Chapter 178: Who Are You?

It was late at night when Mardian opened her eyes again.

Perhaps she had slept soundly, as the shadows under her eyes had lightened a bit.

The first thing she did upon opening her eyes was to throw her arms around me with all her strength.

It was a gesture I had grown somewhat used to by now. I gently patted her back and softly stroked her hair.

‘…I shouldn’t be thinking this.’

But it felt like raising a big puppy. Her golden hair only made that impression stronger.

“Did you sleep well, Lady Mardian?”

“…Don’t go.”

What came back was a voice laced with anxiety.

I quietly held Mardian’s hand and looked at her silently.

“I’ll never leave. As long as you want me by your side, I’ll stay—forever.”

“……Okay.”

Mardian buried her face into my shoulder.

Her completely changed demeanor still felt unfamiliar—but also gave me a ticklish feeling inside.

“Lady Mardian, when did you become such a spoiled little one?”

I teased playfully with a faint smile. Only then did Mardian quietly meet my eyes.

“I tried to forget you.”

“……”

“But no matter how much I drank, no matter how many other women I held… I couldn’t.”

Mardian clutched tightly at my sleeve.

Her delicate fingers were faintly trembling.

“I… can’t live without you.”

It was a raw, honest confession.

And it weighed heavily on my chest.

Despite everything I had done to her, Mardian was still begging me to stay by her side.

Only now did I truly realize the depth of her feelings for me.

How had I treated that heart until now?

I thought she was a pervert, looked down on her, insulted her as filthy.

I used her love. I trampled on all her fame, destroyed her, and exiled her from the Empire.

The way Mardian had changed—it was all my fault in the end.

I bit down hard on my lip. Clenched my fists as I made a vow.

No matter how long it takes, it doesn’t matter. If Mardian isn’t happy, then I’ll be the one to make her happy.

“Lady Mardian.”

Her faintly faded red eyes turned toward me.

“This was my fault. All of this happened because of me.”

Mardian’s eyes widened.

Before she could say anything, I quickly spoke again.

“Because it’s my fault… I’ll grant you five wishes.”

I spread my five fingers and held my hand out in front of her.

Mardian looked at my hand with a puzzled expression.

“…A wish?”

“Yes. Any wish at all. I’ll grant you whatever you want.”

I was clearly the one at fault. And yet, Mardian was acting like she was the one who had done something wrong.

Things weren’t going to get better like this.

She needed to understand that I was the one who had made the mistake in our relationship.

To do that, I was going to awaken the sadism that lay dormant inside her.

“…Anything I want?”

“Yes, anything at all.”

First, I had to make her recognize that she was in the dominant position.

If she realized she could control me however she wanted, maybe she’d start treating me as freely as she used to.

“I mean it. I’ll do anything you ask.”

I quietly climbed onto the bed.

I straddled her waist and leaned down, bringing my lips close to her ear.

“If you want all my possessions, I’ll give them to you. If you order me to die, I’ll stop breathing right then and there.”

Mardian’s body trembled violently.

Looking into her eyes, which wavered without reason, I whispered softly.

“Anything. I’ll do everything just the way you want.”

I deliberately used a sultry voice, so she’d fully understand what I meant.

Did it have an effect?

A faint spark of life returned to Mardian’s previously dull eyes.

“…You’ll really do anything?”

Mardian asked in a doubtful voice.

I nodded firmly and looked straight at her.

She was sharp—she must have realized it by now.

Unlike before, even if she forced herself on me, there would be no consequences.

So please, Lady Mardian. Pour all your resentment onto me without guilt.

“This is my first wish.”

Mardian finally parted her tightly closed lips and spoke resolutely.

I, too, braced myself silently, waiting for her next words.

Honestly, I was still uncomfortable with the idea of two women doing that kind of thing.

But for Mardian, I was willing to offer up my body.

“Please tell me, Lady Mardian.”

I gave her an encouraging smile.

It’s okay, Lady Mardian.

