Chapter 37 - ◆Two Houses
I'll say this upfront. It's mild eroticism.
"E-excuse me."
"P-please, come in."
I urged Flora, who entered the house with a nervous expression.
When I offered the slippers, Flora stepped into them as if feeling apologetic and took two steps into the living room, as if taking a stroll.
I put on my slippers in the same way, but I was so nervous that I ended up kicking them off with my own feet. It was embarrassing, even though this was a house I had entered and lived in many times.
However, it couldn't be helped.
Today, thanks to the arrangements made by Elgis-san and Fiona-san, Flora was going to stay at my place. For lovers to stay together, it naturally meant sharing a bed that night...
Since I had never taken an interest in such things until now, I found myself getting nervous now that I was actually going to do such things with a woman I loved.
If it was going to be like this, I should have gone to the pleasure district Keel had invited me to. It was embarrassing to be a virgin at this age.
Perhaps Flora was also agitated, as her gaze wandered restlessly even though this wasn't her first time.
She could have just sat on a suitable chair or sofa, but she remained standing without even doing that.
Relieved that I wasn't the only one feeling nervous, I regained my composure.
I was a man, and this was my house, after all. I had to be the one to lead Flora.
"From now on, this will be your home too, Flora, so feel free to relax however you like."
When I spoke to her, Flora turned toward me with a startled expression,
"T-that's right. This house will be the place where Aldo-san and I live together..."
With a happy face, she began to walk freely around the living room.
Flora touched the lined-up chairs, table, sofa, and walls as if cherishing them.
I felt a bit silly saying it myself, but when I thought that this place would become the place where I lived with Flora, everything in the room—the furniture, the walls, even the floor—seemed to shine.
From now on, when I come home, Flora will be there to greet me. Whether eating meals or drinking tea, she will be by my side. It will become my place to return to.
Thinking that made me feel uncontrollably happy, and I couldn't stop my face from grinning.
As I watched Flora walking happily through the kitchen, she asked me,
"Ah, may I brew some tea?"
"...Please do."
For a moment, I almost said, "I'll do it," but Flora was better at brewing tea, and above all, she seemed to want to do it, so I decided to leave it to her.
"Yes!"
Then, with a beaming smile, Flora began preparing the tea.
Having entered and left my house many times—whether for deer meat feasts, casual gatherings, or breaks between field work—Flora moved briskly, as if it were already her own home.
There was no hesitation in her movements, as she knew exactly where the teacups were and where the tea spoons were kept.
While watching Flora prepare everything while humming a tune, I sat down at the table ahead of her.
Just watching Flora happily brewing tea seemed to warm my heart.
Perhaps noticing my gaze as I watched her, Flora wore a puzzled expression for a moment, and then gave me a bright smile.
...Good grief, I feel like I might die today. I feel that way because I'm too happy.
"It's ready."
Flora said as she brought over the teacups on a tray.
Of course, the tea leaves were the Apple Mint grown at Flora's house. A fruity, sweet aroma drifted through the living room.
"Thank you."
After saying a single word of thanks, I picked up a cup and enjoyed the scent of the tea.
A sweet aroma, like a green apple, pierced my nostrils.
I enjoyed the scent that seemed to calm my soul, and then slowly took a sip.
The refreshing sweetness of the Apple Mint spread through my mouth with a tingle. Then, a clean minty taste raced through afterward.
"Haa..."
I involuntarily exhaled at the pleasant taste.
Perhaps due to the aroma or the components of the tea, I felt my heart, which had been nervous until a moment ago, begin to settle.
It seemed the same for Flora, as her expression had also softened considerably.
So many things happened today... Hunting, finding out Flora was in danger, realizing my own feelings of love, fighting a monster, being confessed to by Flora, and becoming lovers...
Even though it was only a single day, things had moved so hectically and our relationship had changed so much.
As I was reflecting deeply, I realized the cup was empty.
"Would you like a refill?"
Seeing my state, Flora picked up the teapot.
"Please."
"Yes."
When I asked, Flora happily poured tea into my cup.
Even though it was such a simple conversation, it made me feel warm.
