Chapter 13

Fifteen days after Yamai Zenjiro's second transfer to another world, the wedding ceremony of Queen Aura Carpia and Zenjiro Yamai, who had returned after five generations from another world, was scheduled to take place. This was an unusually quick arrangement. While preparations had likely been underway since Zenjiro gave his affirmative response a month ago, it was still only forty-five days. For a wedding ceremony of a reigning king, this was an exceptionally short preparation period. Normally, such an event would take about a year, with notices sent to the royal family within the country and neighboring countries, and the utmost luxury would be displayed to demonstrate the nation's prestige.

The reason for rushing the wedding in such a short time was due to Aura's concern about "unwanted interference." This was the first time a reigning queen in the Carpia Kingdom was getting married. Without precedent, there were ample opportunities for people to nitpick. The fact that the queen's marriage would complicate the power structure was undeniable. Moreover, Zenjiro, despite having children with women other than Aura, possessed royal blood so pure that he could pass on the "Time-Space Magic" to the next generation.

Therefore, Aura pushed the wedding through before the specifics of Zenjiro's royal blood became widely known.

The Dragon King's Hall, used only for the weddings of royalty or high-ranking nobles, was a vast and solemn room. Many high-ranking nobles gathered there, watching the ceremony with solemn expressions.

The main characters of the wedding were two: Aura, the bride, wore a sleeveless white dress. Despite the flared skirt, it wasn't long enough to trail, and instead of lace, it had white floral embroidery. While there were minor differences, the dress was similar to what would be considered a wedding dress on Earth.

(Incidentally, both the white kimono in Japan and the white wedding dress in the West share the commonality of being white.)

Is it a universal belief that white is revered in wedding attire, transcending not just national borders but the entire world? To distract himself from the curious gazes from all sides, Zenjiro focused on the warmth of Aura's hand on his left arm.

The groom, Zenjiro, was dressed in the suit he had worn when he transferred. Standing next to Aura, who wore a lavish wedding dress and a crown to symbolize her royal authority, his attire seemed somewhat modest. However, there was a reason for this.

In a country where the notion that "the head of the household is the man" was deeply ingrained, performing a wedding ceremony for a reigning queen was unprecedented. There were various opinions about the groom's attire and behavior during the ceremony, and no consensus could be reached. According to Carpia Kingdom customs, the groom, Zenjiro, would typically wear more regal attire than the bride, Aura. However, since Aura was a reigning queen, she needed to wear a crown to symbolize her royal authority during the ceremony.

If the groom were to wear more regal attire than the queen, it could undermine the absolute authority of the throne. On the other hand, if the groom wore less regal attire than the bride, people might criticize the royal family for disregarding the country's traditions.

In the end, Aura used the fact that Zenjiro was from another world to justify his attire, stating that "the groom's attire should follow the customs of his world" as a way to support her husband and resolve the issue.

The suit Zenjiro wore was appropriate for a young person to wear at formal events, but it was certainly not what a groom would wear. However, since only Zenjiro himself knew this, the situation could be smoothed over if he kept quiet.

Zenjiro, trying to ignore the gazes around him, focused on the warmth of Aura's hand on his left arm and took stiff, tense steps forward.

(Not good, I can't feel my feet from the tension...)

He couldn't even tell if he was walking on a long carpet or a marble floor. He hadn't realized that walking straight could be so difficult.

(Oh no, I'm going to fall. I'm definitely going to fall!)

With a tense face and cold sweat, Zenjiro was saved by the woman who would become his wife.

(Ah!?)

Noticing Zenjiro's loss of balance, Aura pretended to hold onto his left arm but actually supported him from below to keep him from falling. Aura, a reigning queen who had been exposed to the public eye since birth, was accustomed to such situations. Zenjiro, on the other hand, had lived an ordinary life until this age, as a simple salaryman. It was natural that Aura was more experienced in such settings, but it felt a bit embarrassing to need help even with walking.

However, this inward focus seemed to work in his favor. While lost in thought, Zenjiro temporarily forgot about the gazes around him and managed to regain his balance and walking ability.

Eventually, Zenjiro and Aura ascended the altar where an elderly priest awaited, stopped, and received the priest's blessing.

"May the blessings of countless spirits be upon your future. Even if your future is filled with trials and tribulations, may you listen to the voices of your ancestors, the husband protect his wife, and the wife support her husband..."

The priest's blessings continued endlessly. Such "blessings" seemed to be similar in this world as well. Zenjiro had asked if the "blessings" had any real power since magic existed, but apparently, they did not.

Despite Zenjiro's inability to fully hear the priest's words due to his tension, the wedding ceremony proceeded without a hitch.

---

That night.

"Phew, it's finally over..."

