Vol 1 Chapter 18 – A Single Wife Over a Hundred Beauties【Vol 1 – When Written in Kanji, It’s Saionji Yumeba】

Day three of our stay in the hot spring town.

Today, as well, Yumeba and I flirted, and flirted, occasionally visited tourist spots, and flirted some more.

“Ah.”

In the midst of that, the small earring Yumeba was wearing resonated with a soft ring.

“Ugh. Right when things were getting good.”

Yumeba immediately became displeased and grabbed the necklace at her chest that matched the earring, starting to speak into it.

These were telepathic communication devices I had newly developed.

Basically, they were like a degraded version of a cell phone. In Yumeba’s case, the earring functioned as a speaker, and the necklace as a microphone.

They were imbued with telepathy magic—a type of magic that doesn’t require actually speaking aloud—but Yumeba, unfamiliar with handling it, was actually talking out loud to communicate.

And the person she was talking to was Yukina-san, back in the Imperial Capital.

Yeah. As a condition for us taking a long trip, we had to make it possible to be contacted at any time. Initially, I was required to teleport back daily for scheduled reports—but that would really kill the mood, so I worked hard to develop this.

These telepathic devices are linked to my World Map magic, allowing communication as long as we’re within locations displayed on the map.

Even I think it’s a groundbreaking invention—but for some reason, Yukina-san and her husband also demanded a set, and as a result, Yumeba started getting contacted regularly.

Last night, I even got contacted: “Now I can talk to Darling anytime! ♪” followed by a meaningless boasting conversation.

I think you can understand why Yumeba gets irritated.

When you’re happily flirting with your spouse and your parent calls, it’s a total buzzkill.

Moreover, the content is particularly meaningless—a married couple’s bragging session disguised as a scheduled report.

“Lio. Can’t we reject these telepathic calls or something?”

“…I haven’t added that feature yet.”

Being able to contact someone over long distances was already groundbreaking enough, so I hadn’t implemented something like call rejection yet.

“Ugh… It’s such a fun trip, but this moment alone instantly kills the mood.”

“…Yeah.”

Even though scheduled contact was a minimum requirement for the trip, dealing with Yukina-san, who’s excited about her new toy, is exhausting.

Incidentally, even though they’re in the same house, the couple apparently plays with the telepathic devices together.

Well, as far as operational testing goes, that’s helpful, but I really wish they’d stop regularly pouring cold water on our honeymoon.

◇◇◇

Despite the unnecessary interruption, I refocused and enjoyed sightseeing while flirting with Yumeba.

Not only did this city have hot springs, but trade seemed to flourish here—various goods from countries in all four directions had found their way in, making it enjoyable just to browse shops randomly.

“Ah. Can we stop by that place?”

Among them, what caught Yumeba’s interest was a weapons shop.

Well, Yumeba had been swinging a sword since she was old enough to be aware of the world, and it had already become an integrated part of her life, so it couldn’t be helped.

I’d only ever swung the wooden sword Yumeba forcibly made me hold, so I wasn’t particularly interested, but…

“This is quite…”

“There’s a lot of variety.”

Rather than “East meets West,” it felt more like “chaotic”—weapons with no sense of unity were lined up haphazardly everywhere.

There were swords, spears, and bows like those handled in the Empire, but they also sold dao swords, tonfa, sai, kusarigama, shuriken, and even kunai.

And the crowning piece was a Japanese sword-like object displayed on the shop wall—nearly four meters long.

The blade was over three meters long, with a hilt nearly a meter long.

“It’s long, yet surprisingly thin. Wouldn’t it break easily like this?”

“Depends on how you use it, I guess.”

Just drawing it from the sheath would be a struggle, and swinging it around would be even more difficult.

“Does ‘depends on how you use it’ mean it’s actually practical?”

“I don’t know what idiot thought up something this ridiculous, but it’s at the level of ‘not completely unusable’—assuming it’s properly constructed, that is.”

