Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Hell - 4
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“…….”
I stood frozen in place, pondering the true meaning behind those words for a moment. But nothing came to mind. I couldn’t even grasp the slightest hint of her intention.
It couldn’t possibly be something romantic like that Kaikilia wanting to become lovers with me. To begin with, Kaikilia’s personality was worlds away from that sort of thing.
“Perhaps... did it displease you?”
When I cautiously ventured the question, Kaikilia’s expression shifted in a subtle way.
“Did it look as though those words displeased me?”
“……No.”
Her expression had indeed been quite nuanced, but the mere fact that she hadn’t erupted in anger on the spot meant she absolutely wasn’t upset.
If she had been, Margarita wouldn’t have gotten off unscathed.
“Since you understand my mood, tell me why you said such a thing. Choose your words wisely.”
I stole a glance at Kaikilia’s face.
Her gaze remained impassive, but the corners of her mouth curved up ever so slightly. It signaled that my question hadn’t offended her. If anything, she seemed eager for the conversation to continue.
In that case, maybe I could push a step further.
“What if I answered that it was to discern the intent behind Your Majesty’s question?”
“For a mere vassal to probe your sovereign’s thoughts? Utterly impertinent.”
The words carried a sharp edge, but Kaikilia’s face betrayed none of it. Her mouth corners lifted faintly, and her eyes had softened just a touch.
Either she’d tossed out that line from the beginning to draw out more talk with me, or I’d accidentally given her exactly the response she wanted.
It was a striking change from before.
Back when I first met Kaikilia in Aurora’s territory, and even the first time I was summoned to the imperial palace, I’d been utterly lost on how to handle that capricious hedonist.
This version of Kaikilia felt manageable, no trouble at all.
She was riding high right now after slaughtering demons en masse, so she’d loosened up a bit, but once we returned to the empire, she might snap back to her willful self.
“Very well. I’m not one for circling words, so I’ll speak plainly.”
A gleam sparked in her golden pupils.
Our eyes locked. Meeting the emperor’s gaze head-on was grounds for instant execution, yet Kaikilia neither rebuked me nor told me to look away.
We stood there, eyes fixed on each other for some time, until Kaikilia abruptly spoke.
“I like you, Captain of the Black Nocturnal Knights. No—Delta, now.”
“That is…….”
For an instant, it sounded like a confession, but Kaikilia’s next words dashed the notion.
“But don’t delude yourself. This is no woman’s affection for a man. It’s the regard of a craftsman who sees your usefulness and treasures a sharp tool. I’ve told you many times: you are mine.”
Kaikilia’s expression brimmed with unwavering confidence, as if her words held not a trace of deceit.
That look stirred a flicker of curiosity in me.
In the old days, with my life hanging by a thread dozens of times over, I wouldn’t have dreamed of trying it—but now, it felt feasible. Resolved, I spoke up.
“If so, then what meaning lay behind the kiss you bestowed on me in the imperial palace, Your Majesty?”
“……What?”
The arrogant curl of Kaikilia’s lips quivered.
“Your Majesty overlapped your lips with mine, saying I could handle myself alone. What did that action signify? Was it merely to show the Holy Father?”
“You impudent…….”
Kaikilia’s eye twitched as she looked up at me. The old me would’ve panicked at that face, convinced everything was going wrong.
But now? Not a whisper of that fear. I was so composed it surprised even me.
“Your Majesty. Do you not recall? Before we were pulled into this hell—what we were doing.”
I stepped forward. Kaikilia held herself rigidly straight, facing me, but as the gap closed, I sensed her hesitate.
“Don’t spout nonsense from that gaping mouth, Captain of the Black Nocturnal Knights. Even my patience has limits.”
“May this disloyal subject test just how far those limits stretch?”
Locking eyes with the emperor and uttering such drivel—unthinkable in the past. Yet believing she tacitly allowed it, I couldn’t hold back.
If my actions truly irked her, if they truly overstepped, Kaikilia could’ve drawn her holy sword or bellowed in earnest to halt me on the spot.
But she didn’t.
Eyes bulging, lips spitting impertinence—yet she waited obediently, patiently, for what I’d do next.
“You…….”
Kaikilia muttered something, too quiet to catch. I took another step closer. Her expression hadn’t shifted yet.
That changed the moment my right hand—coat parted slightly—rested on her side, veiled by the white dress shirt.
—Twitch!
The mere touch sent Kaikilia’s body shuddering. A faint rustle sounded as my fingers grazed the flesh beneath the shirt.
Grit. Kaikilia glared, teeth grinding.
That was it. Face contorting wildly, jaws clenched tight.
No swatting my hand, no real anger, no direct retaliation—despite her power to do so effortlessly.
Her body simply spasmed and quivered at my fingers’ touch, yielding all the while.
“……Don’t get arrogant and run wild, Captain of the Black Nocturnal Knights. Daring to lay hands on my—”
“You could pin down the likes of me with one hand. If my touch truly repulses you, then do it.”
I began stroking her narrow waist slowly. Fingertips registered only the shirt’s coarse weave, but it sufficed. This wasn’t for my enjoyment.
Kaikilia first strained to keep a fierce scowl, but each stroke triggered involuntary twitches she couldn’t suppress.
