34. Blooming (14)

"Hey, are you talking about the engagement?"

"It must have felt really good - I've never heard Evernoir make that kind of voice before."

Had she really been like that?

No, that couldn't be.

In her own memory, there was nothing but disgust and humiliation.

Of course, there had been a tiny bit of pleasure mixed in, but it was really just a tiny amount.

Then what exactly had touched a nerve with Her Highness?

Evernoir was really grateful that Her Highness was walking ahead right now.

If she were to show that she didn't even know why she was being subjected to this pressure from Her Highness, it might make Her Highness angry.

'Is it because I failed to protect her...?'

If that were the case, it made quite a bit of sense.

She failed to protect her from losing her virginity to a goblin, and this time she couldn't even protect her from being raped by some rural village man.

If this continued, what meaning was there in having a knight order captain like her by Her Highness's side to protect her?

'...As expected.'

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I should have protected you...."

Evernoir was half-convinced.

It was because she, the knight order captain, had made grand promises with pretty words but failed to keep them.

But-

"Hmph, do not speak to me for a while."

"...Pardon?"

What returned was Her Highness's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hatred once again.

####

'Why on earth am I acting like this....'

It had been like this since earlier.

The moment jealousy began to bloom, it grew in size like pouring oil on a fire.

And now, unable to control that emotion, she found herself unconsciously throwing barbed words at Sir Evernoir.

 This wasn't what she intended.

She didn't want to act like this either.

What the hell was with this "hmph."

Neither her tone nor her actions were flowing according to her intentions.

'......This is strange.'

She didn't dislike Evernoir, but she wanted to be spiteful.

While feeling this confusion, the thing that kept driving her crazy was-

-Squelch.

'Hyaak?!'

Riding a horse inevitably caused stimulation to the lower crevice,

and ever since watching the two have intercourse while she was left neglected at Baman's house, her lower parts kept getting wet.

'Haa, haa...'

Not wanting to show Evernoir my expression that was gradually melting, I was pretending to be angry and walking ahead of her.

Absolutely.

I absolutely couldn't let this expression be seen.

'......I absolutely can't say it.'

I absolutely couldn't say I was jealous because they enjoyed themselves without me.

But as time passed, images kept coming to mind: Baman's thick penis thrusting into my there, and Sir Evernoir's appearance as she moaned as if it felt so good.

Thinking about Sir Evernoir's expression, gestures, and moans at that time...,

"......Eut."

Just how good must it have been to make her pant like that?

I wanted to experience that feeling too.

The first time was nothing but pain because I wasn't wet at all, and the second time I only felt a little bit, enough to be tantalizing.

It must have felt good though....

"...Your Highness?"

"Haat?!"

Before I knew it, Evernoir had brought her horse right beside mine, and I almost showed her my face.

####

"Your Highness, it's indeed too late at night."

Evernoir finally stopped the horse.

It was understandable, as it was so dark everywhere that it was hard to even confirm if we were going the right way.

The time we were drugged by Baman was around noon, and when we regained consciousness and got up was around evening, so naturally it was now completely dark.

And though I didn't know the exact time since we hurriedly followed Her Highness out of the village in a rush, judging by the moon that had risen, it was approaching dinner time.

So Evernoir began setting up a simple tent with what she had received from the Merchant Leader.

Of course, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wasn't very well-equipped.

It was merely a tent made by connecting a rope between two trees and covering the space between them with cloth, enough to only cover our heads and backs.

"Your Highness, please move a little closer."

It wasn't very big to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠begin with.

Just enough for two people with their shoulders tightly pressed together to barely sit.

But given how temperatures drop in the forest at night, this was actually useful as it helped maintain body heat better.

Eventually, Her Highness also leaned tightly against my shoulder without saying a word.

Her Highness's body was very warm.

Unlike me, who rose to become knight order captain, wielding swords, being rough and blunt, Her Highness was literally closer to a young lady or princess.

Her subtle fragrance that tickled the nose, the feminine warmth felt from her shoulder, and the shampoo scent that could be smelled from Her Highness's flowing hair - it was an aroma that made me want to embrace her without realizing it.

-Sizzle!

"Here you are, Your Highness."

Evernoir tore open some jerky and handed it to Her Highness to somehow distract herself.

