Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Does the Sheep Dream of Freedom? #1
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I've heard it somewhere before.
Men, when they sense their life is in danger, ejaculate for the sake of propagating the species.
When I first heard that, I thought men were such pitiful creatures.
They live for the species, and even die for it.
And now, I'm feeling that truth acutely.
"Don't stop. If you do, I'll punish you."
Aira said firmly as the urge to cum built up inside me.
If this kept going, all the semen I'd held back for days would surely come pouring out into her hand.
To ejaculate into the queen's hand.
That was undoubtedly a grave crime.
I could guess what happened to the puppy that sneaked into the female tiger's den, lost to lust.
Ejaculation means execution.
That life-or-death tension chilled my heart, and ironically, sensing the threat to my life only heightened the urge even more.
My brain felt like it was frying, the pleasure so intense it was driving me mad.
"That's it, keep moving like that. Don't stop."
"Y-Yes, understood."
Since it had come to this, I decided to give her a grand release that would satisfy her.
As if I were really trying to rape her, I leaned my upper body forward even more, speeding up my hips.
Damn this woman.
I wanted to shove up that shirt and bury my face in her breasts.
I wanted to suck on her lips.
Squelch, squelch-. Squelch-.
Her wet palm made smooth, soft sounds as it gripped my cock even tighter, wrapping around it slowly. The sensation of a woman's body enveloping my dick—.
Unable to hold back, I let out a short groan, "Urgh-," and spurted my hot load all over Aira's hand.
Spurt, spurt, spurt-.
The sensation of the semen I'd pent up for days erupting from my twitching cock was vivid.
It soaked her hand and even splattered onto her stomach and breasts.
Only then did Aira slowly release my cock.
"This is a man's semen...?"
She stared at the sticky white fluid clinging to her hand, her face flushed red, examining it this way and that as if it were something utterly fascinating.
"It's hot, and so sticky. Feels weird."
Sniff sniff—she even smelled my semen, and I felt the hairs on my head stand on end.
"It has a strange floral scent. Nymphs' hair or saliva are said to be materials for rare magic tools...."
"I'll get you a towel to wipe it off, so just—."
"It's fine. Clean-."
Snap-.
With a flick of her fingers, all the foreign substances on Aira's body vanished in an instant. As far as I knew, this was the 3rd Circle spell Clean. It used telekinesis principles, though I didn't know the details.
Thanks to this magic, Aira never really needed to wash her body.
The stains and aftermath on her body were cleanly erased by magic. But the process of it all lingered vividly in my mind.
I'd ejaculated into Aira's palm.
Like a dog.
It felt utterly humiliating, like a total defeat as a human.
Frustrating.
So, to distract from these emotions, I started some more practical calculations.
What fallout would this bring?
What if word of this got out?
Of course, Aira didn't seem the type to blab about it.
Still, I figured I should warn her firmly, just in case.
"...Lady Aira-. As wise and discerning as you are, you must know this, but what happened today should remain a secret from everyone."
"Why?"
"If rumors spread that you consorted with a lowly thing like me—. It could cause issues for your future marriage prospects—."
"Theo, didn't I tell you not to bring that up?"
At the mention of marriage, Aira snapped, truly angry.
"I'll decide on marriage myself."
"...My apologies."
Marriage talk really was a minefield.
One way to derail the novel's episodes slipped further away. Aira truly seemed to have no interest in marriage.
"I'm not getting married. So tell that bastard Kasim to stop sending letters. Just hearing his name makes me nauseous."
"Understood."
Kasim's name brought to mind a tanned-skinned man who flashed by in my thoughts.
He was a prince from the neighboring minor nation of Turki, a rich oil baron type who'd been courting Aira for years. He was also pegged as a marriage candidate for her.
Of course, the power gap between the mighty Angmar Empire—which could once be called an empire—and the weak Turki was like the US versus Somalia.
Yet Kasim dared court Aira boldly because of his magical prowess.
He was a 5th Circle mage, worthy of the title "Great."
High-level mages must marry other high-level mages—that was the rule of this world. Otherwise, dangerous things could happen.
His ancient royal bloodline. His magical talent.
Kasim was the perfect match for Aira in many ways. Though she clearly despised him.
"I've never seen a bigger hypocrite. Seriously, he makes me sick."
Not just dislike—hatred.
Pushing this topic further felt like planting my own death flag, so I shut my mouth.
Despite everything, Aira and I ended up lying together under the fresh, fluffy blankets again.
She hugged me like I was a giant teddy bear, settling in for sleep. Her breasts pressing against my face were so soft and warm.
I wanted to touch them with my hands, but I wasn't reckless enough for that.
"Theo, I feel like I know you a bit better now."
Aira showed some fondness toward me.
I'd learned more about Aira today too.
She'd made me lick her body, given me a handjob.
From these circumstances, it was reasonable to suspect she liked me. But no—Aira's feelings were a bit different.
She saw me as a kind of pet.
Yes.
Just as I saw Squirrel Kungkung as a pet, Aira saw me that way.
Since she didn't view me as an equal human, she felt no shame showing her naked body or doing even more intimate things.
There was no room for romantic affection between man and woman.
