In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 21 Read online

  He was handsome and seemed like the type who’d be popular with women, but he also had a kind of feminine twang to his voice. I decided not to be rude and ask him about that. It wasn’t any of my business, after all.

  “Once the wedding ends, they will tour the world at their own discretion. Fret not, though. I have told them to try not to engage in anything reckless.”

  Personally, I’d have preferred to forbid it instead of asking politely... However, I had heard that gods weren’t allowed to come down to the mortal realm unless they had a good deal of knowledge on how to conduct themselves, so ideally, everything would work out okay.

  “Now then, we do not wish to overstay our welcome. We will be on our way. Best of luck, my lad.”

  “Oh, yeah. Thank you.”

  The other gods bowed their heads and took their leave. None of them really stood out other than the strength god or the theater god, though.

  I was a little anxious about having close to twenty gods in my wedding party, but stranger things had happened.

  I sighed softly as Kougyoku came flying through the nearby window.

  “Welcome back. What’s the situation?”

  “From what I’ve seen, your guests are gathering with little in the way of incident.”

  I had Kougyoku scout out the ceremonial area. We’d chosen to have a garden wedding, and had partially renovated the courtyard to that end. The reason for that was simple enough, really. Our castle’s audience hall didn’t have the space to accommodate the sheer amount of guests.

  Cesca, the terminal gynoid in charge of Babylon’s garden, had been working tirelessly to turn our courtyard into the perfect wedding venue. Our gardener Julio had also been working hard to cultivate the right aesthetic. By the end of it all, our ordinary yard had transformed into a gorgeous paradise with plenty of flowers.

  I was honestly surprised that the perverted maid could do something so amazing. Even if it made sense due to her being in charge of Babylon’s garden, she hadn’t inspired much confidence in me through her conduct. Honestly, the smug grin on her face still pissed me off... but she’d definitely done enough to earn my praise.

  All the Babylon gynoids came down to attend the wedding as well. Naturally, Doctor Babylon, Elluka, and Fenrir were also in attendance.

  Shirogane and the three maid Gollems (Ruby, Saph, and Emerl) had come from Drakliff Island. They were all working under Laim’s instruction.

  We were a little short on general service staff, so we had members of our knight order work as butlers and maids. Naturally, they’d get bonuses for their hard work. The three kunoichi working under Tsubaki were also maids for the day.

  A knock suddenly came at the door. It was Laim again.

  “It’s time, Your Highness.”

  “...Yeah. I guess it is.”

  I started to hype myself up by slapping my cheeks a couple of times for motivation. Then, I started to panic because I didn’t want to go out with red marks on my face, since that would’ve started a bunch of rumors.

  I took a deep breath, in and out. Once I calmed myself down, I followed Laim.

  A-Am I walking right? A-Am I gonna be okay?!

  “My liege... You’re swinging your right leg and your right arm out quite rigidly at the same time.”

  “Ah...” I paused slightly at Kohaku’s words. I hadn’t even noticed my own nervous conduct, which wasn’t a good sign.

  “I’m more worried than I thought...”

  “Fret not, sir. The king of Belfast was so nervous before his wedding that he kept drinking water right before the ceremony began.”

  “Really?”

  “Indeed. He was so desperate to use the bathroom throughout the ceremony that he can’t even remember the celebratory speeches that were given.”

  I was more amused that Laim remembered those details, but given he once worked in service of Belfast that seemed reasonable. Plus, it was honestly a little reassuring to know that I wasn’t the only monarch in the world to have pre-wedding jitters.

  “The king of Belfast used to tell this story to others quite openly. He said that too much tension and stress would never bear good results. The way to proceed is with relaxed shoulders and an easy-going gait.”

  Easy-going, huh...? I guess my main fear here is how different I’m acting. Maybe I should just take it easy and be more authentically me. Yeah... That sounds good.

  “Are you alright now?”

  “Yeah. Sorry for making you worry.”