This was surely an emotion that could only be obtained because the person I loved was by my side. I could now understand the feelings of the people who told me to get married. And the feeling of wanting to recommend it to others.
Next time I see Keel, maybe I'll recommend marriage to him. If I said something like that, he would be utterly shocked.
"What's wrong?"
Flora, having finished brewing the tea, sat down next to me and asked.
As she looked up at me, I pulled her shoulder closer to mine,
"I was just thinking how happy I am right now..."
"...Me too."
◆ ◆ ◆
After that, the two of us made dinner together and ate in a peaceful manner.
By that time, the sun had already set and it was night, meaning that time was finally approaching.
Even we, who had been conversing peacefully until a moment ago, found our conversation decreasing as the night deepened.
It was because we were both conscious of what we were about to do.
While sitting facing each other in the quiet living room, I steeled my resolve and stood up.
"...Flora."
"Hyai!"
Perhaps because I had stood up and called out so suddenly, Flora's face turned red and she let out a strange sound.
"Let's take a bath together."
"I-I understand! To the bedroom—huh? The bath?"
Flora, who had replied with her head down, wore a puzzled expression and tilted her head slightly.
"...The bath."
For a moment, the urge to correct myself and say "the bedroom" arose, but I managed to hold it back.
"Well, I've been running around today and I'm sweaty, so, after all, um, if we're going to do it, I'd like to clean my body first..."
I had been hunting in the forest since morning and was sweaty, and during the day, I had run around quite a bit and fought. I couldn't be called clean, even as a compliment.
Even before doing those things, I wanted to wash my body more than anything.
"T-that's true! In that case, I want to enter later too!"
Perhaps having completely forgotten about taking a bath, Flora stood up from her chair in a panic.
"No, let's go in together."
When I declared that firmly, Flora's cheeks flushed red,
"Fueee!? That is, um... it's embarrassing."
Though we're going to do something even more embarrassing after that... I suppose that's natural.
"If we go separately, it'll take more time. ...Do you dislike it, Flora?"
"...I don't dislike it."
Using a slightly unfair way of phrasing it to reduce Flora's shame, Flora nodded in a voice so faint it almost vanished.
As long as Flora agreed, there was no problem.
I took the blushing Flora's hand and began walking toward the bathing area.<
Since I was the one who had been confessed to, perhaps I was able to lead a little bit. I thought such a thing, which was unlike me.
◆ ◆ ◆
"That bracelet from earlier was amazing. Water and flames came out, and the hot water was ready immediately."
"It is. Thanks to that, it's easy because we can get into hot water immediately even by ourselves."
"It was an expensive thing called a Magic Tool, wasn't it? Is it okay to use it that much?"
"It's fine, it's fine. It'll last for decades even if used just to prepare a bath."
"I see. In that case, I'm looking forward to being able to take a bath casually every day."
""............""
"...Um, Flora? The water is boiled, so why don't you come closer?"
"N-no, it's still embarrassing!"
I had washed the bath and prepared the hot water immediately with the power of the Magic Tool, but Flora was too embarrassed to come near.
Since the only light in the bathing area was the moonlight streaming through the window, her intention was likely that if she stayed at the far end away from the tub, her skin wouldn't be seen.
At the darkest end furthest from the window, there was Flora, wrapped and hidden in a towel.
In reality, quite a bit of her white skin was visible, but I decided not to say anything, as she seemed like she would run away if I pointed it out.
I knew she was originally shy, but what did it mean that she had prepared herself to go to the bedroom, yet lacked the resolve to enter the same tub?
Given that she had come into the bathing area, it wasn't that she truly disliked it; she was just embarrassed to show her skin.
Conversely, if she could just overcome that, there should be no problem after that.
"You'll catch a cold if you stay there, so come here."
"...Aah!"
As I took Flora's arm with a sigh of exasperation, the lightweight Flora came easily under the moonlight.
And perhaps because she moved after her arm was taken, the towel wrapped around her body fell to the floor with a rustle.
Skin so white it was almost translucent, and large round swells that asserted themselves in direct opposition to Flora's modest personality. At the tips were small, pink buds.
