Chapter 18. Empathy and Understanding (5)

Ria thought the morning sunlight was dazzling. Perhaps much more so than usual.

That perspective was likely due to some of Ria’s ‘feelings’ being mixed in.

They say that the world looks dazzling to someone in love, don’t they?

Of course, that saying is only half true. Even if one is in love, if they think that love cannot be realized, the world will undoubtedly seem completely dark.

Even now, it might not be fully realized.

However, the person Ria liked-the person she could say she was ‘in love with’-was sleeping right next to Ria, clinging to her. At least that warm sensation could be described as happiness.

“…….”

The sight of her sleeping in Ria’s embrace, breathing softly without making a sound, was like a jewel.

Anna’s body, clad in loose but thin clothing, was clearly felt by Ria even under the bed covers. Had she been cold all night? Anna had snuggled quite deeply into Ria’s embrace.

Moving her hand, she placed it behind Anna’s back. Even though Anna ate a considerable amount normally, she had barely gained any weight. Was it her constitution?

As she slowly stroked her smooth back, where the bra strap wasn’t felt, she gradually lowered her hand. After passing by the concave curve of her waist, she reached her slender waist and then her curvaceous thighs. And behind that-

Ria frowned for no reason.

Even though she talked about being a knight or protecting Anna, Ria herself paid attention to her appearance. Since Anna was right beside her, if she neglected her appearance even a little, she would be compared immediately.

Anna knew she was pretty, and she had even said so herself before. When she first heard it, it was an outrageous statement, but thinking about it again, it was also a dangerous statement. Anna wasn’t a person who only appealed to Ria’s eyes.

How did it come to this? Even if she pondered it, an easy answer didn’t come to mind. Ria hadn’t fallen for Anna at first sight.

As she spent time by her side, slowly, like seeping in. She started to think she wanted to protect her, and that thought soon turned into tender feelings, leading to this.

“Mmm.”

As if sensing Ria’s touch even in her sleep, Anna stirred. Anna was asleep, so it wasn’t intentional, but thanks to that, her face burrowed deeper into Ria’s chest.

Ria chuckled and raised her hand, gently stroking Anna’s hair.

“Mmm… Hmm?”

Only then did Anna, somewhat regaining consciousness, stare blankly at Ria.

With her mouth and chin still half-buried in Ria’s chest, Anna’s head tilted up towards Ria.

Her face, half-closed with sleep, looked at Ria for a moment-

“Hyaht!?”

Making a somewhat incomprehensible sound, she tried to quickly pull back.

It wasn’t the first time they had slept like this, so why was she acting like this now?

If she had to guess, it was probably because of the kiss they shared yesterday. Or perhaps it was because Ria had never actively hugged Anna and stroked her hair like this before.

…….

She allowed her lips to be kissed, they embraced each other and slept together even when no one was watching, they walked holding hands, and linked arms.

Despite all that, Ria was a little annoyed that she was surprised by just this. Ria was already thinking of Anna. The object she wanted to protect had, at some point, become an object she wanted to possess.

Ria had no intention of completely ignoring Anna’s will. That’s how much she liked her. However, it didn’t feel good to be the only one liking her.

Ria placed her hand on the back of Anna’s head and pulled her towards her.

“Ri, Ria? Wh-wh-wh-wh-what-“

Her words, which sounded terrified, were cut off before they could be finished.

It wasn’t just Ria who kissed yesterday. After the kiss ended once, Anna kissed Ria again. At least, Anna was someone who could kiss Ria.

Was it all an act? Was Anna acting like this without any feelings for Ria?

Well. Ria didn’t think so. Anna, like someone who could kiss Ria, was also someone who could date Ria.

It was a little ambiguous whether she was just timid or if she simply didn’t know yet that she was capable of such things.

The latter possibility was also quite high. Anna often seemed ignorant about such matters.

“…….”

Anna’s lips met Ria’s lips, and her mouth parted slightly. As she had done yesterday, Ria gently inserted her tongue inside.

Unlike the previous time when she was stiff and tense, Anna’s body on the bed melted softly like a cat.

Perhaps it was because Ria was the only one with her.

The second kiss was still good. A kiss with the person she liked. And that person she liked had never kissed anyone else before Ria.

It felt strangely like a conquest. The flower on the high cliff that no one could pick was now in Ria’s hands, and no one else’s.

