Edited by: ASaltedFish
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A week later, Ellery and Juniper safely made it to Hezyria. As for Edros and Akimitsu, they were able to finish two days early, so they were on the way to Hezyria with all the soldiers of the first fleet who wanted to attend the wedding.
Ellery and Akimitsu's wedding was going to be even grander than the governor of Hezyria's wedding.
Akimitsu's older brother and his wife had their wedding broadcast live for all the citizens of Hezyria to see, but it was open to anyone in the Zevaria Empire to watch. It was nominated as the wedding of the year when it happened.
Now, Ellery and Akimitsu's wedding was the most anticipated wedding of the century. Even citizens of other countries wanted to tune in and watch the first SSS-rank guide get married to their partner.
The extrovert duo happily obliged the netizens and decided to broadcast their wedding for the whole galaxy to watch!
Thankfully, their arrival on Hezyria was kept a secret, so Juniper wasn't overwhelmed by the trip yet.
Juniper, like a little tail, followed Ellery to all the appointments that they had scheduled during the last month before the wedding. There were two more fittings before the wedding, the final check for decorations, food, and the room arrangements for each guest.
In the Zevaria Empire, the outfits of the wedding couples were kept a secret until they met each other at the entrance of the ceremony. There was no tradition for the parents to walk their adult child down the aisle, so the couple would go together. Behind them would be their wedding party that made sure the ceremony and the reception were running smoothly.
On Akimitsu's side, Edros was his best man, while his older brother and two friends from the military were a part of the wedding party. As for Ellery's side, Juniper was his best man, while his brother, Silve, and Saem were there to support him.
Ellery and Akimitsu stayed on opposite sides of the castle with their wedding party. Those who came to support each person stayed on their side of the castle. The ceremony would take place in the center of the castle, where the main hall was located.
Once everything was checked and all their guests arrived, it was finally time for Ellery and Akimitsu's wedding!
*****
Everyone woke up early on the day of the wedding to prepare for the eventful day that would be broadcast to the entire galaxy. They all wanted to look their best and show off that they were able to witness history in person.
Ellery and his groomsmen were all getting ready in one room. There were two stylists, one for Ellery and the other shared between Juniper, his friends, and his brother. Their outfits and hair didn't take long to put together, but Ellery's was more elaborate.
His white tuxedo was decorated with gold flower embroidery and tiny gemstones that glittered in the light when he moved. He also had a matching, one-shoulder cape that was pinned to his right shoulder.
He also had a lot of accessories, like his dangling earrings that matched the gems on his tuxedo, a watch, and two bracelets.
Ellery's hair took the longest because it didn't want to stay down, but his final look was a slicked-back style.
"So, how do I look?" Ellery stood in front of Juniper, his brother, and his two close friends. "Do you think I look beautiful?"
This was the first time any of them had seen Ellery's final look, so they were stunned to see how beautiful and elegant he was.
Juniper was the first to answer. "Yes, you are stunning."
"Thank you, Juniper. I feel a lot more reassured knowing you think so."
Silve circled Ellery while saying "oooo" and "ahhh, so pretty!"
Saem looked at Silve with a smile. "They are right, you look amazing."
Ellery chuckled, posing for Silve, who was taking pictures with his terminal. "Thank you, both. You really know how to hype someone up!"
"Ellery…" Orin already had tears in his eyes. "My baby brother has grown up so much. I can't believe you are already getting married."
"Orin, why are you crying? The wedding hasn't even started yet." Ellery asked Juniper to grab some tissues while trying to wipe Orin's tears with his hands. "You should save your tears for when you and Darya have a baby."
"But you are my baby brother, why can't I cry tears of happiness for your big day?"
"Then save it for the actual ceremony…" Ellery was teasing his brother, but he was gentle and indulgent.
After Orin stopped crying, the stylist helped clean up his face and hair. Even though his eyes were a little swollen, he had a smile that never stopped. His grin became especially big every time he looked at Ellery.
With everyone ready to go, it was just in time for the ceremony to start.
On the other side, Akimitsu was wearing a similar navy blue tuxedo, but the cape was on his left shoulder. He had matching embroidery with Ellery.
All the groomsmen wore black tuxedos with different colored bow ties of their choosing. Juniper wore a silver bow tie while Edros wore a green bow tie that matched Juniper's eyes.
"Akimistu, are you nervous?" Edros asked because Akimitsu was pacing around the room.
Akimitsu, who finally stopped pacing, nodded his head. "I am nervous but excited. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him, but I began to think about whether I am worthy of being with him… I don't know why I have been thinking about this lately when I know he loves me for who I am, not because of my rank and status."
He was only S-ranked with a SS-rank potential, which was different from Edros, who had SSS-rank potential. Edros found a companion who would be able to grow stronger with him, but he worried that he would hold Ellery back.
At first, he was able to hold his head up high, but after seeing comments about him all over the Starnet, he couldn't help but worry if he could protect Ellery as they got older.
Akimitsu was around too many people with high ranks because, so far, Edros was the only Sentinel who had SSS-ranked potential. As someone who had SS-rank potential, Akimitsu was already leagues ahead of the majority of the Sentinels in the whole Zephyrus galaxy.
"Akimitsu… So far, there's only one SSS-rank sentinel in the entire galaxy," Edros said it calmly, without a trace of pride. "With your strength, talent, and Ellery's support, you will be able to reach SS-rank in no time. There are only five SS-ranked sentinels, and most have already bonded with a Guide."
"Not only that, you have the Zevaria Empire on your side. You will be able to keep Ellery safe. In my eyes, you two are perfect for each other."
It was the first time Edros comforted and encouraged Akimitsu, so it was a bit awkward, but he was able to get his point across.
In their friendship, Akimitsu was a teacher, friend, and aid, so it was rare for him to have moments of self-doubt and anxiety.
Akimitsu closed his eyes and took a deep breath so he could ground himself. "You are right, Edros. Thank you for snapping me out of it." He patted Edros on the shoulder. "Thank you for being my friend and always supporting me."
Edros nodded. "You're welcome… You are my best friend, so if you need help with anything, let me know. I will do my best to help you and Ellery out."
Hearing this was all Akimitsu needed to stay confident and strong. He had his best friend and the love of his life with him. Why did he need to worry about what other people said?
"The same goes for you!" They had been best friends for so long, he knew they would be friends until the end of their lives.
"Okay, it's almost time; we should get going." Edros looked at his terminal, which was ringing, and knew it was Juniper calling him.
Akimitsu saw the awkward and shy Edros pick up Juniper's call and felt relieved. He was glad that Edros found someone other than him.
After Edros hung up, he motioned for Akimitsu and the other groomsman to follow him to the central hall where the wedding would take place.