Chapter 34
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Permission (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Drip, drip... The "vegetable porridge" that hit Evan square in the face clung stickily before slowly sliding down, leaving Israfeel pale as a ghost.
"W-What do I do...! Little brother, I'm sorry!"
She quickly set the bowl down and rushed over to him. But alas, she wasn't prepared with a handkerchief at the moment.
Israfeel's golden eyes darted around frantically. If she could think straight even a little, she would have washed off the food with a holy spell first...
"Eek."
"I-I'm really sorry. I'll clean it up right now."
With the shocking words she'd just overheard still ringing in her ears, plus the embarrassment of spewing out her chewed food, she could barely think straight.
In her haste, she grabbed the blanket draped over the side of the bed and started wiping Evan's cheek as carefully as she could. But her touch was too rough, making it pure agony for him.
"...Ugh, seriously. I'm fine, so back off a bit, Sis. Why are you doing something so rough?"
"Ah...?!"
With no other choice, Evan pressed down on Israfeel's shoulder with force, then flicked his finger to conjure a small amount of water.
The liquid, tinged red from the caster's holy essence, danced around and cleaned his face spotless. Naturally, it was twice as effective as rubbing with a blanket.
"...B-Brother."
Only then did Israfeel regain her senses, her face flushing even hotter with shame.
She carefully pulled the blanket behind her back and bowed her head in embarrassment. Evan clicked his tongue at the sight.
"Sis has completely lost it. She was always a bit scatterbrained, but not to this extent..."
"...Sorry. I must've upset you."
"Heh."
And on top of that, her personality had turned subservient. Evan let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head in utter disbelief.
As he opened his mouth to say more, Evan paused and touched his cheek. The gunk was gone, but some moisture lingered.
"Give me that."
"Ahh..."
He snatched the blanket from her hands and wiped away the dampness.
It needed washing anyway after her clumsy stunt.
In the end, Israfeel glanced at Evan nervously before sitting below him, using his legs—perched on the edge of the bed—as a backrest.
She even hugged her knees and bowed her head. She looked just like a pill bug, and Evan spoke again in a bored tone.
"Hey, Israfeel. How long are you gonna stay this out of it? Avoiding my eyes is one thing, but at least talk to me coherently."
"..."
"Don't you think we siblings need a serious talk?"
"Uh, wha...?"
To Evan, it was just a casual remark without much weight. At this rate, they wouldn't even have a proper conversation, let alone mend their relationship.
'A s-serious talk...?'
But Israfeel interpreted it differently. In her eyes, Evan's annoyed expression seemed like annoyance at her very existence.
It wasn't entirely off from his feelings... but it was just irritation at her being in such an annoying state.
Of course, he hadn't lost any affection for her as a person. To him, his feelings for Israfeel weren't something he could shake off.
'No way he wants to disown me, right? He can't...'
The problem was Israfeel's current state left her incapable of such meta-awareness.
She was too drained to switch into big-sister mode.
What if he really wanted to cut ties? Her face paled as she bit her lip hard.
'What do you mean, what?'
Truthfully, there was only one path. Let go of everything and cling desperately. Grab his pant leg and grovel to the end if needed.
It was the same reason Evan deified Israfeel Hael as an untouchable presence he couldn't imagine removing from his life.
Ten years had forged Evan Lane into that same irreplaceable existence for her.
'...Alright! Time for a full prostration apology.'
After agonizing deliberation, Israfeel reached a conclusion. A wildly misguided one, but that didn't matter.
She spread out a spare mat, threw herself flat on the floor, and begged for mercy. Surely forgiveness would come if she groveled enough.
Didn't they have that kind of bond...!
"Haa."
"Gasp."
A deep sigh escaped Evan's lips right then. Israfeel reflexively swallowed air, and he looked down at her with cold, weary eyes.
After ten years together, some things came naturally—like reading intentions from expressions.
'She's spiraling into weird thoughts again.'
To Evan, it was obvious she was lost in worthless, pathetic nonsense with zero nutritional value.
This wouldn't do. He stood up, but Israfeel desperately grabbed his clothes as he moved away.
"W-Where are you going, little brother...?"
"...Nowhere."
"Huh?"
He replied curtly and bound her wrist in return. Tight enough that without holy power, she couldn't escape.
Israfeel blankly lifted her head. Her golden eyes blinked in confusion, practically asking 'What the heck?' but...
"Hm."
Evan had no intention of explaining verbally.
"...Huh?"
He gazed down at her for a moment before casually lowering himself to his knees without hesitation.
He gently pushed the still-dazed Israfeel back—
"Eek...!?"
And buried his face straight into her ample bosom. Without a shred of shame, purely to sate his base, lewd desires.
But that wasn't all. As he savored the soft, springy flesh against his cheeks and jaw, he took a deep breath.
"...Snnif, haa."
"Eek, hnng...!"
Her golden eyes, already wide from his sudden action, trembled with stunned emotion.
She never expected him to pounce so abruptly. It shocked her as much as when he'd casually suggested sex earlier.
"...Hic, ahn..."
Soon, his breath filtered through the thin negligee, grazing her breasts—especially her nipples, now stiff since the moment he dove in—and she couldn't suppress the naughty sensation.