"Hehe, you must be quite tired, my lord. I am as well."

In a room in the harem, Zenjiro and Aura sat on sofas facing each other across a table, comforting each other after their ordeal. After the three-hour wedding ceremony, Zenjiro and Aura had participated in a two-hour "reception ceremony" as the main guests.

Both Zenjiro, who was unaccustomed to such ceremonies, and Aura, who had been concerned about supporting Zenjiro, were thoroughly exhausted. They had already bathed and were dressed very casually. Aura wore a red dress with a deep slit to the waist, and Zenjiro was in a white and blue striped pajama set he had brought from his world.

Since they had just been married and were about to spend their first night together, it was natural for them to be dressed this way.

As Aura crossed her legs through the slit, Zenjiro couldn't help but imagine what was to come in bed. Tonight, he would finally embrace the glamorous and alluring woman sitting before him.

(Oh no, I can't tell if I'm excited or nervous...)

"It's hot. Would you like something to drink, Aura?"

Zenjiro said this to hide his nervousness and stood up.

"Yes, I'll have some."

"Alright, then let's open some wine. The red bottles broke when I brought them, but the white and rosé are fine."

Zenjiro took a bottle of wine from the refrigerator in the corner of the room, found two glasses, and returned to the sofa where his newlywed wife was waiting.

(I'm in trouble. It's been a long time since I've been with a woman, since my second year of university. I don't know how to set the mood.)

Technically, Zenjiro's experience with women was limited to a one-year relationship during his second and third years of university. While he wasn't a virgin or a lifelong bachelor, his experience was not much different from when he was a virgin.

"Here you go."

Zenjiro poured white wine into two glasses and placed one in front of Aura. As he was about to return to the sofa across the table, Aura spoke.

"Zenjiro, if you don't mind, would you sit here instead?"

She patted the spot next to her on the sofa. Caught off guard, Zenjiro, holding his wine glass, stammered.

"Eh? N-no, but..."

"It's fine. From today onward, we are truly husband and wife. There's no need to be formal with each other."

Feeling it would be embarrassing to back down, Zenjiro nodded.

"Alright, then. Excuse me."

He sat down next to Aura. Their thighs touched closely.

"..."

"..."

(Oh no, this is too close.)

On a long sofa that could comfortably seat three adults, they had sat so close that their legs were touching. It was a bit awkward, but moving away would seem like he was overthinking it, so he stayed put. After all, they were now husband and wife, and there was no reason to avoid physical contact in their private space.

(What should I do? I need to say something...)

While Zenjiro, sipping the cold white wine, searched for a topic, Aura spoke in her usual calm voice.

"Still, the 'electrical appliances' you brought are truly remarkable. This light, this cooling power. It almost feels like we're in the Shalwa Gilbert Dual Kingdom."

She looked at the LED floor lamp that illuminated the room.

An LED floor lamp is a large electric lamp about the height of a person, using LED bulbs. Zenjiro had brought eight of these, each with three LED bulbs, allowing for a total of twenty-four bulbs to be lit. When all the lights were on, the spacious room in the harem would be as bright as a modern Japanese night. Of course, the light wouldn't be as uniform as in a modern setting, but it was still impressive.

Currently, only one lamp near the sofa was lit to set the mood.

Zenjiro, appreciating Aura's consideration for starting the conversation, smiled wryly.

"Yes, I worked hard on it. For the first ten days after arriving, I was almost entirely focused on setting up the generator."

He puffed out his chest a bit. In fact, since arriving in this world, Zenjiro's only task had been to install a hydroelectric generator in the harem's courtyard and run power cables to this room. The soldiers arranged by Aura had done the heavy lifting, diverting water from the moat outside the palace to the courtyard via a wooden aqueduct, and drilling holes in the harem's stone walls to run the cables.

However, in the sweltering heat (over 35 degrees Celsius, as measured by a thermometer he had brought), Zenjiro had drawn up the design plans, explained them to the workers, and led the project to ensure the hydroelectric generator functioned properly.

During the month he spent on Earth after deciding to marry Aura, he had spent the most time learning how to install the hydroelectric generator. Thanks to this, the refrigerator, LED lights, and computer were all functioning in this magic-dominated world.

"Indeed, it seems worth the effort. The cold wine is surprisingly good."

Aura drank the white wine in one gulp and placed the glass back on the table without a sound.

"Hehe."

Whether she knew of Zenjiro's nervousness or not, Aura gently took his right arm in both hands and rested her head on his shoulder.

The soft, warm valley of her chest enveloping his right arm, the hot, moist breath on his neck, and the citrus scent of the shampoo he had brought all added to Zenjiro's tension.

"Ah, um, by the way, what did you mean by 'dual kingdom' earlier? Does that country have similar contraptions?"

