62

"Breast milk…?"

I was so taken aback by Mari's unexpected request that I was left speechless, my mind going completely blank.

I tried to calm my chaotic emotions and told Mari that it was not possible.

"Why… not…?"

"Huh..? Uh… uh?"

"I also… want to drink… mama's milk…"

Mari had an expression as if she had lost everything in the world, a look filled with despair.

Seeing her sorrowful face filled me with guilt.

"...."

"Well… it's just that… Mama is still a bit too young…"

"...."

"Milk… doesn't…"

"...."

Seeing Mari's eyes fill with tears made my heart race, as if a fire had been ignited within me.

"How about regular milk? That's much tastier!"

"No… I want mama's milk…"

"Uh… or maybe I could ask someone else…?"

"No, I don't want anyone else… I want mama's."

Mari kept clinging to me, pleading again and again. I couldn't bring myself to push her away.

"...."

'Oh, what should I do?'

What was I supposed to do in this situation?

I was completely at a loss, having never encountered anything like this before.

Breast milk could only be produced after pregnancy; there was no way it could come from me right now.

But Mari was adamant that she wouldn't drink it if it didn't come from my body.

"M-Mari…"

After that, Mari sulked over the fact that she couldn't have breast milk.

It took a long time and careful explanations for me to make her understand why I couldn't give her any.

***

Night soon crept in.

I sighed, looking at Mari sleeping by my side.

-"Promise… keep your promise, Mama."

-"Promise… promise!! I'm first!!"

A promise made between the two of us.

If the day ever came when I could produce breast milk, I'd promised to give it to Mari first.

'Sorry, Mari… that day probably won't come…'

After all, it wasn't like I'd be getting pregnant.

But maybe, after some time, Mari's obsession with breast milk would fade away.

Dragons grow up so quickly. In a few years, she might even feel embarrassed and reject it herself.

Though it felt like I had told a bit of a lie, I thought it was necessary.

Mari's request had seemed so sincere that this promise felt like the only way to soothe her.

"Mari… are you asleep…?"

"...."

After confirming that Mari had fallen deeply asleep, I quietly lifted myself from the bed.

It was time to go find Athena, as her faithful servant.

Hoping that Athena would be pleased tonight as well, I quietly opened the door, careful not to wake Mari.

Without noticing something squirming on the bed.

***

"Welcome, Hera."

"Mm…"

As usual, Athena was sitting on the sofa, reading a book as she waited for me.

It seemed she was quite fond of reading.

I glanced at the book cover, but oddly enough, there was nothing written on it.

Then, with a soft thud, Athena closed the book and gazed intently at me.

Under her piercing stare, I could feel tension building up inside me.

"Hehe… sit on the bed, Hera."

Perhaps she noticed my nervousness, as Athena let out a small chuckle and spoke to me.

Following her words, I sat on the edge of the bed.

Athena then sat beside me and began to gently touch my face.

"Ouch…"

"Your lips are pretty chapped."

When her fingers touched my lips, a slight prick of pain escaped as a soft sound from my lips.

"B-but… if you want, I can still…"

Worried that Athena might feel displeased if she couldn't kiss me.

I hurriedly expressed my intentions to her.

"That's a nice sentiment. But tonight, you don't have to do anything."

She stroked my hair as she spoke.

Telling me to just stay still tonight.

Her words made a shiver run through my body.

I had to satisfy Athena.

The thought that she might grow tired of me, that she might utter those terrible words to abandon me again, lingered in my mind.

"N-no… I can do it…"

A trembling voice escaped my throat.

But as Athena placed her finger on my lips, I couldn't utter another word.

"Don't worry. I'm giving a reward to my devoted servant who worked hard yesterday."

"A… reward…?"

"Yes. Would you like to lie down on the bed?"

I didn't quite understand what she meant by giving me a reward.

But without a word, I laid down flat on the bed as she instructed.

Looking at me with an approving gaze, Athena gently stroked my head once.

Then, she took hold of my hands and lifted them above me.

Click—

"…Huh?"

I heard the sound of metal locking above my head.

Twisting my head to look, I saw my arms crossed and bound, raised above me.

Clink-clink—

No matter how much I strained, the metal restraining me showed no signs of loosening.

"A-Athena…?"

I called out to her in a voice filled with confusion.

But Athena merely continued to gently caress my cheek.

