FF Chapter 79: The Engagement Party (Patreon)

AN: I wanted to give everyone a heads up that I will be taking a brief hiatus that will last anywhere from a week to two weeks. I know it hasn't been that long since my last hiatus, but the holidays kept me busy and I didn't write as much as I wanted to. I will also take this time to think about the future and the direction I want to take my writing. Depending on how it goes, there will be big changes coming up. To avoid charging anyone when I shouldn't, I'll pause billing for Patreon as soon as this chapter goes up.

Happy Holidays!

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After our visit to the Landau Theater, Lina and I decided to hold our engagement party right away. We did this for multiple reasons. The first, and least important, was that we had already made all the preparations. We wrote all the invitations, decorated the banquet hall in Kaltbrand Manor, ordered the rings, and the myriad other details needed for this sort of thing.

The second reason was that our families were in Haven. Now that Mom and Dad had arrived, there wasn’t any reason to hold off anymore. There were still several details that we needed to work out, such as the marriage contract itself, but at least we could go through with the engagement.

The marriage between Lina and I wasn’t just between us, it was a union between House Kaltbrand and House Guld. Like any marriage between noble families, it was also a political alliance and a business deal. However, Lina and I decided to worry about the marriage contract later. Getting engaged first was more urgent.

The third, and most important, reason why Lina and I wanted to hold our engagement party right away was that we didn’t want anything to delay it. During our day out, several events interrupted our outing. Prince Cornelius attempted to assassinate Leopold. Later on, Reinhard sought us out while we were at the Landau Theater. We feared that something would interrupt us and delay our engagement if we didn’t go through with it soon.

Lina and I set the date, sent out the invitations, and waited for the appointed day to arrive. However, we did make a few changes to our original plan. After the assassination attempt on Leopold, we invited a few more people who hadn’t been on the original guest list: Prince Dirk and his family.

Now that Mom and Dad had agreed to support Leopold’s bid for the throne, in exchange for some major concessions, this was the best way to meet with him without alerting any of our enemies. Prince Dirk maintained a good relationship with House Guld, so it wouldn’t look too suspicious to invite him and his to the engagement party.

Still, I hated that our engagement party couldn’t be just about Lina and I. Instead, the fight for the throne had wormed its way into that as well. I couldn’t wait until this whole situation was over and done with so we didn’t have to worry about it anymore. After Lina and I got married, we would go on a long honeymoon. After everything that happened, we deserved it.

On the day of the engagement party itself, Lina and I dressed in colors that represented our two families. I wore an outfit that was black, blue, and silver, while Lina wore a green and gold dress. However, our accessories represented the family we would marry into. I wore gold cufflinks with emeralds, while Lina wore silver earrings and a silver necklace that were both adorned with sapphires.

Afterwards, the two of us headed to the banquet hall in order to welcome everyone to the party. Anticipation and nervousness filled me in equal measure. Lina and I would be officially engaged. I had waited for this day for so long. Now that it arrived, I couldn’t help but fear that something would go wrong.

If Lina felt any fear or nervousness, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she wore a calm and serene expression on her face. I thought she looked radiant in her dress. Whenever I saw her, she reminded me of spring, full of warmth and vitality. Today was no exception.

When Lina and I arrived at the banquet hall, we took a look around. Everything looked resplendent. It was mid morning, so there was plenty of light. Like the two of us, the decorations inside represented both of our families. Black, blue, and silver, as well as gold and green. The atmosphere reminded me of both winter and spring. However, instead of clashing, there was a harmony between the two.

The tables were already laden with food. The smell made my mouth water. Again, it was a mix of fare from the Barrens and from the Riverlands. The two regions had different climates and culture, so their cuisines differed from one another. Lina and I wanted our families to sample both, which was one of the reasons why it took this long to host our engagement party. We had to bring the ingredients in from their respective regions.

Lina and I found Baron Kurz inside the banquet hall, directing the servants and taking care of any last minute details. The servants all went around with nervous expressions on their faces. When Baron Kurz noticed us, he bowed.

