“R-Raphne... First, calm down and listen to me for a bit, will you?”

“Listen to what? Do we have anything to discuss right now?”

Raphne, breathing heavily, laid me down on the bed and roughly climbed on top of me.

My heart pounded like a rabbit caught by a predator.

Is this the fear of death, or something else?

Raphne's flushed cheeks and vacant eyes looked down at me.

Right after returning to the Tower.

After locking the door, Raphne spoke.

“Stay over tonight, Ken.”

Oh, why lock the door if I'm just staying over?

There are two reasons to lock the door.

To prevent something from coming in.

Or to prevent something from going out.

In this case, it's definitely the latter.

“Raphne! We agreed, no more imprisoning each other!”

Having experienced this once before, I immediately went on alert and shouted at her.

But Raphne shook her head and smiled.

“No, it's not imprisonment. I trust you now, Ken...

I just want you to stay the night.”

Her expression wasn't one of someone who just wanted me to stay the night.

Just a moment ago, my heart was pounding with excitement from testing a newly acquired skill.

Now, it beats with a different meaning.

And time flowed to the present.

I lay on the bed, bound by Raphne's hands.

By the way, right after locking the door, Raphne undressed and was only in a slip dress form of underwear.

Why is she being so bold today?

The reason was clear.

It was because of what happened at the mansion.

‘I mean, you could’ve at least kissed me!’

I remembered Raphne's face, with tears welling up as she spoke to me, seeming wronged.

And now, Raphne, who was on top of me, seemed to remember that too as she looked down at me with the same hurt expression.

Then she leaned down, pressing her body against mine.

Squish.

Her large, soft chest pressed against my body, providing immense elasticity and a smooth sensation.

As our bodies drew closer, the heat and her scent stimulated all my senses.

Blushing, Raphne then broke the silence, cautiously looking at me.

"…Ken, ...am I not pretty?"

"Of course, you're pretty."

What's there to say? Raphne is my ideal appearance. If you asked me ten times if she's pretty, I’d answer eleven times that she is.

"If that's the case... don't I have any charm?"

"No..."

Honestly, I thought she might be too dependent in some areas. But recently, since breaking the curse, even that has calmed down a bit.

And above all, she was a charming woman who treated me kindly.

Despite my honest answer, Raphne puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"…Then why don't you ever touch me?"

"…"

"I know. They say men have strong sexual desires... But Ken, even when it comes to this, you do nothing but kiss me."

Her unabashed remark.

I heard it as well when she locked me up a while ago. Raphne told me she liked me as a man.

Since then, I've tried not to be conscious of it, but whenever she demands something from me like this, memories from that day resurface. The heated contact with Raphne in an almost sensual atmosphere.

Although I didn't ask for it, she didn't cross the line beyond kissing. Still, deep down, I wondered if she was hoping I would cross that line, as she often tried to tempt me. Just like now.

"At the mansion, I'm sure... if you wanted to, you could have done anything."

"…"

"So why didn't you do anything?"

I couldn't answer. I just kept my mouth shut, cheeks flushing, avoiding her gaze.

It's not that I dislike Raphne. Quite the opposite.

Just her gaze alone is enough to excite me and almost make me lose my mind.

Raphne is an incredibly stimulating woman.

However, it seems she misunderstood my actions, as Raphne soon showed a face filled with tears, looking as if she might cry.

"As expected… sob, I'm not attractive, am I?"

"Huh, what? Raphne?"

"You don't see me as a woman, do you, Ken? I know it too. There's no way someone as bothersome as me could be attractive."

"That's not it. It's just that…"

"If that's not it, then why do you do nothing? I know your kind, Ken. That's why you can't be honest with me."

In the end, tears welled up in Raphne's eyes and droplets fell onto my face.

It might have been the moment when all the worries she had kept inside finally burst out.

"Still… sob, I thought you'd see me as a woman at least once… I worked up my courage."

"Ra, Raphne…."

"What am I supposed to do now? What do I have to do to become the woman you want, Ken? I'll do anything. I told you that… So please, tell me."

"Well, the thing is…"

“I want to be loved by you, Ken.”

Raphne, with tears continuing to fall, finally buried her face in my chest.

The atmosphere that was filled with seduction just moments ago turned into the sound of her sobbing.

The strength in Raphne's hands, which had been holding mine, faded away.

In the end, she let go of my hand, grabbed onto my clothes, and cried.

“...It’s not like that, Raphne.”

What am I doing?

Why did I keep my mouth shut until this girl, who says she loves me so much, ended up crying?

Wrapping my arms around Raphne’s trembling shoulders, I held her.

“...To be honest.”

“...”

“It’s the complete opposite of what you think, Raphne.”

Her trembling sobs stopped, and with a tear-streaked face, she cautiously looked up at me.

Feeling embarrassed by her gaze, I averted my eyes and continued speaking.

“To me, Raphne, ...you’re a very attractive woman.

...That’s why I couldn’t cross the line so easily.”

“What... does that mean?”

Even though it’s probably what she wanted to hear, Raphne asked again.

