37 - A Spar Against the Strongest

With Priscilla buying a black ribbon at the market, and me tying her hair back up with it, we then concluded our little tour around the city and began heading back to the inn.

It was a short excursion, yes, but we could always see the rest of it tomorrow.

Anyway, as we were on our way back, just as we came to the front of the inn, we suddenly came across a couple of familiar faces.

So they had arrived as well… and it seems that I had been noticed.

"Huh? Big Brother! So you were here!" Felt said as she began running up to me, the wind wrapping around her legs as she jumped into me with enough speed to knock out a normal person.

That Divine Protection of hers sure was something.

"So you came… it's nice to see you, Felt," I said, looking down at her in my arms.

It had been a few months since I had seen her, but she seemed to have grown a little taller in that time.

"Damn right! And now that I'm older, we can finally share a drink!" she replied with a cheeky smile.

Right… she had always wanted to try booze, much thanks to Rom's behaviour, but I had managed to keep her sober.

But sharing a drink now that she was 16… that did sound fun.

Although I don't know if that was the best thing for me.

"Felt-sama, please… no, never mind. I should know it would be useless," Reinhard said, shaking his head. "Either way, it is good to see you two in good health, Selian, Priscilla-sama. I apologize that we were unable to accept your invitation to the founding of Prisolia a few months back, as we were simply too busy."

"It's good to see you as well," I replied with a smile.

"Hmph. No matter. Your feats in calming the southern vagrants are worthy of praise," she said, raising her chin. "Of course, the attempt at securing support will eventually be all for naught, but it does make it quite interesting. Perhaps I will even allow you to serve as a member of my cabinet, girl."

The last comment was directed towards Felt, who I had placed back onto the ground.

"G-Girl? Who the hell are you calling a girl?!" Felt asked in outrage.

"Oh? Is it not obvious? Aside from the difference in our demeanour, I believe there are two particular traits that can separate me, a woman, from you, a girl," she said, pressing herself closer against me.

And those two particular traits had quite the soft feel to them…

Felt's face went blank, and looking down at her chest, she seemed to quickly understand what Priscilla was insinuating, her eyes going dull in response.

"Pris… did you have to provoke her?" I asked.

And why were you trying to get the better of my sister like that?

"What's wrong? It's simply good fun. Sisters should tease each other to maintain a healthy relationship, no?" she said with a smile.

I guess…

Turning back to Felt, it was obvious by her trembling fists that her anger had begun to boil, but thankfully, before she went into an outburst, we were interrupted by another group.

"Hey guys! And… is that Reinhard? So you guys came too!"

Turning back to Emilia's group, I paused as I noticed Subaru's state, as his clothes had been tattered.

Did he get into a fight or something?

"What happened?" I asked.

"Oh, this? It was… just a misunderstanding," he said, averting his eyes.

What?

"It's all because of that clingy little girl…" Rem mumbled, her eyes furrowed in frustration.

I guess there was a story there…

"I see… was the day successful, at least?" I asked.

"Well… not exactly… but at least we know he has them!" Subaru said with a smile.

"And we were about to finish negotiations before you barged in, Natsuki-san!" Otto cried in anger.

Ah… well, at least they knew-

"Grandfather…" Reinhard said, his voice interrupting my thoughts, lacking its usual clarity.

As he said that, I watched as Wilhelm stepped out from behind the group, his eyes wide as he stared at his grandson.

"Oh, right! I forgot that old man Wilhelm was taking the carriage back while we got to the inn, so you didn't see him yet," Subaru said, scratching the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "He's been training me alongside Clind-san… or, well, trying to… but it's been awesome having him around!"

To think he could refer to the legendary Sword Demon as 'that old man'… but I guess that was just like Subaru.

But seeing that closeness between a pair that had only known each other for a year contrasted with the awkwardness between two who should be close family members… in a way, it just made it worse.

Either way, his introduction seemed to snap Wilhelm out of his daze as the older man quickly bowed his head.

"Selian-dono, Priscilla-sama, it is wonderful to meet you two again. And you as well, Felt-sama and… Reinhard," he said, struggling with the last name before he shook his head. "But yes, this young man has been growing steadily under my tutelage, alongside Garfiel. While neither of them are fit for the sword, I am still able to guide them in the way of combat."

