CHAPTER 23: EPILOGUE: ONLY THREE MONTHS?

W-Where... where am I? This... is this my house...?

Aoshi slowly opens his eyes — his head throbbing, his vision slightly blurred. He’s lying on his futon, no longer wearing the blood-soaked clothes from before, but his pajamas. With the shutters completely closed, it’s impossible to tell whether it’s still night or if the sun has already risen.

Instinctively, he brings a hand to his face — nothing. Not a single trace of the blood that had splattered across him during the brutal execution by the Chikuma River path.

«Forgive my lack of tact, boy. I should’ve handled things more discreetly so as not to traumatize you, but I got a little carried away. My fault.»

A warm, calm voice instantly snaps Aoshi out of his half-conscious daze — the voice of Raelor, sitting elegantly cross-legged on a chair behind him.

At the sound of that voice, a chill runs down Aoshi’s spine, and his whole body stiffens, trembling out of sheer reflex. It takes him a moment to recognize the friendly tone in Raelor’s voice — and behind it, the soft sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

«What happened? Where’s Eliss? Why am I clean and in my futon? Why are you in my house? You’re not going to kill me, right? Please tell me you’re not!»

That’s what Aoshi means to ask — at least, that’s what he thinks he’s saying. In reality, only a series of incoherent, slurred sounds escape his mouth.

«I assume you’d like some clarification about what happened last night after you lost consciousness,» Raelor says, attempting to interpret the disconnected noises Aoshi is making. «Nothing of consequence, really. I brought you home by air, and once we arrived, Princess Eliss thoroughly washed you of blood and vomit, dressed you in clean clothes, and laid you down on that strange mattress you humans call a futon. She’s washing herself now. That’s all. Ah, and of course, before leaving the forest, I made sure to disintegrate both the men’s bodies and every trace of biological evidence — so it’s as if nothing ever happened, except that those five delinquents won’t be bothering anyone ever again.»

Nothing of consequence, he says! I was airlifted home by a demonic rescue service — and more importantly... Eliss washed me and dressed me! Which means... she saw me completely naked?!

Aoshi’s face flushes bright red. The mere thought of Eliss scrubbing his body — with a soapy sponge, over every part of him — makes his brain short-circuit. So much so that he doesn’t even notice the all-too-obvious bulge rising under the blanket the moment that image crosses his mind.

He turns to his side as soon as he realizes, but it’s too late — Raelor has already burst out laughing. Not so much at the sudden erection, but at Aoshi’s clumsy, mortified reaction.

«Come now, you’re a man, aren’t you? There’s nothing to be ashamed of — such reactions are perfectly natural, even for us demons. Especially when it involves the incomparable Princess Eliss,» Raelor says . «Actually, you should be proud — as far as I know, you’re the first person she’s ever touched in that way. It’s no coincidence that, back in Ravessia, she’s even earned the nickname "The Eternal Virgin". Quite the opposite of Princess Vanya, who’s... considerably less reserved.»

«V-Vanya...?» Aoshi repeats, puzzled.

«Oh, pardon — I assumed Eliss had told you about her. Princess Vanya Narkhalis is her older sister, but since the two don’t exactly get along, I suppose that explains why she’s never mentioned her. Vanya, though a succubus of great beauty herself, has always been envious of her younger sister’s unique, precocious charm — and things only got worse once Eliss started to grow into womanhood. She was barely fifteen when word of her unmatched beauty had already spread throughout the entire kingdom of Ravessia. An endless line of suitors began gathering outside the gates of the royal fortress — all seeking Eliss’s hand, only to turn to Vanya as a mere consolation prize. I imagine it wasn’t easy for a competitive and vain woman like her to suddenly become the second choice, overshadowed by her little sister. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that it’s always wiser to stay out of women’s quarrels.»

«I-I see...» Aoshi murmurs, his voice still tinged with unease. Despite Raelor’s casual and friendly way of speaking, the images of his ruthless slaughter are still burned into Aoshi’s mind. It’s not easy to relax around someone when you’ve seen what they’re capable of.

«S-So... you didn’t come here to kill me?»

Once again, Raelor bursts into laughter — so heartily that he almost falls off his chair.

