A haggard expression and cold eyes loomed over him.
When the two were added, the pressure that weighed on Lewis was unusual.
A common individual would have tried to apologize and move on, but Lewis had a much stronger ego than a normal individual.
He trembled inwardly but didn't betray his fear, straining his eyes.
"Acts like a slave to Gis and exhibits aloofness at others. What? Did I say something wrong?"
Kwak.
Neria clenched her fists.
"What are you going to do with your fists? Are you going to hit me? Hah, just go away. If you do that… What?!"
Lewis' body coiled like a hunchback.
He shuddered as he held onto his stomach. Although Neria managed to calibrate her strength, he was not a person accustomed to suffering.
Just when he felt like he was going to lose his mind, Neria raised her hand.
Lewis, who saw, quickly came back to his senses.
"Stop it! I apologize for my mistake earlier. Please…"
Thack-!
But before he could finish his sentence, he was smacked and rolling on the floor.
"I, I'm sorry. I was wrong…"
Puck!
Got kicked in the stomach by foot.
"Don't, please…"
When the area that was hit was hit again, he started to feel difficulty in breathing. Neria stood and looked down at him as he groaned, unable to speak properly.
– Acts like a slave to Gis and exhibits aloofness at others.
What Lewis had said echoed in her ears.
Like a tide.
The moment she heard the disgusting name, unpleasant memories, touches, and voices come to mind.
Ah… she hated…
Why did he had to bring that name infront of her?
Why make her re-experience that unpleasantness?
Why make her angry?
What wrong she had done to him?
Why was he making things hard for her by bringing out that obnoxious name?
Why did he had to say that?
Why!!!
A slimy mixture of disgust, hatred, displeasure, and anger flamed her eyes and ears.
Neria lifted her foot.
Just when she was about to hit Lewis hard.
"Neria."
She heard her favorite voice. Ironically, just hearing his voice once melted away all the stale emotions that shackled her.
Neria turned towards the direction she heard his voice.
"What are you doing here?"
Kieran was there.
…with a woman who was said to be Lorian's younger sister.
Why was he with that woman, especially at such a late hour?
Wasn't his lover Katarina?
Just when she couldn't stand the doubts and was about to ask about him.
"Wow… you gave those yorkels quite a good beating. How are you going to take care of that now?"
Seeing the collapsed trio, Lorraine exclaimed in admiration.
That awakened Neria's sense of reality.
'My, what have I done…'
She turned back to see the form of the one she had just battered.
She couldn't even recall his name.
However, seeing that he was accompanied by two escort knights, he must have been a nobleman.
Since she didn't know his face, he must be from Lorian's party currently negotiating with Lupus, and she assaulted such a person.
What would be the aftermath of this incident?
Would she be able to solve it alone?
Probably not.
They would try to take this incident as a pod and lead the negotiations to their advantage.
"Ah…"
Cold sweat streamed from the back of Neria's neck.
The fact that her own actions had become a nuisance to Kieran seemed to disorient her mind.
Kieran put a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you okay? Are there any injuries?"
"Uh? Yes…"
"What are you asking about? Just looking at it, it was a one-sided attack… Agh! You-you hit me?!"
"You should be shutting up by now. The moment you open your mouth again, you know you'll be rapped again."
Kieran raised his knuckles. After confirming that Lorraine's slightly parted lips were screwed shut, he turned his gaze back to Neria.
"What happened?"
"Oh, no… that's…"
"I'm not pushing you, so don't be afraid. What have they done?"
Kieran's voice was kind.
In fact, it was more of a plain tone rather than a kind one, but even that felt considerate to Neria, especially now.
'…just say it.'
She was unscathed and all of her opponents were on the floor.
No matter how one looked at it, it only seemed like she launched an one-sided assault. They had first quarreled and resisted with swords, but there were no eyewitnesses to testify.
No one would believe her.
'But if it's Kieran…'
He might believe.
No, he would believe her.
