Ravish Me, My Bodyguard Knight! - 8
Time had flown by, and before I knew it, it was the day before the full moon rose.
I had something to discuss with Lucia for a moment, so as usual I cast Dream Magic.
With a cheerful jingle the doorbell rang.
As always, I set down the glass I’d been polishing and welcomed her.
"Welcome, customer."
"Nice to see you, Mr. Nox."
Her tone was much the same as always, yet a faint smile lingered on her face.
I assumed it was because of the marriage, but since Nox wasn’t supposed to know that yet, I asked first.
"It seems you have good news again this time. Didn’t you say last time that you’d become lovers?"
"I did. Shall I tell you about it?"
The corners of Lucia’s mouth lifted slightly as she spoke.
Hearing it from her own perspective would have been enjoyable enough, but today I had something particular to share.
"Allow me to guess. Judging by the ring on the ring finger of your left hand… it’s marriage, isn’t it?"
"That’s right. Paul proposed to me last time."
Lucia gazed at her ring and giggled softly.
Smiling with my crow’s face, I gave a small round of applause, waited a beat, then posed another question.
"It seems the season for ‘romance counseling’ is drawing to a close. Are there any remaining hurdles ahead?"
"Well… I don’t think there’s anything that really counts as a hurdle…"
"Is that so? How fortunate."
I said “fortunate,” yet I was still turning over how best to bring up the matter I needed to raise.
No hurdles? The biggest one—the full moon—is still waiting.
"In that case, may I ask how you intend to get through the full moon?"
"Ah… that’s right, isn’t it?"
Surprise flickered across Lucia’s face; she muttered under her breath for a moment.
The content was, of course, how she and Paul ought to spend the full moon together.
"…I merely inferred it from our conversation just now. It seems I misspoke."
"No… so many things have been happening lately that I must have forgotten.
It’s all right, though. My mother explained everything to me in detail."
"If it’s Miss Lily, then we can rest easy."
That would be the conversation I once decided would be rude to overhear.
Moments like this are always delicate. Bring them up and the other person grows embarrassed; the atmosphere turns awkward.
"If it isn’t too impertinent, may I ask what she taught you?"
"…Te-techniques, and… how I should take the lead, how to draw the other person into taking the lead…"
"So you are definitely planning to consummate things on the full moon. Then how do you intend to begin?"
"…Well, on the day of the full moon itself I tend to be rather… seductive… No, I’ll think about that when the time comes."
"Forgive the intrusion."
After I finished speaking I added, “If there’s anything I can help with, please tell me anytime.”
Even so, if she needed help with something like this it would feel too much like she was a scarecrow.
Yet standing there in silence waiting for her next words felt awkward as well, so I went back to polishing the glass for no good reason.
"I’ve been thinking it over, and I’ve decided I’ll just follow my instincts.
Even if I make a plan, my body won’t move according to plan."
"I was ignorant. I hadn’t realized it reached the point of losing control of one’s body."
"Well… the intensity differs for everyone, and Mr. Nox isn’t even human, let alone a succubus, so I understand."
"Thank you for understanding."
I had vaguely thought “sexual desire simply grows stronger,” but that had clearly been a rude assumption.
In that case there’s no particular reason I called her here… Should I simply wait for her to leave?
"Well, it’s fortunate I could prepare my heart here.
I’ll be heading back now. First I need to get through today properly."
"I shall await your next visit. Farewell, customer."
"Goodbye."
Lucia rose, dipped her head in a small bow, opened the bar door, and stepped outside.
After that, as always, I simply removed the Dream Magic.
Lucia staggered out of her room.
It was later than her usual waking hour, yet Paul made no move to go wake her.
One look at the ragged breathing and slightly disheveled clothes was enough to know that barging into Lucia’s room would be pure madness.
"Hah… Good… morning, Paul…"
"Good morning. If you’re having a hard time, don’t push yourself—just rest in your room."
"Ah, no. This time I thought I’d try relying on you…"
Lucia took the hand that had been bracing against the wall and stroked it down her own chest, then steadied her breathing for a moment.
"Paul. We’re… engaged, so… for today at least, it’s all right to lean on you… right?"
"Of course."
"I thought about it this morn—no, last night… and since I have a fiancé, there’s no need to take care of it alone, is there…?"
"…You’re right. The old excuse of ‘we’re not lovers’ won’t work anymore."
"Yeah… Paul, first… can you hold me…?"
"Got it."
Paul rose and walked toward her; with every step he took, Lucia’s breathing grew a little rougher.
When he reached her he gathered her gently into his arms.
In that moment Lucia trembled, then melted downward and sank to the floor.
Paul sank with her, felt her body heat for a moment, and spoke.
"Your temperature is really high, Lucy. It’s not easy for it to be higher than mine."
"…"
Lucia gave no answer; she simply kept breathing.
Apparently her rhythm had gone irregular again and she was trying to settle it.
…To react like that in an instant. Just how strong has her desire become?
Being a succubus must be tough… While that thought crossed my mind, her breathing finally steadied.
Before long she was drawing in Paul’s scent, and he was speaking to her in a calm voice.
"I’ll do everything I can among the things you want, so tell me anytime."
He finished speaking and stroked her hair as he continued.
Lucia’s breathing grew rougher still; then she gave a sharp tremble and stopped his hand.
"The sti-stimulus is… too strong… stop that…"
"Ah—okay."
She buried her face against his chest once more and breathed in his scent… ah, no—this time she was simply taking deep breaths.
