episode_0088

Imagine.

A situation where your beloved is wrapped in a thin cotton garment, holding themselves close and falling asleep.

Sweet breath brushing against your head, gentle touch covering your face, and the fiery warmth of their body touching your skin.

Is it really possible to maintain reason without being swept away by impulse?

“Hold on…! I have to hold on, Freide…!”

For Freide, it was possible.

“Hold back…! If I give in here, it’s all over…!”

Unlike Hilde, who had fallen fast asleep without a care in the world, Freide was gritting her teeth, engaging in a fierce mental battle, wide awake.

Pushing her fingers between Hilde’s legs right now to etch an unforgettable memory into her body, engaging in a battle with the impulse to enjoy the night she had not consented to in a way she had not permitted.

Yet, Freide’s reason prevailed, resisting the temptation of impulse, constantly reminding herself that this was a step forward or backward for her future with Hilde.

For the future she desired with Hilde, no matter how much she wanted it now, she had to endure.

Once she crossed that line, she wouldn’t be able to control her own impulses, not even when Hilde woke up, whimpering and struggling, until dawn. Maybe even beyond that.

After indulging in Hilde’s body to her heart’s content and fulfilling her desires, what awaited her thereafter?

It would undoubtedly lead to ruin.

Because it would mean disregarding Hilde’s body and mind, her feelings and kindness, and satisfying only her own desires.

She couldn’t do such a thing to someone she loved.

“…That’s an act of a tyrant. That’s what it is.”

With that thought, Freide closed her eyes tightly.

It was the first time in her life that the concept of a tyrant had helped her. When she recalled that face, her body, which had been unable to contain its excitement, grew cold, allowing her to regain her reason.

It wasn’t that the already soaking wet underwear was drying, but at least it could prevent further wetting.

“Phew….”

Thanks to Gunter’s face, Freide finally regained her composure and relaxed her tense arms and legs with a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, let’s stop here for today. There’s no need to rush. Just doing this much is a significant progress, isn’t it?”

There was no reason to rush and ruin things.

Although their direction had deviated slightly, they had also confirmed each other’s feelings, and just embracing and sleeping together alone was an intimate contact beyond comparison to before.

While Hilde had allowed it as a special occasion for today, once she granted permission, changing the promise of “just for today” to an everyday occurrence wouldn’t be so difficult.

Freide believed that.

No, she promised herself.

Hilde would continue to make an effort in the future to consider her co-sleeping with Freide not as a reward or comfort, but as an ordinary part of their daily life.

Until the day when urging her to come in quickly with open arms became completely natural to her.

Waiting for the moment when such a wish would become reality, Freide buried her face deeply into the pillow allowed by Hilde for tonight, like a warm and soft mother’s embrace, like a water-filled hot water bottle, emanating a faint lemon scent from the large chest.

“…Huhu.”

Even though the swaying flesh made it a bit uncomfortable to breathe, Freide was still happy.

It was a face that couldn’t be happier.

“Uhuh….”

Until the moment when Hilde, murmuring in her sleep, pulled her in even closer, pressing her abdomen tightly against her, seeming to enjoy the warmth.

The moment when Hilde’s legs wrapped around her lower body, pulling her in, causing the moist and warm flesh to touch without a gap between the thin fabric.

“Ugh…!”

Freide immediately realized.

That there was an even greater happiness on top of happiness.

‘Ugh…!’

Right after, Freide proved to herself that she possessed the qualifications of a hero by firmly holding back the movement of her waist with superhuman patience.

Ordinary people cannot even imitate the superhuman patience. The hero was a hero even on the bed.

At least she knew, even if others didn’t.

======[ Hilde ]======

…I should quit drinking.

The next morning, as I got up with a slightly throbbing head, the thought that came to mind was whether I was holding onto Friede like a doll.

“Ugh… What was I even saying…”

Unlike the last drinking session where the film was cut, this time the memories of last night remained vivid because I hadn’t drunk excessively.

Friede’s confession and my response, pretending to be the tragic heroine, and what happened afterward.

She said she’d allow it just for today. Even if I was drunk, what kind of nonsense was I spouting?

“Sigh….”

Ah, seriously, this is so embarrassing.

I covered my face with my right hand and let out a sigh close to a groan.

My actions, my words… When I remembered them sober, my whole face felt like it was burning with shame.

Even if I was drunk and caught up in the atmosphere, how could a grown man imitate a bewitching woman?

