An Indirect Kiss?

The rooster crowed loudly, signaling the start of a new day.

"......"

The sound pulled me from my half-asleep daze. I rubbed my eyes and slowly woke up.

"...What the...?"

Something heavy was resting on my lap...

"Mmm..."

As I gradually opened my eyes, I froze.

"......"

Era was fast asleep on my knees. Her black hair was tousled, and a tiny smile played on her lips.

"...Huh?"

What the hell was this...

Wait a second.

"!...Yesterday..."

'......'

Only then did the memories slowly trickle back into my mind.

"Yesterday..."

She had offered to make me new clothes, but that somehow turned into wanting to touch my hair... After she kept running her fingers through it, I felt it was unfair that only I was being touched, so I ended up stroking her hair too while praising her...

'......'

'I... I must have lost my mind yesterday.'

...A kidnapper letting his hostage use his lap as a pillow. Could there be a more ridiculous sight?

"...Is this Stockholm syndrome...?"

At that moment...

"...Mmmnya..."

"......!"

Era shifted in her sleep, murmuring like she was talking in her dreams.

I froze instantly, afraid of waking her.

"Uhi... hehe..."

Thankfully, she didn't wake up and slipped back into dreamland.

"...Phew."

I let out a sigh of relief as I watched her.

"But how did it even..."

Come to this?

It felt strangely natural now for Era to be sleeping beside me. Just a few days ago, this girl had been nothing more than my kidnapper—nothing more, nothing less. Yet now she was sleeping so peacefully on my lap like this.

"......"

I gazed at her face for a moment. Her small features framed by messy black hair.

"Mmmnya..."

The side of her face, bathed in morning sunlight...

'......'

'...Seriously.'

'...She really is pretty.'

The thought slipped out before I could stop it.

No, wait a second.

'What the hell am I thinking—'

I snapped out of it and quickly looked away from her.

"Ahaam..."

Maybe my sudden movement startled her, because...

"Uuu..."

Era slowly opened her eyes.

"...Ueng?"

Still lying there, she looked up at my face, then...

Rub rub—rub rub—

She nuzzled her head against my knee.

"...Mmm..."

She had this completely clueless expression, like she had no idea where she was lying.

Then suddenly...

"......!"

...It seemed she finally realized she was resting on the crown prince's lap.

"Y-Your Highness!"

Era shot upright in a panic, but she moved too fast.

"...Whoa..."

She swayed unsteadily, dizzy from the sudden motion.

"Ugh... my head hurts..."

"...Is it that embarrassing?"

"W-what is?!"

She covered her face with both hands.

Whoosh—

At the same time, her ears turned an incredibly deep shade of red.

"...Yesterday, I... I..."

"......"

"...O-on your lap..."

"......Yeah."

"...W-what should I do..."

Era was flustered in a way I'd never seen before.

"What do you mean, what should you do?"

It was kind of refreshing to see her like this.

"...What should I do, what should I do, what should I do..."

"...Hey."

"Yeees!"

She jumped, startled, and her face grew even redder.

"...It's fine. These things happen."

"...Really?"

"...Yeah."

Era still looked embarrassed and avoided my eyes. ...And honestly, I wasn't any different.

"..."

"..."

We both turned our heads away, refusing to look at each other.

"..."

Only silence and sunlight filled the room.

After a little while...

'......'

'Ugh, this is so awkward.'

'This is killing me. Say something, damn it!'

It was the most painfully awkward silence imaginable. But bringing up a topic now would just be too embarrassing—

That kind of feeling.

"...J-just a moment!"

Suddenly Era jumped to her feet.

"...Where are you going?"

"I'll get you some water!"

Apparently she couldn't stand the awkward silence either. She practically fled toward the kitchen, her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠footsteps pattering quickly across the floor.

Tap tap—

The sound of her steps grew distant.

"......"

...Why was fetching water in the morning such an emergency?

'She probably ran off because it was too awkward.'

A little later.

Tap tap—

Era returned, holding a small cup filled with water.