"…I’m good. I think I’ve calmed down a little."
Lucia gently released the arms that held her and sat where she was.
Paul had been sitting from the start, so the two of them ended up facing each other on the floor.
"Just listen without answering for a moment.
Succubi have their desire become enormously strong on the night of the full moon, and I’m a succubus.
No-normally I take care of it alone… but luckily I have a fiancé.
An-and… at the very least between lovers, and even more so between a married couple…"
"I understand, Lucy. You don’t have to force the words out while you’re this embarrassed.
Right now… doesn’t seem like the moment, so tell me when you want."
"It gets worst at night… so I’ll ask you then…
For now… just hold me tight."
"Got it."
"Before that…"
Lucia carefully took Paul’s face in her hands and drew it toward her own.
Reading the intent, Paul caught her hands and said he would do it himself.
While she had been leading, Lucia’s eyes had stayed open; the moment Paul took the initiative she closed them.
As always, Paul did not close his.
…To add one more detail: this was the first time the two of them mixed tongues.
Perhaps because of that, Lucia gave a startled jump, and the corner of Paul’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.
They kissed for a long while, embraced, caressed, then kissed again, repeating the cycle until, before they knew it, night had fallen.
Lucia was the first to say, “It’s night now,” and Paul answered, “Yeah.”
"Pa-Paul, wait first. I’m… going to go wash up…"
"I’ll wash first—"
"Sorry… I don’t have any confidence I can wait until you finish…
I… want to look pretty for you, so I’m going to wash and come back…"
The instant Paul heard the extra words he scooped her up like a princess.
"Hyaah!? Pa-Paul…!"
"I like Lucy just the way she is right now. It doesn’t matter.
Lucy—do you want to go wash, or shall we go to the bedroom like this?"
"…Like this. I prefer like this…"
Paul smiled softly at her answer, then carried the tomato-red Lucia into the bedroom and shut the door.
As always. Being a gentleman, I did not follow them inside.
I simply sat in front of the door and quietly listened to their conversation.
"Paul. First, before we start, listen to one thing…
Even if I start crying or… look like I’m in a lot of pain midway, please don’t stop or anything…?
I-I’m… masochistic by nature…"
"…That might make me suffer a bit emotionally."
"Ah, no…! I know it’s an abnormal desire… so if you hate it, it’s fine…"
"…Well, I’ll at least try to make an effort."
"Th-thank you…"
"No need for thanks. Lovers should accommodate each other. Since it’s the first time today, from now on let’s find a middle ground."
"Th-then… what does Paul like…?"
"…Sorry, but I don’t have enough knowledge to say what I like. I only roughly know the basics."
"Okay…! Then later I’ll find out your preferences…!
Th-then… let’s start soon. I’ll go first—"
—Eavesdropping ends here. I decided it would be better to leave around this point. No matter what, listening from now on would be far too rude.
Well, stopping by tomorrow morning to hear the story should be fine, I thought as I left my post.
Have a good night. I lightly cast a weak Soundproofing Magic.
The full moon set, and before I knew it morning had come.
It was considerably later than their usual waking hour, yet no sound came from the room.
Occasionally Paul’s sleep-talking could be heard, but for some reason Lucia remained completely quiet.
That said, I couldn’t just barge in, so I decided to keep waiting. At that moment Paul’s voice rose.
"Ugh… Good morning, Lucy…"
"Good morning. You look tired."
"…I overdid it. I thought I’d be fine, but as expected, since I’m a wolf too I must have been affected by the full moon."
"Ahaha, it did look that way."
"The first thing I see when I wake up is Lucy’s face—that makes me a little happy… Did you just wake up too?"
"No, I’ve been up for a while."
"You waited until I woke up? No—knowing you, you were probably watching me."
"Well, that too, but my lower back completely won’t move… so I couldn’t do anything alone."
A brief silence fell.
"Ahaha, what a funny expression."
"…Did I go that hard?"
"I wonder? From the middle my consciousness got hazy, so I don’t know."
"…I must have gone hard."
"It’s a shame a child can’t be conceived. It would be nice if a child could be born even on the full moon."
"You stay lying there, Lucy. I’ll bring something."
"Ah, something light to drink is enough for me. No need for a meal."
"Skipping breakfast is bad for the body."
"You seem to have forgotten, but I’m a succubus. I can go without meals for a while now."
"…Ah, right."
"Well, I also drank a lot… physically. My throat’s a bit scratchy, so I want something to drink."
"Physically…"
"Well, I don’t hate being handled roughly either. Luckily I knew how to do it with the throat.
Fufu, Paul really likes the mouth, doesn’t he?"
"This is really embarrassing… I’ll go get something to drink."
"Yeah, oka—no, wait, wait a second! Rinse your mouth before the ki—"
Another short silence flowed; this time Paul’s voice came again.
"If it’s just a simple one it’s fine, right?"
"It-it is short…"
"I’ll really go get something to drink. I love you, Lucy."
"I love you too, Paul. Just rinse your mouth and let’s do it one more time."
"Got it. This time long—"
"We’ll do that too, but let’s continue from last night."
"Don’t be greedy when your waist won’t even move~"
With that sound the door opened.
Figuring they were probably naked, I closed my eyes and quietly left their house.
I should visit one last time tonight; with that, I would end the ‘romance counseling’ with Lucia.
I hadn’t helped all that much, but simply disappearing without a word didn’t sit right with me.