"Uuh… I can’t be a bride anymore…” I sat down in a chair and started weeping.

“Sorry, I went overboard… I couldn’t control myself at the chance of touching Sakura-chan after so long.” Even though Aria-sama was apologizing, her face was shining with a brilliant smile.

“You say that without even a hint of remorse! I was so humiliated…” I mourned.

“Eh? No, I am reflecting on it!” Aria-sama retorted.

“Then why are you smiling so much!? That’s not the face of a remorseful person!” I won’t let her go this easily!

“But, you know… Sakura-chan was just so cute! Seeing your cheeks dyed red while you begged with tearful eyes, I could only pant as I touched you… Aah, even just remembering it is…!” S! She is totally an S!

“Please don’t remember it! Even after you stopped, I’m still so ashamed…!” I cried.

“Ahn, don’t get this angry, alright? You should be happy instead, men love women with sensitive bodies.” Aria-sama grinned.

“Sensitive… I can’t be happy about this kind of thing! It’s just embarrassing!” I shouted back.

“Even if that’s Sedrim nii-sama’s preference?” She said.

“Eh? The prince’s… Th-the prince’s preferences have nothing to do with it!” I answered.

“Oh, now that got a reaction. Fufu, it’s alright, even if you can’t be a bride, onii-sama will gladly accept you.” She teased me.

“I said the prince doesn’t matter!” I replied.

“You don’t need to get this worked up… Or do you actually have a boyfriend? Ah! No way, did a man get hold of you while you were gone?” Get a hold of me…? “So Sakura-chan already had her first time, I can understand your reactions now… To think Sakura-chan was already an adult… Well, even if you already had your first time, onii-sama won’t mind. You can still get married even without having your first experience together!”

My cheeks were burning in heat at her direct approach to the subject, to think she’d be so blunt about it… No, keep calm Sakura! “Just what kind of misunderstanding are you arriving on your own!? I had no such person and I have no experience!”

“Really? You don’t need to hide it, alright? Even if I told onii-sama, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind it.” Aria-sama kept pressuring me.

“Please come inside.”

Just how much does she need to tease me? Reaching such a huge misunderstanding and going on and on about it! My patience reached its limits and I could no longer hold back, so I took a deep breath and…

“Excuse me Sakura, I’m coming in.”

“Please stop bullying me! I’m still a virgin! I never even kissed, so of course I haven’t done that!” It should be fine now that I said it… Wait, why is everything so quiet?

“I-I see… That’s good, isn’t it, onii-sama?” Aria-sama said…

“Onii… Sama?” I followed Aria’s grinning gaze and found… “Pri-prince? Since when…?” His face was frozen in a deep red and surprised expression.

“It’s alright, he came just in time to hear Sakura-chan’s shout.” Aria-sama giggled.

“Tha-tha-tha’s not-not okay at all! This is the bride’s waiting room! He should at least knock! Why is he here!?” I cried in embarrassment.

“He did knock, you know? Sakura-chan was too exalted and didn’t hear it, but a maid gave him permission to enter. So, what does onii-sama think of Sakura-chan’s loud confession?” She said while turning towards him.

He seemed to break out of his solidification when the attention suddenly turned to him. “Eh? A-ah, uhn… You see… I-I think it’s something you’d rather not say out loud?” My face instantly exploded in heat, it felt like even my blood was boiling!

Aria-sama just grinned though. “I won’t accept this kind of answer. Sakura-chan is still a maiden and even her lips are still untaken, aren’t you happy about it?” Stop! Don’t say any more! I’ll die of embarrassment!

“… What else do you want me to say? I guess that, overall, I’m happy?” Prince Sedrim said embarrassedly.

“I see, onii-sama isn’t usually this frank, you know? Aren’t you glad that he is happy about Sakura-chan being a maiden though?” She asked me… Please keep silent, or rather, leave me alone…

“So-something like that…” I said while looking at the ground.

“Right, right? Oh, and sorry to say it, onii-sama, but Sakura-chan is still not ready, so please go out.” Aria-sama suddenly got up.

