3 bar menu

Chapter 111: Leisurely, Marriage Preparations

Translator: LynneSuzuran

~Arc 5: And Then, Spring of Departure~

The season passed by slowly. Spring is coming soon, and after another month and a half, I will turn 19 years old.
Well, there had been lots of things during the end of the year, but I was doing fine, completely fine.

“Seiren-sama doesn’t get fat, huh-? I’m so jealous-.”
“Well, that’s because the meal over here is good. The amount of exercises I’ve done is certainly decreasing.”

I answered Oriza-san who said that as she looked at my back. I was wearing a one-piece dress at the moment. There wasn’t any weighing machine, but I didn’t think that my clothes became tighter, so I didn’t get any fatter, right? Yup.
When I was living in the other world, I went to school, and when I returned to the institution, I also helped the orphanage director out. However, ever since I came here, I had the servants do everything, right? Obviously, I didn’t exercise as much.

“I’m still using my legs, though. Thanks to it, I didn’t get fatter.”
“Since I’m also walking around with high-heeled shoes, no matter what, I’m still using my muscles, right?”

“But firm legs are beautiful,” Oriza-san continued with those words as she laughed. Aah, yup, I understood how the calves weren’t getting fatter although the thighs got fatter. After all, the muscles were being used, right?

“I’ve gotten pretty much used to it, but it’s still tough using it for a long period of time.”
“You’ll have to endure it during the ceremony, so please brace yourself.”
“…I’ll do my best.”

I understand, Oriza-san. As expected I couldn’t twist my legs and fell during such a big moment.
Ceremony. Or in other words, it will be about the marriage ceremony.
After the Spring Harvest Festival ends, I will go to Taiga-san’s place as a bride. We’ve already decided that after discussing it with his side of family.
That was why, currently the Shiiya house was busy with the preparations of my marriage. …It was mostly the other people’s work, though, since there were only a few parts where I was involved, even in this kind of thing.
They asked for my opinions as for the dress I’d be wearing during the ceremony and the accessories, but—for example, the thing known as the marriage registration or dowry in the other world—they were all handled by Yuzuruha-san. Immediately after the marriage ceremony too, well, I would go to Taiga-san’s place, so more or less they were the ones who prepared for that. I heard that we’d be able to send some materials, so I wonder if I could speak up a bit about that?

After the End-of-the-Year Festival ended and Koyata-san and Mikoto-san returned, the mansion became slightly busy. Nah, there was the thing about my marriage ceremony, too.
Immediately after the end of the year, Kaya-san quitted working here and retired to the countryside. But before that, there were various things to be transferred, and as for Kaya-san’s successor, the position was filled by another maid who had also been accompanying Kaa-san, her name was Takae-san. She was slightly younger than Kaya-san, but her sense of responsibility seemed to be strong. Hopefully, she’d do her best.
Then, as all the business continued to be done, Taiga-san was still worried for me, and so it was finally decided that our marriage ceremony would be done ahead of the time we talked before. Well, there were various problems so far… even so, I was grateful towards Taiga-san who told me to just come here by all means, even with all the troubles it might give. After all, he still accepted this kind of me.
Now then, as for today, I met with the person who would design my wedding dress. Well, for some reason—or should I say as expected—my wedding dress would be a custom-made one. Kaa-san showed me some samples while looking like she was having fun.
Even if I said ‘sample’, there wasn’t any photograph in this world, so she was showing me the portraits that were drawn as commemorations that were sent to the Shiiya house.

“Eh, Kaa-san, these two are…?”
“Aah, they’re Koyata-sama and Mikoto-sama, right? Though there were various things, the two of them looked happy, didn’t they?”
“Yes, but no, they were surely happy right? If it was those two people…”

There was a portrait of my ancestors—in other words, Mikoto-san and the others. I slightly smiled at the portrait of Mikoto-san who was laughing as she was wearing a simple dress—perhaps due to the fact that she pushed herself with this marriage—and also Koyata-san who was wearing a white ceremonial suit that looked like to be a custom-made, as he was there with an earnest face. Nah, it’s time for me to return to reality.

“The wedding dress over here is also white, right?”
“Is it like that too in the world where Seiren-sama was raised in?”

Even when I was looking at the other ancestors, everyone was wearing white dresses. They were also wearing a veil or something that was similar to a veil.
Anyway, the one who asked a question back to me was Alica-san. To be honest, wasn’t she the one who stared fixedly even more than me?

