Chapter 181

"Kyaaa?!"

Swiftly lifting her up, he ignored her startled cry and pinned her against the wall. The stone cracked slightly, but the wall would remain standing.

"I-Igor! What are-mmph!"

Silencing her with his lips, he greedily explored her mouth with his tongue. There was no helping it. She stoked his fire too much. This woman was a godsend and he found himself loving her more and more.

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|DxD|

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Aurelia felt a twinge of regret as she walked next to Igor. It had been a while since they shared a passionate kiss in the middle of the hallway and for every moment she enjoyed it, her mortification at their actions magnified the moment after.

[...]

Looking at how they held hands like a couple made little butterflies float in her stomach. She was intimately holding hands with a man just like in all those novels she read.

Granted a hospital of all things wasn't the most romantic spot, but she didn't care. There was no mistaking it. As odd and as very weird as it sounded, she loved him. She loved Igor.

Maybe it was weird? It still felt weird to hold these feelings for a man decades her junior. Good lord, she practically watched him grow throughout these ten years. From a simple boy who loved nothing but his family and fighting to a man who…still loved nothing but his family and fighting.

[This is confusing…]

In her confusion, her mind brought up those words he uttered that whittled down her resistance like ice in a desert.

'Is it because I'm young? I'm already past my sixties if we count the number of years I've been alive. Even if we ignore that, I've seen and lived through things even humans in their eighties have never seen. As far as I'm concerned, I'm more than self-aware to know what I want. And I want you.'

Remembering those words he said, she realised she was maybe overthinking things. Those eyes definitely weren't those of a child. She was afraid-no, she knew if she brought up her doubts with him again, he'd admonish her before sealing her lips with his again.

"..."

Maybe she wanted tha-

Flush~

With reddening cheeks, she banished the perverted thought from her brain. It wasn't enough that she was older. But he now had her wrapped around his finger. It was embarrassing considering it should be the other way around.

In the novels she read, it was the older woman who guided the younger male. Granted, those woman had the 'experience' needed to teach. She was still a maiden at the time so that was a sort of…consolation? An excuse?

She didn't hate their current dynamic. A part of her…a very perverted part of her, wanted to experience a few hot and passionate moments with him in one of these rooms. The thought of doing something so dirty was making her a bit moist.

Flush~

Maybe if she…hinted-

"Man. This place sure is big. I wonder if aunty will show us around the place since it seems like she knows it."

"..."

So absorbed was she in her thoughts that she forgot to address the most important issue.

"Maybe she would…"

Shuri was the hurdle that caused her heart to experience constant palpations. She unabashedly told her of her feelings towards Igor, of how much she appreciated him, of how much she loved him.

Yet in that very night, she 'betrayed' Shuri and slept with him.

"..."

Aurelia felt like scum, even more so when she didn't want to leave Igor. She was too unwilling. So much had happened between them that even the thought of leaving him wasn't going to be entertained in the slightest.

So…

[What do I do?]

Does she hope that Shuri gets back together with Baraquiel?

[Impossible. Shuri-sama has made her intentions far too clear.]

'No matter what you say or do, I can't stop loving him, I won't stop loving him, and I never will stop loving him. As long as I draw breath, this heart of mine will belong to him.'

[...far too clear.]

Sneaking a glance at the blonde from the corner of her eye, her cheeks burnt up at the memory of what happened not even a minute ago. Shamefully, she loved it when he got like that and certainly didn't want any of it to stop.

But then there were also the plans she had in that he would take Shuri as his wife. She did not include herself in any of those plans so now she was feeling a bit of stress and apprehension. One stupid confession and a decade of planning went out the window.

[Haaa…]

Her feelings were a mess. Her mind was a mess. She couldn't decide between coming clean with Shuri or hoping that the brunette would lose all her determination and stay with Baraquiel…a horrible thought to have. But this was her first time dealing with this cliche love triangle mess.

Even worse, she only had a week to deal with everyth-

"Sister."

Coming to a sudden stop, Igor couldn't contain his worries any longer.

"What is wrong with you? What's happening?"

Holding her hand tightly, her constantly fluctuating energy worried him to no end. What kind of turbulent thoughts were she having that made her seem so…downtrodden?

"I…"

Aurelia tried to lie, but eventually gave up.

Sigh

"Igor. I'm sorry. But I can't tell you yet. I really, really can't tell you yet. It's an issue I have and I need a bit of time to solve it."

"..."

Igor was tempted…really tempted to force the issue and have her tell him right then and there.

"I don't like seeing you like this, Lia."

With his teeth grating on each other, he was visibly stressed at her keeping secrets from him.

"Not at all."

"..."

The guilt she had before paled in comparison to the one she felt now. He was worried for her and her wellbeing, yet here she was being secretive.

