The preparations for the wedding were steadily progressing led by Agete.
He first made the measurements for the dress, and because Agete was so enthusiastic, Ruri was left with nothing to do.
Was she sure she really wanted to get married? She doubted her life would be peaceful and quiet afterwards.
Among the things that were slightly different, it was common for Jade to ask her to transform into a cat when they go to the lower districts. Euclase told her that it was because Jade didn't want others to see her human form.
Since Ruri was used to walking around the castle in cat form, she accepted his request because she had no particular reason to reject it, but Jade's monopoly over her made her feel like their relationship was becoming strange.
And recently, before they slept, Jade had pressed his lips to hers again and again every night.
It wasn't their first-time kissing, but for Ruri it filled her with emotion, but it didn't seem to stop Jade at all.
Jade tried to touch their lips at any chance he could.
He kisses her during breaks at the office, but when they were in the bedroom they didn't have to worry about the time, they wouldn't get tired and could keep kissing forever.
However, Ruri couldn't take it for so long and pushed him away.
She saw Jade's dissatisfied expression, but she didn't care.
"I can't take it anymore..." - Ruri
She was breathing hard and grimaced.
But Jade didn't let go of Ruri, instead leaning back on a cushion holding her to him.
In the beginning, when Ruri sat on Jade's knee as a person she was blushing so hard she looked like she was going to burst into flames, but gradually she got used to relaxing into his arms.
"Jade, can we cut down the kissing?
No, I don't mean that I don't like it in particular!" – Ruri
Ruri found it hard to continue speaking, and she felt a cold gaze from Jade so she quickly added a pleasing sentence.
"If you don't have any problems," - Ruri
Jade didn't speak for a very long time.
"No, I'm don't hate it, but I can't do this every day, it affects me both physically and mentally!" - Ruri
She was worried about her heart, mainly because it kept beating really fast when they kissed.
She doesn't regret receiving the dragon heart.
She knew dragons felt strongly about their partners, but it was more than she expected. Recently if Jade didn't see her frequently his mood worsens.
I wasn't a problem because it didn't cause Ruri any problems, but because of Asahi she hasn't had much experience with romance. She wanted Jade to slow down a little.
"But, it's also for your sake, Ruri" - Jade
"What!?" - Ruri
"What did you not hear me?" - Jade
Ruri tilts her head, confused.
Jade explains whilst clasping the glass ball containing the heart scale around Ruri's neck.
"Have you heard that a dragon can only have a child with a partner he gave his heart scale to?" - Jade
"Yes" - Ruri
She'd heard a little about the rituals.
When a woman absorbs the dragon spirit from the man, a proof appears in the woman's body. A contract is made.
"It's not over by simply transferring the dragon spirit during the marriage ceremony.
In order to familiarize the woman with a dragon baby, the man will transfer magical power to his partner to get them used to the forein body of a dragon." – Jade
After he says that, he brings his face closer to Ruri and they share a short kiss and their lips only just touch.
At that time, she could feel something warm flow from Jade into her.
"Did you feel something transfer over to you just now?" - Jade
"Yes" - Ruri
"That is magic. It seems that you didn't even notice that you were emitting and absorbing magical power." - Jade
"Even if you say so ......" - Ruri
There is no way Ruri had even felicitated such a thought, so she hadn't noticed a thing.
"Usually, after the marriage ceremony, we will stay in the bedroom for three days." - Jade
"three days...…" - Ruri
Ruri's face becomes blank. Listening to Jade speak made her distant.
"No, that's the case for someone of the dragon race, but because you are a human, it will take more time for you to become used to the dragon spirit.
Let's see ...the wedding is planned for mid January." - Jade
"Ah" - Ruri
"However, it won't be your lips affected but your stomach… ... ..." - Jade
The moment she heard that she became frightened and cringed, Jade gave a small smile.
He stroked her hair to reassure her.
"Well, it's going to take a little more time.
Therefore, although efficiency is bad, I am sending my magical power to you with my lips.
I also have the duty of a king, so I cannot prevent it for too long.
At the moment I have to concentrate adapting my magic power to suit you." - Jade
"Urgh" - Ruri
Ruri wasn't able to say anything because what he said was reasonable.
But, she was glad it was the end of the day.
"... ...... By the way, you seem to be in great spirits." - Ruri
Immediately noticing Jade has a mysterious smile that emits sex appeal, Ruri's heart nearly explodes, and she tries to flee on all fours.
...... but Jade immediately grabs her ankle and pulls them both onto the bed.
"Oof." - Ruri
She tries to get up from underneath him, but Jade's arms are unexpectedly on both sides of her face. As she looked up fearfully, she sees Jade's smiling face as he gloats.
"I don't mind you sharing my bed with you, what will you do?" - Jade
To Ruri, the only option she had was to accept and she closes her eyes.
＊＊＊
Late in the night, Ruri's sleep was disturbed by something.
When she opened her eyes Jade's face was so close she could feel his breaths, she nearly let out her voice, but she managed to hold it in.
Slowly she moves only her eyes to look around at the surroundings.
A dark room. She could see the faeries floating above her saying "Shh" with their fingers on their lips.
Ruri's eyes widened after seeing the faeries because they don't usually enter the bedroom.
The faeries beckoned to her while pointing their fingers.
There was a room in the direction they were pointing.
The moment she understood, the drowsy Ruri sighed, checked to see if Jade was fast asleep, and untangled herself from the arm that was hugging her, slowly so she didn't wake Jade, she then quickly left the bedroom.
It was Ruri's room, and it was the room that had Kotarou's and Rin's bodies.
The reason she says 'bodies' is because it's the body without a soul.
