"Is this all?"
In the bedroom, having changed into the clothes required for the "ceremony" rlin had spoken of, Aozaki Rin didn't feel anything strange and simply asked rlin for confirmation.
"Of course! Now, just rember what I told you before: stay quiet and follow Artoria. Otherwise, the 'ceremony' might fail."
Looking at the boy before him, who was no longer in his usual white cloak and hood but was instead dressed in a form-fitting black formal suit that added a touch of nobility to his already stunning and cute features, rlin nodded in satisfaction.
"I understand."
Aozaki Rin nodded solemnly, his small face serious. After all, this was a matter of appeasing the people, and he treated it with the sa gravity as a military affair.
"Well then, I'll make the final preparations now. Rember not to speak casually after we go out, okay, En?"
rlin chuckled softly, his expression turning a little more serious as he held his staff.
As he finished reciting the long incantation, a white light suddenly flashed over the boy's body.
When the light dissipated, the boy, who had been wearing a black formal suit, had been transford in appearance into a petite "girl" in a pure white formal dress.
The "girl" wore a beautiful floral wreath on her head and was draped in a translucent veil. Her long black hair flowed smoothly down her porcelain-white back to her slender waist. The lines of her collarbones were distinct beneath her fair, slender neck, which was slightly exposed to the air, and her shoulders were smooth and delicate. Beneath the lace-hemd dress with its slightly forked hem, her fair legs, wrapped in white stockings, were perched delicately on high heels.
And on "her" pretty face, which was like the most perfect creation of nature, her cherry-pink lips were lightly pressed together. Her golden eyes, which should have been unfocused, now held a false sense of liveliness, making her look dainty and lovely.
rlin carefully examined the illusion on the boy and, finding no flaws, a look of pride and self-praise flashed in his eyes.
It was also because the boy's own features were so exceptionally fine that he was able to create such a perfect image on that foundation, which, to be honest, surprised even rlin a little.
As for Aozaki Rin, he didn't feel anything particularly special, only that sothing extra seed to have been added to him, like being draped in a layer of air.
"Alright, let's go out now."
rlin gathered his thoughts and called out. Aozaki Rin, rembering his earlier instructions, followed silently behind the white-robed magus.
Outside the door, Artoria, who seed to have been waiting for so ti, was also specially dressed today.
The bright silver skirted armor and blue cloak she usually wore had been taken off, replaced by a more fitting n's blue formal suit, which added a sense of reliability to her already dignified aura.
However, compared to usual, her pretty face was now tinged with a bit of nervousness. After taking a few deep breaths without drawing attention, she finally cald down. At that very mont, the door happened to open.
Gazing at the small, delicate, and lovely "girl" following behind rlin, Artoria, although she had been ntally prepared for the boy to be put under an illusion, was still stunned for a mont and subconsciously called out.
"En?"
After all, in her imagination, even with an illusion, it should not have differed so much from the boy's original appearance.
But in that instant, Artoria inexplicably felt a sense of defeat, as if her pride as a woman had been shattered.
"Ahem!"
Fortunately, rlin, at her side, gave a tily cough as a reminder, bringing the girl, who had almost fallen into a spiral of self-doubt, back to her senses.
"S-Sorry... Let's go, then... No, Guinevere."
Correcting herself in a fluster, Artoria hesitated for a few seconds before, as if mustering her courage, she took the boy's hand. Throughout this process, Aozaki Rin just blinked in so confusion but obediently remained silent.
Being gently led forward by Artoria, Aozaki Rin's small face showed little expression. But on the way, he would from ti to ti hear the congratulatory voices of the Round Table Knights and so laughter, which left him sowhat puzzled.
Of course, what the boy didn't know was that the illusion rlin had cast not only changed his appearance in the eyes of others, but to prevent the plan from being exposed, rlin had even distorted any outside sounds related to the words "marriage" or "wedding," making it completely impossible for the boy to discern what the people around him were celebrating.
"Is that really En?"
Lancelot looked at the small figure standing next to Artoria. Although the Round Table Knights had learned the entire plan from rlin from the beginning, the current situation still exceeded his expectations.
After all, for a mont there, he had almost been chard by the illusionary image of the boy.
"You should call her Guinevere now."
