"You guys are actually getting married."
In the quiet little tavern, Thacker Flama sighed. "Last year, Edith's bouquet was thrown just right… Landus, you need to arrange a good spot for us."
Across from young Mr. Flama sat his two childhood friends—Landus and Ross.
Both friends came from orphaned backgrounds, without surnames. Since a fortuitous meeting in their youth, the three had maintained a strong relationship. Thacker was very fond of these two friends and had always dreamed of being neighbors with them. Unfortunately, they were always traveling and had no permanent residence, only showing up unexpectedly from time to time.
"I thought you'd be more surprised, Thacker," Landus curiously asked.
In Thacker's memory, Landus always wore his black hair long, and his golden eyes hid behind glasses. He claimed to have the blood of the Wilder people, and his temperament was… unpredictable.
"Come on, you look at me and at Ross differently, and so does he." Thacker grinned. "If I wasn't sure you two liked men, I wouldn't have introduced you to Edith."
"Very convincing," Ross smiled.
Ross was always the gentlest of the three. He had almost silvery-light golden short hair, and his blue eyes were very beautiful. "We just want a small family wedding, inviting only a few friends." Ross continued, "You know our situation…"
"Of course." Thacker's smile faded slightly.
He knew well that his two friends, being non-believers and a same-sex couple, didn't exactly fit the doctrines of the Temple of Life. These reasons alone made it difficult for them to have a normal wedding at the Evergreen Church. But Thacker knew a more critical third point—
Ross was rumored to be a White Demon.
The first time Thacker saw Ross with his silver hair and blue eyes, he was startled. Fortunately, he was still a child at the time and hadn't developed many prejudices. After becoming good friends with Ross, Thacker scoffed at the superstitions about the "White Demons being ominous".
His beloved Edith came from the Blanco family, whose ancestors were related to the White Demons, and she herself didn't care about the rumors. The couple cherished Ross, their special friend.
In fact, at last year's wedding, they intentionally threw the bouquet to Ross. This was something Ross must never find out.
"How many people are you planning to invite?" Thacker stroked his chin. "I can help arrange the venue."
"Just you and Edith," Landus said with a cheeky smile, pushing his glasses up. "You two are family to us."
Thacker paused. Something more seemed to be in Landus's familiar golden eyes, but he couldn't quite see it.
"How about using my family's vacation home?" Thacker thought for a moment, then suggested enthusiastically, "It's in the suburbs, not far from here. The house is near vineyards, woods, and a large lake, with really beautiful scenery."
He scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "But it's not well decorated yet… The shop has been too busy lately. Edith and I were thinking of bringing our future children there."
Landus and Ross fell silent for a few seconds.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up children," Thacker quickly said. "You could also adopt cute kids, I mean…"
"What are you thinking?" Landus burst out loudly. "My honey and I don't mind such little things. I was just thinking—let's make a bet, soon-to-be dad Mr. Flama."
"What's the bet?" Thacker raised an eyebrow.
Landus whispered mysteriously, "Bet your first child will be a healthy strong boy, and the second a smart capable girl."
"Do you have to say it in such a teasing tone, Landus?" Thacker grinned. "But I'll take the bet. Let me think…"
"Bet a gold wheel," Landus said. "Just one gold wheel."
"No problem, as long as I can find you by then." Thacker laughed.
Landus smiled without replying.
"Then we'll take up your offer on the vacation home." Ross brought the conversation back. "We'll take care of the cleaning, decorating, and catering. I promise, after the wedding, you two can comfortably move in."
"I'm really looking forward to it." Thacker raised his glass. "Cheers—"
...
On the wedding day.
Nol turned his light golden hair to silver, adjusting his white suit. In the mirror, his features were magically concealed, making him look like himself, yet more ordinary than before.
Outstanding looks could draw unwanted attention, and he and Teest had always been careful. Actually, he regretted that Thacker Flama had met the grown-up Teest. He would have preferred to greet the Flama couple in his true appearance.
Not yet.
He picked up a ring from the table, examining it carefully. It came from the future—one of the wedding rings Thacker Flama had sold to Teest.
Its form, like their appearances, was cleverly disguised by magic. The delicate patterns had vanished, and the priceless ancient silver looked like ordinary white silver.
Two bouquets were prepared on the table. The vibrant blue roses were dewy and undamaged. Next to the bouquets, two exquisitely ribbon-tied gift boxes were ready—flawless gems personally crafted by Nol, intended as gifts for the Flama couple.
Not yet.
He touched the silky soft petals, quietly staring at the two small gift boxes.
"Honey."
Teest walked in wearing a black suit. His black hair was neatly tied back into a man bun. He held a champagne bottle in each hand, looking a bit troubled. "Should I mix some bewilderment dew into this wine? Do you think mom and dad would notice…"
He swallowed the rest of his sentence.
Teest moved behind Nol, resting his hands on Nol's shoulders, both looking into the mirror.
