“Sir Knight, the curse on your back—it only reacts to my touch, right?”
“…Yes.”
“It wouldn’t activate if someone else touched you, would it?”
“I feel nothing from anyone else. So please…”
Good. I felt relieved. If his curse had ever reacted to another woman’s touch, I would have been furious.
Sliding my hand from his firm shoulder to his arm and down to his back, I felt Heliod tense sharply, his blue eyes darting wide as he gulped.
“Lady Arpen, please don’t touch me there.”
“Why not? It’s not as though I’m touching your bare skin.”
“Please…”
As I gently rubbed his back, his expression began to crumble. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t touched him for a while, or maybe the curse had grown stronger. Even through the fabric of his clothing, Heliod’s face turned bright red, and his breathing grew uneven.
“Aah…”
When I brushed against his waist and began to lift the edge of his tunic slightly, Heliod grabbed my wrist.
“Why does it always come to this?!”
“Hm? Come to what?”
Flustered, his face now blazing red, Heliod exclaimed, “This is a sacred temple! And this is a public hallway where people can pass by… Why would you—”
“Would you rather we go inside?”
“Absolutely not!”
Despite his vehement protest, I playfully ran my fingers over the engraved patterns on his back, eliciting a faint groan as his head fell forward.
“Ah… please… stop…”
“If you really don’t like it, you can push me away,” I said softly, leaning against him so that our bodies pressed together.
Heliod inhaled sharply, his eyes widening as he looked down at me.
“If you truly don’t want this, I’ll stop,” I murmured, wrapping my arms around his waist and gazing at him with a gentle smile.
Heliod froze, his wide eyes staring at me as if time had stopped. Tilting my head slightly, I rose onto my toes, bringing my lips closer to his.
“Sir Knight, if you don’t answer, I might just kiss you,” I teased.
“…What?”
It was a playful joke—I had no intention of actually kissing him. But his parted, soft pink lips were tempting. As I chuckled quietly, Heliod suddenly snapped out of his daze and pushed me away.
“No, absolutely not!”
His voice faltered, uncharacteristically flustered. His ears, face, and even his neck turned crimson as he clumsily stepped back, covering his mouth with his hand.
“Lady Arpen, you should treat such things with respect.”
“I know. I was joking. But the way you said ‘no’—was it just about the kiss?”
Heliod trembled slightly, shaking his head. Just as he was about to respond—
“Captain!”
Keron, the vice-captain of the paladins, called out cheerfully as he approached from a distance.
Heliod immediately straightened his cloak and adopted a composed, neutral expression.
“Keron, what is it?” he asked curtly.
“During today’s aura training, there was an injury… Oh, and this is…?”
Keron’s gaze shifted to me. It was our first time meeting in person, and I nodded with a polite but slightly awkward smile. His eyes widened slightly as he took in my pink hair and golden eyes—an appearance impossible to ignore. It didn’t take long for recognition to dawn on him, and his lips parted slightly in awe. Like most men, Keron’s clear, honest eyes reflected admiration.
Heliod frowned slightly, stepping in to introduce me.
“Lady Arpen, this is my subordinate, Keron Whistone. Keron, this is Lady Luisha Arpen.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said warmly.
“T-the honor is mine!”
True to his superior’s nature, Keron seemed a bit awkward, nervously bowing while beads of sweat formed on his forehead. As the second son of Baron Whistone, he was clearly aware of the Duchy of Arpen’s prestige and struggled to maintain composure. Without waiting for further conversation, he quickly excused himself.
“Well then, Captain, since it’s not an urgent matter, I’ll come back later. Please, enjoy your time!”
“What?” Heliod stammered, caught off guard. He reached out, but Keron had already turned, his light blonde hair disappearing swiftly down the corridor. Watching Keron’s hasty retreat, I couldn’t suppress a laugh.
“He’s supposed to have a fiancée, right? Still, he’s quite cute.”
“Cute?” Heliod asked, tilting his head in confusion.
“Yes, don’t you think so?”
It was common for people to react with awe to me and my mother’s beauty, often unable to meet our gaze. I had assumed Keron’s engagement meant he’d be more composed, but apparently not. Then again, Heliod had been calm when we first met.
