Chapter 55

Generally, at evening gatherings held in the royal palace, the higher one's status, the later they arrive, according to an unwritten rule.

While the host of the gathering is allowed to make an entrance with a bit of flair, if the host is a member of the royal family, they are not permitted to show up last.

Of course, since this is not an officially illegal act, the royal family won't be punished, but they would incur the resentment of the nobles who arrive after them, so it should be avoided unless there is a significant reason.

Tonight, the "Prince Francesco and Princess Bona Welcome Party" is hosted by the Carpa royal family.

Naturally, as both the host and a member of the royal family, Queen Aura and her partner Zenjiro must enter last.

However, in this world, there are no precise mechanical clocks like those in modern Earth. While during the day, one can rely on sundials, at night, one can only depend on their internal body clocks.

As a result, Zenjiro and Aura had to wait in the adjacent waiting room until the arrival of all the guests scheduled to attend tonight's event was confirmed.

"Hmm... It's so boring."

In the dimly lit waiting room, Zenjiro, sitting on a cushioned sofa, couldn't help but let out such a genuine thought.

When they first entered the waiting room, Zenjiro was extremely nervous about the fact that he would have to converse with the prince and princess of the great kingdom of Shalowa and Gilbert. However, such tension couldn't last for over an hour.

"Ugh... I almost messed up my clothes."

As the tension eased, Zenjiro almost slumped lazily on the sofa but remembered his attire and sat up straight again.

Currently, Zenjiro is wearing the third formal attire of the Carpa Kingdom, which is primarily red. Compared to the first formal attire he wore at the "Welcome Ceremony" a few days ago, this is relatively simple, but it is still far from comfortable.

"Zenjiro, if you're uncomfortable, why don't you loosen up a bit? I think it will be a while before we are called."

Aura, sitting on the opposite sofa, suggested this, but Zenjiro, who tends to be rather serious, hesitated to take her up on it.

The third formal attire Zenjiro is wearing is a type of clothing that is fastened in the front like a kimono and secured with a sash at the waist, with a vest-like garment worn over it.

Unfortunately, if he were to loosen it now, he has no confidence in being able to put it back on correctly. It would be embarrassing to trouble the busy maids at the last moment.

"No, I'll pass. It shouldn't be long before we're called."

So, Zenjiro shook his head. Waiting in silence is indeed boring, but he didn't want to risk causing an unnecessary incident. Zenjiro, who is not good at improvising, prefers to avoid unexpected situations as much as possible.

"Still, it's so dark..."

Zenjiro, who had just noticed this, glared at the tall oil lamp standing next to the table while sitting properly on the sofa.

The main hall of the evening gathering is brightly lit by numerous candles in chandeliers, but this waiting room is not as well-lit.

The four oil lamps surrounding the two sofas are far from bright. He could barely make out the silhouette of his beloved wife sitting on the opposite sofa, but her facial features were completely indiscernible.

At that moment, Aura's face was suddenly illuminated from below.

Zenjiro noticed that Aura was operating something in her right hand on her lap and immediately realized what it was.

"Huh? You brought that here too, Aura?"

What Aura was holding and operating with her skilled fingers was a "portable music player." Originally, Zenjiro used it to pass the time on his daily commute.

While there are now multifunctional music players that are called "smartphones without calling capabilities," Zenjiro's is not that advanced. It is smaller and has limited functions. It has a small display, so watching videos is not impossible, but it is essentially a music player.

"Yes, it's perfect for passing the time. Do you want to listen too?"

Aura, who had become quite adept at using it over the past year, operated the music player with ease, removed one earphone, and patted the spot next to her on the sofa.

"Sure, why not?"

Zenjiro, who had been bored, had no reason to refuse and sat down next to his wife, inserting the earphone into his left ear.

The portable music player has an external speaker, so they could listen to music without sharing an earphone, but Zenjiro and Aura generally avoid using it openly outside the harem.

Besides, it's not bad to sit shoulder to shoulder and enjoy the same music through one earphone.

A bright piano melody flowed into Zenjiro's left ear.

"Oh, it's classical piano."

Zenjiro sounded a bit disappointed.

