Sir Knight, We Agreed to Get Through This!

I was stunned by his unexpected answer. He had assured me that there was nothing to worry about, that the curse wouldn’t harm me. But now this?

I stared at him with wide eyes and demanded, “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“I will ensure that no harm comes to you. I can control my body, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“But…”

I fell silent, thinking hard.

A dream where Heliod, driven by the demon’s influence, loses control and we both succumb to corruption, trapped forever in an endless cycle of pleasure… It sounded terrifying, yet, at the same time…

‘Wait… That actually sounds… kind of appealing?’

As my face flushed with heat, I didn’t say anything more. Heliod, noticing my silence, approached cautiously, looking concerned.

“…Lady Arpen?”

If Heliod loses his purity, that would mean I could… do whatever I want with him, right? And if we were trapped in a steamy, endless dream… The thought alone made my body warm up.

At that moment, my mother’s words suddenly echoed in my mind:

‘Sir Vus is a war hero of the empire. Treat him with the utmost respect.’

I couldn’t help but consider the implications of what I was thinking.

Yes, yes. Of course, I understand. How could I possibly want to be trapped in an eternal curse with Sir Heliod, condemned to an endless cycle of pleasure under a vile demon’s spell?

Yet the balloon of desire swelling within me felt like it could burst at any moment. I cleared my throat, trying to regain composure, and asked Heliod, “Sir Knight, when you say you need to keep your purity, you mean… that, right?”

“Wh-what do you mean…?”

“You know… intercourse.”

Heliod’s shoulders tensed visibly. He took a small step back, his face flushed, and he avoided my gaze as he nodded.

“…Yes, that’s correct. It’s explicitly stated in the vow of celibacy, so there’s no need for you to worry about it.”

“It’s written in the vow?”

“Yes.”

“And what exactly does it say?”

I had always thought the vow of celibacy was just a formal pledge for knights dedicated to lifelong service to the temple. But apparently, it involved some serious magic. My curiosity piqued, I pressed for details, and Heliod, after a moment of hesitation, blushed even deeper.

“Are you… really curious about this?”

“Yes. I need to know what I should avoid in the dream, don’t I?”

“You don’t need to do anything in the dream. I’ll handle everything myself…”

“But what if your body reacts poorly, like last night? I should be prepared.”

Who was the one clinging to me in tears last night? I crossed my arms and gave him a stern look.

“…Well…”

Clearly at a loss for words, Heliod rubbed his flushed cheeks with the back of his hand, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to respond. After a long pause, he sighed heavily and began to recite the vow, hesitatingly.

“There are several parts, but the most important are… the prohibition of penetration with a woman and…”

“Oh.”

“…And not being in a confined space with more than three people of the opposite sex while partially or fully undressed.”

Wow. It even prevents that? So, no group activities even if there’s no penetration? I committed this to memory, nodding seriously. Heliod, still avoiding my gaze, blushed even more.

“And…?”

Heliod hesitated again, then sighed deeply. Rubbing his forehead, he continued slowly.

“…Anal intercourse is also prohibited.”

“Oh my.”

“…Is that all?”

“Yes. The rest are minor details that aren’t really worth mentioning…”

So, even that’s off-limits. I couldn’t hide my disappointment. That was my specialty. The thought of not being able to see Heliod’s tear-streaked face as he whimpered under the pressure seemed like a loss for humanity.

“The vow is more comprehensive than I expected. It’s meticulous in not just prohibiting vaginal intercourse.”

“…”

“So, not being able to use the back means it also prevents same-sex relations…”

“Stop, please stop! What are you even saying?”

Heliod jumped back, his face as red as a tomato. He rubbed his face in frustration and quickly strode toward the door.

“Is that all you needed? I’ll fetch a servant. Please stay here.”

I wasn’t sure if the temple had another dress for me, but I nodded in agreement.

“Okay, but are you sure it’s fine to go out looking like that?”

“…It’s fine.”

Heliod’s face, previously red, turned pale and expressionless. He was clearly mortified. Not wanting to torment him further, I averted my eyes and stepped back.

“I’ll wait here.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, wait.”

Heliod stopped in his tracks as he was about to open the door. His polite blue eyes suddenly turned wary as they focused on me again. I gave him an awkward smile as I asked, “When is the second trial? Is it starting tonight?”

“…No. I think it will happen in a week, the night before the victory ceremony.”

The victory ceremony. After the Seisior Paladins’ parade and the nobles’ celebration, followed by the memorial service to honor the fallen, the victory ceremony is held to recognize those who distinguished themselves in the war. Some expect Heliod to become the first commoner in the empire’s history to receive a title… but I had my doubts.

‘His Majesty the Emperor is notoriously conservative.’

He’s the kind of person who won’t even touch food or drink before the memorial service. He’s unlikely to break imperial tradition with such a progressive move. Despite Heliod’s immense contributions in driving out the demon hordes, His Majesty would never…

I sighed deeply and asked, “Why the night before the victory ceremony?”

“Because it’s an important day.”

“An important day?”

“Yes. Just like how the curse struck during the memorial service, the demon’s curse seems to trigger at moments when it can cause the most emotional harm. I consider the victory ceremony important, so I suspect it will happen the night before.”

“I see.”

Heliod’s face grew even darker.

The memorial service… Of course. I hadn’t really thought much of it, but for Heliod, it must have been deeply significant. He was a knight who had fought in the war for over a decade. He must have lost much more than he gained during those years. Not being able to honor his fallen comrades because of this curse must have been incredibly painful for him.

