Papa, I’m here!

The place Lovell said was more important than a greeting turned out to be the town’s tiny church.

Opening the door of the deserted, quiet church, I heard the rusty creak of the hinges.

Stepping into the nave with a groan, I found a man cleaning alone. No one else around.

“Oh my, oh my… what brings you to such a place?”

The man in his forties, holding a broom and looking like a priest, turned toward me. Then he froze at the sight of Lovell with silver hair.

"M—may I be so bold… is that Hero Lovell?"

Lovell sighed. So the wanted posters have reached even this backwater. But he simply nodded and got straight to the point.

“Can I file a marriage license here?”

“…Huh?”

He didn’t believe his ears. Albert, standing behind him, let out a startled gasp.

"Lord Lovell!?!"

"I’m having a wedding over there. Wanted a certificate here, thought I’d try."

"Lord Lovell, you’re already married…!? So that’s how it is. Yes, I may only be a low-ranking priest, but I can issue the documents."

"Thank goodness."

"Bu-but is that really alright? You’re a noble… shouldn’t you be getting married at the grand cathedral in the capital… not here…?"

"Complicated circumstances. No time for ceremony. I want to tie the knot right now."

"R-right now!?!"

"Hurry up."

"Y-yes!!"

He tossed the broom aside and bolted into the back room.

Once the priest was gone, Albert pressed in on Lovell.

"You’re telling me you’ve already got a child… and you’re married? What kind of nonsense is this!?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. I’m a son-in-law by adoption."

"Whaaat!?!"

The priest, startled by Albert’s shout, flew into the adjacent room, gasping, “What’s going on!? What’s happening!?”

“Fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Albert’s mouth flapped open, stunned speechless. Ignoring him, the priest set down the large book he’d brought onto the main altar.

“Um… Lovell-sama, your partner…?”

In a marriage ceremony, both parties sign a large book.

This book is a magical text, managed by the church. When both sign it, they’re officially recognized as spouses.

“Now, call him.”

“…Huh?”

With Albert’s bewildered face still in view, Lovell called out.

“Ori, come here. Let’s get married right here.”

Watching from the water mirror, mother and everyone else exchanged glances—what in the world was going on?—only to realize, to their shock, that Lovell was actually going through with a wedding.

“Kyaaaaaahh, Lovelluuu!!”

Watching my mother vanish with a smile, I peeked into the water mirror again, muttering, "Papa, come on, come on..."

Suddenly, Origin appeared in a flash of light and threw herself into Lovell’s arms. The momentum sent them spinning in a dizzying circle.

"Adorable! I didn’t know weddings could happen in the Human World too!!"

"Not fancy, but… can you forgive me?"

"Of course, you."

And then they kissed. The priest and Albert stood there, mouths agape, frozen in disbelief.

"S-she’s a spirit, isn’t she?!"

"Ah, yes, she is."

"Oh, hello, it’s been ages, hasn’t it?"

Origin answered cheerfully, and Albert’s face twisted in shock.

Right—ten years ago… during that Monster Tempest… that was Origin who’d taken Lovell to the Spirit World. Albert finally realized it.

"I'm already bound to Orl with a half-spirit contract. Since this is a spirit wedding, there shouldn't be any issue."

With that, Lovell turned back toward the priest.

＊＊＊

The priest couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

In this country, worship was centered on the goddess.

Voor, who sees all, and Vaar, who judges. And Origin, hailed as the mother of all.

Everything symbolic was a goddess. The world was taught to be upheld by goddesses alone.

Gods were meant to be guardians and warriors, protectors who stood beside the goddesses.

The priest was frozen in place, staring at the woman before him—she looked exactly like the goddess statue enshrined in the cathedral.

And now she was claiming to be a spirit. He wanted to demand an explanation, but the sight of Lovell and Origin standing close together—so close, so naturally—made him feel he had no choice but to offer his blessing.

The priest didn’t ask a single question. He stared straight ahead, opened the marriage document, and began reciting the vows, pen in hand.