Neria opened her mouth to explain what had just transpired.
And she closed it again.
At that, Kieran tilted his head.
"What's the matter? What are you trying to tell me?"
He said it was okay and asked her to speak comfortably, but she shook her head while keeping her mouth shut.
She wanted to say something too.
That aristocrat reminded her of painful memories by mentioning Gis.
But she couldn't speak.
She had already hurt Kieran a lot with Gis.
How could she mention that man's name in front of Kieran?
Just the mention of that man's name coming out of her mouth would bring back unpleasant memories for him.
'Ah… Why can't I do anything properly?'
He had always been there for her.
Why was it so different?
Maybe he didn't need her…
Neria lowered her head and spoke in a low voice.
"Sorry…"
Emotions began to rise as she spoke those words. Sorrow punctuated by helplessness and guilt.
Clenching her fists to hold back her tears, she spoke again.
"Sorry…"
---
Neria sobbing and Kieran pacifying her.
Seeing the two of them, Lorraine strained her brows.
'The assaulter's crying after beating others?'
Who was actually crazy here?
---
"This won't be forgotten easily. I'm Lewis Sentry. I will make everyone pay a fair price for the insult I've received, in the name of my family!"
Lewis grouched, brushing the dust off his clothes.
When Neria was present, he laid down and groaned, now that she had withdrawn, he was jumping on his feet, shouting and hollering.
What kind of show was this in the middle of the night?
I sighed and waved my palms.
"Alright. About that, I'll come to your room in a little while, so let's talk about it then."
"…You mean, you'll come to my room? Today?"
"Why? Is there any reason not to?"
"Uh, no. There's nothing wrong with that. Then I'll be waiting. Hero."
As if his childish whining was a lie, he quickly changed his attitude. He kicked the fallen knights awake and scrambled away hurriedly.
As I followed my gaze with them making a beeline for the exit, Lorraine came to my side.
"What are you thinking?"
"What?"
"That bastard, he's the heir of the Sentry family. Rumor has it that the heir is an idiot, but he's the part of the most powerful family in the eastern part of your Kingdom nevertheless. Since you defeated him like a rat, it would get annoying to handle in many ways."
I stared at Lorraine as she explained in an uncharacteristically calm tone. I opened my mouth just as she was about to return a look on what I was staring at.
"Are you worried about me right now?"
"What?! Don't be ridiculous! Why would I be worried about you!?"
She raised her voice as she crossed her arms. Seeing her return to her usual antics, I shook my head.
"Well, there's no way a kid like you would be worried about others."
"A kid like me?!"
"Come on, let's have our duel."
I walked to one end of the gymnasium and stood.
Lorraine gave me one of her those sharp, piercing glares and soon stood opposite me.
Her armament was as light as before.
Only the vital parts adorned with metal, and the rest encased in thin leather.
The armament design put weight on rapid movement.
However, her armor itself had changed a lot.
"Come to think of it, did you change your armor?"
When I brought up the topic of her armor, she straightened her wrinkled face.
"Ha! Did you only find out about that now? You are too slow."
It wasn't enough to tip her face, so she flexed her shoulders.
How fast do her emotions change, I wonder?
"I needn't find out, I already knew. I just didn't voice my thoughts."
"Yeah? Then tell me where it has changed."
I looked at her all the way, narrowing the corners of my eyes. At that, as if Lorraine knew, she laughed. It was a bit of a condescending smile.
"So that…"
"You've changed your breastplates, pauldrons, and arm and knee pads. You've also changed the breastplate from silver that contained divinity to something else."
"Huh? Oh, right."
A look of surprise.
I continued speaking.
"You've changed the pauldron from plain to something that looks like a dragon's head. Supposing the region it protects, it must have had some kind of special effect. It seems that the arm and knee guards were just replaced with good ones. The leather is… Behemoth's hide. They said someone bought it expensively at an auction, and I presume that was you?"
