The Taste of a Deepening Kiss
Was she going to be kissed?
"Hehehee~ Aww~ Whose little brother is this? Why is he so handsome~?"
"... Anna, calm down a little."
"Huh? Why should I? I'm perfectly calm. Isn't it our young master who needs to calm down~?"
Veilburg County. Anna, who had entered Rian's room to take charge of his grooming, looked incredibly excited. She fussed over every detail of his clothes with meticulous care and even brought the expensive perfume she'd bought herself, spraying it on him.
Psst— Psst—
"Smells good, right?"
"Hmm? I'm not sure..."
"This is a really popular scent with the ladies. I bought it with great sacrifice just for you, young master."
"Give me the receipt. I'll pay for it."
"No need for the perfume money~"
While fixing Rian's hair, she pressed close and said, "I'm looking forward to the next story?"
"... What do you think this is, a novel?"
Rian made a distinctly uncomfortable face at her behavior, which seemed like she was eagerly awaiting the next chapter of some romance story. Apparently, telling her everything that had happened with Cynthia felt awkward.
Anna, noticing his reaction, suddenly widened her eyes into a glare and began pressuring him.
"No, young master. You can't treat me like this."
"Why not?"
"How much have I helped with your love life? Honestly, I think I deserve to see the end of this romance."
"That's a bit..."
"What? Now that Lady Cynthia is starting to fall for you, you're saying you don't need me anymore? I didn't think our young master was like that. That's really too much."
"I'm leaving now. Thanks for the perfume."
"What? There's still plenty of time left, isn't there?"
As Anna said, there was still over an hour until the appointed time. Even if he left now and arrived at the meeting place, he'd have to wait more than thirty minutes. But Rian didn't seem to care. He left the room with somewhat hurried steps.
'I want to see Cynthia.'
Last night, he'd barely slept, thinking of her. That's how intensely their first kiss had lingered in his mind. Even now, with insufficient sleep, his condition was nearly at its peak. The tension was so severe that he'd forgotten his fatigue.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
'I want to meet her soon.'
My fiancée, the most beautiful woman in the world. He wanted to see her as soon as possible, even a moment sooner.
Inside the Rebellion Grand Duchy carriage heading to the Tursten Territory, Cynthia sat with a serious expression, lost in deep contemplation.
"... Today might be dangerous."
Just yesterday, Rian had kissed her. And it had been a coercive kiss without asking permission. Of course, she hadn't felt displeased by it, but the problem was what came next.
(Rian has been much more conscious of you than usual, my lady. If things continue at this pace, he won't be able to hold back his excitement and will likely try to claim you before the week is out.)
"Mmm... It's fine. I'm stronger than that."
She still wasn't mentally prepared to go any further. Just the other day, they'd only been holding hands like a pair of innocent walkers. There was no way she could jump straight to the end.
'Still... the kiss wasn't bad. Maybe a kiss or two would be okay?'
She touched her lips, recalling the sensation from that moment. The soft touch, that burning heat still hadn't faded from her memory. If he forced another kiss today and she quietly accepted it, wouldn't she get to experience something even hotter?
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
'... Am I going to be taken?'
Whether it was anticipation or anxiety, she couldn't quite tell. As her face gradually flushed with an indefinable emotion—
"Lady Cynthia. We've arrived."
They had reached the Tursten Territory, the appointed meeting place. There were still about thirty minutes until the promised time, but waiting quietly at home had been too difficult, so she'd left a little early.
"Get a hold of yourself, Cynthia. As long as I handle things properly, there won't be any problems..."
Clop— Clop—
The moment Cynthia stepped down from the carriage, a familiar-looking carriage arrived and stopped opposite her. It was the Veilburg County carriage that she always encountered whenever they went on dates lately.
Creak—
"Cynthia!"
"Hup...!"
Rian, who had stepped out at the same time, spotted Cynthia and broke into a wide smile. It was the expression of someone who couldn't contain his joy, like a lover reuniting after a long time apart.
'He's so handsome...'
It was undoubtedly the best smile she'd seen from him so far. Cynthia stared at Rian's face with a dazed expression for a moment before quickly averting her gaze as if fleeing.
