Chapter 196: For Now, It’s a Misunderstanding

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What did she mean by this?

Riley pondered seriously.

Sitting on an outdoor bench in broad daylight, covering her eyes, ears, and mouth—surely she didn’t mean to suggest some kind of outdoor bondage play.

‘No… right? Or yes?’

Whenever Sugar proposed a game to Riley, it always implied that kind of activity.

“A game… If you guess the answer right… I’ll let you touch my chest.”

“Well… We went to the casino not too long ago. Thinking about it now, I suddenly felt like playing a game.”

So if this time was the same…

“…”

Riley’s eyebrow twitched.

This… Hadn’t the difficulty level skyrocketed? Where did the intermediate steps go? They’d vanished completely—just like Sugar’s conscience.

Why was she suddenly in the mood for something like this? The fact that she’d hidden such tastes was shocking enough, but Riley had no idea how to handle it.

His head throbbed from the abrupt situation. At least they were seated on a secluded side path, sparing them from prying eyes.

Then, Sugar began moving her hand. Now that he noticed, she had brought a pen and paper too. She scribbled something on the sheet laid out on the bench.

Bracing himself, Riley watched as she moved the pen.

Soon, the result was revealed.

“Hmm.”

Riley placed a fresh sheet of paper in front of her as she prepared to scribble something again.

“Hmm.”

For now, he placed another fresh sheet of paper in front of her.

(Understood?)

“Hmm.”

Riley hesitated for a long moment before finally writing on the back of Sugar’s hand.

‘No.’

Sugar picked up the pen again and scribbled furiously, as if insisting he look properly—”Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!”—but the result was no different from before. The line spacing was catastrophically uneven.

Riley stared not at the paper, but at Sugar, who was diligently writing away, her writing sounds filling the air.

Eyes covered, ears plugged, mouth gagged—she had deliberately restrained herself like this, as if embarrassed to be seen, yet still trying to communicate something. Was this really just a game? Or was there another intention behind it?

Her demeanor carried such sincerity that Riley finally nodded, steeling his resolve.

He snatched the pen from her hand before she could produce any more indecipherable code. If he left her to it, he’d only have more to decode later.

Untying his own necktie, he used it to bind her wrists—partly as a playful gesture, partly to signal stay put.

“…Mmph?”

Sugar looked bewildered, as if asking, What’s this? Why tie me up?

Not that she could hear an answer. The earplugs weren’t perfect—if he spoke directly into her ear, she might catch a word or two. But the gag was clearly there to prevent any accidental speech, ensuring nothing leaked through.

‘Is the content something she can’t risk seeing or hearing herself?’

Either way, Riley decided to stay silent too. He stood quietly in front of her and began deciphering the letters she’d left behind.

“Mmmph?”

At the sound of her friend’s movement, Sugar tensed.

With her vision blocked, hearing muffled, and hands bound, her focus narrowed solely to Riley’s magical presence. Her nerves sharpened, honing in on every other sensation.

He was just… standing there. Motionless. The familiar pulse of his magic brushed against her skin like a lick of warmth.

Why isn’t he moving? Is he reading the paper? Did he find something hard to accept? And why tie my hands?!

Curiosity gnawed at her. It was distracting.

And… a little embarrassing.

Why should she feel embarrassed just because her childhood friend was standing in front of her?

So what if she’d revealed herself like this—gagged, blindfolded, ears covered, body restrained?

A vulnerable state. A state of helplessness. A state where she couldn’t resist.

And Riley was watching it all—

“…Huuuh…”

Something felt… off.

The magic touching her skin now prickled more intensely, sending shivers down her spine.

Questions swirled in her mind, but the unfamiliar sensation kept pulling her deeper.

In the darkness where she couldn’t see an inch ahead, only Riley’s magic existed. In the silence, only his presence remained.

Now hyper-aware, it felt like she’d been stripped bare before him.

Why… is this happening…?

A creeping shame made her tremble. The fact that the usually unflappable guy hadn’t moved an inch was way too distracting.

“This is a word… or maybe a particle…”

Of course, Riley was too absorbed in decoding the paper to notice, nose practically pressed to the page.

But Sugar, blind and deaf to his muttering, squirmed in place.

‘I wanna stop now… He’s probably gotten the gist of it… Should I break free? Wait, what did he tie me with? A necktie? It feels like a necktie…’

The realization that her wrists were bound with his necktie made her thoughts tilt dangerously.

“…”

…Could it be? Did Riley… like this kind of thing?

Tying up a girl and just… watching her?

We’re in the middle of an important conversation, and he’s being this perverse…?

Even as she scolded him internally, her heartbeat refused to calm down.

She couldn’t use her hands until he untied her. And since it was Riley’s precious necktie, she wouldn’t force her way out—what if it snapped?

With her hands immobilized, she couldn’t remove the blindfold, earplugs, or gag either. She’d have to endure them until he freed her.

This situation—being under his control—

Was it tension making her chest tight? Or something else? Breathing was getting harder.

‘This is weird… I should tell him to untie me already… Hngh!?’

At that moment, her childhood friend’s magical presence surged. Like a wave, it crashed over her in one overwhelming pulse.

“Got it.”

Riley muttered to himself, nodding in satisfaction. The thrill of solving a puzzle, the rush of triumph—it sent his magic rippling.

