episode_0174

[Episode 170] – Turning Point (1)

About a month had passed since Vivian appeared in Wangsung as an adult.

Vivian was starting to get used to Titania’s affectionate behavior. There’s a saying, isn’t there? That humans are adaptable creatures. Could it be that by kissing and showing affection every day to break the curse, she was getting used to it?

There was no longer any tension when kissing. In the first place, apart from what happened under the desk on the first day and when she intruded during bathing, there hadn’t been any more affectionate behavior than that.

After the incident in each room, even when they slept in the same bed again, Titania didn’t show more affectionate behavior than hugging. The kisses were only on the lips, and she didn’t touch any indecent places.

She had occasionally made seductive gestures, but apart from that, life with Titania was ordinary. She even felt foolish for worrying that Titania might be suffering and unable to sleep at night because of her.

…At this rate, it seemed that Titania’s emotions would not take long to cool off. As Vivian had expected, as Titania relieved her emotions, she definitely reduced the teasing towards Vivian.

Whether it was because her emotions had cooled off or because she was satisfied with the situation, Titania’s attitude towards Vivian softened “little by little” as time passed, just as Vivian had anticipated.

So, Vivian also thought like this.

Surely, things would return to the way they used to be. They would return to being mother and daughter as before. The emotions Titania was feeling now were just like a dream on a midsummer night.

Vivian did not ignore Titania’s love. She also knew that the child’s feelings were sincere. She also knew that the love directed towards her was deep and profound.

She just considered it a love that could not be fulfilled.

That was the reality. Titania and Vivian were ‘mother and daughter,’ ‘family,’ ‘queen and consort.’ Even if we overlook the issue of same-sex relationships, it was clear that everything except that would hinder Titania.

So Vivian decided to wait. Until she realized how heavy it was for the child to be tied to her ankle. Until she realized that reality did not allow Titania’s heart. Clearly, when time passes, Titania will understand, and Vivian decided to wait for that day. Until then, she thought of accepting Titania’s emotions, comforting her, and helping her not to get hurt.

… But Vivian didn’t know.

No, it would be more accurate to say that she knew but pretended not to. She was already a subject who couldn’t live without Titania. Rather, if Titania left, it would be herself who would be hurt.

Using reality as an excuse, Vivian deceived herself and denied the fact that she was once again avoiding Titania. Perhaps it was because she had lived as a “mother” for too long.

Vivian never thought that she could feel “different emotions” toward Titania rather than “maternal love.” Whenever Titania tempted her, she simply suppressed the dizzying emotions with embarrassment.

She just said she had no immunity to such things. She blamed Titania for being too overtly tempting. She said her heart was pounding with shame. Vivian did not try to understand these emotions.

Emotions in the first place needed a reason to resonate.

Especially emotions like love were even more so.

However, a reason was not easily found, nor did it come just because one wished for it. However, that didn’t mean it didn’t come at all. The trigger for Vivian to realize her emotions came—

At an unexpected moment, from an unexpected source.

“What did you say?”

“So, it’s about Queen Titania’s ‘arranged marriage.’ Frankly, since she hasn’t even had an engagement so far, it’s a very late situation. It’s getting to the point where succession talk is coming up among the elders-”

For Vivian, the trigger was Titania’s “arranged marriage story.”

For a moment, the moment when Titania imagined herself wearing a wedding dress next to someone else, thinking she would marry an unknown man.

For the first time in that moment, Vivian faced her true emotions and said, “What? An arranged marriage? Engagement?” She furrowed her brow sincerely.

*

Titania and Vivian’s study. Titania was having small talk with her mother as usual while doing work. Just as it seemed like today’s affairs were about to end without any particular incident.

The Minister of Education came to the study and told her about the discussion from the meeting. Titania let out a low sigh at her periodic ‘marriage’ story. She tried to ignore it, saying she would handle it herself.

“What? An arranged marriage? Engagement?”

“Why, why are you so angry… I was just discussing the content of the meeting…”

For some reason, seeing her mother angrier than herself, Titania looked at Vivian with wide eyes, surprised. It wasn’t the reaction she had expected from her mother. If it were her mother…

“…I thought she would urge me to get married instead.”

Whether it’s about the successor, husband, or married life, her mother, whom she had only expected to scratch her inside again, was showing genuine anger. And she was genuinely angry.