Her tightly pressed lips were too thin to stifle the moans.
"E-Evan... Suddenly, why...?"
"..."
With lewd breaths, she let out a trembling voice. Her wrist still firmly bound by his hand.
Instead of answering her feeble question, Evan yanked down the negligee strap that had already slipped to her shoulder.
No undergarments meant her pale skin was fully exposed. Her jiggling breasts, pretty pink nipples and areolas included.
"...Hup."
She let out a ridiculous noise, her face turning beet red. Though he'd seen them several times before.
'S-So embarrassing.'
The context was worlds apart from voluntary versus this.
Israfeel used her free arm to cover her face, desperate to hide her flushed expression.
"Sis."
Of course, that didn't stop Evan from toying with her breasts.
Calling her softly, he reached out. His target: the pale pink fruit at the edge of the soft mound.
"Nngh...!"
The moment he pinched it between thumb and forefinger, she arched her back sharply. His sly fingers teased only the most sensitive spots.
'N-No...'
Electric tingles shot through her body. Part of her wanted to cast aside all thoughts and surrender to the ecstasy.
But—she fought back the insidious pleasure clouding her mind.
Any further, and she might lose her reason entirely. Panting, she glared up at him through hazy eyes, teeth gritted.
"Th-This... isn't right, Evan. You can't do this with me. Hnng. Stop, please stop..."
The words came out better than expected, but the moans slipping between were unavoidable.
Feeling her ear tips burn, she stammered on.
"Y-You, hup, can't do this right now. Ahn, ahn...! L-Listen to Sis...!"
Evan ignored her completely, continuing his actions. She glared fiercely, but it crumbled fast into a feeble 'Hic' moan.
"You're resisting more than usual today."
Of course, he wasn't truly ignoring her. He heard, but had no intention of obeying.
Evan quirked a brow in puzzlement.
"Why... You looked like the world ended when you saw me with Lete doing it, but now you're denying it? 'We can't do this as family' or whatever?"
"...?!!"
He subtly mocked her, referencing the incident three days ago.
Israfeel's pupils shook as she stared at him. Resentment for bringing it up now, sorrow, shame from realizing he knew her feelings, self-loathing.
Still, she bit her lip. Hard enough to taste blood, faintly.
"...That's exactly why, Evan."
That's precisely why she had to say it. If he knew his family member harbored romantic feelings for him, she had to address it head-on.
Her eyes widened seriously, and even Evan paused his fondling.
"Hoo..."
Relieved, Israfeel steadied her breathing.
...Just recalling it tore at her heart, and saying it herself felt utterly pathetic.
But what could she do? The man she loved was family first, and that family already had someone else.
With the world's most listless smile, she moved her lips.
"Like you just said, you have Lete... Lady Heresia. I know. I know you like her."
"..."
"...So you don't need to pay attention to me just because I'm your sister, Evan. I'm, hn. Fine. You don't have to force yourself."
Really. She added the word softly, as if about to wilt, forcing the brightest smile she could muster.
Just as she tried to bury her crumbling heart forever—
"Ah... Well, about that."
Evan scratched his cheek awkwardly, a tone utterly out of place.
As if pondering how to phrase it.
At first, Israfeel thought it was dismissal—ignoring her sincerity for jokes, crushing her hard-won courage. It hurt, but...
"...?"
But something felt off for that.
She blinked her eyes pitifully. The tears from her first heartbreak had long receded.
Meeting her gaze with the gentlest smile he could manage, Evan spoke calmly.
"...How do I put this? Hm. Anyway, Sis, I have three things to correct that I need to tell you."
"...? ...Huh?"
"First off, yeah. The very first one."
He hesitated on the opener, but whatever. It needed saying, so he went straight to the point.
"I'm not dating Lete. Not yet."
"?"
Another question mark. Completely opposite from her expectations, Israfeel flapped her lips in shock.
Not dating? For real?
Evan gave her predictable reaction a wry smile, right on cue.
"Next, number two. I've never forced anything. You think there's any faking or deceit in how much I desire you?"
"...Uh-heh?"
"With a body this lewd. What made you think I wouldn't feel lust?"
Grumbling, Evan recalled the past. Even in his teens, when he saw her purely as family, his body reacted honestly.
Despite viewing her platonically, he'd swallowed dryly to suppress sticky urges whenever glimpsing her bare skin.
Now, no need to hold back—he laid all his desires bare.
Israfeel gaped silently at his words. She couldn't believe her childhood Evan had lusted after her like that.
"...Ahem."
Evan flinched unintentionally. His right hand had been on her breast the whole time, unmoving.
As she blushed like a fresh girl, her heartbeat thrummed straight to him.
Feeling his lower half stiffen needlessly, he continued evenly.
"Last one now. Number three. This is the real kicker..."
Pop, pop. Deftly unbuttoning his shirt with one hand and tossing it aside, Evan muttered awkwardly toward her.
"I got permission."
"...Huh?"
Words like a bolt from the blue, leaving her more stunned than ever.
"She said I can do whatever with other women. As long as I can handle it stamina-wise and prove it... she'll allow it?"
...Delivered half-heartedly, as if even he didn't quite get it.
Israfeel gaped with a blank expression.