Why Are You Doing This to Me? (4)
Why Are You Doing This to Me? (4)
Fortunately, once the wedding ceremony began in earnest, the crowd of eyes fixed on our side gradually dwindled.
After all, even if you showed up at a neighbor's wedding and unexpectedly crossed paths with a reDragon, anyone with basic decency would keep their attention on the ceremony.
Only then could I finally watch the proceedings with a much lighter heart.
Rex Nova made his way across the stage, carrying an easy, breezy air.
《Yes, yes, I'm happy to see you all, too. You never expected to find me in a place like this? That's fair! I didn't know either!》
Rex Nova paused mid-step.
"Wow..., Rex Nova! I'm a fan!!"
Forgetting where she was, a female guest called out to him. Rex Nova quietly raised an index finger in her direction.
Pressing it to his lips, he continued in a playful tone.
《I'll be giving autographs after the wedding schedule wraps up, so don't worry and please keep it down.》
Come to think of it, I hadn't gotten an autograph yet either. I should go grab one later.
The guest, finally realizing her blunder, fell silent, her expression caught somewhere between embarrassment and delight that Rex Nova had spoken to her.
In an instant, Rex Nova had seized command of the wedding hall's atmosphere and introduced himself once more.
《My name is Rex Nova. I serve as CCO of Resurrection Corporation, and I'm also a famous influencer and a renowned MC.》
Perhaps he felt his voice wasn't carrying quite enough. Rex Nova fiddled with his vision interface to dial up the volume a bit.
It looked like he was using the voice-amplifying vocal cord cyberware every celebrity had installed.
《Of course, at this moment I'm just an ordinary emcee, so everyone, please settle down and celebrate the happy couple.》
Rex Nova gave a few crisp claps, drawing every bit of attention in the room onto himself.
Just as the Chairman had said, it was the picture of someone deftly handling an 'unexpected situation'—the very posture you'd expect from the most renowned luxury MC in Neon City, a place devoured whole by capitalist society.
'He was the same on Rex Nova's Live Show.'
I'd been impressed then by how calmly he'd kept the ads rolling and minimized the variables, in a situation where anyone else would have foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
《Today, so many guests have gathered to celebrate the wedding─.》
At that moment, Rex Nova stopped short.
What's this? I glanced at the suddenly frozen Rex Nova.
I couldn't tell if it was just my imagination, but Rex Nova's pupils were trembling, unsteady.
It was only the briefest instant, but it was unmistakable.
Rex Nova was staring very intently at the women around me—myself included—and especially at the 'Chairman.'
《─Yeah, haha.... It's such a happy day, I'm so worked up I'm seeing things. Hallucinations, even.》
Now that I thought about it, Rex Nova had attended the corporate party, too.
So of course he knew the face of the 'prosthetic body' the Chairman was currently occupying.
He'd managed to recover without breaking his flow....
I silently applauded his mental ordeal—known only to me—with a clap of praise.
No matter how much the Chairman may have asked Rex Nova to emcee Drex's wedding, the Chairman wouldn't have contacted him directly.
The gap in social standing was far too wide for that.
Most likely, someone like Chief of Staff Justin Borg had passed the word along instead.
And precisely because of that, Rex Nova could never have imagined that a figure like the Chairman of Monolith would be sitting peacefully at an ordinary wedding venue like this.
Even if the thought had crossed his mind, he would've dismissed it with something like, 'As if they'd ever actually be here.'
《Well..., let's press on for now.》
I didn't know the reason, but after receiving some kind of silent permission while glancing toward our side—especially the Chairman—Rex Nova calmly resumed the ceremony.
《...First, the groom will make his entrance! Please welcome him with a big round of applause!》
However startled he might have been, the sight of him carrying on with the job he'd been given was truly the epitome of a professional.
If something similar ever happened to me, I'd have to ask the Chairman to call Rex Nova.
I thought this as I watched Drex make his entrance.
25. Why Are You Doing This to Me (4)
Drex's gray beard, tied more neatly than usual, swayed gently left and right.
