We returned to the house, Arachne was on my back while Mira and Blue linked their arms around mine, our eyes still a bit red. I kicked the door open, Dad had was eating bread while Mom was carrying Ritsu while Riza was running around her. Youko was carrying a basket full of clothes while Valeria and Mizu were having tea in the living room, my sudden kicking of the door grabbed all of their attention

With a huge smile and a loud cheerful voice, I announced

"Mom, dad, everyone, they said yes!"

"What?" Everyone looked at me with confused faces

"We're getting married!" Blue smiled

Everyone was silent, dad dropped the bread, Mizu sprayed the tea all over the table, Mom had tears visible in her eyes, while auntie (Mira's mother) appeared out of the shadows with both her hands on her mouth, stopping herself from crying out

"Congratulations! when are you going to hold the wedding?" Mom asked before correcting herself

"No, let's do it as soon as possible, 4 days from now, we'll hold the wedding"

"Mom, I'm okay with the day but is it alright if I plan the wedding?" I asked

"No, I have no trust in your management but tell me your plans, I'll manage everything for you" Mom smiled

"Thanks mom, you're the best"

"Anything for my baby" Mom hugged me tight before continuing

"I'm so happy for you"

Mizu and Valeria embraced Arachne and Blue while Mira and her mother had an emotional moment

"I'll go start inviting all of our friends, Lyan, come tell me everyone you wish to invite later when you're done talking to mom" Dad walked away

"Big brother Lyan and Big sisters are going to be married? yey!" The two kids jumped around while Youko smiled, mom pulled her close and we all enjoyed an embrace

"So tell me, where do you plan to hold the wedding?" Mom asked

"Where I used to camp as a kid, my private waterfalls" I smiled

"Alright, that place is wonderful and serene" Mom brushed my hair with her hands

"As for the decorations, let's place intricate columns, for decorations, it will be out in the open, the chairs will also be decorated" Mom smiled

"Yeah, I was thinking the same" I nodded

"I'll take care of the food and everything else, go and talk to your dad"

I nodded and walked away, I will give the ladies here some time to themselves.

I opened the door to my parent's room and saw dad talking on the comm cube, I cleared my throat to grab his attention

He turned around and smiled

"Alright guys, you know the date of my son's special day" Dad announced

I heard numerous yes, it was a mix of women's and men's voices

"I'd like to invite Mrs. Sasha and some classmates from my class, also, maybe Mizu's family"

"Alright, let's call them now" Dad nodded

We called everyone we needed to talk to, Dad patted my back.

"Now, it's time for the ceremony of separation. You know the rules, the maidens will have to stay at the groom's house while the groom will live on the mountain" Dad stated

"I know dad, I'll leave later" I replied with resolution

"Are you sure, you're allowed to stay for a day to arrange the wedding if you wanted" Dad asked

"Nah, Mom's already got that covered"

"Alright then, be careful okay? I've made sure that the split mountain isn't dangerous for all the grooms but anything can happen so be careful alright?" Dad worriedly stated

"I will Dad"

I opened the window and jumped out of the house, the ceremony of separation. I will separate from the bride/s for three days, In these three days, I will have to offer respects towards the God/Goddesses I rever.

I can be creative in my way of showing respect, hunting down animals or monsters, even a simple flower is accepted.

I walked up the mountain, it's better if just set up my camp as soon as possible, it's also a bit hard for me to say goodbye to the three women right now.

The pine forest is nice, the breeze was cold. I used [Storm Dash] and dashed deeper and deeper in the forest, I stopped and looked around me, it was a clearing in the forest, if I look back, I can see our Kingdom

I cut down a few trees and started building a simple hut, the leftover wood would be used for the fire. It was past lunchtime when I was done but strangely, I'm still full. In order to pass the time, I started to think about what to do for my offering.

In the end, I decided on one thing. For my plan to work, I had to cut down a huge number of trees, I roamed around when it was starting to get dark, I hunted down a deer which will be my source of protein until tomorrow. There was no source of water nearby so I pulled out a huge jar of water from my magic pouch and washed the meat before stabbing it on a stick and roasting it by the fire

After cooking the deer meat, I ate it and went to sleep. The next day, I started my project, my plan was to build three different shrines. The Goddess of Gaia which mother worships, The Goddess of Terra from where Blue is from, and finally, the God of Death, where Grimm is associated with.

I will start with the shrine for Mother Gaia, using the carpentry knowledge I was taught off since I was a child, I made a small shrine with a globe in its center that is being embraced by a woman, the shrines I built was similar to that of a Japanese shrine in my past life. I closed the small doors on it and moved to another set of wood but surprisingly, the sun was already setting.

I cooked another part of the deer and went to sleep

The next day, it's time for the Goddess of Terra, I don't have much idea about her, only that she, like Blue is a demi-human, for her physical appearance, not only, that, it is also described that she is a fox kin.

I closed my eyes and imagined a demi-human female fox much like Blue, with an image in mind, I started carving her with Blue's own kimono. After a rigorous day of carving, I finished my work, the statue may only be the size of a mug but hey, a statue is a statue.

I placed the statue inside a separate shrine much like that of Mother Gaia's, I closed the sliding doors and went to sleep without having dinner.

I woke up to the morning sun, the dew on the leaves even seems to have frozen. I stretched my body and realized that this is the last day of the ritual, tomorrow will also be our wedding

I walked towards my last project, a shrine of death.

I made a small obelisk with a hollow inside a statue the size of a mug should fit inside so after making an opening mechanism for the obelisk, I pulled out a small wood block in order to create a statue of death but what should it be? the idea of death is never that nice and creating a statue of a scythe-wielding skeleton will only scare away those who wish to offer something

Death isn't that scary, what I'm more afraid of is what I'm leaving behind. If I were to die and meet up with someone who doesn't seem to be human, I might take out my frustrations on them. That might be what is happening so the reapers are easily misunderstood, death means cutting off all of your attachments to the world but I believe there are somethings that can't be cut, memories

I smiled, these random yet joyful thoughts are just the kind that helps me relax and clear my mind.

I started carving a figure of Grimm watering what seems to be a young tree, it's up to the viewer as to what they believe this statue means but to me, it only proves that death paves the way to life.

I built three fires in front of the shrines, I had a hard time looking for it but I managed to find a Magnolia flower, I offered it up to the Goddess of Gaia.

The next flower might be from a weed but what's important to me is the meaning behind it, the Dill flower for the Goddess of Terra

And finally, this flower seems to be best for the shrine of death, the Marjoram flower

In the dark night, three fires are my only source, they shine upon me and the three shrines I've built. I prayed to them, I wish them to protect not only me but everyone I love, for a minute I thought I saw the flowers dance but they only seem to dance with the wind yet why isn't the fire swaying, why don't I feel the wind hit my face. That's when I realized, I am not alone

'Calm down Lyan, they heard your prayers' I was about to pull out Rea and Lea but Raija stopped me

I watched the flowers toss and turn until they went inside the shrines. The doors to the shrines closed and I heard a thank you, like a whisper in the wind

I bowed down and thanked them for listening to my prayer

'Don't sweat it kid, though I am sorry to disappoint you, it was me who heard your prayer, not our boss' I heard Grimm's voice for the first time outside my dreams

"It's fine, I was thinking of you when I made that statue anyway" I replied with a smile

"I am flattered" Like the blowing wind, Grimm's voice vanished as he finished his sentence

I was once again alone in the middle of the night, I went inside my hut and went to sleep