  “There’s no need to apologize. In fact, I should be thanking you for indulging an old man’s chatter,” Laim said that, smiled, and continued onwards. I certainly felt a bit better. Things were probably going to be okay... Probably, at least...

  Eventually, we reached the door to the venue-decked courtyard. Nikola and Norue, sub-commanders of the knight order, stood on either side of the door. They weren’t dressed in their usual armor. Instead, they wore formal attire that was much more suitable for the occasion.

  Beyond the door, I could hear music starting up, playing through Babylon’s speakers. We didn’t have a personal orchestra, so this was our best alternative.

  The music was, of course, Mendelssohn’s classic Wedding March. Some people preferred Wagner’s Bridal Chorus, but I wasn’t among them. The trumpet fanfare really set the mood, and the rhythmic sounds set my heart at ease.

  Plus, Wagner’s composition was originally from a tragic opera named “Lohengrin.” Mendelssohn’s was based on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which was considerably lighter in tone... Not that it was completely free of turmoil, mind you.

  Either way, I wanted my wedding to be a story that ended happily.

  Right when the fanfare peaked, Nikola and Norue opened up the great door before me. The guests were all lined up along the aisle, cheering and clapping. Royal weddings were traditionally quiet and somber affairs in this world, but we decided that we wanted to break that tradition and make it fun for all our attendees.

  I showed the girls a video of a girl walking down the aisle, and they all said they wanted to do that. Apparently, there was also a similar practice in this world. The practice involved the groom walking with his mother, and the bride walking with her father. It was similar to the method I knew, but also a little different.

  As I walked out with Kohaku and the other summons, a sudden rain of dancing cherry blossoms began falling down. It continued as I made my way toward the altar, which was modest, but adorned with many beautiful flowers. Cesca had decked it out with the most beautiful ones she’d ever cultivated.

  I stopped by the side of the small staircase that led up to the altar. That was the spot where I’d await my brides.

  Eventually, the door opened, revealing three individuals. Two women, one man. The man, who stood in the middle, was Joseph. Completely free of his traumatic fear, he beamed broadly as he walked arm-in-arm with his nieces, Elze and Linze.

  “Ooh! Look!”

  “Goodness, they’re beautiful!”

  Our guests murmured in awe as the girls continued their march.

  I’d seen their dresses before, but I hadn’t seen them wearing them. They were in a princess line style, gently blooming outward from the waistline to the hem.

  Despite their contrasting personalities, they both looked equally beautiful. I remembered the day I’d met them in Reflet just like yesterday... At the time, I’d have never expected to marry them.

  Elze had a harsh, go-getter personality... but she was secretly quite gentle and kind. She had a habit of keeping her anxieties bottled up inside, but she was always there for others. That was why I wanted to be there to support her.

  Linze, on the other hand, seemed quite meek at a glance. However, she was actually one of the strongest people I knew. Her heart was a wellspring of kindness, and she was dedicated to a fault. She never ceased to amaze me with the things she did, so I wanted to see how far she could go.

  Joseph walked slowly, taking care not to step
on their dresses. He looked a little nervous, but he was leaps and bounds beyond his earlier lack of composure. Elze and Linze looked quite nervous as well, but their veils blocked a clear view of their expressions.

  They gradually made their way toward the altar. And once they reached me, Joseph bowed his head.

  “Please treat them with care.”

  “I’ll make them happy, I promise.”

  I bowed my head back to Joseph, who was probably too nervous to fully look me in the eye, before I took Elze’s hand and led her up to the altar.

  In much the same fashion, I led Linze by the hand before taking my position back at the base of the stairs.

  Joseph moved to his seat, and the doors opened once more. This time it was Yae and her father, Jubei. They proceeded down the aisle as Elze and Linze did.

  Yae was wearing a wedding dress, which almost seemed strange given her Japan-esque heritage. Her father, however, was wearing a hakama. That kind of balanced the image out.

