Normally, Ferzen preferred to go straight to sleep after their intimate moment as a couple.
However, given the state of the bedsheet and their clothes soaked in milk, Ferzen decided to entrust Euphemia to the maids before taking another bath himself.
After his bath, he checked how much free time he had left and decided to visit Yuriel on the fourth floor.
Originally, he had planned to take care of Euphemia first and then attend to Yuriel. However, he felt a tinge of guilt for unintentionally putting Yuriel on the back burner.
As he stood before the door to Yuriel's room, Ferzen cautiously turned the doorknob. He couldn't help but think about Yuriel's choice to reside on the fourth floor.
While he found her reasons for not wanting to stay on the same floor as Euphemia somewhat childish, he also understood that it was her way of maintaining some distance between them.
Yuriel had openly admitted that it was difficult for her to get close to Euphemia, and their relationship had only grown more strained over time due to various circumstances.
However, Ferzen knew that it was a common trait of humans to make more mistakes with people they had close relationships with, rather than those they were less familiar with.
In other words, maintaining a somewhat distant relationship could actually prevent unwanted misunderstandings and conflicts.
This was a significant difference between Euphemia's care and Yuriel's care when viewed from a macroscopic perspective.
Recognizing that, Ferzen entered the room and carefully sat down beside Yuriel who was sleeping soundly.
'This...'
Ferzen could see a pile of papers lying next to her.
Thinking that she had fallen asleep while writing something, Ferzen reached towards the papers and read them.
"..."
The moment he laid his eyes on the contents that were written on it, Ferzen was left speechless.
「The Disappearance of Mary Rosen. 」
–The part that left the most impression on him is probably the secret room murder case in the mansion!
::: When talking about it with him, it will be a good idea to bring up the topic of whether such a secret room murder is really possible without magic.
::: Casually ask if he has the limited edition hardcover book! ( Don't forget! )
...The disappearance of Mary Rosen.
That was the title of a mystery novel that Ferzen enjoyed a lot.
Because of the peculiarity of his obsessive-compulsive disorder, Ferzen liked hobbies that would allow him to concentrate deeply. One of them was reading mystery novels.
After all, while reading he would think about who the culprit might be and what kind of method they had used through the evidence presented in the first half of the novel.
Time passed quickly when he thought about the novel, so it was a perfect hobby for him.
And it's not just with 'The Disappearance of Mary Rosen', Yuriel also wrote a few points about most of the novels that Ferzen has read and even the plays he had seen.
When he thought about the fact that she had run a simulation of the situation where they talked about those things, he found her to be admirable and lovable.
So Ferzen lowered his head and kissed Yuriel on the cheek and lips sweetly, expressing his sincere affection.
Smooch-!!
Smooch—!!!
That sound resounded in a quiet room where only the sound of rain hitting the window could be heard.
In other words, it created a very strange atmosphere.
"E, eung... Ah...?"
Soon after, Yuriel, who was sound asleep, opened her eyes and tried to capture the sight of him with her unfocused eyes...
However, Ferzen covered her lips with his once more. Then, he set the bundle of papers he was holding next to her and covered it with the blanket.
After all, if she realized that he had found those papers, she might feel quite embarrassed and ashamed.
"Uh... Ha... W-when...did you come?"
Hearing Yuriel ask him in a hoarse voice as she rubbed her eyes, Ferzen calmly opened his mouth.
"A little while ago."
"I-Is that so...?"
Today should be the day when he sleeps with Euphemia. Yet, as soon as he returned from his business, he came to her.
Since that woman would be asleep without knowing anything, wouldn't it be okay for her to be a little greedy?
"Your hands are quite cold..."
"It must have been because I used cold water to wash myself."
"W-what if you catch a cold?"
Thinking that he came here just to see her face, Yuriel stretched her hand out and grabbed Ferzen's hand before bringing it to her chest. The place where her warm body temperature lingered the most.
Since she was not wearing any perfume to cover her body odor she could stall for more time...
Rustle-!!
"AH..."
However, without even giving Yuriel any time to finish making any plan, Ferzen lifted the blanket without hesitation and laid down next to her.
It was a distance that was close enough to leave no gap between them.
He then buried his face in her cheek, his breath tickling her.
Instinctively, he patted her head, then stretched out his characteristic large hand to straighten her messy bangs.
"Eu, eung..."
Why did he do this?
