Finally, the Day of Harvest
"Ah, I thought it'd feel refreshing, but something feels off."
Cream wore a complicated expression, having severed a long-standing bond in an instant.
"That's probably because it was such a long relationship."
She couldn't even go back to being friends now, so it must have hit her even harder. In times like these, it was best to keep busy so she wouldn't overthink. I grabbed her hand and headed to the town center.
"Wanna try this on?"
We browsed pretty accessories.
"Mmm~ This is tasty. Have a bite."
We bought and ate street food.
"Oh—! There's a performance today? Let's go watch!"
Luckily, we caught a show too. Cream only smiled in those moments.
Yeah, it won't be easy.
She'd cut off a connection spanning over ten years. Even if she disliked him, it couldn't just vanish overnight.
"Shall we head back now?"
The town had grown dark. We decided to return to the inn. As we walked in silence, Cream suddenly took my hand. I glanced over and saw Siegfried waiting at the inn's entrance—she must have grabbed mine to shake him off. I quickly intertwined our fingers, and though Cream was briefly startled, she went along with it.
"Cream, let's talk."
Siegfried was still on about conversing.
"Siegfried, I told you there's nothing for us to discuss."
Cream responded coldly. As we passed him by,
Suddenly—!
Siegfried grabbed my shoulder, stopping me.
"It's because of you... Ever since you started hanging around, Cream's been acting weird!"
Siegfried swung his fist at my face.
He's tarnishing his own image.
Siegfried had taken an irredeemable action. I could have dodged, but letting it land would benefit me more, so I took the hit square on. Crazy bastard! He punched hard. I tumbled to the ground from the impact.
"Yeah, she was acting weird! She started keeping her distance... It was all your scheme, wasn't it?"
He'd hit me so hard my mouth split open and blood welled up inside.
"Ptoo—!"
I spat blood on the ground for Cream to see.
"Siegfried! What do you think you're doing?!"
Cream rushed over and cast a healing spell.
"You okay? Let me see inside your mouth."
Cream carefully inspected the spot where Siegfried had struck, while he grew even angrier watching her.
"Cream! Get away from him—! That guy's trying to come between us! It was planned from the start! All that nice-guy act!"
Siegfried approached me again.
"Can't you just stop?!"
Nibel called out from the stairs, reining him in.
"Nibel! But that guy—!"
"You think that makes any sense?"
Under Nibel's scolding, Siegfried halted, clenching his fists.
"Sig worked hard all day today just to comfort Cream after you hurt her! And instead of being grateful... How narrow-minded can a hero be?!"
As Nibel kept berating him, Siegfried pushed back.
"That's not it! That guy's not acting out of kindness! It's all part of his plan!"
"Enough! You're making a fool of yourself!"
Siegfried kept explaining, but the current situation—him striking first—and the trust I'd built doing chores during our travels meant Nibel ignored him.
Worth moving so nimbly.
"Why... why won't you believe me? I'm the hero!"
Now he was pulling rank.
"Hah..."
"Ha—!"
His words left them speechless; Nibel and Cream let out hollow laughs.
"Between the hero's word and some porter's, even a child knows whose is more trustworthy!"
Siegfried ranted, pointing at Cream.
"And Cream's been with me since we were kids—! She's mine—!"
He's broken. He never would have said that when we first met. The stress of battle and the hero's burdens had slowly eroded him, and the Yin Seal's lust plus losing his woman finished him off.
"I'm not! I'm not an object—! I'm not yours—!"
Cream was utterly wounded. Tears streaming, she ran up to the second floor.
"Cream—!"
As he tried to follow, Nibel blocked him.
"Stop! Cool your head."
"But!"
Nibel just glared silently.
"Sieg... You were wrong this time."
Hagen, who had come down, added his piece.
"Damn it—!"
No one was on Siegfried's side. Realizing it, he stormed out of the inn.
"Looks like our stay's getting extended."
Tsk tsk—! Nibel clicked his tongue and returned to his room.
"Siegfried's totally done for~"
Hagen said it like he'd watched a drama unfold. I passed him and headed to Cream's room.
"Hic—! Hwaaaah—!"
At her door, I heard her heartbroken sobs. Knock knock! I called out to her.
"It's me, Sig. Coming in."
Normally I'd wait for her reply, but now was the time to enter right away. Her face was a mess of tears and snot.
"Hic—! Sig..."
As I entered, Cream stifled her sobs. I sat beside her on the bed and pulled her into my arms.
"It's okay to cry. No, you should. Bottling it up leads to sickness... Let it all out now."
