Chapter 51. Has Reason Ever Defeated Shamelessness?

 "Wait a minute! Weren't we talking about activities in bed? Also, I get the feeling that you already knew the one closest to death was among those who seemed to still be in good condition. Doesn't that mean you set me up?", Ophelia objected to the result announced by Kara, feeling she had been tricked. What advantageous conditions? She was convinced Kara just wanted to get her to lower her guard.

 "I think you're overthinking it. As long as the result depended solely on your choice, I don't see why it would matter what I knew. It's like if I had hidden a coin in one hand, and you tried to guess which hand it was in...", Kara said, not thinking that the game she had organized was unfair. After all, she hadn't done anything to influence Ophelia's decision.

 Although Ophelia still felt that Kara had tricked her by proposing a game where the more she tried to use logic, the slimmer her chances of winning became, it was hard for her to insist that she had lost unfairly without coming across as someone who didn't know how to lose, like those who throw a fit at a casino after losing all their money, since she couldn't deny that the loss was her own doing.

 However, Ophelia, who to those unfamiliar with her seemed to have an endless reservoir of patience, was not the type to swallow her frustration in private. The fact that she could no longer change the outcome of the bet only made her more determined not to be flexible about the prize Kara would claim for winning the wager. Hadn't Kara said that whoever won could make the loser do anything for an hour in bed? How did this turn into a proposal to have sex in the air?

 So determined to fight, Ophelia didn't even pay attention to the fact that Kara's proposal implied that they would be flying, meaning one of her dreams, that of soaring freely through the skies, would come true.

 When she was young, she would often watch the birds with envy as they crossed the sky, enjoying their freedom while she was forced to spend hours doing boring things like attending etiquette lessons. Perhaps that's why she never shared the passion that other noble daughters had for leaving food out for the birds. Wasn't it unfair that birds enjoyed the advantages of a life deprived of freedom while also being able to fly wherever they wanted?

 Anyway, Ophelia started explaining to Kara that the agreement they made didn't specify that the winner could choose the location where they would enjoy their reward, so Kara had to be content with ordering her around for an hour only when they were in bed.

 At first, Kara was confused as to why Ophelia was so against her plan. Was having sex above some uninhabited forests more dangerous than in a restaurant bathroom? Besides, Ophelia had shown interest in flying when they discussed the applications of the Advanced Telekinesis skill. Wouldn't it be an even more memorable experience if their first time flying was done as one for a while? Regardless, Kara didn't want to make Ophelia uncomfortable, so she intended to say it was just a suggestion and that they didn't necessarily have to do it in the air the next morning; they could just as well do it before leaving the inn or among the trees.

 But before Kara could tell Ophelia that she was willing to back down, she noticed that the longer she remained silent, the prouder Ophelia seemed, as if she were about to score a major victory. Considering that Ophelia was already unhappy with the outcome of the bet, it didn't take Kara long to realize that Ophelia was trying to undermine her enjoyment of the win.

 Kara wasn't quite sure what to make of Ophelia's behavior at that moment. Since Ophelia seemed very emotionally mature, Kara didn't expect her to be the type of person who held grudges over small things. Wasn't that her job? Well, it could be said that like attracts like.

 On the other hand, though, Kara was glad to see that Ophelia wasn't walking on eggshells around her. It was a clear sign that Ophelia had begun to see her as someone very close, someone in front of whom she could let her emotions take over without fear of the consequences. After all, Ophelia was the daughter of a high-ranking noble, so it was only natural that she would also have a stubborn side.

 But now that Kara understood what was going on, she was not so easily subdued. Maybe Ophelia's words were under the stars of logic and eloquence, but since when has reason ever defeated shamelessness? And since Kara's shamelessness, when unchecked, could rival her powers, she was nearly impossible to beat in a debate.

 "Well, I accepted your proposal when we were in the restaurant bathroom, where there was a real danger someone might hear my moans, so it wouldn't be fair for you to refuse me now without a justified reason. And if you're set on being in bed, I can make a bed fly with us...", Kara said as soon as Ophelia finished her plea, both her tone and expression suggesting she was a little disappointed; perhaps she was someone willing to do anything to make her lover happy, but it didn't seem like she was getting the same in return.

 Even though Ophelia knew Kara wasn't as delicate as she appeared at that moment, it didn't stop her from wondering if she had made Kara feel like only she had to make efforts to keep their relationship harmonious. Besides, she didn't really have a solid reason to argue with Kara because, even if Kara had tricked her into making the bet, it wasn't like she had anything to lose. She loved making love to Kara, whether she was on top or below.

 "...As long as you make sure no one's around, let's just say I agree...", Ophelia eventually decided to stop opposing Kara's proposal, which no longer seemed so exaggerated after a calmer analysis. Plus, if she wanted to punish Kara, it would be better to do it that night in bed, during the two hours when Kara would let her be on top, rather than by preventing Kara from getting closer to her, as sex in unconventional places was an efficient way to strengthen their bond, as it made them see each other as partners in crime.

 "I knew my girlfriend values ​​me...", Kara said, the clouds above her head disappearing instantly, then kissed Ophelia on the cheek.

 "What can I do? I can't stand seeing my baby sulking…", Ophelia thought to tease Kara a little; seeing how quickly she went from upset to happy, it was quite clear that Kara had intended to soften her up by playing the victim, just like small children do when their parents refuse them something.

 "Anyway, I don't think it's a good idea to turn the 'hours on top' during sex into some kind of currency between us. As you said yourself, it's just as enjoyable to be possessed by the one you love as it is to possess them in return, so I don't see why we couldn't just communicate our desires to each other. In this way, such an arrangement doesn't make sense to me.... It would probably make us see lovemaking as an obligation over time...", Ophelia continued, believing that calculating who would be on top and for how long wasn't exactly romantic. Besides, since they were both deeply attracted to each other, they wouldn't deny each other anything anyway, so there was no need to make one feel obligated to meet the other's requests.

 Since Kara had only come up with the idea of trading 'hours on top' during sex to make Ophelia happy, she had no problem with Ophelia's suggestion to put an end to this "monetary system" before it could complicate their relationship. In all honesty, Kara hadn't even considered that what seemed like an innocent idea—paying your partner with your body—could negatively affect a relationship if it was practiced too often.

 Anyway, Kara consoled herself by thinking that it wasn't entirely her fault; she had just been given bad advice. She figured it was no surprise her father's female colleague had so many issues with her lover if she constantly resorted to tricks like these to avoid solving the problems. However, that also meant she would have to find a new way to calm Ophelia when she got upset.

 "So, you're not planning on using the two hours tonight?", Kara asked, curious to see if Ophelia was really willing to give up the advantage she would have during their lovemaking in order to prove she truly believed in what she said.

 "That... well, since you gave them to me as a gift, it wouldn't be polite to return them...", Ophelia replied, avoiding Kara's gaze. She had already made plenty of plans for that evening and didn't want to risk not being able to carry them out.

 ".....", Kara looked at Ophelia in an amused way. Honestly, she had expected Ophelia to give her such an answer.