Ch.126126. Promises Must Be Kept (3)

“…If you bring him to my room, you’ll release me from this state.”

Riru muttered those words.

She was clearly aware that her current state was far from normal.

She kept gasping for breath.

Her body felt like a ball of fire. A burning sensation swept through her entire body.

And above all else.

If she were in her right mind, she would never do something like this.

“…What on earth am I doing?!”

To anyone watching, it might look like she was shouting at thin air, but she was in an extremely serious situation.

That’s right.

Following the instructions of “someone” who had put her in this state, she had brought Darwood to her room and then…

Her body, acting beyond her own will, had immediately struck the back of Darwood Campbell’s head hard as soon as he entered.

And now, there was only one thing in this place capable of such an act.

[Oh my, but I couldn’t move your body to hit him.]

Something like Riru’s “spirit form” floating in the air chuckled as it spoke.

[This man may look weak normally, but he becomes surprisingly strong in dangerous situations. I had no choice but to strike him by surprise so he couldn’t react.]

The tone suggested intimate knowledge of Darwood Campbell.

Even in her abnormal physical and mental state, she clearly felt anger rising at those words.

Who did this thing think it was?

How dare this ghost or spirit or whatever claim to know this man better than she did.

At the very least, she was to this man…

“…”

Well, that is…

‘He… he said he would take me as his concubine…!’

Though it was a bit pathetic even to herself, that was indeed the highest level of affection this man had shown her.

As she became slightly dejected, the floating spirit form giggled and continued.

[Of course. Becoming intimate with our husband is already a predetermined fact.]

The words it spoke were even more outrageous than before.

Husband?

As Riru blinked at that word, another amused statement followed.

[Our husband, Riru. Yours and mine.]

“…”

Riru’s mouth opened and closed.

“W-what are you suddenly talking about?”

[However, even though it’s already decided, to secure a ‘more advantageous’ position, we need to do something like this.]

Completely ignoring her question, the spirit approached Darwood who was lying on the floor.

When it placed its hand on his chest, the seal engraved there began to resonate with blue light, visible even through his clothes.

[Heave-ho.]

Then.

Darwood suddenly sat up.

He appeared to be controlled by this spirit through that seal.

And immediately after rising, he lunged toward Riru.

“Eek…!”

She let out such a scream the moment she felt his body touch hers.

For someone who had trained relentlessly every day to become stronger in the Tribal Union, making such a silly scream was definitely shameful.

No matter how abnormal her current state was, it was undoubtedly humiliating.

Feeling self-loathing, she opened her eyes to see.

Darwood Campbell had pushed her down onto the bed.

His hands were firmly pinning down both of her hands.

“…”

His hands are large and warm.

She could feel his pulse.

This might actually feel quite nice—

‘W-what am I thinking!’

Riru bit her lip hard as she snapped back to her senses.

She needed to stay focused.

Both she and this man were simply being manipulated by that strange spirit form floating in the air.

They both needed to come to their senses and act properly!

First, she should start by giving this man a stern rebuke.

With that thought, Riru opened her mouth to snap at Darwood.

Perhaps.

If she hadn’t caught sight of Darwood’s appearance before speaking, she would have done so.

“…”

Darwood was.

Simply looking down at her in silence.

And yet.

Even just that was enough to make her not know what to do with herself.

Riru, with wide eyes, pursed her lips as she looked up at Darwood straddling her.

She couldn’t even meet his gaze.

Her heart was pounding.

Her breathing became rapid.

Her lips felt parched.

Her body, already hot from before, grew even hotter upon clearly recognizing this man’s presence.

“H-hey… c-come to your senses…”

It was a fragile voice.

So fragile she could hardly believe it was her own.

Even that turned into an even more delicate moan because of Darwood’s next action.

“Hik!”

Riru let out such a sound.

It was a reflexive noise that escaped the moment she felt Darwood’s lips on her neck.

Her brain felt like it would overload and burst. The stimulation was too intense. It felt like stars were flashing before her eyes.

[You look like you’re enjoying this, Riru?]

And in that situation, the voice with a light laugh was heard again.

[How does it feel to be so close to our husband? Is it similar to what you’ve imagined?]

“…Who said I imagined such—”

[You did.]

“…”

The voice was so full of certainty that it was ridiculous.