Hwaaaah—! Hearing me, she burst into tears again. Not wanting to show her crying face, she buried it in my chest.
"All done crying?"
A few minutes later, her sobs quieted to a stop.
"Yeah..."
Embarrassed, she still kept her face hidden.
"Hey, Sig..."
"Yeah?"
She looked up at me.
"Why are you so good to me?"
"You really need to ask?"
She must have picked up on my subtle affection by now.
"Even after what Siegfried just did?"
She was asking if my feelings had changed after that.
"Even if Siegfried tried to kill me, it wouldn't change."
I leaned my face toward hers.
"What do you think of me, Cream?"
"I don't know. I like you, Sig. But is it as a lover or just a friend... I don't know."
I stopped just before our lips met and spoke.
"Wanna find out?"
I pressed my lips to hers. Cream didn't pull away. A short kiss. I parted and looked into her eyes. Meeting mine, hers darted around.
"Did you hate it?"
"...No."
I kissed her again. This time, slipping my tongue in.
"Mmph—?!"
She was startled but didn't resist, entwining her tongue with mine.
"Haa... haa..."
Just from that, the air heated up.
"...."
"...."
We gazed at each other, conversing through our eyes alone. I placed my hand over hers, which fidgeted, and she turned it to interlock our fingers.
"Chup—!"
This time, Cream kissed me first. Chup—! Chup—! She mimicked me with her tongue, but her movements were clumsy. When we parted, a thin strand of saliva connected our tongues. I wanted to go further, but today would end here.
Haste makes waste, right?
I lay beside her on the bed, facing each other, and held her close.
"Tired from all the crying?"
I gently patted her back.
"I won't do anything, so sleep easy."
Zzz... zzz... Exhausted, Cream fell asleep quickly, and I followed suit.
"Mmm..."
I gently stroked Cream's hair as she stirred. She lingered in my touch a bit longer before waking.
"Let's grab breakfast and head out. We haven't seen the whole town yet, right?"
Plenty of shops left to visit. Nibel had said we'd stay longer for the party's rest, so I had to make the most of it.
A different date course from yesterday. Not just what she liked, but sharing what I enjoyed too. Bonds strengthen through shared interests.
"Hehe, you like this stuff? Kinda childish, huh? Cute."
I could feel us drawing closer not as friends, but as lovers in real time.
Evening approached, and I took her to a fancy restaurant.
Thankfully, no reservations needed.
"This place is pricey?!"
Cream gawked at the menu.
"Heh! I can swing it!"
I told her to order whatever she wanted without worry.
"And didn't you say you wanted to dine fancy like this someday?"
"You remembered? So thoughtful."
She hadn't said it outright, but she was probably comparing me to self-centered Siegfried.
Clink—! Clink—!
Cream ate elegantly, mimicking nobility, and I followed her lead.
"Pfft... hahaha—!"
After the meal, Cream burst out laughing outside.
"Ah, you're terrible at acting! I almost cracked up in there."
She found my elegant pretense hilarious. We chatted idly as we walked.
"Cream."
Seizing the moment, I pulled out the ring I'd secretly bought. The one she'd liked yesterday but was too expensive.
Blown all my cash on the restaurant and ring, but...
I took her hand and slipped it on.
"Please go out with me."
Staring at the ring on her finger, Cream nodded.
"Yes!"
Months of effort had finally borne fruit.
On the way back to the inn, now lovers, we walked hand-in-hand, grinning like fools.
"Ah... this area's."
The brothel district entrance. No avoiding it to get back.
"Oppa~ Are you really the hero?"
A coquettish voice. Hearing "hero," Cream turned. There was Siegfried in her view, arms full of women.
Once he tasted pussy, he couldn't hold back, huh?
Whether from the Yin Seal or his true nature, Siegfried had returned to the brothels. Spotting Cream, his eyes widened in shock, but he clung tighter to the whores, groping their breasts and asses.
Rebellion or something?
It looked like he'd given up on her at a glance, but his eyes fixed on Cream said otherwise.
"...Let's go!"
Cream yanked my hand. Led by her, we went straight to her room.
"...."
She sat me on the bed and stayed silent.
"All guys like slutty stuff, huh?"
"I'd be lying if I said no."
At my answer, she leaned into me.
"So, you wanna do it with me too, Sig?"
"Yeah. But if you don't want to, I'll hold back."
Her hand slid onto my thigh.
"If you want to, you don't have to hold back."
Chup—! Cream kissed me. Her hand crept higher, toward my crotch.