Rian, unable to hold back his delight, was running toward her.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
'Ugh! My heart...!'
"Cynthia! You're early, huh?"
"Y-yeah... You came early too, Rian?"
"I came early because I wanted to see you."
Thump!! Thump!! Thump!! Thump!!
'S-something's wrong!'
Her heartbeat was twice as fast as usual, and she couldn't even look properly at Rian's face. He was clearly younger than her and far weaker in strength, yet his presence felt overwhelming, as if a powerful being stood before her.
"What about you, Cynthia?"
"Huh?"
"Why did you come so early?"
"Ah, well... I just... had some time to spare."
"Really?"
Rian tilted his head as if it were nothing special and reached out his hand. As always, he was trying to take her hand to begin their date.
But—
Swish!
"!?"
"Ah!"
Seeing him reach for her hand, Cynthia quickly pulled hers away.
"S-sorry. You grabbed for it so suddenly that I got flustered..."
"... Is that so?"
"Yeah. Here."
Cynthia held out her hand again with an awkward expression. Rian stared at her for a moment before carefully taking it.
Squeeze—
"Cynthia, you seem a little different today?"
"How so?"
"Hmm... Or maybe not? Am I just nervous?"
Thump!! Thump!! Thump!! Thump!!
'I'm going crazy. Stop it already!'
It wasn't just Cynthia who was tense. Rian's face was slightly flushed as he avoided her gaze. Seeing his reaction, Cynthia's heart began to pound wildly.
Swoosh—
"How is it?"
"Oh my, customer! It's really pretty! Truly!"
"Wow... Yeah. It really is pretty."
'Ugh...'
Rian gazed at Cynthia as she emerged from the fitting room with an awestruck expression. Seeing his sincere reaction, Cynthia unconsciously turned her head and hid her face.
Today, Rian's responses felt much more intense than usual, and the stronger his reaction, the harder it became to control her expression.
'Why is Rian acting so casual? He stole my lips, yet I'm the only one conscious of it?'
The two were currently inside a clothing shop, shopping. Since they'd arrived far too early for their appointment and it was still too soon for a meal, they'd followed Rian's suggestion to pick out clothes for Cynthia.
"Customer, would you like to try on some other outfits? Your figure is so good that I think these would suit you wonderfully."
"Ah, that sounds great!"
Rian's eyes sparkled as he looked at the clothes the employee offered. He seemed thrilled at the chance to see Cynthia in various outfits. As he took the clothes and quickly approached her—
Flinch!
"...?"
"Ah, no. I like the one I'm wearing now better."
For some reason, Cynthia kept flinching every time Rian came near. She made a flustered excuse, but she had already noticed her own mistake.
The smile on Rian's face as he looked at her had wilted slightly.
Thump!!!
'Ah, I messed up.'
"Then shall we go with that outfit and head out?"
Rian smoothly glossed over her mistake and walked toward the counter. His demeanor was perfectly casual, as if nothing had happened. Cynthia fidgeted restlessly, wanting to reach out to him, but in the end, she lacked the courage to grab his back.
'Am I an idiot?'
'It must be because of the kiss, right?'
Rian, who had left the clothing shop, was feeling quite downcast. The reason was the cautious way Cynthia had been acting all day.
'... Did she hate it?'
If that was the case, it would deal a serious blow to his confidence. He'd kissed her with a fair amount of certainty and courage, but if she'd found it unpleasant...
'Ugh... I feel like an idiot for getting so excited by myself.'
"Rian?"
"Ah, yeah. Give me the bags. I'll carry them."
He took the shopping bags from Cynthia's hands and turned his back to her. Normally he would have reached out with his other hand to hold hers, but the thought that she might find it uncomfortable stopped him.
'What if she started hating me...?'
'... He's not holding my hand...'
The two walked in an ambiguous distance—not too far, not too close—in silence. Rian was feeling complicated because of Cynthia's reaction, while Cynthia followed behind him like a puppy, regretting her own behavior.
'What should I do... It's all because of me...'
"Ah, Cynthia. Could you wait here for a moment?"
"Huh?"
"I left the carriage waiting nearby. I'll just drop off the bags and come right back, so wait just a little."
"Ah, okay. Sure."
