✨️Lady Greetia✨️

Elbert: You don’t have to hold back your voice….

Elbert: Let me hear plenty of it.

Kate: Ahhh?!

Leaning against the wall, my legs are lifted as I'm thrust upwards, penetrated by his heat.

His length pounded deep into me, rubbing against all of my sweet spots.

(No….at this rate…)

Kate: Lord El….ah, my dress!

Elbert: It’s fine. Let it get stained.

Kate: No, absolutely not….ahh!

The moment Elbert slid his heat out of me, my climax gushed out, soaking his trousers and the drape of my dress.

Kate: Hah…haah….Mmm, I’m s-sorry.

Kate: Even though you told me I looked beautiful...

As I looked up, breathless, Lord Elbert smiled, his beautiful golden eyelashes lowered.

Elbert: …..That’s not what I meant.

Elbert: You are the one who is beautiful….the one whose future I’ve stolen.

Kate: !!

Elbert: That’s why it doesn’t matter if your dress gets ruined.

In his ocean eyes that smiled so joyously, nothing reflected in them but me.

It made me so happy that I wanted to touch his bare skin.

Kate: Elbert…..

When I tentatively touched his tie, a soft sigh escaped his lips.

Elbert: You undress me.

Elbert: Touch my body. Lay me bare. Since the only one who will ever touch my skin...

Elbert: …. From now on, forever.…will only be you, Countess Greetia.

(Only me….)

(I….I really did marry, Lord Elbert.)

I gently removed his tie and carefully undid the buttons of his shirt, one by one.

An act that must have once caused him pain now felt like a sacred ritual of love.

Elbert: …..Thank you.

Seeing his lips curve into a happy smile, my heart filled with joy.

Elbert: I want to make sure…

Elbert: Just as you are the only one who can touch me...

Elbert: I am the only one who can touch you like this and drive you wild.

As I nodded, the heat penetrated deep inside me again.

Kate: Mm…ah, ah, ahn!

Pinned against the wall like a butterfly specimen, I gasped in the throes of pleasure.

As he licked the pulse point on my neck and occasionally grazed it with his teeth, the sensation of having my very life held in his grasp brought a twisted kind of ecstasy.

Elbert: ….Haah, Kate.

Kate: Nnnh…ahhh!

He thrust into me so forcefully that I rose onto my tiptoes; my whole body throbbed with heat as I clung to him desperately.

His length poured into me in sporadic waves, spilling from where we were joined and trickling down my inner thighs.

Kate: Hah, hah…mmm….

Elbert: Can you not stand anymore….?

I nodded repeatedly, and before I could even catch my breath, he swept me up and pinned me down onto the bed.

In that moment, I remembered the night I had been handcuffed to this very bed—an offering for the sake of atonement.

(I...)

(I’ve truly become Elbert’s...)

(Not for atonement, nor as an offering...)

(But for the sake of Elbert’s happiness—and his alone.)

Just as I had wished for so fervently back then.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a tingling sensation shot through the core of my being—

Kate: W-Wait….

Elbert: What is it…?

Kate: I’m just... so happy, my heart is overflowing... If we do it now, I think I might go mad.

Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision as if I were underwater.

Elbert: ………

Elbert looked at me and then—

Kate: !?

Ignoring my plea, he thrust deep inside me, filling me with his heat.

My back arched sharply, and my breath caught in my throat.

A savage wave of pleasure washed over me, turning my vision white.

Kate: L-Lord Elb….

Elbert: Nnnh…

Kate: I told you to wait, but... ahhh...

Elbert: Haah….mm, yes…..

Elbert simply murmured in response, his voice thick with bliss. It seemed that he, too, was losing his mind from sheer happiness, just like me.

(It feels so good, I love him so much... I feel like I’m going crazy.)

Just as my consciousness drifted, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over me.

Since he suffered so much when cruel hands touched him, once he comes to his senses, he might feel sad, thinking he’s caused me pain.

(I don’t want that to happen.)

(I have to tell him.)

Kate: Ahh, Elbert….

Elbert: Mm, what is it…?

Kate: If you’re the one doing something to me…then I’m happy. It brings me so much joy.

Kate: So….give everything to me.

Kate: Please, want more of me….so much more.

As I pleaded desperately, Elbert’s eyes shook, and then he suddenly smiled.

Elbert: You really are... so adorable.

Kate: …?

