Crossing the Barrier

Cian leaned back on the bed, exhausted.

Finally... peace.

He didn't even notice Shirayuki crawling closer until her soft body pressed against his side.

"W-Whoa—Shira—wait—"

He tried to shift away in panic, but the moment he moved, he tripped on the edge of the mattress. Shirayuki, startled, instinctively grabbed onto him—only for both of them to tumble down in a tangled mess of limbs and loose clothes.

FWUMP!

He blinked.

She was on top of him.

And his hand?

Right on her upper thigh.

Warm. Soft. Slightly trembling.

Shirayuki blinked down at him, cheeks flushed red as steam curled from her head like a boiling kettle. A little, accidental "Nn..." escaped her lips—high, cute, and sharp enough to make Cian short-circuit.

"HUHHH—!? I-I didn't mean—!!" Cian shrieked.

[System Notification: "Accidental Seduction Level: MAX."]

> System: "That was a tactical strike on her thigh, Commander. Direct hit. Emotional damage inflicted."

Cian tried to wriggle away, face burning, but Shirayuki didn't move. In fact, she leaned a little closer. Her eyes sparkled with some kind of instinctual mischief. She was clearly enjoying his flustered expression.

"Can we just—can we just roll over like normal people!?" Cian begged.

System: "Correction: You're not people. You're the dumbass protagonist in heat."

Shirayuki nuzzled against his neck, her fluffy quills brushing his cheek. Her tail flicked once, teasing.

Cian internally screamed.

He reached for a pillow. "I need a reset button. I need holy water."

System: "I need popcorn. This is great."

Cian froze mid-motion.

Then slowly, dramatically—like a final boss revealing his true form—he turned his head with the most intense, sharp, serious anime expression imaginable.

His jaw clenched. Shadows covered his eyes. Wind blew despite no window being open.

System:

"…Warning: Dramatic Protagonist Face Detected. Probability of doing something dumb: 99%."

Cian didn't flinch.

Then—SMACK!

His hand landed firmly on Shirayuki's thigh.

She twitched.

He gripped.

Her back arched beautifully in response, and a sweet moan escaped her lips, soft enough to punch a hole in his self-control.

Cian's eyes widened as the system gasped.

System:

"…Analysis complete. You have just activated: 'Forbidden Touch – Accidental Eros Route.' Achievement unlocked: 'Hands-on Experience.'"

Cian panicked, steam practically blowing from his ears.

"A-AH! I-I'M OKAY! THIS—THIS ISN'T—Y-YOU DON'T HAVE TO—!!"

System:

"…Initiating internal emergency shutdown before you embarrass yourself further. Too late."

"SHUT UP!!"

Cian sat frozen, breath caught in his throat. The tension in the room was unbearable. Shirayuki's soft, curious eyes blinked at him, then trailed down to the clearly "rising problem" that was pressing between them.

She tilted her head, her fluffy white hair falling over her shoulder.

Then, without a word, she leaned forward and placed both her small hands on his lap… right over the sword.

Cian flinched. "W-Wait! What are you doing?!"

Shirayuki just stared up at him with her usual blank, innocent gaze. Then she gently began patting the sword's hilt with her palms like she was trying to... calm it down?

[SYSTEM]:

Processing…

User Cian has just unlocked: "Cold Sweat MAX Rank."

Also, congratulations. You've just been disarmed... by a hedgehog.

"Not helping!" Cian barked, his voice cracking.

She tilted her head again, then leaned closer—so close her breath brushed against him. She softly blew on the hilt, trying to cool it down like he was overheating.

Cian nearly passed out.

[SYSTEM]:

Host Status: STRUGGLING TO BREATHE – Dignity at 3%.

Threat Level: Ultra Suggestive but Technically Innocent.

Cian threw his head back. "I'm okay! Y-You don't need to do this—seriously!!"

[SYSTEM]:

Correction: For now.

I'll go warm up the embarrassment meter… again.

He groaned. "Shut up..."

