The wedding reception began without a hitch. Luxurious courses were brought out one by one, and we spent the time listening to speeches from the couple and the guests while we enjoyed our meal.
It felt precisely like the traditional wedding reception I had always imagined.
"By the way, do they have cake-cutting ceremonies in this world?" Hina asked.
"Depending on the style of the wedding, yes. There will be one today as well," Lilia replied.
"It looks like they’re going with the Johann-style this time, perhaps in consideration of Mitsunaga-sama’s origins," Luna added.
Hina tilted her head. "...Johann-style?"
Chris was the one who addressed her confusion.
"About four hundred years ago, the Emperor of the Arclesia Empire at the time heard about the wedding customs of the otherworld from the Hero of that era. He was particularly taken by the tradition of a couple cutting into a wedding cake together and performed it at his own ceremony. From there, the custom spread far and wide. Since then, the practice has been called the 'Johann-style,' named after that Emperor."
"I see..."
It was quite fascinating when you thought about it. Over the last thousand years, various cultures from the otherworld had filtered into this world and taken root. Some things, like WANAGE, had been passed down in a slightly distorted way, but hearing the history behind this custom made me realize just how varied the paths of transmission could be.
As we enjoyed our small talk, the cake cutting finally took place. Afterward, the event transitioned into a period for socializing, where guests were permitted to move freely between tables.
Lilia, Laguna, Chris, and Ryze all had people they needed to greet, so they excused themselves from the table for a while. They had left Luna and Sieg behind, likely as a courtesy to us.
However, even though it was now time for mingling, Aoi, Hina, and I found it difficult to move. We wanted to go congratulate Mitsunaga, but he was the star of the show, and the line of people waiting to speak with him was so long it seemed impossible to cut in. On the other hand, no one was approaching our table to greet us, either. The cause was almost certainly Eden, and while I was grateful for the peace, I felt a little awkward just sitting there.
Just as I was wondering what to do, I saw someone walking toward our table. This person had such neutral features that I couldn't tell their gender at a glance. They were wearing a man's formal suit, so perhaps they were male? They had pale green hair swept back, and their deep amber eyes exuded a sharp, intellectual aura.
Upon reaching me, the individual bowed with an elegance that was truly beautiful.
"It has been quite some time, Miyama-sama."
"...Eh? Um... Ah, could it be...?"
For a moment, I struggled to place the face, but then it clicked. I definitely knew this person. Their appearance had changed significantly since our last meeting, though, which was why I hadn't recognized them immediately. I was about to call out their name reflexively, but realizing they were in disguise, I hesitated, unsure of how to address them.
Sensing my dilemma, the person leaned in and whispered softly into my ear.
"In this form, I go by Elsyion. You may call me Shion."
"Ah, I see. Understood. Well, it’s good to see you again, Shion. So you were invited?"
"Yes. I do hold a position of some standing within the Kingdom of Sinfonia, after all. I apologize for being so late in coming to pay my respects; I should have come sooner."
"No, don't worry about it. I should be the one thanking you for all your help with that special request recently."
"If I was able to be of service, then I am satisfied."
As I suspected, Shion was actually Catastro in disguise. Now that I thought about it, she was the Guild Master of the Kingdom of Sinfonia's Adventurer Guild, so it wasn't at all strange for her to be here.
"By the way, you aren't wearing your gloves?"
"Oh, I am. I’ve simply made them look like normal skin. However, given what they are, anyone with a trained eye would be able to tell."
"I see... Well, you look great. That’s a lovely outfit."
I haven't talked to Catastro very much, so I'm still trying to figure out her personality. I had this image of her living in perpetual poverty, but since she was wearing such clean, expensive-looking clothes, I assumed the magic glove I’d given her had helped her financial situation.
"Can you tell? It was custom-made," she said. "Since this is a public venue, I kept the price of the suit modest. In exchange, I splurged on these earrings. Thanks to that, today’s meal actually marks the first time I've eaten all month."
"..."
Wait... it was the middle of the month. Had this person really been fasting for two weeks? Some demons didn't actually need food and only ate for the flavor, but based on our past interactions, I was pretty sure Catastro was someone who required sustenance.
"...Um, you don't have to spend money on gloves anymore, right?"
"Correct. It is all thanks to you, Miyama-sama. Because of that, I’ve been able to increase the budget I allocate toward accessories and beauty. You have my deepest gratitude."
Use that money for food!
"...Don't you think it would be better for your beauty if you spent that money on meals instead?"
"Ah, no. Strictly speaking, food isn't a physical necessity for me. I can maintain my body perfectly well as long as I have magic power. I do feel hunger, of course. It’s likely a vestige from my time as a lower demon before I evolved into a high-ranking one. Since hunger is merely a painful sensation, it isn't truly a problem."
It's a painful sensation, so it isn't a problem? That's a huge problem!
"Are you really okay with that, Shion?"
"If it were essential for enhancing my beauty, I would prioritize it, but since it isn't, it remains a secondary concern. It is a shame I cannot show you my true form here. I even selected this specific makeup from thousands of top-tier products to perfectly complement these earrings... I truly regret that you cannot witness the full extent of my beauty."
"..."
I suddenly remembered Alice telling me that Catastro was a massive narcissist. Apparently, she hadn't been exaggerating. Honestly, I had no idea how to react to that.
Serious-senpai: "...Are the Phantasm King's subordinates all like this?"
???: "They're just a bunch of degenerate weirdos, after all."
Serious-senpai: "Wait, aren't they your subordinates!?"