Ch.78First Experience

# Our faces must have been quite a sight as we entered the mansion. Holding hands tightly while walking in, our faces bright red, eyes fixed on the ground like criminals—unable to look anywhere else.

Our steps were hurried, our lips tightly sealed in silence. If not for our interlocked fingers, one might have mistaken us for having had an argument.

There was really no need to hold hands so affectionately on our way home, but somehow today, we were being honest with our desires.

Perhaps that honesty spread like wildfire. Throughout our climb up the stairs, the servants’ whispers created quite a commotion.

“Look at those two. The atmosphere is just…”

“Something happened. Definitely!”

“What’s going on? People in their late twenties acting so innocent…”

“How adorable…!”

It was impossible to hide. It feels strange to be called cute at this age. Being with Irefi makes me feel like I’m returning to childhood.

We pushed through the curious glances of the household members and reached our spacious room. The bedroom we now comfortably shared, where sleeping together had become familiar.

“Hm.”

“Mm.”

Irefi and I released our interlocked fingers simultaneously, as if by prior agreement. Then, frozen in stiff postures, we awkwardly looked around the room. We looked like intruders who had stumbled into unknown territory.

Instinctively, I thought of someone I could rely on.

Despite appearances, I’d spent time living as Netionpis, approaching everything with cynicism.

Surely I could maturely take the lead with Irefi.

In other words, I hoped not to show my inexperience… that was my wish.

“I-I-Irefi. Sh-should we… um… take a bath?”

“Wh-what? A bath?! Well, of course… naturally we should bathe after coming home… yes, certainly… of course…”

“Y-yeah. Of course.”

Great! I led like an adult!

…Though I sincerely wished I could bite my tongue and die from embarrassment at that moment.

Fortunately, our mental ages were lower than Grandfather and Lorian in their teens. We were immature enough to find our awkward behavior natural.

Come to think of it, we were quite the bizarre combination.

Me, having lived compressed years through past life experiences.

Irefi, containing intact memories from the distant future.

We could have called each other grandpa and grandma without it being strange, which made things even more confusing. Though if we actually did that, we’d be bound by Holy Memory’s chains and have our mouths sealed.

‘Now it’s really impossible to tell who’s the older brother and who’s the older sister.’

Strictly speaking, until yesterday, Irefi was the older one…

I wonder how many years my dense past life experiences would convert to.

While I was emptying my mind with these useless speculations:

I emerged from the bathroom, noticing my skin was smoother than usual. Having bathed longer due to nervousness, I worried she might be waiting.

“Ah, you’re out.”

“That was quick.”

“You’re the slow one, Nepy. Different from usual.”

“The bathwater was warm. It felt nice.”

“Hehe, I agree.”

Irefi was drying her hair at the vanity with its large mirror. Any other lady would have called a maid for assistance, but Irefi was different. Except for unavoidable situations like putting on dresses, she found servants’ help cumbersome.

“Irefi.”

“Yes?”

“Want me to help dry your hair?”

Would she allow me, if not a maid? Personal curiosity and interest prompted me to offer something I’d never done before.

Kisses and other stimulating contact are nice, but I wanted to try this kind of platonic interaction too. It sounds complicated, but basically, I wanted to act like a proper couple.

My awkward question made my expression easy to read. Irefi smiled with her eyes and gladly accepted.

“Hmm, please do.”

“Tell me if it’s uncomfortable.”

“I’m sure you’ll do it properly so it won’t be uncomfortable.”

“Aren’t your expectations too high? This is my first time, after all.”

“First ti—!”

“Ah.”

Both Irefi and I froze like stones at the keyword “first time.”

Though it was meant innocently, what we both imagined was quite uniform.

“You know, helping dry hair and such…”

“O-of course. I wasn’t thinking of anything else!”

“Ahaha.”

“Huhuhu.”

In the awkward atmosphere, only the dry towel rustled as it tended to Irefi’s straight hair.

How does Irefi maintain such neat hair that reaches her waist? Just drying it must take ages…

Having only seen Irefi perfectly prepared, I’d never questioned it before.

“Irefi. How is it?”

“As clumsy as your dancing skills.”

“Sorry about that. This clumsy man will step aside.”

“Nepy, you’re such a fool.”

As I tried to step back, Irefi slowly caught me. More precisely, she gently grasped my hands holding the towel and pulled me forward.

As a result, my balance shifted forward from behind her. Inevitably, I ended up embracing her from behind.

Her hair, with lingering moisture, boasted a soft texture against my neck. The sensation of our touching faces was both cool and warm. The contradiction created by the remaining moisture was intoxicating.

She said:

“I like that you’re clumsy. Your courage to overcome awkwardness is precious. It’s cute that your first time is so genuine.”

