Isn't It Natural for the Strong to Do as They Please?

Chirp, chirp.

"Mnh..."

Awakened by the sudden sound of birds chirping outside her window, Tsuruka slowly sat up in bed, brushing back her disheveled hair. Her fluffy tail drooped, dragging heavily along the floor, but she forced her leaden feet toward the bathroom to shake off the lingering sleep.

"Haa..."

Tsuruka squeezed her eyes shut against a throbbing headache. She was paying a steep price for letting her excitement get the better of her last night, having indulged in alcohol she was entirely unaccustomed to just to celebrate being with the village's savior.

Staggering into the bathroom, Tsuruka checked the tub that the attendants had already filled with water. Before stepping in, she peered into the mirror to inspect her appearance. I mustn't have even the slightest flaw when I meet our savior later today... she excused herself dishonestly, carefully examining her reflection.

"Haa..."

Her golden hair, thick and long enough to drape over her hips, framed a face with sultry, upturned fox eyes and thick eyelashes. Within them, her crimson irises sparkled like rubies, staring back at her from the glass.

Slowly, she traced her plump, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pink lips with a slender finger. Her heart began to race as the memories of yesterday rushed back. That passionate kiss, so intense it felt as though he were devouring her lips. Captivated by the sweet, intoxicating scent radiating from her savior, she had sucked on his tongue as if trying to swallow it whole.

"Mnh..."

A sudden wave of embarrassment washed over her, and Tsuruka vigorously shook her head to dispel the thoughts. It was foolish to keep yearning for an outsider. She tried to convince herself that her feelings were merely driven by the hope that he would resolve the village's crisis—and perhaps a lingering impression of the raw, beastly masculinity she had witnessed when she spied on him using her scrying magic before his arrival.

"Ah..."

A ticklish sensation spread through her lower body, and when she checked, she found herself already slick with wet arousal. Imagining Casanova's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rough fingers reaching down to touch, stroke, and penetrate her folds, Tsuruka bit her own finger, desperately trying to suppress her rising lust.

"I am the priestess of this village..."

As the priestess, she was strictly forbidden from coupling with outsiders—an unwritten law passed down through generations. Tsuruka had never once questioned this rule, yet ever since Casanova's arrival, her resolve had begun to waver for the very first time.

"It was... so incredibly large..."

Recalling the massive bulge in Casanova's trousers as he had hungrily groped her, Tsuruka's face flushed as red as an apple. She fanned herself, trying to cool her burning cheeks and banish the thought. Since she wasn't yet certain if he was the man of prophecy destined to save their village, allowing her feelings to grow any further would only bring pain to both herself and him.

"But still..."

If Casanova truly was the figure from the prophecy she had received before the males abandoned the village, she would surely know it by instinct when she spoke with him today. All she could do was wait and see.

"Haaah..."

Unable to contain her swelling affection and the desire pooling between her thighs, Tsuruka rubbed her legs together, letting out a breathless sigh. Finally, she turned away from the mirror and stepped toward the bath. She needed to calm her mind...

Splash.

"Ahhh..."

The warm water enveloped her body, heating her skin. The sensation felt agonizingly similar to the way Casanova's hands had caressed her intimate warmth.

"Ah!"

She was supposed to be calming down, but the more she tried to ignore it, the more vividly Casanova filled her mind. Ultimately, Tsuruka's hand slowly drifted down toward her throbbing, swollen mound.

Splash, splash.

"Mnh..."

Tsuruka gently caressed the entrance of her cleft beneath the water, keeping her movements as quiet as possible. Closing her eyes against the ticklish sensation, she focused her touch on the exact spots Casanova had fondled the day before. It felt so real, as if his hands were actually on her.

"Master Casanova..."

Casanova, who had treated her so gently despite her sister's hostile attitude. Casanova, who had so gallantly saved their village from crisis. Casanova, who held her hand so kindly, yet would suddenly look at her with the predatory, wild eyes of a dominant male ready to devour her.

Whenever she was near him, she was no longer the revered priestess carrying the weight of the village on her shoulders. She was just a female, helpless and yearning.

"Haaah...!"

Her legs trembled as she reached a mild, shuddering climax. With her lust temporarily appeased, Tsuruka finally withdrew her hand and began to wash herself. She had to hurry and prepare while she was still awake, or she would be late.

Splaaash.

