The scuffle with Prince Samuel affected Khan and Monica's stay in the space station. The attendants concluded that similar problems could happen if the couple interacted with more guests, so they prevented those encounters, forcing Khan and Monica to focus on preparing for the wedding.
Princess Edna was an exception since no one could hope to control her. Yet, apart from her random and occasional interruptions, nothing got in the way of the couple's duties. Khan and Monica practiced and studied diligently, and the fated day eventually arrived.
Luxury was the best word to describe the wedding day. Hordes of guests spent the morning flowing into an immense hall adorned with beautiful drapes, circular marble tables, and almost transparent crystal seats.
Bright chandeliers filled with precious gems that reflected different shades hung from the tall ceiling, sending a multicolored, brilliant spectacle to the hall. A small army also stood near the place's walls, inspecting every guest and attendant.
The guests had obviously donned their best attires. Big jewels on fingers, ears, and necks reflected the chandeliers' light while everyone took their appointed seats. Smiles shone left and right, and calm chatter soon filled the hall.
The wedding had a precise and tight schedule, and everything proceeded smoothly. The ceremony started and continued under everyone's attentive gaze, eventually leading to the key moment.
The hall had a vast stage open only to a restricted number of people. Rick and Lucille were there, showing their excited smiles to each other. A man wearing a military uniform was between them, and two more figures stood slightly behind on opposite sides.
A middle-aged woman with long red hair kept up by a luxurious and evident clip stood behind Lucille. The latter had chosen her mother as a bridesmaid, and she couldn't look happier. Her mana radiated some stiffness due to the luxury and political relevance surrounding her, but her smiling expression hid it well.
On the other side, Khan stood proudly behind Rick. His experience with fame and his incredible blue suit made him fit perfectly on the stage, and his heavy presence enhanced that feeling. He often stole the spotlight, too, which earned him many headaches.
Khan knew his looks were quite decent. Still, the suit, his fame, his role in the wedding, and his presence brought his appearance to a superior level, earning him countless tempting and yearning gazes from the female population in the hall.
Many would feel blessed to get a mere fraction of that attention. Khan even had to smile due to his role, but his situation was far from pleasant. One specific set of eyes stood out from the rest, and he couldn't help but sense the vengeful and angry vibe they radiated.
One of the tables near the stage had an exclusive set of young women from wealthy backgrounds. Their primary role was to keep Princess Edna company since they were close to her status and age, but Khan's magnetic presence often distracted them from that duty.
Monica was among those women, and her fake smiles often froze when she caught one of her friends staring at Khan. She also had to play along when teasing compliments and jokes reached her ears, but her mind was ready to snap. The location prevented that, so she vented by staring daggers at Khan.
Luckily for Khan, the torture had almost ended. The man donning the military uniform said the last ceremonial words before uttering what everyone was waiting for.
"By the power conferred upon me by the Global Army," The man announced, "And with the approval of the noble families, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss."
The announcement brought the hall's attention to the newlywed couple, and a series of genuine smiles unfolded before the sweetness of the scene. Everyone could see pure happiness on Rick and Lucille's faces, and the two briefly hesitated before falling into a kiss.
Khan was among the genuine smiles. His eyes looked deeper into the couple, sensing their innocence and purity. Rick and Lucille's love was young, untainted by lust and greed. They simply wanted to be together, and that was the first step toward that goal.
Once the kiss ended, Rick and Lucille faced the crowd and exchanged smiles with the guests before walking hand in hand down the stage. The hall had a big, empty space at its center, and the couple entered it before assuming a dancing stance.
Happy music began to echo from the hall's speakers, and Rick and Lucille started dancing to its tune. Guests stood up to clap and cheer, but no one dared to join them just yet.
Khan lost himself watching the dancing couple. That pure form of love made his mind drift away. He knew he couldn't have something like that. He didn't want it, but some bitterness still tried to leak into his smile.
That simple, straightforward, and easy love was enviable. It belonged to good people with no darkness inside them. As for Khan, his feelings were toxic, suffocating, and often destructive, putting that type of relationship out of his reach.
