Chapter 86: Excitement

Ṛeａⅾ o‍&n; Ｋ​aｔ​Re&a;​d​i‍ngCａfe‍

When he was called, it was usually to a distant place. However this time it was a place relatively close to the school where his student and his girlfriend were enjoying their youth.

So, when Cedric arrived at the destination, forcing his way through, there were heretics he hadn’t seen in a while.

It had been quiet for a while, but in just a few months, the shadowy figures had started showing themselves again.

It was both tiresome and a thought came naturally.

‘You’re not the kind to just fade away. Those who’ve stubbornly lived since the time of the Great One wouldn’t just disappear.’

Betrayers and apostates born from long years, their aimless eyes were directed toward him.

At that, the guardian quietly took his stance. The staff was in his arms. He didn’t use it much in battle; it was much better to throw a punch than to chant an incantation.

A body of iron. The guardian Cedric.

As he threw his bear-like body forward, the earth split.

***************

When he twisted the last neck, he felt a slight delay.

Not far away, a tall, tower-like sculpture made of dark crystal stood. Around it, bodies were scattered.

Cedric hadn’t done this, they had stabbed themselves in the chest.

Was it some kind of ritual?

‘Is this to buy time…?’

When he thought about the vacant eyes of the heretics before, it seemed exactly like that. Throwing their bodies to block the guardian, while the remaining ones proceeded with the ritual. Blind obedience to a single rule. It was a familiar method.

‘The raven is still alive… what happened to the others?’

Since the child kidnapping incident in the mountains, these people had been quiet. What had happened to them, how the internal situation had changed, Cedric didn’t know. However, based on the testimonies of the children back then and the surrounding circumstances, it was certain that there had been internal conflict.

Back then, they hadn’t been so openly active.

Of course, that was fine. Heretics should be eradicated as soon as they are seen. No need to overthink it.

Cedric roughly jumped over the surrounding bodies and approached the crystal tower.

It was at least 10 meters tall. When he looked up, dark energy contracted and expanded, moving proudly inside the transparent crystal.

“This is…”

His aged face twisted into a deep frown.

He had seen this before with his student in a completely different area. He had expected this incident to be the work of the Shadow Cult, but this confirmed it for sure.

Cedric silently stared at the tower. His eyes, filled with years of experience, held a bitter look.

**********************

As she swayed her body side to side, the cool air coming through the gaps helped her heat fade slightly.

Then, as contact resumed, warmth returned.

It was the story of legs and legs.

The story of Sugar’s thighs and Riley’s thighs.

The scent of grass and the sound of birds created a comfortable atmosphere by the greenhouse pavilion. In that secluded place, Sugar was sitting on top of Riley. It had now become a completely natural position.

Human body warmth is really warm. The more they stayed close, the more it became addictive, so when they went to quiet places there was a high chance Sugar would climb on top.

Recently, Riley had been letting her do it without any complaints.

‘But… today, I feel like something’s off with my mind.’

Sugar stared into Riley’s eyes. When they locked gazes, it appeared as if they were both looking at each other. But those blue eyes didn’t seem to be looking at Sugar. He just stared blankly, as though lost in thought.

She waved her hand in front of his face.

No response.

“Riley.”

She called his name.

No response.

She poked his cheek.

No response.

‘Hmm… this…?’

She used to see this often when they were younger. When he focused on something, he would get lost in it endlessly.

Her playful side was triggered.

First, she grabbed his face, cupping his sharp jawline in her hands and rubbing it around. The slightly furrowed expression on his face twisted as she moved her hands.

“Hehe…”

This was revenge for the times he pinched her cheek.

After rubbing his face for a while, Sugar next moved her hands down and tapped his neck. She ran her fingers along the nape of his neck.

Then, she loosened his tie a little. Through the gap, she saw a button of his shirt, the top one.

She popped it open.

One wasn’t enough, so she undid another.

Sugar’s eyes began to shine. It looked like she had discovered something quite interesting. Riley always buttoned his shirt all the way up to the top and wore his tie. He always kept a neat appearance, so seeing him like this was rare.

Immediately, she pulled off his tie completely and loosened his shirt collar.

The man’s collarbone was clearly visible.

Sugar’s body trembled as she placed her hand there. She lightly touched it with her finger. The protruding bone was hard.