"Here you go, Your Highness~"

She tried to sound as normal as usual, but her ears were still bright red.

"..."

But my hands were tied, so it was awkward to take the cup...

"...Hey."

"Yes!"

"...My hands are tied."

"...!"

Era made a face like she'd just remembered, then—

"In that case..."

"...I'll feed it to you."

"...Huh?"

"I'll hold it to your lips~"

She boldly approached me with the cup.

"...Hey, hey hey hey."

"Just stay still~"

"...No, that's not—"

"You're thirsty, aren't you!"

She lifted the cup right up to my mouth.

"...This."

The distance was way too close. Era's face was right in front of me.

'...Hey.'

'You little...'

I had nowhere safe to look...!

If I looked down, I'd see something huge and soft... If I looked up, I'd meet those obsidian-black eyes— If I looked straight ahead, there were those plump, pink lips.

'...Just drink it quickly and get this over with.'

"...Ah."

I finally gave up and slightly parted my lips.

Glug.

The water flowed into my mouth. It was cold and refreshing.

"...Gulp."

"Is it good?"

"......Yeah."

It was just ordinary well water. But somehow... it tasted faintly sweet.

Once I'd finished drinking, Era pulled the cup—still containing a little water—back toward herself.

Huh...? Why?

"......?"

Then she brought it to her own lips...?

Glug.

...Huh?

Gulp gulp.

...What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the—?

Era pressed her lips to the exact same spot on the cup where mine had been and drank the remaining water—

"......!"

"......!!"

It was the cup I'd just drunk from!

She was drinking from the exact same spot so naturally...

"...Hey, hey hey hey hey!!!"

"Yes~?"

Era lowered the cup and tilted her head with an innocent smile, as if she had no idea what the problem was.

"What's wrong?"

"...You just..."

"Yes!"

"...That cup."

"Yes. What about it?"

"...That's the one I drank from."

"Yes! It is, isn't it?"

"...That's not what I mean!"

My voice rose in panic, and my ears started burning red.

But Era just...

"...Eh? Your Highness."

"...What."

"Don't tell me..."

"...What."

Era smiled slyly.

"...Are you bothered by something like an indirect kiss?"

"......!"

"...What?"

"Hehe. Is Your Highness the type to care about that?"

She said it so casually. So calmly. Like she genuinely didn't think anything of it.

...Oh, is that how it is?

"...No, I'm not bothered."

"You look bothered though~"

"I said I'm not."

"Hehe. Then why are Your Highness's ears so red?"

...Damn it.

"...Aren't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you embarrassed at all?"

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

'Wait, what did I just say?'

Era paused for a second, then answered as naturally as breathing.

"Not at all~"

"...Really?"

"Yep!"

"...So you're saying you're not embarrassed?"

"Why would I be embarrassed? We just drank from the same cup~"

"Aren't you the one making a big deal out of it, Your Highness?"

"......"

...I was so dumbfounded my mouth fell shut.

'What the hell is with this girl?'

'No, who are you to— I mean, seriously...'

Why are you so used to this kind of thing?

'Am I the only one bothered by it?'

...It strangely hurt my pride.

Then Era set the cup down.

"Your Highness~"

"...What."

"Just a moment, please."

"...Huh?"

"I need to look for something behind the screen."

"......?"

"I'll be right back!"

With that, Era casually slipped behind the partition.

"......"

I stared blankly at the spot where she'd disappeared.

'What is she looking for?'

But there wasn't a single sound coming from behind the screen. No searching sounds. No rummaging. No rustling at all.

"......?"

I tilted my head in confusion.

'Can you really search that quietly?'

The moment she slipped behind the screen—

"......!!!"

I clapped both hands over my mouth to keep from making any noise. But my hands were shaking uncontrollably. My face was burning bright red...

'I-I-I-I...'

My mind went completely blank.

'An indirect kiss...!!!'

I leaned my back against the wall, my legs giving out as I collapsed right there on the spot.

'I did an indirect kiss with him!!!'