I see… that explained why Subaru had good tactics despite not being a fighter.

But alongside those tactics, after thinking back on that spar, I realized that there was something else that separated Subaru from others.

He had a sort of fearlessness… the type that made him seem like an expert warrior that was unshaken by fear that usually caused beginners to hesitate… almost to an uncomfortable degree.

That was, before he moved his body, revealing that he was still a novice in regard to combat.

"The pleasure is mine… and if Subaru was able to grow as much as I experienced, I can only imagine that Garfiel here is the same," I said, nodding to the boy who was looking at both of us with wide eyes.

No… rather, he was looking at Reinhard.

Could he sense his strength with his instincts?

Impressive… as was his control.

While it was just a surface-level observation, I thought he was the type to attack without thought when faced against such a thing.

"Err… y-yeah… he's shown me a lot, that's for sure…" Garfiel said before shaking his head, his mouth eventually widening into a smirk. "But while I still got a lot of growin' to do, I sure ain't a weakling! I'm the shield of the camp, after all!"

"Indeed. I can only hope to have someone of your strength join the royal knights once the royal selection has ended. You would be sure to be welcomed openly," Reinhard said with a smile before turning to Subaru, his eyebrows twitching for a moment. "And Subaru… you've certainly changed. I can sense that you've gotten stronger. No doubt in part thanks to my grandfather's help."

"Heh. Well, I won't try to deny it, but it's tough to hear that from someone like you," Subaru shrugged. "Your strength… it's still crazy to me, and being able to run a little faster doesn't change much."

Well… he was right in that aspect, but it was always good to get stronger, especially since he was a knight now.

"Please, you think of me much too highly," Reinhard said, turning to look at me. "In fact, while we're on that topic… I can tell that you've changed as well, Selian… in some ways, even more than him."

He could sense that?

Actually, considering it was him, it was probably a Divine Protection, no?

"Say, Selian… how about we have that spar we promised the last time we met," he said.

Right… from back against the bandits…

A spar, huh?

Well, even if he was right about me getting stronger over the past year, I was still far from his level… but that didn't mean I wouldn't want to see just how much I needed to improve to catch up.

"Deal," I accepted.

Wait… actually, considering it was him we were talking about…

"Although… perhaps we should do it using only our weapon skills… considering our location," I added, looking at the building beside us.

I didn't want this lovely inn to be treated like the old loot house, after all.

"Yes… you are right," Reinhard said.

And so, it was finally time to see how far I was.

—

As it turned out… there was still quite the sizeable gap between us.

"Ah… it is a draw," Reinhard said as my spear hovered over his thigh, while the edge of his sword was pressed lightly against my neck. "Congratulations… you are the first person from Lugunica who has pushed me so far."

Quite the compliment… but it sure didn't feel that way.

"Thank you… although, for future reference, you shouldn't say that to someone who was only able to take you to a draw once in twenty bouts," I said, retracting my weapon as he did the same.

Honestly, while I was under no delusion that I stood a chance against him, I thought that it would be somewhat equal if we were limited to just our physical strength and weapon skills.

Haa… and to think I lost this bad in front of Pris too…

"Darling."

Hearing that unfamiliar way of address, I looked up to see Priscilla walking towards me, her lips curled into a satisfied smile.

"Now, what's with that face? Are you that disappointed in your loss?" she asked, reaching up to caress my cheek. "Or, rather, losses."

That was unneeded, Pris.

"Well… a little," I replied, covering her hand with my own. "And… are you not a little disappointed as well?"

I know she loved bragging about me just as much as I liked hearing it, so it was obvious that-

"Hah. As if. I know how strong that monster is, and yet… you were able to bring him to a draw," she said, leaning closer. "To me, that is quite amazing. And I am sure you know how much I enjoy watching you overcome the issues you face… so no, contrary to being disappointed, I am proud of you, my Selian."

Her lips touched mine, a light peck in comparison to our usual affections, but nonetheless, it caused an explosion of warmth to blossom in my chest.

"Now that is a better expression, my Selian," she replied, separating from me.

She… really knew how to cheer me up, didn't she?

Just what I should expect.

Looking back at the spectators once more, I saw that there was quite a varied mix of reactions.

