****(POV)

Today is an auspicious day they keep saying.

Today is the day I lose my freedom and become nothing but an ornament to some guy's arm.

A so-called political marriage.

I could have easily loved anyone, but not him.

Definitely not him.

He is a loud-mouthed, annoying, boastful, cruel, and overall horrible playboy.

Yet my father insists on delivering me to such an individual.

Am I some kind of currency that one can trade?

Apparently so.

I have tried everything to delay.

At first, I voluntarily fell and broke my arm to make it so I wouldn't be fit for the ceremony.

After all, how am I to tie the ribbon in such a condition?

Sadly I healed quickly.

Then came the day of the wedding again.

That time I got lucky.

A monster alert happened.

This made it so we all evacuated promptly.

Only later did we learn that it was only a follower of Gluto that went for a walk.

The same day a duel happened.

I have seen the drawings of the victor.

A decisive and strong man for sure.

One that doesn't travel with a bunch of prostitutes wherever he goes.

I wish I was exaggerating, but that is how my new husband is.

If he isn't in the red district, it's the red district that comes to him.

After all, he is a regular at many of the establishments one can find there.

He calls himself a free spirit and a lover only to conceal how trash he is.

I will have to bear the son of such trash.

This is the part that truly disgusts me.

All because our business has been having trouble lately.

Our family's trade is smithing.

Both weapons and armor.

Well, the Iron Guardian do have the main role on armor smithing.

At least for the high-quality stuff.

Meanwhile, we fight for scraps.

That leaves us with weapon forging to focus on.

The issue is that dwarven-steel has started appearing.

That is where that new family comes into play.

They claim to have a way to contact one of the elusive dwarves directly.

This would allow us to stock our shops with some high-end products.

This is what we are missing.

We sell a lot and sell cheaply, but the bigger sects ignore us.

Simply because they need more than just basic quality.

There is a war incoming.

They will have to stock.

Before, we used to prosper.

All the errant worshipers would be our customers.

Right now there is no issue as people are still traveling.

Still, we can already see signs of people congregating in cities.

Where the safety factor is a bit higher.

In normal times most sects do not care about the little guys on their territories.

Even farmers have a chance at living.

As long as they avoid the bandits that is.

Evildoers mostly target people for their wealth and sometimes beauty.

Well, most of the weaklings possess none anyway.

In this world, normal crops are worthless.

That all changes in time of war.

Any simple villager could very well be a spy.

There has been precedence.

The downfall of powerful groups sometimes because of a weakling they had ignored.

One that would communicate with their enemies.

Often for a pitiful reward too since they are extremely poor.

Because of that, most sects do a cleanup before anything serious starts.

This in turn makes it so we have fewer customers.

Sure some will hide in this city, but all the others will be out of our reach.

Slowly, trading will become harder too.

*Sigh*

While I may sound selfish, I actually care about the family.

I just don't think chasing a myth will help us.

Sure if we get dwarven products we will flourish.

If.

How long has it been since one was even seen?

We have no guarantee that my fiancé's family will be able to accomplish that.

They do not want to let us even meet or talk to that master.

Simply put we are grasping at straws with this ceremony.

I somehow managed to delay while I sent some of my men to investigate further.

My father insistent on the wedding to happen today, however.

I finally got some news after a while.

Bad news.

My men didn't manage to prove the unreliability of the other party.

I would have to go through with this.

At that moment I just felt like crying.

To curl myself into a ball and evacuate all my sadness and frustration.

But I wouldn't.

I just fixed a fake smile on my face.

I seriously think this is a mistake but I have no proof.

I exited the dressing room in a gorgeous red nuptial robe.

I could hear gasps of amazement resonate in the entire building.

A big one reserved especially for the event.

In the guest seats are representatives from most families.

Representatives sound imposing, but most sent their servants.

They all see this thing as a joke.

As do I.

Then he appeared.

He would have been dashing.

If he actually fixed his appearance.

If he didn't have a slut at his arm.

If he didn't reek of alcohol and sex.

If he didn't adorn his forever lewd smile.

He made his way here.

Next to an altar used for the ceremony.

One in front of which we will swear our vows to the gods.

Most precisely the god of smithing and the wayfaring god.

Then of course Compromis.

Each having its own small statues.

A hammer, a winding road, and a balance.

I just stand there while the guy in charge of conductive the ceremony starts his speech.

I am absent-mindedly listening.

Still unresolved to what is happening.

Should I simply end my life after this?

The magical pledge would assure that the partnership between our families would be maintained either way.

As my thoughts turn darker and darker, I can't help but wish for a miracle to happen.

*SHATTER*

*CRASH*

*KACHA*

Oh my god.

Seems my prayers were heard.

Out of nowhere falls…a man?

Directly on the altar, crushing it completely.

Making this whole event impossible to go through with.

Then he simply gets up as if nothing happened.

How?!

The fall from high enough to kill any warrior!

How is he not injured?!

He simply looks around confused before finally opening his mouth.

[Good night, isn't it?]

Good night?!

Are you kidding me?!