"You look amazing," Teest murmured. "It's like my childhood wish came true."
"Your childhood wish was to get married?" Nol chuckled.
"What? No!" Teest hissed, his fingertips brushing Nol's mouth. "I just wanted to make this smile mine."
"Forever mine." After a pause, he added another sentence.
Nol relaxed his shoulders, leaning his head back, resting against Teest's chest and abdomen. Teest always exuded a scent that was a mix of freshness and bloodthirst, which always calmed his heartbeat the quickest.
Now Nol knew the source of that bloodthirsty scent and had decided not to mourn for those vile creatures.
Nol caught Teest's hand, touching it to his lips. "Your hand is a bit cold."
"I'm rarely nervous," Teest said. "Unfortunately, this is my first time attending my own wedding. But between us, Lord Nol, your suit button is misplaced."
Nol: "..."
Nol: "...Huh?"
As Nol fumbled to adjust his suit, Teest pinched his earlobe. Golden threads danced along Teest's fingertips, threading through Nol's earlobe and solidifying into a delicate golden earring.
It resembled the Player's fake earring less and more closely matched Nol's original design concept. The small earring was engraved with the hidden logo of "Tahe World".
"This is?" Nol tilted his head slightly to observe the earring that had appeared out of thin air. "I remember you saying I suited blue moonstones better."
"We already have perfect wedding rings." Teest caressed the earring, pleased as he watched Nol's earlobe turn red. "Now that you are dressed in white and blue, I just wanted to add a bit of gold to you."
"Since you say so."
Nol turned smoothly, touching Teest's left chest. The handkerchief in the breast pocket twisted, transforming into a special cyan-blue rose.
Very effective magic, Nol thought. In less than a minute of horsing around, Teest's fingertips warmed, and his suit button was back in place, without a wrinkle.
"Let's go together, Teest."
In the cabin's living room.
"Wow!" Thacker entered, giving each a big hug. "My goodness, I hardly recognize this place!"
The rough furniture that came with the wooden house had disappeared, replaced by what clearly looked like expensive, high-end wood furniture, clean, elegant tablecloths, and paintings full of wild charm.
The broken oil lamp had been replaced by a magic lamp illuminated by magic stones, and every empty corner now thrived with lush green plants and flowers. All the arrangements were just right, turning an ordinary cabin into what seemed like a noble's country residence.
Perhaps it was psychological, but Thacker felt the indoor lighting had brightened several degrees.
The windows were wide open, revealing a brilliant blue sky and a beautiful lake view, like a frameless oil painting. Special blue rose vines twined around the window creating a dreamlike scene.
"So beautiful," young Edith Flama exclaimed. "You two actually chose an indoor wedding."
"With few people, it feels livelier." Nol held the bouquet, moving to the side of the window. "Thacker, Edith, we entrust you with the role of witnesses."
Edith: "Fantastic!"
Thacker: "Ah? We're not familiar with the process…"
"The form isn't important. We just want your witness." Teest moved in front of Thacker, his tone quite casual. "How about a high-five to relax?"
After a confused Thacker finished the high-five, Teest moved to a smiling Edith, politely kissing her hand.
After doing all this, Teest picked up the bouquet, standing opposite Nol. They were only a step apart, a gentle breeze lightly stirring their hair.
"Wishing us well is enough."
Edith laughed happily while Thacker adjusted his tie, clearing his throat a few times.
"I'll go first!" Edith raised her hand and started spontaneously. "Gentlemen, do you promise to always be faithful to each other, cherish each other, and love each other deeply?"
Nol: "I do."
Teest: "Do you even need to ask?"
"I'm thinking." Slightly overwhelmed compared to his wife, Thacker hesitated. His friends didn't need gods, and the religious vows he knew were of no use, so—
"Do you promise to be tolerant of each other, support each other, and give each other the best… the best smiles?"
Nol raised the corner of his mouth. "I'm more than willing."
Teest: "Of course. My honey is ahead, but I'll catch up with all my might."
"Great!" Edith hugged her nervous husband. "Exchange the rings—oh, these rings are pretty nice—sorry, I mean, I now pronounce you husbands!"
"Blessings to you both!" Thacker struggled to clap. "Now you may kiss each other."
Nol lifted his hand, his wedding ring still warm from Teest's touch. In front of him, the Mad Monk was smiling as usual. Only now, Teest's smile had less mockery, more subtle relief, and a barely noticeable trace of regret. With black hair and a black suit, the sunlight slanted down, the blue rose on Teest's chest gently swaying in the wind.
Nol reached out with both hands, cradling Teest's face. As Teest leaned in to kiss his lips, Nol slightly tilted his head up and kissed Teest's eyes instead, as if trying to kiss away that faint trace of regret.
The next moment, Nol's head was held firm. Teest returned it with a deep kiss, mixed with nips, almost as if trying to steal all the air from his lungs.
"Half a minute," Thacker whispered softly. "You two, the night is long—"
"What does it matter?" Edith watched with interest. "It's not good to interrupt friends, Thacker."