In a flustered attempt to increase his word count, Zenjiro asked. Aura chuckled and deliberately played along with his intentions.

"Yes, the Shalwa Gilbert Dual Kingdom. It's a major country in the central part of the southern continent, ruled by a royal family that has inherited the bloodline of 'Bestowal Magic.' The royal palace of this country, the only one in the world capable of producing 'magical artifacts,' is lit by 'Gems of Light' at night, cooled by 'Gems of Wind' in summer, and warmed by 'Gems of Fire' in winter.

While you'll learn more about the continent's political situation later, Zenjiro, I have one complaint. What is it, you ask?"

Suddenly, Aura fixed Zenjiro's face with both hands and turned his head toward her.

"W-what is it, Aura?"

Unable to resist, Zenjiro felt Aura's face at an uncomfortably close distance and stammered.

"It's this. The formal way you speak and the 'san' suffix. Can't we change that soon? This isn't your natural way of speaking, is it? We're husband and wife from today onward.

I know it might be too much to ask you to change your attitude suddenly, but sometimes, starting with the form can lead to the substance. What do you think? Can you speak to me in your natural tone?"

Indeed, Zenjiro, who had been consciously using a more formal tone, regained his composure and responded.

"But, if you say that, Aura..."

"I always speak this way. I'm not particularly formal. But, you're right. Calling you 'Zenjiro-dono' every time does sound a bit formal.

Would it be alright if I called you Zenjiro?"

She smiled and asked in a pleading tone.

"Ah, yes, that's... no, that's fine."

"Thank you, Zenjiro."

Aura immediately called him by his first name.

"Come, call me by my name, Zenjiro."

Before he could agree, she pushed her will through, as befitting a queen skilled in negotiations.

"Ah, Aura..."

"Zenjiro."

"Aura."

The two, faces so close they could feel each other's breath, called each other's names. It's unclear who leaned in first, but their lips met as if it were the most natural thing in the world. At the same time, Zenjiro's arms wrapped around Aura's back, and her arms entwined around his neck in a loving embrace.

"..."

"..."

After a long, passionate kiss, they parted almost simultaneously. Aura, resting her chin on Zenjiro's shoulder, held him even tighter and whispered in his ear.

"I'll go to the bedroom first. Women need to prepare, so count to a hundred slowly and then come to the bedroom."

"Eh? Ah..."

With that, Aura slipped out of Zenjiro's arms and stood up from the sofa.

"Ah, Aura."

Reaching out reflexively, Zenjiro saw Aura turn her head and smile seductively.

"Don't worry, I won't run away. Count to a hundred, and then come. Alright?"

With that, she disappeared into the adjacent bedroom.

"..."

After entering the bedroom first, Aura closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. She then walked straight to the bedside and turned on the LED floor lamp. In the bright bedroom, she recalled her actions and blushed, her body writhing in embarrassment.

"This is quite something. Do all married couples engage in such delightful and embarrassing acts every night?"

Aura hugged her body, wearing the red evening dress. Her heart was pounding like a drum, and her skin felt feverishly hot.

"Surely, Zenjiro didn't notice, did he? No, we were so close, he must have. ...What should I do?"

Anticipating their first night, her heart raced and her skin heated up. Would she be seen as a loose woman? She was so flustered that she didn't even notice she had used the honorific "dono" again. After all, while Aura had lived longer and faced more life-threatening situations than Zenjiro, her experience with the opposite sex was limited to "one person," while Zenjiro had "zero" experience. She was a true maiden.

Unlike male royalty, who were sometimes required to spread their seed widely, female royalty were expected to bear the best bloodline, so their chastity was highly valued. Unmarried royal women were almost always virgins.

Furthermore, in Carpia Kingdom culture, it was generally expected that men would take the lead in romantic relationships. It should have been fine for her to submit herself to Zenjiro, but her pride as a queen and her sense of superiority as an older woman made her want to maintain a facade of composure.

After removing her red evening dress and slipping into just her panties, Aura climbed into the ultra-king-sized bed and quietly waited.

Eventually, the sound of a knock on the door.

"!"

"Hey, can I come in now?"

Hearing her husband's voice through the door, Aura took a deep breath and responded in her usual calm voice.

"Yes, come in. I'll welcome you with all my heart, Zenjiro."

"O-okay, I'm coming in.!"

Zenjiro, hesitantly entering, was taken aback by the sight of Aura illuminated by the floor lamp.

She lay on the bed with her legs crossed, her upper body propped up, and her chest barely covered by the blanket, which she held with both hands.

"Oh, how long do you plan to stand there, Zenjiro? There's no need to be shy. Come, sit next to me."

Aura, who had been flustered earlier, now looked seductively, inviting Zenjiro with a sultry expression.