The Sunlit garden

What if you were a groom who couldn’t help but pamper his bride—

Congratulatory messages arrived from other countries, and nobles and merchants visiting the palace began to offer their congratulations.

My awareness of becoming a groom grew stronger.

Licht: “Oh, Emma…”

When I returned to the castle after completing my soldiers’ training, I spotted Emma and an elderly nobleman at the end of the corridor.

From her happy—and embarrassed—smile, it’s clear at a glance what they were talking about.

(We haven’t officially announced it yet, but rumors of the wedding have spread all over the country.)

(With all the congratulatory messages from the nobles, it’s almost like it’s an open secret…)

(If Emma looks happy, then that’s fine.)

Emma had been busy lately with various preparations and dealing with visitors.

But it was a happy kind of busy.

Seeing Emma with her constant smile on her face made my heart warm, even though we weren’t able to spend much time together.

I thought about talking to her, but I decided not to interrupt her.

Emma: “Licht!”

Emma waved with a blossoming smile.

(She noticed.)

(And what’s with that smile? Too cute.)

The option of just ignoring her disappeared in an instant, and my body moved to Emma of its own accord.

Licht: “What were you talking about?”

Emma: “How you’re a really handsome guy and a groom I can be proud of because you always love me.”

Licht: “…What, is that it?”

When I saw the elderly nobleman, I received a generous nod.

(From this perspective, it seems like they really were talking about me.)

(She was laughing so happily…)

At the same time as I began feeling embarrassed, a hint of jealousy arose in my mind that someone other than me had seen that smile.

(No, what’s the point in getting jealous over something like that?)

(I’m going to be the groom, so I need to be more responsible.)

Emma: “Oh…Licht, could you lower your head a bit?”

Licht: “Eh…Why?”

When I lowered my head as instructed, Emma’s hand reached out to me—

(……)

Emma: “Got it. There was some mud on your forehead.”

Licht: “Mud…”

Emma: “You were training with your soldiers, right? I think you must’ve gotten it then.”

Emma: “But I got it off now, so it’s okay.”

Licht: “Thank you.”

(I thought I was going to get a head pat just now.)

(……)

(Why’s my heart so noisy?)

Even when I touched the spot on my forehead that Emma had wiped, I couldn’t understand why.

--

Another day—

Emma: “Just in time. You can have a taste if you’d like.”

I walked into the kitchen and Emma came running toward me with a basket in her hands.

Emma: “I was just baking some sweets to serve to the guests…”

In the basket there were rows of baked goods all giving off a fragrant smell.

Emma picked up a dariole from the bunch and handed it to me.

(I wonder if it’s okay if I just eat it from Emma’s hand like this.)

Feeling my heart suddenly begin to race, I placed my fingers on Emma’s hand and brought my mouth close to the dariole.

Emma: “……”

For some reason, Emma’s eyes were also burning with heat, and she swallowed hard—

Maid: “Lady Emma, your visitor has arrived…Oh!”

The maid peeked into the kitchen and turned away apologetically.

(They saw everything… it’s not like I’d be in any trouble if they saw me though.)

I’d been trying so hard to be a good groom lately.

I felt a little embarrassed that I was seen having Emma spoil me.

Licht: “……”

I lightly grabbed her outstretched hand and took the dariole in my mouth.

Licht: “Delicious as always.”

Emma looked like she was trying to suppress something—

Emma: “That’s good. I’m relieved to hear you say that, Licht.”

(What was with that expression just now?)

(Loneliness…? No, I don’t think that’s quite right.)

As I thought about it, Emma’s expression turned into a bright smile.

Just as the answer to the question began to appear, it was swallowed by mist and disappeared.

--

--That night

Emma had been worried about the silhouette of her wedding dress,

So I ended up helping her try on a simple dress before it was tailored—

Emma: “Which do you think is better, Licht?”

Licht: “They all suited you well and were beautiful, but…”

Licht: “I feel like the silhouette of the second one looked especially good on you.”

Emma: “Heehee, I was thinking the same thing.”

Emma: “Now that I have your approval, I think I’ll have it tailored using the second pattern.”

Licht: “Yeah. I think that would be good.”

Emma: “Thank you for joining me. You even helped me put them on.”

Licht: “I’ll help you with anything, no matter how much it is.”

Emma moved her hands behind her back, searching for the laces of her dress, so I stood behind her and helped her untie them.

Emma turned around as the loosened dress fell down, revealing her short negligee.

Emma: “…Can I ask one more thing of you?”

Licht: “? Of course you can.”

Emma: “I want you to hug me as tight as you can.”

Licht: “…..”

Emma: “Since we’ve started preparing for the wedding, we’ve had a lot of people congratulating us and it’s starting to feel real.”

Emma: “But I’ve become so self-conscious that I feel like I can’t be as sweet in front of people as I used to be.”

