Chapter 109 – After the Performance (3)

May 17th, 2023

I felt dizzy hearing Cecily’s way of thinking, which was completely different from mine, and grabbed my head. Even if I thought about it carefully, what I heard didn’t change. I couldn’t tell if it was because she was a demon, or if it was unique to Cecily, or if it was a cultural thing in this world. The thought that it would be her turn after Marie made my mind go blank.

“Um… Noona?”

“Yes? What’s the matter?”

“Am I stupid or something? What do you mean by saying that It’s your turn after Marie?”

I asked her a question just in case there was something I was misunderstanding.

Cecily shook her head, as if wondering what was wrong, and showed a naive expression, revealing her own doubts.

“I mean exactly what I said. Marie is the woman who became Benefactor’s lover first, so I should at least be able to compromise on this, right?”

“No. No. That’s not what I meant… Ugh, what should I even say about this…”

I was so taken aback that my head wasn’t working properly. I looked at Cecily, while tousling my hair roughly. She seems to take it for granted that we’ll mix our bodies together.

Of course, I’m not entirely opposed to the idea of accepting her, but it’s a bit sudden. It’s like skipping the middle process and going straight to the ending.

As I tried to rotate my non-functioning head as much as possible, Cecily, who had been watching me quietly, spoke up in a worried tone.

“Um… do you not like mixing your body with me, Benefactor?”

It seems like she interpreted my reaction differently. I looked at her as it was something that would make others jump in surprise. Cecily is currently looking at me with a pitiful expression.

I’ll skip explaining her face because it’s only going to make her embarrassed, and her figure… let’s move on from that too. You could say that she has all the heavenly beauty. I’m sorry to Marie, but Cecily’s feminine charm is far superior.

But what’s important now is not her appearance or figure. It’s just that I couldn’t understand Cecily, who was trying to skip all the steps and sleep together.

Even the thought of it only lasted a moment, and first of all, I shook my head vigorously in a low voice to alleviate her anxiety.

“No. No way. That wouldn’t happen. It’s just too sudden. Don’t even Noona think that mixing our bodies together out of nowhere is a bit… Isn’t it better to have a lovey-dovey relationship like Marie’s?”

“If you accept me, Benefactor, then it doesn’t matter to me. I might even be happier about it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. If I think about all the things we’ve shown each other with Marie… sigh…”

As Cecily recalled Marie and my love life,  she let out a soft sigh. Her expression was ecstatic, and it sent chills down my spine as if she had flipped a switch.

Fortunately, her horns did not turn red, but her cheeks did. I didn’t want to ask what she was imagining.

“Anyway, I understand what you’re thinking, Noona. You won’t regret it, will you?”

“Do you remember the first letter I sent to the Benefactor?”

“The letter…”

I heard her question and tried to recall it. Back when we were at the Academy, Cecily had sent me a fan letter as an apology, and it was filled with her sincere desire to repay me for my kindness.

“Oh, that letter had my sincere intentions to repay you with my body and heart.”

“…Ah.”

Come to think of it, the letter did contain those words. It was filled with her willingness to offer me her body and heart. Cecily was now making an effort to fulfill that promise. It might seem like blind devotion, but considering the impact Xenon’s Biography had on the demons, it wasn’t entirely strange.

After all, I had liberated them from persecution that had lasted for hundreds of years. It would be odd if they didn’t become my followers. Although Cecily was a Helium’s Princess with an immense status, she was still a follower.

“As a demon, I will repay the kindness that the Benefactor showed to all of our kind. It’s embarrassing to say it myself, but as a woman, I have exceptional charm compared to others. And not just my body, but my heart also loves the Benefactor. So…”

“Yes, I understand. That’s enough now.”

Feeling like my mind was gradually becoming fuzzy, I quickly withdrew my hand and stopped her. If I left it alone, I didn’t know what kind of words might pop out.

Anyway, I was able to confirm her sincerity. Cecily was in a state of being nothing less than a follower who only looked at me. A follower who willingly would sacrifice themselves when ordered to do so.

I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy as if she had become a slave. I looked at Cecily with an embarrassed expression and opened my mouth.

“I don’t think there’s a need to go that far. I prefer a horizontal relationship rather than a vertical one. There’s no need for you to sacrifice everything for me…”

“Well, in any case, the Benefactor will return to nature after 100 years, so shouldn’t I do at least this much?”

“… …”

I had nothing to say to that. I was frozen with my mouth open in response to Cecily’s rebuttal, which made me feel different from the way I thought. Even before, I felt like her way of thinking was drastically different.

Whether I spoke or not, Cecily smiled brightly and waited patiently until I finished thinking. I barely managed to hold onto my departing soul.

“…If you insist on saying that, there’s nothing left to say. Do as you wish.”

“Thank you.”

“But there’s a condition.”

“I’m ready to accept any condition.”

“… …”

As soon as she placed her hand on her chest and answered, a dark emotion that had been buried in my heart suddenly surged up. It was the same feeling I had when I started speaking informally with Rina earlier.

