The First Night

Several hours later.

Shitoen was in my bedroom.

“That turned into quite an unbelievable reception, didn’t it?”

When I laughed, Shitoen giggled beside me.

She was currently dressed in her nightwear, but until just a few hours ago, she had been in her knight’s attire.

“Please appoint her, Father!”

While Shitoen was changing into a knight’s uniform in one of the rooms, I rushed back to the reception hall and pressed the King, my father.

“Shitoen’s dress was in tatters, so she is changing into knight’s clothes right now!”

“…I don’t understand the meaning of this…”

Pulling my father, who was clutching his head, and my mother, who was rounding her eyes in confusion, into a corner of the reception hall, I explained the situation: that we were attacked by bandits, that we were safe, that Shitoen’s dress was torn beyond repair, and that it would be a lasting disgrace if the guests found out that bandits had infiltrated the reception hall to target our lives.

“The reception is almost over. Her dress won’t be ready in time for the send-off of the guests. I’m going to have her change into a knight’s uniform and see everyone off as my new squad member, so please invest her as a knight.”

When I pressed him rapidly, it was my mother who found it amusing.

“Then, I shall be the one to invest Lady Shitoen. And so, she shall become the star of the knight order.”

…She started saying something I didn’t quite understand.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself, Mother.”

Because the Crown Prince joined in right then, there was no stopping it.

“Lady Shitoen has declared that she wishes to fully utilize her knowledge within my foolish son’s knight order!”

My mother, the Queen, suddenly made a loud proclamation in the reception hall.

“I wish to perform the investiture right here and now. Everyone, would you be so kind as to witness this?”

The applause was unanimous.

After that, it was pure chaos.

My second older brother worked up a sweat hurrying the chamberlains and stewards to prepare the dais and robes.

Shitoen, dressed in the knight’s uniform, stepped forward before the Queen and knelt on one knee; my mother then pressed a drawn sword against both of her shoulders to invest her as a knight, but…

The force! Mother, your force was way too much!!

She swung it down once on each of Shitoen’s shoulders with a “whoosh, whoosh” sound, making Father cry out, “Hieee!” and making me scream, “Shitoen! Stay still!”

Only Mother and the Crown Prince looked satisfied, but the guests at the venue also seemed to have enjoyed it.

“The future of the Kingdom of Tidros is bright indeed.”

They each said such things as they departed…

What was with this sense of entertainment? This was a wedding reception, wasn’t it…

“Did you get to meet Crown Prince Arios?”

Shitoen looked up at me, swinging her legs back and forth like a child.

“No. I couldn’t really tell…”

I muttered.

To see people off, Shitoen and I stood side by side at the exit in our knight attire, but because it was so crowded anyway, the only one I could identify was Vandel.

That guy casually raised a hand and left, saying, “See you later, best friend!”

Truly, he became needlessly energetic, that guy.

“…What was that Crown Prince looking at?”

Just before entering the mansion to get drinks.

Crown Prince Arios was certainly looking at something.

That gaze.

I couldn’t help but be concerned about it.

“Is something the matter?”

Before I knew it, Shitoen was peering up at my face from below.

“No.”

I smiled.

Well, I could think about that matter in due time.

Right now, she and I were safe.

And.

The two of us were in the bedroom.

“I was thinking about what comes next.”

“What comes next?”

Since she tilted her head adorably, I softly brought my face closer.

“About the night we spend together for the first time, of course.”

When I whispered that, Shitoen sat up as if startled.

Somehow.

Led by that movement, I grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down onto the bed.

Light from the room shone into her irises, which were opened wide in surprise, creating a truly mysterious hue. For a while, I gazed into her eyes at a distance where our noses almost touched.

She turned her face away slightly, as if embarrassed.

As if that were a signal.

I pressed my lips against hers.

She wrapped her arms around my back but let out a small “Ah” sound. Because I was blocking her lips, that voice was muffled, and a strange vibration was transmitted.

“What is it?”

“Your back. Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

I laughed and smoothly untied the ribbon fastening her collar.

I slid my hand inside just like that. Soft, warm skin. When I trailed my fingers over the curves, Shitoen let out a melting voice.

When I bared her collar.

On her right breast, I saw the dragon mark.

Somehow, it felt incredibly precious.

And yet, it was lovely.

Before I knew it, I was pressing kisses upon it.

“Saryu.”

Embracing my head, Shitoen called my name.

“Saryu, I love you,” she said.

More than anything, the blood in my entire body boiled at those words. In an instant, hot blood surged through my whole body, making me feel as if I had been thrown into the middle of a battle.

I felt as if I were drunk despite not having had any alcohol.

Every time we exchanged kisses. Every time I swallowed her breath. I swayed unsteadily. With joy.

It felt like a dream that she was in my arms.

Soft, sweet, and supple, she was.

More beautiful, noble, and beloved than any beast I had encountered in the border mountains.

Occasionally, I felt a chill as if I might break her slender frame, but she surrendered her body to me, clinging to me at times and letting out a voice that seemed ready to melt.

From the middle onward, my memories were mostly hazy. That was how much I drowned in her.

She also seemed to be in pain when I first entered her deeply, but after that, she let out faint sighs and wet voices over and over again.

Just like that, the two of us.

We melted into the sweet night, lingering on and on.