The combination of her innocent face and pouting lips was quite adorable. She was undoubtedly a fox who knew exactly how to make herself look pretty.

However, Mereum was not to be outdone.

Covering my eyes with both hands, he leaned forward, pressing closer.

“I’ll show you something even better, so stop looking at that.”

“Something better?”

“Fibel was up to some strange things. I was sure you’d like it.”

There was more to the competition.

Fibel, you’re really enjoying this more than anyone else.

There was no need to wonder what the next competition would be. At that very moment, Fibel shouted with an ecstatic expression.

“Did you know! Her Majesty the Empress likes not only handsome faces but also well-built men! These days, the trend is men who are beautiful from head to toe!”

“Ohhh!”

Responses came from all around, as if confident in their own beauty.

Tilting my head back, I saw Mereum’s strong jaw through the gaps in his fingers.

A young man with a somewhat tense and slightly anxious look, furrowing his brow.

Unable to fully reveal his jealousy, yet feeling like his chest might burst from trying to suppress it, his heartbeat was far too rapid.

‘Yes, I do like pretty things.’

I admitted while quietly listening to the pounding of his heart.

The only minor issue is… that Mereum is the standard for that prettiness.

The only one here with enough charm to rival Mereum is Shilo.

“Now then, shall we start undressing? If you’re confident, come out wearing the prepared outfits! Show off your charms by walking stylishly across the deck!!!”

“Waaah!”

“You may keep the outfit you choose. In thirty minutes! We’ll hold a walking competition here with twelve Empress Her Majesties!”

There was a bang! bang! bang! noise from somewhere, and servants appeared pulling racks full of hanging clothes.

The problem was, perhaps due to rushing to make them or lack of fabric, they all had holes somewhere, were excessively short, or clung too tightly.

Wearing those, even if the chest was partially covered, the stomach would be completely exposed.

Unless one was exceptionally well-toned, it might be better not to wear them at all.

“Now, now. Please also wear this harness. The harness buckle is made of silver, so you can keep it afterwards.”

Well… at least it’ll be pleasing to the eye.

To confess, I liked seeing bare bodies wearing only harnesses. Knowing this, Fibel seemed to have brought harnesses as well.

“Oh my! How indecent.”

“What’s wrong? It’s just my style.”

“This kind of thing… um…”

“It’s funny. If you’re going to spread your fingers and look, why bother covering your face?”

Soon, twelve empresses lined up on the deck.

From this time on, some held wine glasses, some gently waved ostrich feather fans, and some clutched books tightly to their chests.

“Ah. So harnesses are Her Majesty’s preference, right?”

Shilo, watching the scene, smiled like a fox with curved eyes.

“Then I’ll wear a white shirt with a chest harness. I’m looking forward to seeing how well our captain suits it.”

Telling what he would wear was a kind of provocation.

It was both a provocation towards Mereum and towards me.

Making me imagine it by explaining it like that.

“Do you really like clothes like that?”

After Shilo fluttered away, Mereum asked in a suppressed voice.

Though he had made a big decision to wear it, he still seemed reluctant.

“You don’t have to wear it, Mereum. Why bother?”

“…Choose for me.”

“You want me to choose?”

“Yes.”

Looking closely, I could see Mereum’s ears turning red. It was evidence that he had mustered great courage.

Finding that cute as well, I nodded.

“Many clothes have already disappeared. There’s hardly anything left to choose from… Most seem too small for you.”

Mereum’s upper body formed a perfect inverted triangle.

With broad shoulders and a chest sexy enough to be large, there were hardly any clothes that fit unless they were custom-made.

Since those rags Fibel prepared wouldn’t cover him in the first place… I had no choice but to just give up and have him wear only the harness.

It’s absolutely not because of my preference. To emphasize because it’s important, it was an unavoidable choice, not at all due to any lecherous intentions.

Clearing my throat, I chose a harness that covered one shoulder and crossed the chest diagonally.

‘But more important than the chest is the back.’

Have you ever heard of a man with taut lats?

The harness I chose had buckles on the back, making it difficult to put on alone.

“Wear this.”