Seeing her mother genuinely angry, the Minister of Education stuttered and trembled as he spoke. As if not understanding why she was reacting this way, the Minister of Education burst into tears.

“Your Majesty also knows… that other ministers are desperate for a successor… They’re all old men who don’t have many days left. Please think of it as the ramblings of nobles who wish to see a successor while they’re still alive.”

“……”

“Moreover, to be honest, I also think that Your Majesty’s marriage is rather late. At least if there had been an engagement, such words wouldn’t have come out…”

Vivian let out a small sigh as she watched the Minister of Education, who seemed hesitant but still managed to say what he wanted to say. Then, in a quiet voice, she seemed to compromise by saying, “Certainly…”

After a brief silence, Vivian turned her head and asked Titania, “I, I mean, the Minister of Education’s words make sense… It’s true that you haven’t been engaged until now, so… your opinion is more important than ours… so…?”

Titania looked at Vivian speaking like that and smiled with her eyes. A pitifully trembling voice, avoiding eye contact, and forcibly raised corners of the mouth were shaking.

It was a visibly anxious and trembling appearance. Her eyes turned red as if she might cry at any moment. While asking how she felt verbally, her expression seemed to plead, “Please don’t leave,” without saying it.

But only her mother didn’t know that.

“What do you think…?”

In response to that question, Titania smiled happily.

Ah, this is it.

“Yes, an engagement.”

This is my mother’s ‘opportunity.’

Titania rested her elbow on the desk, propped her chin, and responded to the Minister of Education and her mother with a laugh, saying something she didn’t really mean. After all, being engaged is something that can be canceled later.

“Haha, yes. I should start thinking about it positively.”

“Is that really true?!”

“Yes, it’s time for me to start thinking positively. Let’s pick a suitable engagement partner.”

“Ohh…!”

The Minister of Education cheered for the first time at the positive answer he had heard. Normally, he would have been scolded for bringing up the engagement story again, but this was such a positive response.

However, unlike the Minister of Education, who was inwardly cheering, Vivian’s expression seemed as if she could die at any moment. Inside Vivian’s heart, only the questions “Why? How?” echoed repeatedly.

Titania narrowed her eyes and smiled, looking at Vivian, who seemed like she might cry at any moment. In response to Titania’s answer, Vivian didn’t say anything. No, she couldn’t say anything.

She just looked at Titania with a shocked expression, not yet understanding why she was feeling this way.

*

The next morning.

Vivian, sitting on the bed, frowned and fidgeted with her feet that didn’t touch the floor. Despite thinking all night, she couldn’t understand why she felt so anxious and irritable.

The swirling unknown emotions were maddening. This wasn’t an emotion a “mother” should feel when looking at her daughter who had made a commitment to marriage. These emotions were something more…

“Mother.”

“Yes?”

At Titania’s sudden call, the diminished Vivian raised her head to look at Titania. Seeing the smile on her face in her pajamas, Vivian also awkwardly smiled.

“It’s time to lift the curse little by little.”

“Oh, is it already that time…”

As she turned her head to look at the clock, she realized that time had passed noon and it was already afternoon. It was time to kiss Titania to break the curse.

Vivian, who had jumped out of bed, cautiously approached Titania. As she hesitated to kiss her, she slowly raised her head to look at Titania.

It felt different from usual. Just kissing quickly would end it, but today, as she looked at Titania’s face, she felt nervous and embarrassed. It was as if she was as embarrassed as when she first kissed.

“…Let’s finish quickly.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Titania smiled and slowly closed her eyes. The curse would be broken by Vivian kissing her “directly.” Titania just closed her eyes and waited. Until her mother kissed her on her own.

Vivian took a moment to calm her pounding heart. After calming her breath, she raised her head and kissed Titania. The sound of their lips meeting echoed through the bedroom.

Vivian let out a long sigh as she felt her body growing. Perhaps it was because it had been a while since she had been so tense during a kiss, but after just one kiss, she felt like she might collapse from exhaustion.

This time, Vivian let out a small sigh and lifted her head to look at Titania. Seeing Titania smiling happily, Vivian felt twice as embarrassed for some reason.

With the thought of quickly leaving her seat, Vivian took a step back. However, Titania swiftly grabbed Vivian’s waist as she tried to escape. In an instant, Vivian’s body leaned towards Titania.

As Titania put strength into her arms and embraced Vivian, their chests met and their stomachs touched. As they got closer without any space between them, Vivian’s face blushed even more.