He plants a quick kiss on my cheek and strokes my hair.

Elbert: It’s all right. I know full well that you’ll accept every bit of my desire.

Elbert: …And that you’ll smile, finding happiness in it.

Elbert: That’s why.…I decided not to hold back at all tonight.

The moment I saw him say that with such a happy smile, tears, borne from something other than pleasure, welled up inside of me.

(Just knowing he takes it for granted that I love him...)

(Why does that make me so happy?)

Elbert: …I’m supposed to want you to smile.

Elbert: So why is it... that I just want to make you cry even more?

Kate: ….Haha.

Kate: That’s probably because….

Kate: …These are tears of joy.

As I smiled, a single tear finally spilled over.

Wiped away by his fingertips, that tear of happiness sparkled beautifully…

…Like a gemstone.

[Master List]

New characters are fully voiced for the prologue! Here is a link to a video of the prologue, so you can hear the voices and follow along!

If life were a fairy tale, what comes after the happy ending would be, “And they lived happily ever after.”

But everyone knows that such a thing can only exist in fiction. Good and evil, life and death, love and hate, happiness and unhappiness. It only takes one moment for the balance to crumble.

It happened one day, some time after I had stepped into the darkness and become a Fairytale Keeper. I had just finished a long report, and it was my first day off in a while.

In the Crown Castle dining hall, a luxurious joint banquet between Crown and Vogel began first thing in the morning. The dining table was packed full with dazzling dishes all handmade by Victor, including Beef Wellington, pies, finger sandwiches, and a seasonal fruit trifle. It was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

Neema "This is an extravagant feast today…!"

Victor "I wanted to reward everyone who’s been working so hard day and night. So I got a little excited."

Liam "There’s a huge selection of drinks, too. What would you like, Neema?"

Neema “I’ll have champagne to start.”

Liam “Okay, I’ll bring it over. Just take a seat.”

Roger “Ah, as your doctor I have to tell you, getting drunk in the middle of the day is bad for your health.”

Roger “So, Al, pass me a mug.”

Alfons “You’re a walking contradiction. Go get it yourself.”

Elbert “It’s right there. Why don’t you just get it for him?”

Alfons “Elbert, if you listen to this guy even once, it’ll be the end of you,”

Alfons “Have you forgotten that he’s a bespectacled egoist who gets carried away and forces his will on others?”

Victor “Now, now, let’s all get along and enjoy a delicious meal together…”

Victor “Woah, Harrison, where do you think you’re going? I’m not letting you go until you eat!”

Harrison “Ugh… you’re… too strong.”

Neema “Hehe… you're choking him, Victor.”

Harrison “Hey, you, stop laughing and give me a hand. Tsk… seriously…”

Liam “But Harry, it smells so good.”

??? “Seriously, smelling something like this is making me hungry~”

Liam “Really, teasing us with an aroma like this first thing in the morning, Victor’s such a bad man~”

Liam “Huh?”

??? “Hmm?”

(Wh… Who is that!?)

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, a mysterious man with a suspicious smile suddenly joined the conversation.

The flashy person, wearing a chinoiserie cloak, smiled and tilted his head, unfazed by the attention gathering around him. With every movement, his ornaments jingled softly.

Victor “Hello Euren, it's been a while.''

Euren "Hey, hey there! I figured everyone was probably missing me by now, so I decided to come back to England!"

Alfons "Another surprise visit, I see."

Liam "It’s rare to see you at the castle this early in the morning, isn't it? You’re usually doing dangerous business at night on the streets.”

(So, you all know each other… I'm surprised.)

William "Neema, he’s a broker who does business internationally."

Euren “My name is Euren~ Nice to meet you! I can arrange anything suit my client’s needs!”

Euren "From exquisite foreign carpets… to people and information, that is."

William "Victor and I have been doing business with him for a long time as a source of information."

Neema "So you mean… about Crown…?"

William “Ah, he knows. About the existence of the cursed ones, too."

William "It seems he’s even joined Liam and Alfons in their dangerous night time games a few times."

William "And then—"

Ellis "Oh? We have a special guest."

Jude “……Ugh.”

Euren “Ah!”

William “I hear he and Jude went to the same public school.”

Euren “Is that Jude-senpai~? Yoo-hoo, how’ve you been~?”

Jude “Tch, I’m hearing voices. Guess I need to go to the hospital. Well, see ya.”