Embarrassment from Emilia. Awe from Rem. Discomfort from Julius. Amusement from Anastasia. Disgust from my dear little sister. And from Garfiel… I noticed quite a bit of disappointment.

Not at the actions of Priscilla and I, from what I could tell, but from something else… did the battle rattle him somehow?

He did mention wanting to get stronger last time we met…

"Garfiel… is something bothering you?" I asked.

"Huh? Garf, you good?" Mimi asked as well, turning to the boy that was behind her.

Mimi had apparently returned to the inn, as well as the upper brass of the Iron Fang mercenary group, as the only reason they hadn't greeted us was due to being occupied waiting for Felt's arrival at the city entrance.

She was certainly a loud one, but thankfully, she seemed too engrossed with Garfiel here to annoy Priscilla or me.

"H-Huh? N-No… it's nothin'," he said, clenching his fist as he looked down at it. "It's just… I might've gotten carried away in my head, is all…"

Ah… so he felt inferior.

"You're, what… fifteen? You're plenty strong for your age, so don't go comparing yourself unfairly," I said, attempting to dispense some wisdom to the boy.

Unfortunately, my advice seemed to fall on deaf ears, as he simply shrugged in response.

Though, I guess my praise didn't mean much since I hadn't felt his strength directly… but I could tell.

His mana, while not refined like a magician, was intense, and spread into every fabric of his body, so while I couldn't tell how well he used it, he definitely wasn't weak.

Well… I guess I can't do much more than this, huh?

Meeting Subaru's gaze as he gave me a nod, as if thanking me for trying, I then looked over at the person that had been silently watching the two of us this entire time, a subtle weight held in his gaze as he observed my red-haired opponent in particular.

"That… was a wonderful display of skill, you two. Congratulations," Wilhelm eventually spoke up, maintaining his perfect posture.

That overly formal tone was somewhat unusual for him to direct towards me… not to mention how the other party was his grandson.

"Grandfather… thank you," Reinhard replied, bowing his head.

"No… it was my pleasure, to see how you've grown…" Wilhelm returned, his gaze lowering to the ground.

A heavy silence then descended between the two.

Awkward… so awkward.

I was about to speak up to move the conversation along, but before I could… Crusch beat me to it.

"Wilhelm-dono… while it may not be my place, you should speak clearly and without fear," she said, nodding towards him with a smile. "After all, the thing holding you back has already been slain… so is this not the time to put the past behind you?"

Right… he was in her camp before the White Whale, so I guess she would know.

Wilhelm's eyes widened in response to her words.

"Yes… you are most correct…" he said before looking over to his grandson. "Reinhard… would you… like to have a spar?"

Ah… so that was it.

"Y-Yes… I would like that very much," Reinhard replied.

I quickly moved back towards the crowd to get out of the way, positioning myself between Priscilla and Crusch as the two Astreas took out their swords.

"Hmph. At least that pathetic old man has a somewhat redeemable expression on his face," Priscilla said.

"Yeah… I guess he was just afraid… they both were" I replied, watching them exchange their first flurry of strikes.

Damn… while I wasn't a swordsman, it was hard to deny the beauty of their swordsmanship.

"Ha. The one revered as the Sword Demon of Lugunica, and the monstrous strength of today's Sword Saint, both afraid over the thought of conversation…" Priscilla muttered, shaking her head. "Perhaps this nation needs my guidance more than I thought."

It did indeed, my lady.

Continuing to watch the two in their sword dance, I analyzed the strength of Wilhelm van Astrea, as it had been tough to accurately judge with only the fight against the White Whale as my evidence, as I had been quite preoccupied with the battle at the time.

But in the current situation, only using pure weapon skill and unenhanced bodies… I would say we were practically equal.

He certainly had better technique than me, but I made up for it with my physical attributes, and in terms of instinct… they seemed to be about the same, with my Divine Protection supporting the difference in experience.

But that just meant that I had more room to grow… in both skill and experience.

Their spar didn't go as long as the previous one, and soon enough, they mutually lowered their swords with smiles present on their faces.

"Thank you, Grandfather. I learned a lot," Reinhard said, a calm expression on his face.

"Please… it was my pleasure," Wilhelm replied, a smile gracing his lips. "Truly… thank you."