As she stood up from the full tub, water cascaded over the edges. Stepping through the puddles, Tsuruka sat on the bath stool and began to lather her body with a soft cloth.

I must groom myself perfectly before meeting Master Casanova...

"Haaah..."

But then, she remembered his thick, masculine scent from yesterday. That intense, intoxicating aroma that made her head spin and her senses blur. Before she knew it, Tsuruka's hand drifted back down to her throbbing folds.

"Ah, mm..."

Master Casanova, Master Casanova...! As the soapy bubbles lathered over her skin, her feelings for him swelled beyond her control. For Tsuruka, who had lived isolated from males for so long, Casanova—who had appeared as if falling straight from the heavens—was the absolute epitome of her ideal mate.

"Haaah..."

Forcing her hand away once more, Tsuruka finished washing her body and splashed water over herself to rinse off the soap.

Splash!

"This is so difficult..."

Tsuruka sighed as she began to dry herself, running the towel over her plump hips. She slowly patted dry her thighs, her stomach, and her voluptuous breasts, then gave her tail a thorough shake. She was finally ready.

Once the dam of her desire had burst, there was no holding it back. Tsuruka was well aware of this. Forgetting her initial hesitation, she stepped out of the bathroom, silently praying with all her heart that Casanova was indeed the man of prophecy.

"Oh..."

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Tsuruka used her magic to cast a brief scrying spell over the village, only to spot Casanova warming up outside the guest house. He was stretching his body, his neck and back glistening with sweat as if he had been at it for quite some time.

"Haaah..."

To engage in such vigorous exercise first thing in the morning... Though she didn't understand his routine, the sight of his sweat-drenched body reignited her lust and her craving for his scent. She hurriedly began to dress.

If she could present him with the Dalburmi flowers he sought today and confirm he was the man of prophecy, she would gladly offer him her long-guarded virginity. The sheer joy of that prospect, combined with the anticipation of yielding to his touch and satisfying her deepest desires, left Tsuruka utterly thrilled.

"Fufu..."

Dressed in her formal priestess robes, Tsuruka checked the mirror one last time to ensure her appearance was flawless before stepping out of her room. Her quarters were on the top floor. As she descended to the floor below, a sudden, mischievous urge tempted her to peek into Casanova's room before meeting him.

"No, that would be terribly rude..."

Even if this was her residence, the room had been formally provided to their guest. Searching it without his permission would be highly improper. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Tsuruka forced herself to look away from his door as she walked down the corridor.

Sniff, sniff.

"Ah..."

But then, she noticed something strange. A thick, masculine musk was drifting through the hallway. It was unmistakably Casanova's scent, but it was mixed with an even heavier, primal musk and a distinctly lewd aroma. Along with it, a very familiar fragrance tickled her nose.

"It can't be..."

It was a scent she could recognize anywhere. Her headstrong yet deeply beloved younger sister, who always supported her through the heavy burdens ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of her priesthood—Eruka's distinct scent was lingering in the hallway outside Casanova's room.

"...No, surely not..."

Though suspicion and doubt flared in her mind, Tsuruka shook her head to dismiss them. She knew Eruka had been acting incredibly hostile toward him, and though she had known they were going to duel, she had intentionally avoided watching the outcome.

"Haaah..."

Feeling deeply guilty for having slapped her sister in a fit of anger, and caught in a position where she couldn't openly root for either side, Tsuruka had chosen not to watch. She had tried to find Eruka afterward to apologize, but the other guards had only told her that the captain had gone elsewhere, forcing her to return empty-handed.

"It can't be true."

Tsuruka trusted Eruka. Even if Casanova wasn't hers to claim, she couldn't imagine her sister throwing herself at an outsider—especially a human she had so vehemently despised. But if she had...

Throb.

Herself, bound by the shackles of her priesthood, versus Eruka, who was entirely free. If Casanova had to choose, who would he reach for? Dark, negative thoughts began to gnaw at her mind, and with a heavy heart, Tsuruka stepped out of the guest house.

"Ah, good morning, Lady Tsuruka."

Casanova, who had been stretching his arms near the entrance, wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and smiled as he approached her.

Sniff, sniff.

Seeing Tsuruka immediately twitch her nose the moment they met, Casanova smirked inwardly and extended his hand. For a woman so sensitive to scents, his fresh sweat was bound to be the ultimate aphrodisiac.