“Even this?”

I gently kissed her cheek, which was parallel to mine. A soft smooching sound lingered in my ears. Irefi trembled as if an electric current had passed through her. I smiled mischievously, as if I’d scored a point.

Irefi quickly pretended to be calm. I knew it was a desperately worn mask. She probably didn’t realize her transparent skin was honestly showing her rising temperature.

“How about this?”

“Ugh.”

Now it was Irefi’s turn. A soft tentacle-like sensation wrapped around my trapped index finger, accompanied by thin liquid. The identity of this tentacle was Irefi’s tongue. Her lips, which finally sucked on it as if cleaning it, were seductive.

“How was it?”

“Incredibly cute.”

“Hmm, I know.”

Irefi grinned with satisfaction. Finding it both annoying and embarrassing, I reversed my position.

“I take that back.”

“Speaking out of both sides of your mouth?”

“It’s hard to make an accurate assessment with just one try.”

“So you want me to do more?”

“Yes.”

“Then there should be a price. Isn’t that how the world works?”

“A price…”

Irefi’s sly suggestion was attractive. Like an inevitable fate, I gently pressed my lips to her cheek.

At that moment, she suddenly turned her head. By the time I reacted, our lips were already meeting, exchanging intense greetings.

“Haa… hue…”

The persistent greeting was seductively alluring. While my mind was floating, she greedily attacked the inside, but soon met fierce resistance. As I actively welcomed her, our smoothly intertwined tongues became tangled like threads.

“Mmm… hnngh…”

“Haa… hm…”

While paying more than enough of a price, I completely forgot about the reward. The faint moans and the sensation of her long, moist hair provided sufficient satisfaction. Her skin seemed even more beautiful, perhaps because we had just bathed.

I called her name at an appropriate moment, creating some distance.

“Irefi.”

“Nehi… Nepy… why so soon…”

Irefi, unable to escape the lingering sensation of our kiss, was adorable. Her slightly unfocused eyes caused my heart to pound.

Riding the momentum, I summoned the courage of a lifetime.

“Shall we go to the bed?”

“What!?”

Irefi’s mind snapped back to clarity as she grasped the context. I know well how burdensome it is for her to cross a certain line, even while being true to desire.

Even when consumed by Malice and imprisoning me, she maintained an extremely proper attitude. She didn’t take advantage of me in my helpless state. Kisses like now were the extent of it.

I could tell how much she, as a noble and knight, valued chastity. I wouldn’t have grounds to argue if rejected.

I unconsciously squeezed my eyes shut, plunging my vision into darkness. In that dark world, Irefi’s answer was extremely embarrassed and shy.

“…Yes.”

“Irefi…!”

“You must…”

“Hm?”

“You must… take proper responsibility.”

“I’ll take responsibility for a lifetime.”

“Yes… thank you, Nepy. If you had hesitated even for a moment…”

Her face, which had been blushing shyly, rapidly turned pale.

Her relaxed gaze became flatly expressionless, and her lips seemed frosted with coldness.

Irefi’s suddenly reversed demeanor gave me chills. Especially when she quietly opened her mouth…

“That’s right. If you had hesitated… the mansion might have gained another basement.”

“Just curious, what’s this basement?”

“You’re welcome to find out.”

“No, I shouldn’t want to find out. I didn’t hesitate, right?!”

“The future is uncertain. Who knows when Nepy might hesitate…”

“I’m really starting to get scared…”

Irefi quietly returned to her normal demeanor. That made my heart pound with fear. This must be what they call the suspension bridge effect.

Eventually, the lights went out. Only a small candle-sized lamp served as our guide.

Irefi, sitting awkwardly on the bed hugging a pillow, looked dreamlike. In her flowing white nightgown, she reminded me of a stereotypical ghost. Just like that night I spent at Irefi’s mansion long ago.

We spent the long night becoming one.

…If only I could end the story there, how happy I would have been.

“KUHEEEEEEK!!!”

“KYAAAA!? Nepy! Nepy! Wake up, Nepy! Ugh, hic, I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional!!!”

“The blood… the blood won’t stop… the bed is turning red…”

“If only I had more patience… no, if only I were much weaker than I am now…! I’m sorry, Nepy!”

That night, my spine broke in two places.

The reason was absurd.

Unable to contain her pleasure from my gentle caressing hands, Irefi embraced me tightly.

Very, very tightly.

The old saying goes that bears tear humans apart.

Irefi breaks people.

That was the bitter end to the story.

“Urrrrrgh…”

Thud.

“NEPYYYYYYYY!!!”

A loud cry echoed through the master bedroom in the middle of the night.

It was spring.