Chapter 100
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Shared Bed in the Suite
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(8)
13.
Ullan slowly gazed at the bed.
Soon his words followed.
"You sleep in the bed."
"Huh? Then where will you sleep, Ullan?"
"Here is fine for me."
Having said that, he patted the sofa.
It was decently sized and plush—perfect as a bed substitute. Meanwhile, Ivela wore a dissatisfied expression at his response.
"But it'll be uncomfortable."
"It's fine. It's softer than the floor."
"Still..."
"Above all, you'd feel uncomfortable if we slept together. It'd be pretty cramped too."
The suite's bed was quite spacious.
Big enough for two adults—no, even three—with room to spare. The problem, however, was Ullan's enormous frame.
In other words, this was a considerate gesture.
Yet even this consideration left Ivela visibly unsatisfied. A moment later, after fidgeting with her fingers, she tossed out her words.
"I-I'm okay with a little discomfort?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean!"
Her voice rose slightly in fluster.
Realizing it, Ivela clamped her mouth shut.
Her cheeks flushed red as she quietly pointed to the bed. Then, in a tiny voice that barely crept out, she added,
"...I-It's okay to share it."
"What?"
Ullan's eyes went wide.
As if he'd heard something unexpected. Ivela hurriedly waved her hands in excuse.
"I don't mean anything else by it! The sofa would be uncomfortable for you, so..."
"I'm good with that, but you're really okay?"
"...Yeah."
Ivela nodded, her face aglow.
Meeting her eyes shimmering with a strange warmth, Ullan slowly bowed his head.
"Got it. Then I'll take the bed too."
A bed was naturally more comfortable than a sofa, so Ullan accepted her offer.
Once their sleeping spots were settled,
Ivela lay down demurely on the bed. When Ullan followed suit, the mattress dipped and swayed for a moment.
"If it feels too cramped, just say so."
"Yeah, got it."
A voice as small as an ant's.
With Ivela's reply,
Click!
the magic lamp went out.
The room plunged into pitch darkness in an instant. The fierce rain battering the windows and the howling wind gradually shattered the heavy silence.
And one more thing.
A sound disturbing her sleep.
Thump thump! Thump thump thump!
It was the wild pounding of Ivela's heart.
She clutched the blanket tightly.
'C-Can't sleep!'
She hadn't realized it before lying down, but now Ullan was so incredibly close.
An arm's length away.
She could even hear his breathing in full, clear detail.
'Ugh, can't calm down.'
Her shattered composure didn't return easily. Afraid her thundering heartbeat might give her away, she gently pressed a hand to her chest.
'Maybe Ullan...'
Is he tense like me?
The thought suddenly gripped her.
After all, this was his first time in a situation like this too.
She wondered what expression he wore. Curiosity surged out of nowhere. She made up her mind.
'Whatever.'
She'd just sneak a peek.
Ivela carefully shifted her body and stole a glance toward where Ullan lay.
But then.
"...!"
She nearly stopped breathing.
Ullan lay on his side, staring straight at her. Their eyes met abruptly, and her heart went into overdrive.
Thump thump!
As if it might leap right out of her chest.
Her heartbeat quickened relentlessly.
Soon, hyper-aware of their locked gazes, a strange heat bloomed through her body.
As her mind grew hazy,
Ullan suddenly spoke up.
"Thanks."
"...Wh-what for?"
In her fluster, her tongue twisted again.
Ullan, unperturbed, continued.
"You made it a really fun day."
A fresh expression of gratitude.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"I've never leisurely toured the imperial capital like today. Not once."
This was the truth.
All throughout his past life too—this was the first time he'd peacefully explored the capital.
The reason was simple.
'In my past life...'
Right after the Abyss Gate opened,
the capital had been obliterated entirely.
Not figuratively—it had literally ceased to exist. The entire city, save the imperial palace, vanished as if it had never been there.
So he offered his honest thanks.
Thanks for letting him experience something he'd missed in his past life. And thanks for celebrating his birthday.
Meanwhile, Ullan's straightforward gratitude helped Ivela regain her composure.
"Yeah, glad you had fun."