"Ah... Good morning to you... Master Casanova..."

Dazed by the thick musk radiating from him, Tsuruka didn't even realize her mouth had parted. She took his hand, her nose twitching as she drank in his scent. The raw, masculine aroma filled her lungs, making her head spin with intoxicating intensity.

Wobble.

Already weakened by her repeated self-pleasure that morning, Tsuruka's knees buckled under the sheer weight of his scent. Seizing the perfect opportunity, Casanova stepped forward and pulled her firmly into his embrace, burying her face against the crook of his neck.

Inhale...

Though startled by her sudden stumble, Tsuruka quickly melted into his arms. Pressed against his sweat-slicked skin, she inhaled his potent scent, her expression softening into a dazed, blissful smile as she clung to him.

"Hngh...!"

Casanova wrapped his arms tightly around her loose, flowing priestess robes, smiling as he felt her hips tremble slightly in his embrace. The clever, scheming fox priestess was gone; in her place was only a submissive female, smiling helplessly as she welcomed her master.

"Do you like it that much, Lady Tsuruka?"

"Yes, ah..."

Keeping one arm wrapped around her waist, Casanova used his free hand to gently cup her chin, tilting her face upward. Though there was a significant height difference between them, Casanova leaned down slightly, allowing Tsuruka to readily prepare for a kiss.

As his face slowly drew closer, the last remaining shred of her reason screamed at her to pull away and attend to her duties. But her instincts, which had already completely consumed her, utterly ignored the warning.

"Mnh... Chu... Mm..."

Teased by Casanova, who held his face close but refused to close the final distance, Tsuruka finally leaned in herself, practically begging for the kiss. She pressed her lips against his, sucking and tasting his plump lips as she lost herself in the sensation.

"Ah, right. You said you had something to tell me today..."

After a brief, sweet kiss, Casanova pulled back and slowly released her. While he would have loved to tease her further, he knew he had to get things done. Remembering Undine, who was likely wandering the village out of boredom, he decided to get straight to the point.

"Ah... Yes, that is correct... I have the flowers you requested, and a few questions to ask..."

Tsuruka had expected another passionate kiss like yesterday's, given how boldly he had embraced her. Feeling a pang of disappointment and longing as he pulled away, she cast a slightly resentful gaze at him. Moreover, while held in his arms, she had caught a faint, lingering scent... Suppressing her jealousy, Tsuruka gritted her teeth slightly and looked up at him.

"You may follow Eruka to inspect the Dalburmi flowers first. Afterward, please come to see me, as I have some private matters to discuss with you."

Hearing her calm instructions, Casanova assumed it was nothing major. He nodded and bowed politely.

"Understood. I will inspect the flowers with Eruka first, then pay you a visit. My companion is waiting for me, so..."

"Ah..."

He had referred to her sister simply as 'Eruka'—without any formal titles. She wondered if he was speaking casually out of annoyance, but his tone was entirely devoid of malice. Had they already grown close enough to speak so familiarly since yesterday? Swallowing down a sudden surge of jealousy, Tsuruka bowed her head and bid him farewell.

"Then, please watch your step. I shall take my leave as well..."

"Yes, thank you for your concern."

With a polite bow, Tsuruka watched Casanova stride toward the village square, biting her finger once more. The physical sting in her index finger was nothing compared to the suffocating ache tightening in her chest.

Aching from her rapidly growing feelings for him, Tsuruka shook her head to clear her thoughts and focused on her original purpose.

"Haaah..."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Tsuruka made her way to the Priestess's Temple, walking toward the wooden chest kept at the very center of the hall.

Click.

Since she cleaned and maintained it daily, there wasn't a speck of dust on it. From the opened wooden chest, she retrieved a small scroll. It contained the final prophecy left behind after the males had abandoned the village. Since then, Tsuruka had never received another divine revelation. She quietly pondered the words, praying that Casanova was indeed the one foretold.

Reciting the words in a soft whisper, Tsuruka closed her eyes and pondered their meaning. An outsider who tempts... Casanova had certainly shown a knack for seducing her. In her heart, she had already decided he was the man of prophecy. If the 'moon' clutched in his hand was herself, then who was the 'sun' that would descend of its own accord?

The naive Tsuruka, unaware of the sun's true identity, simply indulged in her sweet delusions as she closed her eyes.