Facing Desire (5)
The young priestess trembled with a pale face at Ashushikara's horror-movie-villain appearance.
Facing that terror myself, my legs went weak, and I couldn't think straight.
"Sister, leave the prayers and purification here to me and head back first?
And tell the master upstairs not to come down—he'll get compensated later, so just wait."
"...Y-yes, got it."
The girl seemed deeply impressed by the saintess's bizarre demeanor and vanished in an instant.
A hand suddenly thrust out from the dark gap in the doorframe.
Like a monster groping for trembling prey in its hole, the hand fumbled around before unlatching the inner lock.
Soon, the door swung open.
The door creaked in shock, and so did my mind.
Should I run? Would Happy Moment give me enough time to grab my stuff and bolt? If I could just slip out with my body...
But before I could act, Ashushikara pulled me into an embrace.
...!?
In a state of mental shock, being suddenly enveloped in such warmth left my mind blank for a whole different reason.
Were those tears at our parting because she didn't want to let me go?
Ashushikara whispered softly as she held me.
"...Quiet."
"Huh? What... what'd you say?"
"Why'd you break your oath!!!"
"Gah, gaaaaah!!"
I fell for it!
This woman must've vaguely figured out my ability. She wasn't hugging me—she was squeezing me into submission for torture!
Uwaaaah!! Help!!
It tightened fiercely, and tightened again. Something snapped with a crack, so I healed... and it tightened more.
To think I'd endure the torture they call "kill you after keeping you alive"!
About twenty minutes like that...
"Huff... huff... I-I won't run. Let go already.
Wh-what the hell is this about?"
"...The ring. You took off the Connection Ring and broke your oath."
All this—the door smashed, barging in—for such a childish reason?! Are we kids playing around now??
I told you your calling and oaths are pointless!!
...But saying that would probably snap my back.
"Got it. Got it. I'll wear the ring, okay? Never take it off again. Happy?"
"......"
"There, it's on. Now loosen your grip and go home."
"...No."
Does puberty hit around twenty in this world? This is driving me nuts.
Ashushikara showed no sign of letting go. At this rate, it'd never end.
Judging by what she'd done, she hadn't come with half-measures. I could bet she'd scoured every inn in town to find me.
No choice, then.
If I can't avoid it, face it head-on.
So, while being crushed, I flipped it and hugged Ashushikara back.
!?
Ashushikara flinched in surprise but soon buried her face in my chest.
And...
She started crying again.
This was the right answer.
Thinking about it, she'd chased me alone from Prosek to here. No way she'd back off just because I dodged for a bit.
If I kept running, she'd come crashing harder—doors wouldn't be the end of it.
Murmurs rose from outside.
With the door shattered and screams echoing, people had to gather out of curiosity.
"Let's clean up before more come. Gotta switch rooms too. Ashu, loosen up."
The moment Ashushikara released her arms, she grabbed both my hands and checked the ring on them.
"...Huh, why?"
Without a word, she pulled the Connection Ring off my right middle finger and slipped it onto my left ring finger.
Then she showed me her own left hand.
What the hell is she doing? Does it mean something?
...She's not saying.
"Anyway, let's figure out the room first."
The innkeeper chewed me out for our lovers' spat—keep it moderate—and I paid for the broken door plus extra for the night, then moved to a intact room.
Ashushikara huddled in the corner of the new room, lost in self-loathing.
And understandably so...
"A saintess and princess using a young priestess to hunt down some strange man, smashing doors and causing a scene."
"Waaah!!"
She dove under the covers and fled to the bed again.
This girl was sharp as a tack sometimes, even cunning, with real status to boot.
So she objectively knew just how outrageous her actions were—and how mortifying.
And that's not all?
"Plus, ditching the cathedral before meeting new comrades with some excuse about blessing prayers. Obvious without seeing it."
"Please stop there! I don't even know why I did it.
I don't know! Don't know! It's all your fault, Kirgil!"
Haha, now she's finally getting fun.
