Chapter 330: Bread and Dagger (28)
Chapter 330: Bread and Dagger (28)
The woman’s thoughts were a tangled mess.
It happened immediately after witnessing a sight she simply could not believe. She had fled the scene instinctively, as if running for her life.
Even though the aftershocks of the trauma made it difficult to even keep her footing.
The woman walked and walked until she finally returned to her bedroom. For a long time afterward, she sat there, staring blankly into space.
What was that act?
She still couldn't comprehend it.
The sight of the man and woman pressed against each other, their moans and cries intertwining, struck her with a shock far beyond anything she could have imagined. It was a scene she had only ever known through knowledge and theory.
Yes, she knew what they were doing.
The reproductive instinct was a desire shared by all living creatures. Even if a man and woman in their prime caught each other's eyes and spent a night together, it wasn't exactly an extraordinary event.
If only that man hadn't been the object of her unrequited love.
He was a silent, weighty man. It was painfully obvious that he wasn't the type to throw away his chastity lightly. This was a truth as certain as the immense trust she placed in him.
But why?
Why did he entwine his body with the successor of the Yurdina family?
All sorts of possibilities burrowed into her mind like tangled roots. But no matter how much she agonized over it, no answer came.
She had only managed to derive one most likely conclusion.
Ian Percus and Delphine Yurdina are lovers.
The moment that sentence crossed her mind, the woman forgot to breathe for a while.
Her chest tightened with a sharp, constricting pang, and a fierce pain pierced through her brain. She felt like she wanted to squeeze out a few tears.
It can't be. If it were true, there would have been rumors.
The woman regretted the past moment when she had been unable to sleep.
The silence of the unfamiliar place had simply felt too strange. When she left her bedroom for a change of pace, the outside was dark and quiet.
It was then that a certain intuition took hold of her.
There was an unnatural lack of presence.
It was only in a specific hallway. Though guards stood here and there, it was hard to deny that the level of security was unusually lax.
By the time she snapped out of it, she was already walking down that path.
And then she saw it.
The scene inside that room, where an untimely heat was raging.
That hellish nightmare that seeped in like an old stain, repeating endlessly.
The woman’s breath hitched; even pulling the covers over her head couldn't make her forget. Her heart grew heavier with misery, and she let out a low groan.
However, one question did arise.
Was it really that good?
The successor of Yurdina had glanced toward the door and flashed a winner’s smile.
Facing that cruel arc of a smirk, the woman realized.
That female was truly enjoying the situation.
Not a shred of pretense or falsehood could be felt in those pleasure-filled cries. It was the first time the woman had seen someone lose themselves so completely.
It was a sensation she had never even imagined.
Of course, she was a woman too.
She knew well enough that a day would come when she would offer her purity to the man she loved. Because of that, she had occasionally envisioned that future, but she never expected to witness such an explicit scene.
Her head was a whirlwind.
Should I tell the others?
But it required courage to confess that she had eavesdropped on their secret tryst. If they asked why she had been spying in silence, she would have no answer.
Would they believe her if she said her mind had simply gone blank?
That she hadn't been able to process any thoughts at all?
That night, the woman couldn't fall asleep until dawn.
She simply replayed that painful memory over and over until, without realizing it, she slowly slid her fingers downward.
"……Ngh."
It was damp.
So much so that she could tell even through her underwear.
*
The first thought that came to mind as soon as I opened my eyes in the morning was one thing.
"……I’m screwed."
It was a short, simple sentence.
There was no expression that could better summarize my current feelings. I used my mana to burn away the hangover that was throbbing in my brain.
I slowly turned my eyes to the side, and there lay a beauty with skin as white as snow.
The sound of her soft breathing was sweet. Her sharp nose, slender jawline, and delicate features boasted her immense beauty.
And what about the curves of her body?
Though hidden under the thick duvet, her naked form, which I had seen the night before, was close to a work of art. According to her, I was the only one who had ever laid eyes on it.
The sensation of that supple skin was still vivid.
This was the person I had frantically entwined my body with last night. The emotions I felt were bound to be complex.
I watched Senior Delphine’s face in silence for a moment.
She had been so provocative, yet her sleeping face looked so pure.
Even though I was the one who had taken that purity just last night.
A sigh escaped my lips involuntarily.
Who could have imagined this?
Until just a few months ago, I was merely the second son of a rural viscount, ranked in the lower-middle tier of the Academy. To think my first partner would be the successor of the great Yurdina family.
And her beauty was beyond reproach.
I sat up and scratched my head vigorously.
My mind was still a mess.
I didn't know what to do, especially since I had discharged my essence inside Senior Delphine last night.
Naturally, it was only right to take responsibility.
Just as I was rubbing my face with my hands in contemplation.
"Mmm……."
Senior Delphine let out a faint moan and opened her eyes.
After looking a bit dazed for a moment, she soon wore a soft smile.
It was a gentle, affectionate smile.
"Good morning, Master."
We had joined our bodies multiple times just yesterday.
Seeing that smile, the impulse to pounce on Senior Delphine again surged within me. Of course, since I had already cleared out the alcohol, no unfortunate accident occurred.
I simply averted my gaze out of embarrassment.
I heard Senior Delphine let out a small chuckle.
"What’s wrong? You’re so different from last night."