As I was explaining that to Yumeba, there was a loud thud! When I turned around, a displeased-looking bearded man was glaring at me.

Oh right. I forgot this was a weapons shop with a shopkeeper.

A guy with a stocky build covered in burly muscles who could pass for a dwarf.

“Kid, you say some interesting things. If you’re gonna talk big, try swinging that thing. If you can handle it, I’ll give it to you.”

“Ehh…”

Somehow, this had become troublesome.

◇◇◇

Handed the absurdly long sword, I exited from the back of the shop into a spacious backyard.

“For now, try cutting this.”

The dwarf-like shopkeeper set up a target made of straw bundles in the middle of the backyard.

“Do your best, Lio!”

And my wife cheered me on irresponsibly.

“…Stay back, it’s dangerous.”

Sighing but resigned, I stood about ten meters away from the straw bundle.

After enhancing my body with magic to a certain degree…

“Here I go.”

I gripped the sword’s hilt, released the guard, and ran forward while drawing the blade, leaving the sheath behind.

After the three-meter-plus blade cleared the sheath, I twisted my body to the right without losing momentum, simultaneously swinging the sword in a large horizontal arc to bisect the straw bundle.

(Not great…)

While forming an instant impression, I rotated my entire body without losing the sword’s momentum, switching my left hand to the hilt as well for a two-handed grip—spinning like a top, I slashed at the straw bundle still floating in the air, tracing a circle.

To put it another way, I rotated my body like a circular saw, cutting the straw bundle repeatedly…

“There.”

Finally, I stopped the rotation by dragging the blade tip along the ground as a brake.

The crucial straw bundle had been horizontally bisected multiple times—not quite minced, but chopped into chunks that fell to the ground.

“Interesting technique. Rather than cleaving like a normal sword, is it the type that uses the blade’s sharpness to slice?”

“I appreciate you understanding without explanation, but… it was duller than I expected.”

“Oh my.”

When I showed the sword’s blade, there were nicks in several places.

I had intended to slide the blade along the straw bundle to cut it, but the sharpness was insufficient, forcing me to cut forcefully and damaging the edge.

Even with magical enhancement, it was clear that beyond my lack of skill, there was a problem with the sword itself.

“Wait a moment!”

Just as I was about to complain to the shopkeeper, he inexplicably dashed back into the shop.

And so, as Yumeba helped me struggle to sheath the sword, the shopkeeper returned…

“Try using this!”

He thrust a sword toward me—not the pointlessly long one from before, but a normal uchigatana.

“You had a normal one?”

“Just hurry up and show me!”

The shouting shopkeeper began setting up straw bundles in the backyard again.

“This isn’t my specialty, and I’m not good at it.”

“Then I’ll do it for you.”

As I grumbled, Yumeba volunteered to substitute.

“The usage is different from a sword—will you be okay?”

“I watched what you did, Lio, so I understand the general idea.”

“…This is why geniuses…”

Mobilizing vague knowledge from my previous life and working hard with magical assistance—and she understood just by watching. I’m truly glad I never competed with Yumeba in swordsmanship.

“Here I go.”

And so, in front of the somewhat reluctant-looking shopkeeper, Yumeba stood before the straw bundle—and cleanly bisected it with a magnificent iai draw.

(I couldn’t see it at all.)

I couldn’t see the drawing motion, the moment of unsheathing, the moment of the slash, or the moment of resheathing—nothing.

By the time I realized it, the straw bundle had been bisected, and…

“Hup. Ha.”

With Yumeba’s light vocalizations, the floating straw bundles multiplied rapidly.

I couldn’t see it, but I think Yumeba was cutting them with the sword.

“Yeah. I’m starting to understand how to use it.”

And then Yumeba-san said something terrifying.

Those invisible slashes weren’t even her being serious?

“Haah…”

The instant I registered Yumeba inhaling, her entire body seemed to blur—and by the time I noticed, the straw bundles that should have been chopped into chunks had been shredded to pieces.

