Seongguk – Love?

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Annie’s shocked by something like this after all the things we’ve done together.

But when is Jade going to release me?

This, this is getting blurry…

“Ugh!”

-Tap, tap, tap.

I couldn’t take it anymore and started tapping Jade’s back, and only then did Jade break away.

A long, white string connected our lips.

I gasped for air, trying to replenish my oxygen.

“Haa, haa…”

“S-sorry. Did I go too far?”

Only after seeing me panting did Jade realize what she had done and hurriedly checked on me.

She acted like a beast just now, and now she’s apologizing.

I’m starting to see the stud in Jade that can devour me to her heart’s content.

“No need to apologize. I kissed you first. But you’re getting good at kissing now?”

“Because you taught me.”

Jade blushed and scratched her head, embarrassed.

It’s true that I taught her with my body… but it feels strange when she says it like that.

“Anyway, I’m so glad you’re safe. Lena, I thought I was going to lose you.”

-Wham.

Jade hugged me tightly. My breasts were crushed against Jade’s chest.

Her arms holding me in place and Jade’s chest are quite firm.

I can feel that she’s gained more muscle and is in better shape than before, probably because she’s been training hard.

Jade was steadily growing stronger.

So, I hugged Jade back.

“Hng… It was really hard… I’m so happy to see you again.”

A few tears of emotion are a bonus.

“You, what on earth happened to you two! Doing this as soon as you meet…”

Annie, having regained her senses, screamed.

“Can you let go for a second? I’ll explain.”

“Okay.”

I carefully pushed Jade away and wiped the tears from my eyes.

“Um… Jade didn’t tell you? I confessed to Jade.”

“W-when did you confess! And Lena confessed first, not Jade?”

“I did it in the Dungeon. I thought it was really the end. So, I confessed on a whim. But seeing Jade’s face again like this is a bit embarrassing.”

I had originally imagined that Jade would save me and confess to me, but somehow I ended up confessing.

I wanted to create a cool atmosphere, thinking it might be the end… but Antonio suddenly barged in.

In conclusion, it’s a good thing that I got out of the crisis without having to use my powers.

Meanwhile, Jade slowly approached me again and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“Ahem, anyway, Lena and I are now a couple. I forgot to tell you.”

Now she’s showing off our relationship to others.

Is it like, Lena is mine now?

Jade, with me by her side, looked very happy.

She’s grinning from ear to ear.

“I’ve been waiting for the day you two would date. But I couldn’t see the confession scene…”

From Annie’s perspective, she must have been frustrated every time she saw us.

We were obviously showing that we liked each other, but we weren’t confessing and were just digging holes.

Maybe Jade didn’t confess to me because she knew about the wounds I had received and was acting cautiously.

Thinking about this, I can understand Jade’s frustrating behavior to some extent.

Annie raised her thumb towards us.

“Anyway, congratulations!”

“Hehehe, both of you are such handsome and beautiful lovers. Congratulations.”

Antonio, who was behind us, was also looking at us with a pleased expression.

‘Sir Antonio, it’s been a while.’

It’s been almost 10 years since I last saw his face.

I remember that he always had that unique pleased expression when he saw me and the Saintess in the past.

Me and the Saintess always denied that we were in that kind of relationship, though.

Looking at Antonio, I noticed his injury.

-Flap.

Every time Antonio moved, his right arm was empty, and only the shoulder part fluttered.

He sacrificed himself to protect the Saintess from the Legion Commander who invaded the Holy Kingdom.

I always felt sorry because my misjudgment contributed to his injury. If I had made a slightly more correct judgment, I could have changed the future.

But there’s no point in regretting it now. The past is the past.

Anyway, even Antonio doesn’t know that I’ve become like this. Because I’ve hidden it thoroughly.

“Sir Antonio, you’re the same person I know, right?”

“If you’re talking about me, who was a Cardinal in the past, then yes.”

“I wasn’t sure, but it really was you. Thank you so much for saving us. I’m sorry that I can only thank you like this because of my condition.”

“Haha, it’s alright. I heard that you’ve been taking good care of the Hero until now, so I’m more grateful.”

“Hehe, I’ve had a bit of a hard time.”

While we were having a friendly conversation,

“Oh? But if Lena confessed in the Dungeon, then Lena was… done like that by the Orcs…?”

“…”

The atmosphere suddenly froze at Annie’s words.

…That was a very tactless remark for Annie.

This is something I could claim as trauma.

“Annie. It’s all over. What’s important is that we’re all here together.”

“…Sorry.”

Annie, realizing her mistake, apologized and quickly shut her mouth.

There’s no need to change the situation to a gloomy one now. It’s a moment of reunion that should be touching.

But Jade’s face had already turned gloomy.

“That’s right. Lena sacrificed herself for us.”

“Jade, are you going to be like that too?”

“…Because I have sinned against you.”

This isn’t good. Jade’s mental state might have problems if this continues.

The funny thing is that she’s showing more pain than I am. In fact, I’m the one who should be having the hardest time in this situation.

“Haa…. Annie, can you go outside for a moment? We have something to talk about.”

