Limit – 1

‘Is this what they mean by having your energy drained?’

I staggered out of the room. Floreta, still beaming, and Luna, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, followed me on either side. Luna had been wearing that expression ever since she started changing her clothes.

I hadn’t done anything; all I did was witness the Popes undressing right before my eyes, yet I felt as if all my energy had been completely drained. It seemed that I had been desperately tense trying not to react, and then my strength just gave out.

In the end, what I chose last was the dress Floreta and Luna had picked up first.

The clothes that the two of them hadn’t chosen and were left behind-no, regarding that something that absolutely couldn’t be called clothes-I didn’t even want to imagine it further.

They said it was an outfit that could only be worn on very special occasions, an attire made to bring one closest to God… but it was just a roundabout way of saying it was the most revealing.

It was far more revealing than the C-string and breast covers, or micro slingshots, that Floreta and Luna had picked up. At first, I genuinely thought they were completely naked. But apparently, they were wearing something.

There was practically only one option.

‘And them changing clothes in front of me.’

When the Popes began to unfasten their Holy Vestments right before my eyes, saying they wanted to try them on, I literally, without exaggeration, jumped up from the sofa. I simply couldn’t get it out of my head.

Floreta, seeing my horrified expression, giggled and turned her back. It was only because Floreta’s hair was so voluminous that everything was covered; for any ordinary person, it wouldn’t have been enough.

Luna was a prime example. Luna also had rather elaborate hair, but as she turned her back to change, I saw her butt peeking out here and there, and my thoughts momentarily stopped.

I couldn’t understand their true intentions at all. Was there really a need to change clothes while a man was watching? There were curtains everywhere; if they just went behind one, they would be completely out of sight.

I wondered if they had no qualms about exposure itself, but when Luna realized I had seen her peeking butt, she immediately blushed, so that wasn’t it either.

‘……I don’t know.’

I gave up thinking. Staying here and doing this wouldn’t help me find the answer anyway.

Just like when we entered the room, Floreta and Luna surrounded me on either side. We returned to the circular space. Wondering if they were done on the other side, I pulled back the curtain.

The Knight Commanders, wearing the same expression as me, were sprawled on the sofa.

“…….”

Their faces looked as if they had almost lost their souls. Their eyes were unfocused, and their entire bodies were slumped against the backrest of the sofa. From their mouths, a groan of “Huuuuh” escaped.

The dresses, which had each boasted their own charm, were neatly folded and gathered in one place. The nuns, standing proudly with their hands clasped together in an attention stance beside them, were a bonus.

When they heard footsteps, the Knight Commanders turned their heads. Rije opened her mouth, her voice completely drained.

“……Delta, where have you been?”

“To help pick out His Holiness the Popes’ dre… dresses.”

Because I couldn’t bring myself to call them clothes, I momentarily stuttered, experiencing an internal conflict. A question appeared on Rije’s face after hearing my answer.

“Why are *you*, Delta, picking out His Holiness the Popes’ dresses?”

Indeed. Why was I, not an Inquisitor or a Heresy Interrogator, picking out dresses for the Popes to wear? Even if I wanted to answer, I didn’t know either.

A strange silence followed.

“Our Honored Guest-nim was a great help. They had an exceptionally keen eye.”

Floreta smiled brightly and clung to my arm. Rije, perhaps not expecting a Pope to answer directly instead of me, stammered, unable to form words.

“That’s right. We received a lot of help from our Honored Guest-nim.”

Luna, too, subtly clung to my arm, her usual cold and haughty expression back on her face. The blush that had been on her cheeks just before entering this place was nowhere to be seen.

Rije stared blankly at the Popes.

“Have all the dresses been chosen?”

In response to Floreta’s question, this time, Iris nodded.

“Yes, that’s right, Your Holiness.”

“Could you tell me what you chose?”

At the Pope’s request, the nuns stepped forward again. Iris, Erica, and Claudia, who had been sprawled on the sofa, simultaneously flinched and trembled. Their pupils quivered.

Only Rije was quietly staring at the Popes clinging to my side.

It was a long time later when we finally left that place. Outside, Stella and Selene were waiting with the battle nuns, and once again, we returned to our lodging under escort.

We, who had been tormented by those damned banquet outfits all day since morning, were leading our exhausted bodies and minds, just about to return to our respective rooms, when Claudia stopped me.

“Delta. Just a moment.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s talk for a bit before you rest.”

Claudia, who had gestured for the other Knight Commanders to go up first, confirmed that even Rije, who had been staring intently this way, had gone upstairs. Only after it was certain that only the two of them were left, did she open her mouth.

“About tonight. Don’t lock your door when you sleep.”

“……What are you talking about?”

“Don’t ask again. Just do as I say. You don’t lock it when you sleep normally anyway, do you?”

