One week had passed since the house renovations were complete.
Sylphie had received seven days off from Ariel.
Apparently, Ariel had arranged it so that Sylphie could enjoy a peaceful married life.
I took advantage of that, spending seven days and seven nights pampering Sylphie, being pampered by Sylphie, wallowing in sweet, sticky bliss…
Except that wasn't how it went at all.
Now that I was lord of my own house, there were things that needed doing.
In this world, once you got married and acquired a home, the custom was to invite close acquaintances and host a meal. That was the accepted practice.
I didn't know whose custom it was exactly, but at the very least, in Fittoa and Millis, such traditions existed.
Apparently, if you'd just bought a house, you didn't need to bother. But getting married *and* getting a house meant you had to throw a banquet.
In other words, a wedding reception.
"So, I'm inviting acquaintances and throwing a party."
"Okay."
Sitting across from each other on the living room sofa, Sylphie and I pressed our foreheads together, gazing down at a guest list for the party invitations.
And beside it, a sheet of paper prepared for deciding the seating arrangement.
"However, our acquaintances span quite a wide range."
From my side, I'd invite Elinalise, Zanoba, Julie, Cliff, Linia, Pursena, and Badigadi.
Then there was the matter of what to do about Geenis and Soldat.
From Sylphie's side: Ariel, Luke, and two others.
Roughly eleven people, give or take.
Ideally, I would've invited Paul and the others too, but you can't do much about people who aren't there.
I'd sent a letter announcing the marriage, but who knew when it would actually arrive.
"Royals, beast race, demon race, slaves, adventurers… There are some sharp-tongued people in the mix, so trouble is practically guaranteed."
Linia and Pursena still seemed to hold a grudge against Ariel. If they were seated face-to-face, an ugly confrontation was all but inevitable.
If this were a wedding in my previous life, I could keep them separated and make sure their paths never crossed. But no matter how spacious the great hall was, this was still a private residence. It wasn't exactly big enough for dancing.
"I don't know… Lady Ariel isn't the type to cause problems in that kind of setting…"
"Still, I'd rather not have her feel unwell and leave in the middle of a dinner at my house. Maybe we should split it into two events… isolate the troublemakers…"
"Hmm. But a lot of the people you know are probably going to end up in important positions down the road, so Lady Ariel is pretty excited about it."
In my mind's eye, I pictured Ariel doing her makeup with fierce determination.
She'd been saying something about how wedding receptions were a great opportunity because all sorts of handsome men who normally never show up in public would be there.
It wasn't *that*, of course. I knew that.
In short, she wanted to build connections with specially-admitted students.
Ariel was calculating, too.
"Fine, then. Lady Ariel can take responsibility for herself. The real problem is the seating."
We couldn't just have people sit wherever they pleased.
Then again, ranking them by status wasn't straightforward either. What order wouldn't cause offense?
For starters, Badigadi was technically a current Demon King, so he'd be the highest-ranking. But below him, there was Ariel, Zanoba, Linia, and Pursena — royals or their equivalents all jostling for position.
If I put Cliff too far down the list, he'd probably complain… But no, he was educated despite everything. He might actually be fine.
Besides, if I seated him next to Elinalise, that should smooth things over.
Julie was technically a slave, so her seat would be at the far end. But separating her from Zanoba felt cruel. She was still a child who could barely speak.
Would it work to frame it as seating her on account of being my direct disciple?
"What about Lady Ariel's attendant? What's her social standing?"
"Um, she's a middle-ranking noblewoman."
According to Sylphie, the attendant was female. Figuring out where to place her was tricky, too.
The same went for Luke — he shouldn't be seated too far from Ariel. Not that I thought anyone I knew would attempt it, but if Ariel were assassinated, that would be catastrophic.
"Hm? Aren't we forgetting someone?"
Sylphie, scanning the guest list, suddenly said that.
Hearing it, I looked at the list too. Forgetting someone?
Who could that be? I didn't think we were leaving anyone out.
Goliade, perhaps?
"Oh, that's it! I remember!
Nanahoshi! We have to invite her too!"
Looking down at the list, I realized — sure enough, Silent Sevenstar's name wasn't on it.
Wow, I'd naturally forgotten about her.
That said…
"Would she even come?"
"She'll definitely come."
"Well, let's invite her just in case."
I didn't mean to exclude her, but she seemed to want to completely shut out her involvement in this world.
Actually, maybe those were two separate things — not wanting to be reminded of her past and not being invited.
