"As Countess Ankertna, I welco you, Karsus Rian. While you're in this territory, you'll be under my protection. At the sa ti, you'll also follow my orders. If you maintain proper guest etiquette, we'll treat you accordingly as a guest."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Karsus replied politely.
"Rivans, prepare a guest room for him. Have you eaten?"
"I'd like to wash up first."
Sigrid nodded at Karsus's words.
"We'll prepare a bath for you."
Rivans opened the door and said politely, "This way." As Karsus followed him out and the door closed, Arkana imdiately said,
"That's the wanderer Karsus Rian?"
"Yeah, 'that's' him."
Beramund said with a groan. Sigrid tilted her head and asked,
"Do you know each other?"
"From when I was young."
"When you were young?"
"I t him in my mid-teens. We wandered around together for a bit. I was in my rebellious phase."
Beramund said with a smile.
'Beramund in his rebellious phase.......'
Intrigued by the thought, Sigrid looked at him. Beramund chuckled and gently pinched her cheek, saying,
"Don't pick a fight with him."
Caught off guard by his words, Sigrid said,
"I don't pick fights with just anyone."
"Oh? But you're full of the desire to spar with him, aren't you?"
"Well, that's true, but......"
Sigrid unconsciously shrank back. Beramund slightly furrowed his right eye and said,
"He's not the type to just show up, I wonder why he ca."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Beramund removed his hand from Sigrid's cheek and said to Arkana,
"We should increase security a bit."
"Understood."
Arkana nodded lightly.
The next morning.
Sigrid walked slowly to the training ground, having woken up later than usual because Beramund had pulled her back into bed. As she walked through the corridor, she could feel the cold winter wind directly.
'Should I just skip it today?'
As she was having such uncharacteristic thoughts, she encountered an unfamiliar person.
An unfamiliar back, an unfamiliar presence. Tension rose sharply. But the hair color was one she had seen before.
"......Karsus Rian......?"
Sigrid cautiously confird, her hand on her sword. The man with deep blue hair turned around and smiled lightly.
"Did you cough, Countess?"
It was accompanied by that theatrical greeting that still seed to be teasing.
Sigrid stared blankly at that face. After a mont, she blurted out,
"You trimd your beard."
"I did."
"You cut your hair too."
"I tidied it up."
Karsus Rian grinned.
'Indeed.'
It was a stunning beauty. There was no trace of yesterday's vagrant-like appearance. And without his coat, he was slender. He had an even more willowy build than Beramund. Perhaps because of that build, there was an androgynous beauty to his face.
Fine facial features, with elegantly curved lips. Is this what a male actor would look like?
It was a face that even exuded a sowhat decadent beauty.
'I've never seen a man who suits such long hair so well.'
He had only braided the ends of his deep blue hair, which was as long as a woman's. And he even wore dangling earrings.
'Is he wearing heels?'
Without realizing it, Sigrid glanced at his shoes. She rembered Beramund saying that if soone could fight in heels, it would be Karsus Rian.
'Not heels after all.'
And the sword at his waist wasn't an imperial sword. The large, wide scabbard caught her eye, along with the exotic sword decorations.
"You knew Beramund from before?"
"Didn't he tell you about ?"
"He just briefly ntioned eting you in his mid-teens."
Karsus laughed lightly.
"I see. Well, that's about right."
He stared intently at Sigrid. A gaze that seed to be evaluating, asuring. Sigrid t his eyes directly without a word. She asked,
"Why did you co here?"
"Just passing by?"
"I doubt that."
At those words, one corner of Karsus's mouth lifted.
"I was curious. About what kind of person Beramund married. Whether she was worth him giving up everything."
"Giving up?"
"And as it happens, I also need a magician's help."
As he spoke, Karsus slightly furrowed his brow before smiling again.
"Would you introduce
to your magician?"
"For what reason?"
"There's a bit of a troubleso situation in the west."
