Ch.158Witness – 4

The Imperial family had a peculiar custom. It was a tradition where the Empress would give a key to the Emperor as a symbol of offering her everything, and the Emperor would establish their relationship by using that key to open the door to her bedchamber.

This custom originated from ancient times when an Empress seduced the Emperor by handing him the key to her chambers. What began as a mere act of seduction had solidified into tradition.

It was also a setting created by Laura, the author of the original work before her possession.

Although she never got to use it in her story because she impulsively developed the plot and somehow ended up killing Laura before it could be implemented, Laura was originally meant to have a partner.

Naturally, that partner was supposed to be either Priscilla or Rosaria.

Of course, no one except Laura knew this fact. Even those who were possessed remained unaware.

Since it was a tradition passed down exclusively within the imperial family, even Laura had only learned about it recently. The original work barely mentioned it in a single line in passing, with no related episodes in the main story.

Mira, who claimed to have only read the prologue, knew even less.

So after her position as the next Emperor was confirmed, Laura was quite surprised when the current Emperor informed her about this tradition. She hadn’t expected it to actually exist.

Her surprise was brief. Confident that no one else knew about the tradition, she unilaterally included the key in her letter. To the other three, she explained it away as some kind of locking device installed at the villa.

‘An unexpected harvest.’

Laura inwardly rejoiced as she received and pocketed the key. She couldn’t predict how Mira would react if she discovered the meaning of the key and the significance of opening the door with it.

And she had no intention of explaining it. This was merely Laura’s own perverse satisfaction. Her personality remained unchanged—the same one that had impulsively chosen to write a yuri fantasy romance as her next work after becoming obsessed with the genre.

Of course, there might come a day when she could use it. But that would be after escaping this world and returning home, not right now. At least, that’s what Laura thought.

After all, a tradition useful for seduction would remain effective whether in this world or her original one.

In the end, no one ever discovered the meaning behind Laura’s significant smile. Rosaria and Elysiere merely suspected something was going on.

“Now that we’ve finished talking, let’s begin in earnest.”

“Begin what?”

“The other reason we gathered here.”

And so began days that were not much different from those in the club room. The three except Elysiere clung to me all day, and we shared stories about our original world that only the possessed could understand.

There were minor commotions, like Rosaria demanding equal treatment, claiming it was unfair for Priscilla to monopolize me, or Laura blatantly burying her face in my clothes and breathing in.

“Do we really have to sleep like this?”

“It’s inevitable, so accept it. It’s not a bad outcome for you, is it?”

“That’s beside the point—I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep.”

“If you can’t sleep, then stay awake and indulge in our bodies to your heart’s content. I won’t mind whatever you do with my body.”

“……”

It was the same at night.

Priscilla tried to naturally lie down beside me wearing only a shirt and underwear like during the semester but was stopped. Rosaria threatened that she would also sleep in just her underwear, and Laura proposed the outrageous compromise that everyone should sleep naked.

Elysiere, already prepared for bed in a translucent negligee, gave Laura and Rosaria an icy stare.

After much debate, we ended up with Rosaria and Priscilla each claiming one of my arms, and Laura lying on top of me. Though she wasn’t heavy, there was no way I could sleep like this.

‘I knew this would happen.’

My prediction was spot on. I had to endure the sensation of differently sized breasts pressing against me from both sides, and Laura rubbing various parts of her body against mine from above.

While Priscilla and Rosaria were one thing, Laura seemed completely comfortable. She was sleeping soundly on top of me, even sniffing me in her sleep.

“Are you unable to sleep, Mira?”

And there was one more person awake even as dawn approached.

“How could I sleep with everyone like this?”

When I gestured with my eyes at the three clinging to my body, Elysiere chuckled.

“True enough. They’re nothing but nuisances. Though I can somewhat understand the other two besides Rosaria. I can’t sleep either, so would you like to go out and look at the moon for a while?”

“Alright.”

Unlike the other three who kept trying to cling to me, Elysiere had consistently kept her distance, so I had no reason to refuse. I carefully set Laura down using wind magic.

As my body left the bed, Rosaria, who had been flailing her arms, embraced Laura instead. Laura, fumbling around, grabbed Rosaria’s chest in return.

“…?”

“…?”

Finding the texture strange, both of them tilted their heads even in their sleep. Watching them, Elysiere’s lips twitched into a smile. Thankfully, Priscilla was sleeping quietly, curled up.

I followed Elysiere, who had risen first, to the terrace. Her translucent negligee revealed not only the contours of her body but also the provocative underwear tightly hugging her buttocks, yet she showed no intention of covering up.

It was even more pronounced once we reached the terrace. The already semi-transparent negligee became even more transparent in the moonlight.

“The golden moon is indeed beautiful. I’ve had enough of the red color.”

“Is that so?”

Elysiere smiled contentedly at the crescent moon in the sky. She seemed happy simply because it wasn’t the red sky of the demon realm that she had been forced to see for so long.

“…Do you remember when we first met, Mira?”

After maintaining silence for a while, Elysiere carefully broached the subject.

“Of course I remember.”

The final boss suddenly appeared before me and started saying strange things.

“Then you must also remember punching me in the face.”

“…I won’t deny it.”

It was an act of desperation when I felt I couldn’t possibly win.

Now I’m not so sure. Elysiere has already lost most of her power, and having defeated Astaroth and Durahan in succession, I might be able to face her somewhat evenly.

“I’m glad you remember. Now I can ask you to do it again.”

“Do what?”

“Do you truly not understand what I’m asking?”

“……”

Of course I understood. I was just denying reality.

I stared at Elysiere, who was wearing a flimsy negligee that fluttered with the slightest breeze, revealing the contours of her body through the translucent fabric.

Her chest, which could certainly rival Rosaria’s, along with her nearly perfect feminine form and the provocative black lingerie that barely covered her intimate areas.

All of it was covered by nothing more than a translucent piece of fabric. No, it was embarrassing to even say it was covered.

“After being trapped in this cursed world, it was the first raw pain I had felt. The only pain I had known was being pierced by the holy sword and burning to death while still alive. Such a sweet sensation was truly rare. Even after parting from you, the throbbing sensation wouldn’t subside, to the point where I harmed myself.”

“…You did what?”

“I struck my own cheek. However, no matter how many times I harmed myself, I couldn’t recreate the sensation of being hit by you. So I take this opportunity to ask you, Mira. Would you do to me what you did before?”

Elysiere gently lifted the hem of her negligee. Her lingerie, so small it was closer to a T-string, and her slender lower body with finely toned muscles were revealed.

Along with her lower abdomen, slightly more swollen than other areas due to the womb inside.

“I trust you won’t refuse. Priscilla, Rosaria, and Laura have all been indulging their desires by your side, so will you alone keep your distance from me?”

I tried to make excuses but gave up. It was true that while the other three clung to me, Elysiere alone had remained apart.

Was that a setup for this situation?

“Here and here.”

Seemingly judging that I was still hesitating, Elysiere took my right hand and brought it to her neck. Then with her other hand, she placed my left hand on her lower abdomen and pressed down firmly.

Her lower abdomen contracted slightly, transmitting a soft sensation to my palm.

“…Won’t you regret this? It will hurt.”

I steeled myself. Refusing to the end would only hurt her in a different way.

“What are you saying? I’m asking you to hurt me.”

In response to my question, Elysiere smiled a honey-sweet smile, as if she had been waiting for this.

If she’s asking like that… I placed my palm on the center of Elysiere’s neck. Gripping the left side with my thumb and the right side with my other four fingers, I slowly applied pressure.

My fingers began to writhe, digging into her neck.