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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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It wasn’t difficult to discern Minerva’s intentions.
I stopped.
I couldn’t move anyway, pinned in place by Minerva’s arms around my neck and shoulders, her breasts pressing firmly against my back. The refreshing lemon scent continued to fill the air.
Her intentions were clear, and the consequences of answering yes were even clearer.
“Was that too abrupt a question, child?”
“You should know better than to ask such a thing.”
“Very well. I shall offer you some options to make it easier for you to answer.”
She extended her right hand. Her fingers were smooth and unblemished, her long nails meticulously painted black.
Holding her open palm towards me, she leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear as she began to whisper.
“Option one: You answer yes.”
Her thumb folded down. It was a ludicrous option, a blatant display of her desires.
“Option two: You say yes.”
Her index finger joined her thumb.
I stared at her, incredulous.
“Options one and two are the same.”
“The wording is different.”
“…….”
“Option three: You answer, ‘Of course, yes.’”
Her middle finger folded down. Her pinky and ring finger remained stubbornly erect.
How was she even able to maintain that position?
I was so bewildered that I could only focus on the absurdity of her hand gestures.
“Option four: You declare that you are prepared to reveal the locations of the ancient scrolls immediately.”
“That’s a rather transparent option, isn’t it?”
“Hee hee, is it?”
Minerva seemed unconcerned by my comment, playfully wiggling her pinky finger.
“Option five: You say you cannot reveal the locations at this time.”
Her final finger folded down, forming a fist.
“Does that make it easier to answer? Choose, child. Which option will it be?”
“You seem to be operating under the assumption that I already know the locations.”
“Oh? My apologies if you felt that way. I shall add another option. Option six: You answer no.”
Minerva smiled, tracing a finger across my cheek.
The additional option didn’t change anything.
“What happens if I choose option six?”
“I will reluctantly accept it as the correct answer.”
“And option five?”
“I will accept it as the correct answer, and you will receive a small bonus.”
“I don’t need to ask about option four. You’ll accept it as the correct answer, and I’ll receive a substantial bonus.”
“You understand well. If you desire the bonus offered by the Eternal Mage, feel free to choose it.”
I didn’t bother asking about options one through three. The outcome was obvious.
“Could you tell me what this bonus entails?”
Instead of answering, Minerva gently nipped my earlobe. The unexpected sensation sent a shiver down my spine.
Sensing my reaction, she nuzzled against my ear, nibbling and licking. I could hear her soft moans.
After a moment, she pulled away, whispering in a sweet voice,
“You already know, don’t you, child?”
“…….”
I remained silent.
Yes, I could guess. If sleeping with me meant obtaining the locations of the ancient scrolls, Minerva would welcome it with open arms.
The problem was what came after.
‘I’m not ready.’
Not ready for the consequences.
I was already responsible for Lize and the Pope sisters. Adding Minerva to the mix, especially with Cecilia’s growing possessiveness, would be a recipe for disaster.
I couldn’t handle that level of entanglement, not yet.
While the feelings Cecilia and Minerva harbored weren’t the same kind of love I shared with Lize and the Popes, that was precisely why I couldn’t cross the line with Minerva.
“If you dislike these options, how about a trade? I can offer you anything within my power.”
Seeing my hesitation, Minerva proposed a trade, likely recalling our previous agreement regarding the Crystal Scroll and Wingless Nightmare.
This offer gave me pause. The Eternal Mage was offering anything within her power. It was a tempting proposition.
If only I was confident in handling Minerva after fulfilling her every desire.
She was already acting like this after receiving a single scroll. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I brought her all the ancient scrolls.
“You’re struggling, child.”
Sensing my hesitation, Minerva pressed closer, taking advantage of the situation. The soft pressure against my back intensified.
“If you’re troubled, how about this?”
“…….”
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Having teleported out of the Mage Tower, I stared at the ring in my left hand. A platinum band set with a small, milky white gem.
It was Minerva’s ring, a token signifying that she would take responsibility for any actions I committed within the Empire.
In the most extreme scenario, even if I killed someone while wearing this ring, Minerva would bear the consequences.
‘Not that I plan to do that.’
Minerva seemed confident I wouldn’t abuse her offer. That was why she had given me the ring so readily.
The fact that she had casually mentioned her ability to cover up even murder had been slightly unnerving.
According to her, it was a form of “bribe.” A bribe to ensure I considered her offer favorably. It was separate from the trade she had proposed.
It was a demonstration of her power, an invitation to ask for more if I so desired.
‘I can’t let Cecilia see this.’
While she might overlook the tokens from the Popes, she wouldn’t tolerate a token from Minerva.
I had no way to control Cecilia, so I couldn’t risk her finding out.
I briefly entertained the absurd notion that Cecilia, like Lize and the Popes, might be vulnerable in bed, but quickly dismissed it.
This wasn’t some eroge, and this world, despite the numerous adult mods, wasn’t a porn game.
The idea of subduing a woman through sex was ridiculous.
As I opened the door to my room, I saw Lize sitting on the bed.
She smiled.
“You’re back? That took a while.”
“Yeah. I had some things to take care of.”
I started to walk past her to gather my belongings, then stopped, a sudden realization dawning on me.
“……Why are you here, Lize?”
“Why am I here? Because of you, of course.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“Don’t play dumb.”
Lize stood up and strode towards me, pulling me towards the bed. I allowed myself to be led, my wrist held firmly in her grasp.
She pushed me down onto the bed, then lay down beside me, pulling me on top of her. I placed my hands on either side of her head.
“Did I or did I not say I wanted one last intense session before I left?”
“……You were serious? I thought you were joking.”
“You thought I was joking?”
Her blue eyes widened.
I averted my gaze.
“Are you going to be responsible if my… gets cobwebs because of you? You’re the only one who can clear them out.”
Her choice of words was as mind-boggling as ever, but since I was partly to blame for misinterpreting her earlier comment, I silenced her with a kiss.
Lize wrapped her arms around my neck.
We kissed for a long moment, our lips pressed together, our breaths mingling.
Lize’s eyes were already half-lidded.
I pulled away, a playful tone in my voice.
“But I already told everyone I’d be back this evening. I need to pack. Should we stop here?”
Lize narrowed her eyes, pinching my side. It wasn’t meant to hurt, but a playful gesture urging me to continue.
I chuckled, kissing her again, my tongue slipping into her mouth. Lize readily accepted it.
After a long, lingering kiss, she gasped for air, her eyes hazy.
“……You can leave tomorrow morning.”
“You want me to leave the knights standing outside all night? That’s a great way to make a bad first impression as their commander.”
“We’ll be standing at attention all night too. It’s the same.”
Lize gestured towards her noticeably aroused lower body.
I chuckled, slipping my hand beneath the waistband of her dolphin shorts.
We didn’t emerge from the room until the following morning. We had spent most of the night in the bath, trying to minimize any… evidence, leaving our skin clean and refreshed.
As it turned out, Lize had already arranged with the other Knight Commanders to inform Aurora and the knights of the change in our departure time.
She had kept it a secret because she wanted me to experience the thrill of leaving my knights standing guard while we… enjoyed ourselves.
I retaliated by giving her backside a firm squeeze. Lize yelped, her body trembling as she pleaded with me to stop, lest she become aroused again.
Aurora watched us with a knowing smirk.
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Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes and only yes