*Still Amly’s Pont of View*

“Ah~! Ah~! Hmm~! Ah~! M-more!”

Such sounds reverberated in the room.

As I drown in the feeling of pleasure, I look at the ceiling while embracing a man who is pushing my down. It’s not like he’s assaulting me, in fact, he looks like he’s really mindful about pleasing me and my body. When I look at his face, I can’t help but push my face towards him and kiss him. In reply, he gives me a deep kiss and entwines his tongue pleasing my mouth.

“Ah~! Ah~! Ahhhh~~!”

Not the first time, but this is the second time he has made my body shiver all over from pleasure. But this time, it looks like he is already at his limit.

I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.

Then after that, I felt something warm enter me. It didn’t felt bad or anything at all. In fact, it felt so good that I could melt.

“S-so good!”

Really! It was so good that I inadvertently speak out my thought.

When he got tired, he dropped his body on mine. Heavy! But he then rolled to the side and separated his body from me.

As I pulled up the sheets to cover our naked bodies, I noticed that he has already fallen asleep. I guess it can’t be helped. After all, he drank too much. Remembering the amount of liquor he drank, it must’ve been his way to make the pain feel numb from all over his body. When I look at his body, the supposed-to-be burnt skin has already recovered and only red spots are remaining.

I rested my head on his arms like using a pillow.

When I think about it, it slightly makes me sad, that in the morning, Sir Key would forget about this night. After all, it was said that he would forget anything that happened if he’s drunk.

But before this, a lot of things happened.

*3 hours ago* (Bet none of ya expected that)

Before we went to the pub, Sir Key wanted to stroll around the city. But because he’s wounded all over, I insisted on the idea of using the carriage instead of by foot. Geez! I think he’s broken in some places.

After an hour of sightseeing around the city, we decided to take a rest in an open space where a lot of blacksmiths from their shops take a rest. This is probably what they call a plaza here.

While sitting bare on the ground, Sir Key drank a healing potion while looking in a distance. It looks like his mind is thinking about something else.

Because I’ve very curious on what it is, I crawled beside him and asked.

“What are you thinking about Sir Key?”

“Woaw! You we’re there huh…”

It seems that Sir Key is really in deep thought that I accidentally surprised him.

“Sorry. So, what’s in your mind?”

After putting the bottle beside him, he leaned using both his arms on the ground.

“I think I went too harsh on the girls. Do you think they hate me now?”

That’s a really tough question. As a girl, receiving a really harsh punishment is very scary. I can’t even imagine what Sir Key did to make them scream which reverberated around the mansion this morning.

“I don’t know. But as a girl, I would be depressed if someone I love would get angry at me.”

“So that’s how it is huh…”

After hearing that, he let out a short and heavy sigh.

I looked at all over his burnt clothes. I also notice that some parts are either wet from his sweat or from his blood. To think that he endured such pain and acted cool during the intense moment in that meeting, I can’t help but become impressed and think highly of him.

“S-sir—”

“But if you were in their place, what would you feel?”

Before I could finish my words, Sir Key turned towards me while having a worried look. His worried look looks so cute that I inadvertently closed my mouth and stopped breathing for a second. Come to think of it, isn’t his face too close?

Before I answered, I pulled away my body and calmed myself a little.

“I d-don’t know sir. I never once had a lover in my life.”

Uhg! Why did I have to hurt myself?

Because of my appearance, no man would fall in love with me no matter how I appealed to them. And that hurt my pride as a woman. To make matters worse, not only due to my appearance, because I became an expert in hunting as an adventurer, I lost the image of a woman in the men’s eyes. To them, I must have looked like a team mascot.

“Really? I thought you already had a dozen of lovers. No matter how I look at you, your petite appearance looks really cute.”

Out of a sudden, he dropped a huge bomb in front of me while making an amazed expression. Because it was too sudden for me, I fumbled while feeling the heat rising on my face.

“W-w-w-w-w-what are you talking about Sir Key!? There’s no way a man could fall in love with me! There’s just no way!”

“Woaw, woaw! Calm down. My skin is still healing you know.”

“S-sorry! Ah! Wait! It’s your fault for saying things like that!”

Because I panicked from what he said, I inadvertently hit him lightly with eyes closed.

“Anyhow, you have to change your clothes Sir Key. You’re starting to smell like a rotten meat.”

