Lilia and her party, having separated from Kaito for a moment, headed ahead to where Seigi and Cattleya were waiting. Guided by an attendant, they arrived first at the room where Cattleya was staying, and after a few knocks, they were shown inside.
"Sister Lilia!"
"It has been some time, Katy. My congratulations on your wedding day."
After exchanging a brief, warm greeting with Cattleya—who had approached with a joyful smile upon seeing her—Lunamaria and the others followed in order to pay their respects as well.
Once the greetings were concluded, Lilia noticed another figure in the room who was clearly not a servant. She gave a slight, polite bow.
"Archbishop Gloria, it has been far too long."
"Indeed, Princess Lilianne... or rather, Duchess Lilia now, isn't it?"
"With the Archbishop herself in attendance, I take it..."
"Yes. I have been entrusted with officiating the ceremony."
Aoi watched from a short distance away as Lilia spoke with the woman dressed in elegant priest robes. She leaned toward Lunamaria and whispered.
"Luna-san, who is that lady?"
"She is the Archbishop of the Sinfonia Royal Capital Cathedral—essentially the head of the church hierarchy. I suppose it is only natural they would bring out their heavyweights for a princess's wedding."
Aoi and Hina nodded in understanding at Lunamaria's explanation. Cattleya, meanwhile, tilted her head and looked around the room as Lilia finished her conversation with Gloria.
"...Um, Sister Lilia? Is Miyama-sama not here with you?"
"Oh, Kaito-san went to pick up a companion. He is traveling by teleportation magic, so I expect him to arrive shortly, but..."
"Ah, I see. By the way, I have not been told yet—who is this companion?"
"My apologies, we only just heard about it ourselves, so we do not know the specifics."
"I see... I was secretly hoping one of the Six Kings or a Supreme God might attend..."
Lilia understood Cattleya's sentiment perfectly. Back when she had first established the Ducal House of Albert, she too had struggled to build connections and secure the prestige necessary for her new station.
Though she had eventually gained ties far more overwhelming than she had ever sought thanks to Kaito’s influence, as a fellow noble, she sympathized with Cattleya’s feelings.
"I understand how you feel, Katy. When establishing a new noble house, connections and social standing are essential."
"Yes. Especially since Seigi is an otherworlder, he still has very few social ties here. If possible, I had hoped to secure a reliable lead or two through this ceremony."
"I struggled with the same issues in the past, so I sympathize. However, in this particular instance, things might not go exactly as you wish."
"Ah... I suspected as much. Miyama-sama and I have very few mutual acquaintances. I have had the chance to meet the Phantasm King when Miyama-sama was present, but..."
"...Well, as for Alice-sama... while she is technically present, she likely will not show herself."
Cattleya looked disappointed, though she had clearly expected that answer. Since Alice served as Kaito’s guard, there was no doubt she was nearby, but given her personality, she would never participate in a wedding—certainly not in her guise as the Phantasm King.
"But if that is the case, then who could the companion be?"
"...It is likely one of the former Hero-roles or other migrants. Kaito-san has befriended several of them recently, so there is a high possibility..."
Lilia stopped mid-sentence. Her face turned a shade paler as she approached Lunamaria and spoke in a low voice.
"...Luna, I just realized I completely overlooked a possibility. What if it is Noin-sama?"
"It is possible... but I would rather not even imagine it."
"If the First Hero were to show up, it would be absolute pandemonium! Only a handful of people even know the fact that she is alive!"
"You two... what about the possibility of it being Eden-sama?"
Sieg approached the flustered pair and offered her own terrifying thought. Just as Lilia was beginning to think no "big names" would appear, a name had come to mind that—depending on the circumstances—could cause a bigger disaster than a visit from the Six Kings.
"...Could it be? However, that lady thinks of anyone outside her own world as almost less than insects."
"Since Mitsunaga-sama is one of her 'children,' it is not entirely out of the question... but if she comes, this place will turn into a hellscape."
Then there was the other entity—a truly terrifying Goddess. Compared to Noin, the chances of her showing up were lower. It was hard to imagine her bothering to visit a place filled with the "Meat Slabs" she so despised. However, given how much Eden doted on her children, the possibility that she would come to see Seigi’s big moment could not be ruled out.
"...It is only a rumor, but they say many nobles were shown a literal hell by that lady during the Six Kings Festival. She has become a source of trauma for a fair number of them."
"Luna and I are not that familiar with rumors among the nobility... was it really that bad?"
"Yes. Apparently, several people were 'given a firsthand experience' of exactly what would happen to them if they ever dared to harm Kaito-san."
"Ah, right... she is a God on par with Shallow Vernal-sama. Peeking into the future and making someone live through it would be child's play for her, and she certainly has the personality to do it without hesitation... Milady, this is bad. I do not feel safe at all."
"...I really should have asked him who he was bringing."
Lilia’s previous calm had evaporated. Clutching her aching stomach, she looked up toward the ceiling with a face as white as a sheet.