Their lips parted with a wet sound.

“Haa…”

As Anna, whose mouth had suddenly been covered, finally managed to exhale, that warm breath touched Ria’s lips.

“Are you a little more awake?”

“…….”

To Ria’s words, Anna stared blankly at Ria for a moment,

“Wh-what are you doing!?”

She exclaimed and tried to get up in shock.

However, Anna was already completely trapped in Ria’s embrace before she even woke up. Naturally, it was impossible to push Ria away and stand up.

“Wh-wh-wh-what, what, what, what is it!? It’s not like anyone is watching!?”

“Do you only kiss when others are watching?”

“Th-that’s- no…!”

“Don’t people usually think the opposite?”

“That’s not it!”

Hearing Anna’s voice rise and her pitch go off-key, Ria felt a bit bewildered.

And she felt indignant.

Now? After going that far?

Of course, both of them were women. And the one who kissed first was Ria, when Anna had lost consciousness and yesterday. So, if one were to consider ‘responsibility,’ it could be said to lie with Ria. To bring up such a stuffy argument as ‘a man stole a woman’s lips, so he must take responsibility’ here would be too much, as the relationship between the two was too progressive in many ways.

“Hey. Anna.”

Feeling a surge of annoyance, Ria spoke to Anna in a slightly stern voice.

Anna immediately quieted down.

“We kissed in front of others yesterday, didn’t we? Isn’t that right?”

“Th-that’s right?”

“What’s the reason for that?”

“Th-that’s because… to deceive others…”

Although it was an answer that made her blood boil, it was also technically correct ‘on the surface.’ The two of them, ironically, had not yet confessed to each other.

There wasn’t no reason-

“Yes, that’s right. That’s the purpose, isn’t it? Then, what should we do normally? Should we just pretend to be strangers and stay apart, and only kiss when we’re deceiving others?”

“Th-then we’ll be suspected, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. Then we’ll have to act normally too. Someone might see us. Even now, someone could suddenly burst through that door.”

“…….”

Seeing Anna’s expression, whose eyes were darting around wildly, gradually return to normal, Ria felt her anger rise again.

Actually, she didn’t want to pretend to be dating.

She just wanted to be dating. She wanted to declare it proudly in front of everyone, steal Saint Anna from the middle of the church, and run far away.

However, Anna still had things she wanted to do, so Ria was just waiting by her side, watching for the right moment.

At first, it was the thought of watching over a pitiful child, but her goal now was much more solid than that.

She wanted to stick close to her and prevent anyone from snatching her away- especially, prevent the being above from snatching her away.

As Ria thought that, she felt like she heard a sigh of disbelief from above, but she dismissed it as her imagination.

Yes. That was the plan. When the time comes, she would snatch her.

But at the same time, that was a last resort.

“It’s called method acting, method. If we’re going to avoid the church’s eyes, we have to be that thorough.”

“That makes sense.”

To Anna, who replied with a serious expression from within her embrace, Ria also nodded seriously.

Yes.

Ria made the first move with the kiss. She felt she was doing quite a lot. She planned to protect her for life.

In that case,

Isn’t it right for her to confess first?

…….

Ria knew it too.

Really, if by any chance. Even after all this.

If Anna actually had no feelings for Ria. If she was truly acting the whole time.

That’s why it was scary.

More than all the monsters she had ever met combined. More than the demons. Ria was scared of that fact itself.

“……Hey, Ria?”

At Anna’s words, Ria pushed those thoughts aside for a moment.

“Still, shouldn’t we be able to wash up first?”

“……Yeah, well.”

No matter what, going to wash together would be a bit much.

Ria nodded at those words.

She let Anna go and stood up from the bed. The place where Anna had clung to her was slightly damp with sweat.

“Well, okay. Method acting, you say.”

Anna, who had stood up and was in front of the bed, said.

And before Ria could even reply, she pressed her lips against Ria’s.

Smack.

It was just a light kiss, making only that sound once.

“This is method acting too.”

Anna said that and quickly ran to the shower room.

“…….”

Ria stared blankly at Anna’s retreating figure, then after the shower room door closed with a click, she climbed back onto the bed and curled up, lying on her stomach.

“……Ugh.”

Receiving that light kiss felt much more embarrassing and ticklish than all of Ria’s blatant actions towards Anna so far.

In the end, Ria was also in love.