""…""
At the moment, Elma and I were sitting on side of the bed in the room that was supposedly prepared for her.
The reason, of course, was to engrave her with the Phoenix Seal.
I'd told her not to force herself if she didn't want to, but she apparently had made up her mind, saying that she didn't want to trouble the others anymore.
With that being the case, I couldn't let her determination go to waste, so after taking a bath, we went to this room while being sent off by the others.
It was all good up until that point, but…
""…""
H-how awkward…
No matter how much experience I'd had, with the atmosphere being like this, it felt kind of difficult to start.
Or rather, normally it should be impossible.
I mean…
"E-Elma?"
—Jolt!
"…W-what is it?"
"W-well, uh, you don't have to be that nervous, okay?"
"A-alright, thanks…"
"…"
"…"
S-she was totally scared…
At this rate, she'd likely cry even if I so much as to touch her shoulder. What should I do…
I didn't think it was a good idea to be forceful with her like I was with Magmell and Fluga-sama.
Should I give her a hug and calm her down first…?
But she was so scared already…
Hmm… I racked my brain.
◇
W-w-w-w-w-what do I do now!? Elma was at her wits' end.
Everyone had come this far to help her, and because of it, now they were in danger of being trapped in this cursed place forever.
I'd absolutely hate myself if I trouble the others anymore—after finally making up her mind, Elma came to this room.
However, she had never even had a romantic experience; it was too high a hurdle for her to suddenly make love.
"…!?"
Even though she should have made up her mind, her body trembled without her knowing just at the thought.
Of course, it wasn't that she disliked Exa or anything.
Rather, she was so happy that she had almost cried the moment she had seen him entering the throne room, and honestly, she had thought that he was a little cool.
That was why she'd agreed to do it with him.
Despite that, she still couldn't help but find it scary.
But she couldn't possibly say that out loud.
She knew that Elysium was causing suffering to the people in the other world and that they had to get back as soon as possible.
Therefore, Elma continued trying to calm herself down.
"…"
But as strange as it was, the harder she tried, the bigger her anxiety grew.
So, deciding that she couldn't stay as is, Elma tried to drink something for a change.
"U-um…"
"Mm? What's the matter?"
"W-well, I got a little thirsty…"
"Ah…"
That said, there was nothing to drink in the room.
Exa seemed to have noticed it as well as he said considerately, "Then would you like me to get you some water? Maybe that would make you calm down, too."
"Y-yeah, I guess. Then… huh?"
At that time.
Elma suddenly noticed something hard in her pocket and took it out.
It was a small bottle containing pink liquid—probably some sort of recovery potion.
She didn't feel comfortable asking Exa to get her water in this situation, and she thought that drinking a recovery potion would be more effective to stabilize her mental state.
I heard that recovery potions have a slightly calming effect, too… Elma thought. She stopped Exa who was about to leave with a raise of her hand and said, "Ah, wait. I've got a recovery potion on me, so I'll just drink this. I just wanted to moisten my throat a little anyway."
"I-is that so? Okay." Exa nodded and sat back down.
Seeing that, Elma opened the cap of the recovery potion and drank it all at once.
"Oh, it's good…" Elma involuntarily widened her eyes at the sweet juice-like taste of the recovery potion.
She'd never taken a recovery potion that tasted like it, but when did it get into her pocket?
I think I saw it somewhere before, but where was it…
『―More importantly, I'd like to give this to you, Saintess-sama.』
"—!?"
At that point, Elma remembered it.
When she'd gotten the recovery potion.
No, it wasn't even a recovery potion.
This potion, this potion…!?
『―No, it's a must-have item for a late-bloomer like you. It's dwarves' special product—'Transcendental Super Aphrodisiac'!』
"~~!?"
Y-y-you stupid piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggg!? And so Elma's eyes—metaphorically—shot out of their sockets.
◇
"…Mm?"
When Elma dropped the small bottle, I tilted my head, wondering what happened.
Then.
—Gaba!
"Uo!?"
Elma suddenly hugged me.
What's more.
"Exa~."
"Hold on!? What's up with you suddenly!?"
I was puzzled as to what was really going on since it was unthinkable for the usual Elma to be this aggressive.
"…?"
Elma then let go of me for a moment, before saying while looking up at me with a hot gaze, "Hey… let's do it?"
"Huuuh!?"
S-seriously, what was going on!?
S-she was so scared like literally moments ago!?
Or rather, she was clearly not in her clear mind, wasn't she!?
I-I had to stop her for now!?
"W-w-w-w-wait a second, Elma!? Let's first calm down and talk this oooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu————"
Yup, I failed…
◇
And so Elma returned safely (?) to everyone, but—
"You've bottled up quite a bit, huh…" Ophir said.
"N-no!? You've got it wrong~!?" Elma shouted, blushing furiously.
"I-it's okay, Elma-san. E-everyone is like that on their first time, too…" Magmell tried to console her.
"I'm telling you, you've got it wrong~!?"
"You don't have to be embarrassed about it. You liked Exa, too. That's why you shouted 'So good, so good, sho goooood' so loudly, right?" Tirna said.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!? Please don't bring that uuuuuuuuuup!?"
"Still, to think your voice would reach this far. You're surprisingly the type who'll forget about their surroundings once they're having fun, huh." Zana looked at Elma with an amazed expression.
"Eeeek!?"
"Fufu, that's what makes her cute, nothing is wrong with it. I like it, you know? That personality contrast, I mean. You were really lewd," Shiva-san said.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!?"
"Fumu. Just calm down for now, will you, Lewd Elma?"
"No, who's 'Lewd Elma'!? I'm not lewd at all!?"
『…Huh?』
"What's with that reaction!? I'm not lewd!? I'm not lewd, I tell you~!?"
And so, Elma was now treated as a lewd saintess.