Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: All I Can Give Is Soda, Soda, and More Soda
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51―――――
Early dawn.
The sun hadn't fully risen yet, leaving everything dim and murky.
Someone was creeping barefoot down the hall, stepping as quietly as possible.
It was too dark to see clearly, but smooth calves and firm, gracefully curving thighs gleamed ghostly white.
Her pants were torn in awkward places, so she clutched them rolled up in one hand while hastily pulling on her clothes. She gripped the doorknob and eased the door open with utmost care, lest she wake anyone.
“...”
She paused, glancing back at the bed where a man lay sleeping soundly.
Her eyes gazing at him brimmed with deep warmth.
After watching him for a moment with a faint smile playing on her lips, the woman stepped into the corridor. She closed the door ever so slowly and carefully to avoid any noise.
Click—.
That should be quiet enough not to wake him.
She had just turned to go when—
“Good morning.”
“...?”
She instinctively reached for her sword, but alas, she'd entered Sion's room unarmed the night before.
Of course, there was no sword at her waist. Risikida reflexively blocked the way, as if declaring no one would enter this room.
She was ready to throw down her life to protect the man inside if need be.
“Don't worry.
You think I'm crazy enough to harm 'my man'?”
It was a familiar voice.
Risikida lowered her guard but kept her vigilance, wary of any contingency, waiting as the figure emerged from the shadows and approached.
“Good morning.
Or should I say, good pre-dawn?
Rishi.”
“...Lady Lily.”
“Oh?
Something good happen?
You look radiant, Rishi.”
Risikida's hand flew to her face at the words.
Then memories of the night before flooded back, flushing her cheeks bright red.
“I-I don't know what you mean.”
She tried to play it cool, pretend nothing had happened.
But her opponent was the Succubus Queen, bound by a pact of subjugation to the man in the room.
No one could fool her when it came to matters between men and women.
“Rishi.”
“Yes.
Lady Lily.”
“Sion's a mysterious man, full of enigmatic allure, isn't he?”
“Y-Yes, he is.”
“And he has this weird charm that draws women in.
I thought he was just pretty, but how does he understand women's hearts so well?”
“I-I wouldn't know about that.”
Risikida silently scolded her own tongue for stumbling.
But as a knight who'd lived a life of honesty, she could barely lie without showing it, let alone sound nonchalant.
Just the act of lying pricked her conscience sharply. Though Lily was a demon, Risikida secretly viewed her as Sion's woman.
This situation felt like she'd snuck in and stolen Lily's place as his subordinate and knight, leaving her at a loss amid surging guilt.
“Don't worry.”
“Y-Yes?”
“I expected something like this.
Well, not you specifically, but some other woman.
Anyway, I foresaw that soon enough, someone else would end up in Sion's arms besides me.”
Lily shrugged and stepped closer to Risikida.
Then she suddenly thrust her face forward and began sniffing.
“Mm, you reek of Sion—so thick, it's soaked right in.
How intense were your feelings?
This scent doesn't come from just mixing bodies; it's born of deep emotion.”
“I-I just...”
“Shh.
No need to explain.
I know women's hearts better than anyone.
Don't fret.
I'm not here to scold you for hooking up with Sion or threaten you to get lost.
If anything, I was wondering when another woman would join him.”
Lily hummed a light tune.
But a faint cold glint lingered in her eyes.
She fixed her gaze on Risikida and continued.
“Intelligent beings act on their hearts' desires.
I don't judge that.
I follow instinct over reason myself.
It's natural.
Nothing wrong with it.
Right?
Still, I want to say this.”
“What... is it?”
Lily smiled at Risikida.
Her ruby-red eyes flashed with a bewitching crimson glow, exuding intensity.
“Don't try to monopolize him.
And remember, I'm always first.
Keep those two things in mind.
Then we could be like close sisters, don't you think?”
Risikida instantly grasped what she meant by not monopolizing—and what "first" implied—and nodded.
Truth be told, she'd wondered if even sharing his bed was a dream.
She had no desire to claim him exclusively; she intended to remain his knight and subordinate.
‘O-Of course, if Master wishes, I could be his w-woman for a time...’
Just recalling last night set her chest ablaze and a tingle between her thighs.
She wanted to whirl around, slip back into the room, burrow into the sleeping man's arms, and surrender her body to him.
Overwhelmed by these novel, intense temptations, she shook her head to dispel them.
Sion had said she could become his woman anytime she wanted.
No need to get needlessly heated or hasty.
“Th-Then I'll be going.
It's nearly time for morning training...”
“Ah, got it.
Have a good day.
Rishi.”
Lily smiled as she watched Risikida recede down the corridor.
‘Not bad.’
She'd subtly stoked Risikida's heat, inwardly impressed.
Any ordinary woman—especially one freshly intimate with a man—would've crumbled under that provocation, rushing back to him or pleasuring herself on the spot. Yet this nurse-knight had endured.