“My lord.” He said. “My lady.”

We nodded to him.

“Baron Kurz,” I said, “How is everything?”

The man stared at me, his eyes filled with determination.

“Everything will be perfect.” He said.

I understood his enthusiasm. The engagement party was the first social event hosted at Kaltbrand Manor in decades. While there wouldn’t be many guests, all of them were of high status. While Lina and I planned the engagement party, Baron Kurz and the servants of Kaltbrand Manor were the ones who did most of the actual work. It was almost as important to them as it was to us. They took pride in their skills, and this engagement party was a chance for them to prove themselves.

“Do you need any help, Baron Kurz?” Lina asked.

The butler shook his head.

“No, my lady.” He said. “We have everything in hand. All that is left is for the guests to arrive.”

I grinned.

“In that case, we shall get ready to greet them.” I said.

Baron Kurz nodded and went back to directing the servants. Meanwhile, Lina and I headed to the banquet hall’s entrance. Soon, it was time for the engagement party to start. Mom and Dad were, of course, the first ones to arrive. After all, they lived in Kaltbrand Manor. If they had been late, it would have looked as if they opposed the engagement.

Dad wore an outfit similar to mine, though his was more understated, while Mom wore a simple dress in House Kaltbrand’s colors. They looked good together, and I didn’t say so just because I was their son. I meant it. Dad wore a proud smile on his face, while Mom’s expression was stiff. Considering how much she disliked Lina, I considered this a victory.

Mom carried a small box in her hands. I assumed that this was their gift for us. In the Reichwald Empire, when a couple became engaged to one another and threw an engagement party, it was customary for the party guests to offer gifts. The quality and/or the thoughtfulness of the gift spoke of the guest’s regard for the couple. If Mom and Dad hadn’t rushed their marriage, we would have done the same for them.

“Mom.” I said. “Dad. Thank you for coming.”

Lina and I bowed to them.

“Of course we came.” Dad said with a snort. “Why wouldn’t we? It’s not everyday that our son gets engaged.” He glanced at Lina. “And to such a lovely young lady as well.”

Displeasure flashed across Mom’s face. It appeared and disappeared so fast that if I had blinked, I would have missed it.

“We just reunited and already it feels as if I’ve lost you to someone else.” She grumbled.

She glanced at Lina, who maintained her composure.

“Mom.” I said, a warning in my tone.

“I know, I know.” She said, before sighing. “Here. Take this.”

Mom handed the small box over to Lina, who accepted it with a nod.

“Open it.” Dad said, wearing an anticipatory smile on his face.

Lina obliged and opened the small box. Inside was an intricately crafted necklace made from a whitish-silver metal that reminded me of coldsteel but wasn’t. It housed a teardrop-shaped sapphire the size of a thumbnail.  Overall, it looked beautiful and elegant.

“This is the Tear of Winter.” Dad explained. “It is an heirloom of House Kaltbrand passed down to the heir if they’re a woman, or the heir’s spouse if they’re a man.” His smile dimmed. “My parents gave it to Johanna, when we got engaged, and now we’re passing it down to you.”

Johanna Kaltbrand was the late grand duchess and Dad’s previous wife. She was also Mom’s sister, making her both my aunt as well as my stepmother. My parents both loved her, and even now they still bore the scars from her death.

I glanced at Mom. She never received the Tear of Winter before she married Dad. I wondered how she felt about that. Was she hurt by this? Jealous? I feared as much. However, my fears were unfounded. Mom wore a melancholic expression on her face and she grew misty eyed.

“Johanna looked beautiful wearing this necklace.” She said, her voice a little rough. She looked at Lina. “And I’m sure you will too.”

Lina nodded, a solemn expression on her face.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” She said. “I shall cherish this. In fact, why don’t I put this on now?” She looked at me. “Will you help me, Wulfram?”