She rested her head on the pillow
and nodded with a beaming smile.
"I was actually worried you might get bored."
"Not at all."
Ullan denied it immediately.
The theater, the café, the night market—all of it.
Every experience with Ivela had been fresh and novel. Meeting Pertisha, his comrade from his past life, had been a highlight too.
It had been a thoroughly enjoyable and meaningful day.
"Plus, it was fun seeing something new."
"Huh? Something new?"
"You all dressed up."
"Ah, that..."
Ivela's cheeks flushed pink.
She recalled that morning at the academy's main gate.
Ullan seemed to be remembering it too, murmuring in a voice free of pretense.
"You were really beautiful."
"...Eek!"
Her face heated up in a flash.
She hadn't expected him to strike like that.
Foul play, she thought inwardly.
But it didn't feel bad, so she soon broke into a radiant smile.
'Still...'
As they recounted the day's events step by step, the tension coiling around her body melted away.
The feverish heat followed suit, vanishing completely.
Perhaps that's why.
Ivela, now thoroughly relaxed, chatted idly with Ullan about this and that.
From past events to today's adventures, even academy schedules.
Their conversation flowed freely.
And so their night deepened.
14.
The next morning,
Ivela's eyebrows twitched.
Sunlight sneaking through the curtains had disturbed her sleep. After a bit of tossing, she pried open her tightly shut eyelids.
"...Ugh?"
Her face was blank, sleep still clinging to her.
Not yet oriented, she scanned her surroundings with a tousled expression.
It was an unfamiliar sight.
"Why am I in a place like..."
As she mumbled blankly,
Ivela's eyes flew wide in shock.
It was her outfit—or lack thereof. Just the bathrobe. And underneath? Nothing.
She clutched the blanket in panic when,
"Ah."
Yesterday's memories flooded back.
The sudden carriage breakdown leading them to the hotel. Staying together with Ullan.
And lying in the same bed, chatting away until...
'Right, I fell asleep like that.'
With all the pieces in place,
Ivela let out a sigh of relief. Nothing else had happened, it seemed.
If it had, her light sleeping habits would have caught it.
That's when.
"Awake?"
Ullan's voice rang out.
He'd already risen and showered—his muscles gleamed damply. At the sight, Ivela yanked the blanket over her face.
"What's wrong?"
"...Somehow embarrassing."
Partly because her eyes had drifted to his muscles, but mostly because facing Ullan first thing felt unexpectedly mortifying.
But as time passed, the embarrassment ebbed. Meanwhile, Ullan nudged the curtain aside and pointed outside.
"Rain's stopped, by the way."
Clear, sunny weather.
A vast blue sky stretched before them.
"We can head out now."
He hurried with preparations.
Ivela, however, pouted sullenly before speaking up, a touch peevish.
"You're totally unaffected, Ullan?"
"What do you mean?"
"Sl-sleeping together. Feels like I'm the only embarrassed one..."
Having recalled everything from yesterday,
she still couldn't meet Ullan's eyes properly. He, on the other hand, faced her with his usual demeanor.
Realizing this,
Ivela asked in a tone of disbelief.
"No way you're used to situations like this?"
"If you think about it, yeah, pretty familiar."
"Yeah, fi—wait, what?"
Ivela nodded on reflex, then her eyes bulged. It was the reaction of someone who'd heard the absolute last thing she expected.
Meanwhile, Ullan reminisced about his past life.
Before the Abyss Gate had opened. Back when he roamed battlefields, building his fame, he'd met Ivela and fought as comrades.
'And during that time...'
They'd camped and slept together countless times. Not just her—Dilia and Pertisha too, on many occasions.
So he called it familiar.
Ivela, however, took it differently.
"Why familiar?"
"Well..."
"Recent? When? Where? With who? Someone I know?"
Ivela leaned in close.
An inexplicable intensity radiated from her.
Her turquoise eyes churned with unidentified emotions. Meeting them, Ullan pondered briefly.
'Can't talk about my past life...'
He recalled the most recent incident.
And answered promptly.
"Yeah, slept with Dilia."
"D-Dilia?!"
"We spent the night in a cave together."
