Chapter 116: Punishment(1)
Chapter 116: Punishment(1)
As you all know, I had an appointment with Cecile. It was partly to get a tour of Helium and partly to oversee the punishment of the Dark Elf who had stolen my manuscript.
Cecile had said she would send Gartz to pick me up a week after the performance, but there was one slight problem: Mari.
Ever since our first night together, she had demanded sex every single day. On the very first day, she had been so sore that she stayed in bed all day, but from then on, she clung to me at every opportunity.
Whether I was writing at my desk, eating a meal, or even exercising, she was always there—watching me intently from the bed, rubbing against me suggestively, or staring at me through the window.
Not only did she never take her eyes off me for a second, but it was as if a switch had been flipped; she demanded intimacy regardless of whether it was day or night. Being at an age where my own desires were peaking, I was more than happy to oblige.
However, nothing in this world lasts forever. We weren't officially married yet, and it was frankly improper for Mari to keep staying at our estate indefinitely.
"Can't I stay just a little longer?"
"No. The Academy is starting soon, so you need to go back and prepare."
"Just one more day..."
"No."
"Hmph."
Mari had initially tried to plead with her mother—my future mother-in-law—but it was no use. As her mother pointed out, she had already been staying at our house for several days.
Mari was deeply disappointed, but since her lust hadn't completely overridden her common sense, she had no choice but to comply. I was sad to see her go too, but it wasn't a permanent goodbye; we promised to see each other again at the Academy.
Just as Mari was about to leave, she glanced at me, then turned back to her mother to make one last request.
"Then, could you give us a little time?"
"How much?"
"I need to wash up, so... maybe two hours?"
"I figured as much, which is why I scheduled the carriage for later."
"Thank you, Mother!"
My future mother-in-law was certainly no pushover. As soon as she got permission, Mari snatched my hand and practically dragged me to the bedroom.
And well... you can probably guess what happened next. At any rate, Mari returned to her estate the day before I was set to leave for Helium.
"See you at the Academy. If you cheat on me before then, you're dead, okay?"
"Why would I cheat?"
"You have Cecile, don't you?"
"... ..."
"I'm just kidding. Give me a kiss."
To be honest, I felt a pang of guilt, so I quickly smoothed things over with a kiss. After a light peck, Mari gave me a bright smile and waved as her carriage began to roll away.
I stepped back slowly, waving back at the receding carriage. There were exactly five days left until the Academy reopened, so we would be reunited soon enough.
I wondered if Mari could actually hold out until then. I was seriously worried she might pounce on me like a beast in heat the moment we stepped onto campus.
I wasn't exaggerating; during her stay at the manor, she had ambushed me every time her stamina recharged, as if she couldn't bear to leave me alone for a second. She was truly like a lioness.
"You must be quite lonely now that your girlfriend has left."
While I was lost in thought, my mother, who had come out to see Mari off with me, spoke in a gentle voice. My father hadn't come out; he was likely sparring with Dave, Nicole, or Adelia at this very moment.
I looked at my mother's face as she smiled warmly. Over the past few days, she seemed to have undergone a rejuvenation of sorts; her skin was glowing, and she radiated a beauty that rivaled someone in their twenties.
On the other hand, my father, despite his iron constitution, had been looking rather haggard lately. It seemed my parents had been spending their nights just as passionately as Mari and I had.
Of course, my parents had always flaunted their marital bliss to the point of being nauseatingly sweet, so this was just business as usual for me.
"It's a bit lonely, but I'll see her again soon, so I'll just have to endure."
"Still, for a girl like her, every day will feel like a year. Do you have any idea how lonely I used to get whenever your father was away on knightly duties?"
"So, how did you endure it?"
"I'd pretend to go on a visit and... ho-ho. I'll stop there. It was quite a thrilling experience, one I still remember vividly."
"... ..."
I gave a wry smile at my mother's story. They were fiery enough now, but it seemed their love had been a veritible wildfire in the past.
I was certain that no couple in this world was a better match than my parents. The fact that they had three children was proof enough.