Of course, Khan wasn't jealous. He would love for things to be easier but still wouldn't trade Monica for anyone. The scene simply reminded him how twisted his mindset was.
Unlike the guests, Khan couldn't stare at the newlywed couple forever. A pair of eyes fell on him, making him turn toward the bridesmaid. Lucille's mother was waiting for his signal, and he nodded before slowly descending from the stage.
Lucille's mother did the same, but the two went to different tables. The woman walked toward her husband's seat while Khan approached the den of harpies.
Intense stares unfolded while Khan walked toward Princess Edna's table. The sitting and standing young women devoured him with their eyes, even indulging in tempting gestures. Khan knew he had to smile at them, but his resolve failed when he looked at Monica.
Princess Edna didn't care about the event, but the other women at the table seethed in jealousy and envy. Khan approached Monica, ignoring everyone else, and his eyes remained on her even after whispering in her ear.
The women didn't know what Khan had said, but the look Monica gave him said it all. She lifted her hand, and Khan took it before making her stand up and leaving toward the dance area.
Lucille's mother arrived with her partner, too, and the two couples began dancing around Rick and Lucille. Khan and Monica stole the scene, but only a few minutes had to pass before the area became too crowded to see anything.
The dancing area became packed with couples spinning left and right at the same rhythm. Those highly-educated guests didn't miss a single step in their dance, creating elegance in that otherwise messy scene.
That trend was supposed to last almost half an hour, but Monica broke it. The minutes spent looking into Khan's eyes made those elegant but respectful dancing moves unbearable, and she abandoned them to lay her head on his chest.
"Monica Solodrey," Khan teased by whispering to Monica's ear, "Is this how you uphold your superior education?"
Monica briefly chuckled before rubbing her face on Khan's chest and looking up at him. Khan saw her serious eyes, and the following words put him in a similar mood.
"I want two weddings," Monica stated. "One just for us."
Khan and Monica matched the dance floor's rhythm even in their odd stance, but their mood put them in their personal world. The crowd of couples, the luxurious hall, and the music disappeared as they lost themselves in their eyes.
"You are getting greedier by the day," Khan joked.
"My man will fulfill my every wish," Monica replied. "He always does."
Khan's heart skipped a beat. Monica's red A-line dress and captivating expression were too much for him to bear, but the recent event made him ignore his lust. He still experienced it, but his mood focused on different feelings.
"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" Khan whispered.
"Many times," Monica nodded, "But don't ever stop."
Khan and Monica kissed right in the middle of the dance floor, earning many stares. Some were supportive, others envious, while a few conveyed convoluted ploys that could happen only once the Solodrey family announced the engagement.
Needless to say, Khan and Monica had to stay on the dance floor for a while due to his role as best man, and their mood even prolonged their time there. The two forgot about everything else and focused on enjoying the moment, which lasted multiple hours.
The couple didn't do it on purpose, but their goals ended up being fulfilled anyway. Anyone who spotted Khan and Monica knew what they had was real. Their relationship stood outside politics, and no external influence could break them up.
Ordinary guests could keep dancing until the end of the event, but Khan's duties eventually caught up with him. Anselm summoned Rick and Lucille, forcing the best man and bridesmaid to move with them. Sadly, Monica couldn't join, but Princess Edna replaced Khan in no time.
Rick, Lucille, her mother, and Khan returned to the stage, where a long line was forming. Guests who wished to express formal congratulations gathered, waiting for their turn. Khan was in charge of introducing each of them to Rick, but a short conversation happened first.
Lucille's mother approached Khan and formally bowed before taking his hands. She even leaned forward to make sure her daughter didn't hear her, and her high-pitched tone perfectly described her gratitude.
"I'll never forget this, Captain," Lucille's mother whispered. "The Edhold family is forever in your debt."
"Madam Edhold, please," Khan chuckled, leaning backward to put some distance between the woman and him. "I didn't do anything."
