Unfamiliar Training
Whether Zarco knew about her pounding heart or not, he simply held her hand and watched the Lumirod's glow. As the throbbing eased and a wave of absurdity threatened to rise, the light slowly dimmed.
“Y-you… I told you not to…!”
“Look. The light weakened.”
“Ugh…!”
Seeing Ceres's expression, Zarco sighed and dropped down onto the spot. “We have to figure this out, Ceres. Which parts, what kind of contact, and how much reinforcement it gives. Do you want me pressing my mouth to your chest every time?”
“Zarco! Ugh…”
“If you really want to minimize that kind of contact, the answer is to test it now. Trust me, Ceres.”
“…”
“If we don't figure it out now, we'll have to do it in the middle of battle. And then I won't care whether Dain sees or not.”
“…Haa.”
Dain's face flashed through her mind. In the end, Ceres had no choice but to close her mouth, but she refused to let Zarco keep using Dain's name like a weapon.
“Just so you know, it's not like I like Dain or anything. …We're just childhood friends.”
“Then it's fine.”
“Haa… So what do I have to do?”
“Thanks for understanding, Ceres. Then, for starters, would you lie face down?”
Ceres's sighs never seemed to end. Just as she was about to roll over, Zarco stopped her and spoke in a casual tone.
“Ah, take your clothes off first.”
“…What?”
“Don't worry. You can keep your underwear on.”
“H-have you lost your mind?”
Zarco didn't bother arguing. He simply waited for her to undress, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His utter confidence left her speechless. She knew he wouldn't back down, and she had no real argument to offer. She couldn't even be sure this was the right thing to do. Her mind spun in confusion until she caught his expression and let out a deep sigh. She just wanted this over with. If she did what he asked and sent him away, maybe she could return to some kind of peace.
“…Turn around.”
Only the sound of fabric brushing against skin filled the quiet tent. Ceres hesitated over whether to remove her top or skirt first, then realized it didn't matter and reached for her top. As it lifted, her smooth stomach came into view—slightly soft at the bottom, with faint hints of abs near the top. Her body grew hot. Once the top was off, her breasts spilled out, barely contained by the large bra. Trying not to think about it, she grabbed her bottoms and pulled them down. The saintess outfit Lilia had given her had always felt a little too small. Maybe it was the stifling heat inside the tent, but the skirt caught on her hips before sliding down smoothly with the help of sweat, bringing a rush of cool air to her lower body.
Standing there half-naked while Zarco faced away, a strange feeling brushed through her mind. The tent felt unbearably cramped. Sweat beaded on the back of Zarco's neck as well. Gripping the Lumirod, her face flushed for reasons she couldn't name, Ceres slowly lay down behind the hero. Even at the sound, Zarco said nothing.
Am… am I supposed to say something…?
Even in her underwear, her body kept growing hotter. Now the only sounds in the tent were their breathing. Ceres swallowed at the strange, slightly mingled sound of her own breath and buried her face between her arms. Her tongue brushed her drying lips, and her eyes trembled faintly.
“…I'm done.”
“…Okay.”
She heard him turn and squeezed her eyes shut. What was he thinking? Were her breasts and hips too big? Would he think she looked fat from the side? She felt nothing. Zarco wasn't touching her at all. What was he doing? The thought of him simply staring at her exposed body made her chest tighten. Her breathing quickened, but she forced herself to keep still so her body wouldn't move too much. Where was he looking right now? Her legs? Her back? Her hips? Ceres swallowed again. Just as she was about to snap at him, unable to bear it any longer—
“…Hng!”
Zarco's hand touched the sole of her foot. It tickled, but more than that, a sharp, electric sensation shot up her spine and made her body tremble. His sweat-slick fingers slid between her toes, and the tension she'd been holding throughout her body began to loosen bit by bit. From the top of her foot to her ankle, his hand slowly traced upward along her leg. Zarco brushed over her calf before slipping his hand behind her knee. She wondered if anyone had ever touched her there before. He tapped lightly, as if gauging her reaction, then squeezed her thigh several times before gripping it again. His fingers were long, but not quite enough to fully encircle her thigh. He kneaded the muscle up and down, then grabbed the back and shook it lightly from side to side. Feeling her thigh jiggle in his grasp, Ceres bit her lip. Then, without warning, his hand slid between her thighs.
