Warhammer Divine Throne-Chapter 785 - 348, Grand Wedding (Part 1)

Late autumn, the Kakasong Duchy, Lake Fairy Cathedral.

Tomorrow is Laine and Surya's grand wedding ceremony. Hundreds of great nobles from the Empire, from Brittania, and from other orderly races have gathered, ready to attend this grand wedding.

In the vast and expansive cathedral, covering more than a hectare, praises for the Lake Fairy echoed everywhere. Large groups of Holy Grail Knights gathered here, praying continuously, day and night, to the Lake Fairy, while also guarding this cathedral. Every day, a large number of nobles and commoners come here for pilgrimage. However, many privately believe that the Lake Fairy will not favor this overly lavish temple, as she prefers tranquility amid the endless flow of people.

The colorful stained glass reflected on the main entrance of the cathedral. The large archway, nine meters tall, is only opened during important ceremonies. The interior of the cathedral is entirely built with marble, featuring grand and imposing large bronze statues. The blue and white dome, which is over a hundred meters high and weighs tens of thousands of tons, is supported by eight giant stone pillars. Inside the dome are depictions of the great achievements of the Holy Grail Knights and the teachings of the Lake Fairy. Additionally, there is an oil painting depicting the story of the First Knight King Arthur and the twelve original Holy Grail Knights.

Currently, the last segment of the rehearsal in the cathedral is underway.

"Come, Lord Laine, please follow me in this gesture. Yes, a bit more inward, more composed. Good, very good." An elderly gentleman, appearing to be about fifty, was teaching Laine the wedding etiquette. Laine followed suit like a mannequin, doing whatever the gentleman instructed.

The wedding ceremony is not complex and has been rehearsed several times. Both Laine and Surya have memorized the entire ceremony process thoroughly and are unlikely to make a fool of themselves.

"Good, very good~ Lord Laine, please review again. If you have any questions, feel free to ask at any time. If you have any arrangements, you can instruct freely." The elderly gentleman nodded in satisfaction after confirming Laine had no issues with the etiquette.

"Thank you, Mr. Henderson. I suppose I will." Laine shrugged wearily, "But right now, I'd rather rest a bit. I think I've gone over the wedding process at least thirty times."

"Oh, Lord Laine, you mustn't think that way. Tomorrow is your and Miss Surya's big day. Most of the Duke and various emissaries will be watching you! If anything goes amiss, it's something one would deeply regret, especially for the lady. It might very well be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion!" The elderly gentleman chattered incessantly, "Surely, you wouldn't want the lady to have regrets, right?"

"Alright, you win." Laine could only comply reluctantly.

On the other side of the cathedral's main hall.

"Oh~ It's rare to see Laine like this." Surya, wearing a white water lily wavy mist button-up dress, couldn't help but chuckle. The lady knight smiled at her maid Sylvia and said, "It's not often that Laine is willing to do this."

"Miss~" Surya's maid Sylvia blushed, "Why would His Grace the Duke assign Mr. Henderson to be your steward? I've always thought he is a bit…"

"A bit what? Likes to bully others? Loves to flaunt his old-fashioned rules?" Surya crossed her shapely long legs wrapped in flesh-colored thick stockings, with diamond chains hanging from her black velvet long boots. She knew what Sylvia wanted to say.

"Umm…" The maid blushed even more. The lady was really getting married, and she was the dowry companion.

"Indeed, Henderson is a gentleman who loves to chatter incessantly and particularly emphasizes lineage and pedigree. But have you ever seen him make things difficult for Laine?" Surya continued to ask.

"How would he dare make things difficult for Lord Laine?" Sylvia was slightly dismissive.

Who is Laine? In this country now, who dares to trouble him? The maid firmly believed that only Laine was worthy of her lady.

"Yes, Mr. Henderson doesn't dare to trouble Laine, but that doesn't mean he won't trouble Laine's subordinates. Father placed him in my servant corps… for my sake. Father doesn't want me to be bullied, do you understand?" Surya covered her face, her expression somewhat helpless.

Is the knight satisfied with this marriage?

Undoubtedly, Surya is quite satisfied with this marriage, because she hasn't found anything better.

But thinking back, is the relationship between her and Laine really at the point where they can get married?

No.

No matter how you look at it, the marriage between Surya and Laine is still a political alliance. The lady knight feels that her relationship with Laine has just been established, and the courting period was very short. This marriage was set early, with both the Lake Fairy and her father impatiently awaiting it.

In such political alliances, the woman often does not live happily. The reasons are evident, especially for a Duke's daughter. She possesses a complete setup independent of the male and has separate financial autonomy, not needing to look up to anyone. A political alliance with an equal status partner might be better, but if the male's status is lower, it would be unfortunate.

A steward often becomes a thorn between a couple, as some stubborn stewards might think the lady is doing something wrong this way or that, offering criticism every now and then. The couple cannot resist, because the steward is backed by the Duke.