TPITT - Chapter 102

At that moment, I was able to clearly recognize what I was doing.

I was now kissing Michael, taking in his breath.

I said this while firmly pressing the back of Michael's head with my own hand.

'Ah... Ah? Aaaah...?!'

As soon as I came to my senses, I felt like I was going to lose my mind. But in the meantime, even my body steadily sought the air that Michael gave him. I couldn't help it, since my survival depended on it.

After a moment, Michael raised his eyes, which had been downcast, and met my gaze.

For a moment, I felt dizzy and my mind went blank.

Michael's eyes were half-open and he stared deeply at me. His gaze was more affectionate than ever before and it caught my attention.

It seemed like it was being sold.

I was unable to move, so I had to open my eyes wide to meet Michael's gaze.

As I remained still, my senses became more vivid.

The lips that touched were soft, and the breath that flowed through us was as refreshing as the sky and as sweet as honey.

Heart pounding.

It was then that my heart began to beat loudly. I felt it myself.

Surprised, I craned my neck slightly.

Bubble bubble.

As the connection between our lips became loose, air escaped through the gap.

Then Michael released the arms that were holding my shoulders and waist.

He placed both hands on my cheeks and held them carefully as if he were handling something precious.

He pulled my face closer to his.

The soft flesh rubbed against each other for a moment. Soon, our lips met tightly again.

Thump thump.

My heart screamed even louder.

At that moment, I thought, I feel like I'm going to suffocate while I'm breathing in and out.

'Ah ah ah..."

My mind went blank. It felt like it was my mind, not my body, floating in the water.

I sucked in what Michael was giving me as if I was letting it flow out. It was both breath and sensation.

And finally, the time that seemed like it would last forever ended.

“Whew.”

I emerged from the water, held in Michael's arms.

Michael, who had been walking for a while with water dripping from his body, sat me down on a clean rock.

Michael took a knee in front of me. The height of his gaze became the same, so I took a deep breath and saw Michael. It was a very courageous act.

But for some reason, Michael didn't have the heart to do it.

He couldn't meet my gaze and was looking down at the floor.

Maybe it was my imagination, but the tips of his ears seemed a little red.

Because no one spoke first, an awkward silence fell.

In the end, it was me who stepped in to clear the air.

“Stop...Should we go back...?”

Michael raised his head at the usual gentle voice. His face looked surprised.

It seems that Michael was kneeling in front of .e.

It seemed to have originated from the psychology of committing a sin and asking for punishment.

As his superior, I had a duty not to make Michael uneasy.

It was my first time experiencing this, so I felt dizzy just thinking about it, but somehow I did it.

I decided to pull myself together first and center myself.

“Let’s go, Michael.”

I stood up first and held out my hand. Michael stared at my hand for a long time.

Gentle hands. It clearly means that today's work will be left unattended.

That was what it was supposed to be.

Michael took my hand and raised me up.

"I get it."

Fortunately, it was a relief, but there was a faint hint of bitterness in his voice.

My mana is restored to some extent.

When it was done, we two dried our wet clothes with drying magic.

The two horses that had been ridden when Nepenthes began wreaking havoc with its tentacles were nowhere to be seen.

We had no choice but to return on foot.

In fact, there was a way for Michael to fly while holding me using flying magic.

But the two of us as if we had made a promise, did not suggest such a method as if it did not exist in the world.

Thud thud.

The way back was extremely quiet.

Aside from the sound of footsteps, the only thing that could be heard was the wind blowing through the trees.

We were silent.

Silence makes people think more.

As expected, Michael, who was walking half a step ahead of Eve, was currently in a state of distress.

In fact, he had been out of his mind ever since he came out of the water.

'What on earth have I done?'

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand what had made him do such a bold thing.

It was clearly something that could not have been done when in one's right mind.

It was an accident that occurred when an unknown impulse was added to the instinct to save the target of the imprint.

'This is driving me crazy.'

The mind dominated by imprints was truly irresponsible.

The aftermath of the accident was too much for Michael to handle when he came to his senses.

That was to be expected, as the memory of sharing breath with Eve in the water kept repeating in his head.

'Please stop..."

No matter how much he explained, Michael's mind would not stop thinking.

Their soft lips were tightly pressed together, and their breaths were so mingled that it was impossible to tell whose it was.

Meanwhile, she placed her hand on the back of his head, and he cupped her cheek and brought her closer.

The act of survival was desperate yet affectionate.

So Michael thought again.

How romantic it is that humans can breathe through their mouths...

‘...No, what am I doing now?’

Michael felt a sense of self-destruction in the stream of consciousness.

He tried hard to erase the thoughts, but the memories kept surfacing again.

Suddenly, he remembered her pressing the back of his head with her delicate hands and pressing their lips together tightly.

Eve did not hesitate to press her lips to his, to take in the breath he gave her.

Eve at that time didn't want air, she also felt like she wanted lips...

'Are I crazy?'

A sense of self-loathing came over him again. He really tried to shut his mind off of it.

He raised his hand and washed his face dry.

Michael was sweeping his hand down from his forehead, but it stopped at his mouth. And then he remembered something else.

The Princess's lips were so soft they tickled and so sweet they melted.

Especially the thrill that runs down his spine when the tips of their tongues lightly touch each other...

'This is crazy.'

A sense of guilt washed over his consciousness like a flooding river.

It was clear that he was crazy.

Why would his tongue touch something similar to artificial respiration?

'Did I unconsciously try to do what I learned at the training center?

'What dare I do to the Princess?'

It was an impiety that violated chivalry.

Michael somehow felt a sense of crisis that he had to pull out Night Ray.

"Michael?"

"...Ah."

Michael realized that he was struggling with an internal conflict, even to the point where he could not even walk.

Eve, who had already overtaken him, was staring at Michael from the front.

Michael couldn't come to his senses, afraid that something might have been read on his face.

It seemed like he couldn't stand it if Eve read even a single bit of his thoughts or feelings right now.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“Ugh..."

Michael quickened his pace again.

It was the most awkward time of companionship since Eve and Michael met.

Construction has begun on an aqueduct linking the village of Lapis and Lake Melud.

As it was a large-scale construction project, the expected completion time was three weeks.

“I had to leave without seeing the completion. It’s a shame, but I’ll come back again later. If something comes up, I’ll come back again.”

“Lock it up.”

“Yes. I will send you news from time to time, Your Highness.”

***

Today was the day my party returned to the capital.

Cadeline saw me off with tears in her eyes.

Since the farewell took place in an open-air magic light, the homunculus was able to see my group leaving.

Now even the homunculus have vaguely realized my true intentions.

They stopped what they were doing and watched me.

And the moment I laid my eyes on Magic Stone mine, everyone bowed together.

'Ah. I felt like I had received an unexpected reward.'

I smiled happily and thought.

'What I did was to make the homunculus here last longer. It's just a given. The poor environment remains the same. So, we must return.'

I vowed that when I return, I will have the power to change more than I have now.

The homunculus bowed their heads at an ambiguous angle that seemed barely visible to Michael.

They willingly escorted their King, even though they were afraid that they would be caught by the officials.

“Then take a look, Your Highness.”

To transport the magic stone, we decided to return by riding a magical flying machine.

On the windswept dock, a huge sky ark awaited me and my companions.

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