Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: How a Sheep Survives in a Lion's Den #5
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“What? What did you just say? Did I hear that wrong?”
Elga’s reaction was just as flustered as I’d imagined.
Her face flushed red like boiled octopus, sweat dripping down profusely.
“If my ears aren’t playing tricks on me, it sounds like you just made a crazy request. You, of all people, want to touch a marquess’s daughter’s breasts?”
Elga dismissed my resolve as a mad request.
She wasn’t wrong, really.
To dare ask to touch the breasts of a noble lady—no, a daughter of a great house like the Lioness family, treated as precious since the dawn of creation.
It was a request that deserved having my head chopped off by the guards on the spot.
Of course, there were no guards here right now.
But Elga, more dangerous than ten guards combined, scowled fiercely like she couldn’t even put it into words.
“You, that was a capital offense just now. You know that, right? Considering all the hard work you’ve done for the country so far, I’ll let it slide this once. Pretend I didn’t hear it, so don’t ever say that again.”
So, she refused after all.
Failure it is.
Even Elga wasn’t so lacking in propriety as to let a man grope her breasts on a whim.
Her guard was tougher than I thought.
At this rate, I couldn’t call it controlling Elga at my whim.
“I’m sorry. Then, please pretend you didn’t hear it.”
“Fine. I’m feeling merciful and generous today, so I forgive you. And don’t you dare say that to any other girls out there. Ever. Even if they say it’s okay, don’t touch. You’ll get the death penalty.”
“Yes. Of course.”
I gave a suitable reply and quickly ran a self-review of what just happened.
Hotshot guys supposedly cross the line with girls who like them in a single day.
How the hell do those guys shatter a woman’s defenses in one day?
They handle all sorts of problems effortlessly, but for me, man-woman relationships are the hardest.
Romance between men and women. If I could just master that, seducing and controlling Elga and Aira according to my plans would be a piece of cake.
But for a total newbie like me, it was way too difficult.
My confidence, boosted by recent events, plummeted.
Is it my face?
Is a handsome face the answer?
No, this face of mine isn’t ugly by any means. If anything, it’s closer to handsome.
The big scar right in the middle is the flaw, I suppose.
Zing, zing—
Right then, I felt a throbbing pain from my right eyebrow down to my cheek.
As soon as I became aware of the scar on my face, it started hurting like it sometimes did.
Swish—
So I raised my hand and gently stroked the scar. Rubbing it like this eases the pain a bit.
But seeing that, a shadow fell over Elga’s face.
“What’s that? You. Right now. Are you saying I made that scar on your face? Are you trying to guilt-trip me or something?”
Guilt-trip?
Wondering what she meant, I recalled that Elga was the one who made this scar. One year ago, before heading to the court banquet for Aira’s birthday.
“It was right here back then too. You suddenly dragged me to this spot. I thought I was in for a knuckle sandwich.”
Memories from that time flooded back vividly.
Like always, dragged to this training ground, I figured I’d be Elga’s stress-relief sandbag—taking noogies or having my cheeks pulled.
“Then you suddenly pulled out a dagger, and I was shocked.”
“Hey, I had no choice. Aira doesn’t take interest in anything flawed or stained.”
Slash—
Elga skillfully drew the dagger from my eyebrow to my cheek, carving the wound.
It was my first time being cut on the face with a blade, so I was really startled, and there was so much blood it scared me.
“Aira always takes the best of what I have. A half-nymph slave who does prophecies? Of course she’d snatch it. Though back then, I didn’t know it was a half-nymph…”
Swish, swish—
Elga started rubbing the dirt floor with her shoe again, digging a hole. In that action, I spotted what I could call a chink in her heart.
Could I exploit this chink?
After some calculations, I spoke like grasping at the last straw.
“This scar still throbs every night.”
“So I said I’m sorry! I only meant to leave a little mark. You moved, so it got bigger. It’s your fault!”
Elga yelled sharply.
No, blaming the victim?
I felt a complicated mix of emotions welling up—absurdity or disappointment, I couldn’t tell.
So I was speechless for a moment, furrowing my brow in confusion.
Elga, seeing me like that, seemed flustered by her own words and hurriedly waved her hands.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that. Whew—fine, whatever. I was wrong back then. Al…alright. As atonement, fine, whatever. You can touch my breasts once.”
“Really?”
When I asked brightly, Elga’s expression finally relaxed a bit, like she was relieved.
“I won’t say it twice. Just once. Once. Ten seconds—no, five seconds.”
It wasn’t exactly the method I intended, but I’d gotten permission to touch Elga’s breasts. It was a bit far from my plan of ‘taming and controlling Elga,’ but still.
A man who’d pass up a chance to touch breasts isn’t a man.
Elga’s were huge, after all.
Even when I was furious at her, strangely, watching those breasts bounce up and down would sometimes melt my anger away.
Maybe that’s why her personal guard’s morale was so sky-high.
And I’d get to touch them.
For a full five seconds.
Blood naturally rushed southward at this chance to fulfill my masculinity, making things stand at attention.
