Chapter 239: Portal Magic (1)

Chapter 239: Portal Magic
(1)

I
could hear the voices of two women talking in the room.

However,
I couldn’t hear the content of their conversation.

As
someone who was asked to stay outside for a while, it was truly
regrettable.

After
about 20 minutes passed, the two women came out, and Celsia and Diana
wore sly smiles.

“Please…take
care of me from now on, Ms. Diana.”

“Likewise,
Princess.”

*Grip*

The
two women shook hands as if they had reached some kind of agreement.

How
hard did they squeeze? After the brief handshake, both of their palms
had turned white.

“Shall
we go, Balkan?”

“Aren’t
we already at the royal palace?”

“I
have something to give you…please follow me for a moment.”

Following
Celsia’s request, I glanced at Diana. It was the right thing to do in
this situation.

Fortunately,
Diana waved her hand, telling us to go ahead.

Passing
the third floor where I was previously blocked by the maid, we headed
toward the fifth floor.

Walking
side by side with Celsia, I carefully asked.

“May
I ask what you talked about?”

“…About
how I, who received great help from you, ended up doing something bad
instead?”

It
seemed she had revealed everything about last night’s events.

She
continued with an awkward smile.

“Though
this might sound inconsiderate to Diana…I don’t regret my choice
from last night. Even if I were to go back to that day, I would spend
the same day again. What about you?”

If
I were to go back to last night, would I not have responded to
Celsia’s kiss?

[Currently
in ‘Sage’ state.]

Although
the succubus’s curse has diminished now, last night I hadn’t reached
the state of ‘severe sexual frustration.’

Even
in the midst of sexual desire, I could make rational judgments, and
as our emotions mixed, we kissed each other.

“I
feel the same as Celsia.”

That’s
why I can say this.

Even
if I went back to the past, I would make the same choice.

Smiling
at that answer, Celsia suddenly turned her head and carefully
extended her hand.

It
wasn’t something like a handshake.

It
was more like lovers attempting their first skinship on their first
date, filled with nervousness.

Perhaps
because we had mixed bodies first, the process felt strangely
unfamiliar.

Celsia’s
embarrassed feelings spread to me as well.

Overcoming
the awkwardness, I silently grabbed Celsia’s hand.

Just
hands clumsily placed together, Celsia moved her hand while her ears
turned bright red.

Our
interlocked fingers more clearly accepted her warmth.

The
surroundings were quiet. Only our breathing and footsteps showed any
presence.

There
was no one to see or hear this.

We
walked slowly, feeling each other’s warmth, as if wishing not to
reach our destination.

But
since we couldn’t walk like that forever, we soon reached our
destination.

“…Is
this your room?”

“Hmm…
More like a room cum office cum hideout… Will you wait a moment?”

It
seemed she had combined work and seclusion here during her hikikomori
life.

When
Celsia asked for understanding and opened the door, I caught a
glimpse of the interior.

The
dark room wasn’t dirty, but it was excessively dry and desolate.

I
didn’t know such a place existed in this magnificent royal palace.

A
gloominess more depressing than the labyrinth permeated every corner
of Celsia’s room.

It
must have been unbearable to live alone in such a place.

Eventually,
Celsia came out of the room holding two small folding hand mirrors.

“They’re
communication relics. When you look in the mirror and th-think of the
person you want to see…you can contact each other no matter how far
apart you are.”

“Are
you giving me this because you want to keep in contact with me?”

“…Yes…”

At
this intuitive question, Celsia blushed and lowered her head.

It
was funny how she was embarrassed about this despite having boldly
taken my lips earlier.

Smiling,
I opened the received hand mirror and thought of Celsia.

Soon,
Celsia’s hand mirror vibrated.

With
her head still lowered, Celsia hurriedly opened her hand mirror, her
face red.

Seeing
that, I smiled, and perhaps seeing that smile in her mirror, Celsia
quickly closed her hand mirror.

“I’ll
contact you every day.”

“Ev-ev-every
day?! Th-that might be a bit…difficult…? No, I don’t mean I don’t
want to, just…! I-I need a little mental preparation…!”

Even
though she had returned to a sturdy body, just as the succubus body
remained like a brand on her soul, that timid and hopeless otaku-like
personality remained, and Celsia continued speaking hurriedly.

That
desperate appearance was strangely funny, and I laughed inwardly for
a while.

“Then
how about once every two days?”

“Um,
okay… that would be… good…”

Having
reached a dramatic compromise, we looked at each other for a moment.

