Zetto was standing in front of me, looking down at me as I sat on the bed.
"Cadet Zetto…?"
I didn't understand the situation.
Surely he had just gone in to bathe because when he reappeared, his hair was wet.
"You just came out of the shower…?"
"…"
Zetto didn't answer and the white bandages around his eyes were giving off an unexplained pressure so I quickly stood up and opened my mouth.
"Cadet Zetto, I don't know what's wrong with you, but…"
I trailed off.
At that moment, Zetto pushed me lightly as I tried to get up from the bed.
"Uh… Cadet Zetto…?"
My body was then thrown back onto the bed without much resistance.
"What's going on here…?"
Zetto's lips part in response to my stunned question.
"Didn't I say that I needed Ms. Kaen's body?"
"That's… When we were defeating those guys earlier…"
"…You actually believed that excuse? You're so naive, Kaen. Why would I call that situation a need for your body?"
Zetto, who interrupted me, said something unintelligible.
'No way…'
I thought it was all my imagination when I saw him saving people earlier, but maybe it was real.
"Cadet Zetto, was my body your purpose after all!"
I exclaimed to Zetto, tugging at the gown that had been left defenselessly open.
'This is what it comes down to…'
Zetto shrugged off my cries and slowly approached me on the bed. He leans his face close to mine, and his voice whispers in my ear.
"…It's irritating."
"What…?"
"The sound of your breath…The scent of your flesh…the warmth of your heated body. It's all stimulating."
As Zetto says this, he moves his hand and grasps the robe around my thighs.
The robe slowly lifts with his hand.
"Did you have the cute idea that you could just put on one of these flimsy robes and I wouldn't even see you?"
"Oh…"
I did but there were enough things that irritated Zetto without having to be visual.
'It was wrong of me to come into the inn…'
I'll be fine, I thought absentmindedly. As long as I was saving people and smiling sweetly, nothing would happen to me.
Even if something did happen… should I accept it?
Should I take responsibility?
It was Zetto, not me, who suggested we go to another inn.
Soon enough, Zetto lifted the robe from around my thighs and placed his hand on my thigh.
I could feel his touch on my thigh.
"Hmph… Not there, Cadet Zetto… Stop… Even if it's a promise…"
Denial tumbled out of my mouth, and I knew I should have denied it, but…
'I made him do this.'
…I wondered if that thought had subconsciously taken control of my body, and my body refused to move at will.
Even the swordsmanship I learned from my grandfather, who could shake the heavens and earth with his sword, was useless at this point.
"…So what you said about using your body still holds true?"
Zetto said as he ran his fingers down my thigh.
"…"
I couldn't answer.
'It's still valid…'
I wasn't sure and my head was spinning.
Was I really letting this happen?
My face heated up and my eyes rolled hard as my body was immobilized.
For some reason, I couldn't resist him.
I wonder if my body is asking for it.
Maybe I'm just denying it.
Ever since I'd been spying on Zetto, I'd been overwhelmed with desire.
Spying on the opposite sex… It was strangely stimulating.
Then my eyes caught sight of Zetto's lower body.
"Oh, my… Big…"
As soon as I saw his lower body, such a strange word reflexively came out of my mouth.
'That's his body…?'
Without pausing to answer my question, Zetto was about to take off his clothes when suddenly, a chill ran down my spine, and the entire room began to freeze.
Frost formed all over the room, and before I knew it, even Zetto was frozen.
…It was ridiculous, but the entire room was literally frozen and Zetto suddenly turned into a block of ice.
Next, snow begins to fall in the inn room.
'What is this...?'
…It was just cold.
When I woke up and opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
It wasn't too unfamiliar, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was the ceiling of an inn.
"Mmm…"
I groggily pushed myself to my feet and it wasn't long before I heard a voice from across the room.
…Are you awake?"
"Cadet Zetto…?!"
Startled by the sound of Zetto's voice, I pulled up the covers.
Wasn't he going to jump on me?
Did that mean I had already lost my virginity?
I remember the last time I saw him, he was frozen in place but now, far from freezing, he was sitting on a chair, basking in the warmth of the sun.
'Was I dreaming…?'
It was all a dream.
Now that I thought about it, everything was strange. I wondered why I hadn't realized it sooner.
I could still hear Zetto's whispers in my dream and I felt embarrassed that I dreamed such a thing, even if I couldn't imagine it.
My face burned since I had a dirty dream about Zetto when in reality, Zetto was sitting in a chair across the room.
"…Have you been sitting in that chair the whole time?"
I looked away, embarrassed to even look at him.
"Then maybe I should have gotten into bed with you."
The sound of his voice reminded me of the erotic whispers of Zetto in my dreams, and I felt my body heat up unnecessarily.
'Why did I dream that… ?'
I wonder what I was hoping for.
Maybe in the back of my mind, I thought it was okay with Zetto.
In my mind's eye, I see the silhouette of something huge under his pants.
I hadn't actually seen it…just a silhouette but dreams were often like that.
'What if it was real…and what if the situation was real…?'
Just the thought of it makes me dizzy.
"Oh, no…I didn't mean that…."
I replied to Zetto and bowed my head deeply.
I felt sorry for him since he couldn't get comfortable in the bed and couldn't get a good night's sleep.
