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I cautiously made my way through the cathedral during the night, deliberately avoiding the encroaching shadows.
Ian’s office was always guarded by knights stationed in front of the door, making it impossible to gain access without a prior appointment. However, it is worth noting that there was more than one door leading to his office.
I guided the shadow to the last room on this floor.
Upon completing the simple operation in front of the expansive artwork adorning the room, the device sprang to life, unveiling a concealed staircase located behind it.
“It’s here.”
I said, looking back at the shadow.
“If you go up these stairs, you can enter his office.”
“Doesn’t he know the existence of this secret passage?”
The shadow said, carefully examining the stairs, his eyes filled with caution.
“No way. Of course he knows. Most of the time, access to this aisle is blocked from the office, so you can’t use it. But it’s a different story on the day of the plan. The aisle will always be open then.”
I maintained a low voice as I continued speaking.
“Because traitors will have to constantly come and go through this passage.”
“…Great.”
The shadow nodded heavily.
“I will make sure to convey this to the owners. Do you have anything else to say to them?”
“I have nothing else to say. However, I have a personal favour to ask of you. Please convey to them the urgency of my need for this operation and how much I have risked.”
“…….”
“Well, I’ve really put everything on this one.”
“I suppose so.”
The shadow murmured quietly.
“If you fail, your life will be in his hands.”
“Even if it weren’t for Ian, my masters would still not leave me alone if I were to fail. Do you know the existence of this curse, right?”
When I pointed to the area near my thigh where the time-limiting curse was engraved, the shadow said nothing for a moment.
“Even if we successfully complete this mission, the curse will not be lifted.”
“I know.”
I answered dryly.
“I don’t even want that. Because I’m not that stupid. I just want to live a little more comfortably than before. Therefore.”
I said, looking straight at the shadow.
“Please convey my story to them.”
“… All right.”
The shadow nodded slowly.
His eyes looked at me for a moment with something to say. However, the shadow did not make any more sound.
Soon the shadow disappeared like smoke into thin air.
“…What.”
Of course, that shadow. I think I know ‘the real number 76’, that is, the original owner of my body.
‘It won’t be a factor that will affect the plan.’
It was the moment when I was about to turn my head thinking that.
“What are you thinking about?”
Another voice came from the darkness.
I directed a slight glare towards the source of the voice.
“Please show some favour.”
“It’s my habit to hide.”
Ian said boldly and came towards me.
“Did the story go well?”
“Sure. Certainly.”
After responding with confidence, I later spoke in a serious tone.
“I think the lies are increasing more and more.”
“I think you are born with it.”
“A born liar? That’s not a compliment, is it?”
“Think whatever you want.”
Ian, the person who said that, approached me.
He gently lowered his head towards my forehead and spoke in a soft tone.
“… You smell unpleasant.”
“What? From me?”
“Did he touch you?”
“Ah… Yes?”
I shook my head as I remembered. I’ve had quite a few conversations with shadows, but they’ve never touched my skin.
“I’ve never done that… Why? What’s wrong?”
When I asked with some fear, Ian slowly shook his head.
“I think it just smells a bit like him. I’ve smelled something like this before… A similar odour came from people who had been subjected to dozens of curses.”
Dozens of curses?
I had a thought about a shadow. He is both a servant and a slave to Nine. Just as I was subjected to a time-limited curse, is he also suffering from numerous curses?
Thinking like that, I sniffed my sleeve.
“Do you really smell it? I don’t feel anything.”
“I’m a bit sensitive.”
Oh, I see. You’re a Sword Master, would I like to know?
With a mischievous thought in mind, I extended my hand towards Ian.
“I haven’t completed today’s amount of practice yet.”
“……I know.”
Ian said in a heavy voice.
“Because you act like you’re going to be in trouble every day if one day goes by.”
“Of course. Practice is life, for us.”
I coyly shrugged my shoulders.
“Sir Ian, it’s obvious when you’re nervous. I guess it’s because you don’t usually be nervous.”
I said, as I shook my outstretched hand.
“Do you remember the order?”
“A little bit.”
Ian’s palm wrapped around my hand as if covering it. My skin was itching for no reason due to the sudden warmth of someone else’s body seeping into me.
Afterwards, Ian firmly placed his hand on my waist. In an instant, our bodies collided, as if gracefully dancing a waltz.
Next, Ian grabbed my waist. In an instant, his body and my chest came into contact, as if dancing a waltz.
