It’s hot.
My heart is racing, and my skin feels flushed. It’s as if my body is on fire. The sound of my heart pounding resonates in my ears. I took a deep breath, trying to exhale slowly, but the heat wouldn’t subside. My clothes clung uncomfortably to my body, but it seemed pointless to take them off. It was just too hot.
My head was spinning. I desperately thought of a sip of cold water, but even water seemed doubtful to cool this heat. My lips were drying out. I wiped my sweaty face with my hand. Even the touch of my fingertips on my skin felt uncomfortable. I could feel the sweat running down, which only distressed me further.
“Hah?! Huh…! Huh…!”
“Be good, Tina. Just stay still.”
What the heck.
Mardian, you.
What on earth did you put in me…!
I thrashed in the rising heat. But the harder I fought, the more Mardian pressed me down onto the bed with rough hands.
Knock-knock.
As Mardian tapped on the window, soon the heavy, large door of the carriage swung open, revealing a man. Mardian, without even casting him a glance, focused only on me and commanded him with her voice.
“Take us to a place where no one can find us.”
“Yes.”
“Are the guards behind?”
“Five elite knights are waiting.”
Without even glancing at him, Mardian nodded, and the man backed away silently, closing the carriage door behind him. The red sunlight that streamed in vanished, and the dim shadow wrapped around the inside of the carriage again.
Not long after, the carriage began to move. Mardian closed the curtains by the window and looked down at me with a crescent-shaped large smile.
“Have you been waiting long, Tina? Now it’s just our time, so don’t worry.”
Mardian’s voice was friendly, but I couldn’t reply. She looked at me squirming on the bed with a sly smile and slowly climbed over me, pressing my arms down strongly.
“Hah! Ha, huh?! Huh…!”
What came out of my mouth wasn’t a voice. Just frenzied moans seeking oxygen for my burning throat. My mind was foggy, and my lower abdomen felt like it was searing.
W-what is this….
What on earth did she put in me?
What did she put in me…?
“It’ll only be like that at first. Just wait a little, and you’ll feel better.”
“Hah! Huh, it’s, it’s hot…!”
The overwhelming heat enveloping my entire body felt as if my brain was melting. My reason slowly faded, and my vision narrowed. I looked up at Mardian with a desperate gaze, asking for help, but she merely brushed my bangs aside.
“Looking up at me with that flushed face and moist eyes… Tina, is that a signal asking me to take care of you right away? You really are such a brat.”
Disgusting words spilled from her mouth that I didn’t want to hear. What kind of twisted mindset allows someone to say that? I wanted to slap her face right then and there.
But, with my power and strength so much weaker than hers, all I could do was grasp the hand that pinned me down and plead desperately.
“M-Mardian… please… my body… it’s too hot… n-need… water….”
Was there ever such a desperate moment needing water? The burning pain in my throat kept tormenting me. Just speaking felt like a burden.
After a period of staring blankly at me from a distance, Mardian’s face twisted into a terrifying scowl.
“Damn brat, you’re making me want you again.”
Mardian picked up a water bottle that was sitting by the window. Seeing the water sloshing inside, my throat ached even more for it.
“It’s only natural to give water to my pet when she’s thirsty.”
But Mardian didn’t hand me the water. She opened the bottle’s cap and, in a showy manner, took a large gulp herself. With water still in her mouth, she looked down at me and suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Ugh?!”
In an instant, she lunged forward and crushed my lips with hers. The moment our lips met, I felt a wave of rejection surge from within.
With the nauseating feeling rising and the urge to push her off, I found myself unable to resist, unable to even gather my thoughts properly since that strange pink liquid entered my body.
As she mashed my lips, Mardian slowly began to move her mouth, prying open my tightly shut lips and spilling the water she held into my mouth.
Mardian’s saliva mixed with the water poured into me. Just that realization made me want to vomit immediately, but the survival instinct that craved the water kicked in first.
Gulp!
While my mind cried out against swallowing it, my throat accepted the water Mardian gave me. It felt infuriating, but as the long-desired water flowed down my throat, the burning pain eased, and for a moment, a sense of euphoria washed over me.
“Hah… huh….”
But that ecstasy was fleeting. Shortly after the water slid down my throat, the pain of thirst began to creep back in.
N-no….
I don’t want to hurt again.
I want to drink more water….
Maybe sensing my anxiety, Mardian grinned mischievously, looking down at me with her sparkling crimson eyes.
“Do you want more water? If you beg your master earnestly, I might give you some more.”
Her voice was filled with playful malice. I wanted to bite her neck right away, so resentful was I. But contrary to my feelings, I couldn’t even hold myself together enough to confront Mardian, all I could do was frown and look away.
“Are you holding back?”