“Wow…!”

She immediately buried her nose into it. Unlike usual, where she would smell it through his shirt, now it was his bare skin. Ahhh. Sugar let out a hum. Her head spun from the man’s scent wafting from his warm skin.

“Riley, Riley, Riley…”

She called his name as she rubbed her cheek against his. Riley, whom no one could stop, one she could enjoy endlessly. Isn’t he the best?

Lost in ecstasy, she whispered his name sweetly into his ear, and then sniffed behind his neck. She expressed her desires recklessly.

“Ugh… Hehehe…”

She was no different than a perverted person assaulting him. If no one stopped her, this was the kind of behavior Sugar would exhibit.

Then, abruptly, her movements stopped. Silence felt unnervingly frightening. The fear allowed some of her reason to return.

Sugar raised her head to look at Riley.

“…”

But still, he was staring straight ahead, just like before.

Sugar frowned.

“Riley… What’s wrong with you…? Are you troubled?”

He should have gotten angry or responded by now. But his lack of reaction was so terrifying.

Did I do something wrong? Is he getting bored of me?

Could it be that he was angry because of the constant teasing and doing things her way? Did he think she was a clingy, annoying woman?

Fear breeds more fear. Rationality was again swept away by that fear.

The misunderstood Sugar embraced that face. “Nyaaa.” The strange sound she made was an added bonus.

“Riley…”

As she whined, a hand soon wrapped around her waist. A large, warm hand.

“Ah! You’re awake!”

“Sugar. I need to talk to you.”

The man’s focus shifted directly to Sugar. Though his tie and buttons were undone, and despite her having rubbed her body all over him leaving behind her unique sweet scent, this was something to scold her for later. Right now, there was something important to discuss.

Sugar’s cheeks slightly reddened at his serious gaze.

“W-What is it?”

“Can you take some time off this weekend?”

“Weekend? Of course, I can. But why…?”

“I want to go somewhere.”

Could she take time off for two days?

He wanted to go somewhere?

What’s going on?

Though they were always together on weekends, this kind of serious suggestion was unusual. His serious attitude made her heart feel strange.

“…Just the two of us?”

“Yeah. Just the two of us.”

So, this, it means…?

It means, that?

“A date!”

For two days over the weekend? Was he suggesting they go on a trip for 1 night and 2 days? What? Seriously? He’s acting like a man now, making such a suggestion. What’s going on?

Where would they go? The beach? A lake? A mountain range? There were some tourist spots around Steele. It wouldn’t be too far for a weekend trip. But anyway, if it was a trip with Riley, she would be happy to go anywhere.

“1 night, 2 days… 1 night, 2 days…”

Sugar’s lips lifted into a grin but stopped suddenly.

1 night, 2 days.

She would sleep away from home for a night.

She would go out with Riley, just the two of them, and stay away overnight.

“…”

Her face turned completely red.

‘E-eh? We’d have separate rooms, right? No matter how close we are… that much… that much… it’s not like that… right?’

Sugar, for some reason, began to awkwardly rub her thighs against Riley’s legs.

What if this man asked to share a room? Or just seriously requested it? Or did something like that…?

‘Ack! What am I thinking!’

She shook her head. They were just friends. They were like family, giving each other gifts like staffs. Even though they were always together, that was not the nature of their relationship.

Though they occasionally played around with mischievous jokes, that was just teasing. They both made it clear they were setting boundaries.

So, these were just foolish, reckless, and indecent thoughts. Riley would never do such a thing.

No, no! Not that!

Sugar, her mind made up like a person possessed, swallowed once and opened her mouth.

“Wh-Where do you want to go…?”

She’d think about the accommodation later. The most important thing was the travel destination.

A trip, how long has it been? It was something she had never experienced in this life.

For Sugar, who had lived in the cathedral for years, Riley’s suggestion was so delightful. Thinking of how thoughtful he was about her frustrations, she looked up at him with loving eyes, and he soon answered.

“The Inquisition.”

“…Huh?”

A short but definite answer.

Her heart, which had been fluttering with excitement, immediately fell and shattered.

Still, still… maybe she heard it wrong.

“Could you say that again?”

“The Inquisition. I need your help.”

“…”

Sugar slowly moved her body away from his.

Her smile slowly faded and was replaced by a neutral expression.