Thin and cool—that was Shichen's first, clearest impression. And there was a faint tremble.
The girl was nervous, eyes wide open.
He'd kissed her too suddenly, giving her no time to react; her mind went a little blank.
Shichen didn't go any further—just a dragonfly touch of a kiss—then drew back from Emilia.
Emilia, though, was still stunned, face vacant as if frozen in place.
Amused, Shichen looked at her, raised a hand, and stroked her cheek. "Did your brain short out?"
That snapped Emilia back. She blinked, then her face flushed crimson, the color running all the way to her ears.
"Shichen, you…"
"That's my proof that I like you," Shichen said with a smile.
"You… like me…"
"Do you hate me doing that?" he asked.
"No…"
She shook her head quickly and murmured, "It's just… I didn't quite… process it."
"I see. So—what did it feel like?"
"What did it… feel like?" Emilia looked at him, confused.
"What else? The feeling of being kissed just now."
"Mm…"
She let out a small, embarrassed sound, cheeks burning, and said softly, "It felt like… nothing at all…"
"No feeling?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"Not like that. You kissed me so suddenly—I didn't have time to react. My mind went blank, so…"
"I get it. In that case, why don't we try properly… again?"
"Try…? What do you—mm!"
Before she could finish, he kissed her once more.
Her violet eyes looked straight into his face, so close— the face she saw even in dreams, the face she wanted to keep looking at, the one that made her feel safe enough to lean on… She slowly closed her eyes.
Lips meeting didn't carry any special sensation in itself—yet Emilia felt her heart race, pounding so hard it seemed it would leap from her throat.
A tremor without cause, a jolt without reason, a thrill from nowhere.
Her free hand couldn't help gripping his collar—tight.
Shichen held her, one arm around her slender back, the other cradling the back of her head, savoring this innocent, unspoiled girl's kiss in earnest.
A seasoned veteran though he was, kissing Emilia still excited him.
Because the girl before him was Emilia.
After a long moment, they parted. Emilia, flushed to the ears, was breathing fast—she'd been holding her breath the whole time.
The sight made her look adorably irresistible to him. It seemed every girl started out like this.
"Emilia, how did it feel this time?" he asked.
"Very strange… It felt like I was about to fly…"
"About to fly? That metaphor…"
"Is it wrong?" Emilia blinked up at him, pure as could be.
"No—it's pretty apt."
"So this is what kissing is… It's amazing," she couldn't help murmuring, heartbeat still unsteady.
"That already amazes you? There's more amazing than that."
"More… amazing?"
"Don't be afraid," he whispered, leaning in again.
This time Emilia closed her eyes in advance, waiting for him.
Shichen didn't hesitate: he kissed her again, then went deeper—found her tongue and entwined with it.
At that instant, Emilia shivered all over—then quickly softened, slumping into his arms and letting him tease as he pleased.
And then his bad habit flared—his hand began to wander of its own accord, seeking a target.
"Mm!" Emilia jolted at the touch, eyes opening, misted with heat.
Only then did Shichen draw back. "Sorry. It… sort of has a mind of its own."
He still didn't withdraw it.
Emilia couldn't find her voice. Leaning against him, face burning hot, she didn't push him away—just unaccustomed, not resistant. Otherwise she'd have wriggled free long ago.
Shichen saw her answer in that.
"Shichen…"
"Ahem. Let me… check a few things."
"Mm… I—I know what that means…"
"…," Shichen couldn't help blushing.
"It's okay. I don't dislike it when you're like this," Emilia added in a small voice.
"Emilia, you…"
"I've sorted out my feelings. I like you too," Emilia raised her head, meeting his gaze with steady eyes.
"I see."
He smiled and lowered his head to kiss her again.
Emilia obediently let him have his way, giving whatever he asked.
…
When Shichen left Emilia's room, it was deep into the night. Relishing the taste on his lips, he couldn't help licking them.
Emilia had already fallen asleep—overstimulated.
He hadn't done anything beyond that; just feeling her heartbeat had been enough to overwhelm her.
Natural, really—she'd never experienced anything like it before.
She'd only grow stronger from here, Shichen thought, already planning how to train her up properly.
Back in his room, he found Ester and Beatrice still awake—and Rem hadn't returned yet.
"Rem, you're not back?"
"Shichen, why did your bath take so long?" Rem pouted, face full of wounded grievance.
"Uh…"
"Don't try to fool me—I know you left the bath ages ago."
"Hm? And how do you know that?"
"First things first." Rem stepped in close and sniffed at him.
"There's the scent of Emilia-sama."
"You can smell that?"
Shichen's body rarely held on to any scent at all.
"Hmph~ Rem's nose is very sharp."
"Impressive. That's Rem for you." He reached out to rub her head in praise.
"Don't try to smooth this over—out with it. What did you go to Emilia-sama's room to do?" Rem demanded, though her face betrayed how much she enjoyed the headpat, brows arched in contentment.
"Well—why don't you guess~"
"No need to guess. You obviously went to do something naughty." Rem pouted.
"Rem's so clever—she deserves a reward." Shichen chose not to deny it.
"A reward?" She was instantly hooked.
"Of course…" He leaned in and pecked her forehead.
"Mm~ That's it?" Rem was not satisfied.
"Greedy, aren't we?"
"Rem is very greedy." Smiling, she closed her eyes and tilted up her chin, making her meaning plain.
Shichen glanced at Est and Beatrice; seeing neither so much as glance over, he didn't stand on ceremony and kissed Rem.
"Mm…"
Rem slipped her arms around him at once, rising on her toes to deepen it.
He held her and was just about to meet her halfway when a pink voice appeared at the doorway.
"Rem, why aren't you back—back… what are you two doing?" Ram froze at the scene.
"Sister? Why are you here?" Rem reluctantly drew back, licking her lips to savor the taste.
"Rem… you… what are you doing?" Ram echoed in a daze.
"Nothing much. Let's go back. Shichen, sleep early." Rem moved to her sister's side and guided her away.
"…Mm." Shichen sighed.
It wasn't that he, like Rem, felt unsatisfied—he just hadn't expected Ram to catch them like that.
Had he gotten complacent lately? Why were his "bad things" getting caught so easily?
He'd better be a bit more cautious.
As for Rem, he wasn't worried; Ram wouldn't do anything drastic. He gathered Est and Beatrice into his arms and went to sleep.
The next morning, when Shichen saw Ram, she had dark circles under her eyes—she clearly hadn't slept. As for the hateful glare she shot him, he simply ignored it.
After breakfast, he took a still-shy, not-quite-recovered Emilia to Arlam Village to play.
Ester and Beatrice were a given, and Rem and Ram came along as well.
But on the road to the village, something felt off: a white mist rose around them, dense enough to block sight beyond a few meters.
Shichen could sense mana threaded through the fog.
"This is—!" Ram suddenly tensed.
"What is it?"
"It's the Fog! Quick—find the monster Magnia's weakness!"