I sat on the bed and reached under the covers for Ashushikara—with my left hand, wearing the Connection Ring.
Moments later, her hand overlapped mine from beneath.
No need to ask why she'd come chasing me.
More than any words, these intertwined hands said it all.
Guess giving up on her like a beast releasing its cub.
Ashushikara apparently planned to crash here. Even at night, she sat demurely beside me as I sorted letters, refusing to leave.
So quiet like this, she seemed the perfect wife material. Hard to believe this same girl had swung her mace to smash in the door moments ago.
"Wh-what? Why stare like that?"
Huh? Wait??? What the—?? What's going on here?
"Ashu, come sit here."
"Ugh, what suddenly? Embarrassing."
Ashushikara obeyed, settling primly on my lap.
Why give such an order?...
Finally, Ashushikara's Status Window had appeared.
Ashushikara
Saintess of Kalderan — Confirmed Authentic
[Princess of Darania | Devout Healer | Mace Wielder]
"Ugh... this is unexpected."
"Wh-what is?"
"Ashushikara really is Kalderan's saintess."
"Hmph, why bring that up now? If not, I wouldn't be drawn to a light like yours."
"Talking big from someone on my lap."
"Eek! Kyahaha! Tickles! Joke! Just joking!!"
I grabbed her waist, lifted her, and set her beside me. She leaned her head on my shoulder.
"Weird. Just hours ago, I was so anxious and furious I couldn't sit still. Now it's so peaceful. Feels like I've become a different person."
"'Cause there's a yard-sweeping uncle next to you."
"Then I'll sweep yards beside you from now on."
"...Are you really possessed? This the real Ashushikara?"
"I'm Ashu, the one who carves new windows into tightly shut doors."
So cute and amusing.
Not long ago, her mere presence annoyed me. Now? Not at all.
We bantered and laughed, then doused the lamp to prepare for bed.
As I lay down, Ashushikara joined me.
Still in her adventure gear.
"No change of clothes?"
"...You said you like this better."
"......"
"...Sniff sniff. Do I smell?"
Dodge this too? Or accept?
Ashushikara seemed resolved, but I wasn't.
A saintess was burden enough; a princess? Mess up, and I'd be a kingdom-wide criminal.
Criminal status meant fleeing not just territories, but to demon lands.
No beating around the bush—ask straight.
"Hey, Ashu. You really wanna do this?"
"Yes!? ...Ah!
Ugh, you just have to ask that..."
Skill? Last night she was aggressively forward; now blushing and fidgety—it weakens me.
She's mastered igniting chest fires.
First, douse the flames a bit.
"Back home, there's a woman pining for me. That okay?"
"She's not here—what's the issue? My mom had suitors too. Dad did the same, even visiting sometimes."
This world's sexual ethics are wide open. Even the king and queen set a bold example.
"Shouldn't you call the king and queen 'Father' and 'Mother'?"
"They don't deserve it. And I take after Dad in nothing.
Mom... I hated her.
Maybe call them 'Uncle' and 'Auntie' from now on."
Ashushikara's childhood abuse might not just be from her divine mystery—hard for others to grasp.
Even in loose relations, legitimate heirs need pure blood. She? Probably just political marriage value, ruined by 'mad' rumors.
Mom and Dad weren't nicknames—they stripped away respect. No real love growing up.
So I hugged her with fatherly intent.
"Mm..."
Just held her.
No resistance, but unsatisfied, she fidgeted fingers and toes in my arms.
Not enough?
"Ashu."
"Y-yes?"
"Just one step tonight. Okay?"
She got it instantly, lifted her head, met my eyes, and closed hers.
Aimed for a light kiss. But wait?
Her arms wrapped my head. Legs too.
This...
My "one step" judgment was wrong!
One thing I learned for sure today.
A man and woman alone in a room, just kissing?
All lies!
Out of Control
[Emotional Overload Detected]
During it, Ashushikara's Status Window vanished.
Control loss shown this clearly, huh.
Her switch flipped again.
I've faced an incredible woman...