Euren “As always, such a cold attitude♡ That’s our Jude-senpai for you♡”

Jude “Creep. Why don’t you choke on your tongue and die?”

Neema “……You two have a pretty unique relationship, don’t you?”

Alfons “Euren’s the type who gets more fired up the colder people treat him.”

Liam “If Jude were just a little nicer to him, he’d probably stop picking on him so much…”

Euren "Don't glare at me like that. Are you still hung up on the fact that I'm 0.3 inches taller than you~?"

Euren “Jude-senpai’s attitude is big enough to make up for his height, so it’s no problem at all! Right?”

Jude “How about I cut off about 3 inches right at your ankles?”

Alfons "Yeah… at this rate, it's a lost cause."

Victor “So, Euren, what brings you here today?”

Euren “Why, to meet the famous ‘Fairytale Keeper,’ of course.”

Euren “You’re the one everyone’s been talking about, right? I’ve been thinking about it for a while now…”

Euren “Yeah… You’re totally my type! Meeting you might just be fate!”

Neema “Huh?”

Euren “Hey, do you have a boyfriend? What’s your type? How about me? I’m rich, and I’d take good care of you as my girlfriend, you know?”

Neema "Huh? Uhh…?"

Roger "Hey now, that's enough pestering."

Roger "You'd better let the lil’ lady go. Her stomach's been growling loud enough to hear all the way over here."

Euren "Huh, is that so? My bad, my bad— I didn't notice at all!"

Grateful for Roger stepping in to help, I quickly put some distance between myself and Euren.

As I watched Euren from afar, already moving on to pester another member of Crown, Lord Elbert sat down next to me and cast a concerned glance my way.”

Elbert “…Are you okay?”

Neema “Yes, I was just a little overwhelmed. Do you know that person too, Lord Elbert?”

Elbert “Ah, yes. We often run into each other at auctions for foreign antiques and art.”

Alfons "We’re constantly vying for the same items, though, so he sees us as a major rival."

Nica "Guten Tag, Crown and Robin— wait, what?"

Ring "…Is that guy the information broker?"

Nica, who had arrived late, blinked in surprise, while Ring openly displayed his wariness.

Darius "…Why is someone from Libra here?"

Darius furrowed his brows, making his displeasure obvious.

("Libra"…?)

Victor "My apologies, it was a sudden visit."

Euren “Sorryyyy. We won’t get in your way, so just think of us as a speck of dust in the corner! Okay?”

Darius "Dust doesn’t talk."

Euren “To have noticed that… wow, that’s just like you, Director. You’re really as sharp as ever today, aren’t you~?”

Nica “Flattery like that is actually refreshing when it’s taken this far, isn’t it?”

Neema “So you all know each other, too?”

Ring “Ah, Nica trades information with him from time to time.”

(So Euren has quite the network.)

Victor “Right then, now that we have a special guest, let’s get this party started!”

With Victor’s call, the atmosphere in the room turned cheerful once again.

And just as the party was in full swing…

Euren “Hey, hey, Neema-chan. Let’s go on a date sometime~ No? I’m the type who’ll do anything to dote on you, you know?”

Jude “You mean the type who clings to people like a leech, right?”

Euren, who had been wandering around and pestering various people, was trying to hit on me again when…

…A sudden new visitor appeared.

Euren "Hey, I'm serious here. Neema-chan, are you free this weekend—"

??? "You’re late."

Euren “Ow!!?”

Neema “Eek!?”

Suddenly, a fist appeared from behind and slammed hard into Euren’s head.

Euren “Oooouch~! Are you trying to cave my skull in!?”

??? “I don’t care. Drop dead.”

A man with a menacing glare and a criminal aura appeared from behind Euren, sending a wave of tension through the air.

(Is he someone Euren knows? That’s awfully rough treatment for an acquaintance, though…)

??? “…Huh? What are you looking at?”

As I was lost in speculation, he glared at me and I was struck by an instinctive sense of danger, as if I were being stared down by a predator.

(It would be unnatural not to look in a situation like this, but………!)

It wasn’t the kind of atmosphere where I could say something like that.

His gaze looked like he was about to kill someone, he was carrying a menacing-looking gun, and on top of that, I sensed he had other weapons hidden beneath his large, thick coat.

The instincts I’d honed during my time as Fairytale Keeper were telling me, “keep quiet.”

Victor "Hey, Zane! What brings you all the way out here?"

