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༺ Vow ༻
"Ugh…"
Frey continued to drink the strong alcohol with wide eyes.
"...…."
And Glare was blankly staring at him.
She had arrived with the intention of aiding him in some way, but sharing drinks with a man she had just met left her feeling tense.
"Um, excuse me."
"…Yes?"
"Which of these do you like the most…?"
"All of them."
"Ah, then I'll give you all of them."
Despite her initial determination to help him, upon entering the room with Frey, she found herself quite flustered.
"Excuse me, Oppa. About what happened earlier…"
"I told you to mind your own business."
Unintentionally, she brought up the earlier incident and faced his rebuke.
"…This is soda."
"Ah, that's mine…"
"".....""
Repeated small mistakes, like handing him a soda, made the atmosphere increasingly awkward.
'I shouldn't have…'
As Frey continued to drink in silence, Glare found herself speaking less, simply sipping her soda.
"…Oppa."
Unconsciously, she spoke.
"Can I be on your side, Oppa?"
"Pfft!"
Frey, upon hearing this, spewed out the drink he was sipping.
"…Whew."
After setting down his drink and taking a deep breath, he turned his gaze to her.
"Little girl."
"Y-yes?"
He beckoned to Glare, who had been quietly sipping on her drink with a straw in her mouth, and then mumbled something in a low voice.
"You… are you strong?"
"…What?"
Upon hearing the unexpected question, Glare's eyes darted back and forth.
'W, What should I say…?'
Her mentor had explicitly instructed her not to reveal her abilities to anyone.
However, wouldn't he recognize her strength as a disciple of the Tower Master?
With that thought, Glare clenched her fists and shouted.
"I, I… am strong! Very strong."
"…Liar."
Frey looked at her and smirked.
"What's so strong about a little girl like you?"
"It, it's true…"
"Then, show me some magic."
"...…"
She, capable of annihilating everything with a mere snap of her fingers, hesitated because of her mentor's words.
"I, here I go…!"
Raising one hand high, she discreetly hid the other behind her back and snapped her fingers.
– Crackle…!
In an instant, a steel statue shattered to pieces.
"It's an Invisible Magic Missile. I developed it."
Frey looked at her with a dazed expression.
– Swoosh…
He muttered quietly, drawing out a scroll created by Kania that induces intoxication in its user.
"Not bad."
He spoke with a gleam in his eyes.
"…At least, I can take care of myself."
Several minutes later, Isolet entered the scene.
.
.
.
.
.
"…Lo, lousy sister."
Frey, glancing at Isolet sitting next to him, quietly placed his hands on his lap and lowered his head.
"Why are you here…?"
"Frey."
"Did… did they call me from above?"
Frey asked with a fearful expression.
"Am… am I… being arrested? Right? You're here to take me?"
"...…"
Watching him, Isolet unknowingly clenched her fist tightly at the sight of the swelling on his face and the wound on his neck.
"…Take me."
Frey quietly extended his arms to Isolet.
"You came to arrest me, didn't you… right?"
"Frey, I…"
Isolet, trying to explain everything to him, halted mid-sentence and glanced at his arm.
"…This."
Clear handprints adorned his arm.
"Sister?"
In an instant, Frey, with his arm held mid-air by her, looked up at Isolet through the gap between his arms.
"Tsk."
Isolet looked for a moment into Frey's fearful eyes and then opened her mouth with a click of her tongue.
"…I've resolved this matter."
Even though it had actually been covered up from the higher-ups, Isolet told this white lie. Naturally, there was a hint of self-interest in her words.
"So, rest assured. Don't cause any more trouble and get out of this place…"
Isolet sought to comfort Frey and take him away from this cruel place.
"Hehe."
Isolet paused as the intoxicated Frey bursted into an innocent laughter between the arms she held.
"I really like Sister."
Frey, trying to hug her but realizing his arms were restrained, quietly buried his head into Isolet's embrace.
"Thank you… Sis."
He spoke with a trembling voice.
"…For saving me earlier when I was being strangled."
Isolet, still holding Frey's arm, swallowed hard as she looked down at him, his head buried in her embrace.
"Um…"
Glare was watching the scene with an uncomfortable look.
"…Give your thanks to that kid over there."
"Huh?"
"After all, it was that kid who called me."
"Oh…"
Isolet pointed to Glare, prompting Frey to lift his head slightly.
"Thank you, really."
He looked at Glare with drowsy eyes and whispered.
"Because of you… I could reflect on the past… and gather my thoughts…"
However, trailing off, Frey again buried his head into Isolet's chest.
