5 - Chapter 2: Episode 2 [Enma?]
The warm sunlight filtering through the curtains wakes me.
"Ahhh..."
I stretch, get up, and my gaze falls on the white guest room.
Oh, right. I fell asleep enjoying the party yesterday.
Remembering yesterday,
I casually put on a shirt,
and looked out the window.
The remnants of yesterday's splendid party were still visible.
Maids were busily cleaning the garden.
Yes, this peaceful daily life would continue from now on.
Knock knock
A knock at this hour, who could it be?
None of my Comrades would be looking for me this early.
"Who is it?"
"Yuria, I've brought your breakfast."
"Ah, please come in."
Oh, right. This is the Royal Palace.
So they bring breakfast right to the room.
It truly sank in that I was staying in the Royal Palace.
A silver-haired maid opened the door and entered.
"Greetings, Hero. I am Enma, your maid from now on."
"Ah, Enma, right? I'm Yuria. I'll be in your care, Enma."
"Yes, I look forward to working with you."
Enma stole a glance at me while setting out the meal she'd brought.
Warm, steaming soup with bread and drinks.
Thinking back, during my travels, I only ate hard, dried jerky, tough as rocks.
Now, everything was truly over.
The peace I'd realized so many times, yet still hadn't truly sunk in,
I felt it now, in this warm, quiet morning.
It was truly an era of peace now.
"Thank you, Enma."
I sat at the table Enma had neatly prepared, picked up a spoon, and spooned up a mouthful of warm soup.
"Ahhh..."
Warm food like this, first thing in the morning.
Every cell in my body was screaming with happiness.
It was even Corn Soup, which I loved.
Had my Comrades told them in advance yesterday?
"Does it suit your taste?"
"Yes, it's very delicious, Enma."
I broke off a piece of the crispy bread placed before me.
The bread tore softly along the grain with just a little force.
How much butter did they put in it?
A sweet, mouth-watering scent wafted from the rising steam.
I dipped the bread into the soup and put it in my mouth.
The soft bread, soaked in the moist and warm soup, slid down my throat, warm and comforting.
"It's truly been a long time since I've had a proper breakfast."
"From now on, you'll continue to have warm meals like this."
"Yes, now I can truly live in peace."
Spending the rest of my life farming in a quiet little rural village wouldn't be bad either.
Raising a cute puppy and occasionally treating my Comrades to a meal.
As I ate breakfast, imagining all sorts of peaceful futures, the bread and soup were quickly gone.
"You ate well. If you need more, I'll bring it."
"No, I ate very well. Thank you, Enma."
I turned my head to thank her,
but I felt a sense of unease at Enma, who seemed to be staring intently at my chest.
"Enma?"
Enma didn't answer even when I called her.
Enma kept staring strangely at my body.
"Enma?"
"Oh! Ah, I apologize. I was lost in thought for a moment."
What was it?
Enma was acting a little strangely.
It's probably nothing serious, right?
No, was she perhaps feeling unwell?
Too many times, I'd overlooked small signs like these, only for them to escalate into major problems.
The maids must have suffered a lot because of the banquet.
Enma might also be unwell from the exhausting banquet schedule.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
Did she perhaps have a fever?
I placed my forehead against Enma's forehead.
"Eep!"
Up close, it was even clearer.
Enma's face was completely flushed red.
Her forehead also felt a little hot.
"Enma, it seems you have a slight fever. Why don't you rest today? I don't mind going without a maid for a day."
"Ahhh, eep!"
Was she perhaps too exhausted?
She couldn't even speak properly, just flailing her arms and legs around.
Her condition seemed worse than I thought.
It's hard to make proper judgments when you have a high fever.
This was something I learned from my time on the battlefield, so I knew it for a fact.
"This won't do at all. She must be quite ill."
In times like this, a good rest is what's needed.
But as a maid, it would be difficult for her to rest properly under these circumstances.
Everyone must be working frantically.
Even if I asked her to rest,
if she rested alone here, she'd face envy and jealousy from the others,
and that wouldn't do her any good.
Thinking that far ahead, I came up with a method.
Oh, right. She's here to serve me, so wouldn't it be fine if she just rested in my room?
Action must always be taken immediately, without hesitation.
