58

The full moon outside the window cast a gentle glow over the night.

The hoot of an owl added a layer of quiet calm to the surrounding atmosphere.

"Mom."

"Hmm?"

"What's your ideal type, Mom?"

Mari and I lay in bed, preparing to sleep.

Maybe she wasn't quite ready to go to bed yet. Snuggled into my arms, Mari kept asking me all sorts of questions.

She'd asked about my hobbies, favorite foods, and more. Now, it seemed like she was curious about my ideal type.

'Ideal type…'

I've never actually had a girlfriend, but I certainly had an ideal type.

Though I'm in a woman's body now, thinking of a male ideal didn't feel right. It'd be best to mention the ideal I had before I took on this body.

"Hmm… Mom's ideal type is…"

Mari looked at me with bright, curious eyes.

"First, someone kind… A mature person who can accept me as I am?"

As I said it out loud, I realized that Daniya was exactly my ideal type.

She'd always taken good care of me, wrapping me in her warm embrace with a gentle smile. Sometimes, I'd feel a bit suffocated in her ample chest, but I always felt comfort in her presence.

…Although, that's not possible anymore.

She's probably living happily with Lily by now.

Every so often, a pang would tug at my heart when they crossed my mind, but I'd grown accustomed to it and could move on quickly.

"Kind…? Mari is kind!"

With a smile, Mari nuzzled her face into my chest.

I gently stroked her head as she snuggled up.

"Yes, Mari is very kind."

Seeming pleased, Mari closed her eyes and leaned into my touch.

Come to think of it, Mari hasn't been alive that long, so it's impressive that she understands what an ideal type is.

Is it because she's a dragon and knows more than others her age?

"Mari, do you have an ideal type?"

"Mom!"

She answered immediately, without hesitation.

"Ha! Am I your ideal type, Mari?"

"Yes, someone pretty and pure, just like Mom."

Her words were so innocent and filled with praise that I couldn't help but feel a bit bashful.

"Hehe… That's a little embarrassing."

And so, we continued chatting about random things for a while.

Eventually, Mari started blinking slowly, her eyelids growing heavy as sleepiness set in.

"You can sleep if you're tired."

But Mari shook her head, stubbornly fighting off sleep, her eyes wide open.

"I want… to talk… with Mom… more…"

"Ha-ha… We can talk again tomorrow, can't we?"

I gently stroked her back as I spoke, and she slowly drifted off to sleep in my arms.

A little while later.

"…Is Mari asleep?"

Mari's breaths came in soft, steady puffs as she fell into a deep sleep.

Carefully, I slipped my arms out from around her and quietly tiptoed out of the room, making sure not to wake her.

Then, a dim hallway with most of the lights off unfolded before me.

"Why did Athena call me at such a time…"

Muttering to myself quietly, I walked down the hallway for a while before finally arriving at her room.

Worried that she might be asleep, I knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."

Contrary to my expectations, her voice immediately drifted from within the room.

As I opened the door and stepped inside,

The lights were completely off, with only a few candles casting a somber glow over the room.

"Did you put Mari to sleep?"

Athena closed the book she had been reading on the sofa and spoke to me.

"Mm-hmm. She's asleep now…"

"Hmm…"

Her gaze, accompanied by a sly smile, sent a wave of tension through me.

"But… why did you have to call me at this hour…?"

When I asked in confusion, Athena shifted from the sofa to sit on the bed.

She then patted the bed lightly, as if inviting me to sit beside her.

Without much suspicion, I walked over and sat next to her.

Athena sighed and looked at me.

"Hera, haven't you been too lazy lately?"

The atmosphere changed in an instant at her words.

"Huh…?"

"You haven't been doing any of the things you're supposed to."

"M-my duties…?"

Athena took hold of my chin and pulled my face closer to hers.

"Yes. Your duties as a slave."

My mind blanked out at her words.

There was only one thing she expected of me:

To bring joy to my mistress as her loyal servant.

"Th-that…"

I had certainly been neglecting the affection she enjoyed recently.

There had been the matter with Sephir, and Mari was always around, so I hadn't had any chance for that.

I wasn't the type to express affection openly in front of others…

Not to mention, I had offered comfort meant for her to Sephir instead.

In truth, I hadn't done anything for Athena at all.