Neema "Huh?! You know him too?"

Alfons "Ah, is he the one?"

Elbert "The guy Victor tried to recruit for the Crown, only to get turned down outright…?"

(So, does that mean he's cursed too?!)

Roger "He's a skilled assassin, right? I've seen him at underground boxing matches."

Liam “What do you mean ‘underground boxing’? Is it some kind of illegal gambling?”

Ring “Just standing there, I can tell he’s no ordinary guy. That guy… he’s strong.”

Victor “Could it be that you’ve finally decided to join the Crown?”

Zane “……………….”

The man named Zane remained silent, giving Victor the middle finger and glared at him.

(Giving Vi-Victor the middle finger…..)

Victor “You haven’t changed a bit.”

Euren “Hey, hey, Zane, you’re supposed to flatter and suck up to those in power so they’ll give you special treatment, right?”

Zane “Huh? I don’t give a damn about your trash business philosophy. Let’s go.”

With that, Zane grabbed Euren by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away.

Euren “Please keep favoring me~ Neema-chan, I’m not giving up, you know~~”

I watched Euren walk away, still maintaining his salesman’s smile even as he was being dragged along.

(Euren and Zane, huh……)

I thought I already knew quite a bit about the Crown and the Vogel… but…

An unknown darkness still stretched out before me. That was the premonition I felt.

Victor "Neema, wait a moment."

Just as the gathering was winding down and everyone was beginning to leave, Victor called out to me.

Victor "I’d like to have a word with you… if that’s alright?"

Neema "…Yes."

I nodded, sensing that this was likely about the visitors who had come earlier that day. Then, an unexpected person spoke up from the side.

Darius "I’d like to join you as well."

Victor “………”

Darius “I think I can provide you with information that benefits you as well.”

Victor “There’s an international organization made up only of cursed individuals.”

Victor “That organization isn’t one like the Crown, formed by a partnership between a nation and its cursed individuals,”

Victor “Nor is it a research organization like Vogel, one that a nation created for the purpose of militarizing cursed individuals…”

Victor "They are a group of outlaws that the state has no collar on."

Victor

"Their name is Libra."

(Libra…)

Neema “What exactly do these people do?”

Victor “The Cursed are usually treated as criminals or the mentally ill and considered a danger to society…”

Victor "Do you remember what William told you earlier?"

Neema "Yes, of course."

Victor "Libra is an organization where the Cursed, people who tend to be outcasts in society, cooperate for their mutual benefit.

Victor “It’s a give-and-take kind of group."

Victor "They engage in charitable work for the Cursed, such as solving problems or providing support for daily life."

Victor "I hear they also mediate disputes between the Cursed."

Victor "Not everyone is actively involved in their activities, though. Some just receive support."

Victor "And apparently, quite a few members simply stay registered without doing anything, only consulting the organization for advice during emergencies."

Neema "So, Euren and Zane are members of it, too?"

Victor "That's right. You catch on quickly, Neema."

Victor "Their headquarters is in France, but they have bases all over the world."

Victor "Since the Crown operates in the UK, they haven't really interfered here much until now, but…"

Victor glanced briefly at Darius before fixing his gaze on me and speaking again.

Victor "It seems their leader has arrived in the UK."

Neema "Why is that…? Perhaps a British cursed one is in some kind of trouble and asked for help?"

(But if that's the case, it's strange that Victor hasn't received any information about it.)

Victor "We still can't figure out what their purpose is."

Victor "But… just as there is no such thing as pure evil, there is no such thing as pure good."

Victor "We've also received information suggesting that Libra has a hidden agenda."

(Libra's hidden agenda…?)

Darius “Why don’t you just tell her straight out?”

Neema “…!”

Darius “That behind the scenes, people are saying it’s ‘an organization dedicated to monitoring and killing the Cursed.’”

(Monitoring and killing the Cursed?)

Neema “……That’s the exact opposite of what Victor said their activities are just now.”

Darius “Let me tell you something, since you’re such a peace-loving person.”

Darius “People who are plotting something evil always approach you with a friendly face at first, right?”

(It’s convincing when Darius says it……)

Darius “Dying under mysterious circumstances or being killed because someone held a grudge against you… that sort of thing isn’t uncommon for the Cursed.”

Darius “If Libra is pulling the strings behind the scenes, that’s extremely infuriating, isn’t it?”

(Since I’ve only heard rumors from one side, I can’t really judge for myself.)