“If you knew I’ve always done that, why are you making such a request?”

Claudia grinned after hearing my question.

“I have good instincts.”

“Good instincts, what do you mean by…”

“Enough. Just do as I say. Don’t act out of spite and do the opposite. I’m going up now. I’ve been putting on and taking off clothes all day, I’m dead tired.”

I stared blankly at the pink back disappearing as she waved her hand. Of course, I had no idea why she was acting like that all of a sudden.

My mind was too cluttered.

That night. I couldn’t easily fall asleep because of Claudia’s words.

‘Don’t lock the door?’

I didn’t lock it normally anyway. As Claudia herself had mentioned, it was a fact the Knight Commanders also knew. They had already visited my room several times. They didn’t lock their own doors either.

But for her to specifically say something like that…….

‘Is there some other meaning?’

As my thoughts grew, sleep naturally fled.

Anyway, all there was to do in the Holy Kingdom was rest, and since there were still two days until the banquet, it didn’t matter if I went to bed late and woke up late. But staying awake like this, I felt a strange sensation.

Time passed. Night arrived, and the bright moonlight of the full moon began to stream into the room.

ㅡClick.

How much time had passed while I was pondering the true meaning of Claudia’s words? I heard a click as someone opened my room door. My nerves instantly sharpened.

In that short time, countless thoughts flashed through my mind. Should I open my eyes and greet them, or pretend to be asleep? If I opened my eyes and greeted them, what kind of reaction should I show?

“…….”

In the end, what I chose was to pretend to be asleep.

I didn’t know the reason either. Was it because I had developed a habit of secretly using my smartphone at night, then turning it off and pretending to sleep if I sensed someone approaching? Or was it because the atmosphere just felt like I should?

The door closed again. Someone was inside my room. *Clank*, I heard the sound of the lock on the doorknob engaging. And then, very faint footsteps slowly began to approach me.

The person who entered the room paused briefly at the edge of the bed. Then they placed a hand on it. The space next to my calf sank deeply. Soon after, the space next to my knee also sank deeply, as if someone had placed a hand there.

The sunken space moved. From beside my ankle to beside my knee, from beside my knee to beside my thigh, from beside my thigh to beside my waist, from beside my waist to beside my shoulder.

It was as if they were crawling up, with me in between them. The bed on both sides repeatedly sank and rose wildly. My body continuously swayed from side to side. Even if I had been asleep, this would have woken me up.

The movement stopped shortly after. It seemed they were looking down at me from right above my face. It became quiet again in that state. Then a voice broke the silence.

“Delta, are you asleep?”

‘……Rije?’

It was Rije.

As I continued to pretend to be asleep in my confusion, suddenly, a finger traced my lips. I felt a soft sensation.

“I know you’re not asleep. Wake up.”

At this point, it seemed I couldn’t keep my eyes closed any longer. I subtly opened my eyes. Rije, looking down at me from right in front of me, came into view. As our eyes met, Rije smiled shyly.

She was half-mounted on me, her hands placed on either side of my face. One knee was pressed tightly against my left side, and the other knee was lightly placed on my stomach. It looked exactly as if she was pouncing on me.

Whether it was intentional or she hadn’t noticed, the strap of her left sleeveless top had slipped down to the middle of her upper arm. Because of that, her upper chest was more exposed than usual.

Her breasts, heavily drawn downwards, swayed from side to side, or up and down, whenever Rije moved. It was a weight that felt substantial just by looking at it.

My gaze was drawn to the vast valley formed between them. Then, realizing what I was doing, I quickly lifted my eyes. It seemed it was already too late. Rije was beaming at me.

“……Why did you come here? And at such a late hour?”

It was a situation where she couldn’t possibly not know that I had been staring intently at her chest. I cleared my throat and changed the subject. Even to me, it sounded pathetic.

Rije, who had been looking at me with a meaningful smile, answered my question obediently, as if she would let it slide just this once.

“Why do you think I came?”

“…….”

“Late night. A woman who came alone to a man’s room. A locked door. Our posture. It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“I know. I just asked. I can’t pretend not to know even in a situation like this, can I? I’m not that oblivious.”

“Well. It seemed like you didn’t notice.”

“Me? What?”

“See? You don’t know.”

Rije bent her elbow. The distance between our faces narrowed. Her breath mingled with mine. Her warm breath brushed against my lips.

Her deep blue pupils stared directly into my eyes.

“Originally, I was just going to slowly tempt you, and wait until you couldn’t stand it anymore and pounced on me. Because getting on top of a man isn’t my style.”

The finger that had been tracing my lips moved to my bangs. *Swish*, Rije brushed my bangs aside.

“But, if things continue like this, I’m afraid I’ll lose you.”

“Me?”

“Of course, you. Who else would it be?”

“To whom?”

Her face was brought even closer.

“His Holiness the Popes.”