“I’m sorry….”
Eliya murmured in a timid voice.
About a week had passed since their wedding night, and the two had finally woken up in a relatively human-like manner.
Up until today, they had awakened each other in rather disgraceful but affectionate ways.
Even after waking up, they still weren’t acting very human.
Like beasts driven by instinct, they rolled around on the bed.
Thanks to their deep and serious conversations over the past week, Eliya’s voice was hoarse.
And she was currently tending to Judas’s back.
His back, which sat before her, was covered in scratches made by her nails.
I swear, it wasn’t on purpose.
It just happened… by accident….
“I don’t particularly have anything to say….”
Judas scratched his head awkwardly.
As soon as they started their profound conversations over the week, they slipped into casual speech.
Now, calling her ‘Eli’ felt quite natural.
Anyway, Eliya’s skin wasn’t entirely unblemished either.
For instance, there were red marks where she had bitten and sucked on his nape or cleavage.
And there were red handprint-shaped marks left on his buttocks…
Eliya grumbled, feeling a sharp pain.
“It stings… and it’s all swollen down there too.”
“Well, it’s not entirely your fault….”
“Shut it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Though she was grumbling, she felt good.
The past week had been a learning period in the new world.
She studied various fields but had discovered for the first time that there were these aspects in human sensations.
By the way, Judas also learned that Eliya had a mole on her left thigh and in a very private area only he could see.
In any case, it was a very happy and satisfying feeling.
“All done with the treatment.”
The scratches were just swollen, so it was over quickly.
After finishing, Eliya leaned her body against his broad back.
She wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Ugh! What’s this all of a sudden?”
“Just felt like it.”
An embrace for no reason.
And a heart that felt just fine.
Confessions that could be made anytime without worry.
They were close enough to do that.
Judas simply smiled contentedly and held Eliya’s hand.
The soft touch of her body against his back felt cozy.
Eliya rubbed against him and suddenly asked,
“What are you thinking right now?”
“Well, if I tell you what I’m thinking, I’ll have to lie back down… you okay with that?”
“Hmm, it’s not bad but….”
Eliya casually looked around.
The scenery hadn’t changed much since she first came here.
Except for the bed.
It was a total mess.
Drenched in all sorts of fluids, including sweat.
“First, it’d be better to return to being a civilized person even just a little.”
“That’s true.”
They decided to wash together.
In this cage Eliya had created, all the amenities for living were prepared.
Of course, there was a groundwater pump that could be used for drinking water and bath water.
The space was large, but it wasn’t divided like a house.
If there was a bed, that side was the bedroom, and if there was a table and cooking tools, that side was the kitchen.
Likewise, the direction where the pump was located was arbitrarily designated as the bathroom.
Judas marveled as he mechanically drew up water.
“Whooo, this is impressive. How did Eliya do this? What can’t she do? She’s even good at the night business… Hmm, time to hold back.”
In any case, they took a bath together.
There was a ample-sized bathtub that was just right for the two.
The groundwater was cold, but Eliya heated it with magic.
When it reached a pleasantly warm temperature, Judas got in first.
Eliya, who followed, leaned her back against him.
All the sweat and fatigue from irregular sleep over the week melted away.
Watching the steam rise gently, Judas relaxed all his muscles.
“This feels good….”
Eliya also leaned comfortably against him.
“Ugh….”
After a few minutes of resting like that, they began to wash each other.
Then, Judas discovered the astonishing truth that the feminine body parts float in water.
*
Coming out of the wash, Judas stared at Eliya intently.
Eliya, shaking her wet hair, asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“…….”
She was currently wearing nothing but a shirt.
It was loose enough to barely cover her thighs.
The problem was, she hadn’t buttoned it up.
The subtle exposure visible between the parted fabric kept grabbing his attention.
As Judas buttoned her shirt starting from the bottom, he said,
“If you don’t want to go to bed again, let’s keep your clothes on.”
“Hmm….”
Eliya smiled while drying her hair with a towel.
Then she unbuttoned the top three buttons.
Revealing her cleavage.
“Eli, what does that action mean?”
“Dunno? Just felt constricted?”
Eliya fluttered her shirt as if she was hot.
She didn’t look constricted at all.
Judas couldn’t help but laugh, thinking it was absurd.
“Let’s just eat first. If we don’t, we’ll become skin and bones.”
“Sure thing, I got it.”
This place was stocked with enough food for two people to last about 30 days.
There were a couple of minor issues, though.
The first being that it needed to be cooked.
And the second, Eliya was clueless when it came to cooking.
So, all the meal preparation fell entirely on Judas’s shoulders.
Eliya felt a bit guilty.
She felt like she was just making him do everything.
“…I’m sorry.”
Judas merely smiled at the little creature that was hugging him tightly.
“It’s fine. No need to apologize.”
“Should I help out?”
“Hmm, I don’t want our precious highness’s delicate hands to suffer.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You fool.”
Eliya blushed and playfully bumped her forehead against his back.
It was nice to hear.
Judas found her adorable.
Even considerably risqué words rolled off his tongue naturally.
After a week of saying even more outrageous things to each other, this felt lighter than air.
“But still, I don’t want to just sit here….”
Preparing the meal would just be simple sandwiches.
Both were too hungry to make anything that would take a long time.
Even though it was nothing much, Eliya seemed troubled by the thought of Judas working alone.
“Hmm.”
Judas admired her thoughtful nature as he pondered what Eliya could do.
“Then could you tidy up the bed and blankets?”
“Sure, I’ll take care of it.”
Eliya answered immediately.
But, she was still hugging his waist tight from behind and not moving.
‘…What’s going on?’
She said she’d clean up but was just standing still.
Curious, Judas glanced back.
