Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: The First Time Should Be Dramatic (2)
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The last thing she remembered was seeing Dawood embracing another woman, her head splitting with rage.
Now, everything was just a blur.
Her mind was so foggy, like a veil of mist draped over her entire consciousness, that even the act of thinking felt utterly pointless.
She vaguely registered the sounds of something collapsing nearby and people screaming, but they seemed faint, as if coming from far away.
“...”
Her gaze wandered aimlessly through the air for a moment.
In this grayscale landscape, drained of all color like a faded photograph, she faintly made out the silhouette of someone looking down at her.
It was a mystical figure floating in the air, defying gravity.
Even in that bizarre, utterly naked form without a stitch of clothing, she felt no particular surprise.
But.
Even through that hazy outline, she could clearly recognize that 'shape.'
Was this what she would look like after a few more years of aging and growing?
‘...Mother?’
That thought drifted through her dazed mind first.
It was someone she had seen countless times in her dreams. The person she longed for most.
But one thing was certain.
This was the same form, but.
It was not the mother she remembered.
The 'essence' was as different as heaven and earth.
-...
This 'something' taking her mother's form was desperately trying to say something to her.
Something like, stop it. Please stop. As if pleading with her urgently.
But the voice didn't reach her.
As if, in her current state, that being's voice simply couldn't touch her.
“...”
And then, even that figure vanished in an instant.
Elnor stared at it blankly as it faded away.
‘...What am I, right now-’
But even as she barely managed to form that thought in her floating, dreamlike haze.
A serpentine, eerie whisper slithered directly into her ears.
-Why don't you just do it?
Do what?
-Don't you want to make that man yours forever?
“...”
-Aren't you tired of hurting anymore?
But still.
Dawood was Dawood.
-If you don't want to kill him, you could always turn him into a puppet?
She remembered this.
It was the voice from the time she first tried to give Dawood the ring.
But now, it was far stronger.
Much harder for her to 'resist.'
As if something had eroded far more of her being than before.
‘...No.’
She barely mustered that thought and shook her head.
No matter how much he angered her. No matter how much he hurt her.
Dawood was Dawood.
She didn't want to harm him, whether by killing or turning him into a puppet, just as this voice urged.
-Do it.
-Quickly.
But the voice wormed its way into her dazed consciousness.
It grew louder and louder, ringing in her ears like tinnitus.
But just as it swelled unbearably, when she thought she couldn't endure it any longer.
The voice suddenly vanished entirely.
“...”
She had no idea why.
Unable to comprehend, she blinked vacantly.
With the sliver of reason returning, she scanned her surroundings, forcing focus into her hazy eyes to grasp what had happened.
And thanks to her consciousness sharpening on her 'vision.'
Elnor caught sight of Dawood's face right in front of her.
And the sensation of his lips pressed against hers.
“...”
Beatrix had passionately insisted that first kisses tasted like cherries, but Elnor's immediate impression was simply the sticky exchange of dust and grit.
In this chaotic mess around them, imagining cherries or anything poetic would be ridiculous anyway. Clearly, this man hadn't prepared anything special before kissing her.
“...”
A kiss.
Yeah.
That thing.
The kiss.
“...”
Only then did her surroundings snap into clear focus.
In a world painted gray, frozen like a faded photograph.
Only Dawood and she moved normally. As if, in this halted world, only they existed.
And with their lips locked.
Her eyes widened even more than before.
A kiss?
He kissed her?
This man, to her?
For real?
Why? Why on earth?
When just moments ago he'd been fooling around with another woman?
“...W-Wai...”
Her expression shattered. Her heart plummeted. A wave of heat surged through her body, draining all strength from her limbs.
In that moment, their lips parted.
That was also when she first faced Dawood's expression seriously.
“Have you come to your senses?”
At his voice, Elnor's face flushed crimson, as if it might burst.
Whether from the kiss or not, he looked dozens of times more handsome than usual.
Of course, she never saw anything but him anyway, but now, it was even more so.
Her breathing quickened. Various thoughts flashed through her mind unbidden.
What had she eaten today?
Had she brushed her teeth properly?
Would this man find it unpleasant? She couldn't let that happen.
If so, he might not do it again next time-
“...”
Wait.
Next time?
No, even so. She shouldn't be reeling from this one kiss and thinking about next times.
Get a grip, Elnor. She had to address what needed addressing.
She had to clearly confront this man's disloyal behavior right now-
“Then, let's do it again.”
“...What? No, what-”
Reacting reflexively to his words, she tried to pull back, but as if sensing it, his arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
Considering the gap in their abilities, she could probably shake him off easily.
But she couldn't. She simply couldn't resist.
The moment she felt how much he wanted her, all she could do was blush even deeper and stiffen rigidly.
And in that instant.
The second shock hit.
His lips pressed against hers once more.
And this time, his tongue slipped inside.
“Ah, uh, Da, Dawood, ah, w-wait...”
She tried to string together some words, but it was futile.
Her mouth was ravished wildly. His tongue tangled with hers immediately.
It was slick, pulling, scorching, sticky, thick.
She felt a twinge of injustice.
