An Unspoken Shift
Carmel's tongue was licking me down there. Normally, I might have felt a sense of conquest, but right now, that was the furthest thing from my mind. Of course, there was no denying how good it felt. The anxiety swirling inside my heart seemed to melt away, neutralized by sweet pleasure.
"Ah, Mother... haa, ah...!"
Carmel's tongue was incredibly gentle. A soft, tender pleasure seeped into my heart, soothing me like a quiet lullaby. Pressed against my naked skin, Carmel's body was warm, slick with sweat, and beautifully smooth. The sensation of our bodies molding together was absolute bliss. After all, every inch of my skin was drinking in the feel of Carmel's sensual body.
Yet, despite the bliss, I was still drowning in a dark pool of emotion. I couldn't even understand myself. It was entirely expected that Carmel would refuse to lift the curse of Mystilia. There was absolutely no reason for me to be shocked by it. At the end of the day, Carmel and I were enemies. Regardless of her wishes, I could simply force the dispelling process forward as I pleased. That was how I had always treated her. Just look at what I did to Rika. I had broken the person most precious to Carmel in that exact manner. So why was I suddenly so shaken now?
Perhaps I was jealous. In my past life, I died in utter solitude. Living as an orphan with no one to rely on had been a brutal struggle. The job I finally managed to land was at a soul-crushing black company that literally worked me to death. No one in my life had ever cherished me, and I had cherished no one in return. Amidst that exhausting, draining existence, Carmel's story had been my only escape. Even after arriving in this world, Carmel was all I had. I realized it the very moment I first laid eyes on her: this was the reason I had transmigrated. If I could just have Carmel, I wouldn't care about anything else. In other words, Carmel had always been my everything. Perhaps the reason I was feeling this dark, murky emotion was because I had finally realized the truth. Unlike how Carmel was everything to me, I was not everything to her.
"Haaah... ah, right there... ngh...!" Carmel's tongue began to slide deeper inside. I let out a sweet sigh, pressing my hips down further. Matching my movements, Carmel continued to lick my wet folds with agonizing tenderness, using both of her hands to spread me wide to make it easier for her tongue to reach.
Amidst the brain-melting pleasure, another question drifted into my mind. Why was Carmel complying with my request so obediently? The fourth question was already over. Furthermore, her taking the initiative to pleasure me was completely outside the rules we had established. Even if this was coercion masked as a game, she was well within her rights to refuse—or rather, completely ignore—my sudden demand. So why? How?
Carmel had told me she was sorry. It wasn't a hollow excuse to avoid my wrath; I could tell she genuinely felt remorse. Remorse was an emotion that didn't suit a villainess in the slightest. My attitude and Carmel's attitude were shifting simultaneously, as if we were constantly influencing one another. I couldn't think of any other explanation.
"Ah-haang... Mother... ah, ngh..." The pleasure rushing into my brain like steam made my thoughts grind to a halt. Carmel seemed to have fully grasped the knack of using her tongue now. With every stroke, the sheer volume of pleasure she delivered grew exponentially.
Currently, Carmel and I were positioned so that we were facing each other's intimate areas. Naturally, Carmel's wet slit was right before my eyes. I noticed that sweet, glistening nectar was slowly beginning to seep from her delicate folds.
Ah... Carmel is... she's getting wet too... just from licking me... Just as I was aroused by Carmel's body, Carmel was being aroused by mine. The realization sent a sharp, tight spasm through my lower abdomen. In that instant, a sudden urge bloomed within me—I wanted to make Carmel feel good, too. Naturally, I leaned my face down toward the heat right in front of me. Then, I began to move my tongue, mimicking her gentle strokes.
Twitch! Carmel's body shuddered violently at the sudden stimulation. But I didn't stop, keeping my tongue moving against her. Just like she had done, I occasionally slipped a finger inside her, drinking in her scent and taste as I devoured her wetness.
"Mnh, ah... slurp... haa... chup..." The lewd taste, scent, and wet sounds filled my mouth, nose, and ears. The sight before my eyes and the sensations running across my skin were overwhelmingly erotic. All five of my senses were thoroughly drenched in thick, melting pleasure. It felt as though Carmel and I had fused into a single entity, bound together by ecstasy. Every inch of my body had become an erogenous zone; everything we did felt unspeakably good.
