episode_0101

By the time we laid down straight on the bed for the first time, without even noticing the passage of time, the sun had already set and the room was dark enough to feel dark even without the curtains.

I’m exhausted. The reason was that my physical strength was poor because I hadn’t exercised, but the bigger reason was that I was so sensitive today that I climaxed several times.

I couldn’t sit up properly because my back was so weak, and my whole body was wet with sweat and various liquids, so I felt bad. In addition, the bed was damp, which was a real highlight.

But strangely enough, it didn’t feel that bad. Although I was still naked, I didn’t feel that cold thanks to the warmth I felt next to me.

“Phew… … .”

I didn’t mind at all when I was shaking, but now that I finished my ritual, I felt stuffy in the room because the curtains were closed.

When I tried to get up to close the curtain, my legs didn’t have enough strength, so I lay down again.

It was getting a little stuffy in the crowded room to just lie down, so I used magic to create wind and pulled the curtains to both sides.

The moonlight pouring in through the slightly opened curtains illuminated the room, and Hermel’s very flushed face came into view.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

Hermel said that and curled up, and I smiled and hugged Hermel tightly, hoping to warm him up since he was already lying down.

“Hehe… … . Charles… … .”

When I slowly turned my head to the side at the sound of a voice full of laughter, I made eye contact with Hermel, who was laughing brightly next to me.

What’s so good about it… … . As I tidied up the sweaty bangs that had stuck to his forehead, Hermel, who had been blinking, slowly closed his eyes and pressed his lips.

Really, if I were a man, I would have died prematurely before the ceremony even took place. I smiled and lightly kissed my lips, then lay down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling blankly.

No words were exchanged, but it wasn’t burdensome or uncomfortable at all. I felt at ease just by being next to him. okay… … . Just like when I was at that cafe.

Our heated bodies cooled down, our sweaty bodies dried, and it got a little cold, so we laid down with our bodies a little closer to each other. Suddenly Hermel called my name.

“Charles.”

“Huh?”

Hermel, who was fidgeting with his hand on my left breast, slowly stood up and brushed his bangs.

I was a little nervous, wondering if he was still not satisfied, but strangely enough, Hermel just sat quietly without saying anything.

He raised his hand slightly, as if he wanted to say something, then sighed, scratched his head, opened his mouth slightly, and mumbled.

Is something wrong? I forced myself to get up, my body still shaking slightly, and sat down next to Hermel.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, that… … . I have something I want to say, but when I try to say it, I feel a little embarrassed… … .”

Hermel blushed and scratched his cheek, as if he was really embarrassed.

With a small smile, I hugged Hermel and kissed her shoulder.

“When did you confess that you loved me and then move around like an animal, and now you’re embarrassed? I think it’s too late to be pretentious.”

“Ugh, it’s not like that… … . This is a slightly different story.”

“What are you talking about?”

Hermel, who had been hesitant, suddenly hugged me tightly and fell down on the bed.

Hermel, who buried his face between my breasts, groaned and sighed.

“What are you taking this time to talk about?”

“Well, I’m going to do it from now on. I’m doing this because I’m too embarrassed to say it to your face, so please understand… … .”

“Puhhh… … . It tickles, Hermel.”

“Muuuh… … .”

Hermel’s breath tickling between my breasts tickled me, but I didn’t show it and just stroked my head.

Then, perhaps to some extent, Hermel’s trembling breathing became steady.

It will be soon, I’m holding Hermel tightly. Hermel slowly got out of my arms and looked up at me.

“Charles probably knows it too… … . I have a bit of an obsession with strong people… … . Isn’t it severe?”

Not just a little, but too much.

As I nodded lightly, swallowing the words that had come up to my chin, Hermel smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

“I remembered why I was obsessed with strong people――no, power.”

Hermel’s eyes were more serious than ever as he said that. And unlike when he stood in front of me holding the sword, it was shining so transparently.

Just like Seria, who told me she was happy and talked about happy endings.

“I am there. Have you ever had a dog this size before? That’s probably… … . It must have happened when I was 6 years old.”

“Puppy?”

“Yes. I don’t know how it came in, but it was eating grass in the royal garden. It was cute… … .”

Hermel began the story with blurry eyes as if reminiscing about the past, smiling and looking into the distance.

“And its fur was so white that it was hard to understand how the Royal Knights missed it. Fuhuhu… … .”

Hermel, who was talking about dogs while gesturing with his hands, closed his mouth for a moment and looked at me.

“As Charles knows, 6 years old is the age to receive early education. Starting with etiquette, writing, politics… … . I couldn’t go out of the palace, and since I was receiving education every day, I didn’t have any friends my age… … .”

“In the meantime, we met.”