They both seemed much better than before, and while neither had suffered any injuries, the strikes they exchanged seemed to have decimated most of the awkwardness between them.

Congratulations, you two.

Although… did this family only know how to talk with swords?

Even with Heinkel, I had to beat him up a bit to knock some sense into him, as words seemed too inefficient.

But then again… that is just what I would expect from the family of Sword Saints.

"Hey… if they're done… come fight me."

Huh?

Looking to my side, it seemed that the request had indeed been directed at me, and… by just who I would expect.

"Wait, Garfiel-"

"Cap'n… please." He cut Subaru off, turning his head to look directly at me. "You're a man, right? So just… fight me! Please! I… want to see who's stronger."

Uhh… I didn't really want to, but it wasn't as if I was completely opposed…

"Pff. You think that is even a question? You vastly underestimate my Selian, boy," Priscilla said, pushing me towards the clearing from behind. "But fine. I am sure such a battle, while quick, will be entertaining, so I allow you to satisfy your curiosity."

Well, I guess I was doing it then.

And so, having found myself standing opposite the boy as he stretched out his arms, I raised my spear in preparation for the incoming fight.

"Let's not take too long with this one. I'm starting to get a bit hungry," I said.

"Heh, don't you mind it! I'll get this over with faster than you can blink!" he shouted back, baring his teeth in a grin.

Where had that insecurity from before gone?

Was this just false bravado, or had he regained some confidence?

Either way… while I didn't want to break the boy's spirit, when it was Priscilla watching me…

There was no way that I would lose.

With a sudden start, he leaped forward. The ground cratering under his feet as his he crossed the distance between us, his body transformed into a blur.

He was fast.

Fast, yes… but when it was such a straightforward attack, focusing only on speed and power… it was easily predictable.

Was he really as easy to read as I thought?

How… disappointing.

And so, with my back coiled and hips twisting, I thrust my spear forward to stop his charge.

But still… the instincts and agility of a demi-human weren't to be underestimated.

He leaned back, my spear tip glancing over his shoulder as he smirked.

"Ha! Got ya now!" 

His hips twisted as his leg suddenly shot out, the wind howling from the speed as it closed in on my open side.

I see… distraction and diversion.

So he wasn't a complete idiot, which was good, but still… he was revealing too much.

And most importantly, underestimating me greatly.

It was a simple movement. Just manoeuvring my arm to grab his approaching shin, while my leg rose to impact his knee.

And with a bit of force and delicate rotation to dampen the impact…

"Argh!" he shouted, his leg locked in place, while his side was left completely open.

And I did not misuse such an opening, as with a quick twist, the hilt of my spear twirled around to hit the side of his head, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Quite a clean takedown, if I say so myself.

"It's my win," I said, resting my spear tip against his neck. "You did well, all things considered… but thinking only one step ahead isn't good enough for the people you want to match up to."

His teeth gritted as I stepped away from him.

"He has definitely gotten better, but he is still much too steadfast," Wilhelm added from the side. "Against me, his physical prowess masks his weaknesses, so I thank you for giving him a chance for true introspection."

"Yeah… it's no problem," I replied, watching as Garfiel slowly stood up, his body trembling in either anger or embarrassment.

And while I couldn't see his face, I could imagine what kind of expression he was making at the moment.

"Dammit… dammit! Damn it all, like Harkein in Twilight!" he shouted, pounding his fist against the ground, causing the dirt to ripple.

Ignoring whatever the hell 'Harkein in Twilight' meant, I watched as he wiped his face with his hand, and then, as swift as he had been in the spar… he ran.

"Garfiel-!"

"Subaru-kun… just let him run for now. He needs some time alone," Rem said, stopping Subaru from moving to chase him. "We both know that we all need moments to show weakness, right? So just let him be alone for now."

"But… no, you're right. Just… dammit," Subaru said, shaking his head as he looked over at me. "Oh, and… don't worry. In fact, I'm thankful… I'd rather him be angered after getting beaten than dead."

I wasn't that worried in the first place… while it might be childish, it was fine for a warrior to get upset and want some self-reflection after a loss.

And so, like that, the little sparring event had come to an end as everyone went inside to prepare for dinner.

Although, amongst the group, I couldn't help but notice the lack of a certain demi-human… well, I suppose the comfort of a woman would be good for Garfiel as well.

