Chapter 132: Stepping into the Light - 4
Chapter 132: Stepping into the Light - 4
The corridor.
Jiha sorted through his thoughts as he walked toward Asira's bedroom.
'Asira is so deep into female-oriented romance novels that she had Yura buy them for her in secret. She's a righteous knight who doesn't even mind a crack in her career, but on this one point she's different.'
In Warsland, and especially in Blue Seal, female-oriented romance novels were practically forbidden books.
Everyone ranked Unique and above was a woman. A world ruled by women.
So writing stories where men held high positions like kings or emperors?
Blue Seal's ruler, the Legend Cheonho, would turn stern and issue a furious decree.
There was even an incident where she had such seditious novels burned to cinders.
Because of that, the people who compiled those books had fled Blue Seal's oppression and were staying in Waris.
Jiha had visited that secret market before himself.
'I should assume that deep down, Asira yearns for that kind of situation to some degree—being forcibly swept up by a strong man. But there's a difference between reality and fiction...'
Jiha finished organizing his thoughts and stopped.
In front of Asira's bedroom door, Lijin was standing.
"You're here?"
"How is she?"
While he'd been settling external matters, he'd asked Lijin to look after Asira.
Lijin spoke cautiously.
"She's extremely sparing with her words. It seems she's deep in thought. This might be a little dangerous."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, wouldn't it be better to meet her with people in attendance? Or call for Lady Yura..."
Jiha shook his head.
"No, it's fine. You can go now."
"...."
"Clear the area of people. Knock in the morning."
When Lijin looked extremely worried, Jiha spoke calmly.
"This isn't something to be discussed by a crowd barging in. And I'm not in a position to drag in extraneous matters either."
Talking as man and woman was the most appropriate approach here.
Lijin, who had been worried the entire time, bowed politely and withdrew.
The suited figure retreated into the distance.
"...."
Lijin had also been embraced by Jiha, but it seemed she still hadn't awakened to the complicated, subtle mind of a woman.
Jiha gazed at the door for a moment, then went inside.
Without knocking.
Creeeak.
"...."
Asira, sitting neatly upright on the bed, looked at Jiha.
Her eyes were calmly subdued.
Within her red eyes, a firm resolve was settling.
"Close the door."
"Alright."
Her tone was sharp as a blade.
It meant she was ready to fight if things went wrong.
'She really is something else. She went through Kamain's betrayal and it hasn't even been long since she was in my arms, yet she's like this.'
Jiha hid his inner thoughts and closed the door.
Asira conveyed with her gaze.
Come closer.
"...."
He swayed.
Jiha sat down boldly at the edge of the bed.
Within Asira's reach.
If she attacked, he would take the hit.
But Asira was unarmed right now.
And given her nature, she wouldn't do anything underhanded like a surprise attack.
Even as Jiha played it cool, Asira watched him expressionlessly.
"...You deceived me."
"About what?"
"...."
Asira gave a long sigh, then spoke.
"Right now, this place, the Blue Seal barracks, is in the palm of your hand. Isn't that right?"
"You've figured it out at last."
In truth, it was something she could have realized if she had thought it over carefully.
No matter how much Jiha was disguised as Enril's close aide... his authority was far too strong.
He ordered the Commons around with a jerk of his chin, issuing all sorts of instructions.
Even Yura and Enril followed his opinions.
"I don't know about anything else... but that foul-tempered Enril hasn't raised a single objection to what I'm doing. That's frankly impossible. Isn't it?"
"...."
Asira's thoughts had reached that point too, and she had sensed the incongruity.
Asira spoke in a subdued voice.
"...I was so shocked and flustered when I heard you were Yura's fated companion that I realized it far too late. But it doesn't make sense. If it were Enril..."
"There's no way she would allow it."
Enril and Yura followed different Legends.
Different factions. A chilly, distant relationship.
One household, two families, so to speak.
So Jiha, supposedly Enril's closest aide, is dating Yura?
With Enril's notoriously vicious temperament, she would never turn a blind eye to that.
Asira said quietly.
"The young lady named Lijin didn't tell me. I looked back over the situation myself and judged it."
"Even at a time like this, you're still looking out for others."
"...."
Asira had defended her just in case Jiha might blame Lijin.
Asira closed her eyes and gave a long sigh.
"What in the world are you trying to do? What's your scheme? No... was what you said about being Yura's fated companion... the truth?"
"Is that what bothers you the most?"
Asira flinched.
She spoke indignantly.
"Of course it is. If you threatened Yura..."
"Yura is a Unique too. You think threats would work on her?"
"...."
At Jiha's laughing remark, Asira closed her mouth.
The sensation of his hand stroking her neck.
She remembered her neck being bitten by Jiha, her body growing hot, panting, and falling into his arms.
At that, Jiha tilted his head toward Asira.
"Well..."
Startled, Asira pushed her hips back.
As much as she retreated, Jiha advanced forward.
Frantically.
Retreating, Asira hurriedly grabbed the first thing at hand—a pillow—and swung it at Jiha.
Whoosh!
It was a strike with no Mana behind it. Jiha lightly caught her wrist and blocked it.
"...."
The knight who commanded battlefields was now trying to defend herself with nothing but a pillow.
When her eyes met Jiha's, she stiffened with a jolt, then forced strength into her arm.