As Rian walked off quickly to leave the bags, Cynthia sat on a nearby bench to rest for a while. She reviewed everything that had happened today.
"Hoo... I shouldn't be doing this. I'm unconsciously avoiding Rian, aren't I?"
She'd been reacting almost instinctively. Just having Rian come close made her heart race and her senses sharpen. It felt like a wonderful resonance, but at the same time, it also brought a sense of fear.
She'd never felt this way with any of the men she'd known until now.
'... To think Rian feels scary...'
It was a complicated feeling that even she herself found difficult to explain.
"Ah, is that Lady Cynthia?"
"Yes?"
Just as Cynthia's worries were deepening, a man approached and spoke to her. He was a sturdy man with brown hair. At a glance, Cynthia could tell he was a warrior who had trained with the sword.
'Who is he?'
"It's been a while, Lady Cynthia. Have you been well?"
"... Who were you again?"
"Ah... You don't remember me?"
He'd spoken with such confidence, but Cynthia genuinely couldn't recall him. The man scratched his head with a bitter smile and began reintroducing himself.
"My name is Gilroy Cross. Three years ago, at the swordsmanship tournament held in the capital, I faced you in a match."
"Ah!"
At the mention of the swordsmanship tournament three years ago, Cynthia's face lit up with realization.
"The semifinals?"
"Haha! That's right. I'm glad you remember."
"I didn't forget. I just didn't recognize you at first because the atmosphere is so different."
"Oh, I'll take that as a compliment?"
Gilroy smiled brightly, clearly pleased that Cynthia remembered him. His smile was filled with obvious affection toward her. Of course, Cynthia was already so used to such gazes that she felt nothing from it.
"By the way, what is a lady like you doing here all alone?"
Thump—
Gilroy sat down naturally beside her and asked the question. Cynthia's expression turned slightly uncomfortable at his attempt to continue the conversation, but getting annoyed over something so minor seemed strange, so she decided to let it slide.
"I'm waiting for my fiancé."
"... Your fiancé?"
"Yes. I have a fiancé. Didn't you know?"
Cynthia Rebellion's fiancé. Naturally, Gilroy knew about him. Cynthia Rebellion was a woman Gilroy had taken an interest in as well, so hearing about her fiancé was bound to bother him.
'I thought they'd break the engagement quickly, but it's lasting longer than expected.'
"Cynthia?"
Right after he tried to continue the conversation, a man's voice called from nearby. When Gilroy turned his gaze, he saw a blue-haired young man looking at him with wary eyes.
"Who is this?"
"Just an acquaintance. Don't mind him, Rian."
Cynthia answered immediately and stood up from the bench. It was obvious at a glance that she had put up an iron wall, but Gilroy showed no intention of backing down. He stood up with her and naturally moved to stand directly in front of Rian.
"My name is Gilroy Cross. Lady Cynthia and I once crossed swords in conversation."
"Ah, from the Cross County..."
The two men exchanged a light handshake and sized each other up. Rian to protect his woman. Gilroy to covet her.
"Young Master Rian... it seems you don't train in swordsmanship."
"... No, I don't. Is that a problem?"
"In that case, would you mind stepping aside for a moment?"
"Pardon?"
Gilroy suddenly began spouting ridiculous nonsense. When Rian glared at him with an uncomfortable look, unable to understand, Gilroy pointed at Cynthia with a confident expression and said,
"It's been a while since I've seen Lady Cynthia, and I'd like to have a conversation about the sword with her. It won't take long, so could you give us some time?"
"... What exactly are you saying?"
"Did I make a strange request?"
Of course it was a strange request. Asking to spend time with another man's fiancée right in front of him. Rian's displeasure surged, and his face hardened with genuine anger, but Gilroy didn't back down.
"Young Master Rian knows nothing about the sword, doesn't he? If you force your way into the conversation, it'll only make things awkward for everyone, won't it?"
"... What kind of nonsense is—"
"There's going to be a swordsmanship tournament in the northern region soon. Lady Cynthia, if you'd like, perhaps then we could—"
"You're being ridiculous."
"!"
At that moment, Cynthia, who had been quietly watching Gilroy's behavior, spoke in an icy voice.