So this wasn’t some weird fetish confession. It had been a serious message after all. He’d almost misunderstood.

Now fully enlightened, Riley lowered the paper. He studied Sugar, wondering how to wrap up this situation.

“Sugar?”

But her condition seemed… off.

“Nn… ngh… nnnh…”

She was squirming, back arching slightly, sticky drool seeping past the gag.

With all her nerves attuned to Riley’s magic, the sudden intensity of its surge had—well, overstimulated her. Just a little.

Riley sighed.

‘The information was just a side objective. She really did want this kind of play…’

And just like that, the misunderstanding deepened again.

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

The Day Before Departing for the White Forest
—The Day Leon Realized He Loved “Ian”—

Ianne wandered aimlessly through the garden, reminiscing about that day.

Though she had feigned calmness for days, it felt like she carried a jagged stone in her chest.

Sometimes, she was happy—they shared the same feelings, after all. Other times, she was sad—because in the end, those feelings weren’t truly the same.

To think they’d been facing each other, only to realize their paths had diverged so drastically—it was unbearable.

‘If only we’d met under ordinary circumstances, with ordinary tastes…’

It was a blissful fantasy.

Like Sugar and Riley, unburdened by gender or status. A relationship where loving each other was enough. She envied it. Pure, seething envy.

The thought of those two brought back memories of the White Forest.

To Ianne, it had been a visceral scene—Sugar and Riley, eyes closed, their lips…k-ki… kissing. She’d read descriptions in novels, but witnessing it in person was a first.

‘A man and a woman… eyes shut… cheeks flushed… their tongues…’

To do such a thing in public—how indecent!

And yet, they still claimed they weren’t dating.

‘Even if they say that, they’ve probably gone further…’

The unicorn had spilled everything. “Innocent, yet steeped in the scent of a man,” it said.

These two deserved a scolding. A man and woman, unmarried—they should at least commit to dating properly!

…How infuriating.

…

…

‘…I wonder how it feels.’

A kiss.

How would it feel to press lips with someone you loved?

When was their first time? Did it really taste like lemons? Who initiated it?

And the acts that followed—how did they feel? How far had they gone?

The more she wondered, the more her curiosity bred new curiosities.

She began imagining herself in that situation. Anticipation prickled under her skin.

“…”

Quietly, she pulled out her communicator.

‘…No answer.’

Of course, she knew Sugar’s usual haunts. She could just go find her.

Ianne swiftly left the garden.

‘It’s just a casual chat. Totally casual. For… novel research. Interviews with “experienced subjects” add realism— that’s my excuse. Perfect.’

Muttering to herself, she checked Sugar’s favorite cafés and spots.

‘She’s oddly shy—will she even tell me? Though her “shyness threshold” is a mystery…’

Sugar could be shockingly bold, yet the moment something touched a nerve, she’d vanish into hiding. Watching her tiny frame squeeze into improbable places was equal parts absurd and endearing.

The thought made Ianne chuckle as she turned a corner—

—only to freeze.

‘HOLY—!’

She barely stifled a scream.

‘She’s not shy AT ALL! She’s downright FEARLESS!’

Rubbing her eyes, Ianne stared at the scene before her. A secluded alley behind the cathedral—one of Sugar’s preferred spots. She’d checked here knowing that, but…

‘How are they already—?! WHAT am I even looking at?!’

Sugar, fully restrained, and Riley standing over her.

She’d meant to ask how far they’d gone, but they were demonstrating it. Not that she wanted to see! But their “progress” had blasted through the stratosphere!

‘I KNEW it from the collar! But right BESIDE the cathedral?! And now Sugar’s lunging at Riley— H-HUH?! OH MY GOD! KYAAA! I CAN’T WATCH!’

Horrified, she spun away, hiding behind a tree with her back turned.

Then—footsteps. Of course someone would come now, to this deserted place.

A familiar someone. The last person she wanted here. An elder who prized propriety above all.

Sweating, Ianne stepped forward. To protect her friends’ honor—not that there was any left in this spectacle—but loyalty demanded it.

“M-Miriam! Wait! What business brings you here?”

“Peace be with you, Your Holiness. I’ve come to fetch your friend. Step aside.”

Guardian Miriam, though shorter, radiated authority. In rank, Ianne outmatched her—but Miriam’s decades of service to the Holy City commanded respect.

“For the future of the Holy City—I must speak with them. Urgently. Do not hinder me.”

There’s no “future” here! Just depravity and disgrace!

“Wait! P-Perfect timing! What of the ‘Fragment of the Stars’ we discussed?”

“In progress. You’ll have it soon.”

When Ianne blocked her again, Miriam sidestepped with a curt:

“Your Holiness. This is critical.”

“So is my matter! Can’t this wait? They need a break—”

“I don’t have time to spare. Move.”

“Wha…? Sir Miriam, what do you—?”

For a terrifying second, Ianne thought she meant her lifespan was short—

“I’m on my lunch break.”

“OH—”

And in that split second, Miriam slipped past.

Five seconds later, as a chorus of “SAINT HAVE MERCY—” and “GABRIEL DAMN IT—” erupted behind her, Ianne stood frozen, contemplating:

‘…Should I just leave?’

Another peaceful day in the Holy City.