I added her name to the list.
"What if we go to all this trouble to prepare and nobody shows up…"
What came to mind was a certain Christmas episode I'd seen in my previous life. Someone had gone all out preparing a huge cake, only for no one to come, and they'd thrown a massive tantrum.
That bittersweet image.
"At the very least, Lady Ariel and Zanoba will definitely come."
My anxiety was cut down by a single sentence from Sylphie.
That was four people in Ariel's party, plus Zanoba and Julie — two disciples. Those six would certainly show.
Zanoba would probably prostrate himself at the gate on the day of, even if he hadn't been invited, and demand the right to celebrate.
"Lady Ariel wants to deepen her relationship with you, Rudeus. And Zanoba understands that if he didn't come, your trust in him would be shaken… You tend to worry about those kinds of things, Rudeus."
Keh keh keh, I don't worry about stuff like that.
I was the type of guy who didn't sweat the small stuff.
"Linia and Pursena will probably come too. The beast race never refuses invitations from someone of higher standing."
"Really?"
"Mm. If they don't show, just remind them of their place one more time."
The beast race wouldn't even consider that unreasonable. So I'd heard.
Come to think of it, back in the Great Forest when Geuse had prostrated himself before me, it might have been because from the beast race's perspective, the situation was one where Luijerd going on a rampage wouldn't have been surprising.
Eris had kicked him and he hadn't said a word of protest.
In fact, I'd forgiven him easily, so he'd taken me for granted afterward. I'd been treated as inferior without even realizing it.
Well, that was how it was, or so I'd heard.
"Anyway, Cliff said he wanted to come, so I guess he will."
"As for me, I'd like Elinalise to come…"
Sylphie said, almost to herself.
Elinalise. Was there something between them?
I'd rarely seen the two of them talking.
"She said she had something to ask me. Nothing major, apparently."
What could that be? Maybe she wanted to ask whether I'd had a sexual relationship with her?
At the very least, there was nothing sensitive between Elinalise and me that I'd want to keep hidden.
---
We'd settled on a general plan.
Now, with over ten guests coming, we'd need a proper amount of ingredients. First, a shopping trip.
Sylphie and I headed to the commercial district together.
"Before that, I'd like to buy some clothes for Rudeus."
That was Sylphie's suggestion.
Clothes. I looked down at what I was wearing.
Same old mouse-gray robe as always.
During the day, I didn't need outerwear for warmth.
"See, I like Rudeus in his robe, but… when you're wearing a worn-out robe like that, people who know better will think… you know?
Or, wait — do you actually like that particular robe?"
I never paid much attention to my clothes.
Among adventurers, there were people with far worse getups. So it never bothered me.
But wearing shabby clothes might cast doubt on Sylphie's standing. If it were just me, fine. But I couldn't let her be embarrassed on my account.
"True. It's the first robe I bought on the Demon Continent, so I'm attached to it. But it is rather shabby."
The only other clothing I owned was a fur vest or so.
I hadn't worn it in a while because it didn't exactly scream "mage."
That wouldn't stand next to Sylphie either. It made me look like nothing but a bandit.
"Then let's go to a clothing shop. Coordinate something you think looks good, Sylphie."
"Mm, leave it to me."
We arrived at a store that looked upscale.
This was the kind of place I'd never set foot in on my own.
No way I'd walk in here wearing this robe.
Sylphie was wearing her sunglasses too, in "Fitz" mode.
"Well, well, as always, we are honored to have you."
The shopkeeper bowed deeply. Apparently, Sylphie was a regular here.
Which meant the "Fitz Senior" who had accompanied Princess Ariel also shopped here.
Royal purveyors to the Asura Kingdom.
Would I have enough money? This was terrifying.
"Could we see some robes for mages?"
"Of course. Right this way."
Even at a high-end shop like this, asking for mage robes worked. Well, of course — mages were everywhere.
And this was Sharia, the magic city. A place where even noble children became mages.
The garments the shopkeeper led us to were made of visibly expensive fabric and gleamed with splendor…
Actually, they weren't *that* impressive. Robes seemed to be more or less the same everywhere.
They did have fine embroidery, though.
"Excuse me, but may I ask what elements you specialize in?"
"Ah, yes. Water and earth, I suppose."
"In that case, perhaps this one?
It's made from the hide of a Rainforest Lizard from the Great Forest.
It has extremely high resistance to water.
