Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Drunken Truths
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Gulp—
Gulp—
The wine passed from mouth to mouth.
Aren, who had been holding the wine in his mouth, suddenly pressed his lips to Lydia's and transferred it over.
Before she could even react to the sudden kiss, Lydia instinctively swallowed the alcohol.
Just like a baby bird accepting food from its mother.
And once most of the wine had passed, Aren pulled away.
"……"
As their lips parted, Lydia's face came into view all at once.
Her cheeks were flushed red, her expression completely disheveled. A sudden kiss—and from Aren, of all people.
As the impossible happened, she felt cognitive dissonance and blankly followed Aren's lips with her eyes.
'Just now... a kiss...'
...happened.
I did it.
With Aren, no less.
"...Ah."
As if she couldn't believe it, Lydia touched her lips with her fingers.
Just now, right here, on these lips... Aren's lips had touched.
Then they parted slightly, his tongue slipped in with the wine. After she swallowed it all, their tongues brushed lightly, stirring her up intensely before he pulled away.
...Her first kiss tasted like grapes.
"...Lydia."
He whispered her disheveled name into her ear.
Thinking he might kiss her again, she reflexively closed her eyes and tilted her head up slightly, but she didn't feel the touch of his lips like before.
Gazing at her endearingly, he caressed her other earlobe.
Smooth and soft, an addictive earlobe he wanted to touch forever.
"…"
At his touch, Lydia flinched but stayed still.
Even though the guy she'd thought of as a friend had kissed her without permission and was touching her body, she didn't hate it.
Even if he was just a friend on the surface, he was actually a guy she was interested in.
Even if that guy only had eyes for other women, he was still precious to her.
But...
"...You really don't have anyone you're interested in?"
How did things end up like this?
"I... do."
"Who is it?"
…
She looked at Aren, then lowered her eyes. She just couldn't muster the courage to say it out loud.
People said alcohol gave them the power to speak or act boldly, but she thought that was a lie.
Even with the buzz and the alcohol in her system, it was still too embarrassing to say.
So she kept her eyes downcast.
But that was enough for Aren.
Unless he was completely oblivious, there was no way he couldn't tell what she wanted to say. With a soft chuckle, he whispered into her ear.
"I'm interested in you, Lydia."
"…"
For a moment, her heart pounded.
"...But don't you have Veronica or Senior Sarah?"
"You're right."
"Then I..."
...shouldn't be someone you get interested in, she swallowed the words.
But.
"I want you too, Lydia."
"...Huh?"
"You're my type too, Lydia."
"…"
What was this man saying?
Was he in his right mind?
But it didn't seem like a joke... Even with the alcohol, he looked utterly serious. In the end, she instinctively realized he meant it.
"...Player. You're such a player, Aren."
It was spot on.
He readily admitted it.
"Then, if you'll excuse me for a moment."
He leaned toward her.
He intended to mess her up thoroughly before Adelia woke or Veronica returned from the bathroom.
"...Ah..."
Soon, their lips met again.
The sensation of their lips pressing together was so warm, soft, and satisfying. How could something as simple as mucous membranes touching feel this good?
...Who knows.
But...
...Does it even matter?
…
Her thoughts didn't last.
He went beyond just pressing their lips together and started teasing with his tongue.
She flinched reflexively. Realizing what he wanted, she slowly parted her lips.
His tongue invaded like it was claiming territory through the gap.
It brushed her teeth, her gums.
Then the tips of their tongues touched lightly, and he began moving his slowly, as if drawing circles.
Lydia's movements were clumsy. She awkwardly tried to follow his lead, sometimes freezing because she didn't know what to do.
Aren loved that.
Dyeing a girl who knew nothing in his colors.
Being her first man.
Leaving an unforgettable memory of her first kiss that would last until death.
...It felt too good.
Not knowing when Veronica might return, Aren explored her mouth more aggressively.
Her palate, the tip of her tongue, her gums.
He passed saliva into her mouth, devouring everything greedily.
Thus, lewd sounds of saliva and tongues mixing leaked faintly from the back of the room. Fortunately, they were quiet enough to be drowned out by the sound of running water from the bathroom.
Judging that Veronica still had a bit before returning, he instinctively wrapped his hand around Lydia's waist.
"...Hng."
She flinched briefly but soon focused back on the kiss.
Even as his hand slid lower, even as he lifted her skirt slightly to expose her underwear, she stayed still.
Slide—
Only when he slipped his hand inside her underwear and grabbed her bare ass did her eyes widen.
Her mind went blank. She thought she should stop his hand, but the thrill of kissing the guy she secretly liked, the forbidden pleasure of someone touching her body, blew her thoughts away.
She curled her toes secretly. Her body tensed up on its own.
...Right now, just feel the warmth of these lips, the softness of his tongue, the gentle touch.
...Yeah. That's all.
She rationalized it that way. Only when his hand moved between her thighs and touched her pussy did she snap back to reality.
The moment he slipped a finger into her soaked pussy, the sound of water from the bathroom stopped.
"………!"
Aren realized Veronica would be back soon.
Lydia urgently poked him, signaling to stop.
But he didn't want to stop.
Did he have to?
Veronica and Lydia would both be his women anyway. Was there any reason to stop?
Lydia's heartbeat quickened. The water sounds had stopped, and now he could hear Veronica's footsteps.
And Aren's choice was—
"...Adelia's still asleep, huh."
Veronica, back from the bathroom, looked at Adelia slumped over the desk and thought.
She'll be stiff if she sleeps like that.
Deciding it was time to wake Adelia and end the drinking session, Veronica glanced at Lydia and Aren.
And...
"...Did something happen?"
She felt an odd sense of incongruity.
...Especially from Lydia.
Her face was flushed, her clothes disheveled. The faint sweet scent and ragged breathing stirred indecent imaginings.
But she quickly shook her head.
The usual Veronica would have realized Aren was behind it, but the alcohol dulled her thoughts that far.
She just assumed Lydia was drunk too.
"...Let's wrap up the drinking. Adelia's asleep, and it's late. We should end it."
Plus, Veronica herself was nearing her limit.
Aren and Lydia nodded.
"Sounds good. Adelia, the room's owner, is asleep. It'd be rude to keep drinking without her."
"Then let's call it."
"Agreed. What about you, Lydia?"
"...I think that's best too."
And so, the drinking session ended unanimously.
Of course, they couldn't just leave shamelessly, so they tidied up roughly. They cleaned the eating area and carried the sleeping Adelia to her bed.
Once done, Aren and the others left Adelia's room.
And right before parting with the girls, he whispered quietly into Lydia's ear.
"...Lydia. Come to my room later."
She froze for a moment, then gave a tiny nod.
So subtle that Veronica, walking ahead, wouldn't notice.
"...Okay."
The night wasn't over yet.
Meanwhile, after everyone left.
Adelia quietly sat up in bed.
She went to the living room where they'd been drinking just moments ago and stared at the spot where Lydia and Aren had sat.
"…"
In truth, she had been awake.
It was true she'd passed out at the desk from the alcohol and drowsiness midway through, but as a spirit user, she could handle basic intoxication control.
In other words, everyone thought she was asleep, but she'd been awake from some point on.
And that point was...
"…………"
When Lydia and Aren started kissing.
The two of them seizing the moment while she was "asleep" and Veronica was in the bathroom.
Their lips overlapping, tongues entering, the wet sounds of saliva mixing.
His hand grabbing Lydia's ass, then sliding between her thighs to touch that most intimate place.
...She saw everything.
All of it.