"Wow, it’s pretty big in here. Can’t see much though—it’s so dark."
We walked down the corridor toward the bedchamber.
Drotingorm... This fortress of mine, named by someone long forgotten, appeared weathered and deteriorated in places. Still, the stone structure seemed to have largely retained its form.
"Need light?"
I conjured a sphere of magical light above us. It glowed with a duller radiance than intended.
"Whoa—magic!?"
"Huh...?"
Well... Humans or Azure Demons ought to handle basic spells like this with training. Did the summoning not go as planned?
Not that I called her here as a soldier. Having warm hands will do.
────
We reached the bedchamber. I kicked the creaking door open.
"...Kind of dusty in here."
She rubbed her nose. That gesture... I didn’t dislike it.
"My apologies."
While apologizing, I summoned a wind spell. A gale swept violently through the room with my position as its eye—howling, tearing dust from every corner until some escaped through the doorway, some shattered the wooden windows.
...That may have been excessive.
"This better?"
"...Yeah."
────
What now? I stood frozen in the wind-purified room.
Then—a tug at my hand. Only one person here could move me. I yielded to her pull... and was dragged backward onto the bed.
I lay on my back. She was beside me.
"Super soft! Never felt a bed like this~!"
She seemed delighted. Heat radiated from her palm against mine.
I squeezed her hand—unconsciously tight.
"Mph..."
My eyes snapped to her face.
"Um... Could you... be gentler?"
Her expression stiffened slightly. Her eyes shimmered, blinking rapidly. That flickering light seemed to ignite my cheeks.
I sighed—a scorching breath.
No... Not just my breath. My chest burned too, like lingering embers in a bonfire.
I’ve lived centuries, yet this sensation... is entirely unfamiliar.
Hot. My body flames. My heart screams for something—a craving that scorches me from within. But I don’t understand... what my heart desires. What to do. Unanswerable, the heat intensifies.
I stared at her. Paralyzed.
────
How long had I been frozen?
"...Mister?"
Her face now wore pure bewilderment.
"D’you expect me... to do everything...?"
"...I’d prefer that."
Truthfully—I don’t know what "night services"[2] entail. But admitting that felt wrong.
"Hmm... Never actually tried either, so no promises."
She sounded hesitant but seemed to know something. Should I trust her?
She climbed over me.
"Alright, first—got to undress."
Blushing, she grabbed my collar—and ripped it open with shocking strength!
"Wh—what are you doing!?"
Rrrrip
Disgraceful! My hand flew—slap—across her cheek.
"Huh!? HUH!?"
She stared, disbelieving, palm pressed to her reddening skin.
"Exposing skin on the day we meet!? Have you no shame!?"
"Eh? Well... this is... usually..."
"Know your modesty!"
"I mean... context matters..."
Her flustered expression held an odd warmth. I paused to hear her out.
"‘Usually’ what?"
"Usually... both people get undressed. Or so I’ve heard."
"Th-that’s a thing!?"
"Well... experts might do it clothed... I guess?"
Her face twisted in confused annoyance.
"...Sorry."
"Wait... you actually have zero clue what to do?"
"... ... ..."
Silence.
────
"Y’know... I did glimpse something back there..."
"W-what?"
"‘Miss’... you’re a woman too... aren’t you?"
"...Eh?"
"...Eh?"
────
For a heartbeat, silence reigned.
"Haaah... I’m suddenly exhausted."
"Truly, apologies..."
────
We lay side by side in the dark.
"Mind waking me in an hour or so?"
"An... hour?"
"Approximate."
"Understood. As compensation..."
"Mm?"
"...May I stay beside you?"
"'Kay... Night~"
I took her hand again.
Still warm.
────
Warm.
I couldn’t tell whether she was pleased or indifferent—but she wasn’t pulling away. That realization flooded me with relief. Curled beside her, I watched her sleeping face, fingers intertwined, until dawn paled the sky.
────
Translator's Notes:
- 「みすい」 is rendered as "Missui" reflecting its ambiguity: possibly shorthand for 未遂 (attempted but incomplete act), or phonetic wordplay.
- 「夜伽」(yotogi) translates most naturally as "night services" given the period context.
(Dialogue intentionally preserves speech patterns: Koai's archaic formality vs. Snow's casual speech. Gender reveal rendered as "Miss" to mirror Japanese "-nēsan" ambiguity)