Please Break Up with Me, I Beg! - Chapter 64

“Lady Litania, isn’t the sun too hot?”

“No, it’s just right. Summer should be a bit hotter.”

Litania sat by the window looking at the lake, drinking the cool fruit juice Snow had brought her.

She even enjoyed the feeling of the slightly humid summer breeze gently brushing her face as it came through the window.

It was summer.

“I wonder how everyone is dealing with the heat.”

“There are many who can’t stand the heat. The first floor workshop is like an iced water party all day long.”

“Haha. Everyone seems to be having fun.”

The knights initially swam in the lake, but swimming was banned because they could be seen from Litania’s room.

So they decided to build a large bath in the east annex, and ice water was seen being carried every day.

“Lady Litania, how are you feeling these days?”

“I’m fine, of course. In fact, Orbis quickly healed me when I was injured then, so there are no aftereffects.”

Although she said that, Snow knew that Litania became anxious when her body was in an uncomfortable state due to the aftereffects of being kidnapped.

Once, she accidentally changed her position while sleeping and got tangled in the blanket, thinking she was covered in a shroud, and called for Snow while gasping.

Because her body was so stiff that she couldn’t even pull the bell cord, Snow has since brought a cot to the reception room next to Litania’s bedroom and took short naps to look after her.

“I’m really fine now. You don’t have to worry.”

“…If you say so, that’s good.”

Seeing that the look of concern still hadn’t faded from Snow’s face, Litania wondered how she could reassure the boy.

‘Summer. It’s the season for new challenges and adventures!’

Wouldn’t Snow become more lively if she showed a healthy appearance, not losing her smile and passion even in the hot summer sun?

‘Since Orbis promised to teach me swimming, I’ll learn it now!’

Isn’t it the vitality of summer to not lose passion and will even in hot weather?

Litania decided to make Snow’s heart even more vigorous.

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“Orbis. You said you’d teach me how to swim.”

“Do you want to learn?”

“Yes. I was originally going to learn as soon as the weather warmed up, but haha. I’ve been procrastinating and now it’s already tropical nights.”

Orbis smiled, leaning back on the sofa with his legs crossed.

The summer sunlight shone brightly through the window.

With a cool lemonade in his hand, Orbis looked just like a prince from a foreign land. His golden hair, deeper in color than lemons, caught in the humid breeze and sparkled.

“I saw before that the knights would swim in the lake after training.”

“…That’s why I ordered a large bath to be built in the annex, but still?”

“Ah, no. They don’t do that anymore. I just remembered it.”

“Mentioning other men’s naked bodies is difficult for even me to ignore.”

“Eek! It’s not like that!”

Orbis rumbled low in his throat at Litania’s reaction.

“Really, don’t tease me!”

“I’ll be careful from now on.”

“It was a joke, you can tease me.”

“…”

She felt sorry for being afraid of Orbis after he slaughtered the monster at the hunting festival, and for worrying everyone by wandering alone and getting kidnapped while avoiding him.

Litania wanted to become close with him again.

“Just don’t say things that are too mischievous. Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re being serious or joking.”

“I understand.”

Orbis smiled gently.

“Shall we go swimming then?”

“Yes! But since I’m a beer bottle, you really have to teach me step by step.”

“A beer bottle?”

“I mean I can’t swim.”

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The lake of the dragon castle, giving a sense of summer’s mood, was like a beautiful painting.

The surface of the lake was so clear and transparent that one could see into the water, and the light reflecting off the ripples in rainbow colors as the sunlight hit the lake surface was fantastically beautiful.

“Wow, even just coming down here, the wind feels different!”

“Be careful, Litania. You’ll fall in if you slip.”

“If I fall in, save me!”

“My, what careless words.”

It was the time when the sun was at its highest. The shining sunlight danced and sparkled on the water’s surface.

After unpacking their things on the sun bed placed under the evergreen trees by the lakeside, Litania took off her robe.

“Does my swimsuit look weird?”

“You always look beautiful to my eyes, so don’t worry.”

“Joke? Truth?”

“Which do you think?”

“Haha!”

Litania laughed brightly as she ran to the lakeside. The waves that looked as soft as jelly gave a different feeling from the green sea.

“Orbis, there are fish here. What if I kick them while swimming?”