"Why would I need to spend time with you? In front of my 'fiancé,' no less."
"Ah... I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't ask for your opinion first..."
"And you dare speak to me about the sword? A mere small fry who couldn't even last ten seconds and got knocked out?"
Flinch!
Gilroy's entire body twitched at her voice filled with hostility. His expression hardened at her blatant disregard, but Cynthia paid it no mind.
"Get lost. And don't ever appear before us again. We're on a date, and some worthless trash comes crawling over."
"... My lady. Don't you think your words are a bit too harsh?"
"What? Harsh? It seems you've never experienced anything truly harsh."
Seeing Gilroy turn the tables on her, Cynthia spoke coldly.
"The Cross family, was it?"
"!?"
"I remembered the family name. Let's go, Rian."
At Cynthia's terrifying warning, Gilroy couldn't say another word. His face, filled with fear and hurt, was a satisfying sight to behold, but—
'Pathetic.'
Rian's heart felt uneasy. He found his own inability to drive away even a single man utterly pathetic.
'The mood is completely ruined.'
As Cynthia walked around the village with Rian, she felt regret seeing how seriously stiff his expression had become.
'I should have completely ignored that Gilroy or whatever his name was until the end.'
When the topic of swordsmanship came up, she'd unconsciously engaged with him. Since she was on a date with her fiancé, she absolutely shouldn't have done that. Now their relationship had only grown awkward because of this incident.
'What should I do? What can I do to...'
She wanted to lift Rian's spirits, but no ideas came to mind. Rian had always been the one leading the atmosphere, while she mostly followed along.
'Something... something good for a change of mood...'
Squeeze!
"Cynthia, this way."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Rian gripped her hand tightly and led her somewhere. Cynthia looked surprised at his strong pull but didn't resist. She quietly followed his lead into a secluded alley where there were few people.
"Rian? Why are we—!"
Thud!
Rian suddenly pushed Cynthia against the wall with force. He grabbed both her shoulders, pinning her so she couldn't move.
As Cynthia stared in a daze at the sudden event, Rian glared at her for a moment before stealing her lips.
Chu—
"Mmph!?"
'A-a kiss!?'
Rian was rushing in again. But this kiss was slightly different from the one they'd shared yesterday. If yesterday's kiss had been a short one lasting about three seconds—
"Sluurp! Chuuup!"
"Mmph! Ri...! Hngh!?"
She tried to say something, but Rian's lips wouldn't allow it. He pressed their lips together, opened his mouth, and pushed his tongue inside hers.
"Slurp! Haa! Suuuck!"
'Ah, inside my mouth...'
A strange sensation at the tip of her tongue. It coiled around her like a snake, stealing all her saliva, then used suction to claim her tongue as well. And then came the strange sounds.
"Chuu! Chuu! Chuu! Chuu!"
"Hnghh...!♡?"
'T-this... shouldn't be happening...'
A little time passed like that.
"Slurp. Haa, haa."
"Haa... Haa..."
Rian, who had paused the kiss for a moment, looked down at Cynthia. Her pupils were hazy from the lingering aftertaste of the kiss as she barely managed to look at him. Feeling her heated breaths against his skin, Rian spoke quietly.
"Cynthia."
"Y... Yeah."
"I'm the jealous type, so from now on, you can't show that kind of behavior in front of me."
"Ah... It's a misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with that man..."
"Listen to me."
Squeeze!
"Hngh...!"
Rian's hand wrapped tightly around Cynthia's waist. Their bodies were pressed so close that her chest, stomach, and lower body all touched in a dizzying proximity. The embarrassing parts of her body were all in contact, and Cynthia instinctively tried to resist, but—
Tremble—
'M-my strength... won't come out...!'
"Hngh... Haa..."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Y-yes, I understand. From now on, I'll ignore all men..."
"... I'm going to kiss you. Stay still."
"......"
Whether it was an order or a declaration, Rian spoke firmly and pressed his body even closer. Cynthia hesitated for a moment, her lips twitching, but then she closed her eyes as if giving up on something. Her heart—and even her mind—had already surrendered completely. There wasn't the slightest thought of escaping.
Chu... Chuu♡
'The kiss... feels so good...♡'