Chapter 345: Outside the Blanket(3)
Chapter 345: Outside the Blanket(3)
Albenheim had made a grand announcement about preparing a gift for me, but I already had a vague idea of what it was.
Given the talk of Elven Communism and Arwen’s recent behavior, it would be stranger not to know. Besides, she had already confessed her feelings to me; there was no way I could miss the signs.
Albenheim intended to present Queen Arwen herself to me as a gift. They were determined not to lose to the Demon Tribe, so they were offering up their own Queen.
One might ask if it wasn't a bit much to "gift" the monarch of a powerful nation, or if treating a person as a present was morally questionable.
But this was the era they lived in. It was a world where political marriages were custom and matrimony was a standard tool of diplomacy.
Even as the Queen of Albenheim, Arwen was not exempt from being a candidate for a political marriage. In fact, for Arwen, being tied to me would serve as a sturdy shield both personally and politically.
It was truly a case of killing two birds with one stone. She could secure her own happiness while maintaining a perfectly valid public justification.
‘Still, they probably won’t just hand over the gift right from the start.’
The day would be long. Arwen wouldn't just thrust the gift at me out of the blue; she would likely lead up to it through various stages. She’d probably spend the whole day on a date with me and only reveal the true nature of the "gift" once night fell.
Of course, this was all just my speculation, so I couldn't be certain. To find out for sure, I had to head to Albenheim.
It’s dangerous outside the blankets, but one must venture out to receive a gift. Albenheim knew this as well, so they would surely send the elite of their elite to escort me.
Up to this point, everything was within the realm of expectation, but then a completely unforeseen condition was raised.
"Honestly. If they wanted to monopolize you, they should have just said so. I don't know why they need so many excuses. Don't you agree, Sister Adelia?"
"I agree."
I let out a wry smile as I watched Marie and Adelia talk. Currently, Adelia was helping me get dressed and groomed.
The reason they were grumbling was because of the condition Albenheim had set.
Since the gift was solely for 'Xenon'—meaning me—there was no need for anyone else to come along. They didn't explicitly forbid others, but since it was a national announcement, they had requested that I come alone.
To someone unaware of the circumstances, it might seem natural since it was a personal gift, but those around me saw through Arwen’s intentions immediately.
It meant: I want to monopolize him when I give him the gift, so I’d prefer if you didn't come. That was exactly what it boiled down to.
"It’s a good thing I agreed to yield a few days to her before, otherwise all the goodwill I’d built up would have vanished in an instant."
"Have you met Arwen before?"
I looked at Marie with a puzzled expression at her grumbling. I knew Cecile and Arwen kept in light contact, but this was the first I’d heard of Marie being involved.
She flinched slightly at my question, then shrugged and answered nonchalantly.
"We met at the mansion last time, remember? She gave me a communication orb then, saying she looked forward to working with me. But we don't really contact each other unless it's something special because of our respective situations."
"Something special?"
"Um..."
At my follow-up question, Marie’s eyes darted around before meeting mine. I couldn't tell what thoughts were hidden behind those sea-blue eyes.
Then, she gave a small smirk and playfully pinched my cheek as she spoke brightly.
"I can't tell you right now. Ask Queen Arwen yourself later. But don't just ask out of the blue; wait for the right timing."
"I'm not sure what kind of timing you mean."
"Just ask when the topic of the first night comes up. You’re going to do it anyway, aren't you?"
"......"
She asked so boldly that I was left speechless. Was this really the same Marie who used to get so jealous whenever I got involved with other women?
As if reading my thoughts, she smiled broadly.
"Like I said before, your vessel is too large for me to keep all to myself. Rather than being checked and balanced from all sides, it’s better for everyone’s well-being if you just take us all in."
"......"
"But! As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, I am number one. Never forget that. Even now, I’m just 'lending' you to Queen Arwen for a bit. Got it?"
I couldn't help but let out a small laugh at words that were so quintessentially Marie. As my fame grew day by day, Marie’s consideration for me seemed to increase in proportion.
Truly, who could help but love such a woman? She possessed a charm that was second to none.
Mwah!
I gently took her cheeks in my hands and gave her a light kiss on the lips. That single act was enough to confirm our affection.
When our faces parted, Marie’s cheeks were flushed a youthful red. The fire between us showed no signs of going out; it was burning steadily.
"Well, have a safe trip. Don't get too excited and give Queen Arwen a hard time."
"People will get the wrong idea if they hear you say that."
"So what? Everyone who needs to know already knows. Before you go, give Sister Adelia a kiss too."
"I-I am fine."
As the sparks suddenly flew her way, Adelia hurriedly shook her head. The way her face turned red so quickly was quite cute.
Still, I figured one kiss before leaving wouldn't hurt. I gave Adelia a light peck as well and then checked my clothes.
It was a red formal suit that looked simple at first glance, but it was imbued with a sense of luxury thanks to the golden embroidery.
Compared to what other nobles wore, it might have seemed modest, but in my eyes, it was plenty fancy. I particularly liked the cross-stitch pattern sewn with golden thread.
Originally, I had planned to wear something without the embroidery, but Marie had adamantly insisted otherwise. I liked it, though.
"Now! Off you go. Albenheim said they’re sending the elite of the elite, so you won't have to worry about Demon Worshippers."
"I understand. You stay safe until then."
"That’s why I’m going to stay with Sister Adelia for a while. I should take this chance to get closer to Kate, too."
Even though I was going on a date with another woman—and might even spend the first night with her—Marie showed a remarkably cool attitude.
