Today, the atmosphere in Melin's house was unusually heavy. Mu was there, and aside from Shaka who was in seclusion, Camus who was out on a mission, and Dohko who was guarding the seal, all the others were present. But Melin wasn't—he hadn't seen them in a while, and since they had all gathered together today, he went out to buy groceries to cook them a good meal, also giving them space to talk among themselves.
If Fury and the others saw this scene, they would probably sound the highest-level red alert and put the entire globe on high alert.
After all, seeing over half the Gold Saints gathered together with such serious expressions, what else could it mean but a god-war?
But the truth was…
"You're really planning to get married?" Saga asked.
Whoosh~
With that one question, all eyes turned toward the main character—Kanón.
"Uh… yeah." Kanón nodded timidly. Even he couldn't withstand the pressure of being stared at by nine Gold Saints.
"Who's the lucky one?" Saga pressed, looking every bit the big brother concerned about his younger brother's lifelong happiness.
"Hope…" Kanón answered softly.
…
…
"Huh!?" Everyone present exclaimed, staring at Kanón in disbelief.
"You mean that little girl who swore to marry you eighteen years ago? Hank Pym's daughter?" Deathmask confirmed.
"…Yeah."
Once Kanón nodded, everyone wore playful smirks—even Shura, who normally had a perpetually stiff expression, was smiling.
"Not bad, Kanón! That little girl's had you on her mind for eighteen years! You've been apart all this time, and she still didn't forget you!" Deathmask teased, slinging an arm around Kanón's neck.
"I didn't know anything about it!"
"Oh~" ×9
"Really! You have to believe me! Ever since Hank moved away with her, we haven't had any contact! I'm already over sixty, I wouldn't prey on a little girl! She kept sending me letters on her own, but I never replied, and she never came looking for me, so I thought…"
"Oh~!" ×9
"Then what? What happened after that?" Deathmask asked eagerly, and everyone else leaned in to listen.
They hadn't seen each other in eighteen years, with no contact in between—why the sudden marriage? There had to be a story here!
Don't be fooled—though the Gold Saints were the pride of Sanctuary and symbols of strength, admired and revered by many, in private, they were all brothers at heart. Even Shaka, who rarely left the Virgo Temple, maintained his bond with them in his own unique way.
Kanón was their thirteenth brother.
And now that their brother had juicy gossip—ahem, was getting married—they naturally had to "show some care."
"Well… I'm the CEO of Stark Industries, right? A few days ago, Pym Technologies sent people to negotiate a partnership with Stark Industries, and the team leader was…"
"Was Hope?"
"…Yeah."
"Oh~!!" ×9
"Then what? Keep going!" they urged.
"Then… Hope stayed on as an external liaison at Stark Industries. We hadn't seen each other in so long, and I used to take care of her when she was little, so we went out for dinner, went shopping… and then… and then…"
"Oh~!!!" ×9
No need to guess—they probably strolled straight into a hotel, and everything just flowed from there.
Actually, there were some crucial parts Kanón didn't mention—he felt a mysterious pressure bearing down on him, like three massive numbers of doom were hovering over his head.
"Nice going, Kanón! This was a well-executed plot." Deathmask joked.
"You say you didn't have feelings for her, yet after meeting again, you're already getting married? Didn't even go through the dating phase. Impressive!" Aiolia gave a thumbs-up.
"Strategy Sixteen of the Thirty-Six Stratagems—'Feign retreat to lure the enemy in.' Respect!" Shura added.
"Putting your education to practical use? I still have a lot to learn," Mu said, shaking his head.
"Didn't expect you to be the first, Kanón. You really started a trend—our hidden thirteenth Gold Saint," Milo quipped.
"The first married Gold Saint. Tsk tsk, big news." Aldebaran chimed in.
(As for Odysseus—please be patient, he'll show up later in a unique way. Right now, they don't know he exists.)
"Congratulations, Kanón." Aphrodite, ever the gentle one, offered his sincere blessing.
Saga and Aiolos, the elder brothers among the Gold Saints, didn't say much. They just patted Kanón on the shoulder with looks of heartfelt satisfaction—"Our little brother's finally grown up."
