Ch.254Epilogue – Vowing Eternity (1)

# Francesca, the Aberration Hunting Doll.

Flan, as she was commonly called, was considered the most reliable member of the current survivor group.

She took responsibility for all household duties including meals for the group, allowing everyone to focus on their own tasks, and more importantly, whenever danger approached their settlement, she would step forward before anyone else to eliminate it.

Moreover, her knowledge about hunting aberrations played an exceptional role in increasing the survival rate of the group’s combatants.

At this point, she had become an indispensable presence within the group.

“Master, have you eaten?”

And the person this influential woman cared about most was none other than me, Hyoseong Woo.

Today again, as she welcomed me back from a mission, I expressed my pleasure at seeing her and immediately replied.

“Oh, I ate on the way here. I found a bunch of preserved food someone had left behind.”

“I’ve drawn bath water as usual, so you can wash up right away. And I’ve left resource management and survivor status reports in your room. After you review them, please let me know if you have any additional instructions, and I’ll report them to the respective managers…”

Flan had prepared everything needed for comfortable rest and group management as soon as I returned.

Despite her attempts to organize everything, her words spilled out without pause, making me realize anew how difficult managing the group truly was.

Yes, I suppose I’m better suited for physical work than desk jobs. It was a moment when I truly appreciated how much I owed Flan for managing this group.

“Lastly, I’d like to discuss the matter of your sexual needs that we couldn’t finish previously…”

“Stop.”

This was going too far.

I quickly turned my gaze to Flan, cutting her off from a topic she had brought up numerous times before.

“I told you I don’t need that. Why do you keep bringing it up?”

“Are you still not mentally prepared today?”

“Mental preparation has nothing to do with it…”

“But Master, if the period without release gets too long, it will negatively affect your health. For instance, it could lead to your thing exploding.”

That’s not a health issue, that’s an emergency situation.

And though it’s embarrassing to say, if things build up, I can take care of it myself.

I’m not so inconsiderate as to burden someone else… especially someone who cares for me, with such an embarrassing task.

“…Flan.”

But since we’ve had this friction several times already, I couldn’t let it slide anymore.

“Why are you so fixated on this? Did something happen that I don’t know about?”

“Something happened not to me, but to you, Master.”

“…Something happened to me?”

Flan nodded at my question.

Then, with her hands folded demurely at her waist, she began to share her thoughts.

“From what I’ve heard recently, Irie Haven and that devil woma—I mean, Miss Merilyn Sutherland.”

Meri.

What on earth have you been telling Flan behind my back?

“I heard they’re both carrying your children. From what I’ve confirmed, that damn woma—I mean, one of them is even close to giving birth.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“Naturally, you can’t have relations with a woman who’s about to give birth, and after childbirth, she’ll need to focus on postpartum recovery, so there will be various difficulties in maintaining relations.”

“…And?”

“So I thought it would be good to fill that gap through me, which is why I made the suggestion.”

After finishing her explanation, Flan looked at me with calm eyes.

Seeing her confidence, as if there was nothing wrong with what she said, I was at a loss for words and hung my head low.

I never expected Flan, who maintained such dignity in her usual conduct and relationships, to express such an opinion.

“…Flan.”

My mouth opened again after quite some time had passed.

I looked at her with half-closed eyes and asked a few questions.

“Do you understand what you’re saying right now?”

“Yes, I clearly understand that I’m talking about having relations with you, Master.”

“…Do you have experience?”

“I’ve perfectly mastered the knowledge.”

“No, not knowledge—experience.”

“…”

“…Flan.”

“I-If you entrust it to me, I’ll do my best.”

“Your voice is trembling.”

So even she wasn’t completely comfortable with this.

Recognizing this vulnerability, I sighed softly and shook my head.

“Flan, I appreciate your concern for me, but no matter how many times you bring this up, my answer will remain the same.”

It was obvious.

Although Flan and I had a master-servant relationship, to me, Flan was a comrade who had survived the battlefield with me, like family.

And she was a mentor who had provided the most crucial help in leading our current group.

