"Punishment?"
Blake looked at Charlotte's faintly triumphant smile and let out a bitter laugh.
"I'm afraid this hardly counts as punishment for you, does it, Charlotte? Playing with words isn't exactly a virtuous pastime."
"It's merely a matter of literal interpretation," Charlotte stuck out her tongue playfully, her secretive thoughts laid bare.
"Besides, Master, it's been quite a while since you've indulged, hasn't it? I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. And this… it's my way of making amends for the trouble I caused you. Please accept it. But most importantly…"
Charlotte paused, then winked mischievously at him.
"I intend to be the first, Master."
At that, Blake's expression finally shifted slightly.
"This isn't exactly setting a good example, Charlotte."
"Please understand, Master—it's a matter of pride for us sisters."
"I see."
Blake smiled and nodded. In the next instant, he moved with a blur of speed, appearing behind Charlotte before she could react. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his chest, then lowered his head.
Instead of panicking at this sudden advance, Charlotte tilted her head back instinctively, looping her arms around his neck to meet his lips halfway. A soft, sweet, utterly enticing moan escaped her throat, rippling outward like the gentle undulations of water.
*"Mm… ah…"*
In Blake's embrace, Charlotte's body began to tremble faintly. A flush of pink spread across her porcelain skin, and when their lips finally parted, her limbs had gone completely limp, leaving her to slump against him for support.
"You're still as skilled as ever, Charlotte," Blake murmured.
"Thank you for the compliment, Master. It's just that…"
Unlike Blake, Charlotte seemed a little dazed, her eyes glazed with a hint of confusion she herself might not have been aware of. Still, her rationality managed to hold sway over her senses.
"This body… it's far more sensitive than I anticipated."
Her skin felt scorching hot.
A simple kiss alone had kindled an intense warmth in her lower abdomen. Even his caresses through her clothes sent jolts of electricity coursing through her, almost overwhelming her nerves. Charlotte knew this wasn't a matter of inexperience—once upon a time, she had merged with her master countless times like this, using the pleasure of their union to drown out the agony of her cursed soul. She was intimately familiar with his every touch, every reaction.
But she had forgotten one crucial detail: while her soul carried those memories, this physical vessel was still pure and untouched, never having been intimate with a man before. Thus, even though Charlotte could control her emotions with her mind, she was powerless to suppress the body's instinctive responses.
"Is that such a bad thing?"
Blake seemed utterly unruffled by her complaint. He leisurely stripped off her clothes, his lips brushing against her ear as he chuckled softly.
"You get to experience the thrill of something new all over again."
"But… mmph… it also means… having to endure… the pain… all over again…"
Charlotte's words dissolved into breathless gasps, her reason clinging on by a thread as her body surrendered completely to his touch. That didn't stop her from voicing her grievances, though. Unlike men, a woman's first time was inevitably accompanied by a certain unavoidable pain. Charlotte had already endured that pain once before, of course. Though it could be romantically described as "sweet suffering" or "pleasure mingled with pain," it was an experience no one would ever wish to repeat. The thought of going through it again was more than enough to draw a complaint from her.
"I feel the same way," Blake let out a helpless laugh, his hands never pausing in their movements. "There's something oddly strange about taking a girl's virginity for the second time…"
In the blink of an eye, most of Charlotte's clothes had pooled on the floor, leaving her slender, exquisite body fully exposed to his hungry gaze.
"Ah… Master… not there… it's too…"
As Blake's fingers wandered over her skin, Charlotte's gasps grew louder, her body trembling like a naked lamb caught in the wilderness. Then, his right hand slid deftly between her legs, caressing the warm, fragrant, silky-soft flesh there. Charlotte's last line of defense crumbled instantly.
"Wait… not there… please…"
Her desperate plea dissolved into a passionate cry, her mind slipping into a haze of pleasure. Her legs, which had been clamped tightly shut in instinctive resistance, fell open, her knees going weak and numb. If Blake hadn't been holding her up from behind, she would have collapsed to the floor, completely unable to move.
"Truly impressive, Master… your skills haven't dulled in the least."
After a long while, Charlotte finally caught her breath. She turned to look at the man behind her, a dazed smile playing on her lips.
"But Master, this time, I should be the one in control."
With that, Charlotte giggled softly and pushed Blake's chest gently, stepping back. She glanced down at the bulge in his trousers, the corners of her mouth curving into a mischievous smirk.
"After all, this is my way of making amends."
The night remained pitch-black and quiet. A frigid autumn wind howled through the air, sweeping up the withered yellow leaves scattered across the ground. Then, tiny, icy droplets of rain began to fall from the sky, tapping against the leaves, the earth, and the rooftops, weaving a harmonious symphony of sound.
It was raining.