I nodded and helped Lina remove her current necklace and put on the Tear of Winter. The whitish-silver metal felt cool to the touch, though not as much as coldsteel.

“What is this metal?” I asked, glancing at Dad.

“Coldsilver.” He answered. “It’s an alloy of coldsteel that our family came up with a few centuries ago. We created very little of it, since it’s not as good at channeling mana and holding enchantments as coldsteel. What little coldsilver we did create we turned into jewelry.”

Ah, that made sense. Coldsteel was already a rare enough material, and most of it was used to create weapons. No one would waste any to create an inferior alloy. Still, it was beautiful. No wonder House Kaltbrand turned whatever coldsilver they did make into jewelry.

After I helped Lina put on the Tear of Winter, I stepped back and examined it. As Mom said, Lina looked beautiful wearing the necklace. From the expressions on their faces, Mom and Dad felt the same way.

With that, we let Mom and Dad go so they could take their seats. A few moments later, Emmerich arrived. He looked… There was no polite way to put it. Emmerich looked terrible. He was thinner than before, his skin was almost as pale as mine, and he had dark circles underneath his eyes. Even the well tailored outfit he wore did little to hide this. If anything, it emphasized his terrible condition.

“Emmerich!” Lina scolded. “Look at you! When was the last time you slept?”

Emmerich opened his mouth to answer, but yawned instead.

“I’m fine, Big Sis.” He said, sounding tired. “I slept last night.” He squinted. “No, the night before.”

Lina narrowed her eyes at him.

“What about meals?” She asked. “I know the servants delivered food to you, but it doesn’t look like you ate any of it.”

Emmerich squinted again.

“Yesterday?” He asked, as if unsure of the answer himself.

Lina took a deep breath before responding.

“You are banned from conducting any research or performing any experiments.” She said. “At least until you recover your health.”

Emmerich gave her an affronted look.

“But Big Sis-…” He started to say, but Lina cut him off.

“No buts.” She said. “I know that you want to find a way to protect yourself from Reinhard, but you shouldn’t wreck your health in the process.” She grasped him by the shoulders with a worried expression on her face. “Look at you. You’re nothing but skin and bones.”

Emmerich still looked rebellious, but he backed down after a stern look from Lina.

“Fine.” He said with a sigh. “I’ll make sure to sleep well and eat my meals on time.” He gave her an annoyed look. “Happy?”

Lina nodded.

“Yes.” She said, before kissing him on the cheek. “Now, where is our gift?”

Emmerich laughed at that.

“I see,” he said, “That’s what you’re really worried about.”

Lina gave him a baffled look, though I noticed the corners of her lips twitching upward.

“Of course.” She said. “Why would you state the obvious?”

Emmerich laughed again, before pulling a pair of gold bracelets out of his pocket. Both of them were magic tools. Each one had sockets for mana crystals, though these were empty at the moment.

“When activated, these will create a magic barrier that will protect their wearers,” Emmerich explained. “With everything that is going on, I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.”

Lina and I each accepted a bracelet. Mine wasn’t as useful for me, since I had Aura, but it was the thought that counted. Besides, Lina had neither magic nor Aura nor divine power. Something like this could save her life when I wasn’t around to protect her.

Lina scolded and nagged Emmerich some more, before she let him go sit down. Afterwards, the remaining guests arrived. First came the rest of House Guld. Like Lina, they all wore green and gold clothing.

Father and Sieg looked grumpy, while Mother and Mika wore bright smiles. It presented an interesting, and amusing, contrast. Lady Amalina, who accompanied Sieg, remained composed.

“Greetings, everyone.” I said. “Thank you for joining us on this most joyous occasion.”

Father harrumphed.

“I don’t see what’s so joyous about losing my eldest daughter to a scoundrel.” He said.

Sieg clicked his tongue with displeasure.

“How could we let a northerner steal my little sister away?” He asked.

I gave them both baffled looks. Why were they acting like this? If I were an outsider who had seduced Lina or tricked her into marrying me using nefarious means, I could understand their attitude. However, they knew me and they knew how much I cherished Lina.