“Yes, they’re basically white. Uhm, it symbolized purity or so that the partner’s house won’t be tainted or something like that, I’m not so sure of it, though.”

I hardly know anything about a marriage ceremony. I’ve never been to one, too.
No, I mean, I never thought that I’d have anything to do with a marriage ceremony. Moreover, I’ll be the bride, so obviously I had never expected this.

“Ah-, it seems that the color that can receive the blessing of the God of Sun the most is white-. That being said, in order to receive the God of Sun’s blessing of the household and of the relationship between the two people, the outfit will be in white, or so I guess?”
“Oriza-san also only knows the rough gist of it, huh?”
“After all, I don’t have much relation to marriage ceremonies. Although I think it’s good that we can forge a bond with the territory of Shikino-.”
“That’s right. It will be good if all of you can have a good relation with the people over there.”

‘Haa-,’ Oriza-san sighed, and Kaa-san answered with a bitter smile.
After all, Alica-san, Oriza-san, and Minoa-san who had been accompanying me would also follow me all the way to the Shikino residence. Well, they understood my condition and were also acquainted with Taiga-san, too.
I also think that I should probably talk with Saya-san who is in the Shikino residence after everything has been settled to some extent. It will be a talk about Touka-san, but well, there’s no way we can keep it a secret until forever, right?

Anyway, around noon, the designer arrived. The person was wearing a slender dress with purplish red shade and the pattern that was similar to Viola flowers, and perhaps since the outside scenery that was still in the beginning of spring was plain, that person became conspicuous. She arranged his bright-colored hair up, and his features were also showy.

“I’m the designer, Ryuuka. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“I’m Seiren. Please treat me well.”

We exchanged greetings in Kaa-san’s room. Takae-san who was in the room instead of Kaya-san seemed to look more irritated than before, or so I thought.
But well, since Kaa-san who was the owner of the room didn’t even change her expression, I thought that it was only my imagination.

“Fufu, I thought what kind of person would be coming, but I was relieved.”
“Thanks for your kind words.”

In response to Kaa-san’s remark, the designer named Ryuuka-san showed a strained laugh. Hmm, I think that she might be younger than Kuon-sensei, but the age of people over here is quite mysterious, right? Well, let’s put that aside.

“Why did you say that?”
“Actually, she was referred by his Highness Leo.”
“Buh-!”

I suddenly gushed out. Nah, it was because I managed to understand quickly as soon as the nostalgic name was given out.
Since she was a designer that Leo-san referred, I first thought that wouldn’t she be someone who design casual wear? If that was the case, then I had to ready myself on guard.
Nah, Leo-san himself was perfectly cool even when he was wearing showy clothes. But if I were the one to wear such kind of clothes, well…

“I was certainly in charge of some of his Highness’ clothes. However, it was mostly ceremonial outfits, so Madame and Miss could be rest assured about that.”
“Ah-, yes. I’m sorry…”

Un, well, Leo-san shouldn’t be someone who couldn’t read the situation to that extent, after all. Not that, since he is the first prince, he can’t go on like that, right?
Or rather, Leo-san even went through the trouble of referring a designer for us. Now then.

“Actually, I have heard some stories about Miss Seiren from his Highness Leo. Due to the environment you grew up in, you didn’t see him as a prince, but as just Leo himself, and he seemed to be happy because of it.”
“Ah, no, it was only because I was too ignorant.”
“Since you didn’t know anything, you didn’t call him ‘His Highness’ but only with ‘-san’, right? His Highness Leo was hapy with that, and the same applied to Taiga-dono, right?”

I wonder if that was the case?
Well, certainly Leo-san was the first prince born from the king, that was why it was obvious for him to be called with ‘His Higness’ ever since his birth. Taiga-san was also the successor of the Shikino family, that was why it was also obvious for him to be called with “Young Master”.
I wasn’t aware of such thing, so I called them “Leo-san” and “Taiga-san”. Were they happy because of it?

“Yeah. I have heard about the head of the Shikino family. His Highness said that it was good for him to remain unmarried even at that age, since he was eventually able to meet such a good bride, and so he was jealous.”
“…It seems that His Highness talked too much, right?”

What did you say, First Prince?! I screamed in my heart because it seemed like it would be bad if I were to voice it out, but cut it out, really!