Let's just sleep
Let's just sleep
From the moment I met the Pope until the banquet ended, Elisia did not let go of my hand.
She even followed me right up to the door when I went to the restroom, to the point where I wondered just how far she would go.
"You aren't planning to come inside, are you?"
"Can't I go in?"
"You cannot."
"Why?"
"Do I really need to explain that for you to understand?"
Elisia pondered for a moment before leaning her back against the wall next to the door.
And as I tried to step inside, she grabbed my wrist.
"Don't take too long."
"Are you worried I'll run away or something?"
"Yes."
"There aren't even any windows here."
"You could break through the wall and leave."
Does she think I'm Elisia or something?
No, considering what I've done so far, it wouldn't actually be weird if I did.
In the end, having only gone inside for a brief moment and come right back out, I endured the banquet until the very end under Elisia's surveillance.
The Pope never showed up at the banquet until the very end.
People around him didn't particularly approach either.
"Let's go."
The moment the banquet ended, I pulled Elisia by the hand.
I don't want to stay here any longer.
Even if the Pope wasn't in the banquet hall, it was certain that he was nearby.
"Where to?"
"We must return to the Saint's Palace."
"Before that, there is something I must receive."
Udduk.
Elisia, having stopped in her tracks, looked at me.
The blue eyes beneath her silvery eyelashes sparkled with anticipation.
Don't tell me she's talking about that right now?
As if I could have prepared anything right now.
Wondering if Elisia could really lack that much patience, I asked just in case.
"What are you talking about?"
"The reward."
"What reward?"
"You mentioned it before going to see the Pope."
My bad hunch really had to come true.
No, how could she expect that right now?
When did I even have time to prepare anything?
Seeing the look of recognition on my face, Elisia smiled.
It was an utterly beautiful yet chilling smile.
Even if it was an empty promise, a promise is a promise.
The problem was that I had nothing to give her right now.
'What should I give her?'
Elisia brought her face closer, as if enjoying my dilemma.
Her silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, tickling against my dress.
"Don't tell me you didn't prepare it?"
"Of course. When would I have had any time to prepare?"
"Give it to me, quickly."
"I will give it to you once we get to the Saint's Palace."
"Give it to me now."
Ignoring Elisia's words, I led her to the carriage.
On the way to the carriage, on the way to the Saint's Palace, and even while I was washing her, Elisia clamored for her reward.
Still, after being washed, she quieted down, so I thought it would be fine—but another problem arose.
"I'm going to sleep with you tonight."
"You cannot."
"Why?"
"We each have our own rooms, do we not?"
"The Pope might have done something to you."
If the Pope had done something, I wouldn't be here.
I gave her a look that said as much, but Elisia had no intention of listening.
That temperament of hers—having to do whatever she once set her mind to—began to rear its head.
"We merely drank tea and had a conversation."
"There might have been something in that tea."
"There was no poison."
"How do you know that?"
"The Pope drank first."
"What if it's a poison that doesn't kill that old man?"
I hadn't thought of that.
But that didn't seem likely.
It was just a hunch, and while I already knew he employed poisoning, I felt that the time was not yet ripe.
Even so, that was no reason to sleep together.
Because sleeping with Elisia was far more dangerous.
If she happened to lose control of her strength in her sleep and squeezed me tight, it would be the day of my funeral.
I blocked Elisia in front of my room's door as she looked ready to barge in by force.
Having changed out of her banquet dress into comfortable sleepwear, Elisia stood in front of the door holding a pillow, wearing a thin and soft white one-piece dress.
Even beneath the thin fabric, her voluptuous bust, slender waist, and the softly flaring curves of her hips were subtly revealed.
Just looking at her trying to enter the bedroom, she was such a fragile and beautiful woman that it did make one want to let her in.
I have desires too, after all.
The problem was that the person in question wasn't just some fragile and beautiful woman, but Elisia.
The fact that she was Elisia was more than enough to devour every single positive attribute.
"Move aside."
"I refuse."
"I need to check your condition tonight."
"I am perfectly fine."
"You might die in your sleep."
"Do I die so easily?"
"No. You are weak."
Well, of course I'm weaker than you.
Who in this world could possibly be stronger than you?
You're the Saint most favored by God, after all.
But why is that most-favored Saint doing this to me!
With the determination of a last stand, I held out as long as I could.
Let me at least have some time alone while sleeping.
"Please sleep in your room, Saint-nim."
"I don't want to."
"I also want to sleep alone."
"That is your problem."
"This is my room."
"The Saint's Palace is mine."
"The right of use for my room belongs to me."
"I told you, this place is mine."
Talk about absurd.
It is true that the Saint's Palace belongs to the successive Saints, but!
She shouldn't have outright ownership of it.
She only has residential rights.
Knowing that, I didn't fall for Elisia's logic and gripped the doorknob even tighter.
"Absolutely not."
"If you block me one more time, I'm going to push right through. And just so you know, I'll move your bed to my room."
"Are you saying you'll steal my bed?"
"While I'm at it, tearing down the wall too would make things convenient. How can anyone use a door that's this inconvenient to pass through?"
Elisia's gaze shifted toward the wall next to the door.
This wasn't a threat.
It was a notice.
This woman named Elisia could genuinely tear down my bedroom wall and carry off the bed in its entirety.
Damn it.
In the end, I had no choice but to tuck my tail and admit defeat.
