Surely we must have done it? Erna felt perplexed. An old saying ca to her mind which said that n could fulfill their sexual desire at any ti, even with a woman they didnt have feelings for. Kalion had said he wanted to get it over with quickly, so Erna presud that was what had transpired.
While she checked her body once again, to be sure, Kalion shook the empty whiskey bottle and took a long, deep breath, and softly said, I think we need to talk.
Alright, lets talk, Erna said unenthusiastically.
I couldnt do it, said Kalion in a defeated tone, quite unlike his normal self.
Erna wrapped herself in the comfort of the woolen blanket and sat on the bed, listening intently as he related the events of the previous evening.
So what stopped you then? she asked. Her voice indicated that she was baffled. Kalion approached the bed where Erna was sitting; an irritated look across his face, but stopped halfway and retraced his footsteps.
You know what, why dontyoutry it? he said sternly.
Try what? she replied.
Oh co on, stop acting like you dont know what Im talking about. This is the problem between you and . Im the only one trying. So how about you try it this ti?
What are you saying? she asked innocently.
n say that they can have sex without involving emotions. But from what Ive seen, I believe won can too. Even though its taboo to talk about it, we all know that it happens.
Erna was speechless at Kalions words, she was naive in a lot of ways but after pondering what hed said, it did make sense. He wasnt wrong in what he said.
What now? Cantyoudo it? he said, challenging her.
Erna was now clenching her jaw. Looking at his face which scread out, I knew it! she could see the auspicious on unfolding. Her head pounded from the strong liqueur shed consud, as she unwrapped the blanket from her body, and swung her legs off of the bed. Kalion stood directly in front of her and stared at her in expectation.
She felt mortified by his brazen attitude, as if he viewed her as a lady of the night, exchanging her services for monetary gain. But she sat still before him, swallowing what she wanted to say; he would feel indifferent to anything she said now.
What do I do now?Erna recalled the process of intercourse, from books shed read and gossip shed overheard in the castle. She knew that a mans penis needed to get erect Her thoughts stopped there, her eyes were glued to the area between his solid legs. This ti, she was in a position to undress him, just as he had demanded her to do last night. She reached out her trembling hands.
Just grab them and pull them down. Thats all you have to do.
But, just before touching him, she recoiled. Kalion didnt laugh at her behavior. Instead, he said with a serious face, You hate .
She nodded her aching head vigorously at his words. He continued to speak with a nonchalant look on his handso face as if he knew that shed say that. And I hate you. This is the problem.
What do you an?
As soon as Erna replied, Kalion inhaled deeply and said, We hate each other so much that a re touch from one another is sickening. How do you think we can make a successor this way?
Then what do you suggest we do? Erna was nervously biting her nails.
As Kalion had said, their flesh must inevitably et. However, as it was impossible to even do that, quite frankly, it didnt seem like theyd be able to procreate.
Firstly, Kalion said with a somber face, we have to get to a point where we can put up with each other!
* * *
Erna heard a light knocking on her slightly ajar bedroom door. She could make out the silhouette of Orp, her assistant. Looking past her, she saw the big, detailed old grandfather clock, carved out of pristine wood, at the end of the hallway. Since the hour hand was pointing at twelve, it would be ti for most of the people in the Grand Castle to eat lunch. But this was also Ernas ti to wake up.
She often went to bed late and woke up late. However, it wasnt because she was lazy. By nature, magic beca stronger and more manageable during the night hours, whilst everyone slept and the world cald down. Therefore, the wizard Erna used that ti to study and practice magic.
As Orp was about to open the door, thinking that she should go inside and draw the curtains, as per usual, a voice ca from inside, Orp, co in please.
She hurriedly opened the door fully and then stood in shock. Duchess!
As soon as shed stepped into the large, spacious bedroom, she saw Erna sitting in front of her desk. Orp quickly approached her and looked over her slowly.
Did sothing happen? What woke you up? My word! And youre already dressed!
Erna placed a hand on her forehead and shook the other at her assistants turbulent voice, Can you lower your voice, my head still hurts
Hurts how? asked Orp.
