A Desperate Courtship
It was a courtship that had poured every last ounce of its strength into the effort. At least, that was how it felt to me. Feeling a pang of pity, I rose from the plush bed. Aria tilted her head, as if surprised that I had gotten up. Her hair, black as ebony, cascaded down her cheek. The sight was strikingly sensual. Could a saintess really be this alluring?
“Ashtain?”
Her clear voice brought a refreshing clarity to my ears. I ignored it and walked over to the table, pouring myself a glass of water. The cold liquid slid down my throat, and the heat in my head seemed to ease a little.
‘………Ashtain, would you like to do something more lewd?’
With that innocent face, she was inviting me to do something dirty? The impact was overwhelming. Are you the Holy Sword or something? Why put a man to the test like this?
I glanced at Aria, wondering if it was a joke. Her expression held no trace of mischief. Then again, a saintess wouldn’t toy with someone’s desires for fun. It only meant she was serious about her own feelings.
I was a healthy man, after all. That kind of temptation stirred my lust. Even now, blood was rushing downward to the point of pain. Did she have any idea how close I had come to losing all reason and crossing the line?
“Why… why did you stop in the middle?”
Aria’s eyes trembled. When she looked like that, it was impossible not to notice how anxious she was. Idiot. If you were going to be this restless, you shouldn’t have said anything in the first place.
“I was just really thirsty. Want some water too?”
“N-no, I’m fine.”
I returned to the bed and gently stroked her small head before pulling her into my arms. She was tiny and fragile. It felt like she might break if I used even a little too much strength. I still wasn’t sure how much force was safe.
She flinched every time my hand touched her. Anxious, pained, frightened. I couldn’t begin to imagine how deeply she had been hurt. Hiding my bitter feelings, I pinched her soft cheek.
“More than that, Aria… you seem a little too impatient.”
“……I-is that so?”
She forced a smile at my words. Somehow, that smile looked precarious. I studied her face in silence. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind. Was this really all right? Was I allowed to hold her? ……Was she truly okay with this?
Wounds didn’t heal overnight. If even physical injuries were like that, how much worse were the invisible ones? Because they couldn’t be seen, you never knew how badly they festered or how serious they were. What if my actions, born from desire, tore open her wounds again? In the end, wouldn’t I be no different from the men who had used her?
That thought kept nagging at me. I wanted to ask her, but I didn’t. Sometimes, even asking could reopen someone’s wounds. So I would simply continue treating her as I always had—naturally, without pretense. I wasn’t sure if that was the right answer. Maybe it wasn’t. But I had to keep moving forward. Whether we liked it or not, life was a series of choices.
I gave her the most natural smile I could manage.
“Well, I never said I wouldn’t.”
“R-really? You’ll do it with me?”
Color returned to her face in an instant, a blush blooming across her cheeks. The sight was so exasperating that I kissed her deeply. Watching her yield without hesitation, I couldn’t hide my excitement. When I tried to pull away, she wrapped both arms around my neck, refusing to let go. So we kissed far longer than I had intended.
“Phew… hng.”
Aria let out a shaky breath. Her face was flushed even though she had been the one to cling to me.
“Why don’t you believe me?”
She shook her head vigorously.
“I do. More than anyone else in this world.”
It was a grand claim. A heavy trust, but not an unbearable burden. If anything, it made me happy.
“Aria, you’re not going to run away after coming this far, are you?”
“M-me?”
I nibbled on her earlobe.
“You’re the one who got me worked up, so I trust you’ll take responsibility.”
“I-I’ve been ready for a long time!”
Ready, my ass. I licked the nape of her neck. She let out a heated sigh.
“Hah… i-it tickles.”
“That’s the point.”
I sucked on her soft nape with a wet sound. Did women’s skin always smell this good? Or was it just Aria?
“Ah… th-this isn’t even lewd yet…… hah!”
Her voice was a complete mess, nothing like her usual composed tone. Tempting. I didn’t want anyone else to hear it. What a wicked saintess, stirring a man’s possessiveness.
“Your breathing says otherwise.”
“Y-you’re teasing me.”
“So you hate it?”
“………You’re really teasing me.”
She shot me a sulky look. It was so amusing I couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Aria.”
“What? You’re laughing right in front of someone like a mean hero.”
“Want to do something lewd?”
“……Ugh.”
Aria drew in a breath, her face turning red. Her flustered expression was priceless.
“I want to. With you.”
It was a straightforward confession, and even saying it made my face burn. If I felt this embarrassed, how much courage had it taken for Aria to say those words? Just thinking about it filled me with joy. It was proof that she liked me that much.
“A-ah, u-uh, ah.”
She couldn’t form a proper sentence. Every syllable came out broken, like a parrot. Her lips opened and closed repeatedly. Was she going to turn mute at this rate?