Did he notice her flinch? His breath brushed her ear, as if he were checking the Lumirod she held. The heat of it made her heart clench tighter. As his hand moved slowly again between her thighs, Ceres's breathing grew louder. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the Lumirod's light flashing brightly. She felt his fingers spread apart between her thighs, as if they might brush against her most intimate place at any moment. If he touched her there, she would jump up and scream at him. Go ahead and touch me if you're going to, she thought, even as the power of her Authority surged violently through her body—faster than before.
“…! Haa…”
With a soft sound, his hand withdrew and settled on her buttocks. So it wasn't that spot after all. The tension drained from her body in a long sigh. Zarco stroked her now-limp backside and gave it light taps. Each touch made her flesh ripple, and his breath against her skin made her unconsciously tense her thighs, drawing her legs together. She felt the pressure of his knee between them growing stronger. While his hands continued to toy with her hips, one of her legs slowly began to part. Her knee rose until it was level with her pelvis. Right in front of Zarco's eyes, between her spread legs, her underwear-clad crotch was now fully visible. How far had the fabric ridden up? She wanted nothing more than to reach down and fix it. Please don't be looking there. Please just be touching my hips. Lost in that thought, she failed to notice how much more insistent and slick his hands had become on her backside.
“It's really soft.”
“…Hey… hng.”
Ceres immediately swallowed the rest of her words. The voice that had slipped out carried a seductive tone that startled even her. Why? She wanted this to end quickly, so why had she sounded like that? Before she could sort through her thoughts, Zarco's hand squeezed her buttocks hard.
“Ugh… aaah…”
She wished the only sensation was pain. In the sweltering heat of the tent, surrounded by the scent of their sweat and the slippery slide of skin beneath his grip, Ceres felt an unfamiliar, hazy pleasure she had never experienced before. While her mind spun, that sensation filled her body and spilled out between her lips. Her eyes, unfocused, stared at the rapidly flashing Lumirod.
“Haa~ah…”
Dain stretched with a yawn. The tea Zarco had given her had worked wonders. Her body felt completely refreshed, with no trace of fatigue or stiffness. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so deeply. Stepping out of the tent, the cool morning air wrapped around her pleasantly. Sunlight filtered through the trees, gradually turning the sky a clear blue.
“Oh, Zarco.”
Zarco returned from the forest carrying an armful of firewood. When she greeted him brightly, he only gave a slight nod. Normally she might have felt slighted, but now that she understood how he expressed himself, she simply smiled.
“Getting breakfast ready?”
“Yeah. We should start soon.”
“That tea you gave me was amazing. I slept straight through without waking once.”
“Really? That's good.”
“Let's see, Ceres is… still asleep? I'll go wake her. Let's prepare together.”
Dain strode over to Ceres's tent. She could hear the soft, steady sound of Ceres breathing in her sleep.
“Hey, Ceres. Wake up, it's morning. I'm opening the flap.”
“Mmm~mm…”
“Fine.”
Dain lifted the tent flap, and Ceres's buttocks, peeking out from under the blanket, greeted her. The scene from in front of the golden fragrance flowers flashed through her mind again. The panties looked even more dangerously ridden up than before. Dain hurriedly closed the flap and turned away. Did Ceres usually sleep in just her underwear? Standing there dazed, replaying the sight in her head, she noticed Zarco watching her with his usual indifferent expression. Dain shook her head and turned back to the tent, calling out again.
“Hey, Ceres! It's morning! Get up!”
“Ugh~mm… I'm up~”
At the sound of rustling, she immediately went to help Zarco with the fire. Even as her hands worked with the firewood, the image of Ceres's backside refused to leave her mind. Soon after, Ceres emerged, rubbing her eyes and dressed, yawning as she stepped outside.
“Mmm~haa. Morning, Dain.”
“Ah, morning.”
Ceres approached, still half-asleep and wobbling slightly. When her gaze landed on Zarco, her eyes widened a fraction. Zarco, still looking at the firewood, greeted her.
“Sleep well, Ceres?”
“Y-yeah. Zarco…”
Ceres's face seemed faintly flushed.