In the early afternoon of the next day, wagons came one by one to the garden of the mansion, bringing in goods one after another.

　The maids accepted them and Mari wrote them down, making a list.

"Dear Alec, is this ......?

　Angel asked with a surprised look on her face when she returned from outside.
　I could feel Calamity coming back at the back of the garden, so they must have gone somewhere to practice their healing magic again.

Welcome back Angel. It's our wedding gift.
"A wedding gift, is it?
Yes, I sent out the invitation for the ceremony the other day, so you received it and sent me a congratulations.
You've got a lot of ......

　Angel's eyes were black and white as he looked at the piles of gifts that were being brought in one after another.

Alec, to whom did you send the invitation?
All the noblemen of the Empire . . and all the maids' parents' houses.
"I see.
I took the invitation to Hossen and Miller's by myself.
"For your sister?
I didn't send it. Eliza is Angel's sister and the Emperor. She's your family, and it's a form of 'performance'.
That's right.
Yes. Let's go say hello to Angel's father when we're done. I'll ask for your daughter.
"Huh?　But Alec, your father is a baronet, right?

　Surprised Angers.
　My marriage to Angier is also the union of a vice-imperial and a quasi-baronet.
　Ostensibly, my going out creates a lot of problems.

Yes, so let's go secretly. Let me say 'please give me your daughter' properly.
"...... yes!

　Angel nodded happily.
　We stared at each other, me and Angel, and it got a little nice.

"My lord,

　Then the head maid Amelia came in.

What's up, Amelia?
"Sorry, too many gifts, no room for more.
"Oh,

　Look behind Amelia.
　The gifts piled up like a mountain. The maids are sorting through them, moving them to the mansions and storage rooms.

Won't they go in?
Yes. There are more of them than expected, and they are no longer in the compound.
"Okay--Calamity.

　I called out with my magic, and a presence moved from deep within the garden.
　A calamity slithered out from behind me, not usually seen in public.

　There was a commotion.
　There was a stir among the noblemen's messengers, bringing gifts.

Hey, what's that?
"The guardian dragon of the empire: ......
"You're really here.

"Calamity
"What, Lord,

　The buzz grew again with Calamity's "Lord" comment.

"Work with Amelia to bring the items we received and listed to Carlisle's mansion.
"Yes, sir.



　The loudest buzz of the day - something akin to a cheer - came from the crowd.
　Maybe it's because I saw him use calamity on his chin.

"Mari.
"Yes.

　I called up Mari, who is helping me make a list.

How long have you been back?
"Uh, ......
Divide it by the number of people . Since it's a ceremony where the deputy emperor welcomes his rightful wife, it's safe to assume that the celebration will return 100%.
"I see!　That would be ...... er... ...... um... that ......

　Snarling, Mari is good at letters but not at math.

"Well, about 30%, is ......?
"Yes.

　I don't want to get into the nitty-gritty numbers.
　The math is hazy, but one thing is clear.

　There's more to come.

What can we do, Alec?
Yes, ......
"Gee, Master.

　As I was fretting, Agnes came rushing in, "What's wrong?

What's up, Agnes?


It comes from a place called Psyche Village.
"Psyche Village?

　Agnes glances behind her, and I follow her gaze.

　Then, unlike the luxurious wagons and luggage of the noblemen, there are familiar villagers around them, with simple ox carts loaded with piles of food.

　Psyche Village.
　This is the village where I first started buying food.

　They didn't send me an invitation, but they heard about it and sent me a gift to congratulate me.

They say it was the sentiment of the whole village.
"Oh, well, I suppose I should thank you for that--hmm?
What is the matter with you, master?
The bullock cart is coming again. It's not the Psyche Village, is it?
"Huh?　Really. I'm going to ask him.

　Agnes hurriedly ran to talk to the newly arrived villagers and ran back again.

I understand, Linnetra, master.
When you think of Linethras, you think of Lotus.
"Oh, I'll be back!　I'm off.

　Agnes found them and ran to the front of the mansion to find another group of villages that had arrived at the front of the house.

　This time they didn't come back.
　After listening to the conversation, she was about to come back, but another group of people from what looked like a different village came by and went to talk to her.
　Not one or two, but so many that Agnes couldn't come back for a while.

　They seem to be from a village in Alexander's territory.
　Unlike the nobles, the expense of traveling here is considerable for a peasant, so we didn't invite them, but we heard what they had to say and sent our congratulations.

That's great, Master Alec. Everyone is so grateful to you, Master Alec.
Thank you. After Avalon, let's have a ceremony in Carlisle's territory once. To make it easier for everyone to come.
"Yes!

　Angel agreed to my proposal with a smile.
　As I watched the villagers arrive one by one, I continued to formulate in my mind what the ceremony would be like in Carlisle territory.