OMI 16

I Swear By The Name Of The Goddess

I used to wonder what would change after we became partners. 

It seemed to me that an Alpha would mark an Omega as his. Even the formation of the bond involved the Alpha biting the Omega’s neck. It felt primitive, right? In the end, I was the one who was bitten. 

But now I understand that it’s different. It’s a mutual relationship. From Lumière to me, and from me to him, it’s hard to explain, but we chose each other. 

It’s something invisible, without form, and I never thought I would believe in such an uncertain thing. 

It was something I wanted impulsively, but I can say that I really wanted it from my heart. 

For the first time in my life, I felt valued by someone, and I found someone I wanted to value in return. 

My life didn’t change drastically. 

On the days Lumière worked, Ende still came by as usual. 

But somehow I finally began to feel that this place wasn’t just a temporary shelter, but my home. 

“Eclair, how about we go out on our next vacation? It’s in the central district, but there’s a place I want to visit with you.” 

“Sure, where are we going?” 

“There are a few places I want to check out. Is there anywhere you’d like to stop?” 

“Then I’d like to go to a bookstore.” 

I’ve read through my gardening books, so maybe it’s time to buy a new one.

“Sure. Shall we stop by the garden store? It would be nice to buy some new plants.”

“If we have time, I’d love to.”

Yes, I should secretly ask the store staff about the azalea flowers.

◇ 

That day, Lumière seemed unusually restless and more enthusiastic than usual.

Even though it was the central district, given what had happened, we had security with us. They were from a company we had a special contract with. I had gotten used to them, and they were still good at blending in, so I didn’t mind.

In the morning, we visited the stores I wanted to see, starting with my favorite garden store.

I got advice on how to prepare the garden for the coming seasons.

When I secretly asked about growing flowers to give him, they recommended some that would bloom soon. Azaleas are out of season now, so maybe next year.

We reserved some plants and the necessary fertilizer to be delivered to our home. 

Then we stopped at a bookstore. Lumière is quite the bookworm, so we each bought a few books. 

Many of the books he reads are quite difficult, and I haven’t touched most of them. 

When I mentioned that we could read the same stories and share our thoughts, he happily started picking out recommendations.

Before lunch, Lumière said he wanted to stop by a clothing store, so I followed him. 

It turned out to be a more expensive place than I had expected. The clothes weren’t exactly formal, but they were quite refined, like semi-formal attire.

Lumière handed me a navy suit while he took a gray one. The sheen and texture of the fabric made me feel a little intimidated. These must be very expensive. 

It seemed that the order had already been placed, and we changed into the suits on the spot for fitting.

It was my first time wearing clothes that came with cufflinks and a tie pin. 

Even my shoes were changed, making me look completely different.

“Hey, where are we going?” 

“Let’s go eat first. The main event will follow.” 

I felt a little uncomfortable eating in such clothes, but I followed him.

The restaurant looked very upscale. We were ushered into a private room. I was relieved to be alone with him. I didn’t know much about etiquette and didn’t want to embarrass him in front of others.

“Sorry, are you nervous? This is a friend’s restaurant, so you can relax.”

“It’s my first time in a place like this, so it’s impossible not to be nervous. Why the sudden plan?”

“I wanted to celebrate us becoming partners. It’s just the two of us, so let’s enjoy the food. We wore these clothes out of respect for the restaurant, but don’t worry if you get them dirty.”

Even though he said we could just send them to the cleaners, I was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar clothes and the new atmosphere of the restaurant. 

The person who brought the drinks nodded at Lumière and then smiled at me. Perhaps this is the friend he mentioned? They didn’t engage in unnecessary conversation and quietly set the table before leaving.

“Let’s toast. I feel like I’m dragging you along with my excitement.”

“No, I’m happy. Just surprised.”

I had never been invited to celebrate in such a setting before, so I was a little confused, but I appreciated Lumière’s sentiment.

“To our wonderful days together, cheers.” 

“C-Cheers.” 

Although it was said to be non-alcoholic, the fizzy drink had an atmosphere that felt like it. The taste also had a slight hint of alcohol. 

The food was all delicious. 

People eat a lot in this country. It seemed that they had been informed in advance because the portions I was served were smaller. 

When I was served, they said to let them know if I needed more, but honestly, even that was a lot. 