Blake's breathing grew heavier as Charlotte's movements quickened. Moments later, a low groan escaped his lips, and Charlotte froze abruptly. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise as she swallowed the warm, thick fluid that shot into her mouth. When they finally parted, Charlotte lifted her head, coughing lightly.
"Honestly, Master… I had no idea you'd been holding back this much. I thought Messiah and Semia would have taken care of your needs already."
She propped herself up, straddling Blake's lap. At the sight of this, Blake raised an eyebrow in faint surprise.
"Charlotte?"
"Let me take charge this time, Master. After all, it's a maid's duty to serve her master, isn't it?"
"You certainly have a way with excuses."
"I learned from the best, Master. You're always saying—those who lie with dogs will rise with fleas, aren't you?"
"…I'm not sure whether to praise you or scold you."
"That's entirely up to you, Master."
Charlotte beamed at him, ignoring his helpless complaint. She slowly lifted her hips, aligning herself with his rigid, throbbing length. A faint frown creased her brow. This wasn't the first time she'd made love to her master like this, but she was still not used to this body. Logically, she should have let Blake take control—but her earlier "defeat" in their little battle of wits had stirred her competitive spirit. She'd abandoned her original plan, determined to turn the tables this time. But now, with the moment of truth upon her, a flicker of unease crept into her heart. This body was still untouched, far more sensitive than she'd expected—what if she ended up making a fool of herself? Still, seeing Blake's smug smile, Charlotte gritted her teeth and sank down onto him in one swift motion.
"Ah—!!"
The thick, burning heat filled her completely in an instant, tearing through her final barrier of innocence. A tidal wave of pain and overwhelming sensation crashed over her, threatening to shatter the last vestiges of her sanity. Charlotte bit her lip hard, drawing in a sharp breath, her small hands balled into fists as she pressed them against Blake's chest. Only her years of disciplined training and prior experience kept her from screaming out loud. Even so, seeing her trembling like a frightened little animal, stubbornly refusing to show any sign of weakness, it would have taken a man of stone not to wrap his arms around her and shower her with tender affection.
Blake was far from being a man of stone.
"Master… I…"
Before Charlotte could finish speaking, she felt Blake's hands close around her slender waist. The searing warmth of his palms seeped into her skin, momentarily easing the numbness and pain. But in the next instant, a tempest of pleasure crashed over her once again.
This time, her fragile defenses and pride were completely shattered. What little was left of her rationality was consumed by the flames of passion. All she could feel was Blake's broad chest against hers, and the waves of pleasure surging through her body with each powerful thrust. She surrendered herself utterly to the sensation, lost in a sea of ecstasy from which she never wished to return.
The rain poured harder and harder, the once gentle symphony swelling into a deafening crescendo. The drumming of the raindrops lent a strange, serene stillness to the night. Even the guards patrolling the fortress walls had retreated to their watchtowers, seeking shelter from the wind and rain.
Inside the room, the "battle" finally came to an end.
Charlotte lay curled up on Blake's chest, her eyes closed in contented peace. Blake held her gently in his arms, saying nothing, his own eyes shut as well. Both of them savored the afterglow of their passion, until Charlotte finally broke the silence.
"Master… do you think we'll succeed this time?"
"It depends."
Blake avoided giving her a direct answer. His right hand stroked her back, feeling the softness of her skin and the faint scent of her hair lingering in the air.
"But it's a good thing that our enemies have dwindled. It would have been more troublesome in the past, but now… who can say?"
"We will always stand by your side, Master."
Charlotte laced her fingers through his left hand, opening her eyes to gaze up at him. He had saved her from endless suffering, granted her a second chance at being human, and finally, given her the happiness of being a woman… but Charlotte knew that this was only the beginning.
"We swore an oath long ago—to fight for you, past, present, and future. You have fulfilled our deepest desires, but we have yet to help you achieve your dream."
"A dream is called a dream precisely because it's not easily realized," Blake shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Besides, strictly speaking, I haven't fully fulfilled your wishes either."
"But what you've given us is far more than what we could ever give you in return."
"As your master, it's only right that I give more. Now that you're my subordinates, an imbalance in our contributions is only natural."
"…You always have a way of turning things to your advantage. I've been by your side for so many years, so why can I never win an argument against you? I remember you once said—*the student surpasses the master*…"
"Clearly, you still have a long way to go before that happens," Blake laughed, cutting off her slightly frustrated retort. He knew exactly why she was feeling disgruntled. Her earlier "defeat" had led to her complete surrender, leaving her unable to fulfill her duty as a maid to "serve" her master. Instead, she'd been at his mercy, reduced to a whimpering mess begging for mercy before he finally stopped. For Charlotte, this was nothing short of humiliating. Once upon a time, there had never been such a vast "power gap" between them.
All because of this damned sensitive body…
"By the way, Master."