The tuxedo he wore was bulging at the seams from his muscles (cyberware). Since the wedding had apparently been arranged in a hurry, he must not have had time to get a custom-tailored fit.
Maybe because he couldn't wear the sunglasses he always had on, even for his own wedding, a pair was jammed into his tuxedo breast pocket in place of a handkerchief. It looked a little funny.
Drex strode up onto the stage with confident steps.
His green mechanical eyes swept over the guests. When our gazes met, he flashed a grin and tipped his head in a slight nod of greeting.
What was he so happy about when I'd already greeted him earlier? Even as the thought crossed my mind, a smile tugged at the corner of my own lips.
It was a (normally) once-in-a-lifetime wedding, the kind of situation that might fray anyone's nerves, but maybe thanks to those bulging muscles, Drex didn't show a hint of tension.
《The groom looks very confident, haha.》
Rex Nova seemed to share my impression.
Drex ascended the stage. That was usually a path walked alongside one's parents, but as far as I knew, both Drex and Lorenda had long since lost contact with their families.
I hadn't asked for the details—it felt like it would've been rude—but Drex was always confident regardless. An amazing guy.
《And now, this time, the most beautiful person in the world─ the bride the groom loves most will make her entrance!》
Rex Nova delivered the line, adjusting his wording as he kept an eye on the Chairman's reaction. Though I wasn't sure that was even necessary.
In any case, right on cue with his words, a spotlight extended from the ceiling and lit up the entrance. Holographic flower petals swirled gorgeously through the ceremony hall.
When Drex had entered earlier, there'd been no spotlight—the lights hadn't even been turned on. The extravagant production was a world apart.
Naturally, every guest's eyes, mine included, turned in that direction.
A gracefully flowing, pure white wedding dress streamed out long.
The true main character of the wedding, Lorenda, revealed herself.
But as far as I knew, there was usually someone holding the long train of the dress. Maybe because the wedding was being held in a church instead of a dedicated wedding hall, I didn't see any such attendant.
That thing was probably heavier than it looked. If she accidentally stepped on the hem and tripped while walking, it'd be a major disaster.
I gathered a small amount of mana. To help her out, I subtly lifted the end of the dress just enough to keep it off the floor—so Lorenda wouldn't trip or feel its weight—taking care that no one noticed.
With that worry off my mind, I quietly watched Lorenda's back as she made her way up to the stage, next to Drex.
"......."
Drex was really getting married.
The women around me who knew Drex—myself included—must have been thinking the same thing, because we all stared at the two of them in a bit of a daze.
...It almost felt like I sensed a hint of envy, too. No, that was probably just my imagination.
I rubbed my nose. That bastard Drex, congratulations once again. I silently blessed the two of them in my heart.
The wedding carried on with a ritualistic air.
There were no events like a congratulatory song. Since it was held in a church, I half-expected a pastor to officiate, but just like any other cookie-cutter wedding, a city-supported 'robot officiant' came out to conduct their vows.
It wasn't even an AI like Eve—just a robot that simply outputted its pre-programmed lines.
【Do the bride and groom vow here, with unchanging love and faith, not to embezzle city taxes?】
"Of course."
"Certainly."
...I should just pay credits to hire a real person as an officiant. Despite the mood-shattering line from the robot officiant, Drex and Lorenda simply beamed as if everything were perfect and signed the electronic documents.
It seemed they wanted a wedding just like everyone else's. Still, asking about city taxes at a moment like this was a bit much. I kept trying to get used to this damn cyberpunk world, but I just couldn't.
Well, what meaning did a formulaic officiant hold, anyway? As long as the two of them were happy, loved each other, and signed the electronic marriage documents to have their information uploaded into the city database—that was marriage.
《Then, with this, the wedding for these two comes to a close! Everyone, please give them a big round of applause!》
Applause followed, so thunderous it nearly drowned out Rex Nova's words.
In this harsh, hand-to-mouth cyberpunk world, marriage was blessed more fervently than anywhere else.
And on top of that, the protagonists getting married were Drex and Lorenda—the two people with the finest character among everyone around me. Every guest clapped with genuine, heartfelt sincerity.