  The order in which the girls appeared matched the order in which I’d met them. After I met Elze and Linze, I’d encountered Yae on one of my outings. Back then, I was amazed by her swordplay, since she dispatched a bunch of bad guys with ease.

  She seemed like a bit of a blockhead at times, but she was truly skilled and earnest. Family was never far from her mind, and her soft heart had helped me through tough times. Yae’s smile could soothe everyone in the vicinity.

  As Yae appeared before me, I took her hand. Her father looked me dead in the eye.

  “My daughter is in your care, now.”

  “Thank you. I promise to look after her.”

  Jubei bowed, and I led Yae up to the altar to stand with the other two girls.

  Next through the door was Sue, along with Duke Ortlinde.

  It wasn’t long after I met Yae that I met Sue. If I hadn’t met her, then I’d have never met Yumina... And I definitely wouldn’t have become a world leader in that case.

  When I met Sue, she was definitely childlike, but she had a more mature charm to her now. She was the youngest of the group, around twelve or so... Though, she was nearly thirteen. I couldn’t help but think that was a little young, but I didn’t want to postpone the wedding or exclude her from the ceremony. That was why I was happy to see her in front of me.

  She was extremely energetic and excitable, always getting into trouble. And she could be a little self-centered sometimes, but that mischievous side of her had a certain charm to it.

  I took Sue’s hand and led her toward the altar steps.

  “That girl worries me plenty, so... please take good care of her.”

  “I will, don’t worry. I know how to keep her from acting out.”

  Duke Ortlinde smiled at me, then bowed his head. Sue pouted as if to chastise her father’s worries, then scampered up the steps on her own.

  The door opened once more, and my fifth bride-to-be appeared. It was Yumina. Her father, King Belfast, stood by her side.

  Yumina was the boldest of all my fiancees, and she ended up placing herself by my side before I even knew it. I was happy to accept her feelings, in the end, because I couldn’t imagine life without her.

  Sometimes, it felt like I was just dancing in the palm of her hand, but I thought that side of her was charming and interesting as well.

  The two of them walked down the aisle before stopping in front of me.

  “Touya, lad... Please look after my daughter.”

  “I will.”

  I nodded at King Belfast as I took Yumina’s hand. She slowly walked up to the altar.

  Leen came next. Her parents had already moved on from this world, so the beastking of Mismede had stepped in to walk with her. Paula was also seated as one of her guests.

  Even in her wedding dress, she looked cheeky as ever. She was a lot older than me, but she had a childish sense of mischief to her that often shone through. Really, her age was just a number.

  Without her urging me, I’d have never tried to pursue Babylon’s legacy. I’d have never gotten my hands on the Frame Gears, and the Phrase invasion might have devastated the world... In a way, my meeting with Leen might have saved the entire planet.

  I took the beautiful savior’s hand, then flashed her a smile.

  “Y’best treat my court mage well, Touya.”

  “You can count on it. I won’t ever stop.”

  The beastking grinned broadly, then turned around to take his seat.

  Leen headed up to the altar, and the door opened once more. Lu walked through this time, with the emperor of Regulus by her side.

  The emperor, who was once on his deathbed, looked like the picture of health. Last I heard, he planned to abdicate and leave the imperial throne to Lu’s brother.

  I remembered meeting Lu during the Regulus coup. I was glad I made it... If I’d been any later, terrible things would’ve happened there.

  Lu managed to develop her cooking skills, and I knew just how hard she’d been working to pursue her dreams. She was the kind of person who focused on a goal and never stopped until she reached it. And honestly, I wanted to follow her example.

  The emperor gently bowed his head to me.

  “Please keep my daughter safe.”

  “I promise I will.”

  I led Lu up to the altar, then waited for the door to open again. When it did, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

  Sakura appeared, her veil concealing the look of disgust she had directed toward her openly weeping father. I knew she’d have preferred her mother, Fiana, but the Overlord had gotten down on his knees and begged to walk her down the aisle, so she reluctantly agreed.