“Wa-wait! I’m still…” The prince tried to say something, but had no chance of finishing it.

“If you need anything, please say it once we’re done.” And then she pushed him out of the room. “Sakura-chan, you don’t need to be so down, what happened?” She approached me…

“Just whose fault is it!? Aria-sama is bad! Bad!” To embarrass me in such a way… And even in front of the prince…

“Oh? But I just asked a question. Sakura-chan was the one that shouted you were a maiden.” Aah… To think a former princess could be so skillful at spitting rotten words…

“Bu-but it was Aria-sama that started the topic… And when we were changing clothes…” I shivered by just remembering.

Aria-sama grinned. “I’m not the only one doing it, you know? Chiffon also helped me to gently stroke…”

“I have no excuses, I was also excited about it.” Chiffon-san bowed her head.

“It’s alright Chiffon-san, you’re the main character today, and I have been indebted to you for a long time now.” I’m totally being biased, but those were my true feelings anyway.

“Ufufu, I’m honored.” Chiffon-san replied.

“That’s discrimination! Just who do you think made the dress you’re wearing!?” Aria-sama shouted.

“Eh? Wasn’t it Chiffon-san?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m the one that prepared it for Sakura-sama.” Chiffon-san replied.

“Then what does Aria-sama have to do with it?” I was confused.

“Both of us decided the hue, size, design and etc. together.” Chiffon-san clarified, but… Isn’t that the entirety of the making process?

Aria-sama followed up, “That’s right! We worked hard to make sure it would fit Sakura-chan!” I do think the design is cute, and the pink, bright, sakura-like color is very pretty too.

I was honestly impressed, but my favorable impression was destroyed by her next sentence. “And I also prepared your underwear! If you wear the best dress, then the underwear must also be the best!” Aria-sama said that with a disgustingly proud face.

Also… Her chest bounced when she made that statement, did they grow in the last two years… Is she boasting about them? Or is it harassment because mine didn’t grow? If it wasn’t that curse… I should milk her in revenge… No, stop shaking them!

Wait, that’s not what we were talking about, I got caught in some delusions. “I guess it is cute…” I could only answer.

“I’ll open a women clothing shop later on. This underwear was made as a prototype to what I’ll sell later. The concept is the maturity of an adult with the charming purity of a girl, it’s the kind of thing a gentleman would love to see when getting hold of a girl!” Aria-sama’s words felt like something that spawned from the devil itself.

The panties are pink with a bit of black, they were made of a densely woven silk. There is a matching bra attached, even though bras weren’t a thing in this world before, it was made following something I told her about in the past… This underwear does match her concept.

And I do think it’s going to be popular, but… Why should I wear it? It’s a special day for Chiffon-san, and I understand the dresses, but why the underwear? I’d have no problem if it was a simple design, but why something like this!?

As if reading my thoughts, Aria-sama said. “Because it’s cute! And just thinking of Sakura wearing this kind of underwear under this pure dress… Aah, I can barely restrain myself…” I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying. Or rather, I don’t want to understand.

And please stop crushing me with your hug! “Also!” Also what? “Aren’t those parties the perfect place for new couples to form? They might meet, get closer and then get married later on!” Aria-sama’s words didn’t really help much.

“… What are you trying to say?” I asked.

“In parties like those, it’s the perfect opportunity to showcase this kind of underwear! Won’t the gentlemen be entranced if they catch a glimpse of it?” Is there no hope for the thoughts that cross Aria-sama’s head? And didn’t she get worse after marrying?

“It’s impossible, and even if not, I’d never agree to it!” To begin with, I don’t even know almost anyone that is coming. Also, I’m a commoner in a Marquis’ wedding, I wouldn’t have much chance to interact anyway.

That was my line of thought, but it seems they got a different meaning. “Of course, Sakura-sama already has Sedrim-sama as her partner, so even if another gentleman approached, he would never be able to win.” Chiffon-san intervened.

“Oh, there is that… It’s alright though, even if Sakura-chan has such relationship with Sedrim nii-sama, he’ll surely be overjoyed if he sees her with that underwear!” Aria-sama replied.

