Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill - Chapter 239

Chapter 239: 239:The Uninvited Guest
After a short moment, he pulled his focus back to Julia, to the music, to the vows that were waiting ahead. The wedding moved forward gently. Quiet smiles were shared and hands trembled with emotion.

It wasn’t just a marriage,rather for many it was a celebration of post war peace.

It felt like everyone in the room was breathing the same dream of a calmer future, one without storms.

Then the vows were spoken. Words of promise and life joined them together. When the ceremony reached its end, the hall filled with applause. It was not loud but warm like a hug, and it spread across the room like a wave.

One by one, guests stepped forward to bless the couple. Some offered gifts. Some whispered prayers. Some simply smiled with wet eyes.

Soon everyone moved toward the banquet hall where long tables were set with steaming dishes.

There was roasted meat with herbs, fresh bread, creamy soup, burgers,french fries,fruits laid out in neat bowls, and sweet wine shining like red crystal.

The hall grew warmer, not only from candles and lanterns but from laughter and voices overlapping like music. A small band played in one corner, adding a gentle rhythm to the celebration.

Ethan and Julia sat together side by side.

Sometimes they talked quietly, sometimes they just held hands and listened to the people around them.

Ethan saw his little ones run between the tables, his little steps quick and full of energy. He sometimes came back with a piece of fruit, sometimes with a sweet roll in his hand, and sometimes dragging questions along with crumbs on his face.

Rony stood near the food, watching the cooks with sharp eyes, his arms crossed in authority.

“Quick. If any of the dishes fail the standard I am gonna find you,” he warned, voice stern and heavy.

“Father, cut them slack. They are working hard,” Lia pleaded, her soft voice calming the workers who looked at her like she was pure sunlight in flesh.

Outside, the sun slowly softened behind the horizon. The sky turned gold and orange, and warm rays flowed through the open windows.

The light touched Julia’s hair gently. It made the bluish strands shine like water under moonlight. She sat quietly, a small smile on her lips. She seemed happy, though a little shy as so many eyes watched her.

Ethan reached under the table and held her hand. Her fingers curled around his, and when she looked at him, the noise of the hall felt distant and blurred.

Near the courtyard, children ran and played. Their laughter jumped above the music. Servants rushed around with trays, refilling cups, placing food, and clearing plates. Even the guards who stood near the doorway looked more relaxed. Their shoulders were not stiff. Their eyes did not watch every shadow like before. They too felt the peace of the moment.

Duke Phillips stood and raised his glass. He tapped it lightly, and the sound cut through the room. Everyone turned toward him. His voice was steady and warm when he spoke.

“Today,” he began, “we celebrate not only a union between two people, but a moment of peace after so much hardship. May it last, and may joy return to every home.”

People cheered. Glasses clinked together. The wedding hall filled once again with applause.

Ethan looked over the faces of nobles, soldiers, servants, family. Duke Phillips’ voice suddenly cracked, and he cried in the middle of his speech. His tears drew sympathy and soft murmurs from the guests. A father’s emotion was not something easy to hide.

But when the cheering rose louder, he lowered his face to drink. As soon as his expression was hidden behind the cup, his sadness disappeared like it had never existed at all. A wide smile spread across his lips.

“Oh my… thank God. I’ve finally gotten rid of that troublesome burden,” he muttered to himself. “That girl was nothing but trouble, chasing away every suitor.”

He chuckled quietly. “Because of her, I was just inches away from getting involved in a brutal war. Now I can finally relax.”

He finished his drink with satisfaction and turned away, all cheer and politeness once again. Not far from him, two children stood watching with wide eyes.

“Brother… that…” Leo whispered, confused and unsure.

Ray placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sss. Quiet. We didn’t see anything,” he said firmly.

Then silence fell again as the priest asked Ethan and Julia to kiss.

Ethan smiled softly. He placed his hand on Julia’s waist and leaned closer. Her eyes fluttered shut.

But before their lips met, a voice cut across the hall.

“Thank God. I thought I was late, but it seems I made it just in time.”

The hall froze.

Ethan turned slowly, confused as he saw a newcomer entering with guards surrounding him. He had never seen this man before.

But Duke Phillips, Roen, and Duchess Emma stiffened where they stood. Their eyes trembled and their throats tightened. A cold chill crawled through their bones.

Sophia noticed their reaction. She stepped closer and whispered with a shaking voice.

“It’s the second Prince.”

Ethan swallowed his saliva hearing this and screamed in his mind.

‘Damn..Why did you need to come today and spoil such an important day.’

The air felt heavier and colder, like a shadow passing through sunlight. Every person straightened unconsciously, backs stiff and shoulders drawn, as though instinct itself recognized the authority approaching them.

There was no need for introductions. Everyone knew who he was.

The man who entered through the wide doors was none other than the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Ruthiana, Prince Karl.

His presence alone was enough to command the entire room. His sharp eyes swept slowly over the gathered nobles and guests. His gaze was slow and deliberate, taking in every detail and every face. No one dared to move or whisper.

When his eyes finally reached Ethan and Julia standing together at the altar, something faint and quick flickered across his expression. It was not easy to read, yet it was clear enough for those who watched him closely.

Ethan felt the weight inside that look. Something about it made his chest tighten. Without thinking too deeply, he slid his hand around Julia’s waist and pulled her a little closer, a protective gesture more instinctive than planned.

A moment later, the entire hall moved at once. Everyone lowered their heads, and bowed with respect as voices rose together.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”