Chapter 92

◆4-04 The Non-Existence of Reality in a Virtual Wedding Cake

Our home, the mansion of the lord, is situated in the center of the town of Darkness. It is the largest and most magnificent building in the territory.

Not only is it a residence, but it also has the functions of an office, so I think it needs to be a certain size.

Moreover, if the lord's mansion is not the largest, the noble's face would be lost, and there is an unwritten rule that the people of the territory are not allowed to build buildings of a certain size or larger.

I don't care about such customs, but since others do, there's nothing I can do. I wish they would build more tall and large buildings. I would be happy if one morning I woke up to find my neighbor had turned into the Tokyo Tower. ...Oh, the Tokyo Tower is no good. I can see a future where Ryu and I start playing with giant monsters and end up destroying it.

Given these circumstances, it shouldn't be possible for a large building to suddenly appear next door.

It shouldn't, but recently, it seems that the construction next door might end up being larger than our home. I had my suspicions during the foundation work, but I became certain when the pillars and supports started to go up.

I am currently in the study, looking over documents. I just need to double-check what the steward, Damon, has verified and stamp them.

As part of the "First Year of the Lord" campaign, this year's taxes are zero, but the harvest is still being surveyed. While looking at the documents of the autumn harvest from various parts of the territory, I asked Damon:

"Can you tell who's moving in next door? They must be really rich, right?"

"Next door, you mean... next door?"

"That side of the neighbor."

"Yes... didn't I explain that before?"

When I pointed to the construction site next door, he opened his eyes wide in surprise, as if wondering why I didn't know.

If Damon said it, he must have. And I must have heard it, but I probably ignored it or forgot it.

Damon and I have a trust relationship where the cause is usually on my side.

The person moving in... I really don't remember hearing about it. I wondered if stimulating my brain would help me remember, and as I was considering poking my head with my finger, Damon informed me:

"I believe we also received permission from Lady Yumiera... It's a guest house for His Majesty the King. With only half a year left until Lady Yumiera and Sir Patrick's wedding, there was no place to entertain His Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen, so it had to be built quickly."

"Oh, I heard about it, but... it's so big!?"

"When it comes to His Majesty, the number of people accompanying him is quite significant... We have also arranged for craftsmen who can use magic, so it should be completed just in time."

"If it's that big, it will take time, won't it?"

I didn't forget. I just didn't expect the guest house to be so large.

Come to think of it, the budget seemed unusually high. Since Patrick also checked it, I only thought it was more expensive than I expected and approved it. It is expensive, after all.

"It's a waste... After the wedding, it will be... Oh, I remember reading that the functions of the mansion will be gradually transferred."

"Yes. The living spaces for Lady Yumiera and Sir Patrick, and the spaces for guests, will be moved, and the old mansion will be used only for official business."

Ah, I see. I thought it would be like moving from a normal house to an office... I was considering that my private room might get smaller, but it seems it might get larger.

Still, a noble's wedding is expensive.

The next evening, after dinner, while drinking tea with Patrick, the maid Rita handed a letter to him, who was sitting across from me.

"Excuse me for interrupting your conversation. It seems to be urgent."

"Oh, thank you."

He opened the letter with a wind blade and started reading it.

In the dim light of the magical lighting device, I checked the envelope. The wax seal is from the Ashbarton March, Patrick's family.

If the delivery person says it's urgent, it must be somewhat urgent. If it were extremely urgent, someone from the March would come as a messenger.

As he read the letter, he muttered with a serious face:

"Missing...?"

"Who?"

Missing is not a peaceful situation. I hesitated to delve into his family matters but couldn't help asking.

Patrick seemed to have finished reading and closed the letter as he answered:

"It seems my older brother is missing."

"What!? Isn't that a big deal?"

"Hmm... It's my brother, after all..."

Despite his brother being missing, he doesn't seem particularly anxious.

Patrick is the second son of two brothers. His only older brother is the heir to the March. I don't know much else about him. From the stories he tells about his brother, he seems to be a good older brother who cares for his younger sibling, but I didn't meet him when I went to the Ashbarton territory.

Given that he's the heir, kidnapping seems unlikely.

"Isn't Patrick's older brother strong?"

"He's reasonably strong, but it's hard to imagine him getting into danger. He's good at handling situations. Besides, he has his reasons for leaving."

"The heir to the March shouldn't run away. What reasons?"

He hesitated, then slowly chose his words:

"Do you remember why my brother didn't want to meet you when we went to Ashbarton and Ryu?"

"Wasn't it because he has a fear of women?"

The reason I didn't meet Patrick's brother was that he was avoiding me.

I don't even know what he looks like, so my impression of my future brother-in-law is very vague. I can't even remember his name clearly.

"Hmm? I forgot my brother's name."

"His name is Gilbert."

"Oh, Gilbert. It's hard to remember without a face."

Gilbert, Gilbert, Gilbert... Got it, I remember. If I meet someone named Gilbert in this country, even if they're a woman, I'll think it's Patrick's brother. And I'll try to be discreet with my quirks. First impressions are important, after all.

I got sidetracked. I prompted Patrick to continue:

"Gilbert has a fear of women, and then what?"

"Gilbert doesn't have a fear of women, but he's... hard to predict? ...I guess that's the best way to put it. He's not good with unpredictable women. Probably due to my mother's influence."

Patrick's mother is usually very gentle and kind, but when it comes to the hated neighboring country of Remus, she becomes very aggressive.

"I'm not as intense as her, right? Isn't it strange to reject someone without even meeting them?"

"We've known each other for a while, but I think Yumiera is more intense than my mother."

