Chapter 120: If We Fall, We Fall Together

What is quite interesting is that because the clerks were so tight-lipped, more nobles began to visit the jewelry shop.

Because they were confident that what they saw and heard wouldn’t be babbled about carelessly.

It’s a bit uncomfortable that the reason is the same as the detestable nobles, but those gathered here trusted John for the same reason.

If John had been a guy who carelessly babbled about what happened when he worked at the Commander-in-Chief’s mansion, they wouldn’t have followed his instructions in the shacks on the riverbank, in the square, or at the main palace on that day.

The fact that such a John says even a word meant it was worth listening to.

As the tactless clerk boy finally stopped his steps, the pub became quiet as a mouse, unsuitably so.

As everyone’s eyes and ears focused on him, John coughed dryly. Since he somehow ended up acting as a representative of mercenaries for a while, he wasn’t awkward in such a position, but he also felt like laughing hollowly at the eyes focusing on him more than ever.

Since the owner of such an unpredictable history was the Commander-in-Chief’s fiancé, some looked at him with suspicious eyes. Wondering if the Commander-in-Chief is continuing an unwanted relationship. Suspecting that just as the former King sent him to the battlefield, the current Queen might have forced something absurd on him.

Now everyone knows he is an excellent strategist and possesses enormous martial power himself, but at the beginning of the war, no one imagined that the young King’s Brother would become Commander-in-Chief and lead the war.

The fact that the wedding is held immediately after the new Queen’s coronation raised suspicion in some people. The core of the conspiracy theory was that he made the citrine necklace, which became the symbol of the Queen who lost her crown.

Because he is a person who doesn’t completely belong to either Betas or nobles, both sides kept him, named Jay, at a distance.

But for John, who had watched him from up close, all those suspicions and wariness were just funny.

It was certain the Commander-in-Chief imprinted on him.

He did quite a lot for his fiancé. Although he didn’t announce it directly.

Even when his fiancé worked at the jewelry shop, the person responsible for security was John. It was interesting to John that after the fiancé entered the mansion, the Commander-in-Chief was always by his side, so John actually had fewer opportunities to observe him.

John took pride in the fact that he was trusted by the Commander-in-Chief. Looking back, entrusting his fiancé’s security was the biggest proof of trusting him. Although it’s a bit bitter that the Commander-in-Chief himself found John’s escort cumbersome.

After he entered the mansion, the Commander-in-Chief’s attitude changed completely. He thoroughly strengthened the mansion’s security which used to be lax. The Commander-in-Chief himself always stayed by his fiancé’s side, which also contained the meaning that he escorts his fiancé directly.

Seeing him, who used to look at even matters concerning himself coldly as if a third party, having an object he looks at so blindly could only be explained by the word imprinting.

John, a Beta, doesn’t know exactly about imprinting, but he heard a lot here and there. Imprinting, looking at only one person for a lifetime, was never a romantic phenomenon.

They said imprinting, which is no different from being lovesick severely, makes one not hesitate to do self-destructive things. That’s why nobles called it a curse.

Is that really a curse?

John recalled the obsession and consideration the Commander-in-Chief showed.

Two attitudes that seemed incompatible were very natural to the Commander-in-Chief. And the fiancé accepted him as if natural.

Lost in thought, John suddenly raised his head. The pub was still quiet. As if the sound of fizzling out from lukewarm ale could be heard.

John recalled the fact that the person who advised getting payment guarantees from banks for combat allowances was none other than him. Also the fact that on the day of the victory ceremony, the person who supported the Commander-in-Chief and remained until the last moment in the collapsing main palace was also him.

It seemed there was no need for useless worry.

John, conscious of the gazes directed at him, opened his mouth slowly.

“His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief cherishes his fiancé very much.”

This one sentence was all he could say. And it was enough.

Mercenaries whose curiosity wasn’t satisfied couldn’t turn away their dissatisfied eyes, but John’s mouth didn’t open again.

“Oh well. That’s a fact anyone with eyes knows.”

Hairy Michael rebuked John, lifted the glass in front of him, and drank it all at once. Like that, the silence was broken.

Former mercenaries, current workers raised their glasses chattering about their own things noisily again. It was the last glass of the day.

****

Jay blinked his eyes. The sight of chairs filling the wide lawn stretching from the front of the main building to the main gate could be described as spectacular.

He knew there were many eyes curious about this wedding. Those many-looking seats will soon be filled.

This wedding is an occasion to leave evidence. A place to show the fact that no matter what words float around, they will be bound by the name of family.

Jay also knew the words floating in the market. Also that they were never favorable.

He also knew the fact that a ceremony doesn’t guarantee eternity. It wouldn’t be wrong to say he knows better than anyone. He experienced directly how many wedding rings are resold.

Still, he trembled. Not because he was scared of the eyes of people watching them, nor because the formality of a wedding was too overwhelming. Even if they ended the wedding just by setting a cup of water and holding hands right now, he would feel trembling.

“Hold my hand, well.”

Jay said holding Philius’s hand first. Perhaps because he was nervous about the imminent ceremony, his words to Philius naturally became informal.

“I might fall while walking.”

Did they say imagining spilling coffee while climbing stairs holding coffee is to be more careful? But right now, Jay thought he really might fall.

“I just thought that too.”

Philius said the same words holding that hand firmly.

“Hold my hand well too, Jay.”

Jay couldn’t distinguish whether it was exaggeration or sincerity. It was regrettable that imprinting doesn’t inform everything about the partner. Although he couldn’t know which side was sincere, Philius’s hand trembling was real.

So he was relieved. That he wasn’t the only one nervous ahead of the wedding.

Maybe an incident where both misstep and fall might happen. If such a thing really happens, nobles would raise their eyes and busy their mouths, but it didn’t matter.

It’s a surprisingly forward-looking change of thought considering the time he always tried to hear good evaluations from others, but he genuinely didn’t care about their eyes and mouths. Because he thought this hand he is holding now, where fine trembling is felt, is more important.

The weather was clear. Although the air was still chilly as it was early spring, the sky was just blue. The wind also seemed to have calmed down.

When all chairs placed on the lawn were filled and the Queen stood at the very front, Jay started moving his steps holding hands with Philius.

On the white cloth laid on the aisle between guest seats, colorful flower petals were scattered. Especially conspicuous were small purple lilac petals.

Although looking very beautiful, Jay knew too well through what process those petals were placed there. Even after the Queen’s coronation ended, as large and small banquets were held consecutively now, flower prices were still expensive, and servants of this mansion plucked those expensive flowers by hand one by one. With very careful touches so the petals wouldn’t be damaged. They had to scatter the collected colorful petals to harmonize best again.

Seeing the beautiful flower path where much effort went in, his heart seemed to settle. There is no law that the most beautiful thing appears like magic without any effort. Actually, even magic can be manifested only by operating power according to laws made of meticulous calculations.

As such thoughts occurred, Jay could take one more step forward.

One step, and another step.

The sound of petals crushing was heard underfoot. Suddenly recalling the phrase often used in Korea, ‘Let’s walk only on flower paths,’ Jay laughed. And he didn’t hold back that laughter.

Contrary to Jay’s face smiling brightly, some guests distorted their faces. Those placed in the front row, the so-called noble section, showed such expressions.