The designer is Foglen — he's the one who designed the Ranon royal mage corps' uniforms."
I was immediately offered a reptile coat — I mean, a robe.
Rainforest Lizards weren't supposed to have that much water resistance. They'd frozen solid easily enough.
"For earth, this one would also work well.
Made from the hide of the Great Earthworm of the Begaritt Continent — not a single scratch from a sandstorm can mar it.
The designer is Flone, a rising talent. Flone's signature is highly original coloring — this one, for instance, makes you difficult for magical beasts to spot. Very practical."
She showed me a robe in a desert camouflage pattern.
Was it standard practice at high-end shops to name the designer?
I didn't mind the camouflage pattern. But something felt off.
If I were going for that look, winter camouflage would suit me better.
"Sil… Fitz Senior, what do you think would be good?"
"Hmm… How about this one? It's similar to what Rudeus is wearing now."
What she held up was a robe in a gray darker than what I currently wore — closer to black.
What was this color called again? Charcoal gray?
It had more features than my current one — pockets, black drawstring buttons for cinching the sleeves, and what looked like a cord that doubled as a belt.
"That one is made from the hide of a Luckyrat, from the Demon Continent.
The designer is Kazura. It's known for its understated design and tends to be favored by somewhat older customers."
"A Lucky Mouse?"
"Luckyrat, sir. It is a higher-tier species than the Macky Rat — a D-rank magical beast.
As a clothing material, it is considered premium. It has strong resistance to poison and acid."
In my mind's eye, a certain black figure wearing red shorts popped up. I shook it off.
Late-night visitors were not welcome.
For the record, I'd seen Macky Rats during my travels on the Demon Continent. They were big rats, about fifty centimeters long.
The Luckyrat, being the higher species, would be a size bigger.
The first time I'd encountered them on a request, I'd been chilled to the bone.
A horde of giant rats, teeming inside a warehouse.
One Luckyrat was among them.
Eris and Luijerd had torn through them while I stood there, dumbfounded…
"The name reflects the thing, they say. I'll go with this one."
Putting memories aside, I liked the robe.
My wife had good taste.
Now then — the price tag. Let's see.
And when I looked, sure enough: that was not the price of clothing. That was something else entirely.
Wow, expensive. The materials might be common monsters, but Demon Continent stuff didn't come cheap.
You could probably buy a house on the Demon Continent for that.
"The name reflects the…? Excuse me, sir, may I ask your name?"
"Ah, yes. Rudeus Greyrat."
"Goodness, a member of the Greyrat family! I do apologize for the informality.
We've been blessed with Lord Luke's patronage, so I'll offer you a special discount on this occasion."
Was that meant as a favor to Luke? No — it was a favor for *next* time, too.
Either way, cheaper was good.
"Does Luke come here often?"
"You must know that, Fitz-sama?"
"Ah, um. Only when he comes with me, I suppose."
"Oh yes, he always brings a different lady."
While Sylphie chatted with the shopkeeper, a clerk led me to be measured.
What was displayed on the floor were samples — they'd take measurements and tailor it to fit.
A female clerk measured me with a tape.
Could I buy one of these at a general store?
I wanted to measure Sylphie's three sizes in the field.
"We have the materials in stock, so it should be ready in about three days. If you give us your address, we can deliver it?"
So, with a mix of pleasure and embarrassment, we gave them the address of our new home.
After that, we stocked up on food.
First, spices.
Then non-perishables.
Thanks to the distribution route Nanahoshi had opened up, cooking oil was available cheaply too, so I bought some.
Long-lasting vegetables. Frozen fish.
I placed an order for meat and arranged to pick it up the day before.
"Can you cook, Sylphie?"
"Mm. Mom and Lilia taught me, so I'm all set.
Oh, but I wonder if it'll suit Rudeus's taste…"
"I'd compliment it even if you served me charcoal."
"Charcoal… Honestly, what do you think I practiced for?"
Good taste in clothes *and* a great cook. Come to think of it, she'd said she could do laundry and clean too.
Despite appearances, our wife might actually have rather high domestic skills.
"Sylphiette is the ideal wife to such a degree that I find myself anxiously wondering whether I'm a worthy match."
"Sylphie is, you know, the ideal wife for me?"
"If, um, if there's anything I fall short on, please tell me. I'll work hard to get closer to the ideal."
"Then carry yourself with more confidence, will you? Rudeus has a bit too much of a self-deprecating streak."