The fact that they have such conflicting reputations certainly suggests they’re not an organization that can be dealt with easily.

Victor “Until their true intentions become clear, I want you to stay on your guard. Got it?”

Neema “…Yes.”　

Leaving Victor’s office and walking down the hallway, I reflected on the encounters I had today.

If someone is targeting the Cursed, then the members of Libra must be met with caution.

Yet, from what I saw today, the people from Crown and Vogel both seemed to be interacting with them simply as human beings.

(I want to treat them as human beings, too.)

If you view things only through a broad lens, there are things that inevitably slip through the cracks. I had learned this firsthand from my work as Fairytale Keeper.

The incident occurred that very night. That night, fog was thick in the air, and the chilly atmosphere clung to my skin.

I had gone to the theater to see a play and make the most of my rare day off when…

(Huh…?)

On the city streets in the darkness of night I spotted William, along with Jude and Ellis.

Neema "Everyone… are you all perhaps on a mission??"

William "We've been spotted. Yeah, that's right, though it's a bit of a rough assignment for a night off."

Ellis "Seeing this lineup, you can probably guess what it is."

Jude "We're gonna crash a banquet, kick around some stuck-up nobles, pass judgment on 'em, and call it a day."

Just as there is no absolute evil, neither is there absolute good.

Those who sit in judgment of evil are, in the end, no less evil themselves.

Yet, here in London, Crown continues to "fight evil with evil" tonight. All to maintain the balance of this nation.

Neema "Since I happened to be here, I can hardly just go home now, not as Fairytale Keeper."

Jude "Huh? You went out of yer way to tag along to a bloody crime scene on yer day off? Have you lost yer mind?"

Ellis "What do you think, Will? This is supposed to be a dangerous mission with many enemies.”

William “If that’s what Neema wants to do, I’ve got no reason to stop her.”

For a dinner party, an eerie silence hung over the entrance hall.

Neema “It’s a pretty grand mansion, so it’s strange that there aren’t any maids in sight…”

Despite my hesitation, the Crown members stepped into the mansion.

And the moment they opened the dining room door, a scene so shocking it was hard to believe my own eyes laid before me.

Silent corpses lay scattered across the floor, surrounding the long dining table.

Neema “What on earth…?”

And there on top of the dining table lay a man and a woman, dead and entwined.

The man had a sword driven into the stomach of the woman who was draped over him. The woman, in turn, had plunged a knife into his chest.

What was eerie was that they had died with their lips pressed together, as if they had been longing for one another.

To my eyes, that scene looked as if two “lovers” had killed each other.

Ellis “…They’re dead, aren’t they?”

Jude “A dinner party for the dead? What terrible taste.”

??? “The dinner party is over.”　

Without warning, a voice echoed, and I snapped my gaze toward it.

Only then did I realize that a man was sitting alone at the head of the long dining table.

He was a man of striking beauty; though he was merely sitting there, gazing at me with his fingers interlaced, I felt a tension so sharp it was as if a blade were being pressed against my neck.

William “It’s been a long time, Lucien. I heard rumors that you’ve come to London, but I didn’t expect to meet you in a place like this.”

Lucien “You haven’t changed, William Rex.”

(Is this person… someone William knows…?)

Hearing the familiar-sounding greeting, Jude and Ellis glanced over to see if they recognized the man, but their eyes were fixed on him with wariness.

William "…It seems you still dislike small talk. Let me get straight to the point. Why were they killing each other?"

Lucien "Because it was foreseen that they would disrupt the order. There is no need to discuss any other reasons here."

His blunt words sounded devoid of emotion regarding the grave matter of death.

(The way he speaks… it’s as if he was the one who judged them…)

(Even though he doesn't have a single drop of blood on him.)

Why is he sitting calmly in this space in the first place?

(Was he sitting here, watching as they fought each other to the death?)

The moment I had that terrifying thought, our eyes met, and I felt a shock run down my spine.

Jude “…The target’s dead, so the mission is over. I’m heading back.”

Euren “Huh, you’re leaving already, senpai?”

(Huh? That voice…!)

When I turned around, two figures were standing at the entrance to the dining hall. One of them was Euren, the shady broker I met at Crown Castle.

The other person is Zane, who is rumored to be a skilled assassin and the one who punched Euren and dragged him away.

Euren “Since you’ve come all this way already, let’s chat a little more, okay?”