When I said that, Sir Key pulled his shirt and looked at it. Seeing that it really looks dirty and smells bad, he looked at me with a slightly embarrassed smile while scratching the back of his head.

“Thanks for pointing it out. I never would have noticed it. And by the way, just drop the ‘Sir’, my name sounds weird if you put ‘Sir’ in the beginning.”

“B-but, isn’t it wrong to not call a noble with an honorific?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not really fond of being highly revered. Treating me like friend is fine too.”

Remembering what happened this morning, his furious face and his smiling face now really has a far gap. It makes me think that he has two different personalities.

“Anyhow, after I change clothes in the carriage, let’s go to the pub. We don’t want to let the others wait.”

***

When we got to the pub, I got surprised with the fact that the pub itself looks like a large mansion. When I got told that it’s also an inn, I was embarrassed because I said “This is a mansion isn’t it?”

Inside, there are a lot of nobles, knights, soldiers, mercenaries, dwarves, and beastfolk drinking around. Some are even betting on people who are brawling on the clear floor. What a lively pub!

Upon stepping in, everyone’s eyes turned towards Sir Key—no, just Key. Even though their gazes are towards him, I’m the one who felt nervous instead. However, Key just stood there while smiling.

All of a sudden, he raised both of his arms high while breathing in a lot of air. And then—

“To everyone who is here, DRINKS ARE ON ME!”

With that as the impetus, a large roar from the people inside the pub resounded that even broke the window glass. My ears hurt!

After a while when Key started drinking, Sanjeet arrived while carrying a bottle of Regeneration Potion. When Key asked where he got it, Sanjeet replied that he bought it for Key since he looks really bad. Sadly, it became useless as Key is already tired of drinking one and his skin is almost finished healing.

On the other hand, I myself am drinking really slowly since I’m not used to drinking a lot. Even so, I’m not being childish!

Currently, Key is sitting beside a beastman named Voslog. He’s the same beastman from the meeting a while ago.

“I’m really amazed on how rich human nobles like to spend so much just on things just to satisfy their own greed. You really surprised me there Chevalier!”

“What are you talking about Voss? It’s not ‘satisfying one’s greed’; it’s called ‘achieving one’s desire’.”

“What are you, an idiot? It’s the same thing!”

“Is that so? Then it must be! Hahaha!”

I think Key has drowned his brain with liquor. He’s laughing together with Sir Voslog while shouldering each other. Did he just give him a nickname?

Then when I look at Sanjeet beside me, he looks like he’s also the same with Key. Where is he looking at anyway?

“Vah la dakee supar garm dikhatee hai!” (Hindi)

“What?”

“Main usase baat karane ja raha hoon!” (Hindi)

I didn’t understand what he said, but it looks like he’s going for the nice looking girl at the bar. I can see her giving signs at him.

Why did have to leave me behind?!

When I look around, there are men who are walking past me. When I look at them, none seems to be interested with me. At that moment, I heard some whispers around.

“Why is a kid inside the pub?”

“Isn’t she drinking liquor?”

“She’s wearing a knight’s armor, so young.”

I’m not sure if it came from the men who are giving me glances or from the women who are serving the men, but what they said really hurts. I couldn’t help but curl down my body from where I’m sitting while holding the glass of liquor.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did the liquor not suit your taste?”

Out of a sudden, Key dropped himself beside me and put his arms around my shoulder.

“No. I’m just not feeling the mood.”

Then in front of us, the beastman sat while making a large ‘thud’ sound on the sofa. Two other beastwomen sat beside him while using his arms as a head support. Their bodies are…

“Oh, what’s this? Even though you already have two wives, you still have a concubine? And for a concubine, isn’t she too young?”

Even though I was treated as his concubine, the fact that I look young was pointed out hurts me deeply.

While I was feeling depressed, out of a sudden, Key dropped his one leg on the table which shook everything on the table top. When I look at him, I can see that his merry expression from before disappeared and got replaced with an annoyed one.

“First of all, it’s ‘fiancées ’. Second, although I wouldn’t really mind, but she’s not my concubine! She isn’t some cheap woman you can find anywhere Voss! She’s one of my new knights. Not only that, she’s the best archer there is.”

What’s this?! Is Key trying to defend me? He looks really serious… or he’s just too drunk? As what I remember, he’s the type of guy who forgets what he did during the time when he’s drunk. I’m going to use this to laugh at him tomorrow.

