want to be close to me. She said she wants to make many friends. She asked me to be her friend. I was flustered because I hadn't heard such a thing since childhood. Is that how friendships are made-."

"I see."

"But maybe because our Karma is mixed with Hassan's, I couldn't hate her. So, Hassan, did you come here because of Gloria?"

"No, I just came to see you, Luna. We have a lot to talk about before the wedding, don't we?"

At my words, Luna let out a long nasal sound, *heueung-*.

But it wasn't a sign of displeasure. Rather, it felt like an exclamation of "Hassan's actually trying for once-!"

Luna said.

"You set the wedding date for a week from now, didn't you? Wouldn't it be better to postpone it a bit? Hassan, are you sure you're okay?"

"Postpone?"

"Hassan, you lose your memory when you drink too much. Wasn't it like that yesterday? That's why you caused such a mess throughout the mansion and the city."

"Actually, that's kind of true."

As expected, Luna knew me well. She had already figured out that everything that happened yesterday was beyond my memory.

At that, Luna chuckled strangely, *heung heung*.

"Indeed, you wouldn't have given my mother a piggyback ride unless you were completely drunk. Hassan, you're too embarrassed to do something like that."

"No, wait a minute. What did I do? I gave Lady Nox a piggyback ride?"

"Yeah! Last night, don't you remember carrying her on your back all over the mansion? You seemed to have mistaken my mother, Lady Nox, for some Nymph. It was hilarious!"

"I see...."

I don't know how I'll ever face Lady Nox again. After talking about Lady Nox, Luna started boiling various things again, *bogle-bogle*.

Luna's work involved enduring hot flames and steam every day, which was quite arduous.

Thanks to that, her forehead and face were beaded with soot and sweat.

One might expect her to complain about the hardship.

Now that I think about it, Luna never neglected her work.

Even when I was just idling at home, or when I was a useless Iron or Bronze-tier adventurer, she worked diligently and used that money to buy me books to read.

Although she has her eccentric and peculiar sides, it's undeniable that Luna is a wise and diligent girl.

So, I asked Luna, who was taking a short breather.

"Luna, are you really okay with marrying me?"

"Yes!"

Luna's answer shot out as if it hadn't passed through her brain, but directly from her spinal cord.