“Hah… hah….”
I ignored her remarks, avoiding her gaze.
“Okay, I respect your wishes, Tina, so I’ll wait.”
With those words, Mardian remained still without interfering. It was a sure chance to catch my breath, yet my body seemed to drive me further into discomfort.
Ten minutes, or perhaps twenty.
How long had it been?
“Eek?! Hah…! Huh?!”
As time went on, the burning in my throat ironically no longer felt painful. The pain receded, replaced by a different kind of sensation. An indescribable sensation I had never felt throughout my past life and this one enveloped my body.
The rising heat flowed down my body, tickling my chest and underarms. It didn’t stop there. The heat that ran down my waist soon began to sear my rear end, and then it spread to the sensitive place between my legs.
“Hick?! Huh? My body… it feels strange? Strange.”
It was strange.
My whole body was hot.
But it’s different.
It doesn’t hurt.
It’s weird, why is it, clearly hot.
Why doesn’t it hurt?
It’s weird, it’s weird. It’s so weird…!
I don’t like it.
I don’t like it, I don’t like it.
What is this feeling?
I don’t like it.
I don’t like…!
As the heat engulfed my body, my vision began to narrow, and my thoughts grew hazy. Amidst the fading consciousness, I felt like the last shred of reasoning was left in my brain.
I instinctively knew.
Once the last bit of reason in my head disappeared, I would surely end up in an irreversible state. The fear of possibly becoming a fool or disabled for life seeped deep into my heart.
“Eek? I-I don’t want this, let me go, let me go….”
Fear engulfed me. The uncertainty of what would happen to me was terrifying. Yet Mardian only looked down at me with calm red eyes, providing no help at all.
In this desperate situation, I had no choice but to set aside my pride. With tears brimming in my eyes, I looked up at Mardian and begged her.
“P-Please… give me… water….”
Even after I offered the answer she so desired, Mardian merely watched me, still not giving me a single drop of water.
“M-Mardian… I messed up… water….”
“What are you saying? Say it directly with your mouth.”
Such cruel words.
I knew well what Mardian was waiting for. I also clearly understood that pleading for water would not result in her simply giving it.
I felt resentment.
I wanted to bite my tongue right then and there.
But my will was weak.
Had I ever been strong in the first place?
Whether in my past life or this one, my will was consistently weak and pathetic. Just because my body has changed doesn’t mean anything would change.
So powerlessly.
So weakly.
I spoke to her with tears welling up in my eyes.
“Huh… M-Mardian… kiss… me….”
“That’s right. Good girl, Tina.”
Mardian placed a small kiss on my forehead. She opened the water bottle again, took a big gulp, and slowly pressed her lips against mine.
Soon, our lips collided, and as before, Mardian gently opened my lips. A sip of water sweeter than honey flowed into my mouth.
I closed my tear-filled eyes weakly and accepted the water she gave me.
What the heck is this situation?
“…Baron. Please calm down for a moment.”
“T-Tina… Tina, Tina…!”
Artasha Blanc.
Bonnie Blanc’s wife, who always maintained a cold expression. Due to her sharp demeanor, not much good was said about her outside. However, her beauty shone like none other, befitting the mother of the beloved young lady.
Despite standing before her husband’s death without shedding a single tear, she was rumored to be nothing more than an emotionless machine.
Yet now, she was trembling with anxiety, desperately searching only for her daughter.
“Y-Your Highness… I know this is selfish, but please help me… I cannot live without that child. I will repay your kindness somehow, so please….”
“…Haa.”
What is this situation?
I clearly came to take revenge on that cunning vixen. I intended to give her a solid lesson on her most glamorous birthday, yet suddenly there was an unexpected kidnapping.
Well, whatever happened, it wasn’t necessary to care. After all, the young lady was the one who played with me first. She lured me in with sweet words and turned her back coldly with just one harsh word.
What a truly arrogant young lady.
So there’s no need to care. Whether she was kidnapped and assaulted or even raped, it had nothing to do with me.
Yeah.
That arrogant young lady.
There was definitely no need to worry.
There shouldn’t be…
[I am always cheering for you, Your Highness.]
“…Tsk.”
Why am I so irritated?
I clicked my tongue and swept my hair back. I just wanted to light a cigarette right away, but that wouldn’t be polite to the anxious noblewoman.
How funny it is that I, who have the authority to reject even the Emperor’s summons, am being swayed by such a powerless young noblewoman.
It really is ridiculous.
If I’m going to be unnecessarily concerned, it would be better to confront her directly and settle this.
Having thought this briefly, I looked at the noblewoman.
“Where was the last sighting?”
Brace yourself, young lady.
You’ll pay doubly for the cost of fooling with me and for this grace as well.