Emma: “I kept thinking about how I had to be a great bride.”

(Emma, I’ve been feeling the same way.)

(…I thought for sure, I was the only one.)

Licht: “I’m just like you.”

Licht: “I’ve been so conscious of having to behave like a good groom that I became bad at being affectionate.”

(Ahh, I see now. My heart was beathing so fast when Emma wiped mud off my forehead…)

(Because I was expecting a pat on the head.)

Licht: “Emma.”

As I gently held Emma close, I felt the urge to touch her more.

Licht: “I intend to be a worthy groom for you.”

Licht: “But…I’m sorry. For now, I just want to pamper you.”

Emma: “Don’t say just for now. I want you to pamper me too, Licht.”

Emma: “And it may sound like an excuse but—”

Emma: “I think that because we’ve pledged our futures to each other, we can show each other sides that other people don’t know.”

Emma: “It’s just you and I here Licht, so I thought… Is that a bad excuse?”

Licht: “Of course not.”

Licht: “Let me use that excuse too.”

I placed my hands around the back of her head and hurriedly pressed my lips against hers.

Emma: “Nngh---”

The sensation of her soft lips and her hot breath intoxicated my reason—

Emma: “Licht, what’s wrong?”

Licht: “I just want to spoil you…”

Licht: “I haven’t had any opportunities to spoil you lately, so I can’t remember how I used to spoil you.”

Emma looked surprised for a moment, then she smiled gently and stroked my head.

Emma: “Then…I want you to hug me tight and kiss me lots.”

Emma: “And I want you to touch me a lot.”

(….)

The feeling of Emma’s hand stroking my hair and the heat in her gaze made my rationality waver.

Emma: “Woah.”

Next thing I knew, I had lifted Emma up and was laying her down on the bed, climbing on top of her.

Emma: “Gh, Aah…”

I kissed her palm and then nipped her fingertips, and she let out a sweet moan.

(I thought I had to be a good groom, but when I hear this voice, I can’t help wanting more.)

Emma: “Li-icht…nngh…”

I pinned our intertwined hands to the sheets and kissed her deeply, making Emma’s legs bounce lightly.

(So cute, and sweet.)

Licht: “Emma, more…I want to kiss you more.”

Our lips were connected by a silver thread, and we were almost clinging to each other, begging.

Emma: “Yes. Lots of kisses.”

This time, Emma placed her lips on mine and we shared a sweet kiss, the wet sounds and sounds of our breath mixing together.

(I haven’t had any alcohol, but my head feels fuzzy as if I’d been drinking.)

Emma: “Nngh, Haah…!”

Wanting to feel more of Emma, I sucked at her neck with my wet lips.

Then I showered Emma with pecking kisses all over her body—

Emma: “Mmmnnn….”

When I lightly bit her raised knee, her body lying on the sheets twitched in reaction.

Emma: “Wait, Licht.”

Licht: “What’s wrong?”

Emma: “My negligee today is a little short, so I’m a bit embarrassed…”

As Emma tried to straighten the hem of her skirt, I grabbed her hand and held it down on the sheets.

Licht: “Don’t hide it.”

Emma: “But.”

Licht: “Your skin is so easy to touch like this, I like it.”

Emma: “….”

Holding her knee so I didn’t let her escape, I kissed my way down the inside of her leg.

Each time, her other leg moved impatiently, fueling my desire for even more.

Emma: “Ffhhuuu, Aaahh…!”

I gently lifted her leg and ran my tongue along the inside of her thigh.

When I stripped off her underwear and kissed her mound, she suddenly closed her legs, as if she were embarrassed.

Licht: “Emma.”

Emma: “But, in this position…”

Licht: “Please.”

Emma: “….”

She timidly spread her legs even wider, and I ran my tongue over her slit.

Emma: “Nngh, Ahhh, Aaaahh…!”

By the time I’d had a full taste of her skin, the space between her legs was completely wet.

The moment I touched her with my heat, an irrepressible urge crept up my spine.

Licht: “I’m sorry. I know I’m putting you under a lot of pressure.”

Emma: “It’s not too much pressure. I want you to love me a lot too, Licht.”

Emma: “Please.”

(Since you said that, it makes it even more…)

As I gave into my impulses and let my length sink in, moans echoed throughout the room.

Emma: “Ohhh, Aaaahhh---…!” Every time I rocked into Emma, intoxicated by her sweet voice, we gradually lost sight of the separation between us—

Emma: “Li…cht…”

As I stretched out my arms and hugged Emma tightly, I felt as if we were connected on an even deeper level.

(I always take advantage of your kindness and give into my desires.)

(But, right now I want you to accept me for who I am.)

(Since there’s no one here but us…)

(And because I can only show this side of me to you.)

And so, until dawn, wrapped in Emma’s boundless love,

We were not just bride and groom, but two people who deepened our love endlessly—