Chapter 428: Flirting at the Wedding

The entire day.

Liszt did not enjoy the pleasure of "close contact with beautiful bridesmaids" as Levis had mentioned. He was like a puppet, manipulated by the officials.

"I don't like being a groomsman," Rolly whispered in complaint. He was dressed in a light golden suit, wearing a colorful flower wreath on his head, and a round, fluffy ruffled collar around his neck, looking rather ridiculous.

"I feel the same."

Liszt agreed.

He was also wearing this ridiculous groomsman outfit, not knowing where this bizarre custom of wearing such a peculiar outfit came from.

Even though he had an outstanding temperament and handsome looks, he was still overwhelmed by this suit. Among the groomsmen, only his handsome face stood out slightly.

Levis secretly yawned: "I also regret agreeing to be Meopo's groomsman. It's hot, tiring, and uncomfortable. I'd rather exhaust myself practicing mana than stand here as a prop... especially wearing this ugly and stupid suit, I'm sweating all over!"

But there's no way around it; it's the custom.

The golden suit represents the glory of the knight, the fluffy round ruffled collar represents the nobility of the noble, and the colorful woven wreath represents the blessings of nature.

Only such a group of groomsmen can provide the greatest support to the groom and protect the groom's honor.

Liszt glanced across the red carpet at a group of bridesmaids in white dresses. They did not wear wreaths but instead wore feathered bird hats, holding a bouquet of dried flowers with gloved hands. White symbolizes purity, the bird hat symbolizes vigorous mana, and the dried flowers symbolize beautiful restraint.

At first, these bridesmaids were indeed stunning and captivating, but now, Liszt had noticed how many of them were secretly rolling their eyes.

Especially after the rehearsal, their posture, both standing and sitting, was very rough, not at all ladylike.

In summary.

The day passed in painful rehearsals. Those noble ladies who had been captivated by Liszt's piano piece "Accompanying You" were too exhausted from being bridesmaids to flirt with him. This allowed Liszt to sleep peacefully through the night, waking up refreshed to welcome the wedding.

...

Early morning of August 17th.

The groomsmen gathered, and the wedding had begun.

It was a complicated process. First, they had to assist the groom to go to Longtaro Castle to welcome the bride. Galloping on horseback, the six groomsmen in the carriage were stripped down to their underpants. Only when they arrived at Longtaro Castle did they hurriedly put on the strange light golden suits.

Dressed in ruffs and wreaths.

With beaming smiles, they stepped down from the carriage and, guided by the officials, followed the groom Meopo, dressed in a golden suit, towards Longtaro Castle.

Each of them held an unusual potted plant.

They were wheat, barley, glutinous rice, millet, peas, and Longtaro. The first five grains symbolized the harvest, and the last one, Longtaro, symbolized the family's foundation.

Upon entering the castle, these grains and Longtaro were handed over to the bridesmaids, symbolizing the transfer of the family's foundation from the male head to the female head.

The male head is responsible for warfare, and the female head is responsible for the castle, which is a common understanding.

Of course, most male nobles are not only responsible for warfare but also for the castle.

Women are responsible for leisure.

Just as Liszt handed the glutinous rice to the bridesmaid Joanna Moonflower, he suddenly felt a gentle touch on the back of his hand.

It was Joanna, smiling, who gently tapped the back of his hand.

She gave him a flirtatious glance.

She was the daughter of a direct vassal of the Duke, the Count of Moonlight Island, and her mother, a cousin of the Duke, carried the Sapphire Family lineage. At nineteen, she stood out as the most striking among the bridesmaids, bearing a slight resemblance to Angela Sapphire around the eyes.

She was one of the noble ladies who had previously hoped Liszt would give them private piano lessons.

Despite the exhausting day, it was assumed no one would entertain idle thoughts, yet after a night's rest, this noble lady still found a way to flirt with Liszt, even in broad daylight.

He kept smiling.

Liszt feigned ignorance of her subtle move; given the princess's demeanor, he had no interest in her circle of friends.

The ceremony proceeded.

Following the symbolic rituals of "grain exchange," "horse feeding," and "donning armor," and under the First Prince's protection, the bride Angela Sapphire finally emerged from the castle's depths. Like her golden groom, the bride shimmered in gold.

The golden gown clung to her figure, highlighting her curves, with the delicate white gauze at her chest subtly revealing a deep cleavage.

Her hair was crowned with a diadem studded with gems and pearls.

With heavy makeup and elaborate adornments, she appeared both stunning and regal.

She offered her hand to Meopo, who assisted her into the carriage before mounting his horse to personally escort the carriage.

The bridesmaids boarded various carriages, while Liszt and the other groomsmen mounted their horses.

The First Prince and others followed, trailing the bridal procession, with the Blueblood Knights occasionally roaring to enhance the procession's grandeur.

Two and a half hours later,

The procession arrived at Longtaro Castle as the sun grew warmer.

The groom assisted the bride from the carriage, while the groomsmen helped the bridesmaids. Once again, Liszt found himself the target of teasing; as he helped Joanna down, she feigned a slip and tumbled into his arms. As she rose, she playfully pinched Liszt's chest muscles.

"You're really strong," she whispered swiftly into Liszt's ear, rising on her toes.

In such a scenario,

Liszt couldn't risk causing a scene and spoiling his cousin's wedding, so he maintained his smile, acted as if nothing had occurred, and continued with the ceremony.

They assisted the groom and bride through the ritual washing with spring water, the sharing of a wine cup and a piece of wheat bread, and watched as the bride spun yarn and the groom shot arrows.

At last,

They stepped into the adorned hall for the concluding marriage recognition ceremony.

Only then did Liszt take a moment to observe the hall, crowded with nobles and their spouses, and at the forefront sat an elderly couple, the Sapphire Duchy Andrew Sapphire and his wife, Sarit Grandiflora.

The Duke appeared in good health, though he no longer radiated his former draconic authority.

Around them stood Marquis Merlin, the Mexiro couple, the First Prince and his wife, Greendanton and the princess couple, as well as the Lee William couple, alongside nobles Liszt had merely acknowledged in passing. Greendanton was the sole elder Marquis present, being the princess's husband.

The remaining Marquises had dispatched their heirs.

Regardless, the Duke and his wife's attendance at the wedding was a great honor.

An elderly noble, a court official who had previously officiated the First Prince's wedding, presided over the ceremony.

Now, with his dim eyes on the thick parchment, he faced Meopo and read in a dry but loud voice, "Meopo Longtaro, if the master of the seas, the lord of all islands, the great Sapphire Duchy agrees, do you swear to marry Angela Sapphire?"

"I do!" Meopo solemnly vowed.

The elderly noble then turned to the princess, "Angela Sapphire, if the master of the seas, the lord of all islands, the great Sapphire Duchy agrees, do you swear to marry Meopo Longtaro?"

Angela also solemnly vowed, "I do!"

Seeing this, the elderly noble continued, "By the power and name granted by the master of the seas, the lord of all islands, the great Sapphire Duchy, I witness your marriage... May the glory of knighthood bless this newlywed couple."