Seeing me falter and unable to respond, Athena let out a deep sigh.

She stared at me with cold eyes for a while before muttering softly.

"Haa… Should I just find a different slave…"

Thud.

My heart suddenly felt like it sank to the bottom.

"…What?"

Her voice was so faint it was almost inaudible.

I wanted to believe I'd heard wrong.

But her words echoed too clearly in my ears.

'W-what did Athena just say…?'

A different slave…

Does that mean she's going to abandon me…?

Athena… is she… abandoning me?

My breathing grew ragged, and my body began to tremble.

It was something I had never even considered.

The thought of being abandoned by her made my mind go blank, paralyzing my thoughts.

"Uh… uh…"

I can't live without Athena.

The only person who accepts and cares for someone as incompetent and lacking as I am.

I never wanted to leave her side.

A place without Athena would be nothing but hell.

I didn't even want to imagine what would happen if she discarded me.

Desperately, I clung to Athena, pleading with her.

"No… I don't want another slave…"

Please, don't abandon me.

"You… you already have me…"

You promised to love me forever. You promised to care for me.

Though my voice struggled to come out in a state of panic, I tried to convey my heartfelt plea to her as best I could.

But despite my desperate plea, Athena only looked at me with an unchanged gaze.

"…Lately, I don't see a reason to keep you around."

"A… Athena…"

"And your constant backtalk… It's really starting to irritate me, along with your defiance."

"I… I…"

"Tell me, Hera. What have you done lately that's worthy of a slave's role?"

Each word from her mouth pierced my heart like a cold thorn.

Tears began to well up in my eyes, and my hands trembled as if they were shaken by an earthquake.

"If you don't want to be a slave, just say so. Someone else can–"

No. Don't say it.

I don't want to hear it.

"–be found–"

Before Athena could finish her sentence,

I ran into her arms.

Mmph—

I silenced her with a rough kiss so she couldn't say another word.

Startled, Athena tried to push me away, but I clung to her tighter, not letting go.

Mmm—mmph—

I pulled her lips closer with mine, even savoring her tongue as it slipped out from between her lips.

Athena's lips slowly parted.

Without hesitation, I slid my tongue into her mouth.

"Nngh… mmm…"

As I moved my tongue urgently to capture hers, our tongues intertwined fiercely in our mouths.

The sound of lips sucking quickly turned into the sound of waves crashing.

Normally, I would have stopped by now, but I craved more of her essence flowing into my mouth.

For a long time, the only sound in Athena's bedroom was that of our mingling saliva.

Just as my breath grew too ragged for me to continue,

I pulled my face away from hers.

A sticky, transparent thread stretched between us, as if linking us together.

"Hah… haah…"

I gasped for air, finally taking in the oxygen I had been deprived of.

In front of me, Athena, who seemed to have held her breath for quite a while, let out a slightly excited breath, her cheeks flushed red.

"Heu… Hera. What does this mean?"

Athena asks me, raising one eyebrow.

Without hesitation, I respond to her.

"I… I'll do better… So please… don't say you'll find someone else…"

"It might not mean much to you… but… you're the only one for me."

"…Hmph."

I look at Athena with trembling eyes.

Her mouth twitches, as if she's trying to hold back a laugh.

After staring at me for a moment, Athena finally lets out a small chuckle and pulls me into a hug.

"Then, Hera, will you make me happy from now on?"

Hearing her words of reassurance that she won't abandon me, my heart slowly begins to calm down.

"Y-Yes… W-What do you want? I'll do anything….!"

"Really? Then…"

Athena steps out of bed and heads somewhere in the room.

"Athena…?"

"I'll be watching to see how diligently my Hera will serve."

When she returns, she's holding a bottle of fine-looking wine.

Then, with a flick of her finger, she opens the wine bottle.

"A-Athena?!"

Without hesitation, she pours the entire bottle of wine over herself.

Her white nightgown is instantly soaked in red, clinging tightly to her body.

"Oh dear. All soaked."

With a small smile, she slips off her nightgown, revealing her seductive figure, clad only in underwear.

Drops of wine glisten over her body, spread across every inch.

Athena sits down heavily on the bed, her soaked figure looking at me.

"Now, my servant, you should clean your master's body, shouldn't you?"

With a sultry smile, she gestures to her body.

"Lick every last drop without leaving any behind."