Chapter 142
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Ice Crystal -4-
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Because Eclair had personally endured the bone-chilling cold brought on by the Ice Crystal, she made this decision.
The cold that follows ingestion of the crystal was utterly mysterious.
Even as body temperature plummeted to the point where the blood racing through one's veins felt like it might freeze solid, it never led to frostbite or hypothermia that damaged the body.
Thus, the Ice Crystal posed no threat to life as long as one gritted their teeth and bore it. It was a spiritual medicine that somehow took effect simply upon ingestion, no special methods required.
But the cold that arrived after consumption was vicious in the extreme, so the thought of Chloe having to endure it left Eclair no choice but to step up herself.
'Other than the method Roman told me about, nothing reliable comes to mind...'
Even if other ideas surfaced, she couldn't experiment on her little sister.
They were both women and sisters with skin that touched just the same, but that didn't make stripping naked any less embarrassing.
She couldn't entrust Chloe to anyone else either, and there was no one more suitable than herself.
So, she figured the best approach was to simply not show her embarrassment.
Knock- knock-
Rising from her seat to set an example for her sister, Eclair took the lead with bold confidence, unbuttoning her clothes.
"Chloe. For the preparation, take off all your clothes. No exceptions for undergarments."
"Uh, okay...?"
Chloe's blank, uncomprehending expression was only natural, so Eclair added an explanation.
"The Ice Crystal brings intense cold until consumption is complete, and it affects the surroundings too."
"Then... wouldn't layering up with clothes...?"
It would have been nice if that worked, but it wasn't a good solution, so Eclair shook her head.
She had tried that herself once, only for her clothes to become damp and freeze, intensifying the biting chill.
The chill generated by the Ice Crystal didn't seep in from outside. It radiated outward from deep within the body, leaving few countermeasures.
"If you keep clothes on, frost builds up from the inside and works against you. Soaking in hot water doesn't help either, since the water freezes solid."
"Eek...!"
Eclair placed a hand on Chloe's head as her blue eyes widened in shock, and smiled.
"Don't worry so much. If I help, it'll make a difference. According to the expert—not Ro, but the expert— the best way is to get assistance from someone who can maintain a steady body temperature through the cold."
"Ugh... O-okay!"
Chloe mumbled, her face flushing red as she averted her gaze to the floor and hesitantly began undressing, bit by bit.
Swish-
Eclair followed suit, shedding her own clothes while stealing a glance at Chloe.
Her plain white undergarments, devoid of any pattern—either due to their large size or complete lack of interest.
Eclair could relate; it was only recently, thanks to Roman, that she'd started paying attention to lingerie design.
Until not long ago, comfort was all that mattered for undergarments, nothing more.
"Hnn... Even in front of Sis... it's, it's embarrassing..."
With only her final piece of underwear left, Chloe hooked her fingers into her snowy panties, hesitating as she gave an awkward smile.
"If it's that bad, I'll look away."
Eclair, who had stripped fully first as an example, turned her back and waited. Soon, a faint rustling tickled her ears.
Seeing Chloe so innocently embarrassed like this brought back memories of their childhood play in the family estate.
'I used to wash her back when she was little...'
Neither she nor Chloe had much liked relying on the servants for that.
Before Eclair made a name for herself, House Dreitna had been a count's family hopeless at business or estate management. They were never destitute, but never affluent enough for personal valets either—no such memories lingered.
Fresh recollections bubbled up of sharing a bath with little Chloe, despite their age gap, and washing her there.
Any feigned boldness and hidden embarrassment melted away completely.
Swish-
The sound of fabric brushing skin reached her, followed by the sensation of Chloe fidgeting anxiously in place.
"...All off now... Sis."
Her voice thick with shame, even resorting to polite speech—Eclair couldn't help but chuckle at her sister's demeanor.
Turning at the signal, she faced Chloe. The innocence of her childhood lingered in her expressions and heart,
but outwardly, she'd grown into a captivating woman alluring enough to tempt even another of the same sex.
