I looked at the girl in front of me.
Carol stood there, shivering in her underclothes. With that expression, if I attacked her now, she might force herself not to cry, but tears would definitely fall.
I approached her.
Her body was stiff as a wooden stake.
I raised my hand.
She trembled violently, flinching.
"It's so small," I muttered, looking at her chest.
"Huh!!?"
Carol was stunned for a moment. When she realized what I was talking about, she glared fiercely at me.
"You!"
She wanted to reprimand me. Even if it were true (it wasn't really, she was just modest compared to Lycoris or Ine), these were extremely offensive words. Especially after she had just sacrificed her dignity to save my life.
But she didn't. As my "toy," she had no right to complain.
"I'm just stating facts," I shrugged.
"I'm... sorry for being small," she gritted out.
"You can't say that. Whether it's big or small, I like it. Quality over quantity."
"You seem to know a lot about this."
"I only know a little bit."
My humility made her eyebrow twitch.
Carol pursed her lips, waiting for the inevitable.
But instead of pushing her down, I stopped. I took a step back, picked up her clothes from the ground, and shoved them into her arms.
"Put them on."
"What do you mean?" she blinked.
"The timing isn't right yet. I have no particular interest in sleeping under the open sky."
Carol breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, she didn't want her "first time" to be in the dirt on the side of the road. She craved at least a bed and a roof.
"You can come to me anytime you want it," she whispered, clutching her clothes.
"Don't worry. I won't stand on ceremony with you later."
I watched her dress.
I was naturally interested in field battles, but there wasn't enough time to properly enjoy this meal. And if a man couldn't make a girl feel pleasure during her first experience, he was failing as a man.
Besides... I had petty revenge to exact.
She had slashed me earlier. The cut hurt like hell. I wanted to pay her back a hundred times over.
I turned to the waiting wives.
"Get ready. It's almost time for us to head back."
"Go back?" one asked. "But the dragon carriage is broken..."
"I know. Go pack your belongings. The people coming to pick us up will be here soon."
The girls looked around the empty road. The sky was darkening. No one was coming.
But they didn't question me.
"I'll go pack right away," the girl I saved said first.
"Me too!"
As they bustled about, Carol walked over, fully dressed.
"How did you know someone was coming?" she asked suspiciously.
"I felt it."
"Felt it!?" She frowned.
"You don't believe me? In that case... how about we make a bet?"
"No gambling."
She refused instantly. My trap was written all over my face.
"If you win," I tempted her, "I can listen to your opinion on our... arrangement. I'll give you a first experience that meets your romantic expectations. Flowers, a bed, the works."
Carol's eyes flickered. As a maiden, the offer was incredibly tempting.
"And if I lose?"
"On the way back in the carriage, follow my instructions and absolutely do not disobey."
"On the way back?"
Carol was confused. Why that specific condition?
'Nothing could get any worse,' she thought. 'At worst, I lose my virginity in the carriage while the wives watch. It's shameful, but I already agreed to be a toy.'
"Okay," she nodded. "I accept."
"You won't go back on your word?"
"What do you take me for! I am a Knight!"
"Then it's settled. The carriage will be here in five minutes."
Carol began to count down.
Five minutes wasn't long.
Four minutes later, a dragon carriage appeared in the distance, coming from the direction of the Capital.
"It seems I've won," I smirked.
"Ugh."
Carol looked disappointed. The road had been empty for hours because of the monster rumors. Yet, someone had come.
The carriage pulled up. It was smaller than our original one, but that suited my taste. Smaller spaces made things... interesting.
Then, the door opened.
A figure jumped down.
"Young Miss!" Carol gasped.
"Carol! I'm so glad you're alright!"
Thearesia van Astrea ran over, lifting her skirt, her red hair flowing in the wind.
"Young Miss! What are you doing here!?"
"You haven't been back for so long, and people said monsters appeared on the road. I was worried, so I secretly ran away to look for you!"
"Wait! You sneaked out!?"
"Don't worry, Carol. You know my strength."
"Ahem~"
I interrupted the touching reunion.
"Sorry to bother you, but there's another person breathing here. Can you stop ignoring me?"
Thearesia turned. Her eyes widened.
"It's you!"
"It's me," I smiled charmingly.
"Why are you here?"
"It's because of fate."
I stepped closer.
"Five minutes before you arrived, I felt it. My heart told me my Destined One was drawing closer."
"D-Destined One!?"
Thearesia blushed furiously. She had never heard such bold words. Feeling ashamed and confused, she looked at her friend for help.
"Carol...?"
Carol remained silent for a moment. Her face was pale. She realized why I had made the bet about the carriage ride back.
"The idea that it was destined is just nonsense," Carol said through gritted teeth.
"However... he did predict your arrival five minutes ago. To the second."
"It's actually true!" Thearesia gasped, looking at me with new eyes.
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