Could Aira, whose emotional scale was broken, even love anyone besides herself?
Her own weight was always heaviest on that scale.
"Theo, anything you want to say before sleep?"
Aira spoke to me then.
My cool release, sacrificing my male pride, seemed to put her in a good mood.
I'd half-expected this.
Before drifting off in a good mood.
When Aira's attitude and heart were most open.
I resolved to bring up what I'd been holding back—and thinking about—for days, no, months. Now or never.
Right before the hero appears. Perfect timing.
Time to go all-in.
"Um—."
My turn.
"Say anything."
"I'll resign from my position as court gardener."
─All-in.
* * *
At some point, my thoughts had led to this conclusion.
If this world truly was a novel.
I must never let the novel's story control me—.
I, Taeo Gasfel, was a character headed for execution. And Aira was the same.
If I just followed the novel's episodes, I'd end up on the guillotine like inescapable fate.
So, to avoid that, what action should I take?
Simple.
Do something the treacherous villain "Taeo Gasfel" from the novel would never do. And that leads here.
Letting go of what I have.
The greedy villain Taeo would never do such a thing.
"...What?"
Aira looked like she couldn't believe what I'd said.
Rustle-. She sat up in bed, still holding me.
"Theo, what did you just say?"
To her question, I stated my resolve even more clearly.
"I, Taeo Gasfel, will step down from my court gardener position."
"......"
Whoosh-.
Aira released me from her embrace. We ended up sitting face-to-face on the bed, staring at each other.
Her expression was blank. Utterly neutral, impossible to read—until her brows furrowed slightly.
"Theo. Quitting the court. Do you know what that means?"
"I do."
"What will you do after leaving the court?"
"That's what I'm—."
As I tried to explain, Aira cut me off a beat faster.
"You're not thinking of going back to that Elga woman, are you? The Lioness family. I knew you two met and talked sometimes behind my back."
Whoooosh-.
Aira's hair stood on end. At the same time, everything in my room shook violently.
Books tumbled from shelves, teacups and plates shattered noisily on the floor.
And finally, the words came from Aira's mouth.
"She seduced you, didn't she? Convinced you to start a rebellion? The Lioness family has always been dissatisfied."
This was heading in a dangerous direction.
"Yeah, maybe. Maybe even my brother and sister were killed by the Lioness bastards. Cowards—."
If Aira turned hostile to the Lioness family—her solid backing—she'd suffer fatal losses, no matter how strong she was.
Even as a powerful mage, Elga was a knight of comparable strength.
If they clashed, Aira wouldn't escape injury. And the hyenas waiting for that moment wouldn't miss it.
But I'd anticipated this reaction.
Within expected range.
"This has nothing to do with Elga Lioness. I swear on Your Majesty's name, this is my independent decision."
"Your own? Theo, Taeo Gasfel. Fine, say you decided it yourself. What can you do without me?"
"Well—."
"What can you possibly do without me—?"
Hey, let me speak, damn it.
"A slave from an orphanage. Without me, you're nothing. Don't you get that yet?"
Aira was half-mad.
Born the youngest royal daughter, she'd lived getting everything she wanted, finally seizing the throne.
To her, the world was a display shelf within arm's reach.
She only felt satisfied clutching what she desired in her hand.
But things slipping from her grasp? That was probably foreign to her.
No, she'd lost family consecutively, so maybe not entirely....
"Theo."
Aira's eyes lost their spark, like a dead person's. Only her lips spat sharp thorns of words.
"How much have I cherished you. And you dare betray my kindness like this? You're nothing without me—!"
Even I'd seen ugly things, but this stung my heart.
"I'm the queen! Absolute ruler! No one leaves my side without my permission! Not family, not you!"
In the end, I was just Aira's slave.
Of course, I wanted to believe it wasn't sincere.
She probably didn't even know what she was saying.
Crack, crash-.
Her roar finally shattered the windows.
High-grade glass reinforced with barriers, unbreakable even by an elephant—shattered by voice alone.
It hit me anew who I was dealing with.
Aira, the Witch Queen—the hero's greatest nemesis, the worst adversary for the villain hunter.
I had to defeat her alone, without the hero's power or allies' help.
I could do it.
I'd managed so far.
The fact she hadn't ripped my head off the moment I spoke was half a success.
So, I started flipping my all-in cards one by one.
"Even if I quit the court, it's just for one year."
"What—?"
"Just give me one year. Exactly one year. I don't even know who I am. There's so much I want to learn."
"......"
"For you, Lady Aira, I need to hone better uses. As you said, I've been a useless slave."
Feeling my sincerity, Aira's snake-like bristling hair slowly settled back down to her shoulders.
"...No need for that. Theo, I've never once thought you useless—. You've always helped me."
See that.
Didn't she just say something about a slave's place? Contradicting herself.
But I understood.
Aira wasn't in her right mind now.
Her sole emotional anchor in the palace was trying to leave her side—she wanted to stop it, somehow.
Even with insincere barbs.
Aira was clumsy.
"So—."
Just a broken, clumsy girl.
That's why, not as the Taeo who'd watched her for the past year.
As human to human.
As reason to Aira, I spoke my true feelings to her for the first time.
"Let's go together."