If Mimi could even count as one, that is…

—

It was now nighttime, and after a nice dinner, and some time spent in the gendered open-air baths, we were now relaxing in the common room with the others that had not gone to their rooms.

Although the group was quite small, consisting of only Subaru, Priscilla, Emilia, and Rem, it was still a pleasant and calm atmosphere.

"Selian, would you mind brushing my hair?" Priscilla said, sitting on my lap.

"Of course," I replied, taking the offered comb as I began running my hand through her still-damp hair.

Starting with the ends, I began gently combing through it, ensuring that I didn't hurt her whenever I found a knot, which was quite rare.

"Damn… I know I should expect it by now, but your closeness still surprises me," Subaru said.

"But isn't it heartwarming? And after talking with Priscilla-san in the bath, they definitely have a lot of love for each other," Emilia added, watching on with almost a sense of… reminiscence.

It felt a little weird to be talked about like a display, but I guess they were curious about what a relationship looked like.

And looking over at Rem, who was staring at us with palpable jealousy… well, from the short glances she shot over to Subaru, it was obvious what she wanted.

I had initially thought that Subaru was dense to their affections, but looking at it now… it was more like him being afraid of pushing forward, with both of his potential partners.

Well… good luck to them, I suppose.

But still… about what Emilia said…

"What did you talk to her about?" I asked into Priscilla's ear.

"Just satisfying her curiosity… and some of my own, I suppose," she replied, leaning closer into my chest. "That camp is an interesting one, that is for sure."

"I see… I'm glad to see you've gotten another friend," I said, returning my focus to combing her hair.

For my insolence, I was punished with a light pinch to my thigh.

A few minutes passed in relative silence before Subaru eventually spoke up.

"Anyway… it's getting kind of late, no? And Garfiel still isn't back yet… do you know where he might be, Selian?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, I have no clue," I said, shaking my head. "But… if you're that worried, then I can search for him if you want."

Even if the kid deserved some time alone, he didn't have to spend the whole night away.

Besides… I did feel a bit bad now for crushing his confidence, and as much of a good talker as Subaru was, I don't think he would be the best person to lift the boy's spirits at the moment.

"That'd be awesome!" Subaru replied.

"We would be very thankful," Emilia added with a nod.

And so it was decided.

But I still needed one person's opinion.

"Pris?" I asked, leaning to the side to see her face.

"Hmm… fine. I do wish to see what became of that boy, so do what you want," she said, shuffling off of me. "Ah, but do not take too long. We are meant to have a few drinks to celebrate our arrival tonight, and I want you there for it."

"Understood," I said, getting up from the couch.

Now, it was time to find that kid.

Actually… there was probably two of them, right?

—

Luckily, it took nearly no time at all to find him, as two people on a roof was quite the rare sight, and easy to spot when I was travelling over the rooftops myself.

And from how Mimi was currently clinging to his back… well, it seemed like he was better, but I couldn't be completely sure.

Connecting myself to the space just behind them, I appeared in an instant, causing both of their bodies to tense as they turned around.

"Whoa! Fast!" Mimi exclaimed.

As she had already seen me use my abilities in battle, she wasn't as shocked as the boy.

"The fuck-? Oh… it's you," Garfiel said, calming down as soon as he recognized me.

"Yeah… it is," I said, moving to sit down next to him.

His eyes… they were red, and it didn't take a genius to know it was from crying.

Did his loss hurt him that bad?

No… I don't think that was it.

He might have been prideful about his strength, but I doubted that he was the type to cry over something like that, especially in the presence of a girl.

So…

"What happened?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"Tch… why should I tell you?" he grumbled.

"Because you seem to need some support, and I doubt you want to talk about it to your fellow camp members, considering how it made you cry," I replied.

He flinched once again.

Seems like I hit the nail on the head.

"So? What happened?" I asked again.

He closed his eyes, clenching his fists before looking down at the street below.

"I… saw my mother," he said in a shaky breath.

He then went on to explain the story, as well as the history behind it.

To be left behind as a child, believe your mother to be dead, and then meet her again many years later, only to learn that she lost her memory of you and had started another happy family…

Yeah, that was harsh, and worse than I thought.

But past me feeling bad for the kid… how was I meant to help him out?

