Wedding Wars: For the May Bride · Chapter 1
Festival of May
The smell of gunpowder stings the nose.
Dresses ruined and veils torn, they begin the waltz of descent, dancing to the lament of the fallen.
Before me lie the brides, sprawled in every position.
Behind me, a cold stone wall.
And ahead, a woman in a bridal gown stands with a sword in each hand...
Epin... Epindel?
Epindel
Fufu.
Please, there is no need to be alarmed. I have come to rescue you.
...
Please do not resist.
The light behind her casts a dark shadow across her face. Her light blue eyes burn brighter than ever.
...Come to think of it, the sky was that same color that day.
It all began just three days ago, at...
The Mayflower Festival.
Monastir's most storied event.
It is a festivity charged with energy—food stalls line the streets, music and laughter fill the air, and flowers bedeck every corner of the city.
And at the end of it all is the May Bride.
To many girls in Monastir, being chosen as the May Bride is perhaps the greatest privilege and blessing they can dream of.
The chosen bride serves as the centerpiece of the year's festivities, and becomes immortalized through songs and poems.
...Yeah, I get that.
But why is it being held in NOA?
Frey
Well, um... ugh...
Argh! I hate to say this, but the Festival of May has been seeing a drop in tourism.
To combat this predicament, we're using NOA, the hub of foot traffic, to open a preview festival and thereby skyrocket its brand value!
Hehe, I call it the satellite festival marketing strategy!
Carmen
To put it plainly, we're relocating the festival's venue to spread its name across NOA's populace.
Doing so will increase the event's recognition, which in turn will draw more visitors to Monastir.
...Did I get that right, Lady Frey?
Frey
Couldn't have said it better myself, Carmen!
...Wait, aren't we saying the same thing?
Okay, I get the picture.
But why are you telling me all this?
Carmen
Haha, now this is where you fit in.
We would like to invite you as the guest of honor.
Captain, you hold the privilege of enjoying a personal audience with Lady Alicia herself. Your reputation precedes you.
If someone of your caliber would grace our festival with your presence, you would be doing us a great honor.
So I'm the guest of honor.
So I just smile, wave at the crowd, then exit?
Frey
Oh, please, Captain! What do you take us for?
Business runs on give and take! As such, we're planning to return your favor with proper compensation.
That is... giving you the right to serve as the judge!
What do you mean by that?
Frey
It's exactly as it sounds! You gain the privilege of selecting the May Bride!
Carmen
Normally, we form the panel one week ahead, but the relocation didn't offer us the luxury of time.
So Lady Frey came up with an idea: we're making the bridal selection a part of the contest.
Frey
Hehe... by yours truly.
After all, the May Bride is the crowning jewel of the whole festival!
The bride of spring herself! Think of the fame and glory that come with it!
And it falls to you to pick the lucky winner!
This "May Bride"... Is it like a beauty pageant?
What should I look for in the contestants?
Carmen
It's not a contest in the traditional sense. No scoring system whatsoever.
But still, there are some criteria that we take into consideration.
First, one's standing among others.
Is the candidate a person of integrity? Is she dependable? One must give us reasons to put her in the festival's spotlight.
Frey
But above all else, it's about beauty!
Tell me, Captain. What is your beauty ideal?
An energetic woman with unblemished purity?
Or perhaps someone resilient who stands tall in the face of adversity?
Your preference becomes the standard of beauty!
That's one hell of an authority you're handing me...
I just wonder if people will accept whoever I choose...
Carmen
Haha, I would argue the opposite, actually.
Rather than some long-winded and pretentious justification of beauty...
I think people would rather just hear you say, "She's my type."
One question, though...
Just because they're called the "bride," I don't have to marry them, do I?
Frey
What do you take me for? Any self-respecting businesswoman would never dabble in human trafficking!
The May Bride is only a customary title! It doesn't entitle the bearer to marriage rights!
Carmen
Haha, you're not from Monastir, Captain. Your concern is quite understandable.
The title "May Bride" originally refers to the concept of marrying spring itself.
Over time, the tradition evolved and now dictates that the bride wear a wedding dress.
But even that came from the longing of young girls who wanted to take the chance to wear a wedding dress.
And please, there's no need to feel so pressured.
Choosing the bride is important, yes. But it's no more than an attention grabber to draw in the crowd.
The meat of the event comes afterward, and we have quite a lot to offer.
Pillar stacking games, capture the flag, mead contests, traditional Monastir food tasting sessions, you name it.
Speaking of tasting sessions, I've also prepared my battle soup—
Frey
W-well, actually, that hasn't been confirmed yet! I haven't even granted permission!
Wow, that's an extensive list.
Frey
Of course! Do you now feel the true scale of Monastir's Festival of May?
It gives NOA's New Year's festival a real run for its money!
Carmen
Haha, our quartermaster tends to exaggerate.
Frey
Heeey!
Carmen
Repeated cycles of conflict and recuperation have taken their toll. Over time, many traditions have been lost.
But Lady Frey burned the midnight oil for nights on end, scouring Monastir's archives to restore them.
Frey
Carmen! You're not supposed to divulge the behind-the-scenes work! My trustworthiness is at stake here!
Carmen
But it's true you've been working hard.
This year's festival is intended to fuel Monastir's revival. Lady Frey takes this matter very seriously.
Frey
O-of course... I take things seriously...
You've been working hard.
All right, then there's no reason not to help you!
Frey
...!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Captain!
Carmen, I knew it was a good idea to bring you!
Carmen
Captain, I will call upon you again for the rehearsal.
Sure.
I'll see you then.
But I didn't know then.
About what that decision might bring...
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