Ch.354Side Story: A Warm Moment

“Hello? Anyone home?!”

The voice coming from outside belonged to a man I’d never heard before.

Was there anyone who would come looking for us?

“……”

But I didn’t have the luxury to continue pondering.

Right beside me, Erika was pouting her lips and still refusing to move away from me.

“Again?”

Findenai, who had experienced a similar situation before, growled with an expression that said she really couldn’t stand it.

“Sigh.”

“Findenai.”

“Even if I want to be patient somehow, I just can’t.”

Despite my urgent call, Findenai couldn’t contain her rising anger and eventually started moving.

Thump, thump, thump.

Footsteps that felt heavy.

If I left her like this, she would probably take out her axe again and go massacre whoever had come to the house.

“Findenai!”

I hurriedly embraced her from behind. It was my attempt to physically stop her from going.

But Findenai seemed to take it differently, as she abruptly stopped in her tracks.

Whatever the reason, at least she had stopped. The excitement that had made her blood boil gradually began to calm down.

Worried that she might shake off my hands and go outside, I immediately looked toward Erika.

“Please.”

Though she didn’t hide her displeasure, she was a woman who could control her emotions much better than Findenai.

[Someone’s here.]

At the Dark Spiritmaster’s urging voice, Erika finally walked past me and Findenai and headed out of the study. As she passed, she jabbed my side as if to express her dissatisfaction.

[Why are you taking so long to come out?]

“I’m here. Where’s Saintess Stella?”

[She’s preparing for defense.]

“…Hmm? Defense?”

Outside was noisy, but inside the study, only Findenai’s breathing could be heard in the quiet stillness.

Her breathing was rough due to excitement.

The fortunate thing was that my hands could at least serve as a barrier for her.

“Have you calmed down a bit?”

When I asked just in case, Findenai immediately tried to rush outside, so I tightened my grip again.

“Alright. I won’t let go, so try to calm down.”

Since I couldn’t let Findenai go berserk right now, I had no choice but to hold her like this.

Just thinking about last time, when she was interrupted, she showed no signs of backing down even against the enemy’s elite forces.

“Why is it always me?”

As Findenai gritted her teeth in childish frustration, I sighed.

“It’s just a coincidence. I never agreed to it in the first place.”

I thought it might actually be fortunate, but Findenai turned her head sharply and glared at me.

“Do you dislike it?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I asked if you dislike it.”

Under the pressure to answer properly, I sighed and carefully applied force to my hands as I sat her down.

Worried she might run off, I tried to block her, but since I was embracing her from behind, I naturally had to sit down too.

“I don’t dislike it.”

“Why do you always answer like that?”

Now somewhat calmed, she leaned back against me. She also placed her hands on top of mine, which were interlocked, securing them.

“…I like it too.”

“Heh, hehe.”

Pleased with my answer, a loose laugh escaped from between Findenai’s lips.

Perhaps her mood had improved somewhat.

Her tense body had softened, and her breathing had stabilized, producing pleasant sounds.

“I’m calm now. Let’s go see what kind of people have come.”

Findenai said she was fine now and tried to get up slowly.

But I forcefully held her, not letting her go.

“Eh?!”

Surprised, she fell back into my arms. I rested my head on her shoulder, keeping my hands interlocked on her stomach.

“M-Master?!”

Her voice cracked slightly, which was cute, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Just a little longer.”

Like a whining child.

It was completely unlike me, and I was surprised at myself, but she was my maid, wasn’t she?

I hoped she would tolerate her master’s selfishness.

“Let’s stay like this a little longer.”

I felt her warm body temperature as I held her tight. It gave me a fluffy feeling.

In the midst of peace, the quiet sound of Findenai’s heartbeat made me feel at ease.

“Seriously.”

Findenai let out a laugh as if she found it ridiculous, but she didn’t pull away.

Instead, she turned her head slightly and planted a fresh kiss on my cheek.

“Is Master a spoiled child?”

“Well, if that’s how you want to see it.”

“Know that if you tease me, you’ll get it back.”

Despite saying that, Findenai’s lips were still curled up. Her breath and lips touching my cheek.

Despite being in close contact, it evoked a cozy moment of leisure rather than sexual excitement.

I wondered if this was what platonic love meant.

“Is it okay to stay like this?”

A question about whether it was okay for me, the homeowner, to be here when someone had come.

But it didn’t sound like we should hurry out; rather, it sounded like a childish plea for an excuse to stay here longer.

It should be fine.

