Chapter 273 Independence -2
Chapter 273 Independence -2
Before leaving his side, she wanted to spend the night with him and be thoroughly loved.
Enril had come with exactly that feeling.
'Come to think of it, it's been quite a while since I've been with Enril...'
Not since right after the decisive battle with Lungtao.
Under Jiha's gaze, Enril didn't know what to do with herself and swallowed hard.
She was a beautiful predator who thought beheading people was less trouble than counting cabbages—but in front of Jiha, she became a cat craving affection.
"Th-that, earlier... it isn't that I didn't want to."
"When?"
"...Back then."
Enril spoke evasively, embarrassed.
She meant the moment when Jiha's lust had surged and he'd tried to take her regardless of being in the hallway.
Embarrassed yet willing, she had refused only after realizing Leticia was coming—and that incident seemed to weigh heavily on her mind.
If a male whose advances were rejected sought another female, what could anyone say?
Worse, he might never come to her again.
Apparently Enril had been quietly agonizing over it.
"Were you afraid I might not come looking for you again?"
"..."
Enril couldn't bring herself to answer aloud and hesitated for a long while.
For the haughty woman she was, admitting her own weakness in words was no easy thing. Even to Jiha.
'Which is exactly what makes taming her so enjoyable.'
When Jiha regarded her with a relaxed air, Enril gave a tiny nod.
Jiha pointed out calmly,
"But saying it outright is embarrassing for you. And I usually sleep alone. So you need an excuse—is that it?"
"..."
Even after gathering women around him, Jiha often slept alone.
In fact, he slept alone more often than not.
When he was with a woman, he would go until they were completely spent, but ordinarily he worked by himself and then fell asleep.
The busier he got, the more he snatched sleep in fragments, so it was even more frequent.
So the women who had been tamed by Jiha were bound to quietly pine.
The Uniques he had gathered were all beauties with their own distinctive charms.
Their looks were renowned even in Warsland—plenty of men would throw their lives away just to hold their hands.
Among the Normal Grades, all sorts of admiration and appraisals circulated about their beauty.
Bards even roamed around composing songs about them.
They were cloud-high beauties whom many would gladly die just to see—but Jiha himself didn't much cling to them.
Except for Asira, the Uniques tamed by Jiha knew they were beautiful.
So his conduct threw them off. He neither sought them out nor spent his nights with other women.
If he went to another woman, somehow that would be easier to take. Yet it wasn't that he lacked desire; when he did it, he did it until they couldn't endure it.
The Uniques, each watching the others, had come to realize that Jiha's highest priority was building his own power and dominating Warsland.
Even if they understood that, stood by him, helped, and followed his orders—human feelings didn't always work that way.
Wasn't it only natural for a woman to want to be loved by the man she had fallen for?
They knew he was busy with work, but they still wished he would love them more.
Wished he would be affectionate and touch them—an utterly natural desire.
Yet Jiha never showed it unless they were alone, so the women had no choice but to quietly ache.
That's why they—even Yura—concocted excuses to meet with Jiha.
For instance, Yura had often taken the seat beside Jiha and even managed to spend the night with Asira.
'Does she think Yura is ahead of her?'
Recalling Lijin's report, Jiha studied Enril quietly.
Enril was trying hard not to show her anxiety, but her tense body was plainly visible.
"So—since you might go out there and betray me... you want me to make sure you don't have room for stray thoughts? You want to spend the night together and confirm your love?"
"That..."
At the blunt observation, Enril hesitated, then shook her head.
"...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I went too far."
A deeply regretful look crossed her face.
In her own way, she had wanted to be cherished by Jiha and had brought up a justification—but thinking about it, it was something that could become extremely touchy.
Implying she might betray him when she left—wasn't that something you could be killed for without complaint?
Saying it outright to the person in question, to Jiha, was itself proof that such a thing would never happen.
Enril sighed, and Jiha smiled.
"Come here."
At the man's gesture, Enril approached with an uneasy face.
The belated awareness that she had said something inexcusable, whether Jiha got angry or did anything else, had caught up with her.
She'd grown anxious over the fact that they had to separate, her judgment had darkened, and she'd lost sight of the bigger picture.
It wasn't like a cold-blooded assassin—but what could she do?
She had fallen in love with the man.
As Enril approached with her spirits cowed like a child expecting punishment, Jiha, who was seated, spoke comfortably.
"Now that I think about it, this is the first time you're truly leaving my side. We've been together the whole time."
"..."
They had seen each other's faces since the days when he was a mere Common and she was his supervisor.
Back then, the peerless beauty who had mercilessly beaten Jiha was now fretting desperately for his attention.
Looking back on their completely changed relationship and the time that had passed, Jiha observed her with a soft gaze.
Standing rigidly, Enril was on tenterhooks about what he would say.
"It won't be easy. Don't let your guard down."
"..."
Jiha spoke about the operation in a measured tone.
"Even if you're a Unique, even if the dark elves follow your orders—taking control of three cities at a stroke means blood will flow and things will get chaotic. And honestly, it's hard to believe the dark elves will follow you with no resentment at all."
"That sort of thing..."
"I'm not saying I don't trust you. For now, the dark elves are obeying you, but they've never met me in person. They'll be skeptical and hesitant to comply, and even if they follow, they probably don't fully accept it."
Enril naturally believed her kin would move as if they were her own hands and feet.
As far as Jiha could see, for now, that was true. When Enril made a decision and sent word, the dark elf forces had immediately started moving secretly.
But would they truly move without the slightest crack?
