Chapter 67: Stolen Fruit Tastes Sweeter (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: Stolen Fruit Tastes Sweeter (1)
Everyone has to work.
Labor is a sacred duty that transcends status, age, and gender.
Naturally, I have work to do here in the Imperial Capital as well.
To put it simply, I have to send incredibly dull and tedious reports to my father and older brother.
"Next year's tax rate will remain the same as this year... Personnel changes in the cabinet..."
And so on.
I diligently wrote down brief summaries of the information and trends I had gathered in the Imperial Capital.
To be honest, it was mind-numbingly boring.
I wanted to dump these reports on Matthias and play with Sitri, who was currently clinging to my back.
"Then why do you not do so?"
"A man can't live his life doing only what he wants. You know that, so why ask?"
"I only say it because you are staring at that boring paper instead of my face~"
I could finish this quickly if I just focused, so I really wished she would stay still for a moment.
Sitri eventually began stroking the nape of my neck before sliding her hand inside my clothes.
"Ugh..."
"Fufu, does that tickle? You must stay focused, though. A man cannot live his life doing only what he wants, can he?"
"Oh, for heaven's sake..."
"Being teased by you is wonderful, but teasing you is quite delightful as well. Fufufu."
I managed to finish the reports by sheer force of will.
The handwriting on the report for my brother was quite shaky thanks to Sitri... but I’m sure he’ll let it slide.
Finally, I dripped candle wax onto the letters and finished the seal using the signet ring from my drawer.
"What, finished already?"
"Yeah. Get over here!"
Matthias could handle the reports later.
Right now, I pinned the Great Demon who had been pestering me onto the desk.
"Heh, now it is my turn to be teased by you. Go on... do as you wish."
With that, Sitri used her magic power to make her conjured clothes vanish.
Once again, I couldn't help but let out a gasp of admiration at her magnificent breasts and the elegant curves of her waist and hips...
"Why are you just staring?"
"Well... I wonder..."
Teasing usually involves doing something the other person dislikes.
But if I kissed Sitri, she would eagerly meet my tongue with hers, and if I touched her, she would let out ecstatic cries of pleasure.
Well, I had no intention of kissing or fondling a woman who didn't want it in the first place, but...
"I can't really call this teasing..."
"Mmm~ Hurry up and touch me~"
Why was she acting so uncharacteristically cute and coquettish?
She usually maintained the dignified tone of a 'hopeless-pussy' Great Demon.
"Hmm, 20 points."
"Wh-what? What is with that ridiculous score? I even acted cute for you."
"It felt like you were reading from a textbook. It was worse than not doing it at all."
"Hmph... Then do you really intend to just leave me like this...?"
Sitri merely looked like she was about to pout, but my heart gave a sharp squeeze.
When one possesses overwhelming power, technique becomes meaningless.
Since my work was done, I finally pressed my lips against Sitri's snow-white neck.
"Haah...!"
Mwah... "Thanks, Sitri."
"Mmm... Why so sudden...? Ah, right there...!"
"For holding me every day, and for being happy every day."
"Fufu, I am grateful as well. For loving me and filling me every day. Mwah... Haah..."
Past Sitri's head as she kissed me back, I saw her tail swaying.
I don't know if she realized it, but Sitri always wagged her tail like that when she was feeling good.
The moment I instinctively gave her tail a gentle stroke, Sitri flinched and pulled her lips away.
"The—the tail is...!"
"Hahaha, the tail really is sensitive, isn't it?"
"It is... It is hard enough dealing with Helena and Natalia, so do not you start as well..."
"Huh? Those two try to touch your tail?"
"It—it is more than that! I have never seen such women in my life! How could they ask me to insert my tail into them!"
As a man, I couldn't quite wrap my head around it, but apparently, Sitri's tail looked quite 'stoppable' to Helena and Natalia.
It was black, firm, and radiated body heat... and while its girth paled in comparison to mine... it was much longer...
"Hmm... why not give it a try?"
"Wh-what are you saying!"
"Speaking as the one who's always doing the thrusting, Helena and Natalia are top-tier. The first time I held Helena, I almost finished the moment I went in."
"Is... is that so...?"
I might get to see quite a rare sight soon.
The look on Sitri's face as she fell into deep thought made me think so...
"Ugh?!"
Suddenly, my body felt strange.
My heart began to race frantically, cold sweat broke out, and my hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.
Fortunately, it subsided quickly... but what on earth was that?
However, Sitri's expression had turned incredibly serious.
"It seems you felt it as well."
"What was that? Did my magic power go haywire again?"
"No, it was not that. You are still perfectly controlling my magic power."
"Then what was it?"
"It seems something has happened to one of my vassals. Normally, only I can feel this sensation... but since you and I are essentially one in body and soul, you felt the backlash as well."
Sitri's vassals were Natalia and Valeria.
But Natalia was currently outside the window, clashing swords with Helena.
In that case...
"Valeria."
"Yes."
I immediately grabbed the Demon Sword Sitri from the wall and leaped out the window.
*
Following Sitri's guidance, I sprinted across the rooftops of the Imperial Capital.
I kicked off the roof of one mansion to leap and landed on the roof of a merchant guild.
Flying over the capital like a superhero—the kind they say has great responsibility because of his great power—I landed in front of Valeria's mansion.
"Is it here?"
"Yes. It seems Valeria is on the highest floor."
I was already planning to head for the top floor.
Nobles usually lived in the highest part of their mansions.
I bypassed the guards using suggestion and ran straight toward Valeria.
