“Let’s have sex.”

Those were the magic words every guy wanted to hear from their girlfriends. If Shin was being honest, he too had dreamt of the day where he would climb the stairs of adulthood. So what if he was a young hero, the ‘Prince of Water,’ or the ‘Black-Haired Tyrant’? Shin was a young man, filled with hormones and curiosity about the opposite gender.

“S-S-Sex?” Shin couldn’t find the right words to reply, and could only mumble out in fear.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you have a lot of fun with those girls that kept creeping into your bed?” Kanari was smiling, but her voice was as cold as ice.

“I didn’t do anything!” Shin protested for his innocence. “I chased them all out! I never did anything to them!”

“Oh yeah? It’s hard to believe you when your lower body reacts this vigorously for a girl.” Kanari had to hide her blush. It was embarrassing for her as well, to keep sitting on Shin’s manhood that could be felt through the fabric of his thin shorts. However, she had to stand her ground.

“No! I’m only this way because I’m with you!!!”

During Shin’s teenage years, his heart was too preoccupied with the loss of Ariel, and he’d never have thought about taking another lover. However, Kanari broke down those walls, brick by brick, with her determination and goodwill. In the end, she made a new nest in Shin’s heart, allowing him to feel the hormonal rush of a teenager once again. And since she possessed a unique position in Shin’s heart, the boy’s body could only physiologically react to hers, leaving them in this precarious situation.

“I-Is that so...” It was Kanari’s turn to become flustered by Shin’s counterattack. “No, I’m not going to be swayed by your sweet talk anymore! I’m sure that you had at least flirted around with those girls! They’re all as pretty as me, right?!” Kanari may not have seen Shin with those girls, but she had heard stories from Meijing Bingying. A harem with a variety of maidens, some younger and purer, others older and more mature. It indeed was a buffet for Shin to choose from.

Shin frowned, this time annoyed at his girlfriend’s lack of trust. “Do you really see me as such a lustful animal?” The young man took charge and pushed Kanari’s loosening hands off his wrist. Then, he sat up, meeting Kanari’s eyes in a Gemini pose. Their faces were now inches away from meeting, and Shin’s solemnity had hit Kanari with hard, cooling her carnal desires somewhat.

“I’d promised you that I’m exclusively yours, do you think so lightly of me?” Shin was a little hurt about Kanari’s mistrust. Even when he was surrounded by women, the youth fought back his libido and chased every single one of them out. When that didn’t stop them, he went the additional step to freeze the locks to his door, preventing any and all night time invaders. He had done so much and yet, Kanari still doubted and blamed him.

“No… It’s just...” The maiden couldn’t look Shin in the eye anymore, as she glanced at the pillows. Her modest bosom rose and fell with each deep breath she took in, which forced Shin’s manhood to slightly pulsate even though he wasn’t feeling all that lustful. Fortunately, Kanari wasn’t really focused on her thighs and didn’t feel the movement. Otherwise, it would turn extremely awkward very quickly.

“I accompanied you all the way here, but on the first day, you were separated from me.” Kanari poured out all of her worries, her eyes slightly misty. “Then, I’d heard that Longyu Tian was trying to get a horde of girls to seduce you, all of them beauties… I just… I can’t imagine what would happen if someone else wins your heart! I don’t want to think about that!!!”

The young maiden sobbed, her shoulders trembled with every cry. Shin took two breaths and ran his fingers down Kanari’s glossy hair, enveloping himself with more of her womanly fragrance. Shin had seen Kanari’s growth from a young fifteen-year-old that emitted innocence to a mature twenty-year-old maiden with all sorts of feminine charm. She was a virgin, Shin was sure of that, and yet, Kanari was the most sultry woman he had ever met. Now, adding to the fact that she was basically naked and crying on his bed, Shin had to burn all his mental faculties just to remain sane.

“Don’t cry, Kanari… I understand that it has been hard for you...” Shin whispered into her ears, filled with love and a tinge of remorse. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t asked you to follow me to the Republic, you wouldn’t have experienced this injustice.” Shin truly felt sorry for Kanari. She was the future Duchess of Highgarden. No one in the Himmel Empire would dare tell her what to do.

However, in the Lantis Republic, Kanari’s influence meant nothing. Her freedom was taken away, the number of resources she could get was far more limited and worse of all, she had to watch silently as swarms of Longyu Clan women flocked to Shin, unable to voice out any grievances in fear of the Longyu Clan’s retaliation.

“No, I’m glad that you brought me here...” The girl shook her head, revealing a wet and steamy face. “If you hadn’t, I’ll probably go crazy as well. That one week away from you was hell and that was with your letter promising me that you wouldn’t touch another girl… If I had to endure five years of that, I think that I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else...”

Kanari liked Shin a lot more then he realised. In fact, Kanari didn’t even know how much she longed for him until they were forcibly moved apart. They were inseparable in the Himmel Empire, after all. “If I were distracted, that would be fine. But whenever I’m alone, my mind naturally gravitates in your direction. Worse still, I couldn’t think of the good memories we had! All I could think about were the girls that Bingying mentioned!!!”

“Kanari...” Shin continued to stroke the girl’s hair and eventually, her smooth back. Alas, that was a wrong move. That action had triggered her desires, and Kanari was reminded of the reason for her nighttime visit.