"No, well, I was a bit excited then……."
I tried to stammer out an excuse, but then I sighed again.
What kind of excuse could I possibly make?
In the end, I had to speak to Senior Delphine in a serious tone.
"In any case, I apologize for my rudeness last night. Since, well, I took a woman’s purity, I should naturally take responsibility……."
"It’s fine."
But despite my efforts to steel my resolve, Senior Delphine’s reaction was incredibly nonchalant.
My eyes turned toward her, filled with questions. Senior Delphine gave a thin smile and looked at me with seductive eyes.
Even the way she yawned and slid her arm out from under the covers was coquettish. Her breasts came into my view once again.
How much had I touched those voluminous mounds of flesh yesterday?
I became dazed again, lost in the memories of the previous night.
"I told you, didn't I? It’s just one very short day in a long life… and it was my fault too, so I don't plan on being clingy over a one-night stand."
A groan of deep thought escaped my lips.
Senior Delphine giggled as she watched me.
It was immediately after that an unexpected confession flowed from her lips.
"You know, I always thought I was alone."
It was a story I had never heard before.
Was it because our hearts had grown closer as our bodies had?
Senior Delphine casually poured out her true feelings, which she had kept tightly locked away.
"My life was one where I had to use even my family. And now, I have to doubt even the vassals I trusted, so I’ve been feeling depressed in many ways… A failure who can't even manage her subordinates, and a stupid girl who can't do anything without her Master."
"……Senior Delphine."
I wanted to tell her that her worries were groundless, that she was already more than competent and brilliant, but her reaction was faster than mine.
She gave me a pitiful, smiling look with her eyes.
It was a sign for me to stop.
I couldn't bring myself to refuse that request.
"But last night, for the first time in my life, I didn't feel alone. So thank you, Master… I feel a bit better now."
As she said, Senior Delphine’s mood seemed much improved.
She looked as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.
I watched her in silence for a moment before carefully asking again.
"But a child might be conceived, so first, I should take responsibility……."
"That’s good. Does that mean the next successor of Yurdina has already been decided then?"
Unlike me, who was asking with a nervous heart, Senior Delphine was perfectly relaxed.
Shouldn't it usually be the other way around?
I was even a bit puzzled.
But Senior Delphine seemed sincere.
"Don't worry too much. Getting pregnant isn't that simple, and well… I have my own ways. Besides, I already took plenty of responsibility yesterday."
I let out a hollow laugh.
The night had been long, and I had indeed put in a lot of effort. By the end, even Senior Delphine had fainted.
"I did trouble you all night."
"And we had another drink. Was it because the wine came from Master’s mouth? It tasted special."
It had been an ecstatic time.
My heart was heavy because of the implications, but I couldn't deny that I had spent a wonderful time with Senior Delphine.
At least for now, I felt the joy of the previous night was greater.
Until Senior Delphine added one more thing.
"Also, that expression, like a puppy who lost its master……."
She said it with a snicker.
Hearing that, I fell into deep thought.
Had I ever made such a face yesterday?
No matter how much I retraced my steps, no such memory came to mind, so I had to ask her back.
"……What expression?"
"The expression of a puppy who lost its master… Ah, didn't I tell you? Someone was peeking yesterday. No one from Yurdina would dare disobey my orders so openly, so it was probably one of the companions you brought along."
Those words Senior Delphine spoke with a playful smile.
As soon as I heard them, I stood there with a vacant expression, as if I had been struck by lightning.
Someone was watching?
In the end, I couldn't hold back the surge of questions.
"No, then you should have said something then……!"
"And let who have all the fun?"
But Senior Delphine merely snorted and dismissed my anger.
"Were you going to stop? We had already joined our bodies, and the other person witnessed the whole scene… What would have changed if I told you then?"
It was a logical rebuttal.
So I had no choice but to suppress my emotions, which were burning like a wildfire.
As if she had expected this, Senior Delphine said with a relaxed smile.
"Try your best. If you have nowhere else to go, come to my side. My body is always yours, Master."
I opened my mouth to say something, but eventually closed it again.
Senior Delphine was right.
The milk was already spilled. It was too late for regrets.
And just then, as if to soothe me, Senior Delphine began to act coquettishly.
"My Master says he's angry with his words, but……."
A slender hand reached out and fumbled, touching my groin.
I flinched, but seeing Senior Delphine’s seductive gaze, I stopped resisting.
It felt silly to pull away now.
"Your body is honest, isn't it?"
She pressed her body close to mine, whispering along with the sweet scent of her skin.
"Master, I’d like to have some breakfast……."
I had no excuses left to refuse.
"……Shall I do it with my mouth?"
Only after some time had passed was I able to leave Senior Delphine’s chambers.
With a new worry tucked away in a corner of my heart.
Just who on earth had peeked at the tryst between me and Senior Delphine?
*
I didn't have much time to dwell on it.
A battlefield was like a writhing, living organism. It was a place where it wouldn't be strange for anything to happen at any moment.
That also meant it was a place where information was paramount.
The mission I was given was to re-secure lost information and root out the traitor.
Since it was a matter of urgency, my companions and I had to head for the front lines without delay.
With yet another mystery held in my heart.
The attitudes of the women surrounding me were becoming somewhat suspicious.
The first of them was Senior Elsie.