Click...
As soon as I reached the third floor, a half-open door across the luxurious drawing room caught my eye.
I drew Sitri slightly from her scabbard, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
'No signs of an intruder or bloodstains... I suppose that's a relief.'
Figuring out what happened could wait.
Checking on Valeria was the priority.
Clearing my cluttered mind, I cautiously stepped through the open door.
The moment I entered the room, I saw Valeria sitting alone, trembling violently.
"Valeria!"
"D—Darling...!"
The look on Valeria's face as she saw me was a mix of bewilderment, terror, relief, and joy.
And in front of her...
"It is Michael."
"Dammit..."
Only then did I notice the fragments of a shattered crystal ball glittering on the floor.
I also saw Michael lying in the middle of them...
"Hmm, he reminds me of someone for some reason."
Just as Sitri said with a hint of amusement in her voice, the sight of Michael collapsed face-down with a nosebleed reminded me of my past life.
Furthermore, his scrawny buttocks and shriveled junk were completely exposed...
Dammit... Sitri's right, it reminds me of my past self... dying of a nosebleed with my pants half-down in front of a computer...
"Wh—what do I do...? Darling, I... I've never seen anything like this...!"
I snapped out of it thanks to Valeria clinging to me desperately.
Right, now wasn't the time to be dazed.
I roughly pulled Michael's pants up and placed my hand on his neck.
'Please be there... please... please...'
I checked the carotid artery in his neck with my right hand and the radial artery in his wrist with my left.
Faintly... very faintly, I felt a pulse.
Finally, I leaned my ear toward his nose and felt a breath so shallow it seemed it might stop at any moment.
In other words, Michael wasn't dead yet.
"What do you intend to do?"
"CPR!"
Fortunately, the CPR I learned in the army in my past life was still fresh in my memory.
The problem was time.
It had been about five minutes since Sitri sensed Valeria's distress and we arrived at the mansion.
That was just my perception; it could have been longer or shorter... but the important thing was that he had less than a minute left.
"First, clear the airway, lay him flat, tilt the head back... okay. Starting now!"
I immediately began pressing down hard on the center of Michael's chest, just above the solar plexus.
"Hup! Hup! Hup!"
Snap, crack... The sound of bones cracking or splintering traveled up through my hands.
I flinched instinctively, but I continued the chest compressions regardless.
"Hmm, it would be easier if you used enhancement magic. You are drenched in sweat."
"If I did that, I'd do more than just crack his ribs—I'd shatter them!"
If a broken bone pierced his heart or lungs, it would truly be over.
I wasn't a doctor, and there were no hospitals like a trauma center here.
Snap, crunch...
The sound of bones breaking and grinding continued to vibrate through my palms.
Thanks to my immortal body, I didn't tire, but sweat was pouring off me like rain.
Was he already dead?
Was the pulse I felt just an illusion born of my own hope?
Just as those thoughts began to surface...
"Cough... wheeze... Ugh...!"
"Lord Michael!"
"Guh... ugh..."
Michael regained consciousness, but his condition still looked critical.
I immediately cast healing magic on the broken and cracked bones and turned to Valeria.
"Call the servants! We need to get him to a doctor right now!"
"Y—yes!"
Valeria rushed downstairs.
Michael still couldn't move or speak, but he was breathing.
"Phew..."
The tension finally broke, and I slumped down beside Michael.
I'm just glad nothing happened to Valeria.
As I was thinking that, Sitri materialized in front of me as if she had been waiting.
"Hmm, I did not know you cared for Michael this much."
"It's not that I care... my body just moved on its own."
"Fufu, are you not disappointed? If Michael had died, you could have made Valeria entirely yours."
"Maybe... but then Valeria would have been miserable for the rest of her life. Thinking Michael died because of her."
"Hmm, do you think that woman would think that way?"
"Maybe not before, but she would now. That's why you felt her terror, isn't it?"
"I see," Sitri said, nodding.
Well... maybe it's because I saved him with my own hands, but I feel like it's better that Michael is alive.
For one, Valeria's guilt will be gone.
And there won't be any public rumors about her being a 'husband-killer.'
"And... because a new way to get him out of the way without him dying has presented itself."
"Oho, is that so? That is good to hear. Just as you do, I have taken a liking to Valeria."
"Hahaha, really?"
Soon, the sound of people rushing up the stairs reached us.
I naturally vanished into the shadows, waiting for the servants to take Michael away.
"Hurry, take him to the doctor!"
"Yes! You there! Grab the Master's legs! Do not let him shake!"
The servants who had rushed in like a tide receded just as quickly.
Now, only Valeria and I remained.
I took a seat next to Valeria, who had collapsed with a sigh.
"You did well, Lea."
"Darling..."
As if she had been waiting, Valeria threw herself into my arms.
Her snow-white neck and deep cleavage were tempting... but even so, this wasn't the right atmosphere.
'Is it because you've come up with an even better idea?'
'Haha... sorry, but tell Helena and Natalia I'll be late, Sitri.'
'Fufu, understood.'
Finally, I smoothed down Valeria's disheveled hair and spoke.
"Can you stand up, Lea?"
"Just a little longer... my heart won't stop racing..."
"Alright. Then let's rest a bit more, and then we'll go to the doctor where Michael is."
"Yes... he is still my husband, so I should go see him..."
"Of course. I'll go with you."
"Thank you, darling... I love you... If you hadn't been here, I really..."
Valeria is one thing, but I should probably thank Michael too.
Because I've become able to fulfill a dream I've secretly harbored.