MTLNOVEL Chapter 19: Eye Candy Cafe Gossip Club
The dance ceremony had come to an end, and after a few more rituals, the moment everyone had been waiting for would finally arrive—the bride walking down the aisle, followed by the final exchange of vows.
The grand celebration was entering its final stage, and anticipation filled the air. The crowd buzzed with excitement, restless in their wait for the moment that would mark the beginning of a new chapter in humanity's history.
With time to spare before the last ceremony, guests had formed small groups, chatting and speculating about what was to come.
One such group consisted of regulars from a well-known café—popularly dubbed the Eye-Candy Café—where a mix of men and women had gathered, engaged in lively conversation.
"I still can't believe this is actually happening," mused a striking young woman with dark hair and warm brown eyes. "I thought they wouldn't marry until the Nightmare Spell was finally over."
"Oh, come on, Aiko, give them a break," Luster chimed in, rolling his eyes. "Those two have been madly in love for as long as I can remember." He crossed his arms and let out a dramatic sigh. "Honestly, I'm amazed Captain managed to hold out this long. If it were me, I would've married Lady Nephis the moment the war ended—"
Before he could finish, a sharp pain shot through his side.
"Ouch!" He yelped and instinctively turned to glare at the culprit, only to freeze in terror at the sight of the woman beside him.
Kim stood with her fist raised, her expression radiating pure menace. "Did you forget I'm right here, Lus?"
Luster swallowed hard, hands raised in surrender. "Ah, please forgive me?" he pleaded, his voice a nervous squeak.
Kim inhaled deeply, then exhaled with an air of practiced patience. "We'll talk when we get home." Then, shaking her head, she turned toward the others and offered them an apologetic bow. "Please excuse my husband. He's still the same dumb idiot he's always been."
Her words were met with laughter and amused, pitying looks.
"Haha, I don't envy you," Quentin chuckled. "Must be exhausting dealing with that every day."
Kim merely sighed in response.
Quentin then turned to Aiko, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "You've worked under Sovereign Sunless for a long time, haven't you? I heard a rumor that he and Lady Nephis have been a thing since their Academy days. Any truth to that?"
Aiko shrugged. "Beats me. I never asked about their first meeting."
"Oh! I know who might be able to confirm it," Luster said excitedly. "Let's ask Teacher Julius. I heard Captain has been close to him since the Academy."
Hearing his name, Julius turned his attention to them just as Quentin filled him in.
"We were just talking about whether the Sovereigns have been together since their Academy days," Quentin said with a grin. "Got any insight on that?"
Julius let out a thoughtful chuckle. "Normally, we only discuss academic matters—ancient history, reports, that sort of thing. But, of course, as a dedicated teacher, I do take an interest in my students' well-being!" He grinned.
"Back in those days, he was quite the loner—always buried in training or attending lectures. Rarely socialized, never slacked off."
Julius thought for a moment, then nodded. "I remember him mentioning a few things in passing, but not enough to say with certainty that he and Lady Changing Star were close back then."
He sighed, noticing the dejected looks on the faces around him. Then, as if remembering something amusing, he perked up with a mischievous smile.
"There was... an incident," Julius mischeviously smiled, "Where the great sovereign was hopitalized and well, as I remember, changing star..."
"What!?" Luster screamed, his eyes shining with curiosity, "He? The captain? Hospitalized? Wait, wait, wait... Backtrack please!"
Julius chuckled, clearly enjoying the attention. "Ah, yes. Your amazing Captain didn't even see it coming." He shook his head in mock sympathy. "Maybe he got a little too full of himself after scoring the highest on the punching machine, but—one hit. That's all it took. Down like a sack of bricks. We had to carry him off the spot and straight to the hospital." He laughed at the memory. "I even had to hold his lectures at his hospital bed for days because of that!"
The group was stunned into silence.
Sovereign Sunless was known by countless awe-inspiring titles—The Devil of Antarctica, The Ruler of Death, and many more. His feats were legendary, each achievement surpassing the last. Hearing him get beat singlehandly by the woman he was now marrying was more than just amusing. The idea of him getting knocked out in a single hit even? Absolutely hilarious.
"...What happened next?" Kim asked, eyes sparkling with childlike excitement. "Did they get together after that?"
Before Julius could respond, another voice answered instead. "That was the start, yes," Cassie said, amusement lacing her tone.
Everyone turned—then froze as they saw her chuckling.
"That was such a funny incident," Cassie continued, shaking her head. "I remember Nephis visiting the hospital every single day to apologize... but she could never even enter his room. She was so awkward back then."
A moment of stunned silence followed.
Then—
"WHAT!?"
Voices exploded from all directions.
"This actually happened!?"
"Lady Song of the Fallen, you must tell us everything!"
"We need every detail!"
Cassie simply smiled at their desperate pleas, clearly enjoying the chaos. Just as the crowd seemed on the verge of rioting for more, Julius lifted a hand.
"Settle down, everyone." His voice was calm, yet carried the unmistakable weight of authority. The chatter died instantly.
Julius turned to Cassie. "I assume you came here for something important, Lady Cassie?"
Cassie nodded in appreciation. "Thank you." Then, she turned back to the group and pulled out a small stack of Blue Envelopes.
"I actually just came to deliver these." She handed one to each of them with a smile.
A wave of confusion rippled through the group.
Kim was the first to voice the question on everyone's mind. "Why are we getting Blue Invitations? Is there another event happening in the Farmland after the wedding?"
Cassie tilted her head in thought. "An event? Hmm... I suppose you could call it that." Her lips curled into a small smile. "In any case, you'll find out soon enough."