“So I want some confirmation… Confirmation that you’re my man.” The maiden slapped Shin’s gentle hands away and pushed him back onto the bed, assuming the same position that they once did. She leaned in and forced a kiss on Shin. The wet and slithery tongue that Kanari kept caged was now unleashed in full force, invading Shin’s mouth like a greedy raider. At this distance, Shin could count the curled eyelashes on Kanari. The same rose aroma that dominated his body earlier on was now ravaging Shin’s nasal system, filling him with nothing but Kanari’s scent.

Ten seconds in, the mental faculties that Shin had worked so hard to keep him sane, had broken down entirely. He returned from a long day and had been worrying about Kanari’s sad face throughout the earlier hours of the night, so his physical and mental state wasn’t exactly in tip-top form. Furthermore, the primal man inside of Shin was telling him to stop resisting and, in fact, was pushing him to let Kanari carry out what she came here to do.

With his last barrier of defence malfunctioning, Shin’s body moved automatically, answering Kanari’s invasive tongue with his own. His two hands freed, Shin held onto her waist and neck, leaving no gaps between their perfectly streamlined bodies. Their conscious mind had taken a backseat, and their primal urges were now running the show. The crotches attached, Kanari shook her waist, and Shin thrust his hips. If not for Shin’s thin pyjamas, something may have slipped in somewhere accidentally.

But it was not to be for long…

Kanari pushed Shin’s tongue out of her mouth and tore his silk top in half with her sharpened nails, allowing her to lovingly caress Shin’s broad chest. And she wasn’t done… Like a serpent going for its prey, Kanari’s right hand slithered down from Shin’s chest and took a firm grip on his waistband. With one tug, Kanari slipped Shin’s pyjama pants down to his knees, revealing the veiny rod that all men had.

Kanari couldn’t see it in the dark, but she could feel it. The right hand that pushed the pants down were now holding onto Shin’s manhood, ready to direct it to its final destination. However, that action broke Shin’s dazed state, and alarm bells rang out all over his once slumbering mental facilities.

“No!” Shin cried, pushing Kanari away as he kicked the bed wildly till he reached the headboard. Shin pulled up the pants that had been dangling on his knees, and he took deep breaths to calm himself.

Shin and Kanari could barely see one another in the dark, but they could somewhat make out their partner’s expressions. Shin’s eyes were shaking, and his teeth clattering. There was fear, no doubt. He’d almost past the line of no return. Kanari was shaking as well. Not of fear like Shin, but by disappointment and anxiety.

“W-Why?” Kanari choked, her shoulders shaking as one of her spaghetti straps fell from her left shoulder blade. “Am I… Not attractive enough?”

“No, that’s not it!” Shin understood the girl’s feelings and pushed himself forward, even though his manhood was still rearing to go and nowhere close to the calm state Shin wanted it to be. He grabbed Kanari’s petite little hands and responded shyly. “You’re plenty attractive… I just don’t want it to happen this way.”

“...” Kanari remained silent.

“We’re both confused. You’re emotional because I had been gone for a while and I’m drowsy from my long day. If we do this now, I’m sure that we’ll regret it for years to come.” Shin tightly held on, fearful that his decision might push Kanari further back. “We’ve only been together for less than three months. There are so many things that we have to work on. What if you don’t like me a few years later? Wouldn’t you regret doing that with me?”

“There’s no way that will happen!!!” Kanari cried out. She shifted her body a little closer to Shin until their noses were almost touching. “I don't think I can fall out of love with you. I have carried these feelings for years now, and they keep growing every single day.”

Shin’s face reddened at Kanari’s embarrassing speech. Still, he wanted to hold his ground. Shin knew why he was so afraid of going into the final stretch, and it didn’t do good for him to lie to himself, or Kanari in this case.

Sighing, Shin answered. “I can’t do it… I’m just too afraid.” Shin tucked his knees into his chest, his voice turning weak. “I’m afraid that if I commit to you. If we go all the way… What would happen to Ariel?”

Shin was frightened of the prospect of losing Ariel in his heart. Yes, he loved Kanari, but he didn’t want to lose the love of his life. Shin just wasn’t ready to fully embrace someone other than Ariel just yet, especially after visiting her grave on Frie Mountain. However, he also liked Kanari. The amount of sacrifices that she had made for Shin is unprecedented, second only to that of Lady Seph. Thus, it was an inner turmoil that Shin could never solve. Right now, at least…

“I just need… more time...” Shin knew it was selfish to ask this of Kanari, who had done so much for him already. His face was trembling, and his entire soul was dripping with guilt.

The young maiden observed as Shin despaired to himself. After twenty seconds, Kanari sighed and brought Shin straight into her embrace.

“I understand,” comforted Kanari, her lustful eyes morphing into one of love. “I have waited for years now, what’s a few more?” Continuously stroking Shin’s soft hair, the maiden continued: “But I need some confirmation as well. I want to mark you as mine so that everyone else in the world knows that and no more girls would dare to look at you without thinking of me.”

‘She smells so comforting...’ Shin took in huge whiffs, soothing his tensed-up body. “What do you suggest?”

That was a mistake. Shin’s casual remark had flipped Kanari’s switch, and a seething heat gathered in her loins. “You said that we can’t go all the way, right?” Kanari pushed Shin onto the bed, this time much gentler than she did in the beginning. In the same cowgirl position, Shin could completely see Kanari’s exposed body. That lingerie that she wore was utterly useless in hiding what it’s supposed to hide.

“As long as we don’t go all the way, everything else is on the table?”

“Y-Yeah...”

Kanari smiled.

“So… Let’s have some fun.”