“Why did the talk suddenly switch to the prince…?” I asked with a sigh. I mean, it’s not like I’d actually show my underwear to him.

But I guess I did show it to him before… If it happened again, would he get excited? Would he say it’s cute? I’d be glad if he thought it was cute… Wait, why am I thinking of showing it to the prince?! I have no intention of doing that! I-I’m thinking strange things because of what they said!

“Eh? Sakura-sama, your face is red…” Chiffon noticed… Do-don’t notice it!

“I-i-it’s not!” I desperately replied.

“Oh, it is indeed… Ufufu, you imagined onii-sama seeing your underwear, didn’t you? Would he call it cute? Did this kind of thought make you blush?” Aria-sama didn’t miss the opportunity…

“T-that’s not…!” I tried replying.

“Sakura-sama, it’s natural for a woman to imagine being embrace by their loved one. Or rather, wouldn’t it be strange if you couldn’t imagine being seen by your special one?” Chiffon-san commented.

“Eh? But Chiffon-san…” I was going to say…

“One of women’s happiness is to be connected with the one they love. While aristocratic marriage is not usually decided by such matters, I’m glad I can be with one I wish to live with.” Chiffon-san continued her line of thought.

“Happiness as a woman…?” It was hard to process it…

“Indeed, so Sakura-sama imagining being seen by Sedrim-sama is nothing to be ashamed of.” Why would my special person be the prince? I just don’t know any other man well, so my thoughts naturally drifted to him… There is nothing more than that to it…

But why is my heart beating so loudly by imagining the prince as my partner…? N-no! The prince definitely has nothing to do with it!

“Alright, let’s finish preparing Sakura-chan! We’ll make you so pretty that onii-sama will be madly in love with you!” This madly in love thing… Why does Aria-sama insist so much in it?

“But it’s not about the prince…” Eh? You won’t hear me out? Fine, do what you will…

 

“Fufufu… Ohohoho! Wonderful! It’s amazing! As expected, I’m truly able to bring Sakura-chan’s full charm to light!” Aria-sama bragged.

“It’s regrettable we’ll be giving her to Sedrim-sama.” Chiffon said.

“It’s certainly emphasizing her cuteness, bewitching with a glimpse.” The queen nodded.

Those three were surrounding me and making an evaluation while finishing my makeup. I haven’t seen what it looks like yet, but being evaluated like that gets me nervous.

Noticing how I felt, a maid gave me hand mirror. When I saw it, I froze. “That’s… Me?” My voice barely left my throat, but it seems to have reached them.

“Indeed! We all worked hard on it!” I was honestly surprised, even if she was a princess, I didn’t expect her to be this good at it… I felt like a princess myself!

Usually people think I’m a middle, or even elementary schooler. But I couldn’t see even a shadow of my previous baby face, eyeliner made my eyes bewitching, the blush on my cheeks gave an adult impression, and the lipstick made my lips give an overpowering impression. I really felt like an adult right now.

I do know how to put some simple make-up, but that’s completely different from what Aria-sama did, I wouldn’t believe it was me if I wasn’t seeing it myself. “What do you think? This would definitely make onii-sama’s love for Sakura-chan soar through the skies! For best effectiveness, try looking at him with upturned eyes.” Aria-sama commented.

I’m absolutely impressed… “By the way, shouldn’t Chiffon-san start preparing herself already?” The bell of 12pm just rang, and the ceremony should start at 1pm…

“That’s fine, I should be done in 15 minutes.” Chiffon-san answered.

“Eh?” Wait a minute, it took me 30 minutes to get ready…

“Chiffon is used to this kind of thing because she usually works as a maid, also, she already did most of the necessary work.” Aria-sama read my mind again! “Besides, spending this much time to enjoy Sakura-chan’s tears was well worth it, we took really good care of you, so it took longer than normal.”

Her honest reasons came out now!? I wanted to question it, but I’m afraid of what I’ll hear if I ask, so I’d rather not… I’m not running, this is a-a-a… A strategic withdrawal! That’s what it is!

Swallowing a lot of things I wanted to say, I decided to eat a few snacks to get my mind off things.