I won’t reject you anymore. I’ll love the person who loved someone as ugly as me.

“My wish is…”

So please, don’t hesitate. Unleash your desires. Tell me you’re going to use me like a tool right here and now.

“Hold me for an hour every day.”

Mardian’s wish, filled with longing.

But contrary to the seriousness in her eyes, I could only blink blankly for a while.

For a moment, I wondered if I’d misheard her.

Lord Mardian…? What was your wish again?”

“Tina, I want to hug you every day.”

…I hadn’t misheard.

What Mardian wanted from me was simply a hug.

Just a plain, ridiculously simple hug.

Not a wish to ravish me like an animal, nor a threat to use me like a tool.

I had naturally assumed it would be something like that…

Poof—

A burst of shame exploded inside me, and my face flushed hot.

Mardian’s gaze, looking at me like a gentle puppy, only deepened my self-loathing.

“L-Lord Mardian. Are you really okay with just a hug? I-I mean, I can seriously do anything for you?”

“Tina… I just want to hold you.”

“Ah, aha…! So by ‘hold,’ you mean that, right? Like, at night, in bed kind of holding, right?”

Of course. There’s no way the Mardian I know would make such an innocent request.

She must be saying she wants to lie me down and devour me, just in a roundabout way.

“…I really just meant a hug… Is that… too much to ask?”

But no.

Mardian looked up at me timidly.

Her eyes held not a hint of lust.

She really, truly just wanted a hug.

Poof—!

Another wave of shame surged through me, making my face burn even hotter.

What even is this situation?

Now it feels like I’m the pervert here. Like I’m the one who wanted something dirty.

No way. This is all because Mardian’s suddenly acting strange.

What’s going on?
There’s no way the villainous Mardian would ask for something so innocent.

…Could it be? Does alcoholism change even someone’s sexual preferences?

“…Is that not okay?”

Mardian looked up at me like a puppy soaked in the rain.

Her dewy eyes, that sorrowful expression—my heart started pounding like crazy at that pitiful look.

“N-no, of course it’s okay! Come here.”

I forced down the overwhelming shame that made me want to die, and opened my arms wide.

Mardian hesitated for a moment, then slowly stepped into my embrace.

I gently wrapped my arms around her and held her close.

Like a baby bird in its mother’s wings, Mardian closed her eyes with a faint blush on her cheeks.

“G-good girl. Such a good girl…”

I softly stroked her hair and gently patted her back.

If this were the old days, Mardian would’ve recoiled in disgust. But not anymore.

Now, she seemed even more content as she buried her face into my shoulder.

“Tina… can I make another wish?”

Her voice came softly from within my arms.

Only then did I feel like I could finally relax.

As expected, this wasn’t the end.

The hug had just been a clever trick to ease my guard.

“Y-yes! Please, tell me any wish you have!”

She’s definitely going to ask me to expose my bare skin this time. I steeled myself.

“Can I… hold your hand… for an hour a day…?”

“……”

What is this.

Who are you.

“H-hold hands…? Sure… as much as you want…”

Mardian beamed brightly.

An evil woman with such an innocent smile—this kind of dissonance is rare.

As we stayed there, embracing while sitting down, the position gradually became uncomfortable.

“S-should we lie down… while hugging…?”

“Mm-hmm.”

As I cautiously lay down, Mardian naturally lay flat on top of me.

Her warm body heat was clearly transmitted through our touching skin.

“Your hand…”

At her small whisper, I immediately reached out.

She hesitated for a moment, then gently placed her hand over mine, slowly intertwining our fingers.

“……”

An unfamiliar feeling tickled my chest.

As each finger interlaced, a strange sensation seeped in. It was kind of embarrassing, and oddly, my fingertips felt like they were burning up.

With our fingers tightly interlocked, Mardian slowly closed her eyes.

Before long, I could hear her soft, steady breathing.

“…Are you asleep?”

No answer came back.

She seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

“U-uhm…”

At this point, I could only be sure of one thing.

It seems…

Mardian’s tastes have completely changed.