A Sweet Night in the Capital
My plan upon returning to our lodgings was originally to go straight to sleep. I washed up quickly and brought a cup of tea back to my room.
Sirien always took her time savoring the aroma and flavor of even a simple cup of herbal tea. To me, tea was just water with a slightly different taste. I was born with a cheap palate, so there was no helping it. If I wanted to complain, I suppose I'd have to blame the parents who brought me into this world this way. But honestly, the cheaper your palate, the better off you are. Having a low threshold for happiness makes life a lot easier in many ways.
A soft knock, knock sounded at my door. Back at the cabin, I had trained myself to identify people by their footsteps alone. Naturally, I knew exactly who it was. Frankly, Sirien was the only person who would seek me out at this hour anyway.
"Rajen. Are you already asleep?"
"Not yet. You can come in."
"Pardon the intrusion, then."
Sirien slipped into my room. Perhaps because of the late hour, she was dressed in comfortable attire—though that didn't make her look any less breathtaking. She wore a deep blue evening gown, its light, flowing fabric wrapping softly around her figure. The first thing that caught my eye was her slender waist. With every breath she took, her alluring silhouette swayed gently, and her noble silver hair fluttered like a playful, tempting tail. A bright smile played on her lips, reminiscent of a child who had snuck out late at night to play a mischievous prank.
I knew now. That soft, bashful smile of hers was an expression reserved solely for me. Realizing that felt like something was squeezing and shaking my heart.
"What brings you here?"
"Things might get dangerous starting tomorrow. I wanted to share some snacks with you so we can both charge our energy."
"Sure. Come on in quickly before the cold draft gets in."
"Are these snacks alright?"
"You know me. I'm not picky; I'll eat anything."
Sirien set down the tray she was carrying. On it, as always, were a few refreshments. Today's selection was simple biscuits, milk, and... a single piece of candy? Since there was only one, it was undoubtedly hers. If I snatched it and ate it right now, she would probably resent me to no end. But imagining her puffing out her cheeks and playfully pummeling me with her fists was actually quite an endearing thought. A pouting Sirien had a way of bringing out a man's mischievous side—she was just so teasingly fun to provoke. Perhaps it was because her expressions were always so wonderfully rich.
Sirien popped a biscuit into my mouth. Her fingertips lightly brushed against my lips in the process, and that fleeting touch felt as though it lingered long after she pulled away.
"Eat this and do your best tomorrow. And stop getting hurt all the time."
"Haven't I been doing a pretty good job of not getting hurt lately?"
"Cover that scar on your neck before you say another word. Honestly, you break my heart. You were so full of confidence not too long ago, yet you still came back injured."
"Ah, so you can see it."
There was a small burn scar on my neck, a souvenir from when Sirien and I were fleeing through the forest. Seriously, Demon Kings, demons, demonic beasts, magical beasts—anything with "demon" in its name seemed destined to cross paths with us in the worst possible way. A demonic beast that self-destructs right before it dies? Who could have anticipated that? I usually kept the scar covered, but having just washed up, I hadn't given it a thought. I grabbed a nearby towel and draped it over my neck. Her beautiful red eyes were already clouded with worry.
"There's bound to be a powerful demon pulling the strings. You absolutely cannot let your guard down."
"I know. I'll be careful."
"I'm really trusting you this time, alright?"
"Yeah. Trust me."
On the surface, a demonic beast was little more than an oversized animal. In fact, this world was home to plenty of ordinary wild beasts that were far more ferocious and massive. The sole criterion that distinguished the two was simple: Are they under a demon's control? That didn't mean just any demon could command them, though. While the exact mechanics remained a mystery, it was clear that only high-ranking demons possessed such authority. The high-ranking demons I had faced on the battlefield were foes who demanded absolute vigilance. None of them were amateurs; every single one possessed a lethal trump card. They were never enemies to be taken lightly.
"Still, I prefer things when they're simple. From here on out, we just have to wipe out the demons, right?"
"Yes. Let's meet our contact tomorrow and make our move immediately. I don't want to give them any time to prepare."
"And if the meeting place is a trap?"
"It doesn't matter. I'll handle it somehow if it is. So your only job is to focus on not getting hurt."
It's okay to fail. If things get dangerous, just run away. As long as you're alive, we can always try again. I'll create the opportunities for you, so you just need to focus on coming back to me safely. Sirien whispered. Her voice itself carried no physical heat, yet I couldn't fathom how a few spoken words could feel so incredibly warm. They kindled a fire in my chest hot enough to melt away the encroaching winter chill. Having someone to lean on was truly a blessing.
