A Surprisingly Cute Side
"Huh… my butt…?"
"Mm."
It was a strange position — lying side by side on the bed, still wrapped in Viviana's back hug. Feeling awkward, I turned so I could face her. Those violet eyes, usually so still and quiet, held a deep, unreadable hunger.
"W-why… my butt, of all things…?"
"Do you remember our first meeting?"
Our first meeting… When had that been? I thought it over carefully, and the memory came back at once.
It had been deep in the gardens of the imperial banquet. After Mardian had spanked me so hard I couldn't walk, Viviana had applied ointment for me — directly, to my bare backside.
…Come to think of it, I was the one who'd asked her to put the ointment on my butt in the first place.
"The way it felt then was nice. Almost addictive, somehow. So I wondered if touching it might feel even better."
"A-addictive…?"
"Mm. Haven't you ever touched your own butt? If you did, you'd understand right away…"
Of course I hadn't. Who goes around fondling their own backside like it's some kind of addictive sensation?
"Not really… except when I'm washing…"
"It's so white and plump. Soft and springy — it feels really good."
I hadn't particularly wanted to know what my own butt felt like, but while I sat there flustered by the sudden confession, Viviana stared straight through me with eyes full of pure obsession.
"I'm a little tired today. I think if I could touch your butt, the fatigue would melt away… Would that be all right, Tina?"
For a moment those eyes, blazing with desire, made my resolve waver — but I shook my head at once and clung to reason.
I just didn't feel like it. My butt wasn't some stress-relief tool… and was touching another girl's backside even a normal thing to begin with?
"I-isn't it a little weird to touch another girl's butt…?"
"Hm? Wouldn't touching a man's butt be even weirder?"
"Well… that's true, but…"
Her sharp logic left me momentarily speechless.
Even so, Viviana's request still felt strange.
I'd seen plenty of close friends playfully kick each other in the rear, but I'd never once seen someone touch a butt for the purpose of relieving stress.
Even among girls, who were supposedly freer with physical affection, the butt felt like a step too far, didn't it? Of all the countless young ladies I'd befriended so far, the only one who'd ever tried to lay hands on my backside had been Mardian.
I must have looked painfully conflicted, because Viviana's gaze cooled and sharpened. She pulled me close and whispered low against my ear.
"You let Mardian hit your butt… and you won't even let me touch it? That makes me sad."
The unexpected words left me blank.
"How… did you…?"
"A young lady doesn't end up with marks like that on her backside just from falling down."
She meant the day she'd applied the ointment in the garden. I'd been so flustered then that I'd blurted out whatever excuse came to mind — if I'd known it would come back like this, I would have chosen my words more carefully.
"Tina. So what's your answer?"
"I… I…"
"Let me touch it."
Her gaze was so intense that just meeting it made my face burn.
"I-it's just… the butt is a bit…"
I couldn't hold that overwhelming stare, so I looked away. The heat in Viviana's eyes went cold in an instant.
"…Ah. You don't want to. I understand."
With that, she unwrapped her arms from my waist and rose from the bed. Startled by the sudden movement, I scrambled up after her.
"Lady Viviana…? Where are you…"
"I'm going to sleep. Rest well, Tina. See you tomorrow."
"Already…? I wanted to talk a little more, or give you a massage at least…"
Viviana was the only person in this place I could actually hold a conversation with. That made the time I spent with her precious to me.
No matter how fun it was to mess with Iris, one-sided chatter without real exchange never satisfied the basic human need for connection the way talking to an actual person did.
"No. I'll be fine."
But Viviana only smiled faintly and stroked my hair. The fierce longing that had burned for me moments ago was gone without a trace, and somehow the affection in her gaze felt cooler than usual.
"Th-then… g-good night, Lady Viviana. See you tomorrow…!"
There was no lingering attachment in her voice. I couldn't bring myself to stop her.
"Mm. You sleep well too, Tina."