“Do you still think I’m nervous?”
He kissed my lips as a soft whisper fell into my ear.
‘Of course. It’s very obvious.’
I wanted to answer like this.
But the problem was that it wasn’t true.
These days, Ian is showing much improvement in skinship compared to before.
There were times when he didn’t seem nervous at all even though we were so close together.
Like right now.
‘… You look like you’re skilled. On the topic of Ian.’
Okay. The person in front of me is Ian. Despite his appearance, he is a person who has never properly held a woman’s hand.
Even though I brainwashed myself like that, my heartbeat didn’t subside.
“Why can’t you answer?”
My heart beat faster at the sound of his soothing voice.
I felt as though I were a village woman being harassed by a cunning man.
‘Nonsense.’
I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I couldn’t lose in this field.
I raised the corners of my mouth as I placed my hand on Ian’s back.
“No. To be honest, it’s not noticeable right now.”
“…Is that so?”
Ian raised one eyebrow in response, clearly surprised by the unexpected answer.
I nodded slightly and said.
“If you are this skilled, you can charm most ladies. It feels rewarding. I’m also glad that they will be able to do well with others without me in the future.”
“…….”
Ian had no answer.
I sensed that the hand encircling my waist had grown stronger. It seemed as though there was something he didn’t enjoy.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Ian said that in a cold voice and hugged me closer.
“Are you going to proceed as planned?”
“….Yes. Go ahead.”
When I remembered what I had predicted last night, my eyes suddenly became dizzy.
Nevertheless, when I answered as if nothing had happened, Ian seemed a little embarrassed.
“… Really?”
“It’s just practice anyway.”
I said as if trying to convince myself.
“It’s not real, it’s just an act.”
“Is everything really okay with the acting?”
“Yes. Because it is to achieve a purpose.”
“… Also.”
Ian chuckled lowly.
“You are a born liar.”
“It still doesn’t sound like a compliment.”
I pretended as if nothing had happened, but the reality wasn’t like that.
My heart was pounding wildly, as if there was a riot. It felt like my heart was going to jump out of my mouth at any moment.
‘Calm down.’
I thought back to what I had just said to Ian.
Anyway, this is just practice. It was all fake and just an act.
It’s just a process to achieve a goal.
While repeating this to myself, I gently closed my eyes. Then I carefully stood on tiptoes. Today was a day when we had to go a little deeper than usual.
‘….Huh?’
I felt like I had to slowly touch Ian, but no matter how hard I stood on tiptoe, I couldn’t feel the touch.
It was clear that Ian was not cooperating at all. I was struggling like this, tiptoeing around like this, but he didn’t even seem to be lowering his head.
‘No matter how inexperienced you are, you can’t even do something like this…!’
Should I teach him?
That was the moment I thought about it.
Suddenly, a warm and soft sensation covered my lips.
I was startled and tried to run away without realizing it. But I couldn’t do that because his hand was holding my waist tightly.
“Eum….!”
I tapped Ian on the shoulder. But he didn’t back down at all, and instead embraced my waist even tighter.
‘How to.’
I had no idea that just a kiss could be this overwhelming.
It’s just lips touching, nothing more.
It felt like thousands of pigeons were fluttering around inside my heart.
How do I kiss him?
I had a clear and perfect theory in my mind. How to position your head and regulate your breathing.
But at this moment, nothing came to mind. I was just afraid that my face would get so hot that it might catch fire.
What should I do next?
It was a time when only such thoughts filled my head.
The gentle touch of our lips sent a delightful sensation through my lower lip. Unbeknownst to me, my lips involuntarily separated, and our lips overlapped more deeply.
‘Now, wait a minute. Wait for a second!’
At that point, my mind was completely frozen.
After what felt like an eternity, a few seconds had passed. Ian, who wouldn’t let me go no matter how hard I hit him, relaxed his arms for the first time. The feeling of the lips that were touching each other and moving away felt very distant.
“Irene… Irene?”
Ian whispered above his lips.
“Are you okay?”
There was no way anyone could see that I was in a good state right now.
There was no need for my pride to be hurt by being asked this question. My heart was pounding so hard that I was worried that it might explode.
“Today.”
I said, lowering my head so as not to notice my bright red face.
“Let’s stop here. Today’s progress seems to have gone far enough.”
“Enough?”
Ian asked. His voice was slightly cracked at the end.