Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: The Saint's Inner Thoughts Are Heard
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How much time had passed since I quickened my pace to avoid falling for Victoria's provocation?
"There they are, finally. What took you so long?"
We were able to rejoin our comrades, and Anima, with a slight furrow of her brow, gave us another look about being late.
It was because, while clearing the path, I kept getting held up by the whelps of the Phantom Dragon impersonating Victoria, and by her comments disparaging me as I fought those enemies.
p>At least I should be grateful that Victoria in her naked apron getup didn't appear. If she had, she would have teased me about it for a lifetime.
"It's the early stages of a relationship. We should be understanding."
Among our comrades, especially the Hero, Kyle, ever since we said we were dating as a lie, he kept approaching with that creepy smile.
"So, did our genius Mage successfully distinguish the fakes pretending to be his girlfriend? I was a bit worried, you know."
"Why would you worry about that?"
"You two fight all the time. I've seen you two snarl at each other way too much even normally!"
Upon hearing the Hero's words, I immediately unwound my arm from Victoria's, and she let out a short, disappointed sigh, "Ah…."
"…Nothing happened."
I hardened my expression as much as possible and retorted to the Hero in a stiff tone. There had been incidents involving Victoria's chest measurements or her vulgar provocations, but I wanted to erase them from memory.
"Hey, you were so close earlier, even arm in arm?"
"That was just because we almost got separated by a Phantom Dragon's attack."
I swept my bangs aside with my hand, breaking out in a cold sweat. It was because Victoria was watching me with a sharp gaze from the side.
"Is that really true, Lord Astal? I only recall someone leering at my chest with a lecherous gaze."
"If it were anyone else, I'd have hated it... but if it's you, you can look as much as you want…." "I told you I wasn't looking like that."
"You're cute even when you deny it. I suppose I should say it's because you're experiencing your first relationship."
Victoria, with her expressionless face, slightly lifted the corner of her mouth, showing that she had won.
Seeing that, my eyebrow twitched slightly. Even though she's also in her first relationship, why is she trying to show off like this?
"You're also a first-timer."
"Unlike Lord Astal, I am someone who has received much favor from the opposite sex. You can't even count how many bastards have made passes at me on various anniversaries."
Victoria spoke, mixing in curses as if recalling unpleasant memories.
Even in the Demon Realm, wandering under Perception Hindrance Magic, there were occasionally demons who would see her and try to court her, so it must have been much worse normally.
"I was popular too, you know? Do you know how many female juniors at the Blue Magic Tower liked me and followed me around?"
"Oh my, so is that why you're still a virgin at your age? I believe you're a year older than me."
"Why are you bringing up other girls in front of me? I'm so jealous it's unfair…." "…You just became an adult this year!"
I gritted my teeth at Victoria's sharp tongue. Even if she secretly liked me, talking like that would make any remaining affection wither away.
"Oh my, so you mean you have a desire to crush a Saint who just became an adult? I knew you had quite a refined taste even before you mentioned the naked apron."
Victoria looked at me, grinning slightly, covering her mouth with her hand as she smiled.
It seemed the things I said to make Victoria give up on liking me had backfired.
She began to torment me more persistently, like someone who had found a weakness.
"Do you two keep fighting even though you're dating?"
Looking at Victoria and me, Kyle spoke with a slightly scratchy voice. The conversation just now must have seemed awkward for a couple who had just started dating.
"This won't do. You two, quickly hug for about a minute and apologize to each other."
Displeased with comrades fighting, he finally took drastic measures. Normally, he would have told us to look at each other and say sorry.
"A, a hug…?! How can you suggest such an indecent act with so many eyes watching!"
"Right, we're not children…."
Faced with the suddenly high hurdle of the command, Victoria blushed, looking back and forth between me and Kyle.
She jumped up and down as if on a spring, saying she didn't want to do it.
"A, a hug is out of the question…! And a face-to-face one at that…! My heart might explode!" Victoria's inner voice was screaming that it was absolutely not allowed, recalling the time I played around on the bed last time.
However,
"Aren't you two dating? You've already seen each other naked and done everything, haven't you? A hug is just a cute gesture."
The Hero Kyle's decision was unwavering. With a look that asked what was so strange, I was left speechless and could only tightly close my mouth.
"…Victoria, come here."
I had no choice but to spread my arms wide, looking at Victoria. My gaze was slightly averted. It was too embarrassing to meet her eyes directly.
"Y, yes…?!"
"It'll be over quickly. Come closer. I was wrong for speaking harshly to you too."
I spoke as calmly as possible, suppressing my embarrassment as much as I could. Slowly and evenly, so Victoria wouldn't get scared.
After all, to defeat the Succubus Queen, we had to continue this act, even in this way.
To kill the Demon King, it's more efficient to deal with the Four Heavenly Kings first. While we were distracted with them, they could launch a diversionary invasion of the continent.