After eating a few dishes, I got used to the atmosphere of the restaurant. The private room may have helped. 

After the meal, we were taken to a place that looked like a cathedral. 

Old buildings with history have a certain grandeur. 

This is a church dedicated to the goddess. 

“Amazing… Is this all stone? How did they build it?”

“It’s an important building that’s been here since the founding of the country. Let’s go in.” 

“Wait, can we just go in?” 

“Of course, it’s open to the public. Except during ceremonies.” 

There were people coming and going, but everyone seemed to have an air of importance. I would never go in alone.

“There are people who come here every day to pray earnestly.”

Lumière led me inside. Behind the main altar was a wall of stained glass. It probably depicted the goddess, and it was very colorful and beautiful.

There were some people praying inside. They all seemed very serious.

“Should we pray too?” 

“Huh? For what? And how should we do it?”

“Sit down, fold your hands, and think about whatever you want. I think I’ll give thanks for meeting you.”

There didn’t seem to be any special rules.

I imitated Lumière and prayed as well. I didn’t have anything specific to pray for, but I decided to give thanks.

(Um, Goddess, thank you for bringing me to Padilla. Because of that, I met Lumière… I think I’m happy now.)

Until that moment, I hadn’t believed in the existence of a goddess, unlike the people of this land. But when I saw Lumiere praying so earnestly next to me, I decided to do the same. 

Then there was a bang and sparkling particles of light began to fall on me. 

Fireworks? Why would this happen all of a sudden?

“The goddess is pleased.”

“A blessing! I never thought I’d see it in person.”

“Well, did he get it? How wonderful.”

“We are lucky today.”

The once silent church was now filled with the murmurs and whispers of those around us.

“What is this? A performance?”

I whispered to Lumière in confusion, and he replied excitedly, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“We have received a blessing. Amazing, it’s the first time I’ve seen it in person. Ah, maybe it’s because it’s Éclair.” 

The phenomenon known as the Goddess Blessing is said to be seen not only in churches but also in various places. It is considered very auspicious when it occurs during international events and becomes a topic of conversation.

The most frequently observed phenomenon is the rare falling of light particles on people praying in churches.

Though it is not certain, it is said that this can be seen in the Central District church about once or twice a month.

Lumiere’s comment that it is because of me probably also implies that I am a summoned one.

Could it be that the Goddess really called me to this world? At that moment, I finally felt that it was okay to believe that. I was gradually adopting the values of the country of Padilla, and it didn’t feel bad at all.

We left the church and walked through the garden. The setting sun cast a warm glow over everything.

“Éclair, I need to ask you something.”

Lumiere knelt before the statue of the goddess in the garden. I panicked, afraid his beautiful clothes would get dirty, but he didn’t seem to care. 

“I want you to marry me. Will you officially become my family?”

“Huh? Oh, I see, this is…” 

I never imagined being proposed to like this. The proposals I had heard about from acquaintances were more casual, like during a conversation or suddenly before bed.

“I didn’t want it to be just a formality because we became partners. If you’re not ready, we can wait…”

Seeing me stunned, Lumière seemed to think I wasn’t interested and said so.

“No, it’s not that! Um… I’m happy. Is it okay if I say I accept?” 

I replied hastily. I didn’t even know what to say in a situation like this. 

“Really? That’s great! Thank you very much. I swear by the name of the Goddess, I will cherish you.” 

He hugged me with a look of genuine relief. 

“This is an engagement necklace. I want you to have it.”

In the culture of this country, when people get married, they give each other a special kind of necklace.

The sparkling yellow gem resembled Lumière’s eyes. Engraved on the back of the pendant were our names and Lumière’s family crest.

“Wow, that looks really expensive. Um, thank you, I’ll treasure it.”

“It’s not too flashy, so you can wear it every day. For ceremonial marriage tokens, it’s customary to make matching designs that are a bit more elaborate. Let’s choose those together next time.”

In this country, wearing matching necklaces is a significant act. Even for lovers, giving such a necklace means they are promising to marry each other, so it’s not something given lightly.

“I want you to meet my family next time. I want you to meet my other brothers besides Renard.” 

“Of course… Family, huh? I’m happy, thank you.” 

Although I was mostly surprised, the realization began to sink in. 

I was no longer alone. This thought made me incredibly happy.