"And?" The jeweler happily watched both of us put on the rings, "What do you say? Pretty fine job, if I do say so myself."
"They're awesome!" Both Cecily and I shouted.
"Oh, but what will we do about the wedding rings?" Cecily asked, "We got these ones to look badass, but we used up all our ideas on them."
Ah, so she realized our mistake as well. Yeah, maybe this is a sign that we shouldn't have used up all our imagination points on these bad boys, but I just really can't bring myself to say that after seeing how cool they turned out. Seriously, is this the power of a ring maker? I'm glad I didn't Materialize the rings, because they wouldn't have turned out half as good!
"We'll just have to think up an even cooler design again." I chuckled, "We did it once, we can do it again."
"Right on, lad." The jeweler nodded, "These rings were made with a rose gold alloy to emphasize the liveliness of your companionship, and since you mentioned before that you weren't planning on waiting around too much until exchanging vows, I figured the color wouldn't fade until then."
"Yeah, I'm really digging the colors!" Cecily focused on the wrong parts.
"Ha-ha, he's talking about the metal, actually." I pointed out the gemstone on her finger, "What you're thinking of is the center stone. But I will admit that an emerald was a stunning choice."
"That's not an emerald, lad. It's a peridot." He chuckled before pulling another darker Green gemstone out from under the counter, "This is an emerald. Notice how the peridot reflects both Green and Yellow, as if it's a mixture between your two's Eye colors."
"Our Eye colors?" I tilted my head, "B-But my Iro converted years ago...?"
"You can't trick an artisan as experienced as me, lad." He smiled, "Those Eyes of yours are peculiar, and it may just be because of the lighting that I can't quite see which Iro color you really are, but just looking at the "soul" of your Eyes tells me who you are as a person. From deep within, you were always a Green Iro at heart."
"The soul?" Cecily asked.
"Yeah, but don't fret over it too much." He then tapped his fingers on the table, "You kids should enjoy your new life together, not get hung up on an old man's words. Now onto some more important business - I take payment in both shils and coins."
Ah, I totally forgot about that. Well, let's see the bill then... W-Wuh!? How does such a big number even fit on such a tiny piece of paper!? This is basically half of Nelly's tuition, what the hell... Uuuu, if only I had found more rings back in Shaid's Lair...
"O-Of course." I tried and failed to put on my most convincing painless smile, "T-That's how business works... T-Thank you..."
"Anytime, I love customers like you." He smugly replied as he took the money out of my hands, "It's people like you that make every day working as a master jeweler worth it. And another thing - I can't wait to make your guys' wedding rings."
"Y-Yeah." I weakly stumbled on out of the jewelry, "See you then..."
Though we were now outside, we weren't yet home free. No, we still had another errand to run, that being to send Nelly and Meil the wedding invitation we had so carefully spent the last two days trying to write. Given the situation, we had to be extra clear with our wording, lest some misunderstandings pop up. Since mom and dad never even found out I had died, all we had to focus on was sounding jovial enough to convince them to come over, but for these two, we had to both invite them to the wedding as well as explain the situation in full. It also doesn't help that it's doubly difficult to explain a situation you yourself aren't all that well-versed in, but nevertheless, we think we did an alright job. Eleanor even helped us proofread it a few times once we were done, and although she scowled a few times at how cliché and lovey-dovey it was, she made no critiques about it being easily misunderstood. Guess she has her own uses too, sometimes...
"That damned jeweler's looking to get his face smashed in." Cecily grit her teeth as we walked to the post office.
"Eh?" I jolted, "You don't like the rings?"
"No, they're better than I could have ever imagined." She shook her head, "But had I known it'd be that pricey, I never would have even asked for engagement rings. And that mocking tone he had at the end, when he told us he can't wait to make the wedding rings... Ugh, how can such money-hungry people exist!?"
"Hey now, he's just a business man, doing business." I smiled as I grabbed her hand, "Both you and I know that rings are more expensive the better they turn out, so I'm sure his prices were fair. Besides, we have enough saved up to afford all this and more from our ARA pension."
"Yeah, but still..." She pouted, "I don't want you to feel like you have to buy my love for you."
"And I don't wanna get you anything more than the best I can offer." I reassured her, "So, whose hospitality is gonna win, I wonder?"
"You...! Ugh, alright." She finally gave up, "But if you're paying for the engagement rings, then I'm paying for the wedding rings!"
"Err, how about we both chip in?" I suggested, "I feel like this guy is gonna charge us way more for those now that he knows we can afford his services."
"Ugh, good idea..." She sighed just like I did, "Are we even gonna have any money left by the end of this wedding?"
That's a good question, actually. Sigh, what's the point of vanity if we don't have enough money for groceries after the fact? Yeah, since we always had some money in the bank and never really had anything to spend our money on on a day-to-day basis, we could always afford greater expenditures without issue, like Meil's and Nelly's tuition and the likes, but now that we're getting slapped on the face back to back from all these wedding expenses, I think it might be time to consult a financial advisor. Dammit, my wedding with Marina was never this difficult! Though, I did have a ton saved up from being the Famed Inventor, not to mention Adam helped out a ton with setting up the venue... Hold on, that's it!
----------------------------------------
***
----------------------------------------
"Heyyy~!" I politely knocked on the door of the Grys mansion, "Sup kiddo, is your old man here?"
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"What do you want?" Adam's son Allen hissed, "My father is busy right now tending to my little sister. State your business and go home."