The line from her slender waist to her rounded hips drew a magnificent curve and was unexpectedly fleshy.
It seemed the words Aisha had used about her being "slender but well-endowed" were true.
I found myself mesmerized by her beautiful body, which seemed to embody womanhood.
"...Flora, you have a very beautiful body."
"...Aldo-san is the same, you have a very manly body. You actually had muscles."
Perhaps having been seen once gave her the resolve, as Flora, her white cheeks dyed red, traced my abdominal muscles with her finger.
Perhaps because I had always been an adventurer whose livelihood depended on my body, I was confident in my physical muscles. I had been slacking a little lately, so my muscle mass had decreased, but even so, there should be almost no useless fat.
"Wow... Aldo-san, it's hard."
When touched by Flora's supple white fingers, it felt a little ticklish.
Also, I felt like her words were a bit erotic.
My crotch was starting to swell and grow, but I was still okay.
"That tickles, Flora."
"I'm sorry, but, just a little more."
Flora continued to pat my chest and upper arms. Thinking that if it would melt even a little of Flora's tension and shame, I let her continue.
"Well then, shall we wash our bodies before getting in the bath?"
"Yes. I'll wash Aldo-san's back first."
Flora said in a slightly energetic voice. It was probably because she wanted to keep touching the muscles on my body.
"Then, I'll pour some water over you."
Flora scooped hot water from the tub with a basin and poured it over me as I sat on the bath stool.
"Haa..."
The sensation of the warm water being poured over me made me let out a sound involuntarily.
At my low, pleasant-sounding voice, Flora smiled and poured water over my whole body.
It felt as if all the sweat, dirt, and grime from today were being washed away.
Once the pouring was finished, Flora began lathering a towel with soap from the soap near the tub.
"Well then, I'll wash your back."
"Yeah, please do."
I had been imagining being gently washed by Flora with a towel, but the next moment, I felt an unexpectedly soft sensation.
"—!?"
It was Flora's heavy breasts.
Perhaps because she had leaned forward to wash my back, Flora's large breasts were naturally pressing against my back.
However, she didn't notice because she was busy scrubbing my back with the towel. Every time Flora applied pressure to scrub, her breasts jiggled and pressed against me.
They changed shape against my back, providing a soft sensation.<
Because of that, I felt blood steadily gathering in my crotch.
"Does it feel good?"
"Yeah, it feels good."
...I didn't say "the breasts."
When I answered that way, Flora laughed happily and continued to scrub my back.
In the meantime, I silently continued to enjoy the soft sensation of Flora's breasts and the sensation of my back being washed with a towel. Though I felt like the impact of her breasts was so strong that I could hardly enjoy the sensation of being washed with the towel.
"—Hyah!?"
While I was thinking that, Flora suddenly let out a short scream and stopped moving.
"Flora?"
"Hyai!? I didn't see anything!"
When I glanced over, Flora had conspicuously averted her gaze.
Then, her gaze conspicuously turned toward my crotch. Then she averted her gaze again, and then her gaze timidly turned back toward there.
Following that, I understood. There, the towel wrapped around my waist was bulging like a tent.
"S-sorry. It's because your soft body and such were pressing against me..."
"...N-no. I heard from Mother that men become like that."
Flora said in a thin voice while rinsing the bubbles off my back with hot water.
"...Um, Aldo-san. Can I... touch that?"
"Eh?"
At Flora's unexpected line, I let out a foolish sound.<
"I heard that if you rub it and let it come out, it becomes easier... and that if you don't let it come out, it's painful..."
Perhaps she became embarrassed even as she said it, as Flora's voice trailed off.
That bashful appearance was so cute, and imagining that act made my rod become even harder and larger.
I actually wanted to take over washing her back, but my rod had increased in hardness considerably and was honestly quite painful. If I continued to wash Flora's back like this, I would end up pressing this hardened thing against her.
"...Then, may I ask you to do it?"
"...Y-yes."
From next time, it will be full-on eroticism. But since it's mild eroticism, you'll forgive me, right?
During the beginning, I even thought to myself while writing it that it might be the epilogue.
Just so you know, it continues, okay? Rather, the newlywed life from here on is the real deal...