Gawain reminded him from the side, a smile of both amusent and relief in his eyes as he watched the two depart. At the sa ti, he added helplessly.
"What can you do? His Majesty was so hesitant to make a decision, rlin had no choice but to do this. But all in all, this is a good thing."
"...You have a point."
After coming back to his senses, Lancelot nodded in agreent, a smile of blessing on his face.
Of course, Aozaki Rin was unaware of this private discussion among the Round Table Knights.
After leaving the castle following Artoria's steps, Aozaki Rin accompanied the girl onto an open-topped carriage.
After all, since the intention was to appease the people, it had to be done thoroughly.
After so discussion, rlin had persuaded Artoria to agree to a circuit around the city of Calot, so that all the people could see for themselves the fact that she had "taken a wife."
Cheers and congratulations rang out continuously, a chaotic yet irresistibly lively atmosphere.
Because Aozaki Rin couldn't see the specifics of the outside world, he could only occasionally hear strange whispers such as, "I didn't know the king liked the petite type," "Looks like the king will have an heir soon," and "As expected of our king."
Fortunately, all he heard were strange words of blessing, and no particular questions.
It seed the "ceremony" was going quite smoothly.
The boy thought to himself, the corners of his lips curling up slightly in a smile.
And the rest, naturally, also went very smoothly.
After the circuit, followed by quietly listening to a group of people hold a lively banquet in the castle, after an unknown number of hours had passed, Aozaki Rin, accompanied by a slightly tipsy Artoria who faintly slled of alcohol, finally returned to his own room.
What he didn't know was that the mont he re-entered his room, the illusion on him automatically disappeared, and his form returned to that of a boy.
Artoria stared blankly at the boy sitting on the edge of the bed. Under the candlelight, the boy's fair skin seed to have a pinkish hue. His long eyelashes trembled lightly, as if he were carefully probing his surroundings, a cute cautiousness about him.
"En..."
Spurred on by her tipsiness and the encouraging words of the Round Table Knights before returning to the room, Artoria whispered his na softly. The ahoge on her head unknowingly stood up straight, and driven by the atmosphere, just as she was about to get up and walk toward the boy, Aozaki Rin suddenly spoke.
"Sister, did the 'ceremony' end smoothly?"
"'Ceremony'?"
The girl's movents stopped abruptly, sowhat confused by what the boy was saying.
"You know... the 'ceremony' where rlin said he would use a special illusion to deceive everyone into believing that you had 'taken a wife.'"
Aozaki Rin said softly, lowering his voice. After all, in his mind, this was a very important secret that must not be known by others.
Artoria blinked blankly. After a long mont, as if she had understood sothing, her fine brows furrowed, a hint of anger appeared in her holy, cerulean eyes, and she muttered through gritted teeth.
"...So, rlin. You said you didn't trick En, but it turns out he didn't even know this was a wedding..."
"Sister, what wedding?"
"N-Nothing, I just misspoke. Th-That, the 'ceremony' went very smoothly. Everyone is at ease now, heheh."
She had wanted to tell him the truth, but when the words reached her throat, Artoria found herself stopping them.
Although all of this was indeed due to rlin's deception, the process was already complete, and a part of the girl's heart vaguely wanted to preserve this bit of beauty and fantasy.
Furthermore, Artoria was also a little worried. If she really told him the truth, she feared that in the boy's eyes, she might beco the kind of "evil sister" who would conspire with outsiders to deceive him.
And so, after a brief mont of thought, Artoria gave this explanation.
But after the words left her mouth, she felt a little regretful. She sulked for a while, as if blaming herself, then looked at the boy with so resentnt before directly, as she usually did, embracing the boy's body and rolling onto the bed. She turned her pretty face to the side, burying it in the pillow, and said muffledly.
"Ti to sleep."
"...Mhm."
Although he didn't understand why his sister's mood had soured, Aozaki Rin, being held tightly, didn't think too much of it. He just figured that today's "ceremony" must have been tiring for the girl.
He reached out his hand and gently stroked the girl's head, saying in a voice that was both comforting and encouraging.
"You've worked hard, Sister. You've done more than enough."
"...That's not what I want to hear."
However, even with these words, the girl, who still lacked courage, only dared to whisper this to herself after the boy had fallen asleep.
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