While I was thinking that, Key suddenly gripped my shoulder that was around my back and then pulled me towards him.

“K-Key!?”

“And lastly, she’s older than what she really looks like. Back in my place, this girl’s the ideal girl! And you said just now is really insulting! Apologize to her!”

…….. Is Key the type of guy who is into young girls? It seems that whenever he’s drunk, his cool character disappears together with his restraints with words. What a drunkard noble he is.

When the beastman got surprised with his sudden scowling, he bursts into laughter while holding his glass.

“Hahaha! I don’t really understand human culture, but since I insulted Miss little knight here, I deeply apologize.”

“Stop calling me ‘little’!”

“Woaw! She’s a feisty one! Hahaha!”

“Calm down Amy!”

Because I got a feeling of wanting to hit him once, I tried to charge at him, but I only get held down by Key with one hand. Did he call me ‘Amy’ instead of ‘Amly’ just now?

“Leaving that aside, did you say she’s a good archer?”

“Yeah, why?”

When Key answered his question, the beastman tossed three silver coins to the empty glass care-freely while making a scary grin.

“Let’s have a small bet, three silver coins if she hits the candle on ‘that’ wall from ‘that’ side of the room.”

Key looked at where the beastman was pointing at. There, a small candle on a stand is sitting next to the stone wall. It wouldn’t even be a challenge if it wasn’t for the position he wanted me to shoot it.

“Six silver coins, she can hit that with ease!”

“B-b-b-b-but Key! There are two parallel pillars standing in front of that candle! There’s no way I could hit that~!”

Yes, not only because of the position, it was also because of the obstruction of two parallel wooden pillars standing in front of the candle. I can see that it isn’t the first time this has happened. There are even arrows stuck on the pillars.

“Eight if she misses.”

“Ten if she can hit that twice in a row.”

“KEY!”

They’re negotiating without my permission!

***

“Why do I have to do this?”

“You can do it Amly! I’ve seen you hit an apple from 60 yards away accurately, there’s no way you would miss this one!”

How can he be so sure, and what is this ‘yards’ he’s talking about?

Currently, I’m standing above a chair which is on top of a table that is standing next to the wall while holding a long bow and two arrows. I wasn’t able to say ‘no’ to Key who is very persistent on making me shoot the candle because he’s really annoying. And for some reason, the betting has reached 20 silver coins. And not only is them, the surrounding people also made bets.

Key who’s looking up from below is smiling like there’s no tomorrow…. Aren’t I wearing a skirt now!!!!

“Pervert!”

“What are you talking about?”

Gah! This is really hard! Not only that I have to shoot with a long bow, I also have to link my knees while trying to maintain my balance just to prevent the people here from seeing my panties! I want to go home!

“Wait, why am I doing this? There is no merit even if I hit it!”

I screamed at Key who’s elbowing the Beastman Voslog for some reason.

“Well, I’ll grant you one thing. You name it.”

Hmm… that doesn’t sound bad.

I then raised the bow and aimed the arrow towards the candle. When I did that, everyone in the pub fell into silence. It’s like the clamor a while ago was a big lie. And because of that, my concentration immediately sharpened.

Distance…

The strength of the bow’s string…

The air…

My breathing…

The arrow’s form…

Release!

In just a split second, the arrow flew across the room. Everyone gasped as they stopped breathing from the intense air in the room. And when it passed roughly through the wooden pillars, it cut the candle in two from the middle then struck the wall. I almost missed.

Even if it landed, no one celebrated. Instead, the air in the room became more intense as I started pulling the string the second time.

Once again, my concentration sharpens even more.

Distance…

The strength of the bow’s string…

The air…

My breathing…

The arrow’s form…

Release!

***

“I knew that you could hit it, although the ending was quite funny.”

“Shut up! If I knew that someone would sneeze, I wouldn’t get startled and fall. Luckily there was no one that got hit.”

“Hahaha! Good thing you fell towards me and I managed to catch you. The way you screamed while falling was really cute.”

“Want me to drop you?”

Before I was able to release the string and arrow, someone suddenly sneezed while holding the table my chair was standing on shaking it. That caused me to get startled and accidentally pointed the arrow to a different direction then released it.