I have a hangover.
A hangover! Orp couldnt believe the unfolding situation. Not only had Erna woken up before her assistant was supposed to wake her up, but she was already fully dressed. And now she had a hangover on top of that! Your Grace, I thought you didnt drink alcohol. Orp stared at the woman in front of her, wondering if she was the Erna she knew.
Whats with that weird look in your eyes?
Its just, I cant believe it. Duchess, is that you? Did sothing happen that I should know about?
Indeed sothing has happened, though she couldnt just tell her openly.
While Erna was clutching her ever-pounding head, Orp clicked her tongue and tended to her duty of drawing the curtains and opening the windows. As soon as a fresh breeze drifted in, Erna leaned on the desk feeling like she might live after all.
Ill bring up a dish thats a good cure for your hangover, your Grace. She placed a notepad on top of a smaller table in the corner of the room, wrote sothing down, then threw it up in the air. It quickly swirled around mid-air and flew out of the window as if it had grown a pair of wings and ca alive.
Orp was a mber of Ernas first team of trainee wizards. She had originally worked as a laundry maid in the Grand Castle, and now followed Erna who had changed her life so dramatically. Even as a wizard, she was excellent, but she had beco an assistant on account of her excellent abilities to assist Erna with her duties as well.
You failed a few tis, but I see you can do it now. Erna gazed proudly at Orp, who was now naturally using the magic she had taught her.
Yes. It was a little bit difficult to specify where you wanted to send it, but if its in the Grand Castle, theres no big problem anymore. Ive explained it to the other wizards, so please take a look after you have finished eating.
Sure, I will.
Erna thought of the wizards under her command. The all-female group consisted of mbers who had been found and trained by her. Her most affectionate wizard group, which had made its first official appearance last year, when they had taken care of the monsters in the southern region of Hessenguard. The Hessenguard Council had been truly delighted and looked forward to their future endeavors. Erna was well-pleased about the fact that her trainees had beco the military power for the state of Hessenguard. They were evidence of her efforts to survive up until now, and she would never leave all of this behind to go back to Haband. So, she would grit her teeth and devote herself to making a successor.
With her thoughts now on the successor again, Erna, whod made up her mind, said to Orp, who was checking todays schedule, Orp, I have sothing I want to ask you.
What is it?
If you had to be close to soone you hated with all your heart, how would you go about doing it?
Orp thought deeply about the unexpected question. Then she soon found an answer, What has made you ask such a thing? If its soone I hate with all my heart, instead of trying to get close, why not bury them? She laid down the frightening answer with a quizzical look on her face.
Oh, goodness. No, burying is not an option. Through an unavoidable circumstance, you have to let them live.
Orp thought it would be fun to play along with the question, but when she saw the serious look on Ernas face, she thought about it once more, twirling her finger in the air. Oh, is it to appease an enemy?
Erna rubbed her throbbing head again at Orps answer. She would sooner die than tell her she was talking about Kalion. On top of that, quite frankly, Kalion was Public Enemy No. 1 in her eyes. The two were rivaling for the Grand Dukes throne, where only one person could be seated.
Lets just say its similar to that. In a situation like that, what would be the best thing to do?
Orp humd, Wouldnt it be important to get familiar with each other first?
Get familiar with each other? How so?
Well, first, you have to get them to drop their guard. While being in the sa place together for a long ti, its also important to get used to the other person. Its only when you dont care much if youre next to them, that you can either comfort them or attack them.
Erna was now frowning at Orps response.
Staying in the sa place with Kalion? Over a long period?
Over the years, when they had seen each other, they had avoided one another or sat at opposite ends of the table, sneering. Every ti they had been in the sa space together, they had constantly been disgusted by the others existence, and just the thought of having to continue to do it made her feel nauseous.
Orps voice interrupted her nightmarish thoughts, when she boldly said, Never mind that. Please take a look at todays schedule and the docunts that arrived this morning. If your hangover is too much to handle though, I can remove so of the less important things that need to be done.
No, its alright. I cant change my schedule once its already set. Erna would just have to suffer in silence with her hangover for the remainder of the day.
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