"...I don't care what happens to me. But regarding Yura, at least answer me properly!"
"Then let's do it once."
"What..."
When Jiha actually tilted his head in, Asira quickly turned her face to the side to avoid him.
At that, Jiha didn't force it and just watched her quietly.
The distance where breath could be felt.
"...."
With the man watching her quietly from up close, Asira kept flinching and darting her eyes to the side.
The rough man who had cornered her was looking down at her.
With one hand against the wall, staying perfectly still.
"Wh-what are you trying to do?"
"That thing from earlier felt way too good, and I can't stand it. Let's do it again."
"Wh..."
Asira's face turned red and her words choked off completely.
Jiha looked at her steadily and said.
"You said you don't care what happens to you, didn't you?"
"Th-that... um..."
Asira's voice trembled.
While waiting for Jiha to return, Asira must have sorted through her thoughts.
That Jiha wasn't an ordinary Common.
She had also realized that he effectively controlled this barracks right now.
Her thoughts must have extended to the fact that, depending on Jiha's whim, her own life could be in danger.
'So her plan is to at least salvage Yura. Right now, Asira is steadying her own heart with that and trying to confront me.'
All he had to do was let her know that wasn't the case.
That it wasn't about Yura, but that he wanted Asira herself.
"Ngh..."
When Jiha tilted his head, Asira's body, pressed against the wall, went rigid, then her shoulders hunched.
The distance where nose tips touched.
Asira's ruby-like red eyes trembled with tension, apprehension, and fear.
She reflexively averted her gaze, then forced herself to look at Jiha.
"...Pro-properly answer me. What have you done to Yura?"
"I'm telling you, Yura isn't the issue right now."
"What..."
"I'm doing this because I like you."
When Jiha whispered, Asira blinked.
Asira had steeled her resolve, planning to settle this with Jiha in a life-or-death confrontation if it came to that.
But Jiha's attitude was the complete opposite, a direction she had never even considered.
Asira spoke with effort.
"Don't toy with..."
Jiha kissed her.
The man's lips covered those of the knight who had been about to deny him.
Asira, who had been about to retort, froze on the spot, realizing that if she tried to speak now, she would end up licking the man's lips.
With their lips gently overlapping, Jiha's hand traced over Asira's shoulder.
"Ha, ah..."
Asira exhaled.
When Jiha slightly pulled his lips away, Asira looked at him with trembling eyes.
A flush was spreading across her light blue skin.
"...."
"You're not going to scold me for being cowardly and tell me to just kill you instead?"
Jiha spoke with a smile.
Looking utterly lost, Asira said.
"Wha, why in the world are you doing this..."
"I'm telling you, it's because I want you."
"N-no. What I mean is. That..."
Asira stammered, her sentence trailing off.
Because the conversation kept flowing in a direction she had never imagined.
"If you really are the one controlling this barracks, women shouldn't be in short supply, should they? That young lady, Lijin, just now..."
"I want you, Asira Hellrunner."
"...."
Male desire doesn't discriminate when it comes to beautiful women.
Having been a secretary to high-ranking people, Jiha had seen clearly in many ways what happened when a person became consumed by desire.
Human desire knows no end, and male sexual desire is no different.
Even with two beauties, they want five. Having enjoyed a slender woman, they want a voluptuous one.
This is male desire, of course, not female desire.
'Women understand this on an instinctual, genetic level, yet they still find it unpleasant and unclean.'
That's why people end up finding a point of mutual compromise.
And that is the sweet-talk called love.
A refrain repeated countless times throughout human history, and one that will be repeated again.
I want and love only you.
How many people's lives and deaths, joys and sorrows have hinged on that one line?
Jiha was quite forthright and restrained when it came to this part.
But...
"Does it seem like a lie?"
"...."
A woman is still a woman. If a man's words are nothing but sweet-talk, she sees through it in the end.
And right now, Jiha wasn't lying.
He wanted Asira.
Asira's feminine charm? Of course he wanted it. He wanted to keep her by his side forever and dote on her.
Her combat ability as a Unique, her situational judgment, and her battlefield command ability also pleased him.
But above all... she was noble.
Asira had tried to protect Kamain to the very end, and now, even in a situation where she might become Jiha's plaything, she had staked everything to confront Jiha to protect Yura.
This character.
If tamed, she would absolutely never betray Jiha.
No, she would follow more faithfully than anyone and wouldn't shy away from any hardship or suffering.
"But you... you have Yura.... No, was that a lie too?"
"The human heart is a fickle thing."
"That..."
"I'll explain it to Yura later."
Smack.
Jiha pressed his lips to hers again.
Asira, who had been about to speak, hurriedly closed her mouth.
As if she believed you shouldn't open your mouth during a kiss.
Flinching in surprise and freezing up—she was just like an innocent girl.
"...."
Jiha pressed Asira's cheek with his hand, then gently moved to the corner of her eye, then up to her forehead.
His touch combed back her blue hair.
The way Asira trembled slightly meant she liked it.
A kiss longer than the first one when he had entered the room.
When Jiha pulled his lips away, Asira looked at him with trembling eyes, then quickly lowered them.
"...."
A face completely lost.
To the knight who was waiting for words, Jiha whispered in a low voice.
"This is what I planned from the start."
A whisper that told her it was all because he wanted her so desperately.
A whisper that had bewitched countless women and made them shed their clothes.