Chapter 40

The next afternoon.

After finishing his lunch, Zenjiro walked down the palace corridor alongside Aura.

Despite wearing cloth shoes with dull dragon leather on the soles to prevent slipping, Zenjiro felt as if he were walking on a sponge, his feet unsteady and unreliable.

Under the pretext of supporting his pregnant wife, Zenjiro held hands with Aura, who walked beside him. However, it was the sensation of their clasped hands that helped him maintain his composure.

Aura, understanding her husband's psychological state, periodically squeezed their clasped hands, offering encouragement. While grateful, Zenjiro felt a bit embarrassed.

(Still, it would be unreasonable to expect him not to be nervous in this situation. The last time he was this nervous was when his senior told him, "You lead this contract this time.")

Compared to that time, the task entrusted to him now was trivial, but the stakes were far greater.

If possible, he would like to take a deep breath to ease his tension. If it were just him and Aura here, he would have done so without hesitation. However, it was not just Zenjiro and Aura present.

Four soldiers stood in front of them, and four more behind them, making a total of eight soldiers guarding them.

The soldiers' armaments, consisting of white leather armor and ornate short spears, had a more ceremonial appearance, but the defensive capabilities of the leather armor and the sharpness of the spears were genuine.

Seeing the gleam of the spear tips, Zenjiro shuddered.

Even knowing they were there for protection, being surrounded by people capable of killing others was unsettling.

(Well, considering our positions, this is an incredibly small number of guards.)

If Zenjiro were to operate 'outside' the palace, he would have at least ten times as many guards.

While Zenjiro was thinking about this, the soldiers in front of him stopped in front of a door.

Zenjiro and Aura also stopped in front of the door, which was flanked by soldiers standing at attention with their spears held vertically.

On the other side of this door, the envoys of the Shalwa-Gilbert Dual Kingdom were waiting.

"......"

Naturally, Zenjiro turned to Aura, who stood beside him. The moment their eyes met, Zenjiro nodded in response to his wife's small nod, suppressing the impulse to open the door himself and instead instructed the soldiers standing on either side.

"Open it."

"Yes, sir!"

At Zenjiro's command, one of the soldiers slowly pulled the door open.

Taking a deep, subtle breath to avoid being noticed, Zenjiro consciously took slow, deliberate steps as he entered through the door.

"Nice to meet you, Lord Zenjiro. I am Moreno Militello, a knight of the Shalwa-Gilbert Dual Kingdom. I am deeply honored to be in the presence of Lord Zenjiro."

Across the table, the middle-aged man bowed respectfully. Zenjiro nodded calmly from his chair and replied briefly.

"I'm Zenjiro, the husband of Queen Aura of the Kaupa Kingdom."

When introducing himself externally, Zenjiro always used this phrasing. He was here not as a member of the royal family, but as Queen Aura's partner. It was a statement of intent.

Whether aware of Zenjiro's intention or not, the diplomat from the Dual Kingdom bowed again with a respectful expression.

"Well, now that the introduction of the son-in-law is over, let's get to the main topic. We don't have much time, after all."

The first to speak was Aura, who was sitting next to Zenjiro.

Leaning back in her chair to avoid her large belly, she adopted a slightly relaxed posture, but her words carried the strong pressure of someone accustomed to giving orders.

"Yes, understood."

The diplomat bowed again with a polite word, and Aura placed her hand on her chin, which had recently started to feel a bit round.

"Hmm. Shall we start with the official business or the real business?"

In response, the diplomat, who had been seated across from them, pointed to the items on the table and began to speak.

"Let's start with the official business, as it's simpler. The 'rings' that the two of you requested have arrived."

At the queen's words, the middle-aged diplomat placed two rings wrapped in thick purple cloth on the table.

A pair of rings with three brilliant-cut diamonds set in a gold base.

There was no mistaking them. They were the wedding rings Zenjiro had purchased on Earth.

To the ordinary eye, they looked unchanged, but with his awakened magical sight, Zenjiro could see the faint glow of magic emanating from the rings.

Compared to the magical auras emanating from Zenjiro and Aura, the rings' glow was minimal, but it was the first time he had seen an inanimate object enveloped in magic.

The delivery of the wedding rings, which had been enchanted at their request, was the official business for which Zenjiro and Aura had arranged a meeting with the Dual Kingdom's diplomat. For Zenjiro, who usually only left the harem as a 'stand-in for Aura,' it was necessary to have an official reason to appear here with Aura without arousing suspicion.

The diplomat explained the magical effects of the rings with ease.

"Queen Aura's ring contains the 'Fire' spell, and Lord Zenjiro's ring contains the 'Water Creation' spell. The 'Fire' spell was crafted by Prince Francesco, and the 'Water Creation' spell by Princess Margherita."

At these words, it was Aura who reacted.

"Ah, to have troubled Prince Francesco and Princess Margherita is truly an honor. I will write a letter of thanks to be delivered to both of them."

