Third Arc: Twenty-Second Chapter

In Ringosta's noble quarter, near the royal palace of Lumelica, stood a solemn, stately church. Set into the ceiling, which rose from beautiful, heavy wooden walls, was stained glass that sparkled in the sunlight streaming through, painting dreamlike colors across the polished floor.

When the church's double doors opened without a sound, Lady Remie, in a pure white wedding dress, entered quietly, the light at her back, escorted by Remias. At her wide-open neckline, a magnificent diamond, like a fallen star, threw off light as if to demand attention, and the skirt spreading softly from her slim, cinched waist bloomed like a great rose in layer upon layer of lace. But the veil with its delicate embroidery, the dreamily lavish dress, and the shining jewels were all no match for Lady Remie's own beauty.

A small white face framed by opulent golden hair, cheeks colored red as roses, brightly shining eyes. Lady Remie had always been a striking woman, but smiling so happily, she was the most beautiful I had ever seen her. Remias, leading her by the hand, wore a proud look at his sister's radiant figure. That I noticed a small loneliness in his eyes was, perhaps, thanks to how long I had known him.

Truly, they were a miraculously beautiful brother and sister. Golden hair fell smooth against the smooth cheek of Remias in his black frock coat, and his profile had, at some point, shed the shell of a boy and become that of a grown man. His wistful eyes, framed by long lashes, held even a certain allure, and I could hear sighs of admiration from the women around us.

"Hff... khh... snf, snbf..."

"Hold on, Lady Cosette! You're crying too much! And too soon!"

"Fgueh, fguu..."

"You too, Anje! Honestly!"

The tears that had spilled over even before the doors opened flowed on without end, along with my running nose, soaking my handkerchief through. Anje had been crying this whole time too, and the handkerchief she gripped looked ready to be wrung out.

"B-but... it's just like watching my own daughter's wedding... ughk."

"You're the same age!"

"Lady Remieee, be habbyyy..."

"Anje, your nose is running!"

Lady Julia rubbed our backs without making a fuss of it. What a kind girl. Sorry about this. Ugh. Isn't that a bit too fast, though? My back's about to burn from the friction!

Lady Remie and Remias walked the not-so-long path from the doors slowly, one step at a time, as if savoring each one. As Lady Remie drew level with me, what peeked out from the hem of her dress, swaying with each step, was, of all things, a slipper.

My shock was so great my tears drew back, and when I stared wide-eyed at Lady Remie, she narrowed her eyes mischievously.

What did I just see?! That was the Neo Fashionable Model, fine for fashion, fine for dancing, and with good grip too! Signora's new spring line, needless to say. A new model of the slipper, the outdoor kind, which even the arrival of the high heel had failed to stamp out.

You're going to wear them outside anyway, aren't you! Fine, then, wear them, I'll make them non-slip since there's no helping it, so there! I remembered all too well designing them in exactly that spirit. In a word, out of sheer spite.

"Doooo yooou swear to love and protect Remie Dranju, who is to be your wife, for all your liiife?"

"I swear."

"And dooo yooou swear to support and love Elliot Cecil, who is to be your husband, for all your liiife?"

"I swear."

The two made their vows at the words of the priest standing at the altar. A pure white frock coat set off Elliot's tall frame, and beside the tall Lady Remie, the pair looked like a painting, very well matched.

The vow of eternal love between a well-matched pair. This was the moving moment. This, right here, was... but I was too distracted by the priest's dodgy way of talking to shed a tear. Why? Why does he sound like a phony priest out of Japan?

Whether or not she noticed me riveted to the priest, Anje's small voice came from beside me.

"...It's the same as the game..."

So that was it! Game correction, it's been a while! This was supposed to be a world different from the game, yet at odd moments I felt the world forcing things along.

The church bells rang out high into the clear blue sky. With that pleasant, clear sound, flocks of white birds took flight from the spire, and rose petals came drifting down from the sky. At the dreamlike sight, the guests narrowed their eyes in rapture.

Were these petals that came from who knows where, and the white birds that took off with such perfect timing, game correction too? The same sort of thing as Anje's silver dandruff.

"It's the same as the game's ending... it links up in strange places, doesn't it."

Anje, gazing blankly at the petals, lowered her brows, troubled, so I said something that had just occurred to me.

"...You used to shed silver dandruff from your head, didn't you."

"?! That was a fashion item!"

And I did my best to match the game! Anje muttered. The mystery of the dandruff was solved ten years on. This world really wasn't a game after all, and I let out a breath of relief. The white birds, too, were probably ones someone had caught up on the roof, and the priest just happened to hail from the same home region as Old Bob. The rose petals, someone must be strewing them about. Really rose to the occasion. Ha ha!

Having forced myself to accept all this, I rushed over to shower Lady Remie and Elliot, who came out through the church doors hand in hand, with a flower shower.