'...Beautiful.'
It was pure admiration from Eclair, struck by Chloe's profoundly feminine form.
Her porcelain-smooth, flawless skin gleamed milky pale, untouched by scars or blemishes.
Her ample breasts and ideally proportioned hips made her waist appear all the more slender.
Chloe's breasts shared her own trait—no nipples protruding from the areolas.
Yet somehow, on Chloe, it felt utterly natural and fitting.
Until her lover saw it and rejoiced, Eclair had viewed this physical quirk as a shameful flaw.
But seeing it on her own sister proved otherwise entirely.
The subtle inversion felt like the crowning flourish, the perfection of feminine allure.
'I wonder if that's how I look to Roman...'
The thought crossed her mind: she hoped so.
"Sit here comfortably and wait."
She spread a thick blanket on the floor, and Chloe drew her legs up, settling onto it.
As Eclair approached with the wooden box from the table, Chloe looked up from her seat and widened her eyes as if spotting something.
"Ah...!"
"Chloe. What's wrong?"
"Sis, those marks on your body—are they wounds? Or bug bites?"
Following Chloe's worried gaze, Eclair examined her own body closely.
"...!!!"
Glancing in the nearby mirror and twisting slightly, she spotted red spots on the underside and sides of her breasts—places her eyes rarely reached.
Instant recognition made her head spin.
'Ro, Roman! You pervert...!'
He suckled her breasts like a babe every time, and now he'd gone and left these traces.
Given her regenerative powers, kiss marks should vanish the same day, yet Roman's lingered unusually long.
"Th-this is..."
Chloe's innocent concern bleached her mind white; no good excuse surfaced.
A mosquito bite? No insect could pierce the skin of one of the Empire's Five Knights.
A snake or blade wound? That would only worry Chloe more.
The shape didn't match anyway.
"Are those wounds okay...?"
As Eclair floundered, Chloe's eyes deepened with concern.
"Of course...! They're fine, don't worry. They'll fade in a few days. Now, open wide."
Dodging a firm answer, Eclair picked up the Ice Crystal.
"Okay...!"
Reassured, Chloe opened her mouth without further questions.
"No need to force it down. Just hold it in your mouth, and it'll melt on its own."
Eclair stroked the head of Chloe, who nodded while hugging her knees, then moved behind her and sat.
Arms crossed, she waited briefly until frosty breath mingled with Chloe's exhalations.
"Hnnn..."
The bedroom air chilled rapidly, frost creeping over surfaces.
The mess didn't matter.
Eclair pressed her chest to the shivering Chloe's back and embraced her tightly.
"It's okay. This cold will pass soon."
"Hah... S-Sis..."
Enfolding Chloe—who was taller and larger than herself—proved trickier than expected.
Eclair wasn't built like Roman's massive frame, so wrapping around her didn't go as planned.
'Need to maximize skin contact...'
Watching Chloe tremble from the Ice Crystal's chill stripped away unhelpful emotions; efficiency took priority.
"Chloe. Try standing."
"Ugh..."
She considered laying her down but eyed the now-frozen blanket stiffly. Instead, Eclair slipped a hand under Chloe's frozen armpit and lifted her.
"Think of me as a doll. Lean in comfortably and maximize skin contact. It'll keep you warmer and ease the cold."
"So cold..."
Embarrassment was irrelevant to Chloe now. She lunged at Eclair, the sole source of warmth in the room.
"There, good girl."
Eclair stroked Chloe's lower back with both hands as she rubbed from legs to chest, desperately pressing close.
Her sister's desperate bid against the cold was heartbreaking,
yet it felt precious, like Chloe shamelessly acting spoiled toward her.
Not quite like a lover's embrace, but sisterly hugs and hand-holds brought heart-soothing stability.
Hoping Chloe felt that same comfort, Eclair gently held her clinging form until the cold ebbed.
Thanks to Eclair's devoted, maternal care, Chloe completed her Ice Crystal ingestion without major incident.