I even imagined what might have happened if I had caused a major accident with Cecily just moments ago, so strong was the emotion. 

‘…It’s because of the pheromones from earlier, isn’t it?’

Normally, I wouldn’t even have such thoughts. However, the pheromones that Cecily emitted earlier had stimulated my senses and aroused my desires, specifically my sexual desires.

One of the desires that had been difficult for me to satisfy since I was reborn was sexual desire, and triggering it like a switch made the situation take a strange turn. I pressed my nose bridge tightly to maintain composure.

Luckily, I had better endurance than most people due to regular physical training, so I was able to control myself.

“…All I want is simple. Instead of only me speaking informally to Noona, please do so too. Whether there are other people around or just the two of us, it doesn’t matter. That should be acceptable, right?”

“Um…I got it. I just need to speak informally, right?”

Once she did so, Cecily returned to her usual self instead of being like a follower. It was not just a way to express affection but also had the effect of breaking down the walls between them. As soon as Cecily spoke casually, I felt relieved. I felt burdened before as she was treated as a benefactor, but all of that burden disappeared.

“Alright. Should I also speak casually to Noona?”

“Yeah. But do you have to keep calling me Noona?”

“If you don’t like it, I won’t use it.”

“No, do as you like. You can call me Cecily instead of noona. Will that work?”

“Okay, are there other conditions?”

“For example…”

Cecily trailed off and blushed slightly before speaking in a shy voice.

“Can you touch my chest?”

“…”

“I’ve mentioned it before, but my body and mind belong to you. You can handle me however you want.”

“I’ll pass.”

Cecily was really testing my patience. If it weren’t for meeting Marie, I would have probably given in to her advances a long time ago.

As much as Cecily was an irresistibly charming woman to me as a man, she was too much for me. But if she likes it, I’ll let it go.

However, even if I accepted it, there was one last hurdle. I pressed my nose bridge again and brought up the concern that was worrying me.

“But can we get Marie’s permission, noona? I’m fine with it, but I’m not sure if Marie will accept…”

“Don’t worry about that. This noona has many ways. And as your value increases, you’ll need someone to protect you politically. Even if Marie’s family is a duke with the power next to the emperor in this empire, the country won’t necessarily protect them.”

“Well, it’s fortunate for me, but…”

Even though we live in a world where polygamy is allowed in some cultures, it still feels like cheating to me, probably because of my past life’s influence. Polygamy was a custom that only existed in the Islamic culture in my past life. Of course, in the Western world, there are occasional cases where someone has an extra lover even though they have a spouse, but even then, it’s only possible with the spouse’s permission.

Moreover, it’s even more burdensome because it’s Princess Cecily of Helium. Is it even imaginable to have the daughter of a duke as a girlfriend and to have the Princess of Helium as another lover? My value and situation are both incredibly complex.

“You don’t have to make that face. You just have to accept it. My body and heart are solely for you. Even if you and I have a relationship and you throw me away like an old rag, I’ll accept everything.”

“I don’t want to live like that kind of garbage.”

At the thought of Adelia, who was rejected by her loved ones, the feeling of being torn apart and uncomfortable overwhelmed me, as if I could imagine Cecily crying like she did.

Cecily nodded her head gently, as if pleased with my firm and decisive answer despite my complexion.

“I understand. Even though it may feel short-lived to me, that happiness will last forever. I hope you understand that. Instead of living with regrets in this moment, live with longing later.”

“I’ll try my best so that my noona won’t have any regrets. Just tell me what you want. I’m not good at just receiving things.”

“Can you hug me, then?”

Cecily spread her arms wide and asked for a favor. By spreading her arms, her large breasts stood out even more and caught my eye.

The moment we hug, our relationship becomes irrevocable. I need to take full responsibility.

But I’ve already made up my mind. Shouldn’t I repay Cecily’s infinite dedication and love for me?

I hesitated for a moment, but I also spread my arms wide and approached Cecily. Before I even got close, Cecily jumped into my arms and hugged me tightly.

“Mmm… This is the body of the Benefactor, no, Isaac… It feels warm and nice…”

“… …”

Cecily couldn’t even say a proper word, she just made cute noises in my arms. When we hugged, the feeling of her chest, which boasted a terrible presence, was conveyed perfectly.

It’s a feeling of being crushed to the point of suffocation, touching on a man’s primal instinct, and even grabbing it by the hair and pulling it out. It’s a completely different dimension from when I hugged Marie.

If Marie’s love lightly suppresses sexual desire, Cecily’s sexual desire tramples love forcibly. The scent also adds fuel to the already burning fire and can drive a person crazy.

‘Hold on. Endure… You’ve endured so far…’

It’s my sexual desire that I’ve been enduring so far. I can’t just let it explode here. I have to endure somehow.

How much time has passed? Cecily hummed while she held me, and then released her grip on me.

“Ah… it was so good. It feels like my desire inside was relieved even a little bit. I should have done this earlier.”

She let out a breathy sigh and faced me directly, scratching her cheek after avoiding my gaze.

