"Can't sleep?"

By now, it felt like the middle of the night.

In this world without electric lights, the night was truly dark. When the moons were hidden, it was as if the entire world had been swallowed by a pitch-black void. Fortunately, the moons were beautiful tonight—bright enough for me to make out Marina's silhouette standing by the sofa.

Against the moonlight streaming through the window, she was a dark outline, her expression unreadable. I wondered if she needed something.

"...Aruji-dono? Did you only just arrive, de-arimasu...?"

Marina spoke in a hushed tone, fitting for the late hour.

"Hm? Yeah, as you can see. Why ask?"

"The Princess wasn't in bed until just a little while ago... She only just came back, so I thought... maybe she was with you?"

"Really? I've been over on the other side working until this very second."

I wondered about that. It's not like Diana to go hang out with Shamash-san or Aurica in the middle of the night. Since the moons were so bright, maybe she was just out moon-watching?

...Actually, she was probably waiting for me. And when I didn't show up, she likely gave up and went to sleep... That might just be me flattering myself, though.

At my answer, Marina's posture slumped as if she were letting out a breath of relief.

"...I see. That is good, de-arimasu. Marina thought, for sure—"

She cut herself off, trailing into silence.

"Thought for sure what?"

"N-No, it is nothing, de-arimasu. Nothing at all."

Marina was usually the type to speak her mind clearly. Seeing her flustered like this was rare.

"Come on, now I'm curious."

At my prompting, Marina clenched her hands in front of her chest as if surrendering.

"Marina thought, for sure..."

"Yeah?"

"That... you and the Princess... were together, just the two of you..."

Wait, what?

"...Me and Diana being alone together is a pretty common occurrence, isn't it?"

"T-That is... true, de-arimasu... But because it is night, and we are in the mansion... I felt a strange way... I was worried and couldn't sleep, de-arimasu... Is it strange to feel this way...?"

"No..."

No, no, no. What was with this girl? Saying something so incredibly cute.

As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I could finally see her face. She was looking up at me bashfully, fidgeting with her fingers.

"If it is not strange, then I am glad, de-arimasu... I do not want you to hate me, Aruji-dono."

That last part was a whisper.

"I don't want you to hate me...", huh?

It would be easy to misinterpret that, but for Marina—who was a slave—being hated by her master was synonymous with being discarded.

We were master and servant.

To me, and perhaps to her, we were also a man and a woman close in age, and it was impossible not to be aware of that distance. But the reality of our contract remained. It wasn't something I could just brush off as "not mattering" because I was the one who bought her and bound her with a spirit contract.

"There's no way I could ever hate you, Marina."

I sat down on the sofa, figuring we shouldn't keep standing. Since the sofa was further back in the room, I naturally passed right by her. As I did, our eyes met. Her large, transparent purple eyes—which I had seen countless times—shone with a startling brilliance as they reflected the moonlight.

"Aruji-dono, you are unfair, de-arimasu... If you say things like that, I will misunderstand..."

She looked down, hugging her own arms and muttering softly. She could call it unfair all she wanted, but it was the truth. There was no world where I hated Marina.

She really was a beautiful girl. Her hands, her feet, every part of her—it all belonged to me. Because she was a slave, that was true both in a lewd sense and a practical one. But that was exactly why I didn't want to trample on her feelings. Bathed in the moonlight, she looked almost sacred to me tonight.

I found myself staring at her. Noticing my gaze, Marina's cheeks instantly flushed crimson.

Wait, was my gaze that lecherous?

I didn't think I was looking at her that way tonight, but...

"A-A-Aruji-dono!"

"Yeah?"

"You were about to sleep, weren't you! Was Marina in the way, de-arimasu?"

"No, I'm totally fine. Why are you so panicked?"

Marina glanced around the room. Of course, there was no one else there. Just the two of us.

"I-it is not because I realized we are suddenly alone, de-arimasu! It is not, de-arimasu...!"

"I see. Come to think of it, we haven't been alone together much lately."

"We haven't, de-arimasu. It is so..."

"Is it or isn't it? You're using both..."

It had been a while since we met, but it was true—we were rarely alone. Diana was almost always with us. Even when we were "alone," it was usually while working at the shop or walking through Erishe. Being alone like this in a private space might actually have been a first.

"Aruji-dono."

Suddenly, as if making a decision, Marina took a step forward.

"U-um... normally... it is hard to find time for just the two of us, de-arimasu. Since tonight is... well, a good opportunity... I would like to talk with you... just a little. A little is fine, de-arimasu."

"Yeah, we haven't talked much, just us."

"...Is it okay, de-arimasu?"

"Of course."

It wasn't about anything dirty. We just wanted to talk. That was an opportunity that had somehow slipped past us. We'd been living a peaceful life, but maybe I'd been unintentionally avoiding deep connections with the people here. Or maybe I was just bad at building relationships.

Despite being with Marina all this time, there was so much I didn't know. It had been about six months since we met. Because she was so loyal—almost blindly so—maybe I had just felt safe and become complacent.

"Well, don't just stand there. Have a seat."