"…Very well. If you insist, I shall borrow your embrace for a moment."
Victoria nodded slightly, putting on a solemn expression. It seemed she was trying her best to hide her agitation.
"Lord Astal is hugging me…! I get to hug that manly back and firm chest muscles to my heart's content…!" "C, can I rub against him a little? I want to leave my scent… I want to mark him as mine…." "Having such perverted thoughts… you just want to touch Lord Astal's body all over, don't you? You really are a genius at making men angry." "I, I'm not a pervert…! I, it's just because you said you were popular with female juniors earlier! Yes, this is just marking, that's all!" Victoria's inner voice was pure chaos at the moment.
It was as if multiple people were talking to each other, each taking a different stance, creating a noisy scene.
A street market would be quieter than this.
"S, silence! Let's proceed with the 323rd regular discussion on how to seduce Lord Astal, focusing on how to lead the hug." Among them, there was one of Victoria's inner voices speaking in a solemn tone. It was enough to cause the illusion of seeing multiple personalities.
"……."
Watching Victoria, who was moving step by step while intently preparing something, I could only gulp.
"The primary target is the chest, tempered by all sorts of training. In such cases, the orthodox approach of pressing our chests together seems best." Unlike typical mages who use staves, I was the type to participate directly in combat with my bare hands, so I never neglected physical training.
Last time, I saw Victoria smacking her lips while looking at my pectoral muscles. It seemed she liked them.
"B, but then the sound of my heart pounding might be heard…." "You won't know if it's my heartbeat or Lord Astal's, so you can just flatly deny it. Any objections? If not, we're going with Route A." "What about the method of sucking his neck to leave a kiss mark if the opportunity arises? I'm too shy to do that…!" In her heart, Victoria stopped her thoughts as if a judge had banged a gavel, then nodded slightly as if having reached a decision.
"…Excuse me."
Squeeze.
Victoria, who was slightly shorter, stood on her tiptoes to press her chest against mine as she embraced me.
"……."
The soft, gentle sensation made it feel like blood was rushing downwards. No matter how emotionless I was, my body seemed honest.
The close distance where breaths mingled, the body heat felt within the embrace, the illusion of becoming one, and the warmth being felt in this situation.
Another person's warmth was this comforting.
We were pressing our bodies together as closely as possible, like lovers sharing affection.
"I'm sorry for my harsh words earlier…. If you harbor any resentment, please forgive me through this."
Victoria deliberately brought her mouth close to my ear and whispered in a low voice. I could even hear the sound of her moist lips moving and her swallowing.
"WhatdoIdowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo… I'm so happy I might go crazy… My mind is going completely blank…." Of course, unlike her outward appearance of calmly trying to seduce me, Victoria's inner voice hadn't been able to execute any of the plans she had set up.
"I'm sorry too. No matter what, I shouldn't have gotten angry at you."
To tease Victoria a little, I hugged her a bit tighter. There was a soft sensation as she slid snugly into my embrace.
"Ah, ah…?"
"Eeek, my sides are sensitive…." Held in my arms, Victoria could only let out small moans, like a doll with a broken spring.
Perhaps the thread of reason had snapped with a pop, as even the noisy inner voice from just a moment ago was no longer audible.
"…How lovely. It would have been so much easier if you had gotten along like this from the start."
"Indeed, you're doing this so obediently? I thought you'd refuse, saying you were embarrassed."
Anima and Taryon, watching my and Victoria's hug, each gave their short assessments.
"The time I mentioned has already passed, but are you still hugging? Even though you bickered normally, did you two really like each other?"
Among them, the Hero Kyle raised his cheeks high, wearing a pleased fatherly smile. His tone was so irritating it was almost grating.
"…T, this should suffice."
"It's a shame, but knowing the right limit is important. After all, I have to make Lord Astal like me so much he becomes desperate…!" Seeing that, Victoria pushed me away with a thump, bringing the hug to an end.
Her ears and cheeks slightly reddened, her breathing rough, she fanned herself with her hand to cool down.
Looking at Victoria like that, I couldn't think of anything to say and scratched my cheek, trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere.
"So, Astal…."
The one who broke the silence first was Victoria.
"…?"
"Was my hug… pleasant for you…?"
A voice that crept in, as if asking to be noticed.
Unable to meet my eyes, Victoria slightly lifted her chest with her hand in a showy gesture.
"Please be conscious of me. Please see me as a member of the opposite sex. Forgive me for speaking in such a roundabout way because I'm afraid we can't even go back to being friends if I confess…." Victoria was trying hard to act nonchalant, but given her situation, it was the most courage she could muster.
"…It wasn't bad."
I decided to forgive Victoria for her past actions, at least a little.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And at that moment,
"…Grrrrrrrrr."
A cry like scraping metal echoed, and the Chameleon Dragon, called the Phantom Dragon, revealed itself before us.