On the other hand, I, who was lying calmly, had turned him into a man who did terrible things in my dreams… I felt a little guilty.
On the other hand, I also thought.
'Was the Zetto in my dream a delusion created by my own desires…?'
…I seem to have recognized my own shady tastes that I didn't even realize I had.
At least Zetto wouldn't be able to know what I was dreaming about…that was a good thing.
***
Sunlight streams in through the window in a room so silent I can hear Kaen's breathing every now and then.
Outside the window, the sleepy city is waking up and stretching out.
[ ♩~ ♪~ ♬ ~ ]
I hear the rustling of the futon behind Sierra's snores as she strokes her cheek and stares at me.
"Mmm…"
The next thing I know, Kaen stirs and sits up in bed.
Kaen, who had gotten quite a bit of sleep, was still shaking her head.
"…Are you awake?"
"Cadet Zetto…?!"
My voice echoed through the room, causing Kaen to jump and pull up the covers. Her face was slowly warming as she realized I was here.
…I wonder if she's remembering the dream.
Wide-eyed and speechless for a moment, Kaen unnecessarily turned away from me and opened her mouth.
"…Have you been sitting in the chair the whole time?"
"Then maybe I should have laid down on the bed with you."
I smiled at Kaen and blurted out a cheeky remark.
"Oh, no…I didn't mean that…."
Muttering in a small voice, Kaen hangs her head low.
I stood up and offered her the clothes I'd bought earlier in the day.
"These should do, I know I didn't pick the right clothes, but… They're for horseback riding, so they should be fine."
Kaen took the clothes I handed her and opened her mouth.
"…Thank you."
"No, this is all because of me. I didn't think you'd be so willing to help me with something like this, even if it was just a wish. You've made things easier for me."
Despite all of this, Kaen and I were not yet very close but I wanted to end on a good note, hoping that this would be a new beginning for our relationship.
"…This isn't something that should be known to others, is it?"
Soon after, Kaen pondered something and turned to me.
"…Let's keep what happened today as a 'secret' between me and Ms. Kaen."
"Secret...Hmph."
My answer, accompanied by a smile, made the corners of Kaen's mouth turn up slightly as she repeated the word 'secret'.
Kaen liked the idea of hiding her power and maybe what happened this time was similar for her.
I turned my head away from Kaen and opened my mouth.
"It's time to head back."
It would have been nice to see more of the city since it was a long weekend, but I knew that Kaen wouldn't be used to being outside the academy, so I decided to return to the academy early.
As we walk out of the inn, the innkeeper, who has a satisfied smile on his face, says something along the lines of, "I hope you had a good night," and Kaen blushes again.
'I wonder if the inn really only has one room left.'
The smile on the innkeeper's face was enough to make me wonder.
We stumble back into the carriage they used to come to the city, and the coachman chatters again.
Luckily, this time Kaen was able to talk to him, which made it a little less tiring.
We arrived near the academy and turned onto a side road, passing through a forest before we could see the academy, and therefore the city.
"I'll see you later, then."
"Okay."
We said our goodbyes and were about to head off to our respective dorms when suddenly, Kaen grabbed me by the hem of my shirt from behind.
"Hey… Cadet Zetto, if there's ever a time when my body… If there's anything you need… feel free to call on me again…"
Turning her head, Kaen stammers, her head slightly bowed, her eyes darting around.
My head tilts at Kaen's stuttering words.
[Even when she speaks, she does it so poorly…!]
Sierra's shout echoed in my head.
'In the game, Kaen was quite a difficult character to have as a companion because of her characteristics…'
It seems like I have a friend I can call on without hesitation.
Kaen is not a bad character to have as a companion, as she has the strength to go anywhere and not be defeated, or rather, she is someone you can trust to have your back.
'If there's one thing that could get in the way, it's her sword art…'
As long as she's not exposed to dangerous situations, she should be able to avoid bringing out her sword art.
Of course, one day she would have to defeat her mentor, her grandfather, with her own sword, but that would come later.
'Lucky.'
I feel like I've gotten a lot out of this, even though it was a spur of the moment thing.
The idea of having Kaen as a companion was far more appealing than the Night Shroud or the experience points.
Even if I didn't bring her with me everywhere, I was confident I could utilize her at the right time.
"Very well, then, if I ever need Miss Kaen's body, I'll be sure to call on you."
I held out my hand for her to shake.
"When I say If you need my… body, I don't mean anything else… I'm referring to something like this…"
Kaen mumbled something barely audible and took my hand. Of course, I had good ears, so I heard it clearly.
"…What else could it mean?"
Kaen's mumbling was cute, so I teased her a little and she glanced at me uncomfortably at my answer.
[I like to be alone with my apprentice…if there's anyone else around, I can't talk to him…]
As expected, Sierra isn't too keen on the idea, but I've never been one to underestimate Kaen's level or strength.
Still, it wasn't like I was going to go out with Kaen every time I left the academy, so I'm sure Sierra would understand.
With that, I shake Kaen's flushed hand lightly and we go our separate ways. It was a good ending.
'I wonder what I should get Kaen…'
Now that Kaen is a companion, I feel like I should invest a little more in her reward.