The real Kotarou and Rin have gone to a different world, far away from the world she was currently in, the world where Ruri's parents gave birth to her and raised her.
They went to inform her parents of Ruri's current situation.
The only reason she would have been bothered at night, was if Kotarou and Rin had returned.
When Ruri rushed into the next room, Kotarou and Rin's bodies were stirring.
"Kotaro, Rin!" - Ruri
"mmm, I'm back now, Ruri" - Kotarou
"I'm home~ Ruri" - Rin
She stumbled and went over to Kotarou and hugged his soft fur.
Although it was originally a dead body, it was hard to see the two bodies that Kotarou and Rin possessed become lifeless.
However, when she saw the two animals moving cheerfully, she was relieved.
"Did you meet my parents?" - Ruri
"We found them immediately. They are famous among the faeries of the other world, we asked a passing faerie and they directed us." - Rin
"Well, it was easy to find because the faeries were gathered there.
They were very pleasant and welcoming. Ruri looks very much like your mother and I immediately recognized her." - Kotarou
"Yeah ... I see ... ...." - Ruri
As she thought, it was difficult for her to hear about the other world.
"There is something interesting about Ruri's world.
I was surprised to see humans flying in the sky riding a big piece of metal. Is it called an airplane?" - Kotarou
"There is no one in the world that can see us at all. I was surprised." - Rin
While listening Kotarou and Rin speak excitedly of the other world, Ruri smiled.
Now she can see the faeries, she wonders if her world would have changed if she had seen the faeries in the other world.
It is regrettable that she won't ever see her other world again.
"How did my parent react after hearing about me?" - Ruri
"They were worried about you, disappearing into thin air. They were upset after hearing you had gone to another world." - Rin
"Um...…" - Ruri
No more words came out.
Suddenly disappearing, making her parents worry. What an inconsiderate daughter.
Even if she thinks so, she can't even apologize to them.
"I have a letter from Ruri's mother" - Rin
When she saw the single envelope that was to her by Rin, Ruri drew a breath.
She sat on the floor where she was, and nervously took the envelope, pulling open the seal.
The writing of the mother that Ruri knew well was written on the letter.
She writes with round letters similar to a junior high school students, not an adult. Looking at the unchanged characters, Ruri exhales a small laugh and tears fell down with relief.
"She doesn't change ..." - Ruri
The contents of the letter were those of a mother worried about her child, contrary to childish characters.
Whether she was eating and sleeping properly and making sure she wasn't hurt.
She understands that her words won't reach her mother, but she still murmurs quietly that she is fine.
However, the content was quite light, as if she was worried about a child that had gone on holiday, not worried about a daughter that she wouldn't be able to ever see again, it was a rather optimistic mothering letter.
Her tears overflowed and didn't stop, falling onto the letter.
Wiping her tears of the letter hurriedly she smudged the characters, and so not only was her view blurred by the tears but the words where smudged.
"Urgh, uuu..." - Ruri
She thought that even if they couldn't meet, sending a letter it would be sufficient enough, but it seems that letters aren't enough.
It made her want to see her mother face to face even more.
Ruri covered her face with her hands and cried, not holding back her voice.
Her tears don't stop and she realises there is no choice but to cry.
At that time, someone hugged her from behind suddenly.
She tries to shake them off reflexively, but the arms are so strong she cannot move.
When she looks back, it was Jade, and he lowers his eyebrows sadly.
"Jade, why ... ...?" - Ruri
"The faeries woke me up. They told me you were crying." - Jade
Looking around, Kotarou, Rin and the other faeries who were around had disappeared.
"Don't cry alone" - Jade
"Jade." - Ruri
She turned her body, so she was facing Jade, stuck to him and cried with a loud voice.
"I cannot substitute for Ruri's parents, but I can give you enough love to count for Ruri's parents as well" - Jade
Until Ruri settled down, Jade held her strongly in his arms stroking her head.
＊＊＊
Ruri's eyes were swollen and red, after crying.
Jade tried to stay by her side all of the day, but Ruri sent him away because there was work to do.
Instead, Kotarou and Rin where by close by her side all morning, and the other faeries were stuck to her or around her, floating around in the air.
Everyone is worried about Ruri.
Because the Ruri smiled happily when one person brought a beautiful flower to her, everyone brought the flower to make her smile, and the flower garden was relocated to the room she was in.
On top of that, there were more faeries arriving, and although it was a large room, it was making the available space quite narrow.
When Euclase and Joshua came to see how Ruri was doing, their faces became blank when they saw the room and they left without saying anything.
There was an extraordinary number of faeries gathered in the room.
However, thanks to them all being with her, Ruri wasn't lonely, and she felt calm.
In such a lively situation, Ruri read the letter again.
"Are you reading a letter again?" - Rin
"Yeah, I seem to be calm enough to read it now." - Ruri
At first, she was full of feelings of loneliness and sadness, but now she could read it feeling calm.
It is proof that I was able to accept the present situation properly.
"I don't think you have to read it so often, you can just talk to the person later. " - Rin
"... What......?" - Ruri
After a lot of silence, Ruri processed Rin's words trying to understand.
At that time, she heard a voice from the faerie who was touching the open envelope that contained the letter.
"Is that it? Hey, Ruri. You still have another letter in here." - Rin
"eh?" - Ruri
Ruri took the second letter from Rin's outstretched hand, and turned her attention to the content of the memo.
"Ehh !?" - Ruri
In that note .......
'PS, I'm trying to organize my personal affairs now, and it seems like it will take a little time. I think I'll be in time for Ruri's wedding, so please wait ♡.'
Ruri's hands trembled and she violently broke the memo in half.
"What do you mean?" - Ruri
Ruri's scream resounded inside the room.