Chapter 156 – Wedding Preparations

“What’s this? It’s super delicious.”

Lily was eating the stew I’d made with a spoon, polishing it off with a deeply satisfied look on her face.

“Hehe, right? …No, were you actually listening to me?”

“I was, I swear. Gain cut ties with his family before coming here, didn’t he?”

She totally wasn’t.

“Sort of, but not exactly. It’s ‘on paper’ only—we’re still family from here on out.”

“I only know Dad and the others, so I can’t imagine it at all~”

No surprise there.

That house was a contradictory mess—neglectful on the surface, but brutally strict underneath.

The Gain family had something deeper at its core: trust, emotional bonds, that kind of foundational stuff.

“Once the paperwork’s done, Gain’s coming over. Why don’t you call him ‘Dad’?”

“Hehe. Gain as Dad, huh? Well, he doesn’t have Dad’s looks, that’s for sure. But I kinda like Gain.”

The corners of Lily’s mouth, even as she tossed out that snarky line, curved into a smile she couldn’t hide—pure delight shining through.

She’s so stubbornly honest sometimes.

“Oh, and Master’s become Heart and Fernet’s guardian.”

“Huh!? What’s that about? Is it a trend or something?”

Lily’s eyes went wide with shock.

I was pretty shocked too.

“It kinda started because of our whole disownment thing. When you’re getting married, you need some closure, right? Fernet seemed to go along with it for fun, but maybe it was a lifelong dream for him.”

“Hmm. Come to think of it, Kirika was always going on about how closure matters. I figured only he cared about that stuff.”

Kirika came from a massive, generations-old family, and as the eldest son, he had to be the responsible one.

Not like Dad’s first-generation settler type.

“Hey, Lily. Do you think Gain has no intention of getting married?”

“If you, who’s known him forever, can’t figure it out, how could I? Oh, but I did hear he came back from slaying a dragon once, only to find his fiancée had married someone else.”

What the—?

“How do you know that?”

“How? I nagged him until he spilled.”

I could kinda picture it.

“I had no idea. But from now on… marrying someone else?”

“I can’t imagine life without Kirika, so I get Gain’s feelings a little.”

Is that how it works…?

“Aren’t you going to fall in love again, Lily?”

“Huh? I am in love. From now on and forever—with Kirika.”

The way she laughed as she said it, no trace of doubt on her face. She looked stunning.

She’s gotten so strong.

After parting with Lily and leaving the confinement wing, Heart spotted me and gave a happy smile.

“Marie. A White Priest stopped by and said to drop by the conference room on our way back. Got time?”

“Sure, no problem. Wonder what it’s about.”

Heart tilted his head, puzzled too.

“Earlier, Lily mentioned something about ‘coming back from slaying a dragon only to find she’d married someone else’…”

Heart’s face froze in shock as he grabbed both my shoulders firmly.

“It wasn’t me! That was Gain.”

Seeing Heart panic like that was so rare—I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Hehehe. Sorry, it just popped into my head and stuck. Yeah, it was Gain’s story.”

Heart looked embarrassed, muttering, “That’s harsh.”

“It was a bit before we met you, I think? He suddenly announced we were going on a long training trip as far away as possible. Then we met you.”

“That time he said ‘it’ll be a long journey due to our circumstances’…”

It all clicked now.

I’d thought he was taking forever on purpose, but that was Gain’s heartbroken getaway?

“You and Fernet were doing intensive training back then too, right?”

“Yeah. Fernet and I were training together at the time.”

Heart smiled, reminiscing.

Back then, I’d wished every day that I wouldn’t have to be apart from everyone.

Hehe. My wish is about to come true.

“Ah, Saintess. We’ve been waiting.”

When we arrived at the conference room, a waiting White Priest swung the door wide open for us.

“What in the world…?”

The room was a total disaster—papers and documents scattered everywhere in chaotic piles.

“Ah, Saintess! Take a look at this. Adorn the chapel lavishly with white flowers…”

“And on top of that, have the capital’s citizens wear white ribbons in the Saintess’s colors…”

“No, no, check this out. Scatter pink flowers—your favorite—as accent colors…”

The White Priests piled up sheets of paper, each with their own wedding plan ideas, right in front of me.

“‘Pick whichever you like!’”

Hahaha.

The sheer intensity left me speechless.

I glanced at Heart—same deal, a mountain of papers stacking up in front of him.

“Thank you so much. We’ll review them and get back to you later.”

As I said that, Heart gathered up both our stacks and stood.

Sticking around any longer would’ve been a nightmare.

“Um… for security, could we ask the Saintess Escort Team…?”

“Sorry, but we’re the parties involved and family, so we’re planning to hire the Holy Knights for protection that day.”

Heart shut it down firmly, and the White Priest nodded in understanding.

Right, we had to arrange security too.

It was because I’d said I wanted to report our marriage to the gods and goddesses at the chapel…

“Marie. This is our wedding. No need to hold back. Let’s consult the family and decide together.”

Heart smiled gently, his words full of resolve.

Whenever I got anxious, he’d always reassure me like this.

Thanks to him, I felt healed, secure… and strong enough for anything.

I hope I can be that for him too.

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