“Uh, um. If it’s Grand Duke Erna, it looks like she was running up earlier...”
"I get it."
Before the knight could even finish speaking, Callion passed them and headed upwards. Although Callion was more valiant and reckless than anyone on the battlefield, he never ran around inside the Grand Duke's Castle. Of course, this wasn't the Grand Duke's Castle, but it was still a place where proper etiquette had to be observed. Yet, to think he was running up like a madman.
The knights, feeling bewildered by Callion's actions, looked at each other for a moment.
“Come to think of it, Lord Callion collapsed while protecting Lady Erna...”
Unlike when they were at the Grand Duke's castle, they are even sharing a room...
After a while, they muttered with bright faces.
"Can I finally hear some good news?"
After that, it was only after Callion searched the entire mansion from the third floor down to the basement that he found her in Orpheus's quarters in the annex. And that is how things have come to this point.
Callion paced nervously around the room while listening to the sound of water in the bathroom.
'Surely these ridiculous aftereffects aren't going to last, right?'
They said it would get better with time, but ever since he opened his eyes until this very moment, his desires have only grown stronger, not diminished. However, he had a baseless hope that sleeping with Erna once might help it subside a little.
"Crazy..."
Then, Callion stopped walking and let out a rough cry. He truly felt like he had lost his mind. To think that all he had to think about all day after opening his eyes was how to sleep with Erna. If only he had been told this before he collapsed, he would never have been bitten by the monster, no matter what it took. Absolutely not!
Callion approached the wall and banged his head against it repeatedly. Only after hitting it hard enough to scrape his forehead was he able to think about the situation a little more calmly.
Let's think positively.
To make matters worse, sleeping with Erna failed every time. The first time, because he didn't want to hold her, and the second time, because he grabbed her without permission.
At this rate, it was clear that his plan to wrap things up quickly would fail. That would be troublesome. He wanted to resolve the succession issue before winter arrived, if possible, so that he could devote himself to the affairs of the new Knights with peace of mind.
It would be better to take this as an opportunity.
He felt like he could do it now. Given this situation, where he still had plenty of reasons left, but his desires were also present. Just as Callion steeled himself, he heard the sound of the bathroom door opening. He turned like lightning to look in. He could see hair that had been thoroughly dried inside, most of the water shaken off, and pajamas buttoned tightly up to the neck.
“Hey, think again. We don’t necessarily have to do it today... Ah!”
Before Erna could finish speaking, he grabbed her wrist and led her to the bed. Erna turned to pick up the fallen towel, but Callion said it didn't matter if it wasn't cleaned up now and sat her down on the bed.
Gulp. Erna felt nervous at Callion's unusual attitude. He lightly pushed her shoulder. Thump. She fell backward with such ease, and Callion immediately climbed on top of her.
Oh my god, are we really doing it today?
Erna closed her eyes at Callion's unrestrained attitude, as if he were fully ready. Then, Callion's voice was heard from above her.
"No?"
“...?”
Erna was about to snap, "Would you like it if you were in my shoes?" but realizing his voice was lower than usual, she cautiously opened her eyes. Then she saw Callion's face staring at her silently from close by.
Even in this situation, he did have a handsome face. Seeing the deep blue eyes quietly gazing at her, Erna could feel her heart beating faster, little by little.
If asked whether she likes it or dislikes it, she can confidently say she dislikes it. However, if asked if she dislikes it as much as last time... the answer was, "I don't think so."
Even now, whenever she looks at Callion, there is a scene that keeps coming to mind. The sight of him collapsing while fending off monsters while she cast magic, and the image of him sleeping soundly as if dead afterward.
She couldn't bring herself to say it, but... She was grateful.
Could I have done it?
Of course, he protected Erna to save the city and others, but if asked to personally shield her from the swarming monsters, she wouldn't have had the confidence to do so. Yet, this guy did it. Thinking that way, she felt the barrier she had built in her heart crumble a little. He is, in his own way, a benefactor who saved her life. If he hadn't stopped them, she could have been seriously injured, or in the worst case, her life could have been in danger. In that case...
“It’s not exactly good... but it’s not as bad as last time either.”
Erna, who had been mumbling in a low voice, spoke as if she had made up her mind.