"Then, tonight I shall sit beside you, de-arimasu... Usually, this is the Princess's reserved seat, after all."

She sat down, albeit a bit hesitantly. While we'd sat together before, Marina usually positioned herself diagonally behind me. I didn't know if that was her pride as a slave or her pride as a knight, but it was a sharp contrast to Diana, who was always right by my side.

* * *

Sitting side by side on the sofa, we talked about many things. Marina was nervous at first, but slowly, the conversation began to flow.

She told me about the village where she lived with her mother. About the day they were separated. About the two years she spent with the slave traders. And about the day she met me.

In the moonlit silence of the room, only our voices echoed, melting into the night.

"Ever since I met you, Aruji-dono... I have led such a fun life, de-arimasu."

Her refined profile, with a slightly softer tone than usual, was right there beside me.

"I like the Princess, too. She is like a sister who requires a lot of looking after. If she knew I was saying this, she would surely be angry, de-arimasu."

I found myself stealing glances at her as she smiled gently.

"And now, to have you all to myself like this..."

Suddenly, Marina turned toward me. Our gazes locked.

"...Hehe, I have been the only one talking for a while, de-arimasu."

She gave a melting smile. Then, without hesitation, she leaned in and hugged me. Cheek to cheek, an embrace so close our ears touched. I hadn't expected her to make a move like this; my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

"I am truly grateful to you, Aruji-dono. But I do not know how to express this feeling, de-arimasu. Even this... this feeling right now... I..."

"Marina..."

"Marina... I... have nothing I can offer you but my own self, de-arimasu..."

She wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed tight, whispering those words.

We were master and slave. Not friends, let alone lovers. Master and slave.

Suddenly, I remembered the night I first met her. The joy of being hugged evaporated, replaced by an indescribable feeling. Was it sadness? Indignation? I didn't even understand it myself.

This feeling probably came from my own selfishness. I wanted her to stay with me as a slave. But I also wanted to be liked as a man. I wanted to be loved. I wanted us to be like that, regardless of our status. Even though I was the one who bought her.

It was pure selfishness.

So, I had to answer as a master.

"Don't think about it so heavily."

I said, gently pulling her away and speaking lightheartedly.

I'd made a mistake before—on our first night—when I got all excited about the "Master/Slave" thing. I had been shocked to see Marina so stiff and nervous, accepting it only because she had no choice. I had hated myself for what I was trying to do.

That failure... you could call it a trauma.

I didn't want things to go in that direction again. It might have been the ramblings of a virgin, but I knew it wasn't wrong.

"But... I..."

"Marina. You were bought as a slave, so just think of it as working to buy back your freedom. That's plenty."

Of course, I had no intention of letting her go. But if she truly wanted freedom—

"...Do you want me to be free, Aruji-dono?"

"......No. I want you to stay by my side forever."

I wondered what kind of face I was making as I said that. I was truly glad it was night.

"Fufu... Aruji-dono, you are contradictory, de-arimasu."

Then, for some reason, she hugged me even tighter. Maybe since the Lucraella incident, the psychological barrier to hugging had lowered? It seemed so. Since we'd done it once, the second time was easier.

Our bodies were pressed together. In the silence of the night, only the faint sound of our breathing remained. We were at "zero distance," close enough to hear each other's heartbeats.

The reason I couldn't take that final step was likely because I had never had a truly deep relationship with anyone. Not on Earth, and not here. To touch someone's heart was to step into their sanctuary. It always involved fear. And I had been running away from that fear my whole life.

"...Aruji-dono? You are trembling, de-arimasu."

"So are you."

"I am trembling, too? It is not because I am afraid of you, Aruji-dono. Or... are you afraid of me, de-arimasu?"

She said it playfully. Was I afraid? Was I afraid of Marina?

...I probably was. If I weren't, then a long time ago—

"...Aruji-dono, I... I have actually been regretting that night for a long time, de-arimasu."

Still clinging to me, Marina confessed.

"That night?"

"The first night, at the inn..."

"A-Ah... No, but that was—"

I never expected her to bring up that night. But for her, too, it must have been an unforgettable event.

"Sometimes, I think about it, de-arimasu. What if... what if you had held me then?"

"..........."

I was surprised that Marina—who usually seemed so energetic and carefree—had been thinking that.

"It is not that I dislike our current relationship, de-arimasu! ...But I wonder if that misunderstanding back then has been pulling at us all this time. I wonder if I have been making you feel like you have to be overly careful with me since that day... Sometimes, I feel like that is the case, de-arimasu."

"..........."

I couldn't answer.

Because she was absolutely right.

Regardless of which choice was "correct," I had been walking on eggshells with her. Though, in a way, that was just natural between two human beings.

"Aruji-dono."

Marina pulled back slightly, her voice becoming clear as if changing the subject.

"I... that morning. I was actually awake, de-arimasu."

"...Morning? Wait... ah."

The blood drained from my face. That time when I thought she was asleep and... well, touched her chest. No... I kneaded it!

Wait... she was awake? Seriously? It's been six months and I'm still dying of embarrassment!

