episode_0585

After Antonio’s indifferent confession, the awkward atmosphere gradually eased.

Two people quietly holding hands as if they were interlocking hands under the blanket.

In an atmosphere where it was a little embarrassing to open one’s mouth, Agnes slowly recalled what had happened a week ago and confessed.

“… Me too.”

“Yes?”

“Me too… Maybe it would have been similar. If someone precious to me had become a demon lord like Seraphine, I would have tried desperately to stop them like you.”

“… Is that so?”

“If it weren’t for Seraphine, Amaryllis would have been infected. Then Amana and Blackwood would have tried to stop you.”

“That would definitely be a bit scary.”

“… As you said, if you had become the Demon King, it might have been similar.”

“… … .”

It was a confession made in a small voice, as if crawling, but I could clearly hear it.

Because in the already quiet, small room, only the voices of two people could be heard.

“… So, let’s pretend it never happened.”

“As if it never happened… Are you saying that?”

“Let’s pretend that neither you pointing a sword at me nor me casting magic at you ever happened.”

“Okay. Rather than insisting on arguing about right and wrong, it would be better to just pretend it never happened and move on.”

“… Yeah.”

“Thank you, Agnes Youngae.”

“… … Yeah.”

It was still a little awkward, but somehow the relationship between the two people returned to how it was before.

The fact that their relationship wasn’t cut off was enough for the two of them. At least if they could remain in a romantic relationship like this, it would be an excuse to continue meeting in the future.

“Can I ask you to marry me when I return to the palace? I will ask you to formally marry me a year later, after I graduate from the academy.”

“… Yeah.”

Even the engagement that I had coldly rejected at first sight, I can now nod my head and say I understand.

The distance that had become so close was now the connecting point between Agnes and Antonio.

Even before they defeated the Demon King, they were close enough to be lovers, and now they are in a relationship of prospective engagement.

… It felt a bit strange to be lying in bed holding hands.

‘… Isn’t it a little dangerous?’

Until a little while ago, it didn’t really matter that we were sharing the same bed. After all, both Antonio and I treated each other as ‘unconscious people’ and shared the same room.

But now that their relationship had been restored, that had become meaningless, so Agnes’ heart naturally began to pound.

… maybe. Because for the first time, the thought occurred to me that Antonio, who was sleeping in the same bed as me, might suddenly come and cover my body.

‘… I think it’s still too early.’

No, it’s not early.

Agnes is already twenty-five years old, two years after graduating from the academy.

Considering that the average noble young lady would get married the year after graduating from the academy, it was actually a bit late.

Even Antonio, who is younger than him and has taken a leave of absence, has to wait another year until graduation.

Agnes also knew that she was slightly past the marriageable age.

‘If you try to do something strange while taking advantage of the atmosphere, then…’

… What should I do then?

Like other normal lovers, should I pretend to be a bit reluctant at first and then reluctantly accept it?

Or, since we haven’t even gotten engaged yet, would it be right to just firmly reject it?

Or, like Lilith, you can just jump in aggressively… .

“… … .”

Since everything was new, both as a relationship between a man and a woman and as a relationship with a man, it was inevitable that I would hesitate.

If you make a mistake, you will probably have to live with the unforgettable shame for the rest of your life.

In the quiet bedroom, with only one bed, the only sound that could be heard between the two was the creaking of the window in the winter wind in the narrow space.

If she was really going to just sleep and wake up, Agnes didn’t care. After all, there would be plenty of time after the engagement, so there was no need to rush things.

… Of course, that doesn’t mean I had any strong intention of rejecting him when he approached me.

‘… I feel suffocated.’

Even when we’re close, it’s not usually this stuffy.

Maybe it’s because it’s been so long since we’ve been this close after a fight.

If he doesn’t come even after quite some time has passed, then he probably thinks it’s too early.

The moment I carefully turned my head to the right with a subtle sense of tension.

“… … .”

“… … .”

He quietly met eyes with Antonio, who was already looking at him.