After a moment’s hesitation, I reached out and patted Heliod’s shoulder.

“Next time, let’s try to wake up from the dream quickly. As long as you meet the conditions, you can wake up at any time, right?”

“Yes. But if the condition is something like enduring a full night, like last time… it may not be possible to escape in time.”

Heliod’s shoulders tensed under my touch, but he didn’t shrug me off. He awkwardly accepted my comfort.

“Don’t worry about me. My role in the victory ceremony isn’t that important.”

“How can you say that? You’re the hero of this war. You made the greatest contribution.”

“…My subordinates deserve more credit than I do.”

As he thought of his fellow knights, a soft smile gradually appeared on Heliod’s lips. I had only seen him looking cold, rigid, or in tears, so I was captivated by the sight of this shy smile blossoming on his face.

“I just want to see them happy. That’s why I want to attend the victory ceremony.”

Oh… Heliod Vus. This man, really…

“You really are perfect, Sir Knight.”

“…What?”

“Handsome, kind, and incredibly capable.”

Heliod blinked rapidly, clearly flustered by the sudden compliment. The calmness he had regained was quickly replaced by a blush spreading across his cheeks.

“That’s… not…”

“I’ll make sure you get through this next trial, Sir Knight.”

I stepped closer, taking both of his hands in mine. Heliod’s fingers twitched slightly as he responded to my touch.

“So you can attend the victory ceremony. I’ll make sure of it!”

“…I appreciate the sentiment, but the outcome depends on the conditions of the dream, so it’s not something we can be sure of…”

“Don’t worry! I’ll do my best! I’ll take care of you, Sir Knight!”

Heliod’s face showed a mix of confusion and discomfort as I clenched my fists in determination. He blinked rapidly, trying to avoid my resolute gaze. His fingers, still held in mine, curled shyly.

‘Come on, demon! Bring it on! No matter the trial, I’ll make sure we get through it!’

With that resolve burning brighter than ever, I felt more determined than ever to face whatever lay ahead.

❖ ❖ ❖

As Heliod swiftly walked down the corridor, his long cloak billowing behind him, his sharp eyes caught sight of a maid. Though he had never spoken to her before, he knew of her by reputation—she was diligent, quick, and had often been praised by Keron for her work. Without hesitation, Heliod approached her.

“I need to ask you for a favor.”

“Huh? S-Sir Vus?”

The maid, who had been quietly focused on the ground as she walked, looked up in surprise, her eyes widening in shock. The sight of Heliod, with his strikingly fair complexion and serious demeanor, made her so nervous that she started sweating, unable to meet his gaze as she bowed her head.

“Please, there’s no need for formalities. I’m just a servant of the temple, here to serve you, Sir Knight.”

“It’s fine. I speak this way because it’s more comfortable for me.”

Heliod responded calmly and then continued with his request.

“But what I need is a simple dress for a woman. Could you obtain one as quickly as possible and bring it to my office?”

“A dress? For a woman?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Please get one as quickly as you can and bring it to my office.”

“Why would you… Oh, no, I’m sorry. I understand.”

Despite his gentle and polite demeanor, Heliod was still her superior. The maid quickly suppressed her rising curiosity and bowed deeply. But before she could leave, she noticed something that caught her eye.

“…Are those bare legs?”

Heliod felt the maid’s gaze and hurriedly pulled his cloak tighter around himself, but it was too late—she had already glimpsed his elegant, bare calves. Struggling to maintain a composed expression, the maid finished her bow and quickly exited the corridor.

A knight, the pride of the temple and the empire’s hero, dressed only in a long, dark cloak and urgently requesting a woman’s dress—what could possibly be the reason for such an unusual request?

Being as sharp and efficient as Keron had praised her to be, the maid quickly pieced together what might be going on. Just a few minutes earlier, a woman had entered Heliod’s office. The maid’s face flushed with realization.

‘Could it be… the knight has a woman?’

While outsiders might not know, Heliod’s purity was well-known within the temple. Rumors circulated among the servants and maids—he was said to be so pure that he didn’t even engage in self-pleasure, didn’t know how babies were born, and had never broken his vow of celibacy. The temple’s rotating staff, where personal attendants often changed, meant that gossip spread like wildfire.

‘Has Sir Heliod found a woman?’

The astute maid, her heart pounding with excitement, set off to find a luxurious dress before leaving the temple.

❖ ❖ ❖

A day had passed since my visit to the temple. After returning to the duchy in an unexpectedly lavish dress, the household was in an uproar, but I managed to brush off their concerns with a quick excuse about spilling tea. This incident served as the perfect pretext to start exchanging letters with Heliod.

The first letter I sent was short and straightforward. I wrote that the dress he sent was too beautiful, that I felt responsible for him spilling his seed, and that I wanted to repay him. I asked him what he thought about that. Not even an hour later, Heliod responded with a letter.

“Please refrain from such vulgar language. What if someone else had opened this letter? Also, the dress being ruined was entirely my fault, so there’s no need for you to feel burdened. A repayment is unnecessary.”

I chuckled as I read his words and quickly sent back a reply.

“Sir Knight, have you truly never heard vulgar words before? Have you forgotten what I whispered into your ear on the night of the first trial?”

Heliod’s letters abruptly stopped after that, only for me to receive another one early the next morning. This one was longer, more polished, and it seemed he had rewritten it several times before sending it. The gist of his letter was as follows: