By Zephyria 
The day before the wedding.
I headed to the temple from early morning.
It was because I was moved by the First Goddess’s words, who said we should tidy up the surrounding Mana beforehand, as it’s very rare for gods to gather, and even rarer for them to gather amongst humans.
If it were up to me, I would have brought the Source of the Waterproof Forest to the temple and planted a sacred tree, but I gave up because it was considered impolite to plant my energy in another god’s domain.
I found the crowds bothersome, and getting prior permission from the temple was also a hassle. The entire capital was already abuzz with preparations for my wedding. I left, cloaked in invisibility.
The temple was not the temple I knew.
On the wide, green lawn, low wooden fences, about thigh-high, divided the area into several sections. The fences, packed with hundreds, thousands of flower buds that looked ready to bloom any moment, were meticulously arranged, not a single leaf or branch growing haphazardly.
In front of the largest temple doors, which were closed, a high platform had been erected. No matter how large the temple, the two grooms would not be visible from very far away if the walls were up, so it was decided that the wedding would be held outdoors. The beautiful temple building itself was used as a backdrop, which was quite elegant.
Along the path leading to the platform, dozens of lights were densely planted, twinkling brightly. The carpet laid out on the path the bride and groom would walk was a near-pure white, and the loosely woven pillars with climbing flower vines were also dazzlingly white.
On either side of these, slanted seating areas for guests were arranged. I carefully observed the rows of identical chairs, low-backed and with plush seats, lined up neatly. A few large chairs stood out, placed separately at the front.
Here the gods would sit, there Ruben’s Blood Kin would sit, and here my Blood Kin would sit…
Four paths, originating from the center that divided the vast field into four sections and curving gracefully towards the edges, were laid out. At both ends of the paths, wide enough for a carriage to pass comfortably, stood two ornate temporary structures I had never seen before.
Ruben and I would each sit inside one of them, waiting for the ceremony and greeting guests. Curious, I peeked inside for a moment, but the doors and windows were tightly sealed, making it impossible to see inside.
Dozens of laborers and Wizards bustled about between the pillars, buildings, flower vines, and bushes that had been set up.
I should purify the Mana in a suitable spot. I hadn’t properly practiced Circulating Qi since my transformation, so I was a little worried about how it would appear to others. While searching for a place to practice Circulating Qi away from people, I opened the main temple doors and slipped inside.
I expected it to be empty, but it wasn’t. My sister, whom I usually only encountered in the annex, greeted me with a bright smile.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“I came because I thought I might need a Dharma Protector. Don’t mind me, just start.”
“Well…”
Where did she learn to say such things?
It was true that having someone watch over me during Breathing and regulating energy would be helpful. It made it easier to concentrate when my mind was at ease.
I already considered the First Goddess a reliable ally. Without further ado, I followed the Goddess’s gaze and took a step.
I sat down with a plop on the carpet in the very center of the temple and assumed the Lotus Position. I straightened my back, resting the backs of my hands on my knees. I relaxed my naturally curved hands and lifted my chin. The light pouring from the skylight above warmed the crown of my head.
Under the gaze of hundreds of goddess statues, I quietly inhaled.
And then, I quietly looked within myself.
Breathing and regulating energy is an act of inner contemplation. It usually involved observing how the Qi absorbed through breathing flowed within my body, how it gathered in my Dantian, and what effects it had on my body. I called the act of training and expanding all the Energy Channels in my body to use more power in a shorter time “Circulating Qi.”
However, the Mana I was now gathering wanted to show me more. It slowly drew things happening outside my body inward. I naturally accepted it without resistance.
‘It’s done. Now, tomorrow morning… around five o’clock, the buds will start to bloom.’
‘How many days will they last?’
‘They’ll bloom for about a week. Since they were transplanted with their roots, they might last 2-3 weeks if conditions are good.’
‘Wow, Magic is truly amazing. I’ve never seen anyone bind the time of flowers before.’
‘It’s not binding time. Time is eternal, so it cannot be held. It’s like covering a flower bud that sleeps at night and blooms during the day with a black cloth to trick it; I’ve simply tied a knot at the flower’s growth point. There are originally twelve methods for controlling flowering time according to the sequence of time,’
‘Yes…’
‘Hey, hey. Apologize quickly. The Wizard has started rambling again.’
‘I apologize, Wizard. Time cannot be bound. I understand now.’
‘…Right.’
From the conversations of the Wizards and laborers moving around the temple,
‘Cabbage! Onions! Meat! Everything has arrived! We’ll leave it here!’
‘Corn? What about the corn!’
‘They’ve taken all of it from the tent over there.’
‘Ah, it won’t taste right without it! Should I go get a few stalks?’
‘Do we have any ingredients left right now? Let’s just make do today and close early. Tomorrow will be chaotic from dawn.’
‘…Huuung.’
‘What’s wrong?’
‘No, still… Duke Ernhardt is marrying our King, you know. If we can’t even show our faces because we’re busy with business, it feels a bit… disappointing. How can anyone be happy hearing about others having fun while we’re working?’