This was her first kiss. Why was he so skilled?
“...”
As their saliva mingled, all the jumbled thoughts in Elnor's head came crashing down.
Before any questioning or arguing.
‘...I like it.’
This sensation.
This fullness.
The warmth of him filling her.
It drove out every dreary emotion that had gnawed at her moments ago.
Her whole body felt filled with warmth.
“...”
In the end, Elnor.
Before she could do anything.
Unconsciously wrapped her arms around Dawood's waist.
It probably wasn't a declaration of intent to question him.
‘...For now, that doesn't matter.’
It truly didn't.
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“...Haa-”
As their lips parted, a single strand of saliva stretched long between them.
Was this how it was supposed to be?
It was her first time, so she had no idea if she was doing it right...!
[You did great. Have you swung a swallowtail too?]
“...”
As if.
[You've got a real talent for debauchery, born with it. You nail anything related on the first try. As expected of a pro scum?]
“...”
Shut up for once.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, several messages scrolled before his eyes.
[System Message]
[ Target 'Elnor’s' corruption level plummets over 250% in a short time! ]
[ 'Rampage' state is released! ]
[ Terrifying achievement! A new title is granted to you! ]
[System Message]
[ 'Title' system is added! ]
[ Equipping titles grants additional proficiency to non-combat actions! ]
[ Your current granted title is 'Rake'! ]
[ When flirting with women, you gain even more adept, versatile, and skillful techniques than before! ]
“...”
Is this system picking a fight with me?
A rake title, and why is the effect such garbage?
No, set that aside for now.
“Elnor, are you oka...”
“...Ah, haa, haaa-”
“...”
She clearly didn't look okay, so he shut his mouth.
Her neck and ear tips were flushed, her breaths coming in harsh gasps.
“Wait a moment. Let me support you.”
He said that and tried to approach her.
“...Don't come closer.”
Elnor panted, stopping him.
“If you come near me now, it'll be dangerous in all sorts of ways.”
“...”
His expression hardened again at her words.
'Dangerous' could mean many things.
Her mood might have calmed for now, but she'd rampaged once. Aftereffects were entirely possible.
In fact, the Gray Devil's energy hadn't fully dissipated yet. The world was still frozen.
Plus, Elnor's 'Suspicion' state lingered.
So, his next actions were clear.
He steadied himself and spoke to Elnor again.
He needed to think of something to soothe her even more.
[ 'Title: Rake' effect activates! ]
[ Correction applied to your actions! ]
“Elnor.”
“...What.”
“Just hearing your voice lately makes my chest tingle. If I don't see you for a few hours, I miss you right away. I'm so grateful to the god who betrothed me to you that I want to pray thanks every night before bed.”
“...”
Elnor's mouth fell open.
And he was shocked at his own words.
No.
He hadn't planned to say anything like that.
It felt like his mouth moved on its own, beyond his control.
No, bullshit.
Absolute bullshit...!
This had to be that title's doing. He needed to unequip it now-
[System Message]
[ Requested unequip of Title: Rake. ]
[ Unique title. Unequipping impossible! ]
You fucking bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“...Y-You were thinking that?”
While he screamed internally, Elnor averted her gaze and fidgeted.
At least she didn't seem furiously angry at him anymore, which was a relief.
But his title-induced actions were anything but.
“Elnor.”
“...What now.”
He approached the still-flushed Elnor step by step and bowed his head.
Pulling her into his chest, he kissed her forehead.
“I love you.”
“...”
He couldn't see well, but Elnor was surely frozen stiff, mouth agape.
It was absurd enough for that.
And he felt the same.
Stop.
Title or whatever, please stop.
I'm going to die of embarrassment...!
But his futile screams changed nothing.
His body, now out of control, kissed her forehead again and whispered in her ear.
“I love you.”
A delicate whimper like "Eek" rose from within his chest. He felt Elnor trembling.
Her face was buried, so he couldn't see, but her exposed ear tip was beet red—her state was obvious.
[Whoa, hahaha! Ahahaha! Ha ha ha ha-! I, can't, breathe, heuk, I'm dying! Please stop!]
What does a guy who's died once know?
No, more than that, he wanted to stop too.
As he leaned in to kiss her again, Elnor reached out to stop him.
“D-Don't...”
“No.”
Her mouth said no, but her arm had no strength. He gently pulled it down. Even though she could easily shake him off if she wanted.
He kissed her again and whispered.
“W-Wait, Dawood, people are watching, they're watching...”
Time was stopped, so no one would see, but embarrassed by the people around, Elnor muttered that.
But.
“Let them watch.”
His damned mouth replied to her urgent plea, and he bowed his head.
He kissed her again and whispered.
“I love you.”
“Ah, th-this...”
He leaned in again...
“W-Wait, stop!”
“Are you not mad anymore?”
“I'm not! I'm not mad!”
“...”
As Elnor practically teared up saying that.
A window popped up before his eyes.
[System Message]
[ Target Elnor’s 'Suspicion' state is released! ]
[ Corruption level fluctuations are now normally adjusted! ]
“...”
Yeah.
He'd pulled it off.
Though his dignity seemed dead.
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