"I didn't mean for it to happen so fast… Who knew that girl would be so forward…" Kanón mumbled, feeling guiltier by the second.
"Oh? So you were… pushed down?"
"Shut up, Deathmask!"
To think his first time was from being reverse-pushed—how could Kanón live with that? And he definitely couldn't let anyone spread the word!
"Pfft—hahaha!"
"Hey, guys, help me out! What should I do now?" Kanón clutched his head in distress.
"What do you mean 'do'? Just marry her!"
"Milord."
Melin returned, and Mu and Aiolia—closest to the door—quickly took the two large bags of groceries and put them in the kitchen.
Melin waved casually, signaling everyone to relax. This was home, not a formal gathering.
"But… I'm a Saint. I'm your guard, Milord. If I get married, what about my duty to you?" Kanón asked with a tearful expression.
"Bull! You're just making excuses. If I were ever in danger, whether you're around or not doesn't matter!" Melin smacked Kanón on the head.
This guy wasn't torn between duty and private life. Tons of Saints were married already—one more wouldn't make a difference.
What Kanón was really anxious about was the uncertainty of marriage and life afterward.
It was unfamiliar territory, and without anything to reference—since every marriage and family is unique—he was naturally nervous.
"It's okay, Kanón." Melin placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "In life, we'll all face many firsts. We just have to face them bravely. Like, for example—"
"I get it, Milord. Like my first battle." Melin's words always gave him strength. His earlier anxiety seemed to vanish instantly.
But… he only guessed the beginning, not the end.
"…Like how your first time was being reverse-pushed. If you face it honestly, isn't that a kind of love too?"
Kanón: 囧
Weren't we not going to talk about that anymore, Milord? Why would you betray me!?
"Pfft—hahahaha…"
"Have you set a date for the wedding?" Melin asked as he sat down.
"Not yet… We're just planning to. But didn't you say, Milord, once you've started something, you have to take responsibility?"
"Then set a date soon. I'll talk to Hank about it—he won't say no," Melin replied.
"Uh… Milord… Hope said… Hank doesn't seem to like me much… What should I do?"
"Don't worry. He'll come around after the wedding."
Like hell he will. You stole the daughter he spent years raising—no father would like that.
"Okay… I got it. I'll go talk to Hope now."
Kanón rushed off to find his girlfriend, even forgetting the luxurious celebratory dinner Melin had prepared.
"Remember to bring her back for dinner! And keep it under control!"
Thud~ A sound came from outside—the familiar thump of someone meeting the ground up close.
"Hahaha…"
"Well, now that Kanón's situation is settled, what about you guys?"
As Melin's eyes swept across the room, the cheerful mood vanished. The other nine were drenched in sweat, scrambling in their minds for excuses to flee.
"Milord, I…"
"You've had no missions lately—I asked Shion."
"But I still have to…"
"Enough. Don't make excuses. Look at Kanón—he only figured things out in his sixties. You all should learn from him. You're all becoming ascetic monks! What's the point? You're Saints, not leftover men! Especially you, Saga! Your brother's about to get married and you're still a single virgin."
"Exactly! Saga! How could you lose to Kanón? I'm ashamed of you!" Deathmask jumped in, trying to redirect Melin's fire at Saga, but…
Did he really think Melin was that easy to fool?
Bang~
The next moment, Deathmask was crouched on the ground, clutching his head under a glaring lump.
"You've got some nerve! Don't think I don't know—you're a night club prince, but still a first-timer!"
Deathmask: .°ヽ(°'Д`)/°.
It's over. BBQ. His biggest secret, hidden for years, was exposed just like that.
"Now, I'm giving you all a mission."
Hearing the word "mission," everyone reflexively stood up. But for the first time, when receiving a direct mission from Melin, their faces weren't serious—they were full of fear and sweat.
"By the end of this year, find yourselves a girlfriend. Every single one of you. Marriage can come later. And don't even think about hiring an actress to fool me. If I find out…"
Gulp Everyone swallowed nervously.
"…Heh, I'll send your profiles to matchmaking agencies worldwide, specially marked as Gold Saints of Sanctuary."