With confidence, huh.
What if that offended some passing god?
In this world, there were people who'd fly off the handle and try to kill you for the slightest displeasure.
…No, but then again — if my husband had no confidence and sat hunched over in the living room, making himself small while reading the paper… wouldn't that be unpleasant?
Yeah, it would.
Right. I'd be more confident from today onward.
I'd go full "I'm the greatest" mode.
"Hmph. Sylphie. Don't you dare neglect your efforts to worship me."
"Um, that's a little different… but yeah, sure. I'll do my best."
Sylphie clenched her fist with determination.
Aww, Sylphie-chan is so cute! I wanna smooch her!
But I had to restrain myself.
Sylphie hated displays of public affection. If I groped or licked or fondled her here, I'd definitely get scolded.
Once or twice, a scolding would suffice. But repeat it too often, and that small irritation would accumulate until she started resenting me.
Patience. That was the key.
But it was okay to put my arm around her shoulder, right?
No, let's start with just holding hands.
…But both my hands were currently full of shopping bags.
Grrr.
"We should also buy big serving platters and such.
Oh, but Rudeus could make those, couldn't he?"
"Stone plates — would those be acceptable?"
"Plates made by Rudeus don't look like stone, so they'd be fine."
So it was an appearance issue.
Well, if looks were all that mattered, I'd polish them mirror-smooth.
Apparently, plates with a Japanese pottery aesthetic weren't popular.
I'd put in the same effort as with fine ceramics — though the color would inevitably come out gray or brown.
"What else do we need?"
"Um, tea for entertaining guests, perhaps?"
Black tea and teacups. Good, good.
I should probably buy a rug too.
And maybe set up a guest room for visitors.
"We should buy some beds and closets for the guest rooms too."
"Yeah, good idea."
The bigger the house, the more you had to prepare.
Money was bleeding away.
Really, it was a good thing I hadn't wasted any on magical tools. The house had been cheap, so there was still some leeway.
But if I kept spending at this rate, it would eventually run out.
I could go hunt some monsters to earn money, but…
No, no. Going on subjugation quests with a casual attitude and dying — that would be pointless.
…Somehow, I was beginning to understand how Paul had felt after becoming a knight for the steady income.
"Um, Rudeus, don't worry. I've been carefully saving the salary Lady Ariel gave me."
"Ugh, sorry. I'm so useless…"
When push came to shove, I could always join a party with Soldat or someone…
But adventurers went days without being home, and the pay wasn't even that great.
Did I need to find a job too?
Marriage was complicated.
---
That evening.
I invited Sylphie to the bath.
Ostensibly, to teach her how our bath worked.
In reality, to wash her body to my heart's content.
My true intention was to fool around with Sylphie in the bath.
To put it in narrator speak: now, one lovely young girl was about to fall prey to a pervert's fangs.
Tonight, I was doing it. I was going all in.
Watch me, Dad.
Well, not *my* Dad — Paul. You can look away.
"Now then, our household bath rules differ somewhat from the customs of the Asura royal family."
First, the washroom — which doubled as the undressing area.
Here, I instructed her to place removed clothing in a basket.
I personally undressed Sylphie, folded her clothes, and deposited them in the basket.
Sylphie's body was slender, with little fat, and small overall.
Yet she didn't look frail.
That was because, despite being thin, she had muscle.
Her waist was well-defined, and though narrow and petite, it traced a feminine line.
She had no chest to speak of, but that actually made the differences between a man's and a woman's body all the more apparent.
Just looking at her made my breathing grow heavy.
"Um, Rudeus — is it really necessary for you to undress me?"
"It's not."
"Then why is your breathing so heavy?"
"Because I'm excited."
"D-does one need to be excited to take a bath?"
"It's not required."
Answering Sylphie's questions precisely while efficiently stripping myself, I stepped into the bathing area.
There was no shower or mirror, but there was a bucket and a stool.
As a whimsical touch, I'd carved "Kelen" into the bucket.
"Before getting into the tub, rinse off from the shoulders down, then sit on this stool and wash your body with this cloth and soap."
"Hey, Rudeus — why does this stool have a groove down the middle?"
"Obviously, to make washing the body easier."
As I said that, I wet the cloth with hot water, lathered it with soap, and began washing Sylphie.
Behind the ears, the hollows of her collarbones, her back — I focused on the spots that tended to get dirty.
But sometimes, hands were necessary.
Soft places, places you couldn't scrub with cloth — those you washed by hand.
