Chapter 7: The Grand Nuptials of Odin and Frigga

“Legends say that at the dawn of creation, the heavens and earth were shrouded in primordial chaos, devoid of weather, day or night, or the cycle of seasons; the world was utterly lifeless, a stark contrast to the vibrant prosperity it now enjoyed. Thus, to infuse such a world with vitality, the world chose twelve deities to shape it, acting as the agents of the heavens’ will…”

Despite the thick curtain of a perpetually overcast sky, and the incessant patter of light rain, the entire congregation, heads uniformly bowed, bore expressions of profound weariness and irritation. Yet, within the grand and opulent cathedral, a white-robed priest, her voice amplified to an almost deafening volume by magic, maintained an effusive tone, gesturing wildly as she preached the oft-repeated creation myth to the audience below. Only the somber-faced royals and nobles, seated in the privileged section, appeared to be listening intently to her sermon.

How they managed to endure such a tedious tale, listening to it countless times without growing weary, remained a mystery.

Had it not been Aldoran’s wedding day, no commoner would have willingly crammed into this space to listen to the priest’s hours-long rambling, only to then witness her self-congratulatory effusions over the very same story.

What everyone truly anticipated was the wedding ceremony of Lord Odin and Lady Frigga, not hours of this priest’s fervent exposition.

Qing Yu, however, was different. As a newcomer to this world, unfamiliar with all its workings, he remained seated beside Aldoran, listening with rapt attention as the priest recounted the world’s creation myth.

Finally, the day had arrived. Qing Yu had been meticulously prepared by the maids since early morning, dressed early in a wedding gown. Although still somewhat reluctant, Aldoran had promised Qing Yu that, provided he wore the wedding gown today and completed the ceremony, he would be permitted to wear his usual attire in the days that followed.

However, he would occasionally have to humor Aldoran by donning various dresses for her amusement at home.

‘Well, even if it means wearing women’s clothes, it’s only for Aldoran’s eyes, not for public display.’

‘[Though I’ve never actually witnessed such a sight.]’

Observing the crowd that nearly filled the entire cathedral hall, Qing Yu couldn’t help but swallow hard.

According to Aldoran, this wedding had drawn all the royals and nobles from across Midgard—the world Qing Yu currently inhabited—to attend.

The dense, varied ranks of guards alone occupied nearly half the hall, while the other half was filled by the residents of Phil Town, lesser nobles, and the orchestra.

The more esteemed nobles and their retinues were seated in the special sections from the second to the thirtieth floor of the hall.

At the very top, Qing Yu and Aldoran sat together, overlooking everything below.

Outside the main hall, a throng of traveling merchants and commoners from other nations pressed against the doors. Those at the front strained to peer through the cracks, relaying the opulent spectacle within to those behind them, one by one.

‘[This scene…]’

Qing Yu instinctively tightened his grip on Aldoran’s hand; she sat calmly beside him, listening to the priest’s sermon.

Holding Aldoran’s hand, he felt a surprising sense of security.

Today, Aldoran wore a winged ornament on her forehead, extending backward along the curve of her head, like a soaring eagle. She was clad in exquisite light armor, intricately carved with various ornate patterns, studded with diamonds, and adorned with a gold-trimmed white surcoat fastened at her chest. It flowed down her body, obscuring her entire right arm.

Her previous endearing charm was entirely absent, replaced instead by a valiant and spirited aura.

It was said that this armor was specially crafted based on the legendary battle attire of the gods.

“Aldoran… I’m so nervous,” Qing Yu whispered softly.

To be wed to Aldoran, witnessed by so many figures of high standing, indeed made him overwhelmingly anxious.

After all, in all his years, he had never seen a spectacle so grand, so magnificent.

“It’s alright,” Aldoran gently soothed Qing Yu. “Pull yourself together; you are Frigga, my wife. Hold your head high and be proud.”

“But…”

The thought of walking to the center of the grand hall in a dress, under everyone’s gaze, filled Qing Yu with immense trepidation.

“It’s alright, it’s alright, there’s nothing to be nervous about. Didn’t I tell you? You are my wife, my Frigga. Hold your head high.”

Aldoran’s voice betrayed no hint of fluctuation, yet, inexplicably, Qing Yu felt a profound sense of peace whenever he heard it.

It seemed Aldoran possessed an inexplicable ability to inspire security.

Her voice, as if imbued with magic, could calm his heart the moment he heard it.

‘Was this the chosen Lord of all gods?’

“It’s alright, don’t be nervous, just relax,” Aldoran stood up. The priest below had finished her story—

“Now, the mightiest of the twelve deities, our protector, Lord Odin, has descended into the world!”

Aldoran then gently took Qing Yu’s hand, pulling him to his feet.

“And this one is Lord Odin’s wife, our Heavenly Queen, Lady Frigga!”