Because if I delayed even a little, only regret would remain.
"Enma, come here."
I grabbed Enma's hand and pulled her to the bed.
Then I gently pushed her onto the bed.
"You look quite ill today, so rest well on my bed."
Enma, still with a flushed face, unable to speak, just mouthing something and looking up at me.
For Enma, I even pulled the blanket over her.
And as I tried to get up, Enma's arm shot out, grabbing my wrist.
"Huh? Enma, do you need anything?"
"Yuria, can I take this as you seducing me?"
"Uh...?"
A word completely out of place for the situation had slipped in.
Because of that, my mind couldn't process it, breaking down.
What did Enma just say?
...?
"Treating me like this repeatedly, it's clearly fine to see it as seduction, isn't it?"
Did Enma just say 'seduction'...?
Me, Enma?
That couldn't be.
I was worried about Enma.
Surely not...?
I've heard there are various etiquettes and gestures in the Royal Palace.
Did I perhaps make a gesture used for seduction in the Royal Palace?
I was ignorant of such things.
Nevertheless, I had to explain myself to her.
How embarrassing for her if my ignorance had caused a misunderstanding!
My eyes darted around, making excuses to her.
"Uh... I'm sorry. If my ignorance of royal etiquette caused a misunderstanding..."
Whoosh
Enma strongly pulled my arm.
I was too busy scrambling for excuses to react, and her strength pulled me forward.
Just like that, with one knee on the bed, I was right in front of her face.
Up close, Enma's blue eyes were captivating.
A distance where her breath could be felt.
'What is this...?'
My mind couldn't keep up with the situation.
As I stared at Enma right in front of me with wide, bulging eyes,
"This can't be anything but seduction, can it?"
No, I never intended to seduce Enma.
So I must clear up the misunderstanding with her immediately...
A soft sound.
...?
What just happened?
A soft sensation bloomed on my lips.
That soft sensation was so...
It felt incredibly good?
As if all strength drained from my body...
That soft sensation enveloped my upper lip, a gentle embrace.
What was this...?
My mind became hazy.
As if I'd been hit by magic.
A soft, lingering pull.
My upper lip was gently, yet firmly, sucked.
For a moment, my mind trembled as if struck by an electric spell.
'This is dangerous...'
The moment my mind sounded an alarm,
fortunately, Enma pulled away.
Only then, with a moment to catch my breath,
I could understand.
What Enma had done to my lips.
It's strange.
Such pleasure couldn't possibly come from just lips brushing together...
Something was wrong.
"Ahhh... Looking at me with such an expression, is there any room for excuses, Hero?"
I felt things were taking a strange turn.
This was definitely wrong.
During my travels, I had kissed my Comrades a few times due to various circumstances.
Of course, I'd never had sex.
But I definitely didn't feel this way back then.
She chuckled softly. "Fufu, your flustered appearance and trembling eyes are cute."
Enma cupped my face with both hands, preventing my escape.
But I was the Hero who defeated the Demon King.
A being with superhuman strength, capable of cleaving a massive mountain range in two if I truly put my mind to it.
How could I possibly be flustered by just one maid?
I grabbed Enma's wrists, trying to pull her hands away,
No strength in my hand?
What's going on...?
This couldn't be happening?
【 System Notification 】
[During an intimate interaction, you cannot exercise the right to refuse the actions of a person with a higher Coitus Stat.]
What...?
What did that mean...?
[Enma Status Window]
【 Name 】
Enma : Lv 8
【 Stats 】
▷Strength : 12
▷Agility : 11
▷Stamina : 14
▷Mana : 3
▷Holy Power : 2
▷Coitus : 6
Indeed, Enma's overall Stats were remarkably low.
The reason I couldn't resist Enma, despite that, must be because of that Coitus Stat.
Was this all truly the Demon King's doing?
Damn it, I should have noticed sooner.
I foolishly let my guard down, and now it's come to this.
I always made these kinds of mistakes.
My precious Comrades who used to make up for those mistakes...
No, even after defeating the Demon King, I shouldn't try to rely on my Comrades.
Because now everyone had their own lives.
"Ahhh... What are you thinking so deeply about? If you ignore me, who's right in front of you..."
Enma's lips met mine.
A soft sigh.