"...."
He soon took a soft breath and fell into silence.
"Umm."
Isolet, gently cradling and lifting Frey's arm, felt a warmth enveloping her heart.
"Haah… Haah…"
With every breath Frey took, his frail breathing touched her chest.
From her chest to her heart, and from her heart, spreading to her entire body, Frey's breath.
– Thump. Thump.
Before she knew it, her heartbeat started to synchronize with Frey's breathing.
Like tuning an instrument, the connection was gentle and gradual.
"For… for now…"
Sensing an oddity in the air, Isolet looked down at Frey, who nestled into her arms with quivering eyes, and quietly released his arm.
– Swoosh…
Frey's arm instinctively extended, encircling her in a comforting embrace.
"Uh, hmm…"
In this awkward moment, uncertain of how to proceed, Frey tightened his grip around Isolet's waist, prompting her to instinctively reach out and place her hand around his waist.
"…Aak!"
"…..!"
Surprising her by lifting his head suddenly, Frey caught Isolet off guard, and she reflexively hugged him.
"…What a perverted teacher."
Looking up at him, Isolet heard Frey speak with a mischievous smile he had a few days ago.
"…Ha."
Gone was the pitiful sight of him being ridiculed by everyone, the slouched figure hugging his knees. Realizing that he had reverted to the cocky Frey she knew, Isolet finally murmured with a relaxed smile.
"You're such a brat."
And then.
"I need to discipline you… huh?"
"...!?"
Both Isolet, who was about to punish Frey by naturally pinning him down by his arm, and Glare, who was uncomfortably staring at them, reacted simultaneously.
"Is this… could it be…"
"…Me, mentor. We need to find my mentor."
As elite fighters themselves, they sensed that something significant was about to unfold.
"...…"
And even though he was drunk, he was equally strong as them.
"…Hmm."
In fact, Frey seemed to have orchestrated this from the beginning.
.
.
.
.
.
"Then, I'll… go find my mentor!"
"…Don't overdo it. If it feels dangerous, come back to me immediately."
Glare, with a somewhat tensed expression, and Isolet, looking calm and ready, exchanged words.
"All the helpful magic scrolls are on the desk. They were made by my mentor herself, so they should be useful."
"…Thank you."
"Well… take care!"
After uttering those words, Glare, swallowing hard, snapped her fingers and left the room.
""...….""
Silence then engulfed the room for a brief moment.
"Frey."
Isolet, who had been silent for a long time, glanced at Frey.
"Why? Feeling lousy, Sister?"
Frey responded without even looking at Isolet, sipping his strong drink.
"…You brat."
"Ack."
Isolet, who suddenly grabbed Frey, gently and smoothly fell onto the sofa with him.
"What, what's this…? Were you really a perverted teacher? Is that it?"
"Tell me."
Frey, wearing a flustered smile as Isolet loomed over him, closed his mouth when she spoke with a stern and serious expression.
"What have you done?"
Isolet asked quietly, her gaze fixed on Frey.
"What did you do… that I feel this much killing intent?"
From behind Isolet, there was a constant prickly feeling as the sharp aura struck from all directions.
"It's increased since earlier."
"....."
"I asked what the hell is going on, Frey."
Isolet continued to interrogate Frey, who frowned and fell into silence.
"…If you don't talk, I'll punish you."
His frail body was slender enough to be completely enveloped in her arms, then he whispered into her ear.
"Sister…"
Frey then moved closer until their eyes met, looking at Isolet.
"…Sorry."
With a sad smile, he began to talk.
"Just for today… I wanted to act childish around you."
Hearing that, Isolet's eyes widened.
"I… I crossed a line."
Isolet looked at Frey, who was speaking with a languid voice.
"So, this was the last time. This won't happen again…"
"…What are you talking about?"
Isolet interrupted Frey's unexpected words, and then Frey took a deep breath.
"I… I'm part of the Demon Army."
And then, he stared straight into Isolet's eyes and smiled.
"You know, today in this secret place… I brought the Demon Army."
"....."
"Before long, the Demon Army will either kill or kidnap the nobles. Simultaneously, they'll launch an assault on the members of the Imperial Family."
Then, with a devilish expression, he continued whispering.
"Perhaps today marks the complete severance of the Imperial Family. The Hero Party might face total annihilation. But, I'm indifferent to all of that."
"…Frey."
"I am part of the Demon Army. And, an exceedingly wicked villain."
"....."
Frey noticed Isolet's demeanor turning cold.