  Sakura walked rather briskly down the aisle as if to get it over with quickly. Those two really had a long way to go with their relationship.

  I remembered my first meeting with Sakura. She was on the verge of death thanks to assassins from Yulong. Terrible things would’ve happened to her if not for the Babylon tech I had at my disposal...

  Sakura was usually quiet and not all that emotional, but her singing voice conveyed all manner of feelings. I wanted to continue to nurture that talent of hers, and thereby help her bring joy to even more people.

  Once Sakura made it to the steps, she took my hand and quickly proceeded to the altar.

  Just as I was letting out a small chuckle, the overlord grabbed me by the shoulders.

  “M-Make my daughter happy or I’ll never forgive you! Ever!”

  “I-I’ll do my best.”

  Auuugh! Get your face away from me! You’re gonna get snot and tears all over my tux!

  The overlord scampered away to his seat, which didn’t exactly inspire confidence. I was somewhat worried about how he’d act as my father-in-law, to be honest.

  I almost got lost in thought when Hilde strode through the doors with her father, the former king of Lestia.

  Hilde was the seventh of the girls who got engaged to me, but she was the last of them in terms of meeting order.

  She usually had a chivalrous, knightly air to her. But today, her dainty and feminine features took center stage. She wielded a bouquet of flowers instead of a sword, and a gorgeous dress adorned her body instead of shining armor.

  I respected how sincere and responsible she was. Though, there was also a side of her that tended to overdo things. Even so, that was something that made her unique, and it made me want to support her.

  “May good fortune bless the union between you and my daughter.”

  “Thank you.”

  I took Hilde’s hand from the former knight king and showed her up to the altar. We’d all gathered at last.

  I bowed to her father, and he found his seat. Then, I headed up the steps to the altar. The Wedding March, which had been playing on a loop, finally came to an end.

  “In the name of the Celestial Spirit King, come forth...” I whispered quietly in order to summon the Pillar Spirits to the altar. I wanted to keep it down, since there were a few people in the audience who understood the lang
uage of the spirits.

  A pillar of fire erupted into the air above the altar. Next came a rushing wall of water, and then a whirling gust. A clump of sand and stone rose from the ground, followed by an orb of light, and then a clump of shadowy darkness.

  “Wow...”

  “Amazing... I-Is this really happening?!”

  The crowd roared in excitement as the elements danced through the air before suddenly vanishing. In their place, six clearly inhuman girls floated above the altar.

  They were the six pillar spirits of fire, water, wind, earth, light, and darkness.

  “Ooh!”

  “S-Spirits! They’re really here!”

  The sight of the spirits whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

  Spirits were considered more tangible objects of worship than gods. And so, they were largely considered more sacred than abstract deities. The people of the Sea of Trees region even worshiped a great tree spirit.

  Some people held fast to the belief that spirits were servants of higher powers that had created the world. I knew that to actually be true, since God Almighty had confirmed it to me.

  “We, the Pillar Spirits, do hereby declare the union between the Grand Duke of Brunhild and his nine brides a blessed one,” the Spirit of Light spoke in a soft, calming voice.

  As if by magic, the uproarious crowd suddenly fell into stunned silence. And I wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t common for spirits to appear for weddings, much less ones of this status. Plus, only a few people in the crowd could understand their language. With the exception of the gods in the audience, I had a feeling everyone had been brought to a state of utter shock and awe.

  Luckily, nobody but me seemed to have noticed how nervous the pillar spirits were. It was only natural, though. The gods themselves were in the audience, and they were blessing the wedding of their king. I felt a little sorry for them, since they were clearly under a lot of pressure.

  Either way, they were doing a great job.

  “W-Well then... May you share in joy and sorrow... and step forward to a life of love,” the Fire Spirit spoke with just a teeny bit of tension in her voice. She was holding it together pretty well.