第９０４堀：衣装合わせの報告 (Part1)
Chapter 904: Report on the Dress Fitting
Side: Seraria
"Man, I was surprised. I went to check on Ria and the others because they hadn't returned in a while, only to find them in tears."
"That just means they were that happy, right? It’s a good thing. Ria finally got to become a bride, after all."
I couldn't help but smile as I recalled the talk about the dress fitting earlier that day.
I never expected to hear that Ria had cried, but in the photos, she had a beaming, blissful smile on her face.
Just seeing that made all the effort of getting her into that dress worth it.
"But why was Deryu crying?"
Deryu, who was in the photos with them, was shedding tears for some reason.
"It couldn't be helped. At that moment, it felt as if my own beloved daughter was getting married. Or rather, it felt like a dear friend was going far away."
"Yuyu isn't going anywhere yet. And as for a friend going far away, she’s still Yuki’s wife, so she isn't going anywhere. Well, I’m truly happy that Ria showed such a blissful smile, though."
That’s right. The Ria in those photos was completely different from the one I first met.
The hollow, emotionless expression she wore back then, lost in the depths of despair, felt like a lie.
There stood a girl, draped in a beautiful dress, rejoicing from the bottom of her heart.
Regardless of her status as a slave or a hero, she wore that flower-like smile—the kind of look every girl dreams of having.
Deryu must have cried because she knew the long, arduous days Ria had endured to reach this point.
"Geez! Please don't stare at me so much! Samantha, Kagura, and everyone else, please compliment me too!"
Ria turned a little red and said that, likely embarrassed by everyone saying the same thing.
She’s so adorable. And she has truly grown into a fine woman.
Both as a hero and as an individual.
Though, I shouldn't tease her too much.
"It’s surprising that Kagura chose a Western-style dress. I thought for sure you’d go with traditional Japanese attire."
"Ahaha... the *shiromuku* (white kimono) seemed like it would be really heavy..."
"True, kimonos are quite restrictive, aren't they?"
Indeed, while kimonos are beautiful and cute, the dressing process is incredibly demanding.
It’s not as if dresses are effortless, but if you had to compare the two, kimonos are definitely the more taxing choice.
"Besides, if I were to paint my face white, tie up my hair, and wear a *wataboshi* hood, nobody would even know who I was."
"Mikos is right. While the *shiromuku* is beautiful, this ceremony serves as an unveiling for all the continents gathering together. We should avoid attire that makes it difficult to tell who is actually getting married."
I agree with Mikos and Stasia.
The *shiromuku* is lovely, but because the hairstyle is fixed and the face is painted white, those who aren't close acquaintances wouldn't be able to identify the bride.
Since each country is putting great effort into this wedding to represent their own nation, they wouldn't want a look that makes the bride unrecognizable.
It’s only natural to put effort into a dress that makes the bride shine as the face of her country.
"That's true. Well, how about we try wearing the *shiromuku* among ourselves at a later date? I think that would be fine, wouldn't it?"
"That sounds good. I agree with Enora’s suggestion. It’s important to try on the bridal attire from Yuki’s homeland, too."
"Exactly. As Agil says, let’s all try wearing them if we get the chance. I’m interested in the *shiromuku* myself. Those of you who have already finished your wedding ceremonies would like to try it too, right?"
As I said that and looked toward Ratz and the others, everyone nodded in agreement.
Of course they would.
Showing one’s radiant self to their husband. And in the bridal attire of his homeland, no less.
There is no option to refuse.
"That said, the priority is the upcoming ceremony. I understand that Ria looked incredibly cute in her dress, and I assume everyone else has finished their fittings and held a few rehearsals, but were there any issues during those?"
That’s right. Success in the Intercontinental Exchange Conference and the wedding is the top priority.
For a moment, I considered forcing everyone’s *shiromuku* look into this wedding, but that would mean nearly every key figure in Weed participating as a bride, which would be quite a headache, so I’ll pass this time.
Even our current schedule is packed to the brim.
Especially the wedding rehearsals.
Since the families of the brides from the If Continent and the New Continent are coming, we need to guide them as well.
After all, if a problem or failure occurs at the wedding, it would bring shame upon their respective countries.
"Mikos-chan’s parents were already completely stiff."
"Well, Mikos’s parents are from a baronial house. It’s understandable they’d be like that seeing the people lined up around them. I am royalty, Lady Kagura is from a ducal house, and Lady Enora is a bishop of the Haire Church."
"They’ll just have to get used to it. But my father and sisters are also nervous for some reason."
"That’s to be expected. Kagura’s lineage is ducal in status, isn't it? The people gathering for this wedding include the kings of various nations. And these aren't just any countries; we’re talking about the Rogali Continent, the If Continent, and the New Continent. It would be strange if they weren't nervous. Besides, both Kagura’s and Mikos’s families are receiving an astonishing amount of support from their countries because of this marriage, aren't they?"
Exactly. As Enora said, this wedding is also a stage for each country to boast about how wonderful their representative bride is.
The bride and her family carry the prestige of their nation on their shoulders.
In that sense, it’s inevitable that Mikos’s parents are on edge.
"In our case, we ended up having mostly just family, so it was fine, but that won't be the case this time. We have to put our hearts into the rehearsals and ensure there are no failures, or it will be a disgrace not just to Weed, but to Kagura and the others' homelands as well."
"The wedding itself is supposed to be a joyous occasion, but when politics get involved, it always ends up like this."
"Why are you complaining about that? You’re the one who proposed the wedding with political motives in mind, aren't you? You said it would strengthen the mutual understanding between the continents."
"I know, I know. Still, seeing Mikos’s parents get caught in the crossfire... they’re so nervous it’s pitiful. No matter how much I tell them to relax, it has no effect at all."
"Ordinary people aren't like you. It’s weird for someone who isn't even a king to talk to other kings as equals and remain completely composed."
" " "Yeah, yeah." " "
Everyone nodded at my words.
"In the first place, when I first met you, I was a princess of Roschur, but you looked at me like some kind of nuisance had arrived."
"Well, that was the truth."
"I acknowledge that it’s the truth, but don't answer so quickly. Normally, one would worry about offending someone and getting their head cut off. That’s what’s normal."
Honestly, that part of him is interesting, which is fine for me and the other wives, but it’s not something others can imitate.
"Regardless, we’ll just have to keep repeating the rehearsals so Mikos’s parents and Kagura’s family can get used to it."
"That’s true. Oh, by the way, the topic of the If Continent members hasn't come up yet. How are they doing?"
I said that and looked toward Jessica and the others...