In the Roswaal Mansion, the night was unusually calm. A soft breeze rustled through the curtains, and the moonlight bathed the corridors in a gentle glow. Most of the mansion's inhabitants were sound asleep, resting after a long day. However, one particular individual was far from restful.
Otto Suwen, the ever-loyal merchant and friend, had found himself in a rather compromising state. It had been a long day of negotiations and celebrations after another successful deal had been struck for the mansion's benefit. Naturally, Otto had indulged in a bit too much of the fine wine that was flowing freely.
Stumbling through the dimly lit hallways, Otto mumbled incoherently to himself, barely managing to keep his balance. His vision blurred, and his sense of direction completely abandoned him. As he reached the end of the corridor, he paused, swaying slightly.
"This should be my room...right?" he muttered, glancing at the door to his left. The logical part of his mind that might have questioned this assumption was drowned out by the haze of alcohol. With the decisiveness only the inebriated can muster, he opened the door and stumbled inside, leaving it ajar.
Inside, the room was peaceful, a gentle fragrance filling the air. Otto's muddled mind barely registered the unusual details as he made his way to the bed. Without hesitation, he collapsed onto the soft mattress, pulling the covers over himself.
Beside him, the room's actual occupant, Emilia, was sleeping soundly. The half-elf, known for her silver hair and gentle demeanor, was blissfully unaware of the intrusion at first. However, as Otto settled in, things took a rather awkward turn.
In his drunken stupor, Otto's arm flopped over, inadvertently landing on Emilia. As she shifted slightly in her sleep, he unconsciously snuggled closer, mistaking her warmth for a pillow. His hand, though, drifted beneath the fabric of her nightgown, resting awkwardly on her bare chest.
As Otto settled in, his fingers began to move, rapidly squeezing her breast in a clumsy, rhythmic motion as he sought a comfortable grip in his dream. The sudden, repetitive pressure sent a jolt of shock through Emilia, but as the friction continued, a strange, overwhelming heat began to swell deep within her.
Emilia's eyes fluttered open, instantly aware of the unexpected weight. Her heart skipped a beat as the intensity of his touch peaked. She tried to hold it back, but a soft, high-pitched "Nnnh...!" escaped her throat, followed by a trembling, airy moan that vibrated in the quiet room.
She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, her face burning with a deep, humiliating flush. The sound was so foreign to her—so shameful—that she stayed frozen for a second, terrified someone had heard. She realized that waking the entire mansion might lead to them finding her in this compromising, vocal state. Instead, she took a shaky breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"Otto?" she whispered, her voice still thick with a shuddery, breathless quality.
But Otto was far from waking. In his deep sleep, he mumbled incoherently and nuzzled closer, planting a soft kiss on her neck. To Emilia's surprise, he murmured, "Frederica..." under his breath, clearly lost in a dream.
"Honestly, Otto..." Emilia sighed, a sharp edge of uncomfortable irritation mixing with her amusement at the absurdity of the situation. While she could see he was far too drunk to have any malicious intent, the way he had just touched her left her feeling flustered and indignant. I'm definitely giving him a scolding for this in the morning, she thought, her face burning.
Realizing she needed to handle this delicately, Emilia carefully removed his hand from her chest and adjusted her nightgown, ensuring she was properly covered. Once free, she sat up, contemplating her next move. Emilia knew Otto well enough to understand he would be mortified when he realized what had happened.
"Alright, let's get you out of here before anyone else wakes up," she decided, taking charge of the situation.
With care, she tried to gently rouse him. "Otto, come on. You're in the wrong room."
However, Otto remained blissfully unaware, his deep breathing indicating he was nowhere near waking up. Emilia sighed, realizing she would have to move him herself.
She carefully slipped out of bed, ensuring she didn't disturb him further, and moved to the door, peering into the hallway. Thankfully, it was empty. Quietly, she returned to the bed and began the awkward task of maneuvering Otto into a more manageable position.
After some effort, Emilia managed to lift him to his feet. With his arm slung over her shoulder, she guided him toward the door. Otto's weight was more than she had anticipated, and she had to pause several times to readjust her grip.
They made their way down the hall, Emilia's focus solely on getting him back to his own room without attracting attention. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of whispered reassurances and careful navigation, they reached Otto's room. Emilia helped him inside and eased him onto his bed.
"There... finally," Emilia whispered as she eased Otto onto his own bed.
As she let go of him, a sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over her. Her heart was hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird, and her legs felt strangely heavy and weak, trembling as if she had just run a marathon. She leaned against the bedpost, panting softly, trying to understand why her body felt so "weird."
