Chapter 105: You're Using Time Stop For This?
At this moment, only one thought occupied Aeron's mind:
...Is this how time-stop is supposed to be used?!
That marine biologist and the golden vampire could only stop time for less than ten seconds—how is his junior more overpowered than them!
"Senior... I'm... going to start now!"
You really didn't need to announce that!
Phoebe's voice trembled slightly yet remained unusually clear. In the frozen domain, only her increasingly rapid breathing and the drum-like pounding of her heart could be heard.
Though Aeron had seen time-stop abilities before... honestly speaking, this was his first time experiencing it from the victim's perspective!
Right now, Aeron couldn't move even a finger. He could only watch as Phoebe—this newly appointed, powerful Primus—now resembled a child mustering all her courage to pull a prank, beginning her awkward yet bold "exploration."
Phoebe seemed somewhat at a loss; the time-stop had given her courage but not enough "experience." She first cautiously poked Aeron's cheek with her fingertip, and after confirming the warmth was real, she relaxed slightly, growing bolder.
She gently removed her hat, her fair cheeks already flushed crimson, the delicate collarbones tinged with pink. Those usually clear, bright eyes now glistened with moisture, shimmering with shyness, nervousness, and focus.
"S-Senior..." she murmured, as if justifying her next actions, "You promised to stay with me... Now... take a good look at me too..."
As she spoke, Phoebe took half a step back, allowing the cleverly tailored priestess robe to better outline her youthful figure—white stockings hugging her slender legs, the exposed sliver of pale skin at her waist rising and falling with her nervous breaths.
...Fenrico, you really chose a great uniform! I'm gonna kill you for real!
Phoebe reached out, clumsily unfastening the buttons of Aeron's coat. In the time-stopped state, this normally simple task became challenging, the friction of fabric unusually loud in the utter silence.
"S-Sorry, Senior... I'm still too nervous..." she apologized while struggling with the buttons, her flustered and embarrassed demeanor a far cry from her earlier "dominance" when activating the time-stop.
And coincidentally, this triggered some unpleasant memories for Aeron.
Where are my teammates? Someone help! How are we supposed to play when I keep getting solo-killed every time?!
When the coat finally came undone, and Phoebe's cool, slightly damp fingertips accidentally brushed against the skin of his chest, her vibrant body trembled slightly.
As if discovering something novel, Phoebe pressed her entire palm against Aeron, feeling the warmth beneath. Her eyes sparkled, filled with curiosity and an indescribable satisfaction.
Phoebe began to imitate vague impressions or follow her instincts, awkwardly exploring.
Her fingertips traced across his chest, carrying the unique softness of a young girl and an uncertain tremor.
She leaned in slightly, her head brushing lightly against Aeron's chin. Golden strands of hair cascaded down, sweeping across the side of his neck, bringing with them a faint, ticklish sensation. The scent of Phoebe—sunlight and a subtle, sweet fragrance—filled his senses.
"You promised me, Senior... to stay safe..." Her voice carried a hint of small grievance, and even the warmth of her breath was palpable to Aeron.
"But Senior always makes people worry... So... this is... a little punishment..."
Huh?????
With that, as if mustering all her courage, she closed her eyes and quickly, gently pressed her lips just above Aeron's collarbone.
"...I have to leave a mark so Senior remembers... Next time, you can't take risks so casually!"
That fleeting, soft touch was like a feather brushing past, yet it carried a startling heat, leaving a clear imprint in the stillness of time.
Aeron's mind went completely blank for a moment.
Having done all this, Phoebe relaxed entirely, burying her flushed face into the crook of his neck, her voice muffled: "Senior... is my important Senior..."
"Se-Senior... is my... important Senior..."
Her voice grew softer, her breathing increasingly erratic, and her small face flushed crimson with blood rushing to it.
"Ac-According to the book Miss Ciaccona gave me..."
...Well, I got an unexpected bonus.
Good, Aeron already knows who to settle the score with afterwards.
Aeron felt Phoebe press even closer. Even through the fabric, he could sense the heat of her palms. The perfectly proportioned yet vibrantly youthful curves of her figure were even more impactful at such close proximity.
Aeron could clearly see the slight rise and fall of her chest from nervousness, and the white stockings faintly revealing the color of her skin beneath.
Damn it, Fenrico deserves to die twice.
At the same time, Phoebe's hands began to tremble more and more noticeably.
"And th-th-th-th-then... next is...!!"
Just as Phoebe's voice grew increasingly faint and her breathing more rapid, right as her hands were about to land on Aeron's waist—
"Ugh..."
The kettle before her eyes seemed to boil over, and a puff of steam even seemed to rise from Phoebe's head.
Phoebe went limp, like a deflated balloon, and slumped forward stiffly, her face burying squarely into Aeron's chest, where his collar had just been pulled open. She even maintained her slightly outstretched hands, but now she was completely still.
...?
Before Aeron could recover from the lingering soft sensation on his collarbone, he felt a weight against his chest. Warm breaths seeped through the thin fabric of his clothes, spreading across his skin with an oddly ticklish sensation.
Then—click.
The flow of time abruptly returned. The clamor of people outside the alley, the sound of wheels rolling over cobblestones—all rushed in at once. Sunlight began to move again, and dust danced in its beams.
And Aeron finally regained control of his body.
He stiffly lowered his head, looking at Phoebe, who clung to his chest like an octopus, completely unconscious with her face buried inward, momentarily unsure how to react.
This feeling was akin to casting a spell late at night only to have a Macau New Port casino advertisement pop up at the critical moment, leaving one momentarily unsure what to do.
"Aeron—! Phoebe—! Where are you—?"
Cartethyia's crisp call, perfectly timed, grew from a distance accompanied by brisk footsteps before halting at the mouth of the alley.
"Ah, found—you...?"
The next second, her voice caught in her throat.
Cartethyia stood at the alley entrance, sunlight outlining her silhouette from behind. She observed Aeron—disheveled, with a flushed, breathless Phoebe still "dangling" unconscious against his chest.
"...Did I come at a bad time?"
"I think you came at just the right moment... probably."