“Wait a moment!”

“Mother, why have you been avoiding me since yesterday?”

“Avoiding…?”

Avoiding? Me? Vivian looked at Titania with a bewildered expression. Titania chuckled and gently stroked Vivian’s cheek with one hand as she asked.

“Do you dislike seeing me taking the lead?”

“T-That’s…”

“Why? I thought my mother would be happy if I said I was getting married…”

Titania asked Vivian with a chuckle. It was an answer she already knew, but she wanted to hear it directly from her mother. She wanted to hear her mother’s voice asking her not to leave her side.

However, her mother did not respond. She hesitated to answer several times, then closed her lips and remained silent. It was as if she didn’t know what to say.

‘Is she still struggling?’

Titania sighed as if disappointed and smiled bitterly. If her mother couldn’t answer because she was still struggling, that was fine too. It meant she was seriously considering their relationship. But…

“Mother.”

“Yeah…?”

“Can I… kiss you?”

“K-Kiss? Suddenly?”

She had no intention of just waiting until her mother’s dilemma ended. She intended to make an effort to end her mother’s dilemma as quickly as possible. Isn’t there a saying that when bodies get close, hearts get closer?

It was something she had read in a mature novel when she was young.

Titania chose provocative and explicit words as she asked Vivian. “Why a kiss all of a sudden? I just lifted the curse, didn’t I?” Vivian blinked her eyes as if she didn’t understand.

Titania ran her thumb over Vivian’s lips and let out a mischievous smile. Vivian swallowed dryly at that smile. She couldn’t fathom what Titania was thinking.

“A kiss, will you?”

“…..”

As Vivian didn’t respond, Titania slowly lowered her head towards Vivian. As they got close enough to almost kiss, their breaths began to touch their lips.

Finally, Vivian closed her eyes and puckered her lips.

Seeing this, Titania’s grip tightened. Whether she knew Vivian would kiss even if she refused, or it was some form of consent, Titania grinned and leaned further to kiss Vivian on the lips.

As their lips met, Vivian held her breath, tightly closing her eyes. Her eyelids trembled with tension, as if she were reacting as if it were her first time, just like every other time.

Titania recalled her mother’s glamorous past that she had heard from the maids when she was young. The rose with thorns in high society, the countless men who courted her mother, and various glamorous moments.

However, the woman she saw was far from having such a glamorous past. It seemed as if she didn’t know what to do, like a woman experiencing love for the first time, as if every touch was new.

“Mother wouldn’t act like this…”

Surely, the rumors about her past must have been wrong. Her mother had many enemies in high society when she was young. Titania chuckled and poked her tongue out, tapping her mother’s firmly closed lips.

In response, her mother closed her lips even tighter, exerting more force. Titania ran her tongue over her lips once more and gently pressed her hand against her mother’s chin, applying slight pressure so as not to hurt her.

As soon as she pressed her chin, her mother’s mouth opened and her lips began to part. Titania did not miss the opportunity and slipped her tongue between her mother’s open lips, wrapping it around her mother’s tongue.

“Slurp, gulp.”

Vivian let out a small moan and closed her eyes tightly. The unfamiliar sensations felt like Titania’s color was being painted all over her mouth.

The unfamiliar emotions overwhelmed her, becoming increasingly frightening.

“Gulp, sob!”

Titania’s tongue delved fiercely, sucking in Vivian’s tongue. The saliva that flowed over had long overflowed from the corners of their mouths. Warmed by the lukewarm temperature, the saliva clung to the tip of Vivian’s chin and then dripped down onto her chest.

Vivian’s head, which had been so complex just moments ago, now seemed to be turning completely white. As if there was no need to think about anything, Titania seemed to urge her to concentrate on the present, intertwining their tongues more and more forcefully.

The bouncing of their tongues and the sticky sound of saliva in their mouths were unmistakable. Breathing became difficult, so Vivian grabbed Titania’s sleeve tightly. It was an earnest plea for her to stop.

Seemingly regretful at this plea, Titania raised her head and released her lips. As their lips parted, the mixed saliva stretched like a silver thread and then fell onto Vivian’s palate with a thud.

Having swallowed the ‘taste’ that Titania had left in her mouth, Vivian didn’t know what to do, avoiding Titania’s gaze. It was difficult because the taste of Titania lingered with each swallow.

“…What exactly do I want from Titania?”

What exactly…