Realizing she needed a shock to snap out of it, I threw out a light taunt.
“Are you doing breathing exercises right now?”
“Wh-who’s fault do you think this is?!”
“You’re not about to say it’s mine, are you?”
“……It is, though.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Aria. She had said she liked me. I felt the same. I wanted to make her happy. I wanted my precious person to smile brightly. To make sure she understood, I confessed.
“I love you, Aria.”
She hadn’t expected it. Her eyes widened like a startled rabbit, a mix of shock, joy, and confusion on her face. Then her expression crumpled, and tears began to fall.
“M-me too.”
I had always thought crying women were pathetic. But even her tears were beautiful. Maybe I was blinded by love. Still, it didn’t matter. I wiped her tears with my fingers.
“So, when are we doing the lewd stuff?”
“……R-right now.”
“Still wearing the saintess robes?”
That alone painted a rather sinful picture. I was about to tell her to stop talking nonsense when, contrary to my expectations, she fidgeted with her fingers and asked back.
“……Would Ashtain prefer if I kept the saintess robes on?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I-if that’s your preference, I can… I can match it.”
Good grief. My saintess was far too lewd.
“I like anything if it’s you.”
“………Uuu, saying something so embarrassing.”
“What’s embarrassing about saying you like what you like?”
“Th-then I’ll say something embarrassing too!”
“Go ahead.”
“Touch me.”
I shut my mouth for a moment. She really went and said something shameless.
“……Where?”
“D-do you want me to say it out loud?”
I hadn’t planned on it, but the suggestion was surprisingly tempting. It would definitely be easier to focus on the exact spot she wanted rather than guessing.
“Yeah.”
“M-my… p-pussy… p-please touch it a lot.”
“You mean it?”
“Tease me, torment me. P-please touch Aria’s pussy as much as you want.”
Ah, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I placed my hand on her plump thigh and slowly slid upward until I reached her hip. My fingertips brushed against something soft. I instinctively knew it was her underwear.
“Want me to take it off?”
Aria nodded, her face flushed. When I removed her panties, her tightly closed folds were revealed. Not a single strand of hair remained; it was smooth. Unable to bear my gaze on her most intimate place, she asked,
“Sh-should I take off the saintess robes too?”
“No. This is more appealing.”
Half-dressed was more arousing than completely naked. When I looked at the discarded panties, I noticed a stain on the crotch. Curious, I touched it and felt a sticky, transparent liquid cling to my fingers.
“……This is.”
“Aah, ah… th-that’s…”
Aria couldn’t finish her sentence and lowered her head. Her already red face somehow managed to turn an even deeper shade of crimson. With her naturally pale skin, her embarrassment was painfully obvious. I spoke calmly so she wouldn’t feel ashamed.
“After all that caressing, it’d be weird if you weren’t aroused.”
“R-right? It’s… it’s normal, isn’t it?”
Seeing her in the saintess robes with only her panties removed made blood rush downward again. I caressed her thick folds with my left hand while gripping her waist with my right. I continued the gentle stimulation for several minutes.
“Hng… hah… ah.”
She twitched and trembled. I had only touched around her entrance, yet she reacted so sensitively, her voice dripping with need. What a responsive saintess.
Feeling mischievous, I teased her.
“Aria, you feel things too well. Do you like my fingers that much?”
“……D-don’t say that, hng.”
When I brushed her clit, a melting moan escaped her. My fingers were already coated in sticky wetness. Maybe because we had taken our time with foreplay, there was more than enough slickness for penetration. Determined to make her feel good, I focused on her clit and entrance.
Aria tried to stifle her moans by covering her mouth. Every little action she made was unbearably lewd.
“I’d rather you moan as much as you want.”
“I-if I pant too much, won’t it be weird?”
“So what? It’s only natural when we’re doing this.”
I persistently touched her, refusing to let her close her legs. Whether she was enjoying the way my fingers stroked her clit and slid inside, tension gathered in her waist and thighs.
“Hng… hah… ah, ah.”
Letting out sweet, juicy moans, Aria suddenly trembled and clung to me. She must have reached her climax.
“Huu… I-I’m sorry for finishing so easily.”
Embarrassed about coming first, she apologized while covering her face with both hands. She apologized way too much.
“As long as you felt good, that’s all that matters.”
“……B-but when are you going to take your clothes off, Ashtain?”
Right. I was still fully dressed. I scratched the back of my head.
“I’ll take them off now.”
The moment I said it, I removed my pants and underwear. My fully erect cock sprang free, and Aria swallowed hard.
“Eh?”
“Is it… big?”
When I asked awkwardly, her face went pale. It was as long as her small face.
“……Is that a club?”