I didn’t want to use my relationship with such a person merely to satisfy my desires.

No matter how much she insisted on being my tool, I considered Flan a human being, which made me all the more cautious.

“…As expected.”

I hoped she would understand my feelings.

Instead, she seemed hurt by my words, her face crumpling as she clutched the hem of her skirt.

“Is it because I’m not attractive enough to satisfy your heart, Master?”

“No, that’s not…”

My words trailed off as I closed my mouth.

This reaction came because I took Flan’s words so seriously.

In my perception, she was certainly attractive enough as a woman.

At first, I treated her like a child, but I had long since realized that she had more experience and was more reliable than me.

By now, I accepted her as a mature woman, and it would be a lie to say I felt nothing when I looked at her.

“You’re attractive, which is why I’m being careful.”

Yes, I wanted that charm to remain undisturbed.

That’s why I couldn’t easily reach for the opportunity she offered.

“There might be someone more suitable for you than me.”

“…Master.”

“You’re precious to me.”

At that moment, facing her, I honestly expressed my thoughts.

That she was family, a colleague, and someone I would need to rely on in the future, and that someone like me shouldn’t carelessly ruin what should be cherished as her first time.

“Because I cherish you, I want you to be happy. Although the empire you’ve sworn loyalty to has fallen… I hope that in this settlement we’ve created with the remaining people, you’ll build a life of your own, not bound by duty.”

“…”

“…Would it be disrespectful to ask you to stop being bound by duty and live for yourself?”

I know how important duty is to her, but I don’t want her to carelessly discard her dignity for it.

She deserves it. I believe she has the right to pursue her own happiness now, not for someone else’s sake.

So I don’t need her to be excessively loyal to me, and I hope she’ll freely enjoy the rest of her time for herself.

“It’s my will.”

Before me, who wished for this, Flan finally began to speak in a resolute voice.

“Wanting to be intimate with you… comes from my own will, not anyone’s coercion.”

“…Flan.”

“It’s not just because the object of my loyalty crumbled… and I chose you as a substitute. With the empire fallen, I no longer have an absolute duty to swear to. Nevertheless, my decision to continue that duty by protecting and serving you and the others was my own will.”

Flan faced me directly, releasing her pent-up emotions.

From the way she clutched her hand to her chest, I could guess how intense her sincerity was.

“…So I want to pledge eternity with you.”

She felt fulfilled in her current role not by anyone’s coercion but by her own will.

And faithful to those feelings, she had cultivated a desire to give herself to me.

“I need you on the path I’ve chosen by my own will, and I want to be with you. If I am to continue with you, I need to leave an equally intense mark.”

“…Flan.”

“You don’t have to treat me like Irie Haven and Merilyn Sutherland… I just want to stand by your side as your servant.”

After saying that, Flan bowed her head respectfully before me.

Yet her trembling body revealed a slight anxiety.

“Please give me the opportunity to offer you something precious of my own will.”

Perhaps she was anxious that I might reject her earnest request.

Confronted with this, I briefly contemplated the conflict I felt inside, then gave my answer with a heavy sigh.

“…I’ll wash up and meet you in the room.”

How could I possibly refuse?

After all, she was one of the people who made my heart race.

****

Yes, I am someone who has made being true to my heart a means of survival.

Having overcome dangers and grown repeatedly for this purpose, I felt the need to be honest about my feelings.

Flan was included among those feelings. It was just that our relationship was changing from one without physical intimacy to one sealed with a covenant through intimacy.

“…So, are you ready?”

For this purpose, in the room where just the two of us had entered, Flan began to hesitantly undo her clothes one by one.

“…Yes.”

Rustle, rustle.

The maid uniform she always wore slipped down, and even the undergarments covering her body came off.

What was revealed was a body made of doll joints and soft skin.

Covering her protruding breasts and the area between her legs with her hands, Flan turned her flushed cheeks toward me and shyly answered.

“Then, I… I look forward to your care, Master.”

Despite the experience accumulated over a thousand years.

Facing me with an infinitely inexperienced appearance.