“What an interesting weapon. I want one too.”

“……”

The shopkeeper and I could only stare in stunned silence, unable to speak.

I knew it already, but damn, my wife is strong.

◇◇◇

“That sword came in from the East—just one. As a blacksmith, it’s pathetic, but I don’t understand its structure or how to use it. After various trials and errors, that overly long sword is what I ended up with.”

The shopkeeper began explaining the situation to us bit by bit.

More importantly, what kind of process leads you to arrive at such an absurdly long sword?

“Since there’s only one sample, I can’t smash it apart to examine it. All I know is that the sharpness is incredible, so when I tried making something similar… that’s what happened.”

Even the shopkeeper seemed aware he’d been floundering.

“So, swallowing my pride, I’ll ask—do you know how to make that sword? Of course, once it’s complete, I’ll present it to you two first!”

“Even if you ask me that…”

Honestly, I only vaguely remembered how to make a katana—just the level of knowledge you’d get from casually searching online.

“I think you use tamahagane made from iron sand as the material, forge it with a folded layering structure, only harden the blade portion during quenching… and temperature control is important…?”

“I see!”

For some reason, the shopkeeper nodded as if moved by my uncertain knowledge.

“It’ll require various trials and errors, but knowing that much is enough! Look forward to its completion!”

“Ah, yes.”

And leaving behind a radiant smile—hard to see through his beard—he rushed back into the shop.

“I’m looking forward to it! ♪”

“…Sure.”

Yumeba seemed happy, but I was a bit tired.

◇◇◇

That day, before I knew it, I was under Yumeba’s thumb.

What am I talking about now, you ask?

No. I was certainly aware that as a married couple, I was under Yumeba’s thumb, but that’s not what I mean…

“Squish, squish, squish. How is it?”

Right now, I was physically under Yumeba’s butt.

◇◇◇

Rewinding time a bit to explain: last night as well, I worked hard with Yumeba in our marital activities, satisfied her, and fell asleep together.

That’s something to take pride in as a man, and besides, with a beautiful girl like Yumeba as my partner, a little fatigue is nothing, or so I thought, but…

“Lio. Wake up, Lio~”

Perhaps because I’d been working too hard for consecutive days, even when Yumeba woke me in the morning, I couldn’t quite come to.

“Mmm… In that case…”

And so, while I was half-awake and dazed, on my face…

“Hup.”

“Mmph?”

Yumeba planted her butt on it.

Of course, I couldn’t immediately understand the situation, and I was confused for a while, but apparently Yumeba was sitting on my face in her underwear, which helped me regain some composure.

Actually, now that I think about it, Yumeba has a surprising sadistic streak.

Looking back, Yukina-san testified that Yumeba looked like she was having fun beating me up with a wooden sword, and she definitely felt pleasure in tormenting me.

“Squish, squish~”

So the fact that she’s pressing her butt against my face and looking pleased is definitely Yumeba’s own fetish.

That said, whether I feel humiliated by this is a separate matter.

While questionable behavior for a ducal daughter, the situation where my cute wife is wearing the silk panties I made, pressing her soft butt—which is becoming as voluptuous as her chest—against my face is… kind of enjoyable.

No. This isn’t about whether I’m a masochist.

Simply put, when my beloved wife offers her attractive butt, I think it’s wrong to reject it because of propriety or whatever.

Frankly, Yumeba’s butt is beautiful and smooth, and I never tire of touching or looking at it.

Furthermore, I think a woman in underwear is more erotic than a fully naked woman.

What matters is fetishism!

“Nyah?”

For that reason, I think it’s fine for me to reach out and grab Yumeba as she presses her butt against me, and then fully enjoy her attractive butt.

“Wait… Lio! What are you…!”

To put it simply, I hugged Yumeba’s lower body and rubbed my cheek against her butt as much as possible.

◇◇◇

“Mmm… Lio, you pervert.”

