"Sierra, when I get serious, I won't be able to stop, you know?"
Adlan sweetly whispered just beside Sierra's ear.
Atop the sofa placed in Adlan's private room in the palace, Sierra was snugly settled into his arms. At the feeling of his hot breath along the top of her neck, the inexperienced woman found herself strangely tense.
However, with that gentle hand stroking her hair, all her strength left her, and knowing she absolutely couldn't escape, the arms circling Adlan's back tightened. Then, when his breath blew across her ear, and when his teeth softly nibbled at her earlobe, she grew tense once more, only to relax completely at his mercy when he stroked her hair again.
Just what is it, this adorable thing!
For all her pride, this timid silver kitten's wariness dissolved as she snuggled up to Adlan, her excessive charm throwing his heart into agony.
It's fine if I just love her to my heart's content… Right?
"… Sir Adlan?"
A pair of round, blue eyes tilted back to check the frozen Adlan. Reflected in those cloudy eyes was the desire they caused in one man.
This person, is already mine. This little kitten, does she even realize she's been caught? With how I am, I truly won't let my desired one escape, you know.
"Such a diligent girl, Sierra. Actually, could you let me go for a moment? It's alright, I won't go back on my word. I'll be sure to teach you everything you want to know, with that body of yours… Alright?"
With a radiant smile, Adlan placed a single kiss on Sierra's forehead as he unwrapped her arms.
"Sir Adlan, um, this is…?"
"You see, this method makes kissing easy. Relationships between men and women begin and end with the kiss, you know? We want to make sure you aren't stumped by any of the lady's questions, so I'm going to instruct you in everything in detail. It'll be easy; just follow along with my instructions, alright?"
"All… Right?"
Situated on Adlan's knee like a child, Sierra tilted her head as she replied. Unmindful of her bewilderment, Adlan began sprinkling kisses down her face, the resounding smooches culminating in a swift movement that pressed his lips to hers.
"So is this your first kiss?"
Her face dyed, having caught the affectionate kiss head on, Sierra replied.
"Excluding the members of my family, that was my first."
"Is that right. Well, I'll have to instruct you from the beginning on the lover's kiss then."
With that, Adlan once more pressed his lips affectionately to hers, his tongue tickling along her lips, tenderly caressing.
"Go ahead and try the same, Sierra."
"Right."
With a loose nod, Sierra closed her eyes and leaned into Adlan for another kiss, tracing her tongue along his lips in a similar movement. As her trail grew more familiar, Adlan parted his lips and quickly drew in her tongue, entwining it with his own. From there, Adlan raided the inside of her mouth with his own tongue, tenderly deepening the kiss so as not to frighten her.
"Yup, great. Make sure to properly breath through your nose, okay? Right, let's try one more time."
Adlan kept kissing her, over and over again, occasionally allowing small breaks, his advice punctuated with bright smiles.
"You're so adorable, Sierra. Try entangling your tongue a bit more, drawing it in, like."
At first, Sierra had thought of the act first and foremost as a type of study or training, but gradually her head grew hazy, and with her eyes swimming, she entrusted her body to Adlan's supporting arms.
"Sir Adlan, I, I'm getting a somewhat strange feeling."
Sierra's bright red, plump lips appealed to Adlan, her face flushed. Seeing her dimmed, amorous eyes, Adlan felt an impatient feeling well up within his lower half, but he had already made sure to dispel any intention of taking Sierra's first time here.
"That's fine. Now, we've pretty much finished up with the deep kiss, which is sort of like the hors d'oeuvres of relationships. Unfortunately, I really need to get back to my work, so I don't have time to instruct you through to the end. I didn't want to rush through your first time during my break anyways, right?"
Adlan nestled his face against her nape, drawing in her sweet scent as he placed a kiss just below her ear.
"I'll invite you to my home this evening. We'll have dinner, and then we can pass the night together, just like a wedding night. Sound good?"
After that, Adlan swung through nearly everywhere.
Back at his residence, he declared "I've invited my sweetheart over for dinner, and furthermore, she'll be staying the night!" Moreover, since he all but said "I intend for us to be married", the servants were all yelling in joy and excitement.
For Belvant, he left instructions that "since I'm having Sierra visit for an overnight stay, you'll need to double up on work". Then, he informed Marietta "I am intending to marry Sierra, so I will need to borrow her through tomorrow afternoon". The news caught the princess completely by surprise, and Adlan and Sierra had to share one more kiss to "make doubly sure" for her.
Of course, he quickly finished up his work for the day and distributed tomorrow's work about so he could thoroughly indulge in Sierra later. Adlan even arranged preparations for the event he was kept even later than expected.
And so, through his hard work, everyone quickly learned Sierra and Adlan were an item.
"… How did it become like this?"
Unlike the women around her, Sierra wore a dazed, distant expression.
She had intended to ask Adlan for a relationship., and yet, how was her betrothal suddenly established? Why did she receive a message of congratulations from the crown family?
Sierra was a noble lady of Stellaus. Assigned to serve under Marietta as an attendant, she had resolved herself to remain unmarried her whole life long before they had arrived in Oltaire.
But then, why had she just watched a horse speed away for her parent's home in Stellaus with the message "the engagement to Adlan, third son of Count Kareks, has been decided"?
"Congratulations, Sierra! Ah, how wonderful, you've been tied together with Sir Adlan! I didn't even notice!"
Marietta cried out overcome with emotion, their arms linked as she seemed to cry out "look at this true romance!"
Faced with the princess' enthusiasm, Sierra could only respond as though half her soul had already passed on.
"No, well, until just some time ago I also didn't…"
"It's like a secret love, right! For such a surreptitious affection to take root, how, how romantic!"
"Well, my intention…"
"Sir Adlan is quite reliable, a fantastic article of a man. However, ehehe, he's still no match for Sir Belvant. Though, I do suppose Sir Adlan has some considerable muscles. In that regard, I can completely understand how you feel Sierra, but, goodness, saying it aloud is actually quite embarrassing!"
"My, um, muscle observation is as yet…"
"Moreover, you're even visiting Sir Adlan's home this evening, right? That's good; you nearly haven't taken a break at all while you've been working so hard for me, so you should go and pursue your own love once in a while. And, goodness, how in the world did you get a date so soon?"
"With how it is, it's not yet…"
"Let's make you an extraordinary beauty for this evening so you can capture Adlan completely, Sierra! I even have some perfume ready that's said to drive the gentlemen to fascination. Now, everyone, please make sure to polish Sierra until she shines!"
At Marietta's sonorous voice, the various attendants and maids nearby locked on to Sierra and began their assault.
"I've always wanted to prepare Lady Sierra!"
"Now, this platinum blonde is going to absolutely sparkle."
"Ehehe~, we get to polish this soft, fair skin to our heart's content~"
"Doesn't this dress bring out the blue in her eyes wonderfully?"
"Please wait, everyone, calm down, no, if you wait just a moment, eep!"
Dragged along and packed into that pitiful bathroom, Sierra was played with like a life size doll to a festival of enthusiasm.
Author Note:
Adlan, as a scheming adult, has completely encircled his opponent in love, and won't let her escape. In that situation, he didn't push her down immediately, but cut off Kitten-chan's retreat to receive her later.
Next time, Marietta's delectable attendant and maid Sierra travels to the den of the wolf…
Will she be able to safely ascend the stairway to adulthood?!