"If you're going to do it, don't ask useless questions and just do it quickly."
At her answer, the corners of Callion's mouth curled up. Seeing that, Erna realized. That she had just done something dangerous.
Thump.
“...?”
Erna lowered her gaze at the sound coming from below. When on earth had he moved? Callion's hand was unbuttoning her pajamas from the bottom.
Thud.
“....”
No, he wasn't unbuttoning it; he was tearing it apart!
Before Erna could even ask what he was doing, Callion tightened his grip and tugged at the pajamas in one go. The buttons, which must have been sewn quite firmly, were torn off all too easily by his strength and rolled across the bed and floor.
Callion looked at Erna's exposed chest. He thought he would only need to take off one thing, but she had fastened her underwear so tightly.
With a displeased look on his face, he reached out his hand. Then he remembered what had happened last time. Hadn't he been slapped hard across the face for grabbing and groping her without permission? Actually, getting hit wasn't the problem, but what bothered him was that Erna had quickly run off to her room afterward. Callion stared at the door for a moment. He wanted to congratulate himself for locking it just moments ago and throwing the key away.
He can't miss this again.
The moment he hurriedly reached for Erna's underwear, he saw the expression on her face, as if she were gritting her teeth and holding back.
“...”
In an instant, the reason that had drifted far away quickly returned to him. That did not mean his desire to hold her had disappeared. However, he did not want to see Erna, who was clearly frightened by his actions.
It’s not that he wants to do this by force. He knows he has no choice but to do it because of duty, but he at least didn’t want it to be terrible. Like their wedding and first night.
Callion stood up. Erna, who had been extremely tense, looked suspiciously at him as he suddenly stepped back.
"There is something I want to tell you first."
"What is it?"
"You know I'm acting a little strange right now, don't you?"
"You do know."
Erna was surprised by the fact that Callion knew his ideals on his own.
“To be honest... I think the monster's poison is the problem.”
“Why the poison?”
Erna also sat up, buttoned up her pajamas with all the buttons falling off, and listened to his words.
“I felt something strange in my body from the moment I woke up. To be precise... I felt sexual desire.”
At those words, Erna widened her eyes and asked back.
“To me?”
“Right. So I discreetly asked the healer, and they told me that this phenomenon often occurs as a side effect of monster poison.”
“...”
“They say it won’t last long... but honestly, I felt the urge to resolve it, so..."
"...Yes."
At Callion's words, Erna understood why he had been acting so strangely today. So, he was trying to deal with the heat caused by the monster's poison.
She knew the reason, but felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment. Lost in thought for a moment, she asked Callion a question.
"But why are you telling me this?"
“Why are you saying that?”
"Isn't that something you didn't really need to tell me? You were right to keep your promise, no matter the situation. I would have just thought you were a little different than usual and let it go. Honestly, you wouldn't be proud to say that you ended up like this because you were poisoned by a monster, would you?"
Erna was right. He didn't really need to say anything. Whatever he tried to do, she would have tried to endure it...
"Because it seemed like you were scared."
“...?”
“Your expression. It looked like you were scared. I’m not a pervert who would hug someone who cries while hating me. So I only said it in the hope that if you knew at least why I’m acting this way, you might be a little less scared.”
At Callion's answer, Erna realized. "Hey, you're more rigid and the type to live like a book than I thought."
“Honestly, I was scared—no, a bit startled—until just a moment ago, but since you say it’s because of the monster’s poison, I understand. Oh, speaking of monster poison, I have something to tell you, too.”
"What?"
"... That's what it is."
Suddenly, Erna turned her head and spoke in a low voice. Because of this, Callion could not hear her properly.
"What?"
Erna, whose neck had turned red before she knew it, spoke again in a voice that sounded as if she found it truly difficult to speak.
“...I said thank you.”
“...”
"Actually, I should have told you right away when you woke up, but I was so flustered that I haven't been able to say anything until now. No matter what happened, thank you for protecting me while I was using magic."
Since she had already started, Erna decided to just say everything she had been holding back and poured it all out at once. It wasn't the right thing to say in this situation, but she felt incredibly relieved after letting it all out. Just then, Callion spoke.
“I tried to hold back, but...”
“...?”
"It seems like this won't work out."
At that moment, Erna's body fell backward again.