Charlotte's voice interrupted his thoughts. He opened his eyes to find her looking at him with a serious expression.
"What do you intend to do about Lady Ophelia?"
"…This isn't exactly the most appropriate topic of conversation while in the arms of another woman, Charlotte."
"I'm being serious, Master. And I think you've noticed too—Messiah and Semia have already tested her to some extent. Her performance was… hard to call satisfactory, though it wasn't exactly disappointing either."
"…We'll just have to wait and see."
This time, Blake's smile faded completely at Charlotte's words.
"As you've seen, she's still on probation. Until that changes, I can't make any promises."
"But you already have a plan in mind, don't you?"
"Naturally."
Blake nodded slightly.
"I never make the same mistake twice. You know that."
Clearly, he had no desire to continue this conversation. After a brief pause, he patted Charlotte's head gently.
"Alright, it's getting late. We should get some rest. We have an early morning tomorrow."
"Yes, Master…"
Exhausted from her first time and the exertions of the day, Charlotte didn't argue further. She closed her eyes and soon drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep. Blake let out a soft chuckle, followed by a helpless sigh. He knew exactly what Charlotte was implying. Even though he had granted Ophelia numerous privileges, both seen and unseen, Charlotte's words made it clear that Ophelia still hadn't gained the recognition of the other spectral warriors. It was only natural, of course. After all that had happened… never mind. He shook his head, forcing those troublesome thoughts out of his mind, then closed his eyes as well, turning his attention to planning for the days ahead.
The heavy rain lasted all night, finally tapering off into a light drizzle by dawn. The occasional raindrop still fell from the thick, gray clouds overhead, but the storm had left the fortress feeling refreshed and renewed. Even the brutal attack on the Mobius family's camp from the previous day seemed to have been washed away completely by the rain.
Ophelia, however, couldn't shake off a strange feeling that lingered in the back of her mind.
"Master, would you like apple jam or blueberry jam on your bread?"
"Blueberry, please."
Watching Blake and Charlotte sitting across from her at the breakfast table, Ophelia couldn't help but feel that something had shifted between them. On the surface, their interactions seemed no different from usual, but she had an instinctive sense that something was off. Blake's demeanor was as casual as ever, and Charlotte appeared unchanged as well—yet there was a newfound radiance about her, an indescribable allure that seemed to glow from within. It was like a diamond, newly polished, finally revealing its full, dazzling brilliance.
What on earth had happened?
Though Ophelia felt a flicker of curiosity, she didn't dwell on it for long. As a woman who prided herself on rational thinking, mere intuition wasn't enough to convince her of anything. That was why she failed to notice the twin sisters sitting nearby, whispering softly to each other with amused smiles before shooting Charlotte an approving glance—a glance that Charlotte acknowledged with a subtle nod. Thus, Ophelia quickly dismissed her doubts and turned her attention to the matter at hand.
"So, Lord Blake… what do we do next? What about General Celt? And the other nobles…"
"General Celt has made it clear that he won't interfere further. As for the other nobles… even if they wanted to meddle, they'd have to think twice about whether they have the power to do so. So we don't need to worry about them. Just continue as we have been. Remember—we're here to defend Crimson Fortress. Don't concern yourself with matters that don't directly involve us."
Blake answered her question promptly, and Ophelia nodded, falling silent. She was no fool. In truth, she understood the situation just as well as Celt did. But as a former member of the royal family, her feelings were far more complicated than his. After all, Blake's actions were a blatant display of his disregard for the royal family—a disregard made possible by the fact that the royal family was completely powerless to stop him. Just how far did this young lord intend to go with this newfound power?
It was impossible for Ophelia to guess.
Charlotte walked down the corridor, a stack of documents held in her arms, a sweet smile playing on her lips. When she rounded a corner and spotted a familiar figure up ahead, she came to a stop, offering the other woman a friendly grin.
"Good morning, Lady Judy."
"Charlotte! You cheated!"
In contrast to Charlotte's calm composure, the red-haired girl looked distinctly annoyed.
"I asked you to apologize to his lordship on our behalf, not to go behind our backs and do *that*!"
"That's why it always pays to use your head, Lady Judy," Charlotte's smile widened, growing more mischievous.
"After all, we've always competed with each other for such things. He who strikes first gains the advantage; he who hesitates is lost. When an opportunity like this arises, you have to seize it, don't you? So if you want a turn, Lady Judy, my advice is to set aside that pointless sense of modesty. After all, it's not like you've never been held by Master before. What are you so shy about?"
"I-it's a matter… of decorum!"
Judy's face flushed bright red, and she fell silent, unable to come up with a retort. Charlotte didn't press the issue further, turning on her heel to leave.
"Don't waste your chance, Lady Judy. I think you know you're not the only one waiting, don't you?"