The door closed without a second glance. Alone again on the suddenly quiet bed, I stared blankly out the window, then huffed a small laugh and shrugged.
"Eh, it's just for today."
I'd already finished Viviana's route. I'd found the exact brand of coquetry that worked perfectly on her — she had to be completely smitten with me by now. She must just have been exhausted from work today.
Tomorrow she'd be asking for a massage again, no doubt.
The next day unfolded exactly the same as always.
I ate the breakfast Luna brought me, chattered at Iris as if talking to myself while she gave no reply at all, and poked at Siril here and there to stave off the boredom.
But for some reason, nothing felt fun today. Time seemed to crawl even slower than usual.
Then evening arrived.
I was lying alone on the bed, gazing out the window, when the door opened and Viviana appeared, finished with her work.
Just as I always did, I put on a shy, hesitant little smile and hurried over to her with quick little steps.
"W-welcome back, Lady Viviana…! You worked so hard again today."
"Mm, thank you. How was your day?"
"Same as always… e-except that I missed you more than usual today…!"
I layered a slight tremor and a higher pitch into my voice, laying on the coquetry. I'd been sure it would rattle her — but there wasn't the slightest flicker in Viviana's eyes.
"I see. Thank you for saying so."
If anything, she only smiled as if humorously obliging me. An unnameable throb shot through my chest.
"Th-then…! Shall I give you a massage? It'll definitely help with the fatigue…"
Trying to shift the strange atmosphere, I beamed and took her hand. I was certain she'd accept — but Viviana gently freed her fingers and stepped back.
"No. I think it's better if I sleep early. You should rest early too, Tina."
"…Huh?"
The weak little sound slipped out before I could stop it. Viviana smiled softly and stroked my hair.
"See you tomorrow, Tina."
"Y-you're leaving already?"
We'd barely exchanged a few words. She hadn't even been in my room for five minutes.
But she left her final farewell and walked out. With that unattached look in her eyes, I once again couldn't bring myself to hold her back.
Alone in the room once more, I blinked blankly for a while, then collapsed onto the bed.
"…"
I couldn't bring myself to pick up a book today either.
I pulled the blanket all the way over my head, curled up beneath it, and forced myself to try to sleep.
For some reason, the bed felt needlessly vast tonight.
Morning came. I sprawled across the bed staring at the ceiling and muttered to myself.
"…Is she sulking, maybe?"
The thought struck me out of nowhere.
Had she gotten sulky because I wouldn't let her touch my butt? Was she acting cold on purpose to show how hurt she was?
That… could actually be it.
Viviana knew I'd let Mardian have free rein with my backside. And yet when it came to her, I wouldn't even allow a touch — of course she'd feel a little slighted.
She'd said as much herself, after all.
If that was why she'd been so distant with me lately, it was entirely understandable.
The moment I thought that, the anxiety that had been gnawing at me vanished all at once.
Right. There's no way her affection for me has cooled.
Loving beautiful, cute things is human nature. Who could possibly dislike a cute little puppy that always greets them with a bright smile?
"Viviana has a surprisingly cute side, doesn't she."
To show her sulking like this — wasn't that rather childish of her? The unexpectedly girlish behavior made me giggle.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. An unmistakably lovable face looked back. When I reached out, the girl in the glass seemed to reach back and take my hand.
"Can't be helped."
As the adult here, I'd have to be the one to soothe her first.
In the past maybe, but now I had no intention of letting Viviana go.
Was there anyone else who could protect me as solidly as she could? Even if I ran into danger later, Viviana was a powerful card I could count on to keep me safe.
All that money of hers didn't hurt either.
Look at where I was now.
I'd simply eaten the luxurious food she provided, slept in a high-class bed, and laid on a moderate amount of coquetry — and every last debt of my house had vanished, with a promise of generous future support thrown in for good measure.
Was there a bigger sucker in the world?
I had no desire to lose a super-premium connection like Viviana, so I'd just have to be the one to yield first.
Honestly.
"Viviana's not very honest either, is she."