He seemed to have gotten his emotions out, thanks to his little girlfriend, but he still seemed lost…

Haa… if only he had been upset at losing, this would have been much simpler.

Now as for what to say… I guess Priscilla's guidance would be helping me in this.

The selfishness and confidence of my lover was something quite incredibly, after all.

"Look, that's… a tough situation, kid, but the most important thing is this," I said, turning to face him. "What do you want to do?"

Garfiel's eyes widened before he shook his head in refusal.

"It doesn't matter, dammit! She already has a life, so I… I can't do anything!" he shouted.

Right… he was definitely a selfless one.

But that didn't mean it was right.

"You know that Felt and I are siblings, right?" I asked.

"Yep! My lady told me all about you! Said it's important information for negotiations!" Mimi replied.

"Right… anyway, when we were younger, we used to live in the slums of the capital. And while I might have only been her big brother, I also acted as her parent for a lot of the time… before she grew up, at least," I said, smiling as I began reminiscing the past. "Anyway, that girl… she was quite the troublemaker. I specifically remember one time when she constantly hounded me for a cake she heard about, even though we were poor… but no matter how many times I told her, she wouldn't listen. And eventually, after helping a shop owner out with some chores, I was able to bring some back. And know what she called it? She said it was 'okay'. Completely ridiculous."

Even now, I could feel my eyes twitch in frustration, so it was obvious how irritated I had been at that moment.

"Sounds like a spoiled brat," he replied in a huff.

"Hah. You know she's a candidate now, right?" I said jokingly as I looked over the city streets below. "But yes… she was spoiled, and she was selfish… and I wouldn't want it any other way."

He looked up at me in confusion.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because… it's a child's right to be selfish, one could say, and conversely, it's part of their charm," I said, hesitantly reaching out to rustle his hair. "And you, Garfiel Tinsel… you are still a child too. At least to me."

Thankfully, he didn't get angered by my action, so I decided to continue talking.

"So find out what you want, even though I'm already pretty sure what it is, and if your mother is as kind as what you told me, she would never dismiss you. And as for after that… well, that's for you to decide," I said, removing my hand. "But no matter what, there is one thing you must know, Garfiel."

He looked back, his eyes begging for an answer.

"There's no need to run away when you've done nothing wrong."

It was that simple, but thankfully, my simple statement had affected him quite a lot, at least from how the look in his eyes had changed was anything to go by.

"Anyway… Mimi, you did a good job being there for him, but you can't ignore the people in front of you, kid," I said, getting to my feet. "Even if you become the strongest guy around, you're still as emotionally vulnerable as anyone else. Even I would be wandering around uselessly if not for Pris, so be sure to treasure those you consider family."

"Yeah… I know… fuck," he said, wiping his eyes that had begun to tear up. "And everyone else… they're… not ashamed of me?"

What kind of question was that?

"I think you already know the answer to that," I answered, shaking my head. "But they are worried. I won't forcefully bring you back, but you should talk to them about all this."

"Yeah… I think I got it," he said. "But you… how can I get as strong as you? Even Capn' praised ya like crazy, on the same level as that Sword Saint. And then that spar…"

Hmm… how to answer that…

"There isn't an answer," I said, causing his shoulders to drop. "Or, at least, not an easy one… but I heard from Subaru how you defeated that annoying Elsa, someone even me and the Sword Saint weren't able to take down, so I'd say you're already well on your way."

Even I was surprised when I heard about that.

Still, from the frown on his face, it seemed that my answer hadn't been too appreciated.

"But if there was one piece of advice I could give you…" I said, smiling to myself as I watched Mimi stand up with Garfiel. "I got a lot stronger when I decided to be useful for Priscilla… And even stronger once I fell for her… So do with that information what you will."

I then turned around, preparing to head back to the inn, and to my delight… the other two followed behind.

—

After the three of us returned, it didn't take long for the night to devolve into a drinking party with the purpose of celebrating everyone coming together.

Luckily, I had learned over the years to pace myself when it came to drinking, but while I was content with sipping some wine, the others… were not.

"Hic-! Prishilla-chan~" Emilia said, her cheeks rosy from intoxication.

"What is it?" Pris replied leaning closer against me as Emilia sat down beside her.