Why was he so heavy? she wondered, her mind feeling foggy. She was a half-elf; she should have been able to carry him easily. But her skin felt hot—feverishly so—and a lingering, tingly sensation remained where he had squeezed her. It was a funny, buzzing feeling that made it hard to stand straight.
Feeling lightheaded and overwhelmed by the heat radiating from her body, Emilia couldn't bring herself to stand. Her legs felt like jelly, and the pulsing sensation between them made her dizzy. In her confusion, she fell back onto the bed, lying on her back next to Otto to take a deep, shaky breath. She wondered if she was catching a cold, or if the "funny" buzzing in her skin was a sign of some strange magic.
Beside her, Otto stirred. Sensing her presence, he turned toward her, his body heat pressing against her side. His hand reached out, catching her wrist and pulling her close. Emilia tried to weakly resist, but the hot, tingly feeling in her limbs made her slow and heavy. As she lay there, eyes wide, Otto leaned in and began planting a series of soft, messy, drunken kisses all along her neck and jawline.
Emilia's breath hitched. Each kiss sent a fresh jolt of that terrifyingly good sensation through her. Her innocent mind raced to make sense of it. She hadn't even given Subaru an answer yet—she wasn't sure what love was supposed to feel like—but this intensity, this heat... it was so powerful.
Then, Otto's hand moved. He reached behind her, firmly grasping and squeezing her rear through the thin silk of her gown.
"I love you..." he groaned into her skin, his voice thick with emotion. "I love you so much..."
Emilia froze, her heart thumping so hard it hurt. Oh, she thought, her eyes shimmering with a mix of shock and a strange, new excitement. This is what it means... Otto has been hiding this all along. He truly wants me... he's showing me his real heart. She felt a surge of warmth that had nothing to do with her "fever."
"...I love you... Frederica," he mumbled, his grip loosening as he drifted back into a deeper sleep.
The name hit Emilia like a bucket of ice water.
Emilia froze, her face flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't help but feel awkwardly amused at Otto's uninhibited dreaming, but it was clear he was not in control of his actions. Carefully, she wriggled free from his hold, making sure to do so without waking him.
As she finally managed to extricate herself from Otto's grasp and stood beside his bed, a thought flitted through her mind: What if I stayed? She considered the idea, her heart fluttering with a gentle, innocent hope. She imagined herself settling back down next to him, letting his arm drape over her as he nuzzled closer. She pictured him whispering sweet, soft words into her ear, promising to protect her and stay by her side forever. Even though he had said another name, her mind conveniently pushed that aside, replaced by the warm image of Otto looking at her with eyes full of pure, honest devotion. The idea of being wanted so deeply was like a dream she never wanted to wake up from.
She imagined the next morning not with embarrassment, but with a beautiful, glowing dawn. She saw them waking up together, the sunlight hitting the blankets as Otto took her hand and told her that he had loved her for a long time. In her head, it wouldn't be awkward or something to hide; it would be the start of something wonderful—a bond where they finally understood one another's hearts. She pictured them walking to breakfast together, everyone noticing the new, soft light in their eyes, and feeling a sense of peace she had only ever read about in stories.
But the beautiful daydream shattered as the name "Frederica" echoed in her mind. Emilia realized with a sharp pang that Otto wasn't seeing her at all; he was with a version of Frederica in his head.
We're just friends, she reminded herself, her face burning with shame. And besides... I haven't even given Subaru an answer yet. The thought of Subaru made her heart heavy. He had been so patient, so kind, waiting for her to understand what love meant. If he knew what had just happened—how she had let Otto touch her, and how her body had reacted with that strange, shameful pleasure—he would be so sad. The idea of hurting him made her eyes sting.
"Goodnight, Otto," she whispered, her voice trembling.
She hurried out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. As she leaned against the cool wood of the hallway, her body was still pulsing with that "weird" heat. A dangerous, fluttering thought entered her mind: What if I went to Subaru's room right now? She wondered, with a mix of fear and curiosity, if Subaru would do the same things to her that Otto had. Would he kiss her neck so hungrily? Would he grasp her and make her feel that buzzing, melting sensation? Her body heated up instantly at the thought, a fresh wave of "funny" weakness hitting her legs.
But she squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head. No. I can't. She knew Subaru didn't just want a moment of heat; he wanted a permanent relationship. He wanted to be with her forever. And until she was absolutely sure she was ready for everything that meant, she couldn't go to him like this. She needed to be "proper" and sure of her heart, even if her body was currently telling her something very different.
With a shaky breath, she forced herself to walk down the hall toward her own lonely bed, the silence of the mansion feeling heavier than ever before.