Chapter 290: The Next Time I Vanish…

While I waited for Hiero to settle, Pafa peeked in, worried we had been in the bath too long.

Pafa saw Hiero held by me covering her face with both hands, came up a little flustered, and started checking on her.

She must have used her power and learned why she was crying. She put on a face of relief, let out a breath, looked at my face, and said with a soft smile, "A Handful, are you not?"

I smiled at Pafa’s words with a troubled face. Pafa took Hiero out of the tub. When I turned my face so I would not see her naked she took out a cloth and started wiping Hiero’s body.

No. You do not have to start wiping right in front of me... I do not know where to put my eyes.

Why is a woman’s wet skin that charming?

I muttered that in my heart and smiled wryly when something soft touched my cheek. I turned my face. Pafa stood there alone, laughing happily.

...I will take it as a reward.

Pafa who laughed softly happily at my reaction too waved one hand at me, furi furi, and left the bath.

I had been in so long I was near fainting so I got out of the tub at once and started wiping my body.

If I lie on the bed like this, with drink in me too, I feel like I could sleep well.

I left the bath and headed for the living room. At the dining table were Nimi and the others eating the sweets I bought the twins as souvenirs.

Only, Hiero hiding her face behind Nimi’s back was cute. I looked at Nimi and we laughed.

Pafa and Scon and Micon watching that scene laughed happily too. I recognized again that an environment where smiles do not stop is splendid.

Maybe because of the drink I was sleepy too. I greeted everyone and headed for my room.

I went in, closed the door, lost to the good feel of the rug under my soles, and sprawled on the bed.

I lay on my back, spread both arms in a big X, yawned huge, and at the same time drowsiness came from the ease of my own room.

There were documents I wanted to put together...

I have to lay the bracelet plan I promised Hiero too...

And I wanted to ask Taylor something extra so a letter too...

While thinking that I closed my eyes and fell asleep before I knew it.

I suddenly felt a rare need to pee and woke in the pitch-dark room.

I remembered I had lain on the bed without turning on the room light. With a head not fully awake I stood from the bed and headed for the toilet.

It is the house I grew up in so being able to walk even in the dark is not strange. I reached the toilet without trouble, turned on the light, and finished.

I had brushed and rinsed after drinking yesterday but it felt odd, so after leaving the toilet I washed my teeth and rinsed again in the washroom.

Refreshed I was satisfied, yawned, turned off the washroom and toilet lights, and started walking toward my room.

Not good. Still sleepy. ...Come to think of it what time is it? Looking at the dark I can see from the window it should not be morning yet...

I thought that with a head not awake. When I put my hand on my room door I was held from behind and my body jumped, biku, in surprise.

Who is it? I turned only my face and checked behind. Even in the pitch-dark room I could tell bright silver-white hair swaying.

From that alone I knew who was clinging. I let out a breath of relief, dropped my voice, and spoke.

"Hiero, can you not sleep?"

"...Whose fault do you think it is."

"That is... well. Um. Sorry. ...I woke unusually too. I am not sure I can sleep, so will you sleep beside me?"

"Nn..."

As if instead of an answer Hiero made a short voice with her face still pressed to my back and strengthened her hold.

That reaction was cute. A smile leaked without meaning to. I wanted to hold that Hiero from the front, but the hold was unexpectedly strong and I could not.

As expected, the sly-cute one... I muttered that in my heart.

The soft feel of her chest from my back from being held tight, and Hiero’s faintly coming scent, felt good.

Still being held I opened the door and went into my room. Behind me Hiero closed the door.

Pushed by Hiero’s back, gui gui, I lay on the bed. Hiero quickly settled between my open right arm and body while I lay on my back.

I grabbed the cover sheet with my left and laid it over that Hiero and myself.

Even if it is the hot season, leaving your belly out you might catch a cold.

And we have Santony ahead so being careful is better.

More than anything Hiero is a woman. Cooling the body is not good.

Hiero with the sheet over her turned her body this way, set her head on my right shoulder, grabbed my clothes tight with both hands, hishi, and pressed even closer.