[You’ve done it almost every day since you started caring about our husband. While maintaining a stern and fierce expression on the outside, inside you’ve been having fantasies like an adolescent girl.]

“…”

[It’s quite fascinating, really. Who would think that someone trying so hard to appear like a female warrior on the outside would be a pure virgin without any experience with men, having such pitiful fantasies?]

“…N-no, who said I did such things—”

[Sometimes you imagine going on dates with our husband, holding hands and giggling.]

“…”

[And if he gets something on his face while eating, you imagine saying ‘Really, what would you do without me?’ as you wipe it off for him.]

“…Hey, n-no.”

[And if your bodies happen to touch, before going to bed you fiddle with that area, grinning until you fall asleep as you recall the sensation—]

“Wha, whaaa! Whaaaaa-!”

She couldn’t help but scream like that.

Partly because of Darwood, who had moved from her neck to firmly embrace her waist, but mostly because the damage entering her mind right now was too powerful.

[Hit the mark, didn’t I?]

The spirit form floating in the air smirked and continued.

[So you should actually be thanking me, shouldn’t you? I’m making what you’ve only dreamed about come true.]

After fidgeting with her lips for a while, Riru finally managed to respond.

“…This guy would never do something like this.”

Despite sometimes being incredibly sharp in certain aspects while being terribly oblivious in others, and seeming intelligent but stumbling in strange areas…

She still vividly remembered how he had embraced her tightly not long ago, repeatedly apologizing.

This man.

Without her consent, he would never do something like this.

That trust was firmly rooted in her heart.

[Yes, of course. Despite appearances, Darwood is not someone who would do this to people around him. He’d rather die.]

The reply came in the same even tone, despite hearing her voice.

[But, that’s why.]

It was still a voice mixed with amusement.

[Do you really dislike this man doing these things to you?]

“…”

Feeling Darwood’s hand on her thigh, Riru trembled all over but said:

“…I hate it.”

[Really?]

With those words, Darwood whispered something in her ear.

“I love you.”

“…!”

Stars appeared before her eyes again.

Her head was spinning.

Her heart felt like it would burst from pounding so hard.

“…”

She gritted her teeth and exhaled.

Just from hearing those words, her mind was filled with such “happiness” that she nearly lost consciousness.

It was ridiculous.

Was she really such an easy woman?

[If you really hate it, you could just push this man off, right? Hit him or something.]

“…”

Riru squeezed her eyes shut.

If she continued to meet Darwood’s gaze, she knew she wouldn’t be able to refute those words.

“…You’ve made my body strange.”

[But you still have enough ability to break free. You already know that.]

“…”

[I’ve been living in your head for quite some time, Riru. Do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?]

And then.

By “something’s” force, her eyes were pushed open.

Then, Darwood’s face, which had come right up to her nose, entered her field of vision.

At the same time.

Her gaze met his—the very gaze she had been trying so hard to avoid.

Her heart sank with a thud.

“…”

For a moment, Riru stopped breathing.

She felt a heat rising in her lower abdomen.

‘…Huh?’

This man, like this, well…

Was he always this handsome?

She wasn’t sure if it was because of her current state that made him appear particularly intense.

She felt like she was falling in.

As if she was being conquered just by looking at him.

“…”

Meanwhile, Darwood undid the front of his clothes.

It was an action with extremely clear intent, but Riru couldn’t even think of resisting as she stared at him.

Ah.

So.

Yes.

She wanted to be conquered by this man.

To the point where she didn’t care about anything else.

She felt like she wanted this man too. It felt like falling into a trance.

‘…Yes. Ah, yes? Huh?’

Is this thought really coming from me?

What on earth was she thinking right now?

As such thoughts swirled in her spinning mind.

Darwood grabbed her nearly undone clothes and spoke.

“Riru.”

“…”

“I’m going to undress you, Riru.”

“…No.”

After she uttered those words like a moan, the mocking voice was heard again from the side.

[Isn’t it a bit much to be stubborn at this point? Maybe you should be a little more honest with yourself—]

“I absolutely refuse like this-!”

With those words.

Riru’s fist, thrown with all her might, connected with Darwood’s jaw.

His body flew through the air with an almost sonic boom before crashing spectacularly into the wall.

[…Huh?]

The spirit that had been speaking so confidently until now made a dumbfounded sound, which was quite a sight to behold.