The Kazahana Castle was entirely quiet. The massive celebration banquets had finally ended, and the drunken nobles had retired to their quarters.
Kenji lay on the large, comfortable bed in his assigned guest room. He wore a simple pair of loose black sweatpants, his hands resting behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.
Knock. Knock.
It was soft and deliberate.
Kenji grinned. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked to the heavy wooden door, pulling it open.
Koyuki Kazahana slipped into the room, immediately closing the door behind her and sliding the lock into place.
She was still in full royal regalia. She wore the heavy, multi-layered silk kimono of the Daimyo. The intricate golden crown still rested perfectly on her dark hair. Her face was flushed, and she looked completely out of place standing in a regular guest room dressed like the ruler of a nation.
Kenji leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. A slow, amused smirk spread across his face.
"What is the Queen doing in a man's room in the middle of the night?" Kenji joked, his voice a lazy drawl.
Koyuki stepped forward. The professional, untouchable ruler from the balcony vanished. She looked up at him, her dark eyes trying desperately to project a bold, confident heat.
"Of course, I have come to repay the man who made all of this possible," Koyuki said softly, her voice dropping into a seductive, breathy purr.
Kenji’s smirk widened. He pushed off the wall. "Repay me how?"
Koyuki didn't step back. She reached behind her back, pulling an object from the thick folds of her heavy silk obi.
She held it up.
It was a brand new, state-of-the-art mechanical recording camera.
"Of course, by putting on a show for my private audience," Koyuki whispered, handing the heavy camera to him. Her eyes locked onto his, completely dropping her armor. "And this time... no one will be there to interrupt."
Kenji took the camera. He looked at the lens, then looked back at the blushing, heavily dressed Queen standing in front of him.
His signature, shameless grin completely took over his face.
"A private show, huh?" Kenji mused. He tossed the camera lightly in his hands. "I like the initiative, Princess. But if we're doing this, we're doing it right."
He raised his free hand and formed a single cross seal.
Poof.
Two thick clouds of white smoke erupted in the middle of the bedroom. Koyuki jumped, letting out a startled squeak as she stumbled back.
The smoke cleared. Two exact copies of Kenji stood in the room.
"Alright, let's get to work," the original Kenji said, tossing the heavy mechanical camera directly to the clone on his left.
Clone One caught the camera perfectly. He immediately brought it up to his eye, adjusting the focus ring and aiming it straight at Koyuki. "Lighting in here is a bit shit, boss, but we can fix it in post. Get me a wide angle on the dress."
Clone Two cracked his knuckles and grabbed a rolled-up scroll off the desk, rolling it into a makeshift megaphone. "Quiet on set!" he shouted at the empty room. "Positions, people! We're shooting the climax!"
Koyuki’s bold, seductive confidence completely shattered into a million pieces.
Her face turned violently red, flushing all the way down to her collarbone. She stared at the three identical boys in absolute horror.
"W-What are you doing?!" Koyuki stammered, wrapping her arms around her heavy robes. "Y-You made clones?! Kenji, there are three of you!"
"You brought the camera, Princess," the real Kenji said reasonably, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. He patted his lap. "I'm just supplying the crew. Can't expect me to hold the camera and do the acting at the same time."
"Cut! Cut!" Clone Two yelled through the paper megaphone, glaring at Koyuki. "The lead actress is looking at the camera! Look at the male lead! And why is she still wearing the crown? It's ruining the intimate lighting!"
"I am the Daimyo!" Koyuki hissed, mortified, her hands flying up to touch the golden crown on her head.
"Not on this set, you aren't," the real Kenji smirked. He grabbed her by the heavy fabric of her obi and pulled her effortlessly between his knees.
Koyuki gasped, her hands instinctively landing on his bare shoulders.
Clone One immediately squatted down, pointing the camera up at a dramatic low angle to capture the height difference.
"Much better," Clone Two nodded approvingly. "Alright, let's get some skin in the shot. Wardrobe is too heavy."
"Take it off," the real Kenji murmured, looking up at her with a predatory glint in his eye.
"With them watching?!" Koyuki squeaked, glancing frantically at the clone operating the camera.
"They're literally me," Kenji pointed out. "Now, are you going to follow the script, or is the Director going to have to fire you?"
Koyuki whimpered. Her face was burning so hot it felt like it was melting. She had come here trying to be smooth and seductive, and Kenji had instantly turned the situation into an incredibly embarrassing, highly perverted nightmare.
But as she looked down into Kenji's dark, expectant eyes, her core betrayed her. The absolute shamelessness of the situation was sending heavy, uninvited jolts of heat straight down her spine.
Her trembling hands moved to the thick silk sash of her kimono.
"Good," Clone Two praised, watching her undo the knot. "Action!"