"I just wanted to say thank you, you know? For the advice and teaching me about all that stuff the last time I was with you… hic-!" she said, her speech slurred yet still clear. "And you know, I got Frederica to teach me the rest, but still… why did Puck say babies came from kissing? Liars are bad, you know!?"

"Yes, indeed. It seems that your guardian had led you astray, but still, it is partly your responsibility for being so gullible," Priscilla replied.

"Mou~ but you're right… I need to make sure to know more…" Emilia said before looking up at her. "Hey, do you have anything else I should learn? Please~"

And in front of such an earnest plea, Priscilla… smiled.

Uh oh.

That wasn't her loving smile… no, that was her amused one.

"Hmm… well, I suppose there is something I ought to advise you on," she said before leaning closer to Emilia, putting her lips next to her elongated ears as she began to whisper.

And from the range of faces that Emilia made while she did so… it definitely wasn't something innocent.

"I… does that work?" she asked in shock after Priscilla leaned away.

"Of course. Especially when dealing with men like your knight," saw said before looking over at me. "In fact… it works with my Selian as well. Although food would be preferable."

Uhh… what works?

She then reached over the table, taking a cup of the local alcohol, before turning to me.

"Selian… drink," she stated.

"Uhh, Pris? You know that I'm bad with alcohol," I replied.

"And I wish to see you in such a state once more," she said, shaking her head. "Nevertheless, this in itself is useful for demonstrating. Half-elf, if that idiot is too embarrassed, you simply need to make his instincts as a man overwhelm his other feelings. Like this."

She then poured the alcohol into her mouth in one smooth motion, and upon placing the empty cup down, she turned to me with open arms and pursed lips.

I knew what that meant, and I… was not able to refuse.

Was this what she meant by 'instincts as a man'?

I couldn't even deny it though…

I leaned forward, accepting her kiss as I felt her mouth open, a flood of intense flavour entering my mouth as her tongue forced me to drink.

It was… intoxicating, one could say… and I don't think it was because of the alcohol.

But still, kissing so deeply at a party like this… I could already hear Emilia's embarrassed yelp, but as for the others… no, they were probably too engrossed in their own conversations to notice.

Having swallowed all the liquid, Priscilla then let me go, our lips separating with a 'pop' as I opened my eyes to her victorious smile.

Well, wasn't that a pretty face… oh, and this feeling… was pretty good too… the warmth and fuzziness…

"So it seems he's already capitulated to the effects… oh well, that is an added benefit to my display, I suppose," Priscilla said as she took my head in her hands, gently lowering me onto her lap as I felt my cheeks squish against her soft thighs.

Mmm… this was comfortable.

And the feeling of her hands gently brushing through my hair… it was amazing.

"Yes… you're quite cute when you're drunk, aren't you?" Priscilla said as she scratched behind my ear.

Cute?

No way… but if it's her saying it… then I guess I wouldn't complain…

"Anyway, do you understand what I'm saying?" Priscilla said to Emilia.

"Umm… kind of? But not totally…" she replied.

"I am saying you must spoil him. Forcefully, if you must. In fact, I have heard that there are men out there who would enjoy such forcefulness, especially if it contradicts a woman's usually gentle nature," Priscilla explained, her hands continuing to soothe my soul. "Men are similar to dogs. You feed them, and they wag their tails. You pet their fur, and they cozy up beside you… even if my Selian is the best of men out there, he is a man all the same, as you can see."

I couldn't even deny it… I did like getting fed and petted by her, after all.

"Ooh… I see…" Emilia said, seemingly interested.

"Good. Now lastly, and perhaps most importantly… is to make evident that you have control over their heart, especially if they have done the same to you… and to do that, you must whisper these words," she said slowly before I felt her lean down, her breath blowing gently past my ear. "Selian… I am very proud of you… you're such a good boy…"

My mind went blank at her praise.

A good boy?

Hah. How childish. It wasn't as if I…

Okay, maybe I liked it a bit.

Or… maybe a lot.

"I truly love you," she whispered, her lips lightly kissing my ear before she rose once again, continuing to talk to Emilia.

And of course, I remained resting on her lap.

Even if it was a bit embarrassing, I really didn't mind such praise.

And that definitely wasn't because I had awakened something from her whispers… definitely not.