From pressing close Hiero’s scent grew stronger than before. I wanted to smell more and turned my face toward Hiero.

But my action must have been seen through. Hiero pressed her head against my right cheek, gui gui, as if stopping me.

...This way I can smell it anyway, but I will not put that in my mouth.

Feeling Hiero’s body heat and scent I let out a small breath at the happy feeling and closed my eyes.

"...Raide."

"Nn?"

"Um... you court me. What do you want to do?"

"I do not remember courting... hmm. Well. I do not think there is a reason to court other than wanting her as a lover."

"...I have no body. Even being touched now is thanks to the bracelet..."

Hiero said that, started moving, mozo mozo, straddled me, pressed her body close, and hid by pressing her face to my right shoulder.

I touched that Hiero’s back with my left so she would not fall off me, and stroked her fluffy hair with my right as if combing it.

Hiero’s chest like grapefruit mashed against my body, munyu, changing shape.

While mashed it pushed back with sure spring I felt with my body, and at the same time because she was thinly dressed I could even tell how hard her nipples were.

Only now, more than getting lustful, the ease and happiness that Hiero was beside me won.

So I did not have to worry about my lower half reacting. Rather now I was focused on Hiero’s words.

I opened my closed eyes, dropped my gaze, and stared at Hiero’s beautiful silver-white hair.

"Now Raide recovers my power so there is no danger of vanishing... but I do not know what will happen."

"Hiero is my close guard, right? A close guard always stays beside the one she guards and must not leave. We can think together. A way you cannot easily leave my side."

"...If I am treasured that much... the next time I vanish... this time I will break for real ooo."

"Hiero..."

Hiero grabbed the clothes at my chest hard with both hands and started shaking, puru puru.

That is why. That is why she stood one step back from me... from us.

Hiero dealing with the lovers had an air like she was admiring something, and though not that obvious I had felt distance.

The time I felt our feelings passing was when she talked with Pafa.

Being from the same homeland is part of it, but she is probably close because she is in the same situation as Hiero.

Nimi felt that too, which is why she often held the two of them so they would not get uneasy.

I cannot easily erase Hiero and Pafa’s worries. But I can lay measures.

I gently set both hands on Hiero’s cheeks, lifted her face, and smiled kindly at her sniffing, sun sun.

I do not know if she can see in this dark, but I started explaining trying to put her at ease.

First the Sephirim Necklace that returns you to an important place, then keeping a spare Black Bracelet.

Right now all the Black Bracelets are used so I cannot prepare a spare, but I told her one reason I want to buy extra is as a spare.

Besides that I have not gotten them yet but I have an idea of items that might help the two of them. I went on, gently stroking both of Hiero’s cheeks with my thumbs.

"I will use my own knowledge too and take measures so Hiero and Pafa do not disappear from my side. ...If Hiero and Pafa disappeared I could not bear it. And let us promise, Hiero."

"Gusu... a promise?"

"Yes. A promise. If you vanish you said you go back to the original place, right?"

"Un..."

"I will come get you. Wait. I want you to keep it secret, but I roughly grasp the ruins scattered in the world. I know it is not something I can promise easily. But I will stake everything I have and definitely come get you."

My eyes had gotten used to the dark. I could confirm tears dropping, poro poro, from Hiero’s eyes.

So I softly wiped the tears with my thumbs. Hiero asked in a shaking voice, "Truly?" I nodded still smiling and answered at once, "Truly."

If the strength of having done free play can be used here, if it can help important people, there is nothing that would make me this glad.

"So I want you to stop crying. Hiero is more beautiful when she smiles."

"Gusu... aha. You will not stop courting, will you?"

"Haha. This time I am aware I am courting. Hiero... will you become my lover and stay beside me?"

"...Take responsibility for talking me into falling... properly. You promised, right?"

"Aah. Understood... it is a promise."

"Then..."

Hiero murmured that, kissed only my lips, eased her face away, smiled, and said, "I will fall."

That Hiero was so dear I kissed her next. "Nn... fu, nnu..." Hiero leaked.

The taste of my sly-cute lover’s first kiss was a little of tears.