Wrapping Up
“……”
My body felt utterly devoid of strength.
But since I was alive, it seemed the surgery had gone well.
“Who……”
A presence stirred beside me, and I turned my head.
My vision was blurry, unfocused, making it hard to discern the figure clearly, but it wasn’t Euphemia el Lerenne Ruerg. There was no trace of her distinctive green hue.
“There’ll be some aftereffects, so don’t worry. Your sight will return to normal soon enough.”
The voice felt strangely unfamiliar yet profoundly familiar.
“Is that…… you, brother?”
“Yes, little brother. You’ve stirred up quite the storm.”
If he, who should be in Brutein, was here now, at least a week must have passed.
No wonder my body felt so strangely weak……
How long had I been lying in this bed?
“It’s been exactly fourteen days today—two full weeks.”
“……”
“You’re quite the patient, aren’t you? Wearing every emotion on your face like that.”
Jeremiah von Berem Brutein’s faint chuckle reached my ears.
But I couldn’t return that smile.
“I’m sorry……”
He was the firstborn of Brutein, the family head in truth.
In that light, my actions had been inexcusable atrocities, far beyond the pale.
I was prepared for more than mere apologies.
“Ferzen.”
“Yes……”
“Have you ever received a birthday gift?”
“……”
“I always did. Every year, without fail……”
“……”
“I’m not trying to deceive you. You’ve never received anything from family or the house, have you? Nor did you ever expect to.”
“……”
“Twenty-four years…… It’s been so long already.”
Jeremiah’s gentle hand extended, resting atop my head.
“It’s all right to act spoiled now and then. You don’t have to shoulder every burden alone. I’m your brother, and you’re mine. Beyond Brutein, we’re family, bound together.”
“……”
“It might be too late to muster the courage, but…… as your family, I’ll be the one place where you can be yourself. And as head of the house, I’ll be the wall that shields you.”
“……”
I…… wasn’t purely Ferzen.
I was a third entity, a fusion of Lee Seojin and Ferzen.
But memories from Ferzen’s buried childhood—deemed useless and shoved to the depths—slowly surfaced, flashing by like a lantern slide.
“So, instead of ‘I’m sorry’…… say something else.”
“Ah……”
Haha……
A natural laugh escaped me, and I raised a hand to cover my face.
And for the first time since inhabiting this body…… it felt like tears were falling.
Moments later, I quietly opened my mouth.
“Brother……”
“Yes.”
“Please…… help me……”
“Of course, my little brother. I’ve been waiting for those words.”
Jeremiah von Berem Brutein.
My brother…… met my gaze without flinching.
Yes, even for a villain, family remains…… an unchanging ally.
Both Jeremiah and Ferzen.
Once they overcame the awkwardness and embarrassment…… they got down to business.
“I’ve informed His Majesty that Brutein will lend Ruerg’s castle for this imperial throne struggle.”
“Then……”
“Ruerg must become the north’s overlord. To that end, we must ensure Inas den Proissen Robelium, the First Prince of Robelium Kingdom, ascends the throne.”
At Jeremiah’s words, Ferzen blinked for a moment.
“Prince Inas won’t be executed?”
No matter how much Ciel Midford claimed it was his sole decision, the Ernes Empire had the power to ignore that and execute him.
More precisely, they had the justification.
Yet Jeremiah’s tone made it seem Prince Inas’s survival was a foregone conclusion, leaving Ferzen puzzled.
Handing a key piece like him to the Elmark Empire was worse than killing him cleanly here—wouldn’t that leave Robelium Kingdom under Ernes Empire’s unchallenged dominance?
“That was the plan.”
“What happened?”
“Ciel Midford…… dragged the Alfred family into it.”
“……”
“After learning you’d allied with Prince Inas for that charade, he urged Ciel Midford himself to request the assassination to prevent Brutein from lending Ruerg’s castle. Naturally, the Alfred family demanded verification.”
“Ha…… A final act of loyalty, is it?”
Ciel Midford’s way to prove his solo action was simple: Have a black mage puppet his corpse and extract the proper feedback.
But the empire skipped that.
They planned to behead him.
A headless corpse couldn’t undergo feedback.
That’s why headless bodies had the worst cost-efficiency.
But Ciel Midford used a valid pretext to involve Alfred, forcing the process.
If he were beheaded as is, Alfred would hand Brutein a perfect excuse to devour them anytime.
In that case……
To minimize corpse damage…… Ciel Midford would die by poison, not beheading.