Shirayuki simply blinked, still patting the sword gently like she was trying to soothe an angry puppy. And somehow, in all this madness, she was still completely unaware of what she was doing.

Cian's breath hitched.

His "sword" twitched again—visibly straining, almost pulsing with heat.

Shirayuki blinked curiously. She tilted her head and, without hesitation, leaned down…

And then—softly, without a word—she took the hilt into her mouth.

Cian's eyes went wide.

"W-Wait!!"

She gently pressed forward, her lips sealing around it, and with a soft hum—started cooling it down. Her cheeks puffed slightly as if she were sucking on a popsicle. The tension in the air skyrocketed.

[SYSTEM]:

Analyzing…

Sword cooldown initiated by… non-traditional means.

Host Cian is experiencing a full spiritual shutdown. Estimated recovery: 999 turns.

Cian's whole face turned red. "Shirayuki!! That's not—! You shouldn't—!"

But the deed was already done.

A faint glow shimmered, and… just like that, the sword's aura faded.

Cooldown successful.

Shirayuki sat back, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, completely expressionless. Innocent. As if she had just finished sipping soup.

[SYSTEM]:

...Processing memory file… Corrupted by suggestive tension.

Warning: Host's blood pressure rising—seeking cold water source.

Cian slumped back, hand over his face, trying to recover what remained of his dignity.

She simply blinked again… and climbed into his lap.

Shirayuki's hands were small—soft, careful—as they moved along the hem of Cian's tunic. He blinked, startled by her sudden closeness. The flickering lanternlight danced in her amber eyes, giving her an oddly serious glow despite the playful tilt of her lips.

"W-Wait—Shirayuki?" Cian stammered, his heart thudding like a war drum. "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer. Not with words. Instead, she slowly lifted his tunic, her head tilting curiously, eyes gliding over him like she was studying something… or preparing for something.

[System] Initiating Sword Overheat Protocol… again.

Cian's eyes widened in alarm. "Shut. Up."

[System] Oh no. I've seen enough anime to know where this is going.

Shirayuki's hands slid beneath the fabric, brushing his skin as she carefully tugged his tunic over his head. The brush of her body pressed against his bare chest now, warm and persistent. His breath caught. Her soft weight settled in his lap with a boldness that made his back go rigid.

"C-Can you not… sit there?" he squeaked, nearly choking on his own embarrassment.

She blinked up at him, her expression innocent—too innocent. But her cheeks were pink and her breath… just a bit unsteady.

[System] Reminder: You are still fully clothed from the waist down. For now.

Cian's eye twitched. "I said shut up!"

But Shirayuki gently leaned in, nuzzling under his chin, her arms wrapping lightly around his neck. Her warmth melted into him, every small movement making him painfully aware of their position. Her tail twitched, brushing against his leg, and that sound—soft, breathy, a tiny moan—escaped her lips when his knee shifted between hers.

He froze.

She didn't move away. Instead, her lips nearly grazed his collarbone, and her fingers toyed with the waistband of his belt. The room spun.

[System] Sword status: dangerously erect. Cooldown required. Initiating oral—ah. Wait. Nvm. Bye.

The system's voice fizzled out, as if choosing to evacuate from sheer secondhand embarrassment.

A beat of silence.

Then Shirayuki's mouth pressed softly to his chest, and Cian flinched as heat rushed through him. His hand instinctively caught her thigh to steady her—but his fingers slid too far. Her back arched. Another sound escaped her lips—soft, sweet, and absolutely not helping the situation.

She looked up, eyes lidded, lips parted.

He couldn't breathe.

Then her fingers tugged his belt free.

The lantern flickered.

One boot hit the floor.

And the blanket slipped just slightly off the bedroll.

A sharp inhale. A quiet giggle. A muffled groan.

And then…

Silence—except the quiet shifting of fabric, faint gasps, and two shadows moving under one blanket in the glow of The Brass Lantern.

Nothing was said.

Nothing needed to be.

And the readers? Well, their imagination could handle the rest.