Euren "Right? You think so too, don't you, Neema-chan?"

Zane “…Why’s a woman even here? She’s in the way.”

The two showed no surprise at the scene before them, wearing the same expressions they’d had when we had met earlier that day.

Lucien "Euren, if you came here just to make idle chatter, then leave. You're an annoyance."

Euren “Ah, that’s so mean~. But that cold attitude of yours is still the best~♡”

Euren “Don’t worry, I was working hard, you know. Right, Zane? I did my best, didn’t I~?”

Zane "Shut up. Don't talk to me, you annoying piece of trash."

(Euren and Zane are both members of Libra and seem to know each other.)

(And then there’s that rumor William mentioned about someone visiting London. Could it be this man…?)

William "He is Lord Lucien Morsandre. A nobleman from a distinguished French family."

William “He’s the man currently in charge of Libra.”

(Just as I thought…!)

According to what Victor had told me, Libra’s activities consisted of charitable work for the Cursed, solving their problems and providing daily living support.

But if they were involved in the scene before my eyes, I couldn’t possibly see them as a “charitable organization.”

William “Would you mind telling me why you came to England?”

Lucien “Why should I tell you that?”

Lucien “I came to do what needs to be done. That’s all.”

As Lucien answered with a few terse words, he stood up and walked over toward us.

As he came closer, I realized just how tall he was and I instinctively held my breath at his overwhelming presence.

William and Lucien’s gazes locked.

A murderous intent sharp enough to pierce skin lingered for a moment, then vanished.

William “If you’re going to operate in England, don’t forget that you’ll be under Crown’s surveillance.”

Lucien “Do as you please. I’ll do as I please, too.”

William “Since you’ve gone to the trouble of coming to England, shall I invite you to the castle sometime?”　

Lucien “If it’s necessary, we’ll come to you.”

As they finished this superficially friendly conversation, their tense gaze finally drifted.

At the same moment, I felt a cold stare fix upon me.

Lucien “I’m interested in you, too. ‘Fairytale Keeper’ Neema.”

(…Me?)

I widened my eyes, not expecting to be someone he’d be interested in as a human with no curse.

Immediately, William and the others stepped in between us, blocking his piercing gaze.

William “Unfortunately, she’s a top-secret asset of the British government.”　

Jude “Let’s go home, Neema.”

Ellis “…I’m sorry. You’ll have to give up on trying to investigate Neema.”

With the three of them shielding me, I left the scene.

Euren

“Wow, she’s really well-protected, isn’t she… Are you sure it’s okay to let her go?”

Zane “Do we actually need to find out more about that woman?”

Lucien “Leave it alone.”

Lucien "…We’ll be seeing each other again soon enough, anyway."

Libra- what exactly are they after?

Little did I know…

…Learning that would be the trigger to upset the balance of both Britain and of my own world.

In the pitch-black darkness, the sound of a broken clock’s hands echoes.

With cold fingertips, the man traces over the “list” that had been tossed carelessly on his desk and mutters to himself.

Lucien "They’ve grown too powerful."

Lucien "It’s time to close the curtain on this fairytale."

--

Notes:

I've been working on this for houuuurs but now I need to do some errands, so I'll add stills to the text later.

I loooove domestic Crown shenanigans! was just thinking about how Euren would probably annoy the hell out of Jude, and now it turns out they were classmates! Beast-boy Zane is huuuuge as a sprite. I think he and Euren are going to be my favorites from the new group, but I am always surprised with each character so maybe Lucien will grow on me more. That's why his titties are so big, they're full of secrets~ All I think when I see him is this.

[PALACE - GARDEN - DAY]

If the touching time unfolded in the same venue as the mail sorting, not only did work efficiency decrease considerably,

the possibility that fight we were trying to avoid would happen would dramatically increase…was Roger's perspective,

and so it was decided that the group getting touches would be in a different venue.

[PALACE - GAZEBO - DAY]

The first group was Victor, Ring, and Lord Elbert, but…

Kate: Um…guys, what is this?

Victor: Great that you asked! And what else could it be but hospitality to receive a reward from you!

An afternoon tea set was lined up tightly atop the tea table,

with the fragrance and the steam from the hot water wafting up.

Victor: You must also have had it tough, to wake up with a sudden power.

Kate: Thank you. And truly…what could have caused it?

Elbert: Roger seemed keen on finding that, but he said that with many unknown factors, he had his doubts whether he could narrow down the cause.

