Chapter 292: At Last We Set Out! Getting There Took So Long

[A/N: Posting two extra bonus Chapters today because of reaching a milestone!]

After dinner I prepared so we could leave at any time. Once the embassy grew quiet, before Rudolf left for work, I still had to manufacture the "fresh" medicine Her Majesty would drink.

When Lily put on a bewitching smile, as if some insect had whispered the news, the window was knocked. Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Just as I thought..."

Lily said, a little regretful, and went to open the window. The one who was supposed to come had come, as expected. Tonight, though, Lily was not wrapped in much of an unpleasant atmosphere. "Just as I thought" meant she had expected it. It would be good if she had entered the realm of resignation. Do not say anything later, all right?

"Good evening. It is a little early, but I have come."

Anouk too wore a bewitching smile. But her cheek twitched a little. You came prepared, did you not? One disturbance? Two?

"No, it is fine. On our side we only have to make the medicine for Her Majesty."

Lily answered with ample composure. She was already mounting her.

"Um, about that, about the medicine..."

Anouk stammered, but this was that. That! I could guess what she wanted to say.

Before Lily could start speaking I asked quickly.

"What is it? Something about the medicine?"

Anouk made a face that said she was saved by my asking, turned toward me, and said all at once,

"I am sorry, but would you let me make it!"

Just as I thought! I looked at Lily and she made a face that said hmph! There would be Anouk’s share anyway, so was that all right? I thought.

"Then let us do that! Please." I said, and Lily, who had been standing between Anouk and me, opened the way. Anouk came before me looking glad, knelt, and put her hands on my belt. After that it was a process I had seen many times and done as well. And she was a maid, so stripping and dressing were her specialty. In no time my son was exposed. Blong!

"My!?"

Anouk acted surprised even though she had brought it out herself. You must not greet my son with a face that says of course. She was a lady, at least... ladies did not do this sort of thing. Under Lily’s watch she gripped my son, tense, and began to stroke. Why was she looking at my son while tilting her head left and right? Did it look different from the right and from the left?

Haa, haa, she moved her hand and stroked. I thought she had been looking at the hole the fluid came from, then she was looking at the vein from below. And at last she took it in her mouth. She moved the head inside her mouth and licked with her tongue. Had someone taught her? She showed techniques she had not used before. Why was it this fresh when the only difference from Lily was hand and mouth and tongue? And it felt good. It was awkward, she did not attack the places I wanted attacked, and there were lingering spots, but that was fine in its own way. Freshness made me feel it more than usual, I thought.

Aahn, right there! Just once, just once would be enough. I wanted to savor Anouk slowly on a bed. It was an old man’s idea itself, but imagining Anouk’s voice and expression then made me climb. Ahhhhhh!

"I am coming!"

"This."

"Yes!"

With lightning hands Lily passed a glass to Anouk, and Anouk set the glass against the head she had just let out of her mouth.

"Uu, uh, uh, uh."

I let out a sound like a sob as I spilled the fluid. Because Anouk’s grip was strong, and when she stroked with that I thought it might snap? And that was good too...

My knees shook.

"You were stored up! It is shooting out."

Anouk said it looking glad, but that is how it is. Lily was used to it, so she said nothing at all. A glance at Lily’s face showed no expression. From now on should I have Anouk wring out Her Majesty’s share and Anouk’s? But Lily would hate that. Huh? I was Lily’s master, so if I said I wanted it this way it would go through, right? I did not need to read Lily’s mood just because she disliked it, did I? But Lily was like a mother substitute to me? No, she would get angry if I said mother. There was also a sister-substitute side, so being careful was only natural if you put it that way... Thinking this sort of thing was because it was sage time.

"What shall we do about Anouk’s share?"

I asked for form.

"No. Even at most, one cup a day is enough for me."

Oh. Modest.

"Is that all right? At this rate Her Majesty may drink three cups in a day at times."

"Yes, it is fine. Lately my body has been in excellent condition, and I can feel myself growing younger. It is thanks to Her Majesty, so for me to grow so young I look like another person makes me feel truly sorry."

"Are you worried that if you keep drinking the same as Her Majesty you might become younger than Her Majesty?"

"..."

Silent confirmation, then.

"Understood. If Anouk’s share is one cup a day, that makes it easier for me as well. I do not know, but I do not think drinking more makes it work any better."

An estimate, only.

"Is that so?"

Anouk looked dubious.

"Yes. Even if we say you grow younger, we do not know down to what age, do we? I do not think you become fifteen or ten."

"That is true."

"Yes. Looking at Lily, I think you grow younger to about the mid-twenties. After that it becomes a matter of maintaining it, I think. But this is my guess, and I think it actually differs by person. There will surely be people who drink it, find it does not suit them, and break out all over."

"Could such a thing happen? It is something made inside your body, Lord Robin."

"Because it is inside my body, that too is conceivable. There will surely be people who show a rejection."

"Is that how it is?"

I thought the depths of allergic reactions were deep. I, for my part, worried Her Majesty might have an allergy from drinking too much.

Lily said nothing the whole time... Was saying nothing the normal thing? There was nothing to say, I supposed.

I put the glass in the mana bag and left the room.

In the next room Rudolf watched us go out. We are off.