The attendant found them at dusk.
Aurelion's lanterns had just begun to glow—soft orbs of mana-light drifting between stone arches like captured stars. Leon and Elena were walking back toward their assigned residence when a familiar figure stepped into their path.
It was her.
The same young attendant from the relocation wing. The one Elena had lied to.
She bowed politely, hands folded, expression unreadable.
"Leon of Earth," she said. Then her eyes shifted to Elena, and a small, knowing smile appeared. "And Lady Elena."
Leon's shoulders tensed.
Elena's fingers tightened around his sleeve.
"You requested joint residence status under marital declaration," the attendant continued calmly. "At the time, verification was… waived due to emergency conditions."
Leon opened his mouth. "We—"
"But," the attendant went on, raising a hand gently, "Aurelion does not permit unresolved declarations to remain unresolved."
She gestured behind her.
Two other attendants approached, carrying a long, ornate chest between them. The wood was dark lacquered, inlaid with gold and jade-like mana crystals. Runes shimmered faintly across its surface.
Elena swallowed. "…What is that?"
"Traditional Elnorian marriage attire," the attendant replied. "Specially commissioned."
The chest opened.
Inside were two garments.
Leon's breath caught despite himself.
The robes were unlike anything from Earth—layered silk-like fabric, deep crimson and ivory woven with threads of gold. The cut carried echoes of ancient Chinese and Japanese ceremonial wear: long flowing sleeves, structured shoulders, intricate dragon-and-phoenix embroidery coiling across the fabric.
Elena's dress was breathtaking—elegant, dignified, impossibly beautiful. Her robe shimmered with soft light, patterns blooming like constellations along the hem.
Leon's attire mirrored it—strong lines, restrained power, a quiet authority sewn into every fold.
The attendant said softly. "They are legitimate."
Leon stiffened. "Legitimate… how?"
The attendant met his gaze without flinching.
"You were married in your world," she said. "But not in Elnor."
Elena's heart skipped.
"In Elnor," the attendant continued, "a declaration without ritual is considered a falsehood. Falsehoods—especially those involving residence rights—carry punishment."
Silence fell between them.
"…What kind of punishment?" Elena asked quietly.
"Separation," the attendant replied. "Immediate reassignment. Memory audits. Potential exile to frontier zones."
Leon felt something cold settle in his chest.
The lie had grown teeth.
The attendant inclined her head slightly.
"However," she said, "there is an alternative."
She gestured toward the garments again.
"Make it true."
Elena looked at Leon.
Really looked at him.
This wasn't panic anymore. This wasn't survival instinct.
She remembered the hug before the world broke. The way she had reached for him without knowing why. The way he had always stayed.
Leon searched her face, expecting fear.
He found resolve instead.
"If we do this," Leon said slowly, "there's no taking it back."
Elena nodded once. "I know."
A long pause.
Then Leon exhaled.
"…Alright."
The attendant smiled—not triumphantly, but warmly.
"The ritual will be simple," she said. "By Elnor standards. Witnesses will be provided."
Elena blinked. "Witnesses?"
"Of course," the attendant replied. "This will be the first formal marriage between Earth-born humans conducted in Elnor."
Leon winced. "That sounds… public."
"Yes," the attendant agreed.
The ceremony took place the following day.
They stood beneath a living arch of light—vines of mana blooming with pale flowers that pulsed softly with each heartbeat. The plaza was filled.
Earth survivors. Elnor citizens. And far more than Leon expected.
Leaders arrived.
The Elven Queen, radiant and ancient. The Dwarven High Forger. The Beastman Alpha. The Vampire Regent.
Even envoys of spirits and fair folk lingered at the edges, curious.
Leon wore the ceremonial robes stiffly, still half-convinced this was a surreal mistake.
Elena… looked unreal.
When she stepped beside him, the crowd fell silent.
The ritual itself was old—older than nations.
Vows spoken not of love, but of choice. Of standing. Of staying.
When they placed their hands together, mana surged—not violently, but gently, weaving around them like threads being tied into a knot.
The System chimed softly.
[Bond Registered: Spousal Contract – Elnor Standard]
[Status: Valid]
The lie was gone.
Replaced by truth.
Applause rose—not thunderous, but respectful. Curious. Hopeful.
Gifts followed.
Jewels from elves. Forged artifacts from dwarves. Blessings from spirits. Tokens of protection, prosperity, endurance.
Leon stood dazed through it all.
Elena squeezed his hand.
"We're really married now," she whispered.
Leon swallowed. "…Yeah."
And the lie they had told to survive had quietly, irrevocably become something real.