Prince Francesco and Princess Margherita, both direct descendants of the Shalwa royal family, were particularly renowned for their 'Enchantment Magic.' Even in the midst of secret diplomacy, they were not foolish enough to cut corners on the creation of the requested magical items.

"Yes, I will deliver it with responsibility."

With these words, the official business of delivering the rings was completed.

From here on, the real business would begin.

"Then, as it is getting late, let's get to the main topic. This is the official text of the 'treaty.' Please review it again, and if you are satisfied, I would like you to sign it here."

Saying this, the diplomat spread a thin green dragon skin paper on the table.

Even for a secret agreement, the official document used surprisingly high-quality paper. The black text was written on a paper that was almost white, with a light green tint.

While Zenjiro's reading ability in this world's script was on par with a first-year middle school student's English, even he could tell that the writing on the dragon skin paper was exceptionally neat.

Facing the treaty text, it was Aura who spoke first.

"Unfortunately, my husband cannot read our script yet. Please read it out loud."

"Oh, I see. My apologies. Then, if I may."

With that, the diplomat began to read the items on the dragon skin paper, pointing to each one as he went.

"Let's begin.

1. Zenjiro Kaupa [Party A] shall not have children with anyone other than Aura Kaupa [Party B].

2. The Dual Kingdom shall not interfere with the direct lineage of [Party B].

3. If the Kaupa Kingdom violates 1 and [Party A] has children with someone other than [Party B], the Dual Kingdom shall have the right to investigate the magical aptitude of the child [Party C]...

"

Straining to maintain a poker face, Zenjiro focused his attention on the words, but so far, there was nothing unusual in the text.

A small change in the diplomat's voice came at the end.

"...and shall pay three thousand gold coins as a penalty."

In the text Zenjiro had read to Aura the previous night, this was the end. However, the diplomat, who had been pointing to each item, indicated that there was more text below.

After a brief pause, the diplomat's cheek twitched as he pointed to the next item and read it aloud.

"Additional clause. If 2 and 3 conflict in the future, 2 shall take precedence. ...That's all."

This was the clause Zenjiro had suggested to Aura the previous night.

The conflict between clauses 2 and 3, in simple terms, was whether the Dual Kingdom would have the right to interfere with the child if the direct lineage of Aura and Zenjiro and the collateral lineage of Zenjiro and a concubine were to marry in the future.

If clause 2 were to take precedence, the child would be of Aura's direct lineage, and the Dual Kingdom would have no right to interfere. However, if clause 3 were to take precedence, the child would be of the concubine's lineage, born in violation of the agreement, and the Dual Kingdom would have the right to interfere.

While it might not be an issue for their children, it could become a real concern for their grandchildren or great-grandchildren.

Surprised, Zenjiro glanced at Aura, who smiled and nodded slightly.

The previous night, Zenjiro had pointed out various loopholes in the secret treaty, but upon hearing that the signing would proceed as planned, he had assumed his suggestions had not been adopted.

(They must have added this clause during the pre-negotiations this morning. ...I can't win against my wife.)

Zenjiro, once again impressed by his wife's decisiveness, did not realize that Aura was feeling a similar sentiment.

Logically, clause 2 would take precedence over clause 3. However, as Zenjiro had pointed out the previous night, if it were not explicitly stated, there could be room for argument.

While the Dual Kingdom would not make such an argument while the two countries were on equal footing, the future was uncertain. If, in the future, the Kaupa Kingdom were to become significantly weaker than the Dual Kingdom, there was a possibility that the Dual Kingdom might use clause 3 to interfere with the royal lineage.

In a grand sense, Zenjiro's suggestion had preemptively removed a potential threat to the Kaupa Kingdom.

While Zenjiro's contribution might never be publicly acknowledged, Aura vowed to remember it.

"Hmm. It seems fine. I'll sign first."

As she signed the secret treaty with a dragon bone pen dipped in ink, Aura made this vow in her heart.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Zenjiro and Aura returned to the harem in the late afternoon after successfully signing the secret treaty.

Upon returning to the harem's living room, Zenjiro and Aura quickly changed out of their formal attire into more comfortable loungewear.

Wearing a thin dress that was more like a negligee than a maternity dress, Aura immediately sank into the sofa, her large belly seeming to weigh her down.

"Phew..."

A deep sigh escaped Aura's lips as she sank into the sofa.

Even the formidable Aura was exhausted today. She had completed the final adjustments to the treaty text in the morning and signed it in the afternoon.

While Aura, with her warrior training and robust physique, was generally more resilient than the average woman, the burden of negotiating and signing a secret treaty that would determine the future of the country while pregnant was considerable.

"Good work, Aura. Here, have some tea."

Understanding her condition, Zenjiro prepared a cup of tea to comfort his wife after her hard work.

Pouring tea for both himself and Aura, Zenjiro placed the white porcelain teacups on the table in front of the sofa, along with a small wooden pot of brown sugar and a wooden plate with slices of a lime-like fruit.

"Ah, thank you."