"Don't worry. Whose knight do you think I am? I won't lose."
Still, I had no intention of losing embarrassingly and ruining our plans. Everyone was working tirelessly. Not just Sirien, Russell, and myself, but even Baron Isquente hadn't taken a single moment to rest since we arrived in the capital. He was likely out right now, visiting various nobles to lay the groundwork for our next move. Compared to them, I was someone who only knew how to swing a sword. If I couldn't even handle my end of the bargain, I'd be utterly useless.
"True. You're my knight, after all."
Sirien let out a soft chuckle. Whenever she spoke like that, she was displaying her possessiveness over me. Personally, I found her obsession rather endearing.
"Here, have another. I brought some milk too, but I didn't add any honey to yours. That would make it too sweet, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah. The biscuits are sweet enough as they are."
"I figured."
Sirien naturally settled onto my lap. I hadn't quite registered it before, but a firm yet soft sensation—one that stirred a somewhat sinful feeling—pressed down on my thighs. A woman's body was truly a marvel. How could someone with such a light, fragile-looking frame wander around so energetically? Cradled in my arms, Sirien felt like an exquisitely crafted doll, or a delicate piece of fine art. Her lustrous silver hair kept drawing my gaze, prompting me to gently twirl the ends around my fingers. Was human hair always this soft?
"Rajen. There's something I'm curious about."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"We're officially dating now, right?"
"We are."
"When people become lovers... what exactly changes between them?"
Sirien asked softly, looking up at me from my lap. I offered a rather pathetic response.
"W-well... who knows?"
"Pfft. So you're just as clueless as I am?"
"It's not like I have any experience. You've known me since we were kids, so you of all people should know."
It wasn't a lie. Even back in my past life, I was pretty sure I'd never had a partner. Though my memories of 'myself' from that world had grown quite hazy over time, I could still recall the broad strokes. Sirien seemed to find my foolish answer endearing. She reached up, her alabaster hand gently caressing my cheek.
"So, I was thinking... what if we tried changing how we address each other?"
"...Specifically?"
"W-well, ahem. Try calling me... 'babe'—"
"Babe?"
"Eek!"
Sirien flinched and shrank back. She was the one who had suggested it, so I had no idea why she was reacting like this now that I'd actually said it. I reached up to pinch her blushing cheeks, which felt much warmer than usual. Despite her embarrassment, the corners of her mouth curled up in an uncontrollable grin of pure joy. Seeing her like this, I couldn't help but tease her further.
"Babe? What's wrong? You're the one who told me to say it."
"T-that's because... my heart is beating way too...!"
"Babe, babe, babe?"
"Ahaha... N-no, stop! My heart is going to explode if you keep doing that."
Sirien quickly clapped her hands over my mouth. Did she really think that would stop me? My superior physical stats weren't something she could easily overpower with her fragile strength. I easily dodged her hands and pressed on.
"Do you not like being called 'babe'? I figured 'darling' or 'honey' might be a bit too much for now."
"Ugh... I told you to stop!"
"Pfft, hahaha!"
"Hmph! This is a disaster. I only came here to cheer you up for tomorrow!"
"Oh, I think my babe has already given me more than enough energy."
"Hic! Be quiet! That nickname is officially banned until I say I'm ready!"
Ultimately, Sirien lunged forward to cover my mouth, practically tackling me. Deciding it was best to let her win this round, I obediently let myself be silenced. When I looked up, her face was flushed crimson, her lips pulled into a deep pout. Yes, that was the face. An expression so utterly captivating that it made all my teasing worthwhile just to witness it. I wasn't sure if it was because it was such a rare sight, or because the sweet affection radiating from her mock anger was so intoxicating. All I knew was that having her as my partner brought me an indescribable amount of joy. Did she catch on to my thoughts? Sirien huffed, making her annoyance painfully obvious.
"I'm leaving. You can eat the rest of the biscuits by yourself for all I care."
"Then I guess I'll eat this candy too?"
"Hey! No, you can't!"
The moment I made a move to snatch it, Sirien snatched the candy off the tray and popped the round, marble-like sweet straight into her mouth.
"Is it some kind of rare candy?"
"Yeah. Baron Isquente got it from a famous patissier."
"I see."
Sirien rolled the candy around in her mouth. I didn't actually care about the sweet itself, but I couldn't take my eyes off her pale cheeks as they shifted with every little movement.
"Are you curious what it tastes like?"
"A little. Not too much."
"Hmm, is that so?" Her eyes curved into a playful, mischievous crescent. Suddenly, a faint wave of unease washed over me.