ALL NOVEL chapter 86
86: Serene Preparations Before Marriage
Why do people have to compete?
“Who should we send invitations to?”
It’s a wedding.
As we went to see the venue and made arrangements, the season had already passed the autumn, and I could see the occasional withered leaves on the way to the school.
With less than six months left until the wedding, we were now at the point where we had to plan out the whole ceremony.
Arrangements, and then the guests.
It seems desirable to have an equal number of guests from the groom and the bride.
In other words, it’s like a final showdown of the groom vs. the bride’s communication skills.
If the number of guests is fewer than the other party, it apparently has a long-lasting impact on married life. Specifically, it’s not so much about the “number of guests” as it is about the “amount of money in the wedding gift.” In this society that values wealth, it becomes a money game of “how much more money can you earn than others” until marriage.
I don’t expect such petty conflicts between Milim and me—at least, that’s what I think at this moment.
But since I’ll be tied to Milim in the future, I should earn some money for the wedding.
So, for that reason, I started picking people I wanted to invite.
Four grandparents.
Of course, both parents.
Martin.
Karina and members of the circle.
Students… Should I invite students? Hmm, the classmates? Well, maybe the literary club members would be okay?
After all, Sheila is like my personal lawyer, so if it’s convenient, I’ll have her come too.
Of course, I’ll invite Anna-san as well, since we have mutual acquaintances.
Even if I think about it like this, I’m sure I’ll forget someone or two, so let’s count again several times.
I wonder why, I always end up forgetting… No, maybe I haven’t forgotten, but I’m haunted by the obsession that I have forgotten.
Ah, my boss… the boss, huh… well, I guess I’ll call him just in case. Honestly, our private relationship is a bit awkward because we don’t have much interaction, but let’s raise our favorability level up to “I have no choice but to give this guy a wedding gift” by the time of the ceremony.
As I count the “people I would invite to a wedding,” I am surprised by the unexpected number.
“…Wow, it’s a lot.”
Even Milim, who was selecting her own guests across the table, seems to be surprised by the unexpectedly large number.
We look at each other and smile.
The number of guests we announced to each other is surprisingly exact, and it seems that Milim’s relatives will come from quite a distance. We both once again felt the impression, “Weddings are amazing,” due to the vast number of people involved.
The preparations are honestly tough, and it’s a bit frustrating to see money flowing into unknown places, but well, I thought that planning time like this isn’t bad.
“Amazing. There’s nothing.”
Milim muttered such words.
Those words, with an unclear subject, surely held various meanings.
There are no problems.
No incidents.
Days pass without any major events.
Suddenly, I notice that I’m relaxed.
I can’t say that I’ve lived with constant tension. I knew that was impossible, so I selected targets to be cautious of to a certain extent and lived with relaxation in other aspects.
Even so, deep down in my heart, I continued to be cautious of the “enemies” in the world and kept myself prepared to switch to a combat state in an instant, even if I were to fall into a desperate situation.
And yet, as I prepare for the wedding, I am completely relaxed from the depths of my heart.
This won’t do. This relaxation might be a trap set by the “enemies” — even if I scold myself like that, my relaxed mind does not tighten.
Days pass somewhat vaguely. Time flows without me fully engaging in classes or club activities, and before I know it, autumn ends, winter passes, and I find myself aging yet another year, and then…
On a bright spring day.
We finally had our wedding.