"Independence isn't easy. I'll prepare well too, so don't show any gaps on your end. And manage your kin properly."
"...Understood."
Though somewhat crestfallen, Enril nodded at Jiha's instructions.
Then, when Jiha took her hand, she flinched in surprise.
Watching the proud peerless beauty's blue eyes widen, Jiha said softly,
"Once we both finish our tasks safely and meet again—I'll spoil you thoroughly then."
"Ah..."
As she grasped the meaning, joy spread across Enril's face.
A new goal, like prey dangling before a dispirited black panther, had appeared before her eyes.
Enril brightened, then hurriedly schooled her expression. Maybe she thought she'd look pathetic if she was too openly happy?
"Th-then... really?"
Even now she asked uneasily, afraid Jiha might take back his words, afraid he might act as though nothing had happened.
Jiha said gently,
"Finish it safely. I'll finish my part safely too, and I'll be waiting for you."
"...Mm."
Having secured that promise, Enril could no longer hide her joy and ended up smiling faintly.
It wasn't her usual cold sneer; it was a smile that rose from the feelings she couldn't suppress inside her. Seeing that, Jiha's face relaxed and he smiled back.
"Ah..."
The moment they smiled at each other, Enril grabbed the back of the chair Jiha was sitting in and lowered her head.
When her moist lips came toward him, Jiha lightly wrapped an arm around Enril's neck.
Taking that as permission, Enril pressed her knees against Jiha's thighs and climbed on top of him.
"Mmm..."
She captured Jiha's lips before he could speak and sucked softly.
The peerless beauty's dense tongue coated his lips, and her lips bit and pulled with a smacking sound.
Her blue eyes had grown drowsily wet, and while stroking the nape of his neck with her hand, she rolled the man's lips inside her mouth as if she meant to melt and devour them.
"En..."
Every time he opened his mouth to speak, she seized the chance to press in and suck deeply.
The woman's full lips tasted his like sweet candy.
Caught off guard while sitting in the chair under Enril's intense assault, Jiha was a bit taken aback.
This didn't seem like it would end at just a kiss.
As Jiha's surprise showed, Enril too looked flustered at what she'd done.
The moment she had seen his smile, her heart had raced and she'd started this.
Having suddenly kissed him so deeply and both of them now bewildered, Enril thought it would fizzle out like this and quickly said,
"D-down payment..."
"Since when did you become a merch—"
While Jiha stared at her, dumbfounded, Enril sealed his mouth again with another kiss.
She pressed against his thighs and pushed her breasts against his chest, pinning him down. Seated in the chair, Jiha was completely pressed under her and couldn't escape.
He had been interrupted while working; it was unplanned, so he was a bit disconcerted.
Pulling her lips away, Enril whispered urgently.
"I... I want a little... in advance..."
"..."
With a woman clinging to him this adorably, asking to be loved—with the haughty Enril climbing on top of him first—his lust surged.
What's more, Enril now had to go to another city and prepare for military action.
In the absolute worst case, this could be the last moment they saw each other.
They had prepared extensively so that wouldn't happen... but you never knew what could happen in this world.
"..."
"Haah..."
Seemingly intent on pressing ahead regardless, Enril used force to pop the buttons of his top. The buttons of a two-million-won shirt were ruthlessly torn off.
When Jiha still didn't respond, she took his hand and guided it to her backside.
The incredible softness of her bottom filled his palm.
"You... don't want to?"
"..."
She knew the male was fond of her rear.
He liked every inch of her body, but she knew he was especially drawn to her backside—that he got lost in pressing her down from behind and shaking his hips—and she was using that to seduce him.
"Hoo."
With Enril actively seducing him, Jiha found it hard to resist too.
Lust poured into the hand gripping her bottom, and his other hand seized her breast.
Enril was a woman with an incredible backside, but her breasts were no less generous.
"Ah, haah..."
While hotly sucking on the moaning beauty's tongue, Jiha gently cupped her breast with his hand and drew circles.
Even when the man stretched his hand to its fullest to grasp it, the large, light-brown breast more than overflowed; Jiha located her nipple.
It hadn't hardened yet, but he knew this body well—he had embraced it heatedly many times.
"Ah!"
When Jiha lightly pinched and rubbed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, Enril trembled with pleasure.
"Hurry..."
Enril's face suddenly stiffened despite her urging.
She had climbed on top first, but now she had the look of someone flustered. At her chagrined expression, Jiha furrowed his brow.
He had a feeling he knew why.
"Ah, w-wait..."
As Enril tried to stop and get up, Jiha squeezed her butt tightly. Under the nearly crushing force, Enril trembled and whimpered.
"Euh, ngh... O-ow, it hurts."
"Are you messing with me?"
Realizing the male was angry, the woman quickly shook her head. Who wouldn't go crazy if she only teased and then fled?
"N-no, it's not that..."
"Stay still."
Jiha spoke irritably and wrapped an arm around Enril's waist while she was still straddling him.
When Enril still showed resistance, Jiha gave a cold warning.
"Oh, you're going? Then if you go, I'll do it with the woman who's coming right now?"
"..."
As if he meant it, Jiha even relaxed the grip on her bottom.
Enril could neither go ahead nor pull back, but Jiha was calm.
By now, the sound of footsteps reached his ears too.
"I'm coming in."
The door opened and a golden-haired elf entered.
Just stepping inside, Leticia froze at the sight of Jiha sitting in the chair with Enril straddling him on top.
As the color drained from her face, Jiha spoke.
"You come here too."
It was a perfect opportunity.