I'm going to climax... No, my whole body is tingling so much, maybe I'm already coming... Carmel was likely in a similar state. Her thighs were already tightening around my face—a telltale habit of hers whenever she was on the verge of letting go.
"Ngh... ah, haa, nghh...!" "Ah, ha, ah...! Sera...!"
An explosive, intense wave of pleasure sent my hips bucking on their own. Entangled like boneless creatures, Carmel and I surrendered ourselves to the ecstasy, rubbing our slick, sweat-drenched bodies together in a slow, sticky rhythm. A sensation that was simultaneously fierce and serene instantly overwhelmed our minds and bodies. While excessive pleasure usually bordered on pain, this particular ecstasy felt like a safe haven where pure, unadulterated bliss simply climbed higher and higher without end.
After that dense, heavy interlude finally drew to a close, Carmel and I slowly separated our joined bodies. The dark, heavy mood that had plagued me earlier was entirely gone. However, something else quickly rushed in to take its place: a sudden, acute awareness of just how incredibly embarrassing our actions had been.
Pleasuring someone's intimate parts with one's mouth was far more embarrassing than I had imagined. And having it done to me was no different. It would have been fine if I were drunk on the thrill of sadistic domination, but a tender, mutual encounter like this was far too unfamiliar.
I stole a glance at Carmel. As if by some terrible stroke of timing, Carmel happened to look my way at the exact same moment. The instant our eyes awkwardly met, we both jerked our gazes away.
...What is this...
It seemed I wasn't the only one dying of embarrassment. Though she had accepted it naturally in the heat of the moment, Carmel clearly seemed to realize how shameful the act was now that her head had cleared. If we stayed naked like this, we would never escape this bizarre, suffocating atmosphere. I spoke up, my voice sounding incredibly strained.
"S-Should we wipe ourselves down and get dressed first?"
"Oh... I-I can put my clothes back on...?"
"Yes... Ah, consider it a... a special privilege I'm granting you..."
"Right... T-Then..."
Following my suggestion, Carmel and I tidied ourselves up. As if by unspoken agreement, we kept our backs turned to each other the entire time. Once we had returned to our proper roles as Queen and Princess, I sat back down to face her. Carmel also shifted to the far corner of the sofa, avoiding the damp spot we had left behind.
Of course, just because we had enjoyed a brief moment of mutual pleasure didn't mean our situation had changed. I was still determined to lift the curse of Mystilia, and Carmel still opposed it. That reality left a rather painful ache in my chest. Furthermore, since my fourth question had yielded nothing, I was now left with the homework of figuring out how to dispel the curse on my own.
Perhaps because she was no longer naked, Carmel had regained her usual composure. Her face once again wore that familiar blend of royal dignity, a villainess's pride, and heavenly beauty. It was hard to believe this was the same face that had been diligently licking my wet folds just moments ago. Steeling my expression to look as nonchalant as possible, I spoke.
"Now then, let us resume the game, Mother. Fufu, this is our final question."
Fortunately, my voice didn't sound awkward. I had managed to slip back into the playful, teasing tone I always used with her.
"Very well. Let us hear it, Princess Sera. What is your final question?"
Carmel replied with an equally relaxed tone. A cold, familiar smile played at the corners of her lips.
My fifth question had already been decided. It was a question that had flashed through my mind amidst the dizzying rush of pleasure earlier. However, there was one thing I hadn't anticipated: now that we had finally restored our usual dynamic, asking it felt incredibly embarrassing. Yet, it was a question I absolutely had to ask. Clearing my throat slightly, I began to voice my final query.
"Now, here is the final question, Mother. Even if the curse of Mystilia reactivates, will you still think of me as someone special?"
Fortunately, I managed to deliver the line without my voice trembling, though I couldn't help but notice my heart hammering uselessly against my ribs the moment the words left my mouth. Upon hearing my question, Carmel didn't seem particularly shaken either. With that icicle-sharp smile still gracing her lips, she answered with absolute confidence.
"Fufu, but of course."
Carmel and I exchanged sharp glances, both of us wearing unreadable smiles.
"Fufu."
"Fuhu..."
But that was all; there were no more words to follow. In that awkward silence, Carmel and I were likely thinking the exact same thing. ...Isn't forcing ourselves to act normal even more embarrassing? It was a sudden, glaring realization. Yet, neither of us could back down now. In the delicate silence, the smiles on our lips merely served to maintain a plausible facade. We both did our best to ignore the faint blush slowly spreading over our wicked grins.