"It's honestly a miracle I don't have a younger sibling yet."
"Well, one might be coming along soon. That medicine I gave you was the last of it."
"... ..."
If they had a child now, it would practically be the same age as their potential grandchildren. My older brother and sister were already established knights; if they weren't, they'd be at the age to be married with children of their own.
I shook my head as I watched my mother begin to happily ponder what to name a new baby and how cute they would be. It was a good thing she took contraceptives regularly; otherwise, I suspected they would have had at least five children by now.
"Oh, that's right. Did you say you're going to Helium tomorrow?"
"Yes. They said they'd send someone. Since we're using Teleport, I should be back within two days at the latest."
"Helium... I've only heard stories, so I don't really know what kind of place it is."
Because Helium had maintained a semi-forced isolationist policy until now, most people had no idea what it was actually like.
Fortunately, it was self-sufficient thanks to its vast granaries and diverse resources, but beyond that, very little was known.
There were all sorts of bizarre and ominous rumors: that the sky was permanently red, that demons attacked constantly, that they bought and sold human body parts, and so on. Countless strange tales flourished in the absence of facts.
However, I knew that the Demon race was composed of ordinary people, so I wasn't particularly worried. Besides, Cecile and Gartz would be protecting me, so there wouldn't be any issues.
"People are the same everywhere, so how strange could it be? You can't really trust rumors."
"I suppose so. Anyway, are you prepared?"
"Preparation just means packing some clothes, so I'm all set."
My mother headed back into the manor as we finished our conversation. I followed her, intending to get some writing done.
The house felt a bit empty without Mari, but since I'd see her at the Academy, I could hold out until then. I was heading toward my bedroom when—
"Waaagh!"
"Gah!"
Someone jumped out from around a corner, scaring the life out of me. I had been walking idly, so the shock nearly stopped my heart.
Clutching my racing chest, I looked to see who had ambushed me. It was Adelia, whom I had assumed was sparring with my father.
Seeing my reaction, she let out a satisfied, boisterous laugh and spoke in her signature husky voice. It was still a very charming voice.
"Hey there, cutie. Did I scare you? You're even cute when you're startled."
"...Sister Adel."
"Hahaha."
Adelia just kept laughing shamelessly, even as I spoke in a low, annoyed tone. I glared at her, then sighed and asked quietly.
"Anyway, what are you doing here? Weren't you sparring with Father?"
"We already finished, and I just finished washing up. I need to start getting ready to head back to the Academy soon, too."
Now that I looked, Adelia's brown hair was damp with water. Her skin looked fresh and clean; she really had just stepped out of the shower.
She was wearing only a thin shirt, which accentuated her figure. It seemed she had dressed in a hurry without drying off properly, as the fabric clung to her, leaving very little to the imagination. I realized then—something I hadn't noticed during the exhibition—that her chest was just as impressive as Mari's.
Even if she had been mistreated and abandoned by her family, she must have eaten and slept well enough for her development to be so...
'...Now is not the time for this.'
I quickly shook my head. I had just finished a "session" with Mari right before she left; I shouldn't be having these thoughts already.
It seemed that while Mari was passionate, I was just as fired up.
"When are you heading back to the Academy?"
"In three days at the latest. Since Nicole and I are teaching assistants, we have some personal prep to do. By the way, where's your girlfriend?"
"She just left for her estate."
"Really? You must be missing her already."
I couldn't tell if she was being sincere or just teasing, but Adelia didn't lose her mischievous grin. I stared at her for a moment before remembering the handkerchief and asking her about it.
"By the way, Sister Adel. When are you going to return my handkerchief?"
"Wh-what? The... the handkerchief?"
"Yes."
The moment I mentioned it, her grin vanished, replaced by a look of sheer panic. Seeing that, I could take a guess.
Either she had lost it, or she had used it to wipe away sweat. Nicole had told me that Adelia was the type to use things—hers or others'—without much thought.
My guess was spot on. Adelia hesitated, glancing at me nervously before answering in a voice that was barely a whisper.