"I get it."
Before the knight could even finish speaking, Callion passed them and headed upwards. Although Callion was more valiant and reckless than anyone on the battlefield, he never ran around inside the Grand Duke's Castle. Of course, this wasn't the Grand Duke's Castle, but it was still a place where proper etiquette had to be observed. Yet, to think he was running up like a madman.
The knights, feeling bewildered by Callion's actions, looked at each other for a moment.
“Come to think of it, Lord Callion collapsed while protecting Lady Erna...”
Unlike when they were at the Grand Duke's castle, they are even sharing a room...
After a while, they muttered with bright faces.
"Can I finally hear some good news?"
***
After that, it was only after Callion searched the entire mansion from the third floor down to the basement that he found her in Orpheus's quarters in the annex. And that is how things have come to this point.
Callion paced nervously around the room while listening to the sound of water in the bathroom.
'Surely these ridiculous aftereffects aren't going to last, right?'
They said it would get better with time, but ever since he opened his eyes until this very moment, his desires have only grown stronger, not diminished. However, he had a baseless hope that sleeping with Erna once might help it subside a little.
"Crazy..."
Then, Callion stopped walking and let out a rough cry. He truly felt like he had lost his mind. To think that all he had to think about all day after opening his eyes was how to sleep with Erna. If only he had been told this before he collapsed, he would never have been bitten by the monster, no matter what it took. Absolutely not!
Callion approached the wall and banged his head against it repeatedly. Only after hitting it hard enough to scrape his forehead was he able to think about the situation a little more calmly.
Let's think positively.
To make matters worse, sleeping with Erna failed every time. The first time, because he didn't want to hold her, and the second time, because he grabbed her without permission.
At this rate, it was clear that his plan to wrap things up quickly would fail. That would be troublesome. He wanted to resolve the succession issue before winter arrived, if possible, so that he could devote himself to the affairs of the new Knights with peace of mind.
It would be better to take this as an opportunity.
He felt like he could do it now. Given this situation, where he still had plenty of reasons left, but his desires were also present. Just as Callion steeled himself, he heard the sound of the bathroom door opening. He turned like lightning to look in. He could see hair that had been thoroughly dried inside, most of the water shaken off, and pajamas buttoned tightly up to the neck.
“Hey, think again. We don’t necessarily have to do it today... Ah!”
Before Erna could finish speaking, he grabbed her wrist and led her to the bed. Erna turned to pick up the fallen towel, but Callion said it didn't matter if it wasn't cleaned up now and sat her down on the bed.
Gulp. Erna felt nervous at Callion's unusual attitude. He lightly pushed her shoulder. Thump. She fell backward with such ease, and Callion immediately climbed on top of her.
Oh my god, are we really doing it today?
Erna closed her eyes at Callion's unrestrained attitude, as if he were fully ready. Then, Callion's voice was heard from above her.
"No?"
“...?”
Erna was about to snap, "Would you like it if you were in my shoes?" but realizing his voice was lower than usual, she cautiously opened her eyes. Then she saw Callion's face staring at her silently from close by.
Even in this situation, he did have a handsome face. Seeing the deep blue eyes quietly gazing at her, Erna could feel her heart beating faster, little by little.
If asked whether she likes it or dislikes it, she can confidently say she dislikes it. However, if asked if she dislikes it as much as last time... the answer was, "I don't think so."
Even now, whenever she looks at Callion, there is a scene that keeps coming to mind. The sight of him collapsing while fending off monsters while she cast magic, and the image of him sleeping soundly as if dead afterward.
She couldn't bring herself to say it, but... She was grateful.
Could I have done it?
Of course, he protected Erna to save the city and others, but if asked to personally shield her from the swarming monsters, she wouldn't have had the confidence to do so. Yet, this guy did it. Thinking that way, she felt the barrier she had built in her heart crumble a little. He is, in his own way, a benefactor who saved her life. If he hadn't stopped them, she could have been seriously injured, or in the worst case, her life could have been in danger. In that case...
“It’s not exactly good... but it’s not as bad as last time either.”
Erna, who had been mumbling in a low voice, spoke as if she had made up her mind.
"If you're going to do it, don't ask useless questions and just do it quickly."