Before the Abyss Worshipper raid.
Ullan explained the practical hunt where he'd teamed up with Dilia.
A short while later,
once the full story was out,
Ivela finally got it.
"Slept" had meant exactly that—just sleeping.
"...What?"
But relief came too soon.
A detail grated on her nerves.
"She was hugging you when you woke up?"
"Yeah. Probably couldn't adjust to the hard cave floor."
The info that Dilia had dozed off clinging to Ullan. Hearing it, Ivela twitched her eyebrows and gnawed her lip.
Aware or not,
Ullan finished explaining and turned away.
"Anyway, let's get going."
"..."
"Carriages should be running now that the rain's stopped."
The weather was clear for now, but more rain could come. Best to head back to the academy while transport was available.
Oddly, though, no response from Ivela. Puzzled, Ullan glanced back at the bed.
"Ivela?"
That instant.
Ivela suddenly pulled Ullan into an embrace.
Or more precisely, drew him into her arms.
A soft, plush sensation followed, accompanied by the faint shampoo scent from her hair.
"What the—"
Caught off guard, Ullan's eyes widened.
Ivela's ears flushed red in seconds. Burying her face in his chest, she whispered softly,
"...No."
"Huh?"
"I can't adjust either."
"What are you..."
"The bed's too soft. Can't get used to it."
Even after her absurd excuse,
she lingered in his arms a while longer. As they silently felt each other's heartbeats,
"A-anyway, this evens it out!"
Ivela pulled away.
Her face, ears, and even nape burned crimson. Muttering about washing up, she fled to the bathroom.
Meanwhile,
left alone in the living room, Ullan sat on the bed and finally exhaled the sigh he'd been holding.
"...Hoo."
This time had been truly dangerous.
A little longer in that embrace, and he'd have lost the ironclad self-control he'd maintained.
And understandably so.
From yesterday morning until now, Ivela had thoroughly captivated his senses.
'Definitely different from my past life.'
Skin white as jade.
Soft flesh, voluptuous curves.
And a stunning face to top it off.
If it had been his past-life self here, he'd have lost all reason in an instant—Ivela was that alluring.
But not this time.
There was a reason anchoring his sanity.
'Ivela and I aren't like that.'
Sword Princess Ivela Elead.
Comrades who'd stormed countless battlefields and danced with death together. A friend as dear as family.
Their bond wasn't so trivial as to crumble to a single night's lust.
'Of course, being comrades doesn't mean...'
absolute restraint is required.
There are no absolutes in man-woman relations.
His past-life self, for instance, had tangled with female mercenaries he'd met on the warpath.
When the mood struck, they'd tumble in bed for days.
'But...'
Ivela was different.
Hard to pinpoint why, but he didn't want something so casual with her.
Their trusted partnership played a role too.
Thus, from yesterday morning to now, he'd exercised superhuman restraint to suppress his urges.
"Hooo."
Another deep sigh.
His excitement finally subsided.
Slide!
Showered Ivela emerged.
In yesterday's dress.
But recalling the earlier hug, she studiously avoided his gaze.
"Shall we go?"
"Yeah, let's head back."
The air felt a tad awkward.
But only briefly—they soon fell into their usual banter. Leaving the hotel, they made for the carriage stand when,
Ivela blurted something random.
"By the way, you're a warrior through and through, Ullan."
"Out of nowhere, why?"
"Felt it during that quick hug earlier. Didn't expect you to have a sword up front."
"..."
"Thought you were just in a robe, bare otherwise. Prepared for anything, huh?"
She asked with innocent wide eyes.
Silent for a beat, Ullan shook his head.
"That's not a sword."
"Huh? It sure felt like one?"
"It's not."
"Then what is it?"
"You'll find out later."
"Later? You'll tell me later?"
No reply.
Instead, Ullan quickened his pace.
With their unplanned overnight trip concluded,
the pair boarded a carriage back to Arsen Academy.
About a fortnight later,
some thirty students from the Holy Kingdom's Eloden Academy visited Arsen Academy.
It was a pre-arranged event.
The inter-academy exchange match.
Chapter 25. I've Come to Deliver the Good Word