Does she really not understand, or does she just want to hear it more clearly?

“So... if I happened to cross the line beyond just a kiss…”

I covered my face with my now free hand, revealing my embarrassed feelings.

“…I was afraid that if I went all the way to the end… I wouldn’t be able to stop myself.”

“……”

Since my eyes were covered, I couldn’t see Raphne’s expression. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her.

I had just declared it.

That if I went beyond a kiss, I would lose control and take her.

A brief silence followed my confession, and then I cautiously removed my hand and looked at her.

Raphne was staring at me blankly.

Though there were still traces of tears, she had stopped crying.

There was just a heavy silence, as if she was digesting my words.

Then, Raphne spoke carefully.

“…So, do you… want to do it with me?”

Her straightforward question.

Under normal circumstances, I would have evaded, but now, I couldn’t.

I nodded gently.

“…Yes.”

“Then why don’t we?”

It was a natural question.

Given that both of us wanted it, no one would object in this situation.

"Not yet... I'm not in a situation where I can take responsibility."

I revealed the thoughts I had hidden in my heart.

Raphne wouldn't know.

One day, the Demon Tribe will start a war.

I don't know what will happen to me in that war.

Even though I'm training and preparing to survive, the future is uncertain.

In the midst of this, to take her purity just for my current desires.

I can't do it.

If I were to die, I wouldn't be able to take responsibility.

I couldn't explain everything, but I answered her as succinctly as possible.

"Then, when you can take responsibility... will that be, okay?"

A simple conclusion.

But as it was an important question, I looked directly into Raphne's eyes this time and answered.

"Yes. When I can take responsibility, I won't hold back."

Would I be able to restrain myself?

I’m not foolish enough to let go of such an attractive woman when she's right in front of me.

"Ken!"

Satisfied with my determined answer, Raphne hugged me around the neck.

She was sobbing a little like before, but these tears weren’t of sadness.

"Thank you... then I'll wait. ...Sob, I'll wait until you're ready, Ken."

Saying that, Raphne buried her face in my neck.

I then gently patted her head.

Words that had already been spoken.

Someday, I must take responsibility.

I had already sorted out my thoughts about how to do this.

"Still, you'll sleep with me tonight, right?"

"...Just don't get too excited."

"Yes, I love you so much, Ken."

Whether she ignored my request or not, Raphne held me tightly.

With her soft touch, it became a night where I had to once again suppress my male instincts.

"Adrian, I have something to talk about."

The next day.

I approached him as he was getting ready to leave after class and started to speak.

"Oh? Ken, what's going on?"

Emily, who was next to him, asked. I cautiously replied.

"It's something important. I need to have a moment alone with him."

Seeing my serious expression, she seemed to sense the gravity of the situation and nodded without further questions.

"Sure, but if something comes up, do tell me, okay?"

"Of course. See you tomorrow."

After gathering her things, Emily left the classroom. The once noisy room was now silent, leaving only Adrian and me.

Feeling the importance of my conversation with Emily, Adrian asked with an unusually serious expression instead of his usual smile.

"So, what's this about, Ken? Creating a private moment for us?"

"You probably have a rough idea."

"...Is it about Raphne?"

There was only one topic of significant importance between us.

It was about the Child of Prophecy.

"You may already know, but recently, there was another attack by the Demon King's Army."

"The incident where you nearly died, right?"

"So, you were aware?"

"I'm not just a bystander here, you know."

In that case, this should go quickly.

"We can't predict how many more times the Demon King's Army will infiltrate."

"Right, go on."

"Since I broke Raphne's Curse, there's a chance she might be targeted by the Demon King's Army."

"Isn't that something you were already well aware of? I've warned you enough about what could happen."

He seemed to be glaring at me a bit.

Maybe he thought I was asking for help after causing trouble.

But this is different.

When I handed the Pendant to Raphne, I was determined.

I thought I could protect her no matter what happened.

But determination alone isn't enough to deal with reality.

Even though I have knowledge of this game and understand the attack patterns of the Demon King's Army well.

Unlike the game, there's a new variable now, Raphne has left the Tower.

Which means the Demon King's Army's response might also differ from the game.

I can't purely rely on my knowledge to handle this indefinitely.

So, I’ve been contemplating this issue lately.

The reason why the Demon King's Army attacks the Academy and eventually starts a war.

"So, what I'm saying is... let's erase the fact that Raphne is the Child of Prophecy."

I confided my plan, which I had confirmed through a test at the Mansion, to the only person who knew Raphne’s secret.

Adrian, hearing this, froze for a moment and then, uncharacteristically, frowned.

"Erase the fact that she's the Child of Prophecy?

...That's nonsense. There's no way that's possible."

His voice was heavy and sombre.

If it had been possible, he would have done it himself.

Surely, he more than anyone in this kingdom had thought deeply and repeatedly about finding such a solution.

But when no answers came, they locked Raphne in the Tower.

However.

I had found the answer.

"I will challenge the Tower of Tarlos."

I am challenging another labyrinth that cannot be cleared.

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