‘And you’d miss this opportunity?’
‘I’m not saying we should miss it…’
‘Sigh. There’s no helping it. I’ll run the shop alone tomorrow, so you go grab the neighbor’s wife and go watch.’
‘What? No, how can you say that! How could I go alone, leaving you behind!’
‘Then do you want to work together?’
‘What should I wear tomorrow? Wait a minute, I’ll go ask Meril if she’s free!’
‘Honestly… No matter how old she gets, she’s still a child. Look, you have that purple dress! That one is the prettiest!’
‘Yes! I love you, honey! You know how I feel, right?’
From the playful bickering of a happy middle-aged couple at a street stall in a corner of the capital,
‘Are you packing lunch for tomorrow now?’
‘It’ll be too hectic in the morning. Our little prince is expected to be fussy.’
‘He stops crying as soon as you hold him anyway. By the way, will we be able to receive blessings if we go to the front of the procession?’
‘I don’t know. Sigh, if only entering the temple weren’t restricted right now, I would have secured front-row seats.’
‘Will there be many people going to see the wedding and the procession?’
‘Of course. I heard some people saying they couldn’t get a carriage to the temple, so they’re planning to camp out along the procession route.’
‘We’ll have to sleep very early today if we want to walk to the temple.’
‘It’s okay, we’re almost done. Still, it’s wonderful to be able to see our King and Queen up close, isn’t it, Michael?’
‘Boob.’
‘Mika agrees too!’
‘Oh, I’ll carry Mika, so you have to follow closely, okay?’
‘Okay!’
From the playful whispers of a newlywed couple holding a baby,
‘Wow… Moving is now a registration system, not a permit system. It’s so great. There’s no limit to the number of times.’
‘Where do you want to go?’
‘There are so many places I want to visit. I want to take a boat down the Saras River, buy a crate of wine in Duke Ernhardt’s territory, and see Yeldidus’s endless, vast wheat fields with my own eyes. And the sea. I want to see the sea too.’
‘Ha. This isn’t moving, it’s wandering.’
‘With you.’
‘…What?’
‘I want to go with you, and see it with you. Will you come with me?’
‘What? No, uh, that…’
From the shy whispers of young people who had known each other as friends for a long time,
‘If Duke Ernhardt becomes the King Consort, will His Majesty wear a dress?’
‘Oh, surely not?’
‘What’s the fun in a royal wedding without a dress! But he’ll wear a tiara, right?’
‘What era are you talking about? We might only see that at the next Princess’s wedding.’
‘Well, we don’t even know if it will be held at the temple then.’
‘Still, my grandma is really modern. She’s not surprised that the Duke and His Majesty are getting married.’
‘What’s there to be surprised about? When you live long enough, nothing in the world is certain. If same-sex marriage had been legalized when I was young, Jessica might have been my wife by now.’
‘What? Grandma Jessica?’
‘But she was so beautiful. It must have been your grandma’s unrequited love.’
‘You rascal!’
From the cheerful laughter of a grandparent and grandchild sitting around an armchair, my body was filled.
And it wasn’t just them. All sorts of affectionate and intimate people’s happiness overflowed.
Those who received invitations were excited amongst themselves, and those who didn’t also found their own ways to celebrate. Some cheered for Ruben’s policies, while others were interested in the wealth to be distributed starting from the wedding day. It was no exaggeration to say the nation was abuzz.
They all filled me with joy through their ticklish blessings and prayers. Why had I never known before how enjoyable it was to breathe? I couldn’t believe so many people were waiting for my wedding and blessing it.
Hoo, I exhaled a long breath and opened my eyes. The overflowing energy didn’t just complete a Microcosmic Orbit within my body; it circled the entire capital once. I finally understood what the Goddess meant when she praised the color of my internal energy multiple times. The energy of the Azure Sky mixed with the blue of the sky felt incredibly refreshing.
The First Goddess stood exactly where she had been, smiling faintly.
“…Sister, do you hear things like this too?”
“Who knows? I don’t know what you heard.”
I brushed myself off and stood up. I handed the envelope I had brought to the Goddess, who was still standing tall, looking down at me. After opening the envelope and checking its contents, the Goddess smiled softly, like a ripe apricot.
“Why did you put this in?”
“If you must know, didn’t you arrange for the two of us? It’s also thanks to you that I came to this world… So… I heard that one usually gives a gift to the matchmaker.”
“Did you choose this? The pearls are large.”
“…Yes. Um, is it not good?”
“No, it’s beautiful. I like purple.”
The Goddess took out a hairpin and put it on. The silver pin with a violet jewel on her silver hair suited her well. I was glad I chose a dark color. Her halo flickered between gold and white, so a gold jewel wouldn’t have been noticeable.
I handed her all the Wedding Invitations for the other gods as well. How grateful and precious it was to live anticipating tomorrow. I felt tender and excited, my mood lifting for a long time.