"My lord…Igor…"

Placing her hands on his cheeks, she looked into his eyes and spoke with all the honesty she could muster.

"I promise you, Igor. I promise that when the week is over, I will let you know of every single thing, alright?"

She leaned in and gave him a small and sensual kiss.

Chuu~

"I promise."

"..."

Even after their kiss, he was still frowning. He didn't like what she was doing at all in the slightest. But, looking into her eyes, he very, very reluctantly agreed.

"Alright. Fine-"

"No!"

Hugging him tightly, Aurelia didn't want to end it like this.

"Please listen to me, Igor. I know what I'm doing to you is very wrong and unbecoming. But I don't want you to mistrust me, not in the slightest. Please believe me that if I could, I would willingly share my problem with you without hesitation. But…this secret isn't only mine to tell. Maybe you'll guess who else it is eventually, but please hold off on that until the end of this week. By then, I promise I will tell you everything truthfully. I swear it on my family name."

"..."

By putting her family name on the line, it was a heavy indicator that she was being truthful with her words. Hearing her swear on her name as a Drachenburg, Igor decided to trust her despite his vehement desire to know the truth.

"Alright. I accept. I'll wait."

"?!"

Unable to hide her relief, she hugged him tighter.

"Thank you, Igor. Thank you…"

"..."

Still, the blonde had one worry.

"Don't become happy yet, sister. I still want to ask you one thing."

Gently lifting her chin so that he could look her in the eye, he spoke calmly with a seriousness that could only be found in a man.

"This is non-negotiable. If I find out that you answered no, but the opposite were true true, I will never ever trust you fully like I do now."

"..."

Panicking inwardly, Aurelia braced herself.

"Alright, Igor. I will answer truthfully, but please don't make it difficult for me."

"Alright."

Aurelia could keep her secret. What he wanted to know was one thing and one thing only.

"This secret of yours…does it place you in any mortal danger? Is your life at risk? Don't lie to me."

"..."

Unable to stop herself, she smiled warmly.

"No, Igor. I can promise you that no lives are at risk here."

"Good. I don't want either you or aunty's lives to be at risk."

She looked up in surprise.

"...you knew?"

"I guessed. But now I'm sure."

Giving her a snarky grin, Aurelia just hugged him tighter with a huff.

"And you call yourself stupid, my lord."

"I'm still stupid. I just happen to be a bit more observant than others."

Nuzzling against his chest, Aurelia smiled wryly.

"That is a trait smart people have."

"Hmmm…nope. If I was smart as you say you are, I wouldn't have told you how I felt."

"..."

Feeling a bit of trepidation enter her, she carefully asked, her hold on him subconsciously tightening.

"Why…?"

"Well…"

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"...you remember when I said I wasn't quite where I need to be? I didn't want to pursue you until I got as strong as Indra."

Considerably relieved that he wasn't regretful, she questioned him further with curiosity.

"Was it for status?"

"No. I just wanted to beat him in a fight. After that, I would formally begin courting you. Though…"

He kissed her forehead.

"...I don't regret the way things are now~. Well, I do have one regret. I spent months thinking of lines I could use to court you. I didn't think you'd be so…'quick' in accepting me, sister."

"..."

Flush~

Feeling absolutely mortified that he was referencing yesterday, she resolutely changed the topic.

"H-how did you figure out that Shuri-sama was also involved in this secret?"

It was a stupid question, but she desperately wanted to change the conversation. These new feelings and experiences were things she was still new to. She wasn't in any condition to engage in sexual talks and innuendo so brazenly like him.

"Aunty? It was obvious. She had a secret to keep. Next thing I know, you have a secret too. It was pretty easy to connect the dots. Though I am curious. The secret…is it aunty divorcing the old man? I won't judge if it is."

"..."

It would be so easy to say yes and get him off their trail.

"No. That's not it, my lord. It is a part of it, but not the crux."

"Hmm…"

He seemed to mull it over for a while before he shrugged.

"Alright. I won't try and investigate any further. Just tell me by the end of the week, alright? Or else the next ten years in the time chamber will be spent with you making a new bed."

"?!"

Completely and utterly flustered by his words, she broke free from his hold and marched forward, a very bright crimson shade of red on her face. One minute he's warm and caring. The next, he turns into a lecherous rogue.

She couldn't handle it anymore.

[He's too perverted!]

Silently, Igor watched her walk away, a warm smile spreading on his face. He couldn't help it. Seeing her make all these sorts of cute reactions just lit a fire in him.

[Father. I have no regrets. I love this woman.]

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AN

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I'm jealous. I mean, I'm not jealous of their relationship at all. I swear.

On another note, there's three extra chapters available to read on my patreon for those interested.

Until the next chapter.