"No, no," Madam Edhold shook her head. "Lucille told me everything. Thanks to you, my family is connected to the nobles. You have made undying friends today."
Madam Edhold was speaking the truth. It couldn't be understated how valuable that union was. Only Lucille was joining the Rassec family, but that alone showered the Edhold family with immense relevance.
"I'm just glad Lucille and Rick are happy together," Khan stated. Those were the right words to speak in that environment, but he had told them from the heart.
"Anything, Captain," Madam Edhold repeated. "It doesn't matter how, when, or what. You need our help. We'll provide it."
"Thank you, Madam Edhold," Khan responded, and the two exchanged a smile before separating and starting the guests' introductions.
The rounds of introductions were quite dull and repetitive. A big shot stepped onto the stage, and Khan greeted him and conveyed the necessary information to Rick before making the two meet.
The guests rarely broke that pattern. At times, some guests wanted to exchange additional words with Khan, Lucille, or Madam Edhold, but Rick remained the party's star. He was the noble in the end, so most people wanted to leave a good impression on him.
The formal introductions didn't let Khan create meaningful connections, but he met an incredible number of important people. Majors, Colonels, and even a General shook hands with him before moving to Rick. The number of representatives from wealthy families was even higher, and the nobles were no exception, albeit in far lower quantity.
One of the introductions featured Prince Samuel, who was surprisingly sober at that late hour. The man refused to shake Khan's hand but didn't create additional problems afterward.
However, when the line drew near its end, Khan found himself in a strange situation. A middle-aged man and a young woman stepped onto the stage and revealed their identities as members of the Nognes family, one of the noble families. The woman was actually a Princess, and her looks stirred something inside Khan.
Those feelings were nothing close to lust or physical attraction. Hunches simply rose into Khan's mind and remained there while the two greeted Rick.
The woman was nothing short of beautiful, with a petite body that radiated modesty. Even her smiles didn't carry the usual noble arrogance, but Khan couldn't get his eyes off her long, straight hair. He had seen that brown color somewhere, but his memory fought against him.
The greetings with Rick didn't last long, but the two guests didn't head for their table right away. The Princess approached Khan again and showed a smile while stretching her hand.
"Princess Felicia," Khan exclaimed, shaking the Princess' hand. "You honor me."
That wasn't the first time a guest had chosen to address Khan twice, so he didn't think too much about it. Yet, looking at the Princess' face intensified his hunch. There was something he couldn't explain there, and his face slowly started to show his internal conflict.
"I wanted to take another look at you," Princess Felicia said. "Nice grip."
"Is something the matter, Princess?" Khan asked, but the middle-aged man beside the woman cleared his throat, prompting her to leave.
"If you are the man the network says you are," Princess Felicia stated, letting go of Khan's hand, "This should be enough, right?"
Khan's face went serious. The hunch gained a shape and a name, but he didn't dare to utter it. Princess Felicia didn't stay either and left the stage with the middle-aged man, avoiding adding clues to the interaction.
The remaining line of guests forced Khan to move on with his duties, but his thoughts never recovered. He couldn't believe answers had just fallen on his lap, but the event had been too sudden to be random, which was worrying.
As for Princess Felicia and her guard, they remained silent until returning to their seats, but the latter couldn't refrain from scolding her afterward. "That was out of line, Princess."
"But he does look like Aunty," Princess Felicia said, "Doesn't he?"
"The resemblance is uncanny," The guard admitted, "But you know your orders."
"Of course," Princess Felicia nodded. "Though I suspect he'll return to the nest soon enough. Grandpa won't be able to say no if he gets there on his own."
"Your cousins won't like that, Princess," The guard pointed out.
"And that's all they can do," Princess Felicia stated. "You have seen those eyes, Lynn. They are strong."
Lynn didn't answer, but his silence had a clear meaning. The Princess was good at evaluating warriors, and he agreed with her. Khan was scary strong, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Lynn didn't see a soldier when looking at Khan. His eyes belonged to a beast ready to go wild.