‘How could he not be surprised by me?’
It was strange, really. I tugged lightly on Heliod’s sleeve, pulling him out of his thoughts as he stared down the now-empty corridor where Keron had vanished.
“Sir Knight, do you not think I’m pretty?”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m asking if you think I’m not pretty.”
Heliod’s blue eyes flickered with uncertainty. He alternated between glancing at my face and looking away into the distance, clearly struggling to find the right words. His faintly flushed cheeks betrayed his thoughts, and I laughed, gently nudging his side with my elbow.
“Never mind. You don’t have to answer. I already know the truth.”
“Then why ask in the first place…”
“Oh, no reason. It’s just that your subordinate was so funny earlier. I—oh?”
As I gestured, the motion caused Heliod’s cloak to loosen slightly, revealing his front. My eyes widened as I froze mid-laugh, noticing the distinct bulge below. Heliod jumped in panic, hastily pulling his cloak closed again.
“…”
“Hmm.”
An awkward silence hung between us.
I hadn’t expected him to react that way from such minor contact earlier. ‘Even if his body is sensitive, is he really that affected by a little touch?’ From the size of it, it didn’t seem like he was fully aroused, but still—it was hard to believe.
I looked at him with suspicion, wondering how he’d interpret my gaze. Heliod turned his head sharply, his eyes shimmering with embarrassment.
“It’s because of the curse,” he muttered defensively.
“But I only touched you over your clothes.”
“The markings react even when your touch gets close. That’s why…”
“That’s why you’re this excited?”
When I gently pressed my palm against his lower abdomen, Heliod flinched, grabbing my wrist in alarm.
“Lady Arpen, please don’t!”
“I just want to confirm something. Can I touch it again?”
“No, you cannot!”
Heliod grasped both of my hands firmly, his face turning a deep shade of red. He glanced around nervously, his breathing quickened.
“Doing something like this here… in a sacred temple, no less… I—”
“Then let’s go to your office. I really need to check how the curse works.”
“You don’t need to confirm anything. Just avoid touching my back, and that’s all you need to know.”
“Hmmm.” I narrowed my eyes, withdrawing my hands. Heliod relaxed slightly, his tense muscles loosening—until my next words froze him on the spot.
“What if I need to touch you there in front of others?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Do you know how to dance, Sir Knight?”
“Pardon?”
The abrupt question made Heliod frown in confusion.
It seemed like the perfect time to bring it up. Smiling brightly, I pulled a folded letter from my sleeve.
“This spring’s debutante ball will be hosted by my family at the duchy.”
That was the real reason I’d come all the way to the temple, even braving Quessa’s scrutiny, instead of simply delivering the message by letter.
“I’d like you to be my partner, Sir Knight.”
A social gathering.
The war was over, the victory banquet had been a resounding success, and with Heliod’s newly acquired title, the number of noblewomen vying for his attention was sure to be overwhelming. Before the swarm of “flies” could lay claim to him, I had to act first.
“Will you accompany me?”
Feigning politeness, I lifted the hem of my dress slightly and bent my knees in a graceful curtsy. Heliod stared at me, slack-jawed, his blue eyes blinking rapidly before he raised a hand to cover his mouth and stepped back nervously.
“I-I… How could I possibly…”
“You’re a baron, a war hero, and the captain of the empire’s only paladin order. You’re more than qualified,” I said smoothly.
And more importantly…
“The Jedediah gossip papers are planning to reveal something about us soon.”
Confusion flickered across Heliod’s face, overtaking his initial shock. Before he could tilt his head in question, I stepped closer and whispered,
“This kind of relationship.”
My hand gently grasped his still-aroused manhood, and Heliod let out a stifled groan, his knees buckling slightly. His hands gripped my shoulders tightly as he bit his lip, struggling to regain composure.
“Ah—stop… What do you mean by this?”
“What else would it mean? A relationship where we admire each other’s bodies and whisper sweet nothings of love,” I teased.
“Ugh, w-what?” Heliod stammered, his wide blue eyes filled with disbelief and helplessness.