‘Sion, you sure know how to pick 'em.’
Lucia, Risikida...
All promising talents.
Lately, even the princess eyeing him strangely, and the fairy half-blood too.
‘Sigh.
My fate.
I thought I'd just get ravaged daily by some guy.
Turns out I'm a pitiful succubus competing with a harem.’
It clashed with her Queen of Nightmares image, but she didn't mind.
More rivals only fueled her desire to claim him.
‘With that in mind...’
Lily tiptoed to the door and seized the knob.
Before the man inside could react, she flung it open.
“Gah!”
Crash!
Sion, who'd been eavesdropping with his ear to the door, toppled backward.
Lily cackled at the sight, shut the door, and entered.
“Eavesdropping on women's talk?
Not very gentlemanly, Sion.”
“N-No, it's not like that.”
“Excuses.
That nurse-knight was cute, though.
Like a puppy.”
“...I thought so too.
Her little whines were pitiful.”
“So you held her all night?
She seems like she'd snap if you squeezed too hard.
Though, yeah, I'll grant you that.
Without you embracing her last night, she'd have been in agony.”
Lily nodded vigorously, agreeing with Sion.
But her succubus eyes gleamed red.
“Just so you don't misunderstand—I'm not jealous.
That'd be pathetic.
No woman would leave a guy like you alone: handsome face, sharp wits, and that overwhelming charisma in every word.”
“Ahaha...
Thanks for the praise.
But, Lady Lily?”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you grabbing my pants...?”
At Sion's question, Lily retorted as if it were obvious, wetting her lips with her tongue.
The gesture was utterly seductive, radiating raw eroticism.
Sion's member stirred unwittingly, and he hurried to cover it.
But Lily seized his hands and shook her head.
“You dump everything into other women and hold back on me?
This big sis is disappointed.”
“W-We did plenty last night.
I'm exhausted, so maybe sleep more and come back tonight...”
“Yeah.
No.
I'm hungry.
Give it to me now.”
She dragged Sion to the bed.
‘Whoa.
She's gonna drain me dry again.’
Sion resolved to supplement his stamina properly—maybe vitality boosters or better fitness.
Premature death by exhaustion wasn't in his plans.
―
“...Young Lord.”
“...”
“Young Lord Sion Klausen.
Are you unwell anywhere?”
“N-No.
Not at all.”
“Good to hear.”
The messenger from the palace asked after his health before relaying King Edgar IV's words.
And for good reason: Sion looked noticeably gaunt.
‘Whoa... I really thought I was dying.’
It felt like he'd paid respects to his late grandparents and gotten allowance money.
His past self, who once thought dying in the arms of women was the best end for a man, now seemed utterly idiotic.
No matter how you died, it was always the worst.
“But is it true?
His Majesty the King plans to resume the banquet tonight?”
“Yes.
Many around him—even Prince—tried to dissuade him, but he wouldn't budge.”
“Hmm.”
“So the banquet resumes this evening.
However, he won't force the remaining nobles; those who wish to return to their estates may do so.”
With that, the palace envoy moved on to other nobles' villas.
Sion sat, deep in thought.
‘Normally, the banquet ends here, and everyone heads home.’
From here, events diverged completely from the novel.
Should he return to Klausen as planned?
Or stay in the capital longer to gauge developments?
‘By the time I get back to Klausen, Jimmy Faker's wounds should be healed enough to move.
If he goes alone, meeting Trisha would look suspicious.’
But with the King himself resuming the banquet, the protagonist bailing for home would look off.
Especially since the prince opposed, but nothing about Princess Vanessa.
Either she didn't object, or more likely, urged continuation.
‘To solidly show I'm on the princess's side, attending is best.’
He'd told Jimmy Faker to wait for his return.
To ease worries, he'd hinted the same to fellow soldiers and knights.
Who'd ignore the heir of Klausen Count family and his lifesaver?
Decision made, Sion would attend the royal banquet tonight.
He didn't want to defy the King or sour things with the princess he'd finally cozied up to.
But the frigid atmosphere would persist unless something flipped it.
And Sion already had that covered.
“Rishi.”
“Yes, Master.”
Risikida Amstel, the nurse-knight blooming with newfound radiance since last night.
Her smile was infectious.
“Thinking of stepping out briefly.
Tell Lady Lily too?
Just you and her for escort—should be enough.”
“Won't the guard knights worry?”
“Too many draw more eyes.
Plus, with a senior knight like you on close protection, who'd doubt your skills?”
A senior knight could handle a dozen average ones effortlessly.
A true powerhouse.
“Understood.
I'll inform Lady Lily.”
“She's probably sleeping in—good luck waking her.”
“Yes.
Where to, if I may ask?”
At Risikida's question, Sion chuckled shortly.
“To the Highness Merchant Company.
Helen should be back from the palace by now.
Time to talk serious business.
Big money business.”
One of Sion's life mottos:
Nothing beat money.