"Has sothing happened with the Western Alliance?"
"Not quite that far yet."
Sigrid couldn't verify the truth of his words. She answered slowly,
"I'll ask Arkana's opinion first, then give you an answer. It's not sothing I can decide on my own."
"Isn't he your subordinate?"
Sigrid chuckled at the tilted question.
"He's my magician, but not my subordinate."
"I see."
Karsus nodded in understanding.
Perhaps that's how it is with controlling magicians. Karsus thought this and said,
"I'm grateful just for you telling
that much."
As he said this, he smiled again. It was a sowhat languid, seductive smile. But that smile suited him perfectly.
Sigrid turned her gaze to his scabbard and said,
"Your sword is unique."
"It's called a scimitar."
"Hmm."
Sigrid's hand twitched. She wanted to fight. She wanted to spar with that intriguing sword. Karsus, seeing her reaction, asked,
"Would you like to see it?"
"Is that alright?"
"If it's just looking."
Saying this, Karsus drew the scimitar without hesitation. With a cool, slithering sound, the curved blade glead in the winter sunlight. Sigrid, who was within striking distance, didn't move a muscle. Looking at the scimitar, she said,
"It's curved, with a single edge. I've heard that immigrant tribes in the south use swords like this."
"It suits
well."
"Is that so?"
"Would you like to spar?"
Karsus whispered enticingly. Sigrid gripped the handle of her sword tightly, then let go with a sigh. She had promised Beramund she wouldn't fight.
"Regrettably, I'll have to postpone that duel."
"That's a sha. I wanted to see the skills of a female Master."
Karsus shrugged and sheathed the scimitar back.
"People used to call you the fourth, you know."
"The fourth?"
As Sigrid asked in confusion, Karsus spoke in a sing-song voice.
"Black Knight Beramund Lunatil, Wanderer Karsus Rian, Berserker Utulu Mihas, Silver Knight Sigrid Ankertna."
"Ah—"
Sigrid felt her cheeks flush. She had hoped to be thought of that way, but hearing it from one of the (alleged) individuals themselves was another matter.
"I'm glad to be thought of that way."
Sigrid answered honestly, and Karsus blinked as if caught off guard, then grinned. He said,
"I can see why Beramund loves you~"
"Why's that?"
Sigrid turned to look at him sharply. What was the reason Beramund loved her, seen through soone else's eyes? She was genuinely curious. Karsus laughed cheerfully and said,
"I'm not telling you."
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"That person seems strange."
Sigrid blurted out grumpily before she realized it. Beramund, sitting in the bathtub, brushed back his wet black hair and asked,
"Who?"
"Karsus Rian."
"Ah, yeah, he's weird."
Beramund nodded in agreent. He was thoroughly enjoying sitting in the hot water. The bathroom was spacious enough, and ward by steam. The small glass window had fogged up, becoming opaque.
The bathtub was also large enough that Beramund was considering how he could pull Sigrid into it. Sigrid, sitting on the edge of the tub, tilted her head.
"How did you et him?"
"During the Winter of Death."
"Ah."
Sigrid nodded. It was a battle that had occurred not long after she beca a squire. She had heard it was quite a fierce battle.
They had been constantly fighting magical beasts at the southwestern border, right?
"Why that face?"
Beramund asked, reaching out to playfully tug at Sigrid's hair. Sigrid looked at him, pouted, and lightly kicked the air with her toes as she said,
"I feel annoyed for so reason."
"About what?"
"That he knows parts of you that I don't."
At those words, Beramund's eyes widened, then he laughed.
How did she learn to say such cute things?
Beramund kissed the ends of her hair and said,
"But you know plenty about
that bastard doesn't."
"Still."
Sigrid swiftly turned her upper body towards him. Beramund thought about how well she managed not to fall off the narrow edge of the tub as she turned. He smiled and said,
"Want
to tell you?"
"Will you tell ?"
"Hmm, make
tell you."