At her answer, the corners of Callion's mouth curled up. Seeing that, Erna realized. That she had just done something dangerous.
Thump.
“...?”
Erna lowered her gaze at the sound coming from below. When on earth had he moved? Callion's hand was unbuttoning her pajamas from the bottom.
Thud.
“....”
No, he wasn't unbuttoning it; he was tearing it apart!
Before Erna could even ask what he was doing, Callion tightened his grip and tugged at the pajamas in one go. The buttons, which must have been sewn quite firmly, were torn off all too easily by his strength and rolled across the bed and floor.
Callion looked at Erna's exposed chest. He thought he would only need to take off one thing, but she had fastened her underwear so tightly.
With a displeased look on his face, he reached out his hand. Then he remembered what had happened last time. Hadn't he been slapped hard across the face for grabbing and groping her without permission? Actually, getting hit wasn't the problem, but what bothered him was that Erna had quickly run off to her room afterward. Callion stared at the door for a moment. He wanted to congratulate himself for locking it just moments ago and throwing the key away.
He can't miss this again.
The moment he hurriedly reached for Erna's underwear, he saw the expression on her face, as if she were gritting her teeth and holding back.
“...”
In an instant, the reason that had drifted far away quickly returned to him. That did not mean his desire to hold her had disappeared. However, he did not want to see Erna, who was clearly frightened by his actions.
It’s not that he wants to do this by force. He knows he has no choice but to do it because of duty, but he at least didn’t want it to be terrible. Like their wedding and first night.
Callion stood up. Erna, who had been extremely tense, looked suspiciously at him as he suddenly stepped back.
"There is something I want to tell you first."
"What is it?"
"You know I'm acting a little strange right now, don't you?"
"You do know."
Erna was surprised by the fact that Callion knew his ideals on his own.
“To be honest... I think the monster's poison is the problem.”
“Why the poison?”
Erna also sat up, buttoned up her pajamas with all the buttons falling off, and listened to his words.
“I felt something strange in my body from the moment I woke up. To be precise... I felt sexual desire.”
At those words, Erna widened her eyes and asked back.
“To me?”
“Right. So I discreetly asked the healer, and they told me that this phenomenon often occurs as a side effect of monster poison.”
“...”
“They say it won’t last long... but honestly, I felt the urge to resolve it, so..."
“Did you come to see me just to get this done anyway?”
At Callion's words, Erna understood why he had been acting so strangely today. So, he was trying to deal with the heat caused by the monster's poison.
She knew the reason, but felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment. Lost in thought for a moment, she asked Callion a question.
"But why are you telling me this?"
“Why are you saying that?”
"Isn't that something you didn't really need to tell me? You were right to keep your promise, no matter the situation. I would have just thought you were a little different than usual and let it go. Honestly, you wouldn't be proud to say that you ended up like this because you were poisoned by a monster, would you?"
Erna was right. He didn't really need to say anything. Whatever he tried to do, she would have tried to endure it...
"Because it seemed like you were scared."
“...?”
“Your expression. It looked like you were scared. I’m not a pervert who would hug someone who cries while hating me. So I only said it in the hope that if you knew at least why I’m acting this way, you might be a little less scared.”
At Callion's answer, Erna realized. "Hey, you're more rigid and the type to live like a book than I thought."
“Honestly, I was scared—no, a bit startled—until just a moment ago, but since you say it’s because of the monster’s poison, I understand. Oh, speaking of monster poison, I have something to tell you, too.”
"What?"
"... That's what it is."
Suddenly, Erna turned her head and spoke in a low voice. Because of this, Callion could not hear her properly.
"What?"
Erna, whose neck had turned red before she knew it, spoke again in a voice that sounded as if she found it truly difficult to speak.
“...I said thank you.”
“...”
"Actually, I should have told you right away when you woke up, but I was so flustered that I haven't been able to say anything until now. No matter what happened, thank you for protecting me while I was using magic."
Since she had already started, Erna decided to just say everything she had been holding back and poured it all out at once. It wasn't the right thing to say in this situation, but she felt incredibly relieved after letting it all out. Just then, Callion spoke.
“I tried to hold back, but...”
“...?”
"It seems like this won't work out."
At that moment, Erna's body fell backward again.
Comments
Post a Comment