“Erika and Stella will handle it well. They’re different from you.”

In response to my playful answer suggesting they were much more rational than Findenai, who had gotten excited and tried to go wild when interrupted earlier.

“Oh really?”

Findenai turned her body playfully so that we were facing each other.

Just like before, she playfully bit my neck slightly.

It really felt like raising a wolf.

Her white hair tickled my skin, and instead of her usual tobacco scent, her unique body scent was strangely captivating.

We were holding each other, just feeling each other’s presence.

“It’s a shame.”

Findenai honestly said those words.

“Because we can’t have a relationship?”

“Who do you think is in heat like you?”

Still kissing my neck, Findenai answered bitterly.

“I want to face you for real, not with this artificial body.”

“……”

“To be honest… I had already given up.”

Findenai calmly revealed her feelings. It might seem unlike her, but it showed how much she had been contemplating.

“Having accomplished the great feat of saving the continent, it was enough to be alive using an artificial body rather than dying.”

There were many prices to pay.

My body was just one of them.

“In the end, I got to be with Master like this. I was satisfied with that. Wanting more would make me a bad woman.”

Is that so?

I felt oddly proud of her, so I gently stroked her head as if praising her, and she rubbed her cheek against me, saying it felt good.

“But today, seeing that Stella could become a mental body… I started to hope.”

“……”

“It feels like being truly alive, you know? Not like an artificial body that’s hard and doesn’t properly convey warmth.”

“……”

“Eating, drinking, breathing, feeling. Seeing that made me a bit impatient, I think.”

“Findenai.”

“I wish we could break this artificial body that’s between us and you could become like that too.”

Had she imagined such a time?

Her voice became slightly lighter, and laughter flowed.

“Ah… that would be really nice.”

Findenai usually spoke lightly, but this time it was clear that she was sincere.

And I felt a strong urge to make her wishes and imaginations a reality.

“I’ll make it happen.”

As I stroked her head again and patted her back that I was embracing.

As if asking her to wait a little longer.

As if asking her to be patient a little more.

As I touched her gently, Findenai slowly curled up and nestled into my arms.

It was a warm moment.

The sunlight shining through the window illuminated the study just enough.

The dry paper smell of the books in the study mixed with the body scent of the woman in my arms, settling somewhere between reason and emotion.

Simply.

Being together.

In a relationship that was hard to express in words, formed by coincidental opportunities and coincidental times.

We wanted each other, but we felt that just this contact was enough.

Like someone had used magic.

A sense that this time would continue forever.

Afraid that someone might make a sound and break this moment, we both sat without saying anything, just holding each other.

But of course.

The brief fairy tale in everyday life had to end, and we had to return to reality.

[What is it.]

And with the rather indifferent voice of the Dark Spiritmaster.

“Ah, damn.”

Thinking she was being interrupted again, Findenai buried her face deeper in my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist, applying pressure.

It was as if she was telling me to handle it somehow, but unfortunately, it was impossible.

[What is it? I came looking for you because you didn’t come out, why is the atmosphere like this?]

“Then don’t ruin the mood, you red-head!”

Findenai shouted at the Dark Spiritmaster, truly disappointed. It’s all good, but I wish she wouldn’t do it while in my arms, as it made my body vibrate.

The Dark Spiritmaster grumbled that it was ridiculous.

[No, do you know how desperate we were outside? People from the management bureau came saying they suspected drug manufacturing inside the house, trying to find fault, and do you know how much trouble Stella went through!]

“Management bureau?”

I recalled the blue-haired woman from the management bureau whom I had met when we visited Iceburn village.

A woman who held beliefs in upholding justice.

“I should check it out.”

As I pushed Findenai’s shoulders and stood up, she pouted her lips.

I just smiled at her uncharacteristic aegyo, then tried to go outside.

[We’ve already resolved it.]

The Dark Spiritmaster grumbled with her arms crossed.

“How?”

Did Erika reveal her identity?

Since the Republic of Clark is practically a friendly nation to the Griffin Kingdom, they wouldn’t treat someone connected to a big shot from here carelessly.

[How else? When you solve these things, you call someone higher up.]

“Higher up?”

As I tilted my head in confusion, I heard hurried footsteps from outside.

Just from that, I could already guess who had come, and I felt lighter at the thought of unexpectedly welcoming them.

Clank!

The study door opened.

“Brother Shinwoo!”

“Professor!”

Princess Elenoa Luden Griffin and Aria Rius announced their reunion with bright smiles.