第９０３堀：少女とドレス (Part1)
**Chapter 903: The Girl and the Dress**
**Side: Ria**
"Oh, everyone looks beautiful."
In front of Yuki-san, who said those words, everyone was gathered, dressed in stunning wedding dresses. These were the dresses we had helped select for this wedding ceremony. Everyone truly, truly looked wonderful in them.
"You all look so lovely."
"Do you really think so? Thank you, Ria-san."
When I said that, Samantha-san spun around happily right in front of me.
" "Oh—" "
As expected of a duke’s daughter, every movement she made was refined and graceful. Combined with the beauty of the dress, her elegant spinning was enough to capture anyone’s gaze.
"……Yuki, Ria, look at me too."
"That’s right. I want you to look at me, too."
"Ah, me too……"
"Mikos-chan as well! And take a picture! Ria, please!"
Mikos handed me her camera as she spoke, so I went around taking photos of everyone. I took plenty of shots—not just the two-shots with Yuki-san, but also photos of me with them and group pictures. This would be useful for the article Mikos was writing, and it was good to have photos to show Seraria and the others who couldn't make it to this venue.
……After all, everyone is currently swamped with the Intercontinental Exchange Conference involving the Dragon Tribe. Well, we were busy with the preparations for that, too.
"Now then, all that's left is for Dressa and the others to finish changing…… Oh, that’s right, Ria needs to change too."
"Eh?"
I didn't understand what Yuki-san was saying. There was no reason for me to change. After all, this wasn't my wedding. This was the wedding for the members of the If Continent and the New Continent…… not mine.
"No, Ria, you’re part of this wedding ceremony, too. Look, you arrived right after Seraria and the others' wedding, didn't you? And with everything that happened, we haven't held your ceremony yet, right?"
"……Eh, ah, that is……"
It was so sudden that I still couldn't process the words. No, it was just so unexpected that I couldn't find my voice.
"Sniff."
And then, tears began to overflow naturally.
"Huh!? What!? What’s wrong, Ria? Hey, did something happen!?"
Seeing my sudden tears, Yuki-san began to panic. Even so, the tears wouldn't stop. Because I was just so, so happy.
"A-ri, uuu……"
"Ria!? A doctor! Hey, someone get a doctor!!"
"Yuki-sama, please calm down."
"……Mm. Yuki, calm down."
"How can I calm down when Ria is suddenly crying!? Is it a sudden illness……"
No, that’s not it. That’s not it at all.
"Au-a……"
But I still couldn't form the words.
"See, she’s clearly in a lot of pain!"
"Ah—first, just calm down, Yuki. Anyone can see those are tears of joy. You really are a blockhead when it comes to these things. Right, Jessica?"
"Indeed. Even though you can be quite considerate, the core of it is always completely off-base."
"Eh? Eh? What does that mean?"
"I-I'm, o-kay."
I managed to say at least that much. But with my stuttering, it didn't have much persuasive power. Yuki-san was still panicking as usual.
"No, no. Look, you’re clearly not okay! Are you the type who doesn't realize it yourself?"
"……No, Yuki, you need to calm down. It’s not just anything, it’s, well, tears of joy."
"Naturally. After all, you’re holding a wedding for us in such a wonderful place."
"And it seems Ria never even dreamed she’d be able to have a wedding ceremony this time around. So, I think her joy just overflowed."
As Kagura, Enora, and Mikos said, I nodded up and down to show that yes, that was exactly it. Finally, Yuki-san calmed down.
"I see, that’s a relief…… No, I’m sorry for springing such an important thing on you so suddenly."
"No, I’m sorry for reacting so excessively……"
As we were apologizing to each other, Jessica joined the conversation.
"Now that Ria has calmed down, Yuki, we’ll go get changed."
"Yeah, I’m counting on you. Make sure she looks beautiful."
"Yes, leave it to me. Come on, Ria, let’s go."
"Yeah. Well then, Yuki-san. Everyone, I’ll be back."
I said that and followed Jessica deep into the cathedral. It wasn't as grand as the chapel, but it was still beautiful and solemn. Even an amateur like me could tell that skilled craftsmen had poured their hearts into building it.
"I’ve never been in this part before. It’s amazing."
I let that thought slip out honestly.
"Oh, that’s surprising. You’re close with Lilishe-sama and the others, so I assumed you had been here before."
"I’m close with Lilishe-sama and Rurua, but we always go to the smaller church."
"Ah, that makes sense."
That’s right; the one I usually visit is the smaller church, so there was never any need to use the cathedral. That’s why I’d never had any business here until now. As we talked about that and walked further in……
"It’s that room over there."
As Jessica said that and opened the door, we found……
"Ugh, this is so hard to move in."
"Hiiro, stay still. That’s just how dresses are."
"Behave yourself today. It would be terrible if you stained or tore the dress."
"Ugh…… Ah, but leaving the stains aside, there’s no way something Jia-nee made would tear!"
"You idiot. Just because it won't tear doesn't mean it's okay to get it dirty."
"That’s right. Besides, I absolutely will not forgive you for standing next to Brother in a dirty dress. If you’re going to be like that, stay in the audience."
"I don't want that, Hiiro!"
" "Then stay still!" "
Dressa and the others were there, changing in a lively manner.
"Ugh…… Ah, Ria-onee, Jessi-onee."
"Oh, you’re late."
"Did something happen?"
"No, Yuki was just being oblivious as usual."
"Eh, Jessica. That was my fault, wasn't it?"
There’s no way Yuki-san was at fault for what happened earlier. Well, if you call it being oblivious, I suppose it might be true, but considering Yuki-san’s personality, it’s normal for him to do things like that.
"Brother is oblivious?"
"Ria was at fault?"
"……Ah, does that mean Brother didn't tell Ria-onesama that it was a wedding?"
" "Correct." "
" "Ahhh." "
As expected, Vilia guessed it in one go, and Dressa and Hiiro let out voices of complete understanding.
"It was the same for us, wasn't it? He said we’d be fine, so he put Kagura and the others first."
" "Ahhh." "
This time, Jessica and I remembered that time and let out voices of realization. It was true, that had been quite harsh. Well, originally, he had gone to confirm if it was truly okay for the New Continent members like Kagura to get married. Still, I understood very well that the shock to Dressa and the others had been significant. After all, it meant they had been left behind while the marriage proposal to Kagura and the others was prioritized.
"So, is Ria-onee going to put on a dress now, too?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Then, Ria-onesama, over here. The dress is already prepared for you."
"Eh? Really?"
"Yes. According to Yuki, he’s been preparing it for a long time, saying he wanted to have you wear it someday."
"……Ah, now that you mention it, that sounds familiar."