Lord Elbert pulled a chair back in a natural motion, and I sat down.

And like a paragon, he served me tea in an elegant manner.

Kate: Thank you, Lord El…bert…?

Elbert: …

As I expressed my gratitude, Lord Elbert went on his knees next to my seat and looked intently up at me.

Kate: …? Why did you suddenly go on your knees…ah!

(Could it be…he's waiting to be touched…!)

I realized I had nearly forgotten the point of this, so I hastily extended my hand and patted Elbert's head.

[TOUCH: ELBERT'S HEAD]

(I-is this okay…)

Elbert: …mm. (´｡• ◡ •｡`)

(Looks like so. It feels a bit like being loved by a puppy…how cute.)

Ring: Kate.

Kate: Ah, Ring! Come to think of it I didn't see you around. What were you doing?

Ring: I didn't have anything to give…so I went to pick flowers I thought you'd like.

I took the colorful assortment of flowers he quickly put out before him.

Ring: Is this…good enough?

(One more puppy…!)

If Lord Elbert was the puppy that awaited a reward with sparkling eyes,

Ring was like the one that drooped his ears and tail, lest he received a scolding.

Kate: Yes, more than enough. Thank you.

[TOUCH: RING'S HEAD]

Ring: (•ᴗ•,, )…I'm glad…

I gave Ring headpats, and he looked elated too.

(Hehe…I just can't help but smile. I think if it's like this, it'll work out.)

I took a bite of a scone and drank the tea.

Kate: Mmm, these very buttery scone are the best as always, Victor.

Victor: Heh, heh, heh…not only are today's scones very buttery, they're very very buttery, you see.

Kate: Oh, no wonder there's a sort of flavor of guilty pleasure then…

(Ah, I've got to thank Victor too.)

(His head…might be a bit hard to reach with the table in the way.)

[TOUCH: VICTOR'S HAND]

Victor: …!? (O_O)

Kate: Ah, sorry for touching you all of a sudden. I wanted to thank you, so.

Victor: Ahh, no, it's nothing…that's what this is for, so no apology needed.

Victor: It's just…it took me by a bit of surprise…

(Victor's looking shaken…! What a rare sight…!)

I was once again hit with a sense of wonder at the ability my hands held and its possibilities.

Ring: …Kate! Is there anything you want—?

Kate: Huh? Anything I want?

Elbert: …I believe he wants you to give him more touches, so he wants to do something for you.

Ring: H-how did you know! Do you have some ability to read minds too!?

Elbert: I feel the same as well, that's all. …I would like more pats from Kate.

Elbert: Is there anything we can do for you?

Kate: Whaa—?

Victor: Oh, oh, me three then. Is there anything we three can do? (ˊᗜˋ*)

(I don't even know what can even top this level of hospitality though…!)

But unable to turn down their admirable efforts to pay me back in exchange for touches and the way their eyes sparkled with pure expectation, I came up with some light request.

Kate: T-then, a shoulder massage…perhaps…?

[BLACK]

After they gently untangled the knots in my shoulder, I gave the three of them lots of touches until time was up.

[CROWN CASTLE - INDOOR CORRIDOR - DAY]

(Well, that felt rather therapeutic. …Umm, the next group is…)

With the help of a memo with each of the group's waiting areas written, I headed to the next place.

[CROWN CASTLE - BASEMENT LABORATORY]

Roger: Oh, there you are, lil lady. You holding up?

Roger was seated on a chair, reading a book.

When he heard my footsteps, he rested an arm on the back of the chair and turned to me.

Kate: As well as I can be. But what are you guys doing here? What of the mail sorting?

Roger: We were let out early to prioritize finding the cause of your condition.

Kate: …Jude too?

Jude: I'd take this over endlessly sortin' through mail.

Liam: I'm in charge of relaying information. So letting you know if we found anything.

Kate: I see…thank you, everyone.

Roger: With that said, mm.

Kate: Huh?

Roger lifted his chin to show the scruff of his neck, giving an egotistic smile.

Roger: Some motivation, if you will, for our hard work trying to get to the bottom of this.

t. b. c ⸝⸝

masterlist 💄 ┊ ko-fi ☕️ ┊ comms 🤍 ┊ backlog 🕰️

────────୨ৎ────────

❧ COMMISSIONED BY @palehorsebinky !

────────୨ৎ────────