Eric truly wanted to play a little trick.

“If such a situation arises, I will truly struggle.”

“Yes?”

“Really, I will.”

“······.”

“Hug me.”

Eric spread his arms.

Knowing that Alicia was sorry, she dutifully wrapped her thin arms around him with force.

Still, it looked like she was hugging Eric.

“I don’t want to make you worry.”

“Hmm?”

With her face buried in Eric’s chest, Alicia murmured.

“Worrying is more distressing than I thought. So, I don’t want to make you make difficult choices.”

“······.”

Whether to call it admirable, grateful, or hurtful, the emotions were as complex as the tangled thoughts in his mind.

Eric, without saying anything, tightened his embrace around Alicia.

However, the feeling of Alicia, clinging to him as if drawn like a magnet, was not as satisfying today as it had been before.

Lifting his head for a moment, he aligned his lips with Alicia’s head.

He wanted to fill her cute head with himself, even if just for this moment.

“I want to hold you.”

“While holding me.”

“You know it’s not true.”

At the faint low tone in his ear, Alicia, tense from the sudden beating of her heart, strengthened her grip on Eric’s embraced arms.

Her suddenly racing heart was held in check, and Alicia raised her head to meet Eric’s eyes.

Her eyes, like flickering flames in the lowered light, seemed strangely exciting, and Alicia, as if drawn, placed her hand on Eric’s face.

He took her hand, slowly pulling it down towards his mouth, and playfully licked the hollow of Alicia’s palm.

Like Alicia did to Eric before, teasingly.

Feeling the slow and moist sensation, Alicia was startled, and when Eric slightly squinted his eyes towards Alicia’s surprised reaction, he seemed to be smiling somehow.

Then he took her hand, pulled her towards him again, and with the hand that had been holding Alicia’s waist lightly, he placed the hand on his neck.

This posture wasn’t new, but the atmosphere was different.

It felt heavier, more profound, and more intimate.

Gazing blankly at Alicia’s lips, which were murmuring, Eric finally covered her lips with his.
Unlike his passionate gaze, he gently and slowly caressed Alicia’s lips, concealing the intense desire he felt for her as if he were trying to comfort her.

After Alicia placed her other arm around Eric’s neck, he gradually and tenderly entered her mouth.

To soothe her, who had stiffened due to tension, he cunningly coaxed her.

Eric embraced Alicia and carefully laid her on the bed after she encircled his neck with her arms.

Feeling the soft touch of the bedsheet on her back, which had tensed again, Eric affectionately stroked her.

“Don’t be nervous.”

Alicia could only nod her head, unable to answer.

“Think only of me.”

At Eric’s subtle plea again, Alicia nodded her head once more.

It felt embarrassing to meet eyes like this again.

“Feel how much I want you.”

“I also…”

Even after saying the words, Alicia’s voice trembled with shyness.

“I want you too.”

Nevertheless, Alicia’s courageous confession decided the course of their day.

Eric didn’t rush.

He led slowly and affectionately until Alicia, still stiffened with tension, relaxed and leaned on him.

It wasn’t easy.

Suppressing the sensual scent unique to her that stimulated his nose and the thrilling sweetness that tantalized his tongue, both Eric’s senses and reason were challenged.

Yet, Alicia was too delicate and fragile for him to force his instincts on her.

Therefore, it couldn’t be helped.

He had to continue caressing her with patience, disguising his impatience as leisure, until she entrusted everything to him.

He persevered with Alicia until she relaxed, releasing all the remaining patience.

But thanks to this, Alicia gradually began to show genuine reactions.

Whenever his delicate touches were felt, it was as if he became a person made of easily melting candy.

Despite the hot and moist sensations, Alicia could do little more than clench the sheets or grab Eric’s hair, apart from that.

Alicia couldn’t regain her composure in the sensations she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

Driven by those sensations, she didn’t take long to entrust everything to Eric.

Each passing moment brought stronger, overwhelming sensations, making her feel nauseous.

The pain she first felt had long been covered by other sensations.

Despite her discomfort and writhing, Eric firmly held Alicia, who clung to him with a certain persistence.

With the sweetness of breath spreading in his mouth and the softness of the skin touched by his fingertips, the satisfaction of the red marks engraved on the white skin, and the warmth enveloping him.

Really, Alicia was perfect in every way.

At this moment, Eric felt that he wouldn’t hesitate to choose Alicia without the need for intense deliberation, regardless of the grand ideals such as the peace of the Britannia Empire or the continent.

For now, Alicia was his world.

“Where are you going?”

Eric, holding Alicia’s waist as she tried to escape from his arms, grabbed her waist again and embraced her.

He buried his face in the smooth skin that touched him.

“You should go home.”

“Don’t go.”

“Eric.”

“Sleep here.”