"Ah… haha…" Akira laughed awkwardly, cold sweat forming at his temples.
"Kaguya, you know about that? And, wait, what even is that stat thing you're talking about?"
The air seemed to grow heavier. Kaguya's smile did not fade, but the subtle, oppressive aura she exuded felt sharper than steel. Even when fighting Zald, Akira had not felt such tension.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Kaguya narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.
Truth be told, she had intended from the very beginning to claim Akira's first time for herself. But somehow, someone else had beaten her to it.
If she had known, she would have acted that very night Akira had removed the poison from her body.
"…!"
Without warning, Kaguya pushed Akira down onto the bed. Her cold fingertips pressed against his lips, cutting off the apology he hadn't yet spoken.
She leaned forward, her long hair falling around his face. Forced to look up at her, Akira caught sight of the smooth line of her neck, the subtle rise and fall of her collarbone with each breath.
Under the lamplight, her skin looked like delicately carved porcelain, too flawless to belong to a mortal. And on his chest… was a softness far warmer than the mattress beneath his back.
"You said… you'd always be with us, didn't you?"
Kaguya's voice was low, almost fragile, just a whisper of jealousy, a girl's emotions finding no proper place to be released.
Kaguya did not want to lose control completely, nor did she wish to bare an unsightly side of herself.
"Then… make me yours."
The words slipped from her lips before she could stop them, her tone tinged with intoxicating charm.
Raising her head from the crook of his neck, she met his eyes. Those wet, glistening eyes were full of longing and expectation, as though silently pleading for something more.
"…I understand."
If a man refused such an invitation, was he still a man? Akira's voice was low as he pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Ahn..."
Kaguya's cheeks flushed crimson, a small gasp escaping before she could stop it.
Her body pressed against his, curves shifting with nervous tension. Even through the thin silk, Akira could feel the faint dampness of her skin from the heat between them, his heart thumped wildly. The sheer nightgown stretched against her frame, its delicate fabric wrinkling beneath his fingers as they traced the curve of her waist.
"Aiya..."
A surprised cry slipped out of Kaguya's lips when his fingertips sank into her softness. Her knees weakened slightly. She bit her lower lip, but the sweet, breathless voice that followed betrayed her composure.
"You… really are skilled…"
Her blush deepened as she leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.
In the dim light, the two figures leaning into each other cast a shadow on the wall, an intimate silhouette frozen in time.
Meanwhile, just outside the door.
Two figures exchanged glances.
Ryuu's eyes widened, horror and disbelief flashing across her face. Her mouth opened instinctively to shout, but Lyra's palm swiftly covered it. The grip was so firm it felt like Ryuu's lips might be imprinted into her hand.
With a finger pressed to her own lips, Lyra whispered sharply, "Shhh—"
Ryuu could only stare at her in helpless confusion, eventually nodding reluctantly. After a long, tense moment, Ryuu's trembling began to ease.
After Lyra slowly released her, Ryuu drew in a shaky breath before whispering, "Lyra… what should we do?"
Hearing Ryuu's confused words and noticing the eerie stillness in the room beyond, Lyra's expression shifted into one of peculiar meaning. Slowly, she reached out and patted Ryuu's shoulder, not purely to comfort her, but with a hint of something else in her gaze.
"It looks like it's break time in there. I'm going in next. Ryuu, what about you?"
"Huh?!! Lyra, what are you even talking about?!" Ryuu's eyes widened in shock, her face a picture of disbelief.
She had known Lyra for years. Even if Lyra had once poisoned her and dragged her through… questionable "training" in the past, she had also taught her plenty of knowledge, not all of it befitting a familia that prided itself on justice. Still, Ryuu had never truly thought Lyra ridiculous.
But now…
Was it because of stress? Or perhaps the result of indulging in that kind of thing too many times?
Whatever the cause, it seemed Lyra had discarded any normal sense of shame, completely submerged in her own audacious mindset.
Ryuu's anxiety spiked. Grabbing Lyra's arms tightly, she stared at her in horror.
"You want to go in? Lyra, are you insane? At a time like this… aren't you afraid of the embarrassment?!"
To Ryuu, barging in during such an intimate moment was unthinkable.
Lyra's lips curved upward into a sly smile. "Embarrassment? Maybe they don't care. Besides, this sort of thing is bound to happen sooner or later."
After all, more than a few girls in their familia liked Akira. Shouldn't they get used to it early?
"T-this…"
Ryuu's ears turned bright red. She let go of Lyra's arms and took a small step back, stammering,
"Lyra, how can you say things like that? Love is sacred. How can you treat it so casually?"
She could accept Akira being admired by many, but imagining several people engaging in this kind of activity together felt utterly absurd. No matter how she tried to wrap her head around it, she simply couldn't agree.
Lyra's teasing words only made her unease deepen. It felt like the entire Familia was being wrapped in a strange, almost dangerous atmosphere. It was unsettling and frightening.
"Don't worry, no one escapes Akira's pull." Lyra said with a casual shrug.
"Besides, didn't we agree to be together forever? This is just part of the package."
She scratched her head as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Even Finn, the captain of the Loki Familia, had dreams of gathering female pallums to revitalize his race. Was it really strange that a powerful man like Akira might have similar thoughts?
Seeing Ryuu still frozen in place, lost in her own moral turmoil, Lyra simply sighed. "Then, I'll go first."
She gripped the door handle. She turned back, smiling as if issuing a challenge. "If you make up your mind, join us. If not, just head back to your room and sleep, Ryuu."
Without another word, she pushed the door open decisively. And so, Ryuu was left behind, an unmoving sculpture of bewilderment and hesitation.
From inside, faint voices floated out, Kaguya's playful tone and Lyra's teasing laughter.
Inside the room, the air was thick with an ambiguous warmth. Dim lighting painted soft shadows over Kaguya and Akira, who were lying on the bed with a thin blanket draped carelessly over them.
Kaguya turned her head toward the door, a blush still lingering on her cheeks. "Oh my, you shameless pallum, you really came in."
Even though she kept her voice low, it was still perfectly clear to the ears of an experienced Level 3 adventurer.
Lyra didn't bother to answer, whe tossed aside a small trinket she'd been fiddling with and stepped forward with a smirk.
"Hah, look who's talking. I didn't expect you to be so fast."
Kaguya arched a brow, noticing the absence of a certain elf. "Alone? Where's that one?"
Of course, she knew Ryuu wouldn't have the courage to barge in. But part of her had hoped Ryuu might be provoked into throwing away her hesitation.
"Well, Ryuu's still outside. She's not the type to join in. Maybe when she's older." Lyra said lightly.
She hopped onto the bed and prodded Akira's side with her toes. "Anything you'd like to say about this situation?"
Akira, who had been feigning sleep, let out a deliberately vague hum. Cracking one eye open, he gave a lazy grin.
"Yes, yes. My fault."
Not that he knew exactly what he was apologizing for, wasn't this their idea in the first place?
"You do need to apologize." Kaguya said, pushing herself upright.
Her fingertips traced absentminded patterns across Akira's shoulder, her touch light yet deliberate.