Lost in a VR game, when I came to my senses, I realized I was walking around on all fours, declaring myself a bitch, wearing a leash. Wasn’t that exactly how I looked yesterday?

It’s been almost half a year since I entered a woman’s body.

Slowly but surely, my very identity seemed to twist to fit this body, becoming more feminine than before.

…I need to be careful. At this rate, I might actually declare myself a bitch. Seriously.

The thought made my spine shiver involuntarily.

As it was a common scene on the internet, the moment I had such an idea, the corresponding scene immediately played out in my head.

“Hilde is a bitch…♡.”

“Seriously, this is insane. Whose bitch am I supposed to be, anyway?”

With a collar around my naked neck, hearts in my pupils, crouching like a dog, I extended my clenched fists forward.

And someone looking down at me with satisfaction and superiority, holding the end of that leash.

Just the thought of it made my spine tingle with fear.

“Stop thinking…!”

I shook my head vigorously, trying to erase the vivid scene from my mind.

Voluntarily giving up my human rights, how dreadful. I’d rather stab my own heart and give up my life than become that kind of person.

When I think about the original novel, it’s clear that this world itself is a perfect place to turn Brunhilde into a bitch…

Didn’t that old man who gave birth to a chicken instead of a child shout the same thing? We won’t become slaves.

I was the same.

If I die, I’ll just die. Will I become a bitch or something?

I’ve been struggling to escape the fate of being a heroine in a brothel, but being a bitch is even more of a setback in terms of human rights than being a heroine in a brothel.

To claim such a fate?

Nonsense. It would be better to die.

“Yeah, there’s no way…”

“…What?”

A vow slipped out of my mouth without my realizing it. Freida, who had opened her eyes, was now looking at me with her arms wrapped around my waist.

The fatigue in her golden eyes was clear, unable to shake off the lingering drowsiness.

She looked like she hadn’t slept well. No, more importantly…

“Did you sleep well, Freida? If you’re awake, could you please… let go of my arm for now.”

I awkwardly greeted her and asked her to release her arms from around my waist with an awkward smile.

Even though I confessed that I liked her, if I let her continue to hold onto my waist like this, she might think I’m giving her leeway.

Given my difficult position in accepting her feelings, I should avoid actions that might give her any leeway.

…Well, whatever. I get it. She probably thinks it’s ridiculous to suddenly worry about giving her leeway when I willingly jumped into bed and embraced her.

But what can I do? It was a mistake made under the influence of alcohol. It wasn’t intentional.

…Honestly.

I never imagined I would stoop so low as to make pitiful excuses like “It was because of the alcohol.”

Once the situation arose, those excuses came out so smoothly.

Well, self-reflection can be put off until later. For now, I had to detach this arm first.

If possible, it would be the best picture if Freyde were to detach her own arm.

If I forcibly detach it, she’ll firmly draw the line as soon as night falls, and then I’d end up being like trash, enduring a night’s worth of work and cutting off contact.

That’s why I asked her to clear it away instead of me directly clearing her arm…

“Um, well… ”

Freyde simply nodded and, instead of releasing her arms that were hugging my waist, looked up at me with half-closed eyes and said with a sly smile.

“…I don’t want to. I’ll sleep more. Mr. Hilde too.”

“Well, no, just a moment…!”

Childish stubbornness. A tone with girlish charm, tinged with a strange color.

However, the strength in the forearm that held onto my waist was different from that of a child or a girl.

– Thud.

The strength was so strong that resistance was impossible without using force, dragging my upper body, which was sitting on the bed, halfway down by force.

It was surprising. I was so surprised that my eyes widened.

What’s with her? Was she this strong?

No, considering how she wields that huge greatsword, she must be strong… but was it this much?

It was unbelievable. This little girl, who was smaller than me by a head, had pure strength that was even beyond mine.

Not just a little stronger than me, but almost at the level of an adult and a child.

“Uh, Freyde…? Just a moment. This… ”

“…Huuuh.”

I twisted my body in confusion, like a deer caught in a trap, trying to escape somehow, but Freyde just yawned and closed her eyes again.

‘What is this…’

A situation where I couldn’t escape without using force. However, I couldn’t activate force. If I did, Freyde’s arm would have broken.

So, in the end, I had no choice but to lie there in bewilderment for a while, unable to do anything.

“Hmm……”

Then, I fell back to sleep with a sullen expression.

“…What’s going on here?”

Amy, who came to my inn room for today’s work, expressed a mixture of bewilderment and irritation at the sight of my disheveled appearance as soon as she entered.