Aura immediately added brown sugar and fruit slices to the tea Zenjiro had prepared and sipped it. The sweetness of the extra sugar and the tartness of the fruit helped soothe her physical and mental fatigue.

While Zenjiro usually sat next to Aura, today he sat on the sofa opposite her, as if he had something to discuss.

"Can we consider the issues with the Dual Kingdom resolved for now?"

At Zenjiro's question, Aura placed her teacup back on the table and nodded.

"Yes. As long as you don't take a concubine, the Dual Kingdom should not say anything."

At this, Zenjiro made a slightly troubled face.

"Ah, I thought as much when I saw the secret treaty. So, the issue of my concubine is still simmering?"

After enduring his embarrassment to declare his devotion to Aura at the ball, he was worried that his efforts might have been in vain.

Shaking her head, Aura replied,

"No, that issue is also in a lull for now. Your efforts seem to have had an effect. Those who were actively pushing for a concubine have gone into hiding. Now, they are arguing over who will be sent as a wet nurse for this child."

She lovingly stroked her large belly as she spoke.

"If that's the case..."

Interrupting Zenjiro, who was about to say something, Aura shook her head again.

"No, indeed, under normal circumstances, having three or four children with me would have resolved the issue. However, as you know, there are only you and I in the royal family at the moment.

This is an extremely abnormal situation for a major country. For example, the Shalwa royal family has twenty-three members, and the Gilbert royal family has nineteen."

In this world, being a member of the royal family means being a user of bloodline magic. A small number of royal family members directly implies a decline in national power. While Aura sympathized emotionally with the nobles' opinion that the number of royal family members needed to be increased, she agreed with their reasoning.

"Um, so... should we try harder, Aura and I?"

"Do you want to kill me? How many children do you expect me to bear while I manage the state affairs?"

"In my world, there was a woman who, during a time of war, managed the affairs of a major country as a duchess and bore fifteen or sixteen children with her husband."

"...Was she really human? Did she not have ancient dragon blood in her veins?"

Aura furrowed her brow and tilted her head as if she had heard a dubious story.

Even the formidable Queen Aura found the story of Maria Theresa, the Archduchess of Austria, hard to believe.

"No, I don't think so. She was probably a pure human, I think."

With his knowledge of European history limited to high school world history, Zenjiro could not provide a more detailed explanation, and the conversation came to a halt.

"......"

"......"

Thinking of a better topic, Zenjiro suddenly remembered the rings in his pocket.

"Ah, right. Hey, Aura, can you extend your left hand?"

It was an obvious attempt to change the subject, but knowing how much Zenjiro genuinely disliked the concubine issue, Aura decided to play along.

"Hmm? Ah, then, give me your ring first. I want to do 'that' again."

With a gentle smile, Aura held out her right hand, palm up.

"Okay."

Zenjiro placed his wedding ring in Aura's right palm, stood up from the sofa, and walked to Aura's side.

"Ah, you can stay seated, Aura."

Preventing Aura from standing, Zenjiro knelt in front of her and took her left hand, trying to slip the ring onto her ring finger.

"That won't work. My fingers are swollen now. Put it on my pinky."

"Ah, right, sorry."

Aura's hands, swollen from pregnancy, were thicker than usual. The ring, which should have fit her left ring finger perfectly, would not go on now.

Despite the awkwardness, Zenjiro leaned forward to slip the ring onto Aura's pinky, and he heard Aura's whisper.

"What, you're not going to say anything? The words you said that night. I was hoping to hear them again."

At her words, Zenjiro froze.

That night, the night Zenjiro and Aura first consummated their marriage, after the wedding ceremony and the first night, Zenjiro had given Aura this ring in the bedroom.

He had spoken the 'vows' that a priest would normally ask during the wedding ceremony.

"Zenjiro...?"

"...Sigh."

Gripping his left hand to prevent the ring from being placed, Aura's attitude made Zenjiro realize he had to compromise. Taking a deep breath to dispel his embarrassment, he spoke in a solemn voice.

"In good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in wealth and in poverty, I will love you, honor you, comfort you, and help you, and I will be true to you all the days of my life. As a token of this vow, I give you this ring."

"......"

Aura remained silent, her lips curving into a smile as she opened her left hand.

The thick yellow gold ring with three diamonds was slipped onto Aura's pinky.

Then, Aura spoke in a small voice.

"Zenjiro, stand up."

"Huh?"

"Stand up."

"Uh, okay."

Kneeling in front of the sofa and looking up at Aura, Zenjiro stood up, not quite understanding what was happening.

Now, Aura was looking up at him.

Aura gently took her husband's left hand and returned the vows.

"In good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in wealth and in poverty, I will love you, honor you, comfort you, and help you, and I will be true to you all the days of my life. As a token of this vow, I give you this ring."

Saying this, she slipped the matching ring onto Zenjiro's left ring finger.

"Aura..."

Zenjiro looked down at Aura, who looked up at him.

On their wedding night, when Aura received this ring, she did not return the vows. Zenjiro had assumed she was surprised by the unfamiliar custom and could not return them, but the truth