Waving away the billowing clouds of imagination to come to my senses, I handed the leather harness to Mereum.

However, Mereum didn’t take it and just stared blankly.

“I don’t know how to put it on…”

“Hm?”

“Can’t you put it on for me?”

Tok.

Mereum lightly touched my fingertip while pleading adorably.

Feeling a tingling sensation rising, I bit my lower lip and shuddered.

‘Ah, this is driving me crazy.’

If I were just a bit younger, I might have shamelessly gotten a nosebleed.

Where did he learn such clumsy seduction?

No demon could resist if treated like this.

“It’s the day we agreed to date.”

While I was momentarily silent with heat rushing to my head, Mereum pulled me in once more.

Finally, I squeezed my eyes shut and nodded.

The changing room was full of people and there was a line waiting in front, so I just took Mereum and entered any random door.

“It’s a storage room, is that okay?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Alright then.”

There was a window high up connecting to the outside, so the storage room wasn’t too dark.

As soon as I closed the door, Mereum took off his top, and now the yang energy he emitted was not just piercing my skin but about to devour me entirely.

“Are… are you okay? You look hot.”

“…I can bear it.”

The power Mereum possesses is an eternally burning sun.

Because it’s similar in nature to fire, it becomes more intense when he’s excited or angry, or experiences any intense emotional changes.

Even if the Water Spirit King suppresses it, when the power becomes too intense, it evaporates and turns into steam, so it’s not much help.

“You don’t look okay. I’ll take some of your energy.”

I casually thought something that would make the Water Spirit King faint and flip over if he heard it, and gently placed my hand on his chest.

I can feel the blood boiling beneath the firm muscles. The hot power flows wildly into me, warming my cold soul as if it might burn my two hands.

‘Hmm. This isn’t working at all. I’m sure I used to be able to calm him down with just this much contact before.’

When I greedily devoured his yang energy, Mereum would feel just as comfortable.

Having too much overflowing power isn’t always a good thing.

But now that he’s grown older, his energy has also become enormous, and this mere skin contact was almost useless.

‘My lifespan can be extended plenty with just this much, but.’

If asked whether it was helpful for Mereum, I could firmly say no.

‘More intimate contact is needed. That’s the only prescription.’

It’s no coincidence that descendants of the Sun God often married demons.

Whether they liked it or not, it was sometimes an inevitable choice for survival.

When power beyond human scale rages, insomnia strikes first. They can’t sleep day or night because of the heat.

Next comes ferocity.

Beyond becoming sensitive and irritable from lack of sleep, they gradually become more violent.

When Mereum was young, thanks to the Spirit King, and during his boyhood years, because I was there, it hadn’t happened until now, but…

‘Today’s behavior is probably due to jealousy.’

I removed my hand and put the harness on him.

Mereum, who had been silently watching me, spoke in a voice so low it sent chills down my spine.

“Leo.”

“Yes?”

“I have a request.”

His voice was so serious that I couldn’t help but listen attentively.

Having just finished fastening the buckles on his back, I looked up.

Mereum continued slowly without looking at me.

“Leave a mark showing that I’m yours.”

“…A mark?”

“With your lips, here.”

The man wearing the harness grasps my hand.

He pulled my hand and pressed it against his nape.

It was such a provocative statement that I was almost tempted to just do it, pretending to be crazy, but I struggled to keep my wits about me.

“No, Mereum.”

“Do I need to grow more?”

“No, it’s not about you.”

I almost stumbled over my words, my tongue tied.

Realizing that my heart was now beating rapidly too, I stepped back a couple of paces from him.

Not that there was anywhere to escape in this small storage room.

‘I didn’t expect to be this shaken.’

There was a reason I had only found it cute when Mereum asked me to dress him.

Of course, he had confessed, but I had known Mereum’s feelings for far too long. So it wasn’t shocking or anything like that…

Rather, I became convinced that I needed to send Mereum away from my side.

“I know you’re just waiting for a chance to abandon me.”

“…That’s!”

“Don’t say it’s not true. If you needed to make a concubine for political reasons, I would have been better than any bastard on this ship.”