The piece Aura was playing was a classical music track that Zenjiro had bought in bulk from the "all-you-can-fill-for-100-yen" corner of a rental CD shop. The CD packaging had titles like "The Complete World of Pollini" or "Chopin Nocturnes," but he had quickly transferred the music to his computer and discarded the CDs, so he didn't remember them well.

Still, it was a bit disappointing that his wife preferred these tracks, which he didn't particularly enjoy, over his favorite pop music.

"Yes, our country has a musical culture, and the royal palace employs many excellent musicians, but there is no instrument similar to the piano. The sound is very pleasant to the ear."

Aura, who particularly enjoyed classical piano solos among the various types of music Zenjiro had brought, smiled and said.

The traditional instruments of the Carpa Kingdom are primarily percussion, string, and wind instruments. Not only is it technically impossible to manufacture a piano, but there are no keyboard percussion instruments like the celesta or xylophone in this region. Therefore, the solo piano must sound fresh to Aura.

On the other hand, when it comes to Zenjiro's favorite band's songs, they seem too fresh and beyond her sensibilities, so she doesn't particularly enjoy them. Perhaps it's a simpler issue of preferring instrumental music over songs in an unfamiliar language.

Still, even music he doesn't particularly enjoy can help pass the time.

"Aura, you like piano music, don't you? By the way, I've noticed that Zenkichi seems to be in a better mood when I play classical music in the room."

Zenjiro's casual comment was caught by Aura, who was not wearing an earphone, and she smiled triumphantly.

"Yes, it seems Carlos has a similar sensibility to mine. Hehehe."

She said, directing a provocative gaze at her husband.

The usually affectionate royal couple suddenly showed a competitive side when it came to their child.

"Hmm... No, it's fine. I still have a lot of my favorite songs on my PC. The battle is far from over. I have ballads and instrumental band tracks too."

Zenjiro, sitting next to Aura, clenched his fists on his lap.

"Hmm, that sounds interesting. I hope you do your best. Of course, until Carlos learns your language, he won't be able to understand the lyrics of your songs."

"Ah, right! But even after Carlos learns the language, I'm sure I can turn things around. I'll show you."

"Hehe, do your best, do your best, Papa. In five years, Carlos will have to leave the harem, you know."

The rule of the harem, which prohibits males, applies even to direct royal family members. The only exceptions are the ruler of the harem (in Zenjiro's case, the consort) and children under five years old, who are considered genderless.

"Ugh..."

The provocative words and competitive responses were exchanged, but the tone and expressions revealed that they were enjoying the banter.

"Well, since upbeat songs didn't go well, let's focus on ballads that are close to a cappella. Wait, I remember there were a few instrumental band tracks. Maybe we can start with those..."

"Hmm, I'll give you credit for your determination, even if it's futile."

The couple, sharing one earphone and leaning shoulder to shoulder, continued their banter until a palace maid came to call them.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

"Your Majesty Aura, Lord Zenjiro, please enter!"

As their names were called out, Zenjiro felt the attention of the entire hall focus on them. He took his wife's hand and walked forward slowly.

The main hall was brightly lit by multiple chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and numerous candles burning on tall candelabras.

Each flame was a weak source of light, but together they illuminated the vast hall.

While it wasn't as bright as the harem's living room, which was lit by LED stand lights, it was much brighter than the waiting room Zenjiro had just left.

Blinking at the sparkle of the silver and crystal chandeliers, Zenjiro inwardly chuckled at his own composure.

(Well, you do get used to it after a while, I guess.)

It had been a year since Zenjiro married Aura, and he had attended many such events.

Initially, he struggled to walk straight, but now he only felt a vague sense of being watched.

While excessive familiarity can sometimes lead to complacency, he had certainly grown from the days when he needed his wife's support to walk due to nervousness.

(First, I need to greet the main guests.)

Feeling the warmth of Aura's hand on his right arm, Zenjiro gently looked around to find the first person to greet.

(There they are.)

The targets were easy to spot. Given the loud announcement of their arrival, it was inevitable that they would come to greet them.

Zenjiro and Aura stopped on the red carpet and waited for the approaching couple.

