A Blessed Morning — The Princess’s Smile and the Breath of New Craftsmanship
The morning after Celestina and Akio spent their first night together.
Akio’s town greeted the start of the day with its usual calm, yet the atmosphere in the central hall somehow felt touched by a special kind of blessing.
At breakfast, Celestina sat beside Akio with an expression brighter than ever before. Her fair cheeks were faintly flushed, her eyes seemed to shine from within. The gentle aura of happiness she gave off was so vivid that everyone around her could feel it.
Naturally, the first to notice was Kina.
“Whoa, Celestina-chan! You’re lookin’ extra gorgeous today! Don’t tell me… last night you finally… y’know, with Hubby? Ha! Knew it! That means another lady’s joined the lineup of ‘nighttime partners.’ Thank the gods—couldn’t keep up with Hubby’s energy all by myself!”
Her carefree, far-too-straightforward words of “congratulation” turned Celestina’s face bright red as she cast her eyes down. Yet her expression showed no hint of displeasure.
Leonora, meanwhile, gazed at her lady’s blissful profile with tears welling in her eyes. Until now, she’d secretly carried the guilt of having been with Akio before her beloved princess. But seeing Celestina finally find true happiness released her from that burden. With a voice full of joy and a touch of tears, she said:
“Princess Celestina… truly, my heartfelt congratulations. May you and Akio-dono share long-lasting happiness. From the bottom of my heart, I rejoice with you.”
Her words carried both a knight’s loyalty and a woman’s pure blessing.
Ayane too, seeing Celestina’s radiant smile, rejoiced as though it were her own.
“Celestina-sama, you are truly beautiful. Akio-sama must be overjoyed. From now on, let’s continue to support one another, like sisters.”
There was not a trace of jealousy in her voice—only the joy of family growing larger, and the embracing warmth of the first wife.
And Sylvia, as the rightful wife and guide of this family, gently took Celestina’s hand and offered her heartfelt blessing.
“Celestina, I’m so happy for you. That smile of yours is the greatest treasure for Akio, and for all of us as a family. From here on, nurture plenty of love and happiness together with him.”
At those warm words, Celestina once again teared up, bowing deeply.
“Yes…! Sylvia-sama, everyone, thank you so very much…!”
From that day on, Celestina was visibly different. The fragile shadow that once clung to her had vanished, replaced by her true brightness and kindness, shining more strongly than ever. But the greatest change was in how she treated Akio. Once hesitant and reserved in public, she now naturally stayed by his side, sometimes slipping her hand around his arm or gazing at him lovingly even before others.
The affectionate sight warmed the villagers’ hearts. “The princess and the chief, they really are a perfect match.” “Just watching them makes me happy too.” Such voices spread through the town.
Meanwhile, Akio’s “craftwork projects” were taking fresh strides forward.
In the papermaking project, thanks to Ayane and Sylvia’s efforts, they had succeeded in producing remarkably white, smooth paper with consistency. It was invaluable not only for educating children, but also for keeping town records and for Dolgan’s precise design sketches.
And in the ironworking project led by Dolgan, Akio, and Alto, they were experimenting with bog iron ore combined with a special ore Sylvia had discovered (one acting as a catalyst). This produced a new alloy far tougher and more flexible than ordinary iron. Akio tentatively named it Akio Steel.
The new metal promised not only to greatly increase the durability of tools and farm implements, but also to enable the crafting of advanced machine parts such as gears and bearings for waterwheels.
“Heh, at this rate, the heart of the waterwheel might not be so far off!”
Dolgan squinted in satisfaction as he held a block of the trial “Akio Steel.” Akio too, in its gleam, saw the vision of the town’s further growth and a future where waterwheels turned with powerful force.
The fulfillment of Celestina’s love and the birth of new technology.
Akio’s town continued to weave new history—driven by the bonds of its people’s hearts, and the joy of creation.
What do you think about this chapter?