“Unless you’re as fast as Pepper, they’ll all avoid you, so don’t worry.”

“Am I slower than Pepper?”

“…”

Orbis massaged his lips with his mouth closed, looking like he had something to say. Litania felt her pride crack a little.

“Pepper must be quite agile.”

Despite having such a large, bear-like body. Well, bears are agile animals, so Pepper could be agile too. It’s possible.

Litania decided to claim a mental victory.

“First, let’s start by getting used to the water temperature.”

Arriving beside the lake, Orbis told Litania to slowly dip her toes into the water first.

“Ah, it’s cold!”

“Take my hand, Litania.”

Litania firmly held Orbis’s hand and slowly entered the water.

“Ugh.”

She shivered slightly as the water reached her ankles.

“Don’t worry, Litania. I’m holding you, so you won’t fall in.”

“Don’t let go of my hand!”

“Of course not.”

When she’s desperate, he doesn’t joke. Litania sat on the edge and started splashing with just her legs in the water.

“Oh oh.”

It was fine when she put her calves in, but when she dipped her thighs, her body tilted backward.

“There.”

As Orbis supported her by holding below her chest, her lower body in the water started to float up.

With Orbis holding her from behind, there was no worry of slipping or falling and hitting her head. Once she confirmed her safety, she started to gain confidence little by little.

“How is it, Litania?”

“Um… the water feels heavier than I thought.”

“And?”

“Cold and… hmm. It’s fun.”

“It’ll become more enjoyable as you get used to it.”

Orbis taught Litania to lean back and submerge herself up to her shoulders in the water.

It was a bit scary to go completely into the water and lean back, unlike when Orbis was supporting her upper body, but after Orbis promised to use magic to keep her from sinking, she entered the water.

“Wow!”

After slipping a few times while trying to get up due to the unfamiliar sensation of lying back, Litania experienced floating on water for the first time.

“Orbis, you come in too. Let’s swim together!”

Having just learned how to float, Litania excitedly led Orbis into the water.

“I’m wearing white clothes.”

“It’s fine since you’re clothed, right?”

“…If you’re okay with it.”

Orbis was pulled into the water by Litania’s hand.

To the top of his head.

“…”

The lake surface was calm without even air bubbles.

“O-Orbis?”

Could he have fallen in because the lake was too deep? He’s a dragon, but can even dragons slip and make mistakes?

Litania flapped her arms, trying to turn her body over somehow.

“Orbis! I’ll save you… Wah!”

Her ankles, which had been floating in a cross shape, suddenly sank below the water, and just as she was submerged up to her neck, a blond head popped up from below.

“Orbis!”

“The water is clear.”

He was smiling.

It seems he had pretended to fall in as a prank.

“Ah! I was really scared, I thought you had fallen in!”

“Were you worried about me? I’m glad.”

Orbis smiled brightly and kissed the bridge of Litania’s nose.

“I was curious what you would look like from below.”

“…”

Her face, with her bangs sticking to it from the water, turned red.

“The, the sun is hot.”

“It’s summer after all.”

“Orbis is still the same though…”

“Would you like to check up close if I’m really the same?”

Water droplets slid down Orbis’s face, revealing his perfect features. The droplets falling along his eyelashes seemed to move slowly.

“…”

The gazes of Litania and Orbis, both wet, met.

Water droplets starting from the neck and sliding down the chest disappeared into the lake’s surface.

“Your, your clothes are white… they’re see-through.”

“White clothes tend to be like that, I suppose.”

Muscles that showed strength.

The chest and arms, shining even more firmly from being wet.

If one were to sculpt a person by gathering sunlight, would it look like this? Litania’s heart pounded.

“Orbis’s eyes are like deep water.”

“You’re in deep water right now too.”

“Yes… I feel like I might drown.”

Litania held Orbis’s arm and gently pulled her body closer.

It was a bit cold in the water, so she wanted to be near warmth.

Their faces drew closer.

Wet breaths. Being close face to face under the bright sun felt different from seeing each other at night.

It felt like time had stopped.

“Orbis, I’m curious about one thing.”

“What is it?”

“What does it feel like to kiss underwater?”

Blue eyes narrowed. His head tilted just like that.

“Hold, your breath.”