“Yeah, um… Sir Antonio, is that your name? We should go out for a while.”

“Alright. You two can talk comfortably. We’ll be resting in another room.”

Annie and Antonio quickly disappeared out of the room.

-Thud.

As soon as the door closed, I grabbed Jade’s shoulders.

From now on, I’m going to be the one who was raped and received indelible wounds, but still comforts Jade.

“Jade, listen carefully. Everything I said in the Dungeon was sincere. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“…Okay.”

Her expression is still gloomy for someone who said that. What a frustrating person.

“And don’t you remember? You saved me when Raspha was playing around with the bet. I’m really grateful for that. If I had been left to suffer, I would have….”

I would have been happier, though.

But if it had gone on any longer, my brain might have melted from the pleasure and I would have gone crazy. I was really at my limit, gritting my teeth and enduring it for the sake of the concept.

And Jade’s mind, who was watching it, would have collapsed too.

“I couldn’t take it anymore at that time either. No, I should have stopped you from betting with that trash Demon in the first place.”

“If I hadn’t accepted the bet, we would have been dragged away before Antonio arrived. You didn’t give up even in that situation and fought against Raspha. It was the image of a true Hero that anyone could see. Each and every one of our actions changed the future.”

“What I did had meaning… I saved Lena.”

After praising Jade diligently, Jade’s face finally brightened a little.

Good. It seems like my words are working.

“So, don’t keep having a hard time. Who am I supposed to rely on if you collapse? You know I’m holding back. It’s too hard for me too. Hng….”

“Don’t cry. It’s my fault.”

Jade wiped the tears from my eyes with a handkerchief.

“From now on, don’t just say you’re sorry, show it with your actions.”

I muttered the next words softly.

“…No, our relationship won’t last long anyway.”

“What…? Wait, what does that mean?”

Jade’s face hardened as if she understood my words.

“Hehe, you know. I’m just a commoner with nothing, and you’re a Hero. I won’t be greedy like a fool. But until you meet someone who is worthy of you… I want to receive your love.”

“Why do you think that way? Why would I choose someone other than you?”

Jade had an expression that she couldn’t understand my attitude.

“You don’t have to accept my feelings out of pity. As you become more famous, there will be many women who like you besides me. Yes. Now that you’ve come to the Holy Kingdom, you’ll be with the Saintess—”

-Thump.

“Stop.”

Jade’s palm covered my mouth.

Jade’s hand covering my mouth was trembling, and it was clear that she was holding back her anger.

It seems like my words properly stimulated her.

As expected, you have to instill a sense of crisis in men to make them come to their senses.

After taking a deep breath for a moment, Jade slowly took her hand away and opened her mouth.

“What kind of man do you think I am? Was I that unreliable? To the point where you think I would throw away the person I love like trash?”

“N-no, that’s definitely not it.”

“Then listen carefully. The reason I fell in love with you when I first saw you was because of your beautiful appearance.”

“…I knew it. Because you secretly stole glances at my face and chest at the Academy.”

“Ugh….”

Jade was clearly flustered when I suddenly brought up the story from our Academy days.

Hehe, how cute.

Anyway, Jade quickly regained her composure and continued to speak.

“That’s not the only reason I’ve come to love you this much. I’m completely immersed in your warm heart, your willingness to sacrifice yourself and risk your life to save someone. Who else can act like you? And what man wouldn’t fall for that?”

“…But I’m already too tainted, aren’t I? I once succumbed to another man, and now I’ve even been raped by Monsters. Even the street prostitutes would laugh at me. How can someone like me be with a noble Hero like you?”

I continued to mention the past and belittle myself.

As if I wanted Jade to hate me.

But Jade didn’t care.

“What does it matter? You’re still more beautiful than anyone else in my eyes. No matter what you’ve been through, no matter what you look like, I’ll never leave you.”

This is a bit touching. I can really feel how much Jade loves me.

I feel a little guilty for taking advantage of that love.

But I don’t know if I myself can have a spiritual love with a man that transcends physical love.

Can Jade really change my mind?

…This is probably a useless worry anyway.

I shook off my random thoughts and grabbed Jade’s arm, sobbing.

“Hng… Really? You’re not going to abandon me later, are you?”

“Not even death will separate us. So, don’t ever say that again. Promise me.”

Jade held out her pinky finger to me. It was a cliché, but it was quite a romantic way to promise right now.

Of course, I responded to Jade’s request.

Our pinky fingers met and intertwined.

“…Yeah. I promise.”

“I won’t show such a weak side in the future either. I’m also a Hero, and it must be harder for you than anyone else to see that. I love you.”

-Kiss.

Jade brushed my hair aside and lightly kissed my forehead.

She’s doing skinship without any hesitation now.

Anyway, it was a time to open up to each other and confirm our love, as originally planned.

“Rest well today. Me and Annie will listen to the situation from Sir Antonio and tell you. Okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll be waiting.”

Jade got up and tried to leave the room.

“Jade.”

“It’s okay if you have more to say. I’ll listen to everything.”

“Could you come find me tonight…?”

Because I’ve prepared a big gift for you who has suffered.