A Flat-Chest Believer Reincarnated in a World Where Women with Small Breasts Aren't Treated as Women ~ I Ended Up with a Flat-Chested Harem. - Chapter 18

The morning after the wedding, we gathered in the dining room for breakfast with the family.

“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, from now on, I will be taking the name Risty Shan Gustique. Please, look after me,” Risty said with a respectful bow.

The previous night, after Risty and I returned to the Gustique mansion, my parents had continued conversations with various guests, like an extended session of the banquet. They’d been assuring those who seemed to sense something unusual about our marriage that it was, in fact, a normal union.

Of course, no one would ask directly, “But the bride doesn’t have much of a chest, was the Marquis blackmailed by the royal family?” Instead, they would say things like, “Congratulations, but this was a bit sudden, wasn’t it? The timing seems perfect for their age, though…” implying their doubts. My parents had worked hard to convey that this marriage was in line with my wishes. I was grateful for that.

Since there hadn’t been time to talk the previous night, we were making our formal introductions now.

“It’s our pleasure. Please feel free to ask for anything you need. We wouldn’t want to give any reason for embarrassment in front of His Majesty, King Leogalza,” my father responded.

“Don’t worry too much. We may not match the royal family, but we can provide just about anything,” my mother added in a gentle tone.

“Thank you, but as long as I’m with Folca, that’s all I need…” Risty said, her face lighting up with a soft smile, her expression full of affection.

Her words were heartwarming, and I couldn’t help but feel lucky to have her.

By the way, the “Shan” in Risty’s name is a title indicating her status as a potential heir to the throne. As her introduction suggests, Risty still retains her royal succession rights. In the Rolique Kingdom’s system of inheritance, even when a royal daughter marries into a noble family, she does not lose her claim to the throne.

It’s a system that seems ripe for causing future disputes, but for now, that’s how it stands. This differs depending on the country; for example, in Thier, male heirs are given priority.

“Lady Risty, I’m Lyla Gustique. It’s a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to knowing you better.”

“I’m Aria Gustique. Please take care of me!”

“Nice to meet you both,” Risty replied warmly.

My sisters greeted her, and it seemed they were genuinely happy about our marriage.

“Well then, shall we eat?” my father suggested, and we all took our seats at the table.

Breakfast consisted of buttered bread, blueberry jam, ham, boiled eggs, and oranges. It was an oddly modern-Japanese-style meal, but that’s because the Gustique family’s chefs had learned my preferences over time.

“Risty, if there’s anything here you don’t like, just say so, alright? We can prepare a steak or whatever else you fancy,” my mother offered with a proud smile, her chest puffing up slightly.

Incidentally, the Gustique mansion in the capital was currently operating under a special arrangement to accommodate Risty. A wide variety of ingredients had been stocked to suit her preferences. If she asked for a beef steak or roasted duck, it would be brought to the table without issue. Any excess food would, of course, be enjoyed by the household staff.

“No, this is perfect for breakfast. It’s delicious,” Risty replied, smiling softly.

My mother and Risty were trying to feel out each other’s boundaries, but it seemed they were determined to build a good relationship.

If things were to go sour between them, dealing with a daughter-in-law who retained royal succession rights could become a nightmare for the matriarch. There’s a story that four generations ago, the Duchess of Domeia had collapsed and coughed up blood under similar circumstances. But thankfully, I didn’t think we needed to worry about that here.

I spread some jam on my bread and took a bite. The balance between sweetness and tartness was just right.

We continued our meal, chatting amicably, and soon finished. With a growing family, the dining table had become much livelier. It was a source of happiness.

◇◇ ◆ ◇◇

“Th-thank you for your help again today!” The man from the transport company spoke nervously. He was clearly tense because Risty was observing me as I went about producing my daily batch of “Holy Water.”

I began filling the barrels with freshly generated Holy Water, as usual.

“Water really has great synergy with other elements. You can enchant earth magic too, but in terms of mana capacity, stability, and ease of use, water is unmatched,” I remarked as I worked.

“That’s the greatest strength of the otherwise underwhelming water element,” Risty agreed.

As she mentioned, water magic worked particularly well for enchantments. Since magic could only be imbued into water created by the caster themselves, only someone like me, who could use multiple elements, could take full advantage of water’s “strength.”

Once we had filled all 20 barrels, the transport worker loaded them onto the cart with stiff, awkward movements, like a tin wind-up toy, and left.

“He didn’t have to be that nervous,” Risty sighed once we were alone.

“It can’t be helped when a commoner finds themselves in the presence of the First Princess,” I replied.

Additionally, there was Risty’s Holy attribute to consider. In religious terms, Holy magic is considered sacred, and people regard it with reverence. During the mini-parade after the wedding, some of the citizens had even prayed to her as she passed by.

“You’re heading to the royal castle later, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, I have some matters to attend to,” Risty confirmed.

Due to the sudden nature of our marriage, we hadn’t yet made preparations for Risty to relocate to the Gustique territory. For the time being, she would be commuting between the Gustique mansion in the capital and the royal castle, which made for an odd lifestyle.

“I mentioned this during the wedding, but how are things looking for the hunt with Brother Al… you know, Alvy from the Periste family? If you’re too busy, don’t feel pressured to join,” I said.

“No, it’s fine. I’m really looking forward to it,” Risty replied with a smile.