The bubbly and happy atmosphere in the village was undeniable. It was like the people never had a more peaceful time filled with security. Music played along the streets, Yamanaka flowers had the family: Father, mother and daughter, giving away flowers for free to make people look more beautiful. They were told for two days, anything they sold or gave would be paid by the village, no limits.
Who were they to refuse the Fifth Hokage's goodwill?~
Hannah was hanging around with Anna Blair, trying to get hold of a few goodies. They knew all of Ray's women were coming to the ceremony and wanted to prepare some gifts for all of them. Suffice to say, they had several bags filled to the brim. Behind them, closely behind them, there was what looked like a horse made out of flowers and vines; the horse neighed beautifully and carried all the bags. This horse was made by Anna using her magic.
People couldn't help but be mesmerised by it, wondering what jutsu that was.
"Ino-chan, these flowers are so beautiful!" Hannah stopped by another one of her friends' shops. While hanging out with Sakura, Hannah got to meet a lot of kids. She also broke a lot of hearts once she revealed she already had a boyfriend.
"They really are", Anna Blair picked some of them and smelled them up, unaware of the awestruck faces she was being looked at with.
"Young miss, I think these would suit you well" Inoichi, Ino's father, picked up a Sunflower and gave it to her.
"What is the name of these, sir?"
"These are called Sunflowers, do you like them?".
"Sun... yes, I love them very much, thanks, mister~".
...
Alongside the happiness and hope of the village, there was the thrill of the upcoming ceremony, a massive event that would take over the village. It was the second time most of this generation would attend a Hokage's wedding, the first having been the Fourth Hokage's Yondaime and Kushina Uzumaki's wedding.
"Tsunade-sama is so lucky!"
"Who would have thought...? That old hag married before me".
"Shhhh! Shut up! You never know who's hearing!"
"Now that she's married to Ray-sama, I imagine she will start toning down her liquor".
"Yes, Ray-sama is an emperor with a lot of concubines, Tsunade-sama will have to give it her best to keep up".
...
While the comments circulated, in the Hokage's office, Tsunade wasn't happy despite her current position.
She was sitting on Ray's lap, in her office, checking up and signing documents at her desk. Suffice to say, those two were inseparable... they wanted to spend their time together until they would fatefully split ways to get prepared for the ceremony separately.
People were talking gibberish straight out of her office. Then, Shizune's voice resonated.
"Don't worry, girls. Ray-sama is so wonderful, he won't give Tsunade-sama a chance to go into old habits, he's going to discipline her throughly!~"
"SHIZUNE!".
The voices outside faltered, and fear brimmed.
"Don't worry, Shizune-chan, I will handle her~" Ray screamed from the inside, earning a growl from his fiancée. They heard the people outside squandering away while Shizune scolded them.
Tsunade glared at Ray with outrage, "That girl needs a scolding".
Ray ignored that and instead took her chin, turning her head towards him to plant a kiss on those lips that had charming red lipstick on them. Tsunade had started to pay more attention to her appearance, which was outrageous considering she was already beautiful without having to do much.
"You look brighter than the sun today, dear~" He mumbled amidst their pecks.
The woman gasped, the seal she had in her hand dropped, and she looked like she wanted to say something. I removed her Hokage hat, threw it to the side because it annoyed me, and kissed her again.
"R-Ray, I am busy..." She mumbled on my lips but actually turned around to sit more comfortably and kiss me better.
"Isn't your husband more important than work?~" I sucked her little tongue greedily.
"It is not, but... if you want us to go into a little honeymoon, I have to sign some stuff to pass them to the elders, to give Itachi some authority, other things..." As she spoke of silliness, it was as if she came to realise how unimportant those things were compared to this moment.
Tsunade smiled and kissed back even harder, uncaring of whoever may come into the room. She didn't care. Whoever came into the room would watch her happiness, just what she wanted.
"And why were you upset anyway?" Ray asked.
"I am happy to marry you. But those bastards... they talked like I was never going to marry in my life because I am so old..." She groaned.
"Forget them. They don't get to marry me, you do~ tomorrow... tomorrow you will be my woman".
"I am your woman already", She whispered sultrily, "We're just doing pleasantries at this point".
We kissed again, our lips were like opposite magnets, unable to separate. Tsunade groaned and slumped in her office, her gaze stared at me longingly.
"I don't want to work today. A-And we're marrying tomorrow... I want to take this day out and spend it with you, but..." she looked at the stack of papers painfully, "The other girls will be coming soon, and I want to finish before they come to spend some time with them too".
Ray gulped instinctively with a smile. All of his women were in one place, and they were all so thrilled that the group chat had been throbbing. So many breathtaking women in one place was a lot of pressure.