Some people can relieve their desires, while others have a lot of them. How unfair this structure is. Maybe her desire was transmitted to me.

“Well… I feel a little embarrassed.”

“How is it compared to Marie? Did you feel the solidity?”

“… …”

“Isaac’s face is red again.”

Even though Cecily was speaking right in front of me, I couldn’t even open my mouth. I need to calm my lower body, which has been boiling since we hugged, somehow.

Even though my lower body was pushed back and my upper body leaned forward in an awkward position, Cecily might have noticed it even though she pretended not to. It’s like walking around with obscene material. I was afraid that I would get excited just by looking at her face later.

“…Let’s go back to the mansion now. You know that I made a promise with Marie, right?”

“Yeah. I got it. Oh, by the way, Isaac. There’s something I want to tell you.”

“What is it?”

As I was trying to calm down my burning face, Cecily asked me with a slightly serious expression, not a smiling face.

“Do you happen to know about Dark Elves?”.

“Dark Elves?”

“Yeah. They’re a tribe that was expelled from their own people due to a civil war. They mainly worship the god of darkness, Mora, just like us demons.”

“I know a little bit about them.”

I had seen some books in Professor Elena’s lab about Dark Elves. Dark Elves are not well-known to the public because they hardly reveal themselves and move secretly. Also, I only knew that they have dark-colored skin and are generally excellent at concealing themselves. Moreover, there were many interesting historical aspects that attracted my curiosity.

“Then, you also know that Dark Elves are excellent at hiding, right?”

“Yeah. But why are you asking about Dark Elves?”

“The thief who stole your manuscript was a Dark Elf.”

“What?”

What kind of nonsense is this? I could only widen my eyes in shock at the shocking truth that Cecily had just revealed to me. Even if Dark Elves stole my manuscript, I couldn’t understand why they did it. Even if my manuscript was immensely valuable, I had doubts about how they would use it.

At least, as far as I know, dark elves have little interest in human society and have been focused on interacting with their own kind. 

“We found out about it through our own investigation after the theft incident. Maybe the news has already been delivered to the Minerva Empire leadership by now.”

“Why would a dark elf steal my manuscript?”

“I don’t know for sure. But it’s likely they did it for their own greed.”

“Hmm…”

I felt a little bewildered. At the same time, I remembered the statement that Alvenheim had shown in the newspaper.

They claimed they wouldn’t stoop to such low acts. Of course, since the dark elf who was expelled from Alvenheim was not considered one of their own kind, there is a high possibility that they did not treat them as such.

“And we were able to identify the culprit through an opportunity. They’ll be visiting Helium in a week. I hope you can come with me then.”

“Okay. I’m curious about what the culprit looks like.”

“Would you forgive them if they were a young child?”

Cecily asked with some concern. Judging by her question, it seems that the culprit is likely a young person.

But without any hesitation, I replied as if her worry was unnecessary.

“No. Why should I? If they used their own power to steal my manuscript, that’s even worse.”

“You’re surprisingly firm.”

“Young children tend to become more wicked when they become aware of their own power.”

I witnessed countless incidents where children were claiming to have supernatural powers or special abilities in their past lives. Especially, younger children tend to take advantage of their young age to deceive others.

“Well, if they apologize and beg for forgiveness, after I give them a bump on their head, I might change my mind. It won’t change the fact that I will scold them, though.”

“What if they tried to steal your manuscript again?”

“Hmm… in that case…”

I pondered while looking up and scratched my head before speaking quietly.

“Maybe their parents would have asked if they were different?”

“Ha ha!”

Cecily burst into laughter at my sarcastic remark. Even I felt relieved by her infectious laughter.

“Hahaha. What a witty response. How did you come up with that?”

“I just thought of it.”

“Hoo hoo hoo… Ah, really. Isaac is so adorable.”

“Ahem.”

Now it’s my turn to feel embarrassed. I coughed and avoided her gaze as Cecily looked at me with a gentle smile.

“Anyway, we’ll go to Helium in a week, right?”

“I’ll send a carriage to your mansion at that time. You just have to prepare.”

“Got it.”

“Oh, by the way, you’re not going to write anything bad about them in Xenon’s Biography because of this, are you?”

I listened to Cecily’s question and thought deeply. Just like how saving the demons had a positive impact, writing negative stories about dark elves would undoubtedly have a great negative influence on them as well. 

However, I have to distinguish between what is public and private, or else the story might become convoluted. It’s true that the elves are arrogant, but the elves I will use in Xenon’s Biography are a race that realizes their arrogance and truly unites. 

The same goes for the dark elves. They were banished by their own kind, but they unite with them to defeat the devils, which seems like an ordinary story, but… 

“I won’t write anything bad, but there might be a little problem. Not just for the dark elves, but for all elves.” 

“What’s that?” 

I said, grinning. 

“Sorry, I can’t say it because it’s a spoiler.” 

In the novel’s Alvenheim, the arrogance of the elves crumbles against the devils.