«Kill you? And why would I? Actually, I should be grateful for how respectfully you’ve treated Princess Eliss — I can assure you I don’t know how many other men in your place would have resisted the easy temptation to take advantage of her. Between us, her father sent me to bring her back, but after I reported what her little excursion on Earth turned into, he decided to keep her here as a punishment, and if that means taking away her precious virginity... well, that will be part of her sentence. So no, I don’t intend to kill you, nor to interfere with your routine, unless of course the princess’s safety is at stake. But, to be honest, if someone else in your position had simply used her as a cum-dump for fun, I don’t think I could have kept my hands off — if you know what I mean. She may be punished, but she’s still a princess, and tarnishing a princess’s dignity is a capital crime.»

Aoshi jumps at those last words, spoken in a far more serious, threatening tone even if not directed at him.

In other words... if I had taken advantage of her and had sex with her as soon as I had the chance, Raelor would have finished me in no time?! — he swallows nervously — I’ll never thank the God of Light enough for the self-control he gave me! I owe him my life — literally!

«But fortunately, that’s not your case,» Raelor continues, regaining his genial cordiality. «Having her here with you, and having watched you these past days, reassures me a lot, to be honest, and I’m glad to see she’s pulling her weight around the house as well as contributing to the household expenses. Believe it or not, in twenty years at the palace she never lifted a finger, not even to tidy her room. I’m sure this experience will be far more useful for her than you might think.»

«Y-Yes, Eliss really is an exceptional homemaker. Since she’s been here, the house has never been so tidy, and she’s an amazing cook — I’ve never eaten anything as good as the dishes she makes,» Aoshi replies, visibly more relaxed.

«Those must be hidden talents forced out by her charm magic, apparently. Oh, speaking of which,» Raelor turns serious again. «There are two things you need to know about Eliss. First: a single touch from you and Eliss completely loses control of her powers — it happened last night when you hugged her, and, according to her, it also happened during your first meeting when you bumped into each other by accident. Why that happens isn’t exactly a mystery to me, but this isn’t the right time to discuss it — neither with you nor with her. Sure, if she’d studied a bit more she’d know how to break the charm binding you, but consider that part of her punishment as well. Second...» Raelor raises his index, middle and ring fingers. «Three months. That’s how long her father, the king, has decreed her punishment will last; at the end of that period, regardless of everything, she must return to Elyndra and resume her duties as a princess.»

«T-Three months...» Aoshi repeats, shaken by the revelation, but at the same time relieved.

Three months isn’t nothing, but it’s bearable. It’s clear that any foolish move of mine that betrays the trust Raelor has placed in me... brrr, better not even think about what he’d do to me! Just three months and my life will finally go back to how it was. Boring, stuck in dirty clothes and doing the dishes, sure — but definitely more normal, without having to deal with demons, magic, and whatever else. It’ll be like it was all a bad dream. Ah... I hope it passes quickly...

«Of course I expect the utmost discretion from you on this — Princess Eliss must not know how long her punishment will last, and I want her to remain unaware. But since you’re the one who’s inevitably bearing the brunt of her staying here, I thought it right to reassure you that she will return to her world soon and you’ll finally be able to resume your normal human life.»

The sound of water from the bathroom stops, and Raelor rises from the chair, striding toward the door.

«Eliss is done washing, so I’ll take my leave and let you enjoy the day. I’m counting on you, boy. And never forget that, despite sometimes being childish and capricious, the woman living under your roof is one of the most important figures not only in all of Ravessia but in all of Elyndra — so always treat her with the respect a woman of her standing deserves,» Raelor warns, opening the door just enough for Aoshi to glimpse the dawn behind him. A quick mental calculation tells Aoshi he mustn’t have been unconscious for more than three hours.

«I will!» Aoshi replies, voice steady and determined.

After a slight smile and a nod of approval, Raelor disappears beyond the threshold.

Three months. In the end, it’s not that hard. Ninety days — piece of cake!

No sooner had he thought it than...

«Raelor’s still here?» Eliss asks, flinging open the bathroom door. She’s completely drenched — droplets run from her long golden hair with a violet streak that falls just over her left eye, and from her glossy, smooth skin. She’s wearing only a small towel that barely covers the critical parts, leaving practically 99% of her body exposed — a body so sensually perfect in every curve that it instantly awakens that certain bulge poorly hidden under the futon covers.

Three months... aaaah!!!! How the hell am I going to resist all that time????!!!! Raelor, take her away before it’s too late, I beg you!!!

🔸️END OF VOLUME 1🔸️