“Stop that.” Mother scolded, jabbing him with her elbow. “Otherwise, Wulfram might actually think that you’re against this engagement.”

Father pouted. It should have looked strange, since he was a grown man, but somehow it didn’t. I blamed his looks. Father was a handsome man, which allowed him to get away with a lot.

“Aw,” he whined, “But it’s so fun to tease Wulfram. He has the best reactions.”

Mother glared at him. Father rolled his eyes.

“Fine.” He said, before grinning.

Mother looked at Sieg, who held up his hands in mock surrender.

“Very well, Mother.” He said.

I sighed in exasperation.

“Here,” Father said, handing me a scroll, “This is our gift to you. I know you’ll like it.”

I unfurled the scroll. When I read its contents, my eyes went wide. Lina, who read over my shoulder, let out a surprised sound. It was a document stating that Lina and I were now the new owners of Verdant Vale, one of the most prosperous and fertile domains within the Riverlands.

“Is this real?” I asked, looking at my adopted parents in disbelief.

Father scoffed.

“Of course it is.” He said. “Who do you take us for?”

I shook my head.

“I apologize, Father.” I said. “It’s just… This is too much. I don’t know if I can accept this.”

Despite my words, I didn’t hand the scroll back to Father. The Barrens was rich in metals and minerals. However, it was a desolate land with little in the way of agriculture. Food was always a big concern, second only to the demonic beasts in importance. Having Verdant Vale in House Kaltbrand’s hands would go a long way towards securing the Barrens’ food supply.

“Verdant Vale is already yours.” Father said. “There isn’t any point in trying to give it back. You can try, but it won’t work. Just accept it.”

Mother gave my arm a brief squeeze.

“I understand your hesitation, Wulfram.” She said. “However, giving away one domain won’t impact House Guld’s wealth all that much. As your father said, you might as well accept it.”

I looked between the two of them. Warmth filled my heart and tears pricked my eyes.

“Thank you.” I said. “I appreciate it. Truly.”

Of course, Father then had to go and ruin the moment.

“I bet it’s better than whatever that Kaltbrand brute gave you.” He said with a smug expression on his face.

I resisted the urge to sigh. Afterwards, Father and Mother left to join the others. For their gift, Sieg and Lady Amalina gave us a king’s ransom in jewelry. That wasn’t an exaggeration. It was enough to buy a domain on par with Verdant Vale. Sieg and Lady Amalina walked away before I could say anything, as if they were afraid that I would try to reject their gift.

When it was Mika’s turn, I didn’t expect much because of her age. I was caught off guard when she gave us two glass vials that were filled with blood red liquid. They were potions of some kind, powerful ones from what I could tell.

“I had these created using shards from the Bloodheart.” Mika explained. “I already tested them out and it turns out that the legends were true.”

Ah, I understood now. During House Guld’s conflict with the Tower of Magic, we attempted to kidnap Tower Master Katarina’s disciple, Valerie, by hosting an auction. All sorts of rare magical items and artifacts were sold at this auction, including a blood red crystal called the Bloodheart.

According to the legends, drinking a potion made from the shards of the Bloodheart would strengthen one’s body and increase one’s lifespan by ten years. I was an Aura Master, so I didn’t know how much it would affect me. However, for a regular mortal, something like this would be invaluable.

“Thank you.” Lina said, smiling at Mika. “This is an amazing gift.”

Mika adopted a haughty expression.

“I know.” She said. “It’s much better than some jewelry or a bit of land.”

I chuckled. It appeared that most of House Guld decided to use the engagement party as some sort of competition. They kept trying to outdo each other.

“Yes, yes.” Lina said, holding back her laughter. “Now go sit down. It’s almost time for the party to start.”

Mika beamed at us, before she skipped over to the rest of House Guld. A little while later, the last of our guests showed up. Lina and I grew tense when we saw them. Prince Dirk and his family had arrived.