“Sigh… .”

Agnes was so surprised that she let out a gasp for a moment.

Because we were on a narrow bed, it felt like our breaths were intersecting. Even if I moved my body slightly, it felt like our bodies, not our hands, were touching. It was a close distance.

Antonio’s voice broke the silence in a state of confusion so great that even my eyelids, pupils, and lips could not remain in place.

“… Agnes Youngae.”

“… Yeah.”

His call was full of affectionate yet complex emotions.

Agnes managed to appear calm as she answered, but her heart was already beating faster and faster.

-Slurp.

“… … .”

The clasped hands slowly move upward along the arms.

Antonio’s hand grabs her shoulder and moves up to her face.

In the serious atmosphere that was different from usual, Agnes’ tension also increased.

“Can I call you by your name, Agnes Youngae?”

“… Do whatever you want.”

“Thank you, Agnes.”

Heart pounding.

Even though I only just dropped the honorific from the name I was always called by, I feel like my heart is beating faster because of the tension.

In that quiet silence, Antonio’s face gradually came closer.

“Ugh, huff… .”

… the last chance to avoid it is now.

If you don’t avoid it now, then from then on… the ‘things’ you’re expecting might happen again.

But Agnes was too shy to turn her head or say anything in refusal.

All I could do was just quietly watch their lips overlap each other.

-Tsup.

“Ugh… .”

… It feels a little cold.

I guess it can’t be helped because it’s the place. I never thought I’d have my first kiss at the northernmost tip of the empire.

Still, I didn’t feel particularly bad or anything. I didn’t feel incredibly happy or my heart was pounding. I just felt like I finally did something I had to do someday.

Agnes was quietly looking at Antonio in the same blanket with an indifferent expression.

-Slurp.

“Tsup, hhh… .”

Since it was our first kiss anyway, I thought to myself that I should make it a sure thing.

… but it was just a slightly embarrassing move for Antonio.

“… … ?!”

At first, I thought it would just end with a light kiss.

Even though they were prospective fiancés, the noble young lady’s chastity was important.

I had thought that it might be a little wrong to have a relationship between a man and a woman before at least establishing the basic courtesy of an engagement, but Agnes suddenly started kissing me aggressively.

I felt quite embarrassed by Agnes’ actions, such as opening her lips and even trying to put her tongue in.

‘What should I do in this situation?’

Although Agnes was Antonio’s first experience with the opposite sex, as a member of the royal family, he naturally has basic knowledge about sex.

Kisses between lovers are not all the same and are used in different ways depending on the time and situation.

A light kiss where the lips touch and then part is enough skinship even between lovers who haven’t been together for long, but a kiss like this where the tongue is used to share saliva had a different meaning among the nobility.

For a noble lady to do this to someone else is not much different from saying that she is willing to give up her body.

‘I was short-sighted. I never thought Agnes would have expected this much.’

Antonio felt grateful to Agnes for allowing him to touch her, but he also reflected on himself for trying to kiss her so lightly.

She was already thinking about the future of marrying me and saying that she would give me her body, but I almost couldn’t give her true trust because I was caught up in the formalities.

… Of course, it was only Antonio’s misunderstanding, and Agnes had no such intention.

Because I dislike social interactions, I have little knowledge of aristocratic etiquette and no knowledge of the implicit signals between noble ladies.

-Slurp.

“Huh… ?”

Antonio’s hand, which had taken Agnes’ signal and mustered up its courage, was met with surprised looks.

‘Really, are you thinking of doing it…?’

From first kiss to first experience.

If it were to happen, I thought it would be in the palace, Elizabeth’s private bedroom, or at least the Blaze Count’s mansion where I was born.

Is it really the case that I will have this first experience in an old and narrow bedroom in a palace like this?

Agnes’ body froze as Antonio’s hands became bolder due to the signal he sent without her knowing.

-Slurp… .

“Ugh,uh… .”

… I didn’t specifically reject it though.