《Now, lastly, the groom says he has a few words to share.》
Wait, it wasn't over?
《Let's bring him back out.》
I'd been busy wondering whether the meal would be a buffet or a sit-down course.
Drex didn't have a voice-amplifying cyberware implant on his vocal cords like Rex Nova did.
《Ah, ah.》
After taking the mic from Rex Nova, Drex did a quick sound check. He'd already brought a 'mystery box' up onto the stage earlier. What had he carried that up for?
Drex began his remarks with a calm, steady tone.
《First, I'd like to extend my gratitude to all of you who came to the wedding today. Thank you.》
I listened to Drex's greeting with a satisfied expression, nodding along quietly to myself.
《And further, among everyone here, I'd like to offer special thanks to my closest friend.》
At those words, I felt a strange twinge of foreboding.
The probability that the person Drex was talking about was 'me' was, by any common-sense measure, low.
Dozens of people were gathered here. Maybe I was worrying for nothing.
But why was it? I had a gut feeling.
《Since today is the wedding of Lorenda and myself... and because he is the benefactor of both bride and groom.》
Hearing that, I lifted my head.
Where was the exit again? Everyone's attention was locked on the stage right now, so even if I slipped out, no one would noti─.
At that exact moment, hands landed on my shoulders.
Huh.
The women around me (all 7 of them) were staring right at me.
...Everyone, Drex is speaking right now. What are you doing staring at me?
Of course, there was nothing stopping me from bolting if I used magic. But if I did that, my friend's wedding would simultaneously go 'Peopeong~' and blow up in spectacular fashion.
Left with no other option, I kept my eyes fixed on the stage.
《Because this friend of mine is so intensely shy, I won't be calling him up to the stage, haha.》
......!
That's Drex for you—I knew I could trust you! A friend who truly understood me, an introvert, inside and out.
《If it weren't for that friend, this very occasion—including both Lorenda and myself—wouldn't exist.》
That wasn't true. In the game, Drex always showed up no matter what.
...Though, admittedly, there had never been a wedding.
《A friend you can always trust at your back, a friend who doesn't fit in with this city, and for that very reason—an even better friend.》
Hmm.
Listening to him talk, it almost started sounding like he wasn't talking about me after all.
《There are plenty more descriptions I could add, but since everyone probably wants to go eat, I'll leave it at that, haha.》
Just as that thought crossed my mind, Drex's gaze turned toward me.
《Whenever you need help, I'll always be there to lend a hand, so don't hesitate to reach out and let me know, Shi-un.》
But wasn't this supposed to be Drex and Lorenda's wedding? What was he doing, decorating the finale with me? I had no idea what kind of embarrassing bit this was.
The guests' gazes naturally converged on me. I ducked my head to avoid their eyes.
As an aside, Rex Nova was looking at me with an expression that practically said, 'I knew it'd be you.' What was with that look?
《Ah, and we should throw the bouquet too, right?》
With that, Drex turned his head and looked down at Lorenda, standing right beside him.
Lorenda nodded. Drex opened the 'mystery box' he'd brought up onto the stage earlier.
《There are 7 bouquets in total. Actually, we only prepared 5 at first, but seeing as it looked like we'd need 2 more, we scrambled to add them in.》
......Huh? Who throws 7 bouquets at a wedding?
《If we toss them in here, it might cause some chaos, so we'll throw the bouquets outside! The meal is set up out there too, so everyone, head on out, take some photos, and get ready to catch the bouquets!》
At Drex's closing words, the seven women seated near me rose from their seats.
"Drex really gets it."
"Right?"
They carried on their friendly chatter with one another.
.......
For the record, among us, not a single person failed to catch a bouquet.
And with that, Drex and Lorenda's wedding came to a close.
It went well. Really well.
* * *
"Huh?"
When I got home, I felt a wave of confusion.
Had our place... always been this big?
With the exception of a few pillars, it was as if the 'entire floor' had been turned into one single residence─.
"......!"
It was only then that I pieced together exactly why all seven of them had been following me.
It was autumn.