As Beramund spoke playfully, Sigrid blinked a few tis and then stood up. As he watched to see what she would do, Sigrid began to unbuckle her belt. Beramund's eyes widened, his chin still resting on his hand.
Click, she undid the buckle and pulled out the long waistband, throwing it on the floor. After removing her boots, her shirt, pants, and undergarnts fell ticulously to the floor one by one.
Sigrid's face flushed red as she stood naked. It was still embarrassing to undress herself in such a bright place. She covered her chest and carefully entered the bathtub. Finally, she untied her hair, and recalling the dancer she had seen on the street, Sigrid slowly brushed her hair up to reveal her nape, then shook it out. Her abundant silver hair flowed down in waves over the water. Beramund watched, entranced.
Seeing desire fill his eyes, Sigrid licked her lips and said,
"Will you tell
now?"
"If you kiss ?"
Beramund said in a low voice, and Sigrid slowly approached him. Beramund barely restrained himself from reaching out to grab her. Their bare legs overlapped, and her wet, pale arms wrapped around his neck. Just as Sigrid lightly kissed his lips, Beramund embraced her body with both arms and kissed her deeply.
Water splashed and overflowed from the bathtub. Though he had already tasted every inch of her, Beramund's tongue persistently entwined with Sigrid's as if still exploring. Sigrid felt a floating sensation. Her spine tingled where Beramund's hand trailed down. He let out a soft breath, then sucked on her lip with a low sound. Imdiately after, another passionate kiss followed.
As one of his hands caressed down her side and began to gently touch lower, Sigrid swallowed her breath. If this continued, she would lose her mind. With an "Eep," Sigrid lightly bit his lip.
Beramund, seemingly unfazed, gently bit her lip in return, then released it, tracing her teeth. Finally, Sigrid leaned her upper body back and said,
"Beramund, tell — Ah!"
A chilling pleasure rose from below. A sweet sound escaped her mouth unconsciously. Sigrid pushed against his shoulders and said,
"Be-Beramund—!"
She tried to speak forcefully, but her voice ca out like a whimper. Of course, his fingers felt good, but this ca first. As Sigrid pushed him away, Beramund looked bewildered, and she said,
"You promised to tell ."
"Mmm— Can't I tell you after we finish?"
Beramund said as he slowly caressed her body, then kissed her neck. His hand fondling her breast felt ltingly good. Feeling her resolute will from earlier growing hazy, Sigrid let out a moan.
"Hmm?"
Beramund asked again seductively, stroking the inside of her trembling thigh with his thumb. His black eyelashes, wet with water, looked dizzyingly alluring.
"Do you really have to... after we finish...?"
At Sigrid's whisper, Beramund grinned and kissed her again. Unlike before, it was a light kiss, pressing their lips together several tis. But his fingers delved deeper inside. As his fingers curled, Sigrid's waist jerked.
"Hah, nngh—"
Between her moans, Beramund's lips moved down to her neck. As she felt his hot breath on her neck, Sigrid felt her hair stand on end. His tongue lightly licked up her nape.
"Ah— Ber—"
Sigrid gasped, clutching his shoulders tightly. As Beramund suddenly twisted his fingers, Sigrid lifted her waist as if trying to escape. Beramund's other hand firmly grasped her waist.
"Ngh, ah, no—"
"No? While you're clenching like this."
Her face flushed at his mischievous words. His thumb rubbed firmly against her sensitive spot.
"Ah, hah—"
Tears flowed from the corners of Sigrid's eyes. Her body, tad by his hands countless tis, now responded sensitively to his touch.
She could no longer tell if the heat was from his hands, her body, or the bathwater.
"Hic—"
Her waist arched back and Sigrid's toes curled. As he sucked on her soft breast, Beramund withdrew his fingers.
"Then, the main event starts now."
Sigrid panted, leaning her body against him.
The main event continued, longer and more thrilling.
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