Hanging wouldn’t work on an Aura Knight.
A fitting last gasp from the story’s self-righteous protagonist.
“……”
He briefly lowered his head, then frowned at his abdomen.
Unnoticed before, but now hyper-aware post-surgery, he wondered about the scars……
Reaching down, he lifted his gown.
“……”
“Surprised?”
Jeremiah chuckled softly.
“Yes…… quite surprised.”
The stabbed side had a clear incision scar, but the opposite side mirrored it perfectly.
No, the opposite wasn’t an incision…… it looked like flesh scraped raw to forcibly match the scar.
“I brought physicians from Brutein territory. They worked hard.”
“Haha……”
“If not, you’d have stabbed your other side the moment you woke. I couldn’t watch that.”
Lowering his voice, Jeremiah rose, patting Ferzen’s shoulder gently.
“I’ve burdened you suddenly……”
“Don’t feel indebted. I’ll take my leave. Your wife seems to be waiting outside, unable to enter……”
“It was good to see you after so long, brother.”
“Yes…… Let’s see each other more often from now on.”
Jeremiah turned, opening the door.
Euphemia, standing beyond, startled back a step.
Jeremiah offered her a kind smile, entrusted Ferzen to her care with a word, and vanished gracefully.
“……”
“……”
Alone in the room, Ferzen silently watched her precarious stance.
Creak……
The bed shifted lightly.
No real strength in his body, but aside from a twinge at his waist when tensing, he could move.
Ferzen rose, gripping the IV stand, and approached Euphemia.
“Euphemia……”
“Y-Yes……”
“There’ll be no surprises with Ciel Midford’s execution.”
His first words upon waking—facing reality—drew a sorrowful nod from Euphemia, slow and reluctant.
She knew…… begging for Ciel Midford’s life now was utterly futile.
Even if Ferzen offered the choice…… she lacked the courage to plead for Ciel.
If he survived only to repeat this for her sake…… she couldn’t endure that process.
Was it greed to wish we’d walk our own paths……
Ciel Midford, lost to obsession with her, had crossed an irreversible line.
All she felt was pity.
Yes, what Euphemia could offer Ciel now…… was mere sympathy.
His love’s form was too burdensome.
Its weight crushed her with pain.
“Lost, are you?”
“……”
“Euphemia.”
“Yes……”
“Did you go to see Ciel Midford?”
“N-No……”
“Then will you end your life when he dies?”
At Ferzen’s words, Euphemia slowly raised her head.
Then shook it side to side, deliberately.
“Good……”
Confirming her intent, Ferzen pulled her into his embrace.
Her ample breasts yielded softly.
“While I slept, you stayed by my side.”
“……”
“And you vowed never to leave me, even through death.”
“……”
“Euphemia, it’s your choice.”
“Yes……”
“You’ll be my wife forever.”
“Yes……”
“And the mother of my child.”
“Yes……”
“No other man exists in your body’s memory.”
“Yes……”
“I’m your only refuge in the world.”
“Yes……”
“You…… are mine.”
“Yes……”
As the recovered Ferzen gripped the collar around his neck and reaffirmed her direction, Euphemia felt an oddly comforting sensation seep through her.
If husband and wife facing the same path defined unity, then ironically, Ferzen and Euphemia came closest to it.
The clock had passed 1 a.m.
Ferzen brushed Euphemia’s hair behind her ear and spoke.
“It’s late……”
“……”
“You must be tired. Shall we sleep together for the first time in ages? The bed’s wide enough.”
Without hesitation, Euphemia nodded.
Ferzen took her hand, led her to the bed, and lay down together.
Her faint body scent, wafting subtly…… how he’d missed it.
Inhaling deeply, Ferzen loosened her gown, grasped her soft breast, and caressed it tenderly.
“Ah…… Yes……”
Baring her breasts in the hospital room, being fondled…… yet Euphemia felt no resistance, no matter how Ferzen explored her.
Even as he pinched and teased her nipple, she merely trembled, moaning softly, accepting naturally.
“By the way…… do you remember what I said before the duel?”
“Y-Yes……”
“Then say it again, right here.”
At his mischievous demand, Euphemia hesitated……
“Hahk……”
But as Ferzen nibbled her earlobe and tweaked her perked nipple, she gasped, opening her mouth.
“Wh-When we get home…… l-let’s have s-sex……”
“More.”
“I w-want a child…… just like you……”
“Again.”
“I w-want your thing…… inside me…… p-pounding my womb……”
“And.”