'I can handle them~' Ray smirked, until Tsunade put an end to his foolish ambitions.
"You're not allowed to participate though~" She pinched his nose lightly, amused at how fast his face switched from euphoric to depressed.
"How come my women can get together, and I can't be there?!".
"Because it is an all-girls meeting where we will discuss... topics. And we will get together and tidy up to prepare for the ceremony. In the meantime, you can stay with your friends. Moreover, Grayfia will be there... and I want to talk to her".
"..." Ray sighed in relief, "In a good tone, I assume?"
"In a very nice tone. Friendly, I promise" She touched his chest, smiling, "We will make up".
"And then cancel the duel–"
"I don't know about that, but for now I'll try to patch things up", She pouted. "The duel is not just fueled by wrath, I genuinely want to fight and measure myself up to her".
Ray sighed and rolled his eyes. At least he knew if the fuel of the duel was not wrath, they'd pull up their punches a little bit.
Just as they were talking, Ray received a notification, a private message which would seldom come. Usually, girls talked to him through the main groups.
[Grayfia: Ray-sama, I would like to consult something with you].
[Ray: It is odd for you to contact me this way, Grayfia. Tell me, what's wrong?].
[Grayfia: There is nothing wrong, master. As you know, I am planning to come in a few hours to meet with the rest of the girls in Tsunade's world, just so we can get ready for the ceremony].
[Ray: Yeah?].
[Grayfia: I was wondering. If it would be okay for me to bring Sirzechs and Millicas along], Grayfia's voice sounded a bit apprehensive.
Ray frowned for a bit. Tsunade asked what was wrong, and he told her he was in the middle of a talk with Grayfia.
[Ray: Is he coming as a diplomat to meet with Tsunade? We do not have plans to allow the citizens of either world to come in contact with one another yet].
Travelling to new worlds had already opened a lot of opportunities for the open market. Even now, Elves and Angels were already in the middle of trading goods through the use of the moonlight mist. They were through the initial stages, but they were mostly commercialising technology while the angels were receiving armatista in exchange.
He thought Sirzechs was interested in partaking in one of those commercial deals in behalf of all devils.
[Grayfia: No, Ray-sama. We have already decided. As my duel with Tsunade is going to take place in a week at the latest. This is going to be our last party in which I am attending as his queen and maid, and he also wishes to meet you as we have come to an arrangement].
[Ray: What is that arrangement?]
[Grayfia: The same day of my duel with Tsunade-sama, we intend to create a small festival. Since your presence in the underworld is rare and you will definitely be there that day, we prepared a handful of events and rating games that were due to take place to entertain the underworld and you, our Biblical God. My match with Tsunade-sama is supposed to be an opener, then there will be some more rating games between the new generation of young devils, including Rias-sama, who will be fighting Riser for the matters regarding their engagement]
[Ray: That's some good news. When was all this decided?]
[Grayfia: Two days ago, Rias-sama came to the underworld. Gremory and Phenex both met and came to this arrangement. The truth is, the Phenex Family is already aware Rias-sama is way stronger than Raiser-sama... if she wanted to null the engagement, she already has enough destructive deterrence to do so. But in order to maintain the Phenex's family dignity to the public, a public rating game is paramount].
[Ray: I am glad to hear I don't have to intervene in that. I planned to address Rias' engagement as soon as I returned].
[Grayfia: I am glad you are happy, Ray-sama. As I said, there will be many more rating games and events. But the most important one is the closing event, the last rating game].
[Ray:...]
[Grayfia: The Biblical God Osiris-sama versus the Satan Lucifer. The winner gets me, Grayfia Lucifuge] she said, a bit embarassed].
[Ray: Oh~]
[Grayfia: Please do not be angry, Ray-sama. The truth is, Sirzechs and I have already divorced].
[Ray: Eh?].
[Grayfia: Yes, right after my argument with Tsunade, I brought this topic up to him, I apologised and asked for a divorce, because I could no longer handle the shame I was bringing you. As a married woman, to belong to you... you must have been disgusted].
[Ray: Eh? Who said that?! Grayfia, it was me who told you not to rush to finish off things for Millicas' sake, how could I be disgusted?!]
[Grayfia: But Ray-sama rarely ever comes to visit, or asks me to come... I-I am Sirzechs-sama's maid, if you don't expressively request my presence, Ray-sama, I...] Grayfia sounded complex and a bit sad.
Her words brought me back to my conversation with Kushina.
[Ray: I am sorry, Grayfia... I am sorry if I made you feel that way].
[Grayfia: Ray-sama, I...]
[Ray: Please come before me right now. I will open a gate for you].