Celsia’s
green eyes were filled with me.

Those
eyes were full of regret.

“…Now,
you’re leaving, right?”

“I
have to.”

I’m
leaving the royal palace today.

Originally,
I had planned to stay only a few days to attend her birthday party,
but I ended up staying longer because I fainted.

I
had to leave soon to enter the labyrinth again.

“…We’ll
see each other again, right?”

To
Celsia, who looked slightly depressed as if realizing this fact, I
waved the hand mirror she had given me and said,

“Of
course.”

At
those words, a smile bloomed on Celsia’s face again.

***

Diana
buried her expressionless face in my chest.

Right
after I returned to my guest room after finishing my conversation
with Celsia, she hugged me tightly, so tightly that I could barely
breathe.

“Ugh…”

Now
my strength isn’t extremely different from Diana’s anymore.

My
level is approaching 40 now. It was proof that I had reached at least
half her level.

I
could break free if I struggled, but I didn’t bother.

Instead,
I patted Diana’s back.

“…Marking
territory.”

“What?”

“…I’m
marking my territory. Since Balkan keeps being seduced by other women
and bringing them back, I’m leaving my scent so they can’t touch you
anymore.”

-Thump.
Thump.

Diana
lightly hit my solar plexus with her forehead.

It
didn’t hurt since there was no strength behind it, more like a
tantrum.

However,
I could clearly feel the emotion Diana was experiencing.

‘Disappointment.’

“…I
guess Ellie and I aren’t enough…?”

It
hadn’t even been a month since I revealed my relationships with
Denshi and Idelbert.

And
in this situation, I took another woman.

“I’m
sorry…”

Even
if I tried to make excuses, I couldn’t speak.

Whatever
I said, even if this was a world where male-female relationships were
messed up, it wouldn’t change the fact that I was trash.

“If
you’re sorry, can you give me a kiss?”

“…What?”

In
that situation where my heart was aching with guilt, her voice that
seemed to have been waiting for just those words naturally made me
flustered.

“Kiss
me…so I can feel that I’m your woman.”

Thinking
about Diana’s usual self, I could tell how much courage it took for
her to say these words now.

“More
passionately…than what you did with Denshi, Idelbert, or the
Princess…”

And
now I wasn’t in a position to refuse her, had no intention to refuse,
and felt strongly drawn to Diana who asked for a kiss while
swallowing her loneliness.

Our
lips overlapped in an instant.

It
was a vulgar mating kiss mixing tongues and exchanging saliva.

Even
in the midst of this, Diana kept her tongue still and entrusted her
body to me as if asking me to prove my affection for her and to show
her how much she was loved.

I
couldn’t help but respond.

I
proved my affection for Diana by recalling the memories we had slowly
built up together when we shared our first kiss, both inexperienced.

*kiss*
*suck*…

I
sucked on Diana’s tongue as if performing fellatio.

The
way her red, warm tongue trembled as if numb aroused a strange
sadistic desire.

*grip*

I
firmly grabbed Diana’s buttocks and devoured her as if to swallow her
whole while dragging her to the bed.

*plop*

Diana,
laid down on the soft bed, looked at me with satisfied half-closed
eyes.

*slide*

Diana’s
arms naturally wrapping around my neck created an illusion as if a
snake was coiling around it.

At
that moment, as I looked down at Diana who had become lustful from
loneliness below the bed.

“Mr.
Balkan!”

*slam*!

Along
with a high-pitched voice, someone burst open the door.

“Kyaaah!”

Turning
my head toward the source of the sharp scream, I saw Rubia with her
roll-shaped hair puffed up large and her face red.

“Rubia?”

“Wa-wawawa…”

Her
eyes spun round and round after suddenly invading the room.

I
suppose anyone would react like that seeing their colleague about to
mate with another female, but I was just as surprised.

I
thought she had left long ago, was she still in the royal palace?

*sigh*

As
I let out a small sigh, Diana kissed me with a slight chuckle.

“There
will be more chances later. For now, why don’t we ask what brings her
here?”

“…Yes.”

Following
Diana’s words, I approached Rubia, who was trembling in shock, and
asked.

“What’s
the matter?”

Rubia,
who had been staring at my chest for a while, suddenly seemed to come
to her senses and spoke urgently.

“E-Ellie…!”

My
and Diana’s expressions hardened at the words that came from her
mouth.

Of
course, because it was such an unbelievable thing to hear.

“…You’re
saying Ellie opened a portal?”