"Please come in."
"You should have done so from the start."
Elisia passed by me with the face of a victor.
Looking at her back, I could only let out a deep sigh.
A mad dog is truly a mad dog.
I even thought about returning her to her bedroom using my Authority, but since it was obvious she would just come back, I didn't even try.
As if it were the natural order of things, Elisia dove right onto the center of my bed and lay down.
The decently high-grade mattress sank softly, and due to her sudden vigorous movement, her thighs and hip lines beneath the white sleepwear were vividly revealed.
If I hadn't known it was my bed, she looked comfortable enough that one might assume it was Elisia's bed.
"Why are you brazenly claiming the center?"
"Because I'm going to sleep."
"Please use only half of the bed."
"I don't want to."
"Then please return to your room, Saint-nim."
"I don't want that either."
Having exhausted all my mental energy for today by meeting the Pope, I rolled Elisia over and over to one side, Saint or not.
Elisia made a face filled with utter discontent, but what was I supposed to do?
I needed space to sleep too.
My bed is a single, so no matter where you lie, there isn't room to spare.
"What are you doing?"
"I am making space for myself to sleep."
"Insolent. How dare you treat the Saint like this?"
"This side is my territory. The other side is Saint-nim's territory."
Leaving Elisia beside me, I surrendered my body to the bed.
Being so tired, it felt like sleep would come easily regardless of who was next to me.
As my mind grew hazy the moment I lay down, I delivered a final warning.
"Do not cross the center under any circumstances."
Elisia raised her upper body and looked down at me.
Judging by that face of hers, she is fully intent on crossing it.
But if you're going to cross it, at least do it after I fall asleep, please.
For now, let's just quietly get some sleep.
"What if I cross it?"
"I will throw you out of the bed."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Think you can do it?"
"While you're asleep, it should be possible."
The corner of Elisia's lips twisted upward.
It was a look that seemed to genuinely find it laughable.
"Try it."
"Please, let's just get some sleep."
"Are you scared?"
"I am worried that Saint-nim might snap my neck in your sleep."
"Your neck reattaches anyway, doesn't it?"
"We don't know that for sure yet."
It feels like it would reattach, but you never know without trying.
Not that I want to experience having my neck severed and reattached.
Dressed in my black sleepwear, I closed my eyes.
No matter what Elisia did, I wouldn't care.
Since I had closed my eyes, Elisia finally lay down across from me as well.
"I am putting out the light."
"Wait a moment."
"Why?"
"What about the reward?"
Here we go again.
Having already put out the lantern, I looked at Elisia in the faint moonlight.
Her blue eyes shone faintly as they caught the moonlight.
In the end, I decided to give her at least something temporary that I could provide while lying down like this.
"I shall give it to you as a special exception."
"What is it?"
Reaching across the center, I placed my palm on top of Elisia's head.
And slowly stroked her soft silver hair.
"You did well."
Elisia's expression changed subtly.
She seemed to like it, yet not entirely.
It was too dark to define it clearly.
"Is this all?"
"It is a temporary reward."
"Temporary?"
"I haven't prepared it yet. I will prepare a proper one for you later, so please wait."
"Fine. I'll let it slide as temporary just this once."
With permission granted to continue, I began stroking her head once more.
The smooth silver hair flowed between my fingers.
Elisia maintained a slightly sulky expression, but soon closed her eyes.
With her sharp eyes closed, she looked far younger than usual.
If I told her she was the cutest thing in the world with her eyes shut and mouth closed, I'd probably get hit, right?
Keeping my mouth shut, I continued stroking her head.
Before long, the sound of Elisia's even breathing could be heard.
It seemed she had fallen asleep.
Carefully pulling my hand back, I closed my eyes as well.
It was a day where so much had truly happened.
.
.
.
Warm.
That was the very first thought that came to mind in my half-asleep state.
There shouldn't be any heating in this world, yet my entire body was warm.
And for some reason, it was heavy.
Something was firmly wrapped around my waist.
Was the blanket ever this heavy?
No, it wasn't.
The blanket is light as down feathers, though.
'What is this?'
Behind my back, I could feel a soft and squishy sensation clinging completely against me.
On top of that, warm breath kept brushing against the nape of my neck.
Wondering what on earth this situation was, I slowly opened my eyes.
Even though dawn was faintly breaking outside the window, it was still an hour that should be called the crack of dawn.
Looking at that faint light, I tried
to make sense of the situation.
"What the."
As I shook off my drowsiness and focused on taking in the situation, I began to sense a lot of things.
None other than Elisia was clinging completely to my back as I slept facing away.
One of her arms reached under my chest to hug my waist, while her other hand had slipped halfway inside the hem of my sleepwear, caressing my bare waist.
Her long, smooth legs weren't staying still either, tangled between my thighs.
Her soft breasts wrapped in the white sleepwear pressed against my back, conveying a plush sensation.
'This is...'
It seemed Elisia had hugged me in her sleep.
Wondering what to do about this, I decided to just leave it be.
It's squishy and feels nice, so why bother pushing her away?
Last night, I only told her not to cross over because I wanted to fall asleep quickly.
It wasn't particularly uncomfortable either.
Rather, it was soft and warm.
As long as she stays still like this, such a truly beautiful woman is tightly embracing me from behind, so how could I dislike it?
Let's stay like this a little longer.
Rationalizing it like that, I closed my eyes once more.