"Haa… Let's eat first." Nol ended the deep kiss with a flushed face, his white suit now slightly wrinkled. "Can't let… the guests go hungry."
Teest slowly straightened up, letting out a long hum.
He snapped his fingers, and the concealing magic instantly vanished—
A round table large enough for six was laden with Teest's specialty home-cooked dishes and perfectly chilled, refreshing champagne. In the center of the table sat a two-tiered fruit cake, a dessert so exquisite Thacker had never seen before.
"Did you get a new product from 'Good Blessings'?" Edith noticed the big cake at first glance.
"It was custom ordered from a far-off place. If you both like it, we can order it for you." Nol observed the Flama couple's reaction earnestly.
Actually, the cake was bought from the most upscale shop in City A. Even Nol was shocked by the price. Fortunately, he could magically create gold, so it wasn't a big issue.
"Give it a try," Teest declared cheerfully. "I guarantee it's very delicious."
Thacker decisively reached out with his fork, only for Edith to gently slap his hand back. "There's serious business first!"
Then she raised her glass. "Congratulations, you two! Cheers—"
"Cheers!"
...
After the meal, the two families joyfully spent their time together for an afternoon. As the sun set, the Flama couple took a carriage back to the city, taking half of the remaining cake with them.
They indeed loved that fruit cake.
Night fell, and only Nol and Teest remained in the bedroom of the vacation cottage. They were still in their day's suits, their wedding rings properly on their ring fingers.
One bunch of blue roses was given to the Flama couple, while the other lay by the bedside, bathing in the silver moonlight, the light blue almost melting into the night.
Teest pressed against Nol from behind, his chin resting on Nol's shoulder, leisurely unbuttoning Nol's suit as if it wasn't fabric but the tender, fragile skin of prey.
"Honey."
"Hm?"
"During dinner, you kept watching my parents." Teest's fingertips flicked the buttons one by one. "You've never done that before. I'm a bit curious why."
"Because this marriage ceremony wasn't perfect." Nol turned his face, kissing Teest's hair. "In front of family, not being able to marry in our true identities and appearances, you felt some regret."
"I did. Thinking all this is thanks to Star Stealer Sol, it's upsetting."
Teest's hand stopped moving, and Nol felt a subtle shift in weight. Teest relaxed some strength, laying more of his weight on Nol.
"But now I have great power, a steady supply of stable prey, and three homes. How does that saying go… Hm, I'm doing very well."
"The Mad Monk I know should be greedier." Nol's hand reached for his chest, covering Teest's hand. "Don't forget how we won our way here."
Teest puzzledly caressed the white fabric, then suddenly, he realized something, his eyes brightening.
The Flama family's tragic death was witnessed by many, followed by an investigation by the Temple of Life. In the end, the bones of the family of five were displayed in the destroyed courtyard, visible to all passersby.
Fate was inescapable. They couldn't change that.
But it was precisely by tearing through fate that they reached this point today.
If, just if. They spent countless hours fully understanding the Flama family. They would know the Flama family's joys and sorrows, their habitual details, and their most natural reactions when faced with mortal danger.
Just by creating perfectly identical flesh puppets and prearranging the most perfect reactions, even if many familiar neighbors witnessed it, even if high-ranking Temple officials performed the autopsy, no one would notice anything unusual.
In that case, Nol could seal them into the system a few hours before the Flama family was massacred, until the day everything ended.
Teest buried his nose in Nol's shoulder, taking a deep breath.
"True to my knight, it seems you've guessed." Nol softly said, "Unlike with Little Piel, deceiving fate this time will be very, very difficult, needing a considerable amount of time… but it's worth the challenge."
"Praise you, my generous Master." Teest tightened his arms, biting Nol's ear. His God was indeed a genius at exploiting loopholes… No, he should say, "a true God" ought to create such miracles.
Amid the rustling of fabric, Teest's hair fell over. One hand propped Nol's face as he gazed down at Nol's smile.
"One last question." Teest slowly fastened Nol's left hand, feeling the firm ring.
"Why?" Everything seemed perfect.
Teest knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it spoken—
'Because I hope you can have a goal again, a far-reaching goal that can ignite your eyes,' Nol thought.
'Because I want to embark on a journey with you again, a journey with a common destination,' Nol thought.
'Because I don't want you to have the slightest disappointment in my world,' Nol thought.
"Do you still have to ask?"
Nol's body shifted slightly and a will-o'-wisp lit up the room. The blue roses by the bed flickered like flames.
"Today we swore an oath, Mr. God of Vows."
To love each other deeply, support each other, give each other the best smiles. And it never ends.
The author has something to say:
Then they went crazy (details omitted)
The next side story will be a wedding on Earth! One ceremony in each hometown, suddenly going local… The Earth wedding will definitely be lively!
Lord Nol is still that Nol who can't stand a single flaw, highly rated by the Mad Monk.