This was what the groove was for.
"Um, Rudeus, you haven't used the cloth for a while now, and you're only touching embarrassing places, and also — something's poking me…"
"Oh, pardon."
I'd let my enthusiasm get ahead of me.
No good, no good. There were no such procedures in our household bath.
"R-Rudeus, if you can't hold back… it's… it's okay, you know?"
"After the bath. Right now, washing comes first."
I washed every last inch of her body, and then moved on to her head.
"Now wet your hair, apply soap, and lather it up.
Think of it less as washing hair and more as washing the scalp — the head, where hair grows.
Washing it with soap every day would damage it, so just every once in a while is fine."
I lectured as I lathered Sylphie's head.
Her hair was short, making it easy to wash.
"When you're done, rinse it thoroughly."
I used magic to create hot water and rinsed her hair.
Sylphie started giggling.
"It reminds me of when we first met."
Come to think of it, I'd rinsed her off with hot water back then too.
Nostalgic.
Who'd have thought that boy would become my bride?
Life held unexpected turns.
Well, it had only been about a year since I'd realized she was a girl, and I'd already decided to make her mine.
So perhaps it was a wish fulfilled.
"Now, once you're done washing, next is the tub. The floor is slippery, so be careful."
Sylphie followed my instructions and sank into the tub with a gentle splash.
I'd kept it lukewarm so we could enjoy the shared bath for a long time…
"Oh, my hands and feet are getting tingly. This feels nice…"
Seemed just right.
Good, good.
Once I'd confirmed she was settled, I washed myself.
Ideally, I'd use Sylphie's body as a towel, but — patience was the word for today.
No need to do everything at once.
And if I did that, I'd definitely lose all self-control.
I'd be gentle. Gradually.
I still remembered the aphrodisiac-fueled beast play from the first time. I mustn't commit anything resembling that kind of assault.
"…"
I noticed Sylphie was staring at me.
I thought she was watching my technique from the outside, but that didn't seem to be the case.
She was curious about something she didn't have.
Probably just curiosity.
"Phew."
I finished washing and sank into the tub, making sure to drape the cloth over my head.
Submerging in the warm water, the sensation of blood returning to chilled limbs spread through my body.
Baths were wonderful. The pinnacle of civilization.
"By the way, don't put the washing cloth into the tub."
"Why?"
"It makes the water dirty."
At home, it wouldn't really matter. And since this world had no public baths, there was no strict rule to follow.
Still, it was good practice.
While I was thinking this, Sylphie drifted close to me.
She took my hand and rested her wet head against my shoulder.
"How long should we stay in?"
"Until we feel like the warmth has reached the marrow of our bones…"
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
Sylphie then rotated her body, shifting so that she was essentially on top of me.
In that position, we pressed together face to face.
Sylphie's cherries were pressed against my chest.
No good — I was losing my composure.
Men endured. Women loved.
Never smear sauce or… anything else on someone's back.
"Nfufu, this is fun."
Looking down at Sylphie — her slender back, her small rear, her long legs splashing lightly at the water's surface.
Against my chest and shoulders, a soft, feathery sensation.
Sylphie had nestled her face into the crook of my neck, clinging to me.
In that position, she was stroking and caressing me.
Heh — stroke away to your heart's content.
My muscles were built for this.
And yet…
Back in the day, I'd looked at Sylphie and thought, this kid's going to be a handsome guy.
But the lovely young beauty Sylphie had grown into exceeded even my imagination.
Maybe some of that was bride-tinted glasses at work.
And here was this beautiful girl, naked, clinging to me.
If this continued, it was going to end with me clogging the drain.
I reached out and began stroking Sylphie's back.
Then her sides, her waist.
Mm — so slender.
"Rudeus, that tickles."
Sylphie squirmed.
For a while now, my symbol of desire had been pressing against her, yet she offered no complaint.
When I touched her in public, she'd get angry.
But in moments like this, she relaxed her body and yielded.
She was mine.
And she gazed up at my eyes.
I met her gaze. Naturally, our eyes locked.
Sylphie smiled shyly, beaming.
"Rudeus… I love you."
She said that, and gave me a little kiss on the cheek.
That was it.
"Wha—!"
I scooped Sylphie into a princess carry and surged out of the tub with a splash.
Our bath wasn't finished, but we could always get back in later.
Drenched from head to toe, I sprinted up to the second floor and made a beeline for the bedroom.