The flying arrow ricocheted four times. First, on a mercenary’s helmet (I apologized), next is on an iron shield on the wall, then to the chandelier, and lastly to Sanjeet who was flirting with a girl on the bar. When he saw that the arrow was flying towards him, he immediately randomly deflected it with his short sword and it then ended up hitting the targeted candle. The result almost created a riot because they can’t decide if it counted or not. But in the end, Key won the bet.

Currently, I’m carrying Key to a room in the inn connected with the pub. His right arm is around my shoulder so carrying him is a really hard task considering the fact that he’s also really tall.

When we got in the room I rented (because Key is too drunk to book one), I put him on the bed with his face down.

I strip down my armor that’s making my body feel hot. Ah! The feeling of being released feels pleasant.

After that, I took of my boots and tapped the wooden floor. It feels good! Wait, isn’t tapping my foot on the floor childish? I hate myself.

Since Key is on the bed, of course, I’m on the chair.

“Is he breathing?”

When I noticed that Key hasn’t changed position to lie on his back, I panicked a bit because he doesn’t look like he’s breathing.

I immediately went to him and turned him to the front. Then after that, he looks relieved. Is he really that drunk?

When I look at his face, I could see that he’s sweating a lot from all over his body. I thought that it must be because of the layers of clothes he’s wearing so I took the initiative to take off his clothes layer by layer. Lower part is not included of course.

After I finally unbuttoned his last shirt, for some reason, my eyes were locked in place watching Key’s body. What I saw amazed me.

Even though I never see him does something like exercise every day, his body is perfectly toned. His abs is super solid that when I touch it, it’s like I’m touching burnt bread, warm, slightly soft and thick.

It’s not my first time seeing a male’s body, but touching one is. I couldn’t help but get drawn to it.

When I traced my finger down his body, Key’s body suddenly shivered.

As I slowly turn my head towards his face, there, Key was smiling at me.

“Your small fingers tickles you know.”

“S-s-s-s-k-k-k!!! S-s-since when were you awake?”

“The whole time. I did fell asleep a while ago though.”

While I’m panicking while sitting down, Key used his arms to support his back to slightly sit up. Isn’t he too close?

“You might not notice it but… you’re sitting on me.”

When I look down, I then saw myself sitting on his crotch. Because of that, I panicked more and fell down. But Key was fast enough to catch me using both of his arms. Now, it looked like he’s embracing me.

“Calm down, you’ll hurt yourself.”

“T-thanks…”

Is it because Key’s eyes look slightly blurry, or I’m just drunk? His face that is close to me looks really handsome. Paired with his long hair reflecting the moonlight, it looks like it can put any girl into a short trance. And I was not an exception.

While I was on that state, Key gently put me beside him without me noticing until he pat my head.

“Don’t treat me like a kid!”

“Oops! Sorry, your blank stare is really cute so I can’t help but pat your head.”

“Graaa!!! Don’t call me cute!”

“Woaw! I’m feeling dizzy, stop hitting me.”

Geez! What is with him? Is Key’s restraint with words disappearing when he’s drunk? I’m still a maiden you know! If you’re like that, I might…

Out of a sudden, he let out a sigh and then looked at me with worried eyes.

“So? What happened?”

“What?”

“You’ve been looking really depressed for some time now. Is there something bothering you?”

He noticed?

“It’s nothing.”

“Come on. I have a little sister too you know. When you say ‘it’s nothing’, it means that there is ‘something’. Trust me, I know women.”

“You sound like one of those nobles who seduce women.”

I didn’t expect this. Never had I thought that he would notice it.

“Was it obvious?”

“Not really. I just felt that you’re slightly gloomy. I thought that making you play back there would make you feel better but it turned out that I was wrong.”

So that was the reason why he accepted the bet? And he did that just because he thinks I’m down? What is running though this man’s mind?

If he does that, it’s like he’s treating me like a… lover. No! No! NO! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m just a mercenary and he’s a noble. There’s no way he’ll get interested in me!

“Will you listen to my story?”

“Sure! Although I’d forget it tomorrow since I’m drunk, it’s better than not saying it right?”

Because he made a joke, I inadvertently laughed. He made me laugh?

“Then, what is it?”

Before talking, I looked down on my knee and linked my hands.

“Well, it’s about how people look at me. Even though I’m already 17 years old, they still treat me like a child because of my appearance. As a woman, it really hurt my self-esteem.”

“Hmm… go on.”

“And because of this appearance, I never once experienced the feeling of being treated as a woman. No man in this world would be interested in a small and petite me.”