“I want you to k-kiss my nape…… press my belly as you wish…… as long as you’re gentle, it feels good for me too……”
As Euphemia finished, Ferzen smiled.
“You’ve grown so lewd.”
“……”
“Don’t you think?”
What answer did he want?
Euphemia turned her head aside shyly.
“I’m not…… l-lewd…… Ah!”
Smack.
Her exposed white neckline drew Ferzen’s kiss.
Startled, she shrank, but as he parted the covers, hiked her skirt, and stroked her belly, she obediently clasped her hands near her breasts.
A conditioned reflex etched into her body.
“Really……”
Ferzen hadn’t wanted to say it.
“Your body’s so honest.”
Nothing captured her current state better.
“Hng……!”
His hand gliding softly around her navel drew aroused moans from Euphemia.
Her white belly, rising and falling rhythmically, quivered irregularly.
Smack……
The gentle kiss on her nape made her panties cling wetly to her folds.
Ah……
Not wanting Ferzen to catch her love juices’ faint scent, she pressed her thighs together……
Squelch……
Only adding lewd noise to the quiet room.
Ferzen’s faint chuckle followed.
“Ahng……! Yes……!”
His hand slowly pressing her womb made Euphemia bury her face in his nape, shaking her head pitifully like a child.
“Hik……!”
But as his hand slid between her thighs, stroking her soaked panties over her slit, she gasped in shock.
“N-No……”
Setting aside the hospital room—nothing resolved, Ciel Midford awaiting execution, herself the cause—guilt surged as pleasure overtook her.
Sniffling, she gently pushed his hand away.
Squelch……!
“Ahng……! Ahahng……”
But Ferzen, disliking her self-recrimination over Ciel Midford, shoved her black panties aside and plunged into her dripping flesh.
“Hahng……! Ah, ahng……”
To make his pleasure her escape.
With deft fingers, Ferzen explored her depths, repeatedly scraping her textured spots.
“Hng! Hngg……!”
The sharp, long-missed sexual ecstasy made Euphemia pant, lewdly unraveling in his arms.
“Hmmp……!”
His lips covered hers; eyes shut, she awkwardly welcomed his tongue politely.
As if pleading for gentleness over roughness.
Like a lioness soothing an angry lion, nudging his tongue softly……
“Hmp……! Hng……”
Futile.
He ravaged her mouth outright, unleashing desire unbridled.
As it dragged on, Euphemia preferred this to vague pleasure and guilt……
Like drowning sorrows in drink, she surrendered fully, craving cheap gasps.
Slide……
Spreading her thighs vulgarly for easier access.
Squelch……!Twitch!
Responding, his fingers delved deeper; her walls clenched tight.
Pop……!
“……!”
But withdrawing, a sticky thread of nectar stretched, lewd beyond vulgar.
Euphemia flushed deeper in embarrassment……
“Nng, ah……! N-Not there…… d-don’t……”
After patting her smooth mound, passing her perineum to tease her pooled anus, she whimpered, biting his gown.
Anywhere was fine, but her rear triggered instinctive revulsion; she expressed discomfort without overstepping.
“Hik……!”
Not stopping, he teased again; trembling, she gripped his wrist.
Guiding upward to her slit……
She lifted her head from his chest, gazing at him.
“It’s…… weird there…… d-don’t touch……”
“……”
“Please…… not now…… d-don’t torment me……”
Her tearful plea—so adorably lovable.
Ferzen buried his face in her hair, sliding fingers back in, gently leading her to climax.
“Hng! Ahng…… Ahngg……!”
Twitch! Shiver!
Thighs splayed wide, like a diapered baby soiling itself, she trembled in his arms, savoring the afterglow.
No thoughts intruded; dazed, panting, eyes closed.
“Sleep…… It’s deep into the night.”
Pulling up the covers, patting her slick folds, he whispered in her ear.
Like murmuring in sleep, she replied softly.
“Don’t…… pat there……”
“……”
“Stroke…… my belly……”
Nearing five months under Ferzen’s taming.
Her belly—womb area—had become an erogenous zone.
Yet also, under gentle strokes, a trigger for peace and comfort—a comprehensive routine.
“As you wish……”
Such a sweet, cute request; Ferzen gladly caressed her belly tenderly.
“Sniff……”
Soon after……
Her belly rose and fell rhythmically under his hand, signaling deep sleep.
Ferzen gazed at her sleeping face in his arms for a long while, lowered her skirt, and drifted off beside her.