Even though she had experienced the intense desire and passion he had displayed as he indulged in the primal, beastly side of his desires, seeing Ferzen now caring for her with such tenderness, filled Yuriel with deeper happiness than ever before.
So, rather than resorting to seductive coquetry, she followed her heart and gently embraced him, her arms encircling his strong chest.
Ferzen's chest was broad and safe, capable of comfortably accommodating her body.
Yuriel closed her eyes and listened to the soothing rhythm of Ferzen's slow heartbeat echoing from within him.
If a child found comfort in the loving embrace of their mother, Yuriel, as a woman, felt equally secure in the arms of her man.
'It's wonderful...'
When she was much younger and hadn't yet met him, she would often fall asleep imagining that a man named Ferzen would hold her like this.
But now, it was no longer just her imagination; it was a reality.
So, Yuriel opened her eyes, which had been closed in bliss a moment ago, and gazed at Ferzen.
She stretched her hand toward his face, gently tracing his features as though to ensure this wasn't a dream.
"Is there anything you'd like to say?"
He asked, his voice soft and filled with warmth.
A myriad of carefully prepared conversation topics crossed her mind, topics she had studied in advance.
But in this intimate moment, she decided to ask the simplest yet the most profound question a woman could pose to her man.
"Do... Do you love me?"
Though he had expressed his love during moments of passion, she wanted to hear those words spoken from his heart, without the haze of lust.
"..."
She fidgeted nervously in the silence that followed her question.
Human emotions were inherently subjective, rarely displaying objectivity.
Yet, paradoxically, no one would deny that parents possessed maternal and paternal instincts toward their children.
It was evident in how often the subject of a parent's actions shifted from "for oneself" to "for someone else."
In the case of Euphemia and Yuriel, although the root of their actions might have initially been for themselves, it was sure to evolve beyond that.
Ferzen moved his head to gaze at Yuriel upon hearing her question. She was squirming anxiously in response to the silence that had settled between them.
Humans were naturally curious beings, especially when it came to matters they held dear.
Their greatest curiosity often revolved around their own worth and the people they cherished the most.
And in this sweet moment, Ferzen whispered into her ear with unwavering conviction.
"I... love you, Yuriel."
Humans were creatures driven to learn more about what intrigued them, and they were most intrigued by what they held dear.
For Yuriel, that was Ferzen. How could she deny that she loved him?
"Me too... Ferzen, I love you too."
Yuriel replied, her heart swelling with affection. She didn't seem troubled by his earlier silence; instead, she beamed at him and buried her face in his arms.
Love.
It was a word that had the power to quicken one's heartbeat and fill them with profound joy, all at once.
Yuriel wanted to do something for him right now.
She wanted to lick his monstrous shaft and shove it deep down her throat.
She wanted to serve him by inserting it into her vagina and tightening it as best as she could.
If he said he wanted to insert it into her backdoor, she would happily stretch her buttocks with both hands and accept his whole length into it.
If he asked her to cry to satisfy his subtle sadism, Yurie would be willing to cry for him.
But for now, she didn't have to act like a female trying to seduce a male.
Like a lover,
Like a married couple.
As long as she could be a woman who was loved by him, she would be satisfied.
* * * * *
Around 20 minutes had passed, and Ferzen slowly moved away from Yuriel, who was now breathing softly in his arms.
As he did, her hand quickly latched onto the hem of his clothes.
Ferzen hesitated for a moment before gently removing her hand. This time, instead of clutching his clothes, Yuriel grabbed onto his finger.
He couldn't help but softly chuckle at her actions.
Retrieving a ring from his left hand, he handed it to her.
For a warlock, their altar was as vital as their life itself.
Without it, they couldn't engage with the underworld or access the subspace to protect their corpse. In essence, without their altar, a warlock was just an ordinary person.
Fully aware of this, Ferzen quietly left the room after entrusting his altar to Yuriel.
The rain continued to pour outside, creating a cacophony as the droplets pelted the windows in the hallway.
Pitter-!!
Piiter-patter-!!
Ferzen approached one of the rattling windows, his gaze fixed on the rain-soaked landscape beyond.
...A world crafted by someone.
It was imperfect, rough, and incomplete.
Yet, even within such a world, there were treasures to be found.
Ferzen pondered if there was any significance to this.
No, it was perhaps because of this imperfection that Yuriel and Euphemia had become so valuable to him.
Stomp–!
Ferzen's footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, the sound of his passage not drowned out by the pouring rain.