"Yes. I managed to procure…"
"Earrings have changed from star patterns to blue jewels. That's prettier. They fit well too."
"…"
"Let's see, the ring…"
"Ugh, ugh!!"
Lorraine, whose form was quivering, suddenly attacked with a spirited, frenzied gait. Examining her ring, I hurriedly spun my body to avoid her sword.
"I was talking, but you suddenly attacked? Cowardly b!tch."
"Goddamn it, shut up!"
---
Clank.
Lorraine's broadsword fell to the floor. At the same time, the sword aimed at her neck eased away.
"Lost even after a surprise attack? Ugly."
When Kieran commented sardonically, Lorraine glared at him.
"I just wasn't able to show my actual skill"
"How old are you? Now you even make excuses."
"It's real! This is all because you-"
Lorraine, who had been yelling, shut her mouth.
It was true that her mind was disturbed by Kieran, and that she could not brandish her skills aptly because she lost her reason.
However, there was something strange about trying to string those into words.
Why was her heart disturbed by just a few words from him?
It wasn't even that he provoked her, he just prattled.
She didn't have the confidence to convince Kieran when she herself didn't understood the reason.
And above all.
"Me? What about me?"
She didn't want to heft excuse in front of him. She didn't know why, but inside, she felt abashed.
So instead of answering, she closed her eyes and slightly pushed her face forward.
"What are you doing?"
"What you do. Hurry up and finish!"
"Aren't you quick? What am I supposed to do?"
"…Are you trying to play with me now?"
Kieran shrugged.
Seeing his nonchalance made Lorraine feel exasperated. She clicked her tongue and turned her head away.
"It's okay. Don't do it if you don't wanna, it's fine with me. How nice it is to be not touched by a commoner. So be it… Huh?!"
Grabbing her grunting head, Kieran abruptly kissed her on the lips. Lorraine was a little taken aback, her eyes smiled.
'That's right.'
How could a commoner reject the lips of royalty?
It must have been because he was afraid that he would not be able to kiss because of the lapse of a pointless prank.
'Anyway, it's stupid.'
Just when she was laughing inside.
Kieran's hand moved sneakily over her and wrapped around Lorraine's thin waist.
'?!'
Lorraine, startled, shoved off his arm, but it wasn't long before he wrapped it around her waist again.
She parted her lips and tried to argue, but then remembered what she had said just before he accepted the duel.
'Didn't he say he would do more than just kissing..?'
Her blood had surged to her head and she had forgotten. But only for the while.
'For me to forget this of all things..!'
It was time for her to blame her own stupidity.
When the hand, which had been stroking her waist, moved slowly down, towards her buttocks. He gently caressed her ass in tight leather pants.
'Ugh…'
The feeling of having her ass touched by a man was quite strange. Should she say ticklish and slightly creepy? The feeling reached its climax when his hand suddenly and strongly mounded her hip.
"Huh?!"
She couldn't stand it and let out a moan in her voice. She, now belatedly aware of her own ungainliness, looked at him with quivering eyes.
Cocked eyebrows.
And he was laughing too!
Whining, Lorraine grabbed his arm.
She tried to yank it off with her strength, but…
"Ugh?!"
At that moment, Kieran's tongue intensified.
He swallowed her tongue like a hungry wolf.
"Uuuwu!"
Was it because he and she had kissed after so long?
Lorraine's mind began to get hazy at the intensified kiss.
'Ah… I can't…'
She tried to seize the pull, but to no avail.
Her reason melted in an instant like wet cotton candy.
The strength drained from the hand holding his arm.
Feeling it, he now openly massaged her rump. Still, Lorraine didn't react. She only flinched occasionally when he grabbed her tightly, but otherwise focused on kissing him.
It was in the meantime.
With a dull thud, for some reason, her body felt lighter. At the same time, she realized that the brush of his hand on her hips were gone.
She wondered and lowered her eyes.
Her breastplate had come off.
'…ah?'