My index nail scraped lightly from side to lower ribs, and a moan slipped past her clamped lips.
“Impudent... wretch…… Hnng…….”
Her words fractured, halting. Head drooped, hiding her face—but I could picture it clear enough.
‘……Is her whole body one giant erogenous zone?’
Of the women I’d known, Lize topped sensitivity. Eyes glazing from a kiss, panties soaked by breast-kneading alone.
Even Lize paled next to Kaikilia. The Pope sisters and Aurora didn’t compare.
I’d told her to resist if she hated it—silence her answer—so my hand boldened. Palm fully cupped her iliac crest.
“Uh…… Haah, ngh…….”
Kaikilia’s heated exhale ghosted my uniform’s chest, warming it faintly. Wayward hands balled into trembling fists.
Palm pressed to iliac crest, I kneaded her side like dough. The fabric-sheathed waist molded perfectly to my hand. Firm, toned muscles.
Thump. Her forehead met my chest. A plain admission: no resistance intended. Grasping that, as my other hand started to reach—
“I gouged out the eyes…… though.”
The sidelined third party’s voice cut in.
I turned. Margarita stared, baffled—one hand clutching a demon eye dripping crimson-black blood, the other a sword caked in it.
“Uh, sorry. Wait longer? Was gonna signal when done. No intent to interrupt. Honest.”
Margarita displayed the eyeball atop her left palm, sneaking peeks at us—Kaikilia far more than me.
I lifted my hand from her side. Kaikilia huffed raggedly, catching her breath, utterly ignoring Margarita.
‘……She’ll be okay?’
Cautiously, I steadied Kaikilia by the shoulder. Even that contact drew a twitch and soft “Hic” from her.
A simmering glare bored from the side.
“What of the demon?”
“Still kicking. Those bastards cling to life like roaches—you lot wiping them quick is the freak show.”
Fair point. Margarita’s plain sword, unblessed, couldn’t finish demons. Still, neatly snagged the eyes.
“I’ll handle the kill.”
I neared it, slamming Wingless Nightmare into its skull. The four-winged demon convulsed massively once, then head lolled. The end.
“Now, onto the next…….”
“Ah, hold up. Night’s falling soon. Rest now, leave at dawn?”
“Night’s no better for sight anyway. We could go now.”
Hell mimicked day-night.
“Night” here meant the blood-sky thing blazing deeper red, drowning all in scarlet.
“Sorry for stalling, but I’m spooked. Can’t tote this eyeball forever.”
“Ah, right.”
Simple enough. Lugging a palm-sized orb fragile as glass? Dicey.
Could leave her behind, but blood might lure demons to Margarita.
“Then, off once the bloodlight dims.”
“Hnng…… Hn…….”
Deep night. In a red-shrouded world, Kaikilia perched on a nearby rock, quaking as lewd moans escaped her.
Day’s events wouldn’t leave her—body refused stillness.
Eclipsed by the miracle of living humans in hell, prior and later happenings demanded reckoning.
Climaxing from a mere kiss. Straining every sinew to choke back moans from side-strokes alone. Powerless to resist once.
Kaikilia couldn’t fathom her body’s hypersensitivity. No woman crests from tongue-play—
“Ah……?”
A memory surged.
Lip-lock’s nostril-filling male musk. Throat-invading clear saliva. Buttock-groping brute hands.
“Eut, kuh?!”
Recall hit; body jerked, small climax rippling. Spasms easing, she panted harsh, finger sneaking betwixt thighs.
Faint slickness.
Imagination alone, that memory alone—this state. Her body screamed dysfunction.
Kaikilia fingertip-traced suit’s cleft. Nothing. No pleasure, scarce sense of touching privates through cloth. Wrong.
That man’s touch—even side alone, sans secret folds—
“Grrk?!”
Stars burst in Kaikilia’s skull.
Waist bucked wild, hips writhing. Teeth gritted to fight—but intensified finger-pressure on privates, twisting her anew.
Brain-blanking whiteout dragged. Nigh to dampness liquefying betwixt legs, she yanked finger free.
Ragged gasps heaved; fingertip wiped on garb. Body molten-mush feeling. Arousal tamped—not quenched. Mishap meant instant peak.
Shuddering legs borne, she trudged to withered-tree hut. Curtains layered thick blunted the red glow.
Golden pupils swept interior. Innermost triple-curtained bed: Margarita slept.
Black-uniformed man: chair-bound. Delta eyes shut serene, torso slanted, head bookshelf-propped.
“Hup…….”
Sight snapped gaze to his lips; recalled press buckled her waist.
Hand muffling mouth, spine bowed taut, thighs clamped, free hand desk-braced—stifling eruption.
Madness. Utter lunacy. Women so fragile? Never.
Books said women needed sustained stimulus for peak. Her? Mere thoughts.
‘Impossible.’
Fiercely denying, peach-essence wafting thick, Kaikilia stalked toward Delta, teeth-clenched lips leaking fevered breaths.
Reached goal swift. Delta mere breath away. Gazed down mutely. Vision whirled.
Enthralled haze—she straddled thigh, legs splayed. Eyes locked Delta’s face long since. Lips too—
“What are you doing atop me?”
Black eyes abruptly meeting hers froze Kaikilia lightning-struck.