Eliya’s side profile, sticking to him like a cicada, came into view.
Her round chubby cheeks were adorable.
She was looking at the other bed, and the covers were floating in mid-air.
Somewhere, a dry towel flew over and wiped the bed once.
A nearby shelf opened on its own, and a new blanket fluttered out, landing neatly on the bed.
“…….”
Judas stood there dumbfounded, as if facing a spirit, halting even the vegetable washing while watching.
Once the bed was arranged on its own, Eliya turned her head.
Their eyes met.
“Huh?”
She tilted her head as if to ask why he was staring.
“What did you just do…?”
“Huh.”
“With magic?”
“Yeah. Wind magic.”
Judas was still amazed by her talents.
This wasn’t just magic; it felt like something beyond that.
“Why?”
As if asking why it mattered, her expression was totally indifferent.
Judas could only chuckle.
Having a memory of her once conjuring a refrigerator with a spark of imagination, his mind was just blown away.
“Just… it’s impressive, that’s all.”
“What’s impressive about this level?”
“Well, considering this space….”
A maintained area beneath a mountain.
It was certainly spacious.
Air circulation was happening, and there was groundwater.
This could be seen as some kind of new technology.
In fact, the magical techniques Eliya used to create this cave were being applied in the construction of the royal palace.
“I’ve done many things with magic, but I don’t think I’ve ever found it as rewarding as when I used it for you, like in this space.”
Eliya’s proud words made her seem cute, lowering Judas’s head subtly.
Eliya, still holding onto his waist, reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
A kiss given while wrapped from behind was a new experience.
As for Judas kissing Eliya from behind, that was just last night…
In any case, it didn’t take long for Judas to whip up some sandwiches.
It was a simple mix of heated bread, ham, cheese, vegetables, and tomatoes.
Eliya comfortably sat on his lap.
Judas accepted this act as just fine.
He wrapped one arm around her waist and with the other hand ate the sandwich.
The reason Eliya hadn’t asked him to feed her was simply because they were both too hungry.
The priority was to fill their stomachs first.
“Looking at it, you’re pretty good at cooking.”
“Really? I didn’t think I’d reach that level.”
Having lived alone a lot since childhood, he had learned to manage simple meals by himself.
“Should I try cooking too?”
“Hmm? Suddenly? Well, if Eli wants to, why not.”
“Do you want me to cook for you?”
“Hmm….”
Judas pondered while playfully kneading Eliya’s belly.
‘A meal prepared directly by Eliya….’
He had never really expected her to do such a thing.
Being raised as nobility distanced her from this kind of task, and the wealth to hire a great chef was always available.
‘Does she want to cook for me? Or does she want to try that role as a wife?’
Whichever it was, it was undoubtedly endearing and adorable.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to expect it, but I think I’d feel good if you did.”
“Hmm, so that’s the case….”
Eliya nodded as if she understood, munching on her sandwich until her cheeks puffed up.
“No need to feel pressured. Just do whatever you want.”
“Okay.”
After finishing their meal, they ascended to the mountain top.
It was an instant with a blink of an eye.
Thanks to Eliya’s teleportation.
“I never knew seeing the sun would feel so good after all this time.”
“Right….”
The sun shining brightly in the early summer sky was truly welcoming.
After living like a barbarian in the cave for a week, they were finally enjoying sunlight.
The two stood in a sunlit spot, taking in the scenery.
Eliya leaned against Judas, who had his arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
“Over there is the mansion.”
Eliya pointed out.
“…Oh, I see it. They said it was a nearby mountain, but it really is close.”
“Yeah. But the palace is too far to see. Should we dig another mountain?”
“Hmm… do we really need to go that far? One should be enough.”
“That’s true. I do like that it’s a closed-off space that no one can enter, but I admit it’s a bit blinding without sunlight. Maybe we should look for a vacation house where we can go to have fun….”
His tendency to jump to conclusions still felt overwhelming, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
It was a kind of certainty.
A certainty that no matter what happened, Eliya wouldn’t leave him or harm him.
An absolute trust in each other. Assurance.
Eliya probably felt the same way.
She nestled in his embrace, warmer than the sun, glowing brilliantly.
Judas placed a quick kiss atop her head.
“Ugh.”
Eliya chuckled happily and kissed the back of his hand.
“Judas.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
Judas smiled and readily replied.
“I love you too.”
With Eliya leaning against him, she slightly turned back and extended her lips, closing her eyes.
So, he held her tightly while leaning down.
Their moist lips met lightly.
At the mountain top, the two shared a long kiss.
“…By the way, Judas.”
“…….”
“What’s that touching thing?”
“That… is related to the awe-inspiring and mysterious nature of life’s birth, you could say….”
With such a ridiculous explanation, Eliya laughed brightly and used her teleportation.
The scenery changed in an instant.
They suddenly found themselves back inside the cage.
A cage that no one could enter or exit except for Eliya.
However, if Judas came along, Eliya too wanted to be trapped here with him.
It was a place she had prepared for him, but it had become a space for both of them.
Kissing just as they were enjoying the scenery, they embraced even tighter.
Before they knew it, their breaths had grown heated.
They quickly moved onto the bed.
As Eliya’s legs naturally spread, Judas placed his body over her.
And the two spouses first appeared before others about three weeks later.
That is, one month after the wedding had begun.
*
The two, who appeared before others after a month, still looked happy, though oddly, their complexions were different.
Judas appeared somewhat skinny and haggard, while Eliya looked remarkably healthy and radiant.
Adults who knew the reason either turned red-faced at the emperor and empress’s passion or just chuckled and smiled.
With the two pillars that would sustain the new empire getting along so well, the future of the empire was undoubtedly bright.
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