"All these actions stem from my selfishness. I'm the one who attacked the Hero. Really."
Efficiently concealing his emotions, he pressed on.
"You must be terribly disappointed in helping someone like me, right? Right?"
"...…"
Listening to Frey's words, Isolet slowly closed her eyes.
"So… hate me."
Frey whispered, gently holding her face.
"I will dismantle the Imperial Family, shatter the Hero Party, bring down this empire… the entire world…"
He masked the sorrow threatening to surface.
"Oppose me as you once did."
– Shaaaa…
Frey even revealed his left arm, holding it out in front of her.
"I am your enemy."
Frey took a deep breath as he saw Isolet, who had now opened her eyes and was blankly staring at his arm.
– Swoosh…
A moment later, a sword was drawn from Isolet's waist.
"…Hh."
Examining the sword handed to him, reminiscing about playful childhood jokes of wanting to be family with Isolet, Frey braced himself to block her impending attack.
"Huph."
And Isolet, preparing to thrust her sword into Frey.
"...…"
In an instant, silver and sky-blue eyes met.
– Clang!!
The room echoed with the sound of metal striking.
– Zing…
Followed by the reverberating hum of the sword.
"…Haah, haah."
Isolet, still brandishing her sword, panted heavily.
"…Sister?"
Her strike once again narrowly missed.
– Brrr…
Shivering, her black dagger touched the marble floor right next to Frey's face.
"Damn."
In this tense moment, Isolet, displaying a relieved expression, began to whisper in a hushed voice.
"I couldn't kill you again this time."
"Sister."
"I should be punishing you for becoming part of the Demon King's army… How did it come to this…"
Saying so, she withdrew her hand from the blade, and, positioning herself over him, she took Frey's hand.
"…Ah, there was this method."
– Press…
Applying pressure to keep Frey in place, she carefully began to remove his gloves.
"Where did you learn something like this?"
Then, she playfully stared at the purity ring adorning his left ring finger.
– Swish…
She closed her eyes briefly, then clasped his left hand with both her hands.
"…Chu."
She gently pressed her lips to the ring resting on his ring finger.
"Um, hey…"
Frey, taken aback by her actions, began to squirm.
She, still astride Frey, exerted pressure with the strength of her legs to ensure he couldn't move.
– Lick.
With closed eyes, she ran her tongue from the base to the tip of his ring finger, encompassing the ring.
"…Haph."
Then, gazing down at Frey, she slightly bit the tip of his ring finger.
"Ouch."
Her bite drew a small amount of blood from Frey's finger.
"This right now…"
After ingesting a small amount of blood, Frey observed Isolet using mana to halt the bleeding.
"Don't tell me…?"
He asked, eyes widening in surprise.
"I haven't sworn a vow to anyone yet. Not to the Imperial Family, not to the Church, not to the Hero."
"…..!"
"If one swears a vow to someone, they understand it's a commitment that lasts forever, exclusive to that person."
Looking down at Frey, Isolet, having finished healing the finger, gently embraced him and began to speak.
"…I swear."
Hearing those words, Frey's mouth fell open.
"From today on, I, Isolet Arham Bywalker, will become your exclusive knight."
Isolet held Frey's hand and brought it to her cheek.
"I will serve you as my lord until I draw my last breath."
After making this declaration, Isolet sensed her mana intertwining with his as a result of the vow.
"…This is your punishment, Lord Frey."
She gently bit Frey's ear, who was looking at her with trembling eyes, and soon pressed her lips to his.
'With this… I can use the vow.'
Feeling her mana rotating faster due to this, she quickly thought.
'There's also a way for me to go below…and become family.'
She contemplated how she should sternly educate Frey in the future.
'But for now…'
She narrowed her eyes, tensing her muscles.
'It's about time…'
Just as Frey led the Demon King's army today, the Imperial Family and the Church had brought assassins to kill him. Unintentionally, Frey had defended himself.
'…How can I help Frey escape?'
At present, not only the Demon King's army but also assassins targeting Frey lurked outside.
Even for Isolet, facing such formidable adversaries would prove quite challenging.
However…
"Uh, um…"
Entangled below, their hands clasped and tongues entwined, Isolet met the flustered gaze of Frey.
'In the end… I've caused trouble.'
Isolet quietly vowed.
'This brat.'
Somehow, she would protect her young lord in this situation.
'Once we get out of here…'
The solitary knight, who had never served anyone.
'…I have to scold him.'
As of today, she would be serving one person.
You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02