“I can’t believe those words are coming from the person who first put their butt on my face.”

“…But you wouldn’t wake up.”

Yumeba herself seemed aware her excuse was weak, as her face turned bright red.

“I’m satisfied having fully enjoyed Yumeba’s cute butt, though.”

“…Pervert.”

“What’s the problem with a husband loving his beloved wife’s butt?”

“…Beloved wife.”

Yumeba had been pouting a bit, but she reacted to my words—the phrase “beloved wife”—and her mood instantly improved.

She wasn’t the type to dwell on small things to begin with, and as a Saionji woman with bottomless affection, as long as I didn’t mess up my approach, she had the makings of a total pushover.

Well, if I were indecisive or showed interest in other women, I feel like she’d instantly turn yandere.

But as long as I maintain my attitude of being devoted only to Yumeba, she remains an adorable wife.

There are guys out there who keep multiple women and think the more the better, but I’m the type who’s perfectly satisfied with just one woman.

“Hey, Lio ♡ Where should we go today?”

When my affection is directed only at Yumeba, she truly is an adorable wife.

◇◇◇

Today as well, I was strolling through the city’s tourist spots while flirting with Yumeba.

For lunch, we entered a random restaurant and ordered by feeling.

“This one’s a hit. 80 points.”

“This one’s meh. 55 points.”

Naturally, there were hits and misses, but that’s part of the joy of travel.

As we flirted in a corner of the restaurant, feeding each other’s dishes, the stares from around us hurt—but suddenly, those stares vanished.

“Hm?”

Confused by the disappearance of the jealous glares at me flirting with the super-beautiful Yumeba, I looked around—and found that attention had concentrated on a newly arrived group of customers.

One man with five women—a party of six.

Moreover, the man was a bland-looking young man, while the five women accompanying him were all, without exception, beauties and beautiful girls.

“What kind of group is that?”

“Hmm. Let’s see:

1: An adventurer party with an unbalanced composition.
2: Six siblings getting along.
3: Reality is cruel. A harem party with one man and five women.

Something like that?”

“Which do you think it is, Lio?”

“Number 3, probably. If they’re getting along well enough to eat out together, I don’t think it’s number 1, and if it were number 2, there’d be no need to choose eating out as the method.”

Since I had Yumeba, I answered calmly, but the men around us were shedding tears of blood as they glared at the bland young man.

The stares were getting annoying, and he seemed like he’d make a good distraction.

“Um… Is this seat available?”

“…Go ahead.”

Or so I thought, but perhaps because the jealousy-crazed men wouldn’t give up their seats, the harem party ended up sitting near us.

In the end, the objects of jealousy just concentrated in one spot, easing the stares somewhat, but it remained annoying.

Conversely, since nothing had really changed, I continued flirting with Yumeba normally.

“Here, Lio. Say aah~ ♡”

“Ahm.”

Yumeba also ignored the neighboring harem party and offered her dish to my mouth, and I opened up and ate normally.

For Yumeba and me, this was standard operation, but…

“You two get along very well.”

The bland young man in the harem party, having ordered food and with nothing to do, spoke to us without reading the room.

“Yes. We get along wonderfully.”

“~♪”

I answered calmly, and Yumeba clung to me happily.

“Are you two perhaps lovers?”

“…No.”

I replied with exasperation to the young man who continued pressing without reading the room.

Come to think of it, there was never a period when Yumeba and I were lovers.

We had a long period as childhood friends—more than friends but less than lovers—then suddenly became intimate and immediately became husband and wife, so there was zero time as lovers.

“What kind of relationship do you have?”

Anyway, since he was annoying, I asked a question to satisfy the expectations of the glaring men around us.

“Ah… We’re, how should I put it…”

“Lover.”Mistress.”Wife.”Fiancée.”Sex slave.”

“……”

At the five women’s answers, not just Yumeba and me, but the men around us fell silent…

“Huh?”

That’s all we could say in response.