"What kind of an attitude are you showing to your godfather?" I not so politely walked right past him and waltzed into their abode, "Damn, you guys redecorated."
"Eh?" He turned around, "Hey, get back here! I'm gonna call the guards on you, y'know!? A-And what the hell kind of a scam is that, calling yourself my godfather, huh!?"
"Well, your father was my best man, so that technically makes me your godfather." I elaborated, "Granted, I didn't baptize you."
"What the hell are you spouting!? Dad!" The kid whimpered.
"Oh good, so he CAN come to talk." I smiled as the blond titan ran downstairs, "Yo, I came to ask you somethi-"
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY KID!?" He screamed all his rage out at me.
"Geez, calm your tits." I wiped my face from all his slobber, "I came to invite you to my wedding, dude. Allen here didn't wanna call you down, so I had to go looking for you."
"Oh, is that so?" He then put me down finally, "Then, I apologize for... Hold on, you're getting married already!?"
"H-How do you know my name..." Allen asked, shivering like never before.
"Alright, I guess we've been going on with these charades long enough." I chuckled, "Can we sit down? I got some pretty important news to reveal."
With a serious look on his face, Adam nodded as he took me with him to a secluded part of his vast and lush garden. I remember having to traverse through all these damned square bushes to make it to the window where Issei and I infiltrated the mansion, so I kind of knew where I was going already. With Allen following shortly behind, I had instructed both of them to sit down with me.
"Is Elaine with you?" I asked.
"Dad, he knows mom's name too..." Allen fretted.
"...She is currently in the library." Adam exhaled, "Should I call her over."
"No, this is good, actually." I stifled my laughter as I finally revealed, "Adam, Allen, you two already knew me before this. Three years ago, during the war, I went with Cecily to save Ed, but never came back."
"Y-You..." Adam gulped, "Wait, but that day, she went with...!"
"Yeah, I cut my hair, and my Eyes look a bit strange, but I am in fact the Lune Grimheart that you know and love." I looked both of them in the Eyes with a gentle smile, "Your best man, and your godfather."
"L-Lune... But that's...!" Adam was at a loss for words, almost collapsing from the shock as he ran to hug me, "I-I thought you died! Cecily... A-And Ed both said you died! Hold on, was it because of her?! Allucius, was it because of her and our journey to the top of Mount Ivrys! Did that bring you back!?"
"Dunno, but what I do know is that in all those years, I still kept one regret close to my heart..." I said with the most saddened expression I could muster, "I never married Cecily."
"Eh?" The two men were left stunned, "W-Wait, so your revival... came about because you had unfinished business?"
"Maybe, but that's just a theory." I nodded with a serious face.
A lame theory! But hey, as long as they buy it. In truth, this is all part of my plan though. Go to the Grys estate and reveal my identity to Adam. Having them all flustered will make them more eager to listen to my sob story and, if all goes well, have Adam help with the preparations for the wedding. Now I know this sounds like I'm just abusing my friend for his money, but that couldn't be further from the truth! I'm abusing my friend's royal status, but only to have him use his connections to give us a discount! No lie, it wouldn't be rare for Adam to walk into a store and get luxurious items for free, or at the very least a 90% discount. I need that power, and this is the best way to get it!
"That's incredible... We need to tell Elaine!" Adam jumped from his seat before I immediately stopped him.
"No!" I yelled, "Back when we met the other day at that fancy restaurant, I actually wanted to reveal myself to you right then and there, but I knew Elaine wouldn't be able to handle it, so I had to go with that false story."
Heh, yeah right. That false story was something Adam himself fabricated, and what's worse is that Elaine figured me out immediately. Still, I told her to act like she doesn't know who I am around Adam, so I'd like to do the same to him. God, I can just imagine those two acting all weird around each other, trying their best to not give away that I am who they both know I am! Gahahah, masterclass prank right there!
"S-Still, I do want her to attend the wedding, so just tell her Cecily and I are getting married." I once again returned to my meek attitude, "Please, Adam. We were best men once before, so could I ask you to be my best man this time again?"
"I..." He paused before answering with great vigor, "I accept! If there's anything you need, just ask, Lune!"
"What~? I could never." I feigned modesty as I explained, "It's been quite expensive buying the rings, and we'll have to deal with the venue and wedding outfits at a later date, but I'm sure we can make due... hopefully."
"Lune." Adam put both his hands on my shoulders as he looked me in the Eye, "Say no more. I'll get it done."
"E-Eh?" I chuckled, befuddled, "N-No, please don't worry about it. I-I mean, if you really wanna help out, maybe like tell me about some vendors who offer a friends of royalty discount or whatever, but..."
"No, I'm paying for everything." Adam insisted, "The venue, the outfits, the food, drinks and snacks... I've got it covered, so just worry about making Cecily happy."
"Adam..." I felt anger well up from within me as I recalled how annoyingly selfless he can be at times, lifting his giant ass high above me in a display similar to the dance move we pulled back at my previous wedding, "You damned idiot! I didn't ask you to be my best man just cause I want your money! Gimme the venue, but I'll settle everything else! I said I got it, so I got it!"
After shaking him up and down a few times, I finally put him back down on the ground before shaking his confused ass hand one last time for the day. Geez, that asshole...! First he wants to pay for the venue, then the dress! What next, is he gonna marry Cecily in my place as well!? Ugh, banish the thought, Lune... But hey, at least we got the venue sorted.
"But how am I gonna explain this to Cecily?" I thought aloud as I walked back home, "Let's just say I got it figured out. That's vague enough to not make her ask too many questions, right?"