The scene from moments ago kept replaying in my head over and over.

The cup His Highness had put his lips on.

I had pressed my own lips to the exact same spot.

Where his lips had touched...

My lips had...

'......What do I do?'

It was so embarrassing. But at the same time, I was so happy.

With a complicated expression, I gently touched my lips.

'...W-warm...'

For some reason, I could still feel His Highness's warmth lingering there.

I reached out with my fingertips and touched the rim of the cup where his lips had been.

That heat... it still felt like it was there—

'Aaaaaah...!'

I couldn't make a sound, so I just stomped my feet frantically on the floor.

'Calm down, Era. Calm down.'

I took a deep breath.

'In front of His Highness... I have to act like nothing happened. That way... I can do it again—'

Again?

'......I want to do it again.'

The thought leaked out before I could stop it.

'No no no!'

'......No. It's true. I want to do it again.'

My mind raced with calculations.

...Drinking from the same cup.

This... if I play my cards right, I could keep making excuses to do it, couldn't I...?

'...I just need to leave only one cup in the house.'

'...!!!'

'I'm a genius. This is perfect...!'

'Yes. The way His Highness reacted... he clearly didn't hate it—'

But before I could finish that thought—

"...Era?"

His Highness's voice called from outside.

"Hik!"

I jumped in surprise.

"Yes!"

The answer flew out reflexively.

"...What are you doing?"

"...I'm looking for something...?"

"...What?"

"...It's a secret!"

I tried to answer as confidently and casually as possible... but my feet kept stomping restlessly behind the screen.

Stomp stomp—

'Calm down... calm down...'

I pressed the back of my hand against my ear, trying to cool down my burning-hot ears.

But that heat wasn't something I could suppress so easily. It took me a long, long time to return to my usual expression.

At the same time.

Imperial Capital Lumen.

Maryeokche Headquarters Plaza.

A massive black flag fluttered in the wind. On it was the character for "plague" stitched in black.

Dozens of Maryeokche agents stood in neat rows across the plaza. They all wore black coats, with emblems on their chests and weapons at their waists.

A man slowly walked to the center of the plaza.

In his fifties. Hair beginning to show streaks of white. Tall and thin. Eyes cold and sunken.

Zork Hamen.

Chief of the Maryeokche.

He stood at the center and slowly opened his mouth.

"Soldiers."

His voice was quiet, yet it echoed across the entire plaza.

"We have received an order from His Imperial Majesty."

The agents all snapped to attention at once.

"His Highness the Seventh Prince Leon has gone missing during his territorial inspection."

A faint stir rippled through the ranks.

"Our mission this time is singular."

Zork slowly scanned the plaza.

"The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rescue of His Highness the Prince."

"......!"

"And the assurance of his safety."

All the agents bowed their heads in unison.

"The moment His Highness is found..."

"......"

"Prioritize his protection above all else."

"......Yes!"

The agents' voices rang out across the plaza.

Zork looked over them once more, slowly.

"One final thing, soldiers."

"......"

"His Highness's disappearance is no ordinary incident."

A cold edge crept into his voice.

"Whoever is by His Highness's side. Whatever the circumstances. Whatever they may say."

"......"

"If they are judged to pose any threat to His Highness's safety..."

Zork delivered the final words slowly.

"Execute on sight."

"......!!"

Zork turned around. His black coat billowed in the wind.

"His Highness's holy power was newly detected today."

"The location is the border village of Esh."

"We depart immediately."

The moment the order was given, the agents moved as one.

Clop clop—

The sound of horses' hooves filled the plaza as the black flag fluttered. The elite unit of the Maryeokche began to leave the capital.

Their destination was the border.

Toward Esh village.

Back in Esh village.

Inside the old house...

"Um... Your Highness~"

"...What."

"Would you like another cup?"

"...I'm good."

"Really?"

"...Yeah."

"...Hehe."

Glug—

Era drank from the cup again, pressing her lips to the exact spot where mine had been.

...Wait, did this house only ever have one cup to begin with?