A blonde man around Zenjiro's age and a chestnut-haired girl in her mid to late teens approached them.

The other guests in the hall made way for the main guests.

The blonde man, who seemed to be of Zenjiro's generation, spoke first.

"Your Majesty Aura, Lord Zenjiro, thank you very much for hosting such a grand celebration for us."

The blonde man bowed dramatically, almost theatrically.

"I also extend my deepest gratitude, Your Majesty Aura, Lord Zenjiro."

The chestnut-haired girl, standing slightly behind him, bowed politely.

While they had met a few days ago in the audience chamber, this was essentially their first face-to-face meeting for Zenjiro, who had silently observed the entry ceremony from a secondary throne.

Zenjiro almost reacted to the title "Your Majesty," but seeing that Aura said nothing, he decided to let it pass.

As the first consort of the Carpa Kingdom's queen, Zenjiro's title was still undecided between "Your Majesty" and "Your Highness." Therefore, the Carpa nobles always addressed him as "Lord" in both formal and informal settings. It was unreasonable to expect a foreigner who had just arrived three days ago to understand such nuances.

"Yes, please enjoy yourselves, Your Highnesses."

"As one of the hosts, I am delighted if you are enjoying yourselves, Prince Francesco, Princess Bona."

Following Aura's lead, Zenjiro observed the two young royals standing before him.

"Yes, I am enjoying myself. This is my first trip abroad, so everything I see and touch is new. All the dishes and drinks here are new to me."

Prince Francesco was a young man with a bright voice and a handsome face.

He was taller than Zenjiro, probably around 175 cm, but not so much that it made a significant difference. However, his long limbs and well-proportioned build made him stand out.

He wore the formal attire of the Shalowa royal family, a combination of a dark purple tuxedo and military uniform, which he carried off effortlessly.

The same outfit would have looked like a daring cosplay on Zenjiro, but on the tall, blue-eyed, and handsome prince, it matched perfectly.

(Hmm, he seems sociable, or perhaps a bit too casual.)

Zenjiro, having formed this first impression of the foreign prince, shifted his attention to the girl standing next to him, Princess Bona.

Princess Bona's impression could be summed up in one word: "plain."

"Yes, I am honored to witness the prosperity of the Carpa Kingdom, which I have only heard about."

Princess Bona, speaking clearly, stood straight with her back and hands clasped at her waist, smiling.

Her dress was a much lighter shade of purple compared to Prince Francesco's.

This might be a way to show the hierarchy within the royal family, but in Bona's case, the lighter color worked well.

Given her slender build and somewhat plain face, a darker purple would have overwhelmed her.

Compared to Prince Francesco, Princess Bona had a much plainer appearance, but her most striking feature was her hair.

Her hair was chestnut-colored and reached about halfway down her back. While not particularly remarkable in length or color, it was coated with silver powder, which sparkled under the chandeliers.

Her hairstyle was unique. While her hair was naturally straight, it had a large wave from the middle. It wasn't as refined as a modern perm, but it was a deliberate fashion choice.

Princess Bona's hairstyle was one of its kind in the hall, and combined with the silver powder, it drew a lot of interest from the other women. The looks were mostly positive, so perhaps others would start copying it.

While Zenjiro was observing Prince Francesco and Princess Bona, Aura continued the conversation with her usual grace.

"Ah, so both of you came here of your own accord?"

"Yes, as you know, the Shalowa royal family rarely goes out, so we took this opportunity. It was like a boat arriving just when we needed it. Ha ha ha ha ha."

"Prince Francesco! You are in the presence of Her Majesty. Please choose your words more carefully.

I apologize, Your Majesty. However, the prince's words about looking forward to this visit are true. I feel the same way."

The blonde prince, who was chatting with ease, and the chestnut-haired princess, who was nervously following up on his every word, made for an interesting contrast.

While Aura handled most of the conversation, Zenjiro, as a guest, couldn't just stand by.

"Meeting you, Lord Zenjiro, was also a significant reason for my visit. I feel a strong sense of kinship with you."

"That is an honor, Prince Francesco. I am also pleased to have this opportunity to speak with you."

Zenjiro responded to the friendly and familiar approach of the blonde prince with a forced smile.