“Today, with this. All the grudges so far—wiped clean. Got it?”
Swish.
Elga thrust her chest forward.
The deep neckline of her dress made it incredibly imposing. The shape was so lusciously bountiful, saliva pooled in my mouth.
And now I’d touch it.
Slowly.
I approached Elga step by step.
“Ah, hold on.”
She stopped me, then took a deep breath—whew.
“Okay now. Five seconds. I’ll count exactly. Touch longer, and you’re dead for real.”
“Understood.”
“Then—.”
Swish. She clasped her hands behind her back and closed her eyes.
I slowly reached out toward Elga’s breasts.
Truth be told, I’d touched breasts three times before. More like licked than touched. Aira’s, tasting of soap.
But using my hands, freely—even if just five seconds—this was absolutely the first time.
The primal eroticism and conquest of a woman permitting a man to touch her breasts electrified my brain like sparks flying.
“Then, I’ll touch.”
“D-do whatever.”
Swish. Squish—
My two hands finally met Elga’s melon-sized breasts.
“…One.”
The first sensation was the soft fabric of the dress against my fingers and an indescribable softness.
“Two—.”
Squish. Squish.
Something soft and springy wriggled between my fingers.
A bit heavier than I’d imagined. But I could confidently declare it brimmed with nymph-like perfection.
“…Three.”
Already three seconds?
I fumed that over half my precious time was stolen by the breasts’ magic. So, to vent my anger, I gripped hard.
“…Ah…!”
A cute sound burst from Elga’s lips—something I’d never imagine from her. But only for a moment.
“…Hey, you, wa-want to die? Who said squeeze that hard—!”
She opened her eyes and exploded in anger.
But my hands wouldn’t leave her body, like sucked into the soft mound.
Then my hands discovered a hardness poking through the dress.
Elga’s nipple was erect.
Realizing that, I decided to spend my last second touching it.
But Elga’s hand slapped my palm—smack.
“Five seconds up! Th-that’s it!”
Then she crossed her arms over her chest, hiding it.
“Now, it’s like nothing happened…? Your eye’s all apologized for. Don’t tell anyone!”
Whoosh.
She ran off alone into the distance.
“…….”
Left behind, I could only savor the lingering fullness, elasticity, and squishiness on my hands.
* * *
“You could stay another day.”
The next morning.
Reinhardt, head of the Lioness family, saw Aira off as she left the mansion early. Amid many from the mansion seeing off the queen.
Aira glanced around and muttered in passing, brow slightly furrowed.
“No sign of Elga.”
“Probably sleeping in. The servant said she was up late last night. I’ll give her a scolding later, so please don’t mind.”
Aira waved it off—swish swish—like she didn’t care. Well, she didn’t come here to see Elga anyway.
It was a relief for me too.
After yesterday, thinking it over, I wasn’t sure how to face Elga. Honestly, her absence was a bit lucky.
Reinhardt bowed his head.
“Then, safe travels, Your Majesty. I’ll head to the court this afternoon.”
“Former Prime Minister Pargas will explain everything. Now, let’s go, Theo.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Aira and I turned at the mansion entrance.
As everything from the Lioness mansion receded, I asked Aira, whose shoes clicked—clack clack.
“No need for the carriage?”
“It’s fine. It’s not like I’ll die without it.”
“I see. Then straight back to the court today?”
At my question, Aira looked up at the sky.
Then slowly lowered her gaze, scanning surroundings and streets with narrowed eyes before saying.
“It’s a rare day off for me today, so I feel like strolling. Outside Monarch City. We can loop around the outskirts.”
Aira leaving the city?
First time in a year, right?
As far as I remembered, Aira never left Monarch City. She rarely even left the court.
So her sudden urge to go outside the city sent a prickling mix of tension and achievement through me.
Aira was changing.
The bad ending felt farther away.
Yes, if she goes to the academy, she’ll learn to mingle with others away from home. Practicing beforehand isn’t bad.
Where could Aira stroll in the outskirts?
I racked my brain and recalled a beautiful lake nearby and a castle between.
“There’s Heinrich Castle nearby. A fortress built a century ago during the demon king Angmar subjugation. Now a tourist spot. I’ll take you there.”
“Fine.”
Maybe my imagination, but Aira seemed a bit excited too.
I felt good.
Good scenery might stabilize Aira’s mind and improve her personality. Then the path to a benevolent queen wouldn’t be far.
When we finally left the city for the outskirts and reached Heinrich Castle with Aira.
━Me. Gorgor. Claim rightful rights. Heinrich Castle. Gorgor’s. Lake. Gorgor’s. Invaders. Kill! This place, Gorgor’s territory! This body. Now king!
━Kwaaa—!
A massive giant atop the walls tore knights and horses like chicken breast.
Gulp, gulp, gulp—
Grabbing a horse’s upper body with one hand, he twisted it, drank the blood, then tossed the husk like an empty can—thud.
━Kneel before the castle’s king!
It flew toward where Aira stood.
Splattering blood across Aira’s pale face—splash.
“…….”
I couldn’t read her expression, covered in blood.
What the hell is going on?