Our eyes met at point-blank range. Marina's face was bright red, and I quickly looked down—only to see the ample cleavage I had indeed touched back then.

"...It is okay, Aruji-dono."

"!"

As she spoke, Marina softly grabbed my right wrist. Then, she firmly pressed my palm against her right breast.

"Nng..."

A soft gasp escaped her lips. Even through the pajamas, the sensation was incredibly soft, almost clinging to my hand. My brain was on the verge of overheating. My heart hammered so hard it felt like it would burst, and I unintentionally squeezed.

I felt her warmth. A wave of euphoria washed over me. With every squeeze, another breath escaped her.

"Ah... t-that is a little painful, de-arimasu."

"Ah, sorry..."

I had squeezed. I had squeezed too much. Before I knew it, I was using both hands.

Calm down, my arms!

"...For some reason, even though my heart is racing, I feel calm. It is a strange, peaceful feeling, de-arimasu. You look happy, too, Aruji-dono... Did you want to touch me all this time and were just holding back...?"

"I'm ashamed to admit it, but... yes."

I answered without taking my hands away. This was bad. My brain was turned to mush. This was like a drug. I couldn't resist.

"Hehe... Aruji-dono, you are like a child, de-arimasu. ...Hey, Aruji-dono. ...From now on, you can touch me whenever you like. Ah... nng... I... it feels good when you touch me, too... nng..."

When someone whispered that in your ear, you had no choice but to surrender.

"Marina..."

It felt good. It felt good for both of us. A win-win relationship. I was so happy.

The fabric of the pajamas started to feel like an obstacle, and I began to undo her buttons.

"Ah... that is, not yet... it is still embarrassing, de-arimasu... No, you mustn't..."

Marina hurriedly pulled her pajamas closed. She looked at me with a bright red face and furrowed brows.

I regained a sliver of my sanity. What terrifying magic these breasts held! This was definitely some kind of charm-type magic. I didn't think I'd ever experienced anything that fit the phrase "utterly entranced" so perfectly.

"I-It is embarrassing to be stared at like that, de-arimasu."

She hid her cheeks behind her hair. The gentle moonlight made her amethyst eyes and hair sparkle.

"Aruji-dono, any more than this and my heart will burst, de-arimasu... For now, this is all I can do."

She squeezed her eyes shut, leaned in, and shyly pressed her lips to my cheek. She held the kiss for a few seconds, then pulled away with a giggle.

"Aruji-dono, I love you, de-arimasu."

And with that, as if to escape her own confession, she ran back to the room, squealing "Kyaa-kyaa!" the whole way.

"O-Ohh..."

The words just slipped out. I was so happy. In the now-empty room, a profound sense of joy welled up inside me.

She loves me.

She actually said it.

I had been so distracted by physical contact and being a virgin, but in the end, the emotional connection was what mattered. (Though that's a rich thing to say after kneading her breasts for ten minutes.) Still, this was the first time I'd ever been confessed to like that.

I was genuinely happy. Thinking about today, I knew that not sleeping with her on that first night (well, not being able to) was the right choice. From the bottom of my heart.

The image of Marina with her vivid purple eyes, looking like a spirit of the moonlit night, lingered in my mind.

"Amethyst is the guardian stone of love... huh."

I remembered the trivia I used to spout when I sold amethysts. The language of the amethyst is "Affection, Sincerity, and Devotion."

It fit Marina perfectly.

"...I guess I should sleep too."

Of course, before I could sleep on the sofa, I had to go back to my own room first. No man on earth could fall asleep immediately after something like that!

* * *

When I woke up in the morning, I found myself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

...Just kidding! I knew this ceiling very well. Of course I did. I'd fallen asleep in the mansion's living room.

"Good morning, Goshujin-sama."

A voice suddenly came from right beside me.

Diana was peering straight down at my face.

"Mm—oh. Morning, Diana."

"I was waiting for you last night, you know. You stayed up far too late, nodesu."

So, she really was waiting for me.

Based on her tone, she clearly hadn't noticed Marina's late-night visit. If she had, knowing Diana's personality, she would have definitely come over to interfere—or join in.

Or maybe last night was just a dream? Some sort of hallucination brought on by pent-up frustration? Especially since there's a Nightmare—a literal succubus—living right under this roof...

"I always sleep around that time. Japanese people are just night owls."

"Night owls only find misfortune. That is an old saying, nodesu. You must sleep earlier tonight."

"Right, right."

Giving a half-hearted reply, I instinctively scanned the room for Marina. She wasn't in the kitchen, but—

"Where's Marina?"

"She's tending to the horses. Unusually, I was the one who woke up first today. She seemed incredibly drowsy even after getting up; she's being lazy, nodesu."

Marina... It was definitely because she stayed up late with me. Well, it wasn't that late, but the emotional toll must have been high.

Anyway, as I stood up to go wash my face, the Vocation Board suddenly manifested in front of my eyes. It was the notification for the Guidance completion and a Clan Rank up.

Oh, right—that was the whole reason I'd stayed here in the first place! The sheer impact of what happened last night had made me completely forget.