"...Well, let's put that aside. Just hearing that doesn't give me a clear picture of Gilbert."

"Picture... The person who is closest to my brother among those I've met is..."

This means Gilbert is different from Patrick and his parents.

I wonder who will be mentioned. We don't have many common acquaintances, so it might be difficult to name someone.

As Patrick's brother, he must be handsome. A handsome guy who is like Patrick but different would be great. I would be happy with anyone.

"...The Duke of Hillrose."

"Huh?"

"The Duke of Hillrose. Eleanor's father."

The worst person was mentioned. The Duke of Hillrose, known for his terrible personality? He's now living as a village chief in a new village in the Darkness territory, hiding his identity?

A father who is both physically and morally evil, a first son who is both physically and morally suspicious, and a first daughter who is both physically and morally an angel. What a mysterious family that produced someone like Eleanor.

"Should I call him a schemer? He considers the personalities of his enemies, thinks logically, and does what they hate the most. That's why he's not good with people like my mother or Yumiera, who can change their behavior drastically based on a single trigger."

"So, in short, he has a bad personality, right?"

"Gilbert's personality... isn't good. But he is kind to his family."

His kindness to his family is just like the Duke. Now, that's the worst.

"I don't think I can get along with my brother-in-law."

"It seems he feels the same way. He recently had a disagreement with my father about whether he should attend our wedding."

"My future father-in-law wants him to attend, and my brother-in-law doesn't want to?"

"That seems to be the case."

Is that the reason he ran away? Not wanting to attend the wedding... How much do I hate me? We haven't even met yet.

But I have to accept the fact that I'm hated without meeting. It's Gilbert's judgment after hearing various rumors about me. Our personalities probably don't match.

"So, he won't attend the wedding... My parents won't come either..."

"I'm sorry. I'll go back to Ashbarton at an appropriate time and try to talk to him. If I talk to him patiently, he might understand."

It seems difficult to persuade someone who is so strongly against it.

My parents in the capital, who were informed, immediately declined.

Hmm. Is a wedding that isn't celebrated even necessary... Wait, do we need a wedding that is celebrated?

In my previous life, I attended a wedding once.

It was my cousin's wedding, but it was a painful experience. Getting to the venue by bus was difficult, and the wait before the ceremony was excruciatingly boring.

The father of the bride's speech, which was full of tears, was incomprehensible, and the long speech by the groom's boss didn't stick in my head at all. As a high school student, I realized for the first time that the principal was a good speaker.

Then, the bride and groom's college friends performed as entertainment. They sang and danced to an idol song, and some of them were already drunk and wobbly.

Finally, we were given a parting gift, a plate with the bride and groom's photos printed on it. I really didn't need it.

So, if marriage is a graveyard, then a wedding is a funeral.

Why did I forget this? We were trying to recreate that hell.

"Let's cancel the wedding."

"Don't say that. I'll definitely bring my brother."

"No, I mean, even if he comes, it might be better not to have the wedding."

That's right. Weddings are expensive. I've heard that even with gifts, there's a significant deficit.

I thought a wedding with Patrick would be wonderful. But that's like thinking a poor life with someone you love is happy... I prefer being wealthy, and not having a wedding is better than having one.

"Why suddenly?"

"A wedding isn't necessarily needed for marriage. I want to get married, but I don't want a wedding. I have to speak in front of a crowd, and with His Majesty there, I have to be careful. And I can't eat curry udon in a wedding dress."

"No, for a noble, especially the head of a march, not having a wedding is... unusual."

"Which is more important, public opinion or me? If I'm important, cancel the wedding! If public opinion is important, I'll cry and cling to your legs, saying I'm sorry and begging you not to abandon me!"

"Ugh, I don't want either. ...Should I try to persuade you first?"

Patrick sighs in exasperation.

Persuade? It's impossible to make me agree.

He thinks for a moment and seems to have an idea.

"Right. Weren't you looking forward to the wedding cake, Yumiera?"

"A big cake?"

"Yes, a big cake."

A big cake would be nice. A dream-like cake that never runs out no matter how much you eat... No, I almost fell for it.

I'm uncovering the inconvenient truth about wedding cakes. I point at Patrick and declare:

"The wedding cake doesn't exist!"

"...It does exist, though?"

He looks puzzled.

I can't help it. I'll teach him the truth of the world.

"The wedding cake doesn't exist. It's just cut up and distributed, right? Maybe at a noble's wedding, it's just for show and not eaten?"

"...It's usually just for show, and the guests don't eat it. It's cut up and distributed to the people after the ceremony."

"See, I knew it! If it doesn't end up in my mouth, it's the same as not existing."

"That's a fallacy. I understand, I'll make sure to get your share."

"But that's just a regular-sized slice! The big cake doesn't exist!"

"Then you can eat the whole thing."

"What about the people in this town who are looking forward to the cake being distributed according to tradition!?"

It's cruel to keep something meant for the people for ourselves. I can't do that. Mr. Patrick, you're showing the bad side of the privileged class.

He looks thoroughly annoyed and says:

"...Two. One for distribution and one for Yumiera. We'll arrange two wedding cakes."

Hmm. Then the wedding cake does exist. So, the wedding cake is real.

A cake taller than me. A cup of whipped cream. Wandering with a fork to decide which layer to eat...

"No, no. I can't eat that much alone."

"...Huh?"

I can tell Patrick is slightly irritated. Sorry. I can't eat that much alone. I can eat quickly at first, but by the fifth bite, I'll be in despair.

Feeling a bit guilty, I hang my head, and he takes the opportunity to say:

"We're having the wedding. The invitations are already sent out, and the preparations are progressing steadily."

"...I'll go back to my hometown."