"About that... can I give it back later? I accidentally used it to wipe off some sweat earlier..."
"It's fine. You can keep using it, just don't lose it."
"Really? I can really keep using it?"
When I told her I didn't mind, Adelia became uncharacteristically excited and leaned in close. Having her handsome yet beautiful face right in front of mine was more than a little overwhelming.
I looked into her shimmering light-blue eyes, which were filled with anticipation, and slowly nodded. Handkerchiefs were a dime a dozen; giving one to Adelia as a gift was no big deal.
"Yes. I have plenty of them."
"Thank you! I'll cherish it forever!"
"You don't have to go that far..."
"You adorable little thing! If you didn't already have a girlfriend, I would have snatched you up first!"
Was she really that happy? Adelia suddenly pulled me into a tight hug, swaying back and forth to express her joy. Since she had just washed up, the scent of soap tickled my nose.
Not only that, but the soft sensation through her thin shirt was transmitted directly to me, stirring my desires. However, I didn't panic and slowly pushed her away.
Since it was Adelia, I could let it slide. Knowing her tragic past made it hard to be harsh with her.
Adelia might look like a bold and boisterous woman on the outside, but she carried deep emotional scars. I had to be careful with every word and action.
Whether it was throwing a ball at me to get Nicole's attention or her occasional teasing and physical affection, I saw it all as a symptom of her craving for affection. It only made me feel pity for her.
"Sister Adel? Could you give me some space? You shouldn't be doing this to a man who has a girlfriend."
"I'll just be your concubine, so can't I keep hugging you? If I can't be a concubine, I'll be your guard knight."
"You don't mean a word of that."
It was a stroke of luck that Mari wasn't here; if she had seen this, she would have definitely mistaken it for an affair. When I spoke as if her words were absurd, Adelia finally loosened her grip.
As she stepped back, her expression was nothing but bright. This cheerful smile really did suit her best.
"Anyway, you can return the handkerchief whenever. I'll be going now."
"Okay. Oh, and..."
"Yes?"
As I turned to leave, Adelia stopped me. I looked back at her, wondering if she had something else to say.
But Adelia just hesitated like before, unable to find the words. I waited patiently for her to speak.
"...No. Who am I to..."
"Pardon?"
"Sorry. I forgot what I was going to say."
I doubted that. I felt a sense of unease as Adelia forced a smile.
What could she have wanted to say that made her hesitate so much? Seeing her forced smile made me worry that it was something sad.
"Well, I'll be going then. You're still coming to the sparring grounds every weekend, right?"
"Yes."
"If you ever need some muscle at the Academy, just ask me. Nicole might find it difficult, but I'll help you out. Got it?"
"I'm not sure if I'll ever need 'muscle' at the Academy, but I'll keep that in mind."
"Right. Then... bye! I'm off!"
Adelia backed away a few steps and then practically bolted. Her brown hair whipped behind her as she disappeared like a gust of wind.
A bit bewildered, I reached out toward her rapidly receding back, but she was gone before I could even raise my hand.
"...What was that about?"
Despite the strange encounter, my daily routine didn't change. I was a bit concerned about Adelia, but I figured I could deal with it later.
And so, an uneventful day passed.
"We meet again. I am Gartz, guard knight to Princess Cecile."
"Hello, Mr. Gartz. Good to see you again."
With Gartz's formal visit to our manor, all preparations for the trip to Helium were complete.
That in itself was fine, but...
"And what is this?"
"It is a magic safe I crafted myself. It will allow you to keep your valuables secure, Benefactor. For instance, things like the original manuscript of the Xenon Biography."
"...Did you know about that too, Mr. Gartz?"
"There were circumstances."
Gartz had brought an expensive-looking silver safe as a gift. Hearing him say that with such a stoic expression was a bit surreal.
"If you place your palm here, the magic will automatically scan it. Your hand serves as both the password and the key."
"...You made this in Helium? Not a Dwarf?"
"A blacksmith forged the safe, and I imbued it with the magic. It was not particularly difficult."
"... ..."
As expected of a broken, overpowered race.