"You pleased me yesterday, so tonight, I'll make you feel good."

"N-no, it's okay…"

"Shh, Hera."

Her forceful action left me speechless.

When I gave a small nod, she placed a soft kiss on my forehead, looking pleased.

Why did it feel like Athena had become scarier lately?

'She used to be so gentle before…'

Athena licked her lips and then took hold of the hem of my black dress.

With a swift motion, she pulled it up.

"A… Athena?!"

As she lifted my clothes, my lower body, covered only by my underwear, and my pale belly were exposed to the air.

Reflexively, I closed my legs to try and cover myself, but Athena slapped my thigh, signaling that she wouldn't allow it.

"Ah!"

"Straighten your legs, Hera."

"A… Athena…"

Tonight, she felt especially commanding.

'I suppose… I can't refuse…'

Not wanting to provoke her, I decided to follow her command.

Closing my eyes in embarrassment, I stretched my legs back out over the edge of the bed. My pale legs and dark underwear were fully exposed once again.

Although we had seen each other naked before, that had only been in the bathroom, where it felt less personal.

This, however, was completely different—showing my underwear in the intimacy of the bedroom at this hour.

Yet Athena didn't stop there, lifting my dress even higher.

Eventually, she exposed my bare skin up to the top of my chest.

The cool air hitting my exposed skin left me feeling slightly chilled and vulnerable.

"Now, Hera, this is an order."

Holding the dress up, Athena then—

"Mm?!"

—stuffed the fabric into my mouth.

"Hold it in your mouth for an hour. If you let it go, you'll be punished."

I couldn't tell what she was thinking.

But that didn't matter.

If it pleased Athena, that was all I needed.

Since my mouth was full, I nodded to convey my agreement.

"Good girl… my obedient slave," she praised, planting a gentle kiss on my cheek.

"Do you know what I'm going to do?"

I shook my head in response.

"I said I'd make you feel good, didn't I?"

With that, Athena softly stroked my belly with her hand.

A tickling sensation spread across my stomach.

As I looked at her in confusion, she gave a little chuckle before pressing down.

"Mm?!"

She pressed lightly on my lower abdomen.

A jolt of sensation instantly shot through my whole body.

I'd felt it many times before, but it was a feeling I could never grow accustomed to—such an unfamiliar sensation.

It was as if someone was sending an intense current through my insides.

"A master's mana forms a slave mark wherever it gathers."

She traced her finger over the spot where the mark had been placed.

"That means this area is filled with my mana."

Pressing down—

"Mm?!"

Athena observed my muffled state and continued speaking.

"When I press here, even for a brief moment, my mana flows through your entire body before returning to its place."

Pressing down again—

"According to other slaves, feeling someone else's mana moving through them is an electrifying pleasure."

Pressing down once more—

"Besides, Hera, the spot where your mark was engraved… it's quite close to a woman's sensitive area."

Pressing down once again—

"Maybe. That feeling will reach everywhere in that place."

"Hngh…!! Hyaah!? Uuhh!?!"

Each time she pressed down on my abdomen, my back arched, and my body jolted involuntarily.

When I looked at Athena with a pleading expression, asking her to stop, she shook her head, as if to say no.

"Focus and feel it properly, Hera. You'll be able to accept it as pleasure."

Press—

"Huuuh?!"

Once again, a tingling current surged through my lower abdomen, spreading across my entire body.

My body responded, twitching in sync with the sensation.

No matter how many times I experienced it, the feeling was enough to send chills through me.

'Is… is this supposed to be… pleasure?'

The sensation was too intense to simply call it pleasant.

It felt as if someone was directly piercing my brain—a jolt I couldn't categorize as mere pleasure.

In an instant, I thought of speaking to her, letting go of the cloth between my teeth.

But upon seeing Athena's smoldering, calm eyes, that thought immediately vanished.

This didn't seem like the right moment to speak up to her.

'Just… just one hour…'

She had instructed me to keep the cloth in my mouth for just one hour.

Whether it was pleasure or not, the most important thing was to comply with Athena's mood.

In the end, I tightly shut my eyes, deciding to endure the intense sensations she provided.

Having resolved myself in that way,

I had no idea.

Of this incomprehensible, mysterious sensation.

Or just how breathless I would become.

And, through a small crack in the door,

I had no idea that a pair of blue eyes had been watching me the entire time.