Chapter 695: Red Corner
"Let us now witness the sacred vows of the newlyweds," the priest said solemnly, holding up a great book of blessings.
"Lord, today Rhodes and Mirajane have chosen each other. We ask You to bless their pure love, their faithful vows, and their joyful marriage."
After offering a few words of blessing, the priest declared, "Now, the bride and groom will exchange rings."
Romeo and Asuka, one magically reduced to a child, the other truly a child, stepped forward together without a hint of shyness, proudly holding up the ring pillow.
Rhodes carefully picked up a ring and slid it onto Mira’s slender finger.
Mira raised her hand and admired the band for just a moment before smiling and slipping the other ring onto Rhodes’s finger.
Their hands remained clasped, their eyes locked on one another, as the wedding march swelled. The priest solemnly recited the final blessings, "in the name of the Lord," though few were paying close attention, everyone knew what was about to happen next.
Lucy, Levy, Juvia, and the other girls all pressed their hands over their mouths, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Now, groom," the priest announced, "you may kiss your bride."
Mira’s lips were tinted with a soft rose gloss, fresh and radiant beneath the gentle glow of the cathedral’s light. But in that moment, neither gloss nor fragrance mattered.
Rhodes stepped forward, slipped one arm around Mira’s waist, and bent down to kiss her.
Amidst the soaring music and thunderous applause, Rhodes felt as if the entire world had been given to him.
The audience erupted in cheers, while many young girls gasped softly behind their hands, whether imagining their own wedding one day or simply blushing at the sight.
Alzack and Bisca dutifully shielded the eyes of the flower children. Bisca covered Asuka’s face, though the little girl squirmed curiously, trying to peek through her mother’s fingers.
Alzack, meanwhile, clapped his hands over Romeo’s eyes.
Romeo groaned, "Why are you covering my eyes? I’m not a real kid anymore."
"Haha," Alzack replied awkwardly, "your dad asked me to keep an eye on you. He said if anything happened, he’d never let me off the hook."
Romeo snorted. "So that’s why he pawned me off on you while he went to flirt with the models?"
Alzack fell silent. He too thought Macao was hopeless. Once upon a time, Macao had at least played the role of a dependable father in front of his son. Now, even with Romeo right there, he was shamelessly chasing after women.
Having been a father himself for five years, Alzack silently swore never to follow Macao and Wakaba’s example.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the priest’s voice rang out again. Rhodes and Mira had already parted, still holding hands, faces glowing with joy as they turned to face the guests. "With the blessings of heaven and in the presence of all gathered here, these two are now officially united as husband and wife!
"Please allow me to introduce, Mr. Rhodes, and his wife, Mirajane!"
The cathedral thundered with cheers.
Rhodes drew Mira close in a warm embrace, while she lifted her bouquet high and gave it a gentle wave to the crowd.
From that moment forward, Rhodes and Mira were husband and wife, bound together forever, under the witness of all their friends and family.
Pop! Pop!
Happy and Carla twisted open the confetti cannons at just the right moment, showering the hall in sparkling color. Outside the church, flowers were released into the air, signaling the perfect close to Rhodes and Mira’s wedding.
Mavis smiled sweetly, her expression soft with nostalgia, as if she had witnessed such a scene long ago.
Makarov, kind and fatherly, beamed warmly. In his heart he prayed silently that every child in the guild would one day find the same happiness.
Elfman and Lisanna clung to each other, eyes brimming with tears. Their sister, the one who had always protected and cared for them, was finally united with the man she loved. At last, she didn’t have to shoulder everything alone.
Lucy and Levy clasped hands, leaning close together, their faces glowing with joy. The "script" may have gone slightly off course, but in the end the performance, and the wedding itself, had been wonderful.
Erza stood in a daze. She looked down at her bridesmaid dress, then glanced at her left hand to confirm no ring was there. A wave of relief washed over her, but it carried with it a flicker of regret.
’Good thing it wasn’t me up there... I’d probably faint from nerves. But still... why wasn’t it me?’
Caught between relief and longing, the Titania of Fairy Tail found herself oddly conflicted.
Kana, already tipsy, downed another swig of wine. Her thoughts drifted to her long-ago innocent crush, then back to Macao, now balding badly and hardly resembling the man of her daydreams.
Wendy remained shy and flustered, still blushing from watching the kiss unfold before her very eyes.
Jet and Droy stared at Rhodes with envy. They’d been jealous ever since he started dating Mira, and now he was married to her. Meanwhile, their bond with Levy had... well, "progressed" in the wrong direction.
In truth, they had both tried dating other women over the past six years, but nothing had lasted. Now, all they could do was silently guard Levy from the sidelines.
Warren, still haunted by the effects of his magic, hadn’t been in a relationship since his breakup seven years ago. He now found himself sneaking glances at Mira’s model friends, his cheeks tinged red.
Natsu and Gajeel’s thoughts were far simpler. They blessed Rhodes and Mira in their own way, but weddings felt like something that belonged in another world entirely. To them, the ceremony had dragged on too long, the priest had spoken too much, and both of them were itching either to fight or to eat.
Gray, on the other hand, squirmed under the weight of countless female gazes. Feeling hot and restless, he loosened his tie, though out of respect for Rhodes he resisted the urge to take off his shirt entirely, at least for now.
Up on stage, Rhodes waved gently to the crowd, his eyes scanning across the hall for someone specific. He searched once, twice, and then again, but still couldn’t find her.
Mira squeezed his hand lightly and gave him a look, tilting her eyes toward the entrance.
Following her signal, Rhodes spotted a flash of crimson fabric, the corner of a familiar red cloak. Of course. She disliked crowds.
Rhodes smiled. That was enough.
Porlyusica leaned silently against the church doors, arms folded, lips curved in the faintest smile. Once the priest had given his final blessing, she quietly set a gift box on the table and slipped away. She had promised she would come, and now she had kept her word.
The priest gave one last bow, and the atmosphere in the cathedral shifted.
The cause was simple, Mirajane had turned around, bouquet in hand.
Immediately Jura, Ichiya, and a few other sharp-sensed guests took several careful steps back, slipping to the edges of the room. The rest, seeing them move, instinctively followed suit.
Before long, the center of the venue was left occupied only by the unmarried guests.
All around, girls, especially the single ones, many of them bridesmaids, suddenly tensed as if preparing for battle.
Catching the bouquet symbolized receiving the bride’s blessing of happiness and love. And in Fairy Tail’s world, everyone knew what came next:
Whoever caught it would be seen as the next to marry.
Erza and Juvia’s eyes sharpened instantly, glinting like blades.
...
STONES PLEASE
Read Chapters ahead @