Then she tried to divert her attention by chewing on it,

but with just one glance to the right, Her Highness's half-exposed breasts came into view.

Naturally, the moment she saw that,

-Throb.

"Keuk..."

Evernoir's thing ended up standing straight up.

Of course, Her Highness hadn't noticed yet.

The fact that her hideous thing had become erect.

Evernoir felt a chill run down her spine.

Partly from the fear of being caught by Her Highness, but also because the feeling of it being erect and screaming to be let out from its cloth tomb was too ecstatic.

"...Uu."

Evernoir wanted to grip it tightly with her hand right then.

But because of Her Highness's presence leaning tightly against her shoulder, she couldn't move her hand freely.

If she moved even slightly, Her Highness would surely look this way.

Thanks to this, Evernoir's head kept lowering.

To smell more of Her Highness's scent.

Unable to help it, Evernoir began pressing closer to Her Highness continuously.

####

Perhaps Sir Evernoir was right - we might have been a bit hasty.

My judgment had become clouded by uncontrollable jealousy.

Naturally, since I was the one at fault, I followed the advice of Evernoir, who had more experience than me, stopped the horse, and set up camp in the forest.

Fortunately, not riding the horse stopped the stimulation in my groin, which also reduced how much my body was heating up.

It was much more comfortable compared to before.

"...Pardon me, Your Highness."

Evernoir sat down right next to me.

Since we couldn't light a campfire in the forest, we naturally had to press our bodies together to maintain body temperature.

That was supposed to be normal but... this was really.

How should I put it.

Was setting up the tent somewhat difficult for her?

Evernoir's slightly flushed face and the heat coming from her shoulder.

It was surely nothing, so why did it look so lewd?

Without realizing it, my gaze went to Evernoir's lips.

'......Eut?'

For a moment, I wondered why my gaze had gone there even as I watched myself.

It seemed my mind wasn't in its right state, as my physical condition hadn't been normal since earlier.

"Hoo."

-Flitch.

"Hmm?"

I thought it was nothing, but for some reason Sir Evernoir's reaction seemed somewhat strange.

Her temperature seemed a bit higher than usual.

Of course, it made her somewhat warmer, but if she was sick somewhere, it could be dangerous.

"Evernoir."

"Yes, yehet?!"

I placed my hand on Evernoir's cheek to check her temperature.

"Hik?!"

"Are you hurt somewhere?"

Her flustered appearance was somewhat different from usual.

But when I actually touched her, her temperature wasn't that severe.

"Ah, I'm not hurt, Your Highness..."

"......Hmm."

Of course, Evernoir wasn't the type to lie about such things.

But it was clear she was hiding something.

With no squad members and just the two of us as combat strength, if we hid even minor health issues now, it could mean life or death.

"Evernoir, speak honestly."

"Wh-what should I say...?"

Sir Evernoir subtly created distance from me.

It was obvious something was wrong.

"If there's anything troubling you, tell me everything honestly."

".................."

I pressed harder at Evernoir's hesitant response.

I pressed my body deeper against hers and looked straight into her eyes.

But Evernoir leaned back even more, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unable to meet my gaze.

Judging from her reaction that something was definitely wrong, I pressed Evernoir to the very end-

"......Aht?!"

"Euk!"

My body, pushed too far, ended up falling on top of Sir Evernoir's body.

As I started to put strength into my body to get up, I began to feel something strange against my chest.

"Ah, aah..."

"Th-that, uum..."

I wasn't unaware of what it was.

I just didn't know that facing it like this would feel so awkward.

How should I react?

As I remained silent for a moment due to such thoughts, Sir Evernoir's breathing began to gradually quicken.

"Heuk, heuk."

And the gaze that had always avoided my eyes no longer looked away.

Even the way she looked at me was dangerously intense.

As if, right before committing to something-

"Your Highness..."

"...Evernoir? Are you alright?"

I didn't know it then.

Having never been in a relationship even when I was the crown prince, how could I possibly understand a woman's gaze?

Because of that, unaware of what was about to happen, I was checking on Sir Evernoir's condition with concern when,

"Evernoir? W-wait. Even if you keep coming this way, there's no more space...!"

-Pat!

"Euk?! Why are you suddenly pushing-!"

"Haa, haa, haa."

In complete contrast to my position of having been on top of her just moments before, when I came to my senses, Evernoir was now on top of me.