CHAPTER 233: THE BRIDE AND THE GROOM

"Ah. In body and soul, we are already husband and husband," Dominic said confidently.

"Wh—Dominic!" Shiao Yi yelped while tugging hard at his partner’s clothes, his cheeks burning red. "You don’t have to say it like that in front of everyone!"

But Dominic stayed calm, continuing the conversation as if nothing was strange about it.

"Well then," Bona said, clapping his hands, "this must be fate! Why don’t you two have your wedding together with Dargo and Aphila? We’ll be your witnesses!"

"That sounds perfect," Dominic replied with a polite bow. "We would be honored."

And just like that, before Shiao Yi could even react, everything was settled.

Dominic turned to him while smiling so brightly that Shiao Yi could only sigh and nod.

"See?" Dominic said happily. "Now we can be officially married."

Looking at that dazzling smile, Shiao Yi couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

"So, um... do I have to wear a wedding dress or something?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course you do," Bona said with a grin. "It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event! Look, even Aphila’s getting ready. You two should go get dressed, too."

"Don’t worry about clothes," said the big middle-aged man from earlier, already standing up. "The wedding outfits belong to the village. Everyone shares them."

He looked over at Bona. "You take the groom. I’ll take the bride."

Then he turned to Dominic and extended his large hand.

"Eh?" Dominic froze, staring in disbelief. The big man, Bona, and even the old man were all looking at him like this was perfectly normal.

"W–Wait," Dominic stammered. "You mean me? I’m the bride?"

"Of course," the big man said confidently. "With that body, you’d make strong children."

Shiao Yi could barely hold in his laughter.

Seeing the proud and stoic Dominic who is standing there with stiff and flustered face was a rare sight that Shiao Yi wanted to remember it forever.

...

"I’m the bride...?" Dominic repeated faintly, unable to believe what he’d just heard.

He stood there, stunned, while the huge man beside him continued talking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"To give birth to strong, healthy children, you need strength and stamina," the man said, matter-of-factly. "It’s only right to choose someone big and sturdy body as the mother, isn’t it? I’ve had three children myself. Big, strong men are always popular, no matter the age or place. You’re not bulky, but you’ve got solid muscles. You’re tall too, you must be a powerful man. If you didn’t already have a husband, I’d probably be the one asking for your hand."

Dominic could only stare.

In one place, customs and values could be completely different from another, that much was clear now.

He thought back to insects and frogs, where the females were often larger and stronger.

It was, in its own way, a method of ensuring survival for the next generation.

He understood the logic, but his personal feelings screamed no.

Every part of him resisted the idea.

No matter how rational it sounded, he wanted to reject it with every fiber of his being.

When he entered the house assigned for preparing the wedding outfits, the heavier man was already there, working on his own attire.

Dominic felt a rush of relief when he saw what they were meant to wear, it wasn’t some overly feminine dress.

Since marriages between men were common here, the outfits were made to suit that tradition.

It was a sleeveless, long garment, loose and flowing, pulled on over the head.

Aphila’s was a pale rose color, while Dominic’s was a soft cream.

He was told that light colors were considered special for weddings, it was rare and precious, in a village surrounded by mud, pale shades color were difficult to keep clean.

The outfit was designed with a wide, rounded swell around the belly, symbolizing fertility and good fortune in childbirth.

Because of that, no belts were used to cinch the waist.

Dominic was allowed to carry his sword in his hand instead.

When they told him to simply place it beside him during the ceremony, he was surprised.

The villagers all went unarmed, yet they allowed strangers to sit among them with a blade.

Were they that trusting? Or just that open-hearted or perhaps a little careless?

He untied his hair, which had been loosely gathered at the back, letting it fall freely over his shoulders.

Aphila did the same, he loosening the knot at the crown of his head until his hair hung down his back. Then, a wreath was placed on each of their heads, it’s a circle woven from iris leaves, decorated with tightly packed, colorful flowers.

"These were picked from the far plains, just for the brides," someone explained proudly.

There was no refusing such sincerity.

When Dominic stood beside the large man wearing the same flower crown, the scene looked surprisingly natural.

It was easier to accept once he stopped resisting.

Back in the village square, the lively space that had been filled with people cleaning and cooking fish was now spotless.

The villagers sat in rows on both sides, facing a small raised platform.

Dominic and Aphila stepped up and sat beside their respective "husbands," who were already waiting.

Dominic’s partner, Shiao Yi, wore a long cream-colored tunic that matched his own, along with brown knee-length trousers.

A thin red sash was tied around his waist, adding a bright accent.

When Dominic looked at him, sitting there so properly, he couldn’t help but smile.

So this is my husband, he thought, he feels amused by the strange turn of fate.

Shiao Yi glanced back at him, his cheeks tinged with pink.

"Dominic," he said softly, "you’re beautiful. A good man looks good no matter what he wears."

Dominic frowned slightly, lips pursed as he muttered under his breath, "Unfair, unfair." He looked almost sulky and far too adorable for his own good.

Dominic’s chest tightened painfully.

Just how much cuter does Shiao Yi plan on getting? he thought, a dangerous warmth spreading through him.