I gave her a gentle smile in response to her lovely demeanor and said my goodbyes. For the record, my father had already left the mansion for work.
Since Kate had also gone to the temple for prayer, Marie and Adelia were the only ones left to see me off.
"I'll be going now."
"Bye~ Oh, wait. I almost forgot. Here."
Just before I left, Marie handed me a small bottle. Inside were pure white pills, and I knew exactly what they were.
Contraceptives. I stared blankly at the bottle filled with pills before looking up at her.
Marie had a beaming smile on her face.
"You never know. I have to make sure no other woman carries your child before I do."
"......You know it's hard for Elves to get pregnant, right?"
"I know, but just in case. Once you start your nightly business, you won't be coming out of the room for a while, right? So don't argue and just take them. If you don't take them and Queen Arwen gets pregnant, be prepared for us to break up."
"Alright, alright."
As expected, Marie was thorough about these things. To be honest, I had forgotten about it, but I didn't bother saying that out loud.
"Honestly, you forgot, didn't you?"
"No?"
"I love how you’re such a bad liar. Chomp!"
"Agh!"
I wondered when she’d stop biting my face. I gently rubbed my cheek, where I was sure tooth marks had been left.
*
While Isaac was preparing to head to Albenheim, the busiest person of all was Arwen.
She didn't particularly mind that she had been chosen as the gift for Xenon—that is, Isaac.
Not only would it further elevate her political standing, but it was also filled with her own personal desires.
To be honest, the personal desire part was the biggest factor. She didn't care much about the politics and hadn't even considered them at first.
This was what the people of Albenheim wanted, after all. What leader would refuse something their people so strongly desired?
Though the announcement had been delayed because Arwen was too embarrassed, it was done now, and that was what mattered.
"Your Majesty. Before you go, you must groom yourself with the spring water of the World Tree."
"And apply some perfume..."
"Your Majesty is the symbol of our Albenheim."
"You must not go looking anything less than perfect. Come here."
She felt like she might collapse even before the first night began. Having spent all her time focused on state affairs, she had forgotten the tedious, traditional customs of the Elves.
Elves placed great importance on tradition, and it was a hurdle even a Queen could not avoid.
Furthermore, this was a situation where they had to "package" the gift being sent to Isaac perfectly. While the old-fashioned Elves like the Senate and Piren were mostly gone, the stuffiness remained.
These weren't worn-out bad habits, but genuine traditions passed down from ancient times. There was no way Arwen, who was a mixed-blood and not even a pure-blood, could easily endure it.
‘No wonder the birth rate is so low...’
Thanks to this, she realized why the Elven birth rate was so abysmal.
Regardless of gender, having to go through this process every single time they engaged in nightly affairs would naturally drain anyone's stamina.
Fortunately, she had attendants because she was the Queen, but it would take a commoner a long time to do it themselves.
Arwen sighed, wondering if she should fix this for the sake of Albenheim’s revival.
‘Still, I’m glad I got it done early.’
Arwen checked her beautifully adorned reflection in the mirror. At a glance, not much seemed to have changed, but since she didn't usually dress up, she looked much better now.
Normally, applying makeup to someone with such a youthful appearance like hers could go wrong, but now, maturity and cuteness coexisted perfectly.
A bright smile radiated the freshness of a young girl, while a gentle smile showed the budding charm of a young woman.
Finally, the subtle scent of her perfume stimulated the sense of smell. The perfume had also been crafted from the dew of the World Tree. It was said to have a calming effect just by being near it.
Lastly, the outfit. Since the true 'gift' was prepared for the night, her current attire was a white one-piece dress.
However, the attendants seemed to have grasped where Arwen’s strengths lay, as the design was slightly unique.
One side was closed, but the other side had a daring slit. In other words, one side clearly traced the curve of her hip, while the other side exposed her snow-white thigh without reservation.
There was no garter belt. Only Arwen’s fair thigh was exposed.
Though she was short, her proportions were as good as Cecile’s, giving her a different kind of allure.
‘I-It’s embarrassing, but it’s a gift for Isaac...’
Arwen usually wore clothes with open sides, but for some reason, what she was wearing today felt embarrassing. Was it because it was an outfit specifically for Isaac?
She stared at herself in the mirror with a flushed face, then spun around and walked away. Her new shoes made a rhythmic click-clack sound.
Eventually, Arwen reached the bed. On the bed, the real 'gift' for Isaac was neatly laid out.
She stared intently at the gift, looked around, and cleared her throat. And then...
"M-my lord. L-lower these blankets. Then, the real gift will..."
Thud—
Arwen, who had gotten that far, suddenly slumped to her knees.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Unable to finish her sentence, she pounded the bed with her fists.
Her face was incredibly red, and her long ears twitched up and down restlessly.
No matter how many times she practiced, the words were just too hard to say out loud.
‘How did that woman do it?’
She suddenly thought of Cecile, who had taught her these lines. She had heard that Cecile had gone as far as describing herself as 'dessert.'
It was truly admirable how she could say such scandalous things in front of Isaac.
It was while Arwen was busy punching the bed.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Your Majesty. Master Xenon has arrived..."
"I'll be right there!"
Meeting Isaac came first. She would worry about the rest later.
Arwen stood up abruptly, her face still flushed.
She didn't forget to quickly tuck the gift on the bed into a box. A major disaster could have occurred otherwise.
"Where is he now? I will go meet him myself."
"Currently, Master Isaac is..."
Albenheim’s gift offensive was only just beginning.