As everyone stood in unison, the priest faced the two figures on high, extending one hand. Others followed suit, each extending a hand.

Then, Qing Yu saw that, at some unknown moment, faint gleams of light had appeared in the spacious hall. It was a pure, flawless white, and without any interference, these tiny specks of light gradually converged. The individual points grew increasingly radiant, bursting forth with dazzling brilliance to form a long, luminous staircase.

“Today is the day chosen by destiny, the wedding day of Lord Odin and Lady Frigga!” The priest turned back to the crowd, and light once again emanated from her hand. A book shimmering with golden light appeared in her grasp, and under the gaze of all, the priest began to chant solemnly.

The orchestra below began to play at the opportune moment. As Aldoran, holding Qing Yu’s hand, stepped onto the first stair, solemn and majestic music resounded. The light particles scattered throughout the hall also began to dance, transforming into countless dancers amidst the solemn chorus of the crowd, soaring and swirling within the spacious hall.

With each step Qing Yu and Aldoran took down the staircase, the steps behind them slowly ascended, transforming into an overwhelming cascade of crimson rose petals, exuding a sweet, intoxicating fragrance that wafted to every corner of the hall. Where they fell, they blossomed into vibrant roses, performing a wondrous melody.

Meanwhile, the steps Qing Yu and Aldoran trod upon rippled, splashing out crystalline, beautiful water droplets that flew into the air, metamorphosing into pure white birds. They circled and soared around the hall, their pristine wings carving arc after arc of white light, shimmering with a subtle brilliance.

The birds chirped, singing, and blessing the union of the deities.

“This is a union decreed by destiny! The will of the world! Our Lord and Queen shall never be parted!” The priest solemnly proclaimed the contents of the book, harmonizing with the instrumental music, offering blessings to the newlyweds.

As the priest spoke and chanted, Qing Yu, his face flushed, was led by Aldoran down step after step of the luminous staircase. The moment the instrumental music faded into tranquility, they had just reached the bottom of the stairs.

The priest then knelt reverently before them, taking each of their hands and pressing a kiss to the back of each.

“Forgive my presumption, Lord Odin, Lady Frigga,” the priest said. “This is my blessing to you both.”

“It is no matter,” Aldoran replied to the priest, holding Qing Yu’s hand.

“Now then—” The priest stood up and called out to the audience, both on and off the stage, “—comes the blessings from Her Majesty, the Queen of each nation!”

Solemn music swelled once more. Accompanied by the priest’s chants and introductions, queens in splendid attire, crowned and regal, approached Qing Yu and Aldoran one by one.

These immensely powerful queens, rulers of their respective nations, all knelt on one knee before Qing Yu and Aldoran without exception, kissing the backs of their hands and offering their most sincere blessings.

The two before them were deities, gods who would govern the world and protect all beings in the future.

The queens understood that all things in the world would bow before these two.

However, in this solemn setting, Lance, also seated in the privileged section, was an exception. As she watched Aldoran and Qing Yu, Lance gently pressed her hand to her chest. From the very beginning of the celebration, she had felt a strange warmth emanating from her breast.

The enigmatic crest continued to burn against Lance’s chest.

She had no idea why. From its very inception, this crest had been a peculiar entity, constantly issuing strange commands. Lance had consulted every available record, all of which indicated that the crest represented one of the twelve deities.

But why did this crest always issue mischievous commands? And why was it suddenly burning hot at Aldoran and Qing Yu’s wedding?

Unable to suppress the fervent heat within her, Lance clutched her chest and quietly departed from the solemn crowd.

On the dais, Qing Yu and Aldoran continued with the wedding ceremony. After the blessings from the queens were complete, it was time for the couple’s kiss.

“Mm…” Looking at Aldoran’s face, Qing Yu’s cheeks flushed crimson. Wearing the wedding gown was already mortifying enough; now, he was also expected to kiss Aldoran.

“Please, bestow your kiss,” the priest encouraged Qing Yu. “Please prove your love to Lord Odin, Lady Frigga.”

But… it was… it was too embarrassing…

Kissing and all…

Qing Yu lowered his head.

His face reddened further, as if freshly baked.

Even though… even though it was a wedding… but… he and Aldoran had only known each other for a short while… to be kissing…

“Is something wrong, Lady Frigga?” Fearing a mishap, the priest asked softly.

“It’s nothing; he’s merely a little shy,” Aldoran, discerning Qing Yu’s thoughts, embraced him, pulling him gently into her arms.

“If Frigga is shy, then allow me.”

“Al… Aldoran…” Qing Yu’s face was utterly scarlet.

“Shh—” Aldoran placed a finger to Qing Yu’s lips, then softly pressed her own tender lips against his.

“Mm…”

Qing Yu’s eyes widened.

He… he was actually kissing Aldoran like this?!