“Yes… … . Oscar was my only friend in the stuffy royal palace.”

It was a friend.

“In the royal palace, which must always be noble and great. There was no reason to raise a puppy that wasn’t even a living creature. The moment he was caught, Oscar was about to be kicked out. At the time, I didn’t know the obvious story, and I didn’t want to know it, but I knew that it was dangerous if we were discovered, so I secretly raised it so that it wouldn’t be discovered by other people in the royal palace.”

“It goes without saying, but there is no such thing as an eternal secret. In the end, I got caught. The one person I didn’t want to be caught the most… … . To my sister.”

Hermel’s eyes looked somewhat sad as he looked up at the ceiling.

I had a feeling that a bad story would come out, but I had no idea that Hermel would be so sad. I opened my mouth cautiously.

“If it’s your sister… … . Are you talking about the first princess Ishmiel?”

“Yes. His external image is not that bad, but in reality, he is a crueler person than anyone else. My sister is.”

Hermel, who had been talking with a bitter smile, closed his mouth for a moment, then hugged me tightly and continued talking.

“My sister found me hiding in the corner of the garden playing with Oscar… … . They took the Oscar from me. I don’t like it, give it back, don’t take it away. I tried all I could at the time, but it wasn’t enough to beat my sister who was 6 years older than me.”

“The older sister who pushed me down grabbed Oscar, who was just starting to grow, by the neck… … .”

Hermel was unable to continue speaking, and instead smiled weakly and continued his words.

“I said, ‘You couldn’t protect me because you were weak. If you were dissatisfied, you should have been stronger than me.’ huh. I don’t remember much else, but I still clearly remember the words that came out of my sister’s mouth. From then on, I deeply felt that strength was needed to protect someone, and from then on, I tried to pick up a sword.”

“Although my father and mother were against it, I said I wanted to continue learning the sword. The compromise that came out after a long story was that people would be able to hold a sword from the age of 10, when they finished their basic education and debuted in society.”

“After that, it’s as you know. I showed my face briefly in social circles, but I never showed my face again after that. There was some talk about my body being weak and all that… … . You know?”

Hermel looked at me with a grin, and I nodded.

“The mad dog of the royal palace.”

She smiled slightly at my words, used my arm as a pillow, and closed her eyes.

“Ever since I started holding a sword, I have been really crazy about it. If there was someone stronger than me, I would attack them at any cost. Because I started later than others, I had to work harder. That’s how the nickname came about.”

Ah, I personally like that nickname. It may be a coincidence, but your nickname has dog in it.

Hermel said that and laughed out loud.

“Anyway. As I sparred with him every day, held the sword when I opened my eyes, and held the sheath when I closed my eyes, I realized that I had become considerably stronger. To the point where there is no one who can beat me except my father and brother.”

Hermel opened his eyes again and stretched his hand toward the ceiling, clenching and unclenching his fist.

“The first thing I did after realizing that was to visit my sister.”

“Was it for revenge?”

“Well, what was the reason? I don’t even remember much now. It probably wasn’t about revenge. anyway. Unfortunately, when I went to visit my sister, she had already left for the Grand Duchy next door. How vain it was… … .”

Hermel laughed and sighed and put down his arms.

” It came to mind a lot in one way or another. My head was so complicated that it exploded in my head, so I swung my sword to clear my head. I don’t want to think about random things, so I spar with other people. As a result, power suddenly became a purpose rather than a means. After that… … . Yes.”

Hermel looked up at me for a moment, then shook his head and smiled playfully.

“But I remember everything now. Why I tried to increase my strength, why I started holding a sword, everything.”

It’s all thanks to you, Charles――Hermel smiled brightly as he said that.

The words and looks filled with kindness were painful. I didn’t know how to answer, so I muttered, then smiled faintly and kissed Hermel’s forehead.

“If we had met a little earlier, would the story have been a little different?”

“Well… … . I just came with a sword and I don’t know much about such difficult stories.”

“That’s right. huh. I just tried it.”

I shrugged my shoulders and said, Hermel smiled brightly and rubbed his cheek against my hand.

As he was watching and laughing, a growling sound came from Hermel’s stomach.

She trembled, her face turned red, and she lowered her head. I smiled and got up from the bed.

“Hermel, let’s take a shower and go eat.”

“Isn’t it too late? The restaurant would have been closed by now.”

I’m sure the restaurant was closed as Hermel said. Yes, the restaurant.

After thinking for a moment, I nodded and said.

“… … There is a cafe that I often go to.”

“Cafe?”

“Yes. I found it by chance, and it was a place I really liked, so I didn’t plan on telling anyone… … .”

Since it’s Hermel, I’ll tell you something special.

okay. Because you are special to me.