Ah, I hate myself. Why am I talking to a man I barely known? Moreover, a drunkard.

Before I noticed, tears had started falling from my eyes.

“They said that I’m too impatient to grow up. I mean, who wouldn’t? I’m too small for my age. This small body of mine gets ridiculed by other women and I can’t do anything about it.”

Key picked up his shirt and wiped my tears. It’s slightly embarrassing, but I kind of like the treatment so I’ll let him.

“Although I’m not a woman myself, I don’t know how to console you about your problem.”

While wiping my tears, he said some words that don’t contain any empathy. But what he said next was not something I expect.

“But who cares? Just be yourself. If they call you small, be proud. At least you’re growing old slower than other people. If you think like that, you’re not going to be depressed anymore. Not only that, the depressed you right now looks really pitiful. Where’s that smiling Amly who usually fights against Sanjeet?”

Shining… this drunkard’s smile is shining.

As I look away while feeling the heat rising from my cheeks, I can’t help but grip my skirt from the sudden feeling that’s rising inside me.

Maybe, just maybe…

“Hey, do you remember what you said from a while ago?”

“Which one?”

Is it alright?

“The one you said that you’ll ‘grant one thing that I want’, did you mean it?”

“Yeah, why?”

I’m aware that he’s unstable right now, but maybe it’s alright.

I took Key’s hand that was beside me. Even though my hands are shaking from being nervous, I mustered up the courage to be daring.

“Can you…”

And then, I put the hand that I held up to my chest. Although it’s really small, he can still feel that it’s my breasts.

“…make me feel a woman?”

I said it! What I said is really obscene and improper. Moreover, to a person who is about to be married to two beautiful women.

When I look at him, his eyes are wide open in surprise. I guess he didn’t really expect me to do this.

“Amly…”

NOO!!! I shouldn’t do this!

Key looked really troubled, but he then turned his gaze away from me. Not seeing his expression is making me feel stupid.

All of a sudden, I could feel that Key’s hand is moving on my breast.

“Are you sure about this? Once I start, you’ll have to wait for me to finish.”

“Ye--!! Hmmf!”

It’s like he anticipated my answer. He moved his body and pushed me down on the bed and pressed his lips on mine.

Even though I asked for this, the suddenness surprised my heart so I tried to push him away. Feeling my push, he stopped kissing me and looked down on me. I could tell that his eyes are really blurry.

“So you don’t like it?”

“My heart isn’t ready yet! Hmff!!”

He pressed his lips on mine again. But this time, his tongue invaded my mouth and caressed my tongue. This sensation is too much for me that my head is going crazy!

I tried to push him away, but his strength is too much for me to handle. I tried to struggle, but he does something with his tongue in my mouth to make me not want to struggle. In the end, I couldn’t do anything.

I guess I reap what I sow.

My mind is going hazy by the minute.

Just when my mind was about to go blank, Key suddenly stopped and raised his head a bit while still looking down at me.

“Do you want me to stop?”

With eyes that carried gentleness, his words seemed to contain affection. Even though my heart is already racing, it even raced more.

There are a lot of things I want to say to him, but my breath ran out like he sucked the air inside me.

For the first time in my life, the eyes filled with affection are looking straight down at me. I’m well aware that this isn’t a genuine one, but can a maiden like me complain when the man who’s giving me the chance is just inches away?

Even while I’m gasping for air, I mustered up my courage and collected my scattered feelings. Blowing away my shame, I gave him a very selfish answer.

“Don’t…”

I raised both my hands and wrapped it around his neck to pull him down.

***

Morning came.

As I lie beside Key, I look at his sleeping face that doesn’t look like it would wake up soon.

Remembering what we did last night, I can’t help but become flustered. After all, I took advantage of the drunken state of Key to satisfy my selfish request.

When I calmed myself down, I decided to leave the bed and picked up my clothes that are lying on the wooden floor.

After I finished wearing them and tied my twin tails, I put on my armor that is on the chair. It’s slightly irritating to see them fit the chair perfectly.

I turned my heel to the door to leave immediately, but when I looked at Key whose still in bed sleeping, the feeling of guilt rose from inside me.

I walked towards Key and stood beside him. I pulled up the sheets to properly cover his body.

And after that—

“Thank you, Key.”

-I gave him a kiss on the forehead.

-End of Chapter-