The ceremony proceeded. They exchanged promises, signed the papers.

The wedding in the water mirror looked much like Earth’s—similar, but not quite the same. No ring exchange, at least.

From the perspective of elemental spirits, it was only natural I’d want to give them something.

So, I teleport straight into the church.

My sudden appearance made Papa, Mama, and the others gasp in surprise.

“Papa, Mama, congratulations!”

I say, and summon two floating rings into the air.

Atomic number 78! Platinum!

“Please, both of you—extend your left hands.”

They blink, confused, but obey, holding out their left hands.

"The left ring finger is said to be directly connected to the heart, symbolizing creation. It carries meanings like protecting someone from the heart, love and happiness, wishes made real... all that."

The other two, frozen in confusion by my sudden appearance, remain silent as my father listens intently.

A soft white light wraps around my left ring finger. Then, a single drop—like a tear—falls.

Atomic number six! Carbon... which makes diamonds!!

As the one who commands elements, I’ve got a cheat: I can rearrange compounds and structures at will.

I fuse the diamond with the ring, adjust the size, add delicate craftsmanship, and finally, pour in my wish.

"May your bond be eternal, unshakable, pure and innocent... May this diamond bless you both with all that!"

The blessing I poured into the ring was just a simple wish for good health and a little sparkle from the ring... but then—

sunlight burst through the cathedral’s stained glass, and rainbow-colored beams poured in. Then, sparkling droplets of light began to dance down from the sky.

It felt like we were being blessed directly by the divine...

"Aah... what is this...?"

"Ah, the Dual Goddesses themselves have blessed us! Sister Vaar and Sister Voar!"

Mother’s cheerful voice made the priest jump.

"The Dual Goddesses...!?!"

"Shall we pay them a visit next time?"

"Fu fu, yes we should! We must thank them properly!"

The priest and Albert were utterly stunned, caught off guard by Origin’s casual agreement with Lovell’s offhand remark.

Embarrassed by my own enthusiasm, I went and made things worse.

"No rice shower, though!"

I scattered diamonds set in brilliant cuts like a rice shower from above, raining down on the two of them.

Sparkles trickled down like rainbow trails, wrapping around them both.

They looked absolutely delighted by the dreamlike sight, then called out to me.

I giggled with joy and leapt toward them—only to be sandwiched between the two of them, my father lifting me up. I felt the warmth of my father’s kiss on one cheek, my mother’s on the other, and burst out laughing, tickled.

"Happy to receive such a wonderful blessing from my daughter."

"Yes, you are."

The priest snapped back to himself, finishing the final words of the blessing.

"By the will of the divine, marriage is acknowledged. From this moment forth, you are wed!!"

The marriage certificate glowed with light at the priest’s voice. And so, Lovell was officially recognized as married to Origin.

"Thank you, Father. As you know, my wife and child are... unusual, so I thought a wedding ceremony in this world would be impossible. And... I’d prefer this stay quiet. My wife and child might be targeted by careless souls otherwise."

The priest nodded slowly, eyes flickering with understanding.

"Thank you. It means a lot to be recognized by humans."

"Sorry I made such a mess."

That was my apology. The central aisle of the church—called the nave—sparkled with diamonds I’d scattered earlier.

I gathered them with magic, held them in both hands, and offered them to the priest.

"Here, Father. Use them if you ever need help."

He took the diamonds, and my father handed over a heavy bag full of gold coins in return.

"Thank you."

Yeah, we smiled. Three of us, walking back down the nave, like we were just a family doing the usual.

The priest left behind stood frozen, dazed. Albert, coming back to himself, hurried after the three of them by way of the side path, avoiding the nave they’d just passed through.

Walking behind the bridal aisle was said to trample on the couple’s future, a disruption. Albert seemed unexpectedly aware of this.

The priest left behind wept softly, tears streaming down his face, hands still clutching diamonds, long after the sun had set and the church had grown dark.