"Aiz-san..."
Lefiya looked at Aiz, who was worn and completely lost her will to live. Her eyes were wet, wondering what she should do as this condition had continued for the past few days.
The young elf realized how useless she was as she couldn't do anything, yet no matter what she thought of, she really couldn't think of anything since the source of Aiz's sadness was an unknown situation.
Everything started a few days ago when the Evilus committed suicide bombings in various locations. It was an atrocious act that no one expected, and all of them were ready. They thought that Evilus would keep hiding in the sewer like a dirty rat, and they would slowly boil them to death.
Yet, the Evilus was fiercer than they had thought; their revenge came at an unexpected time, and it was ready to bring terror to the Orario once again.
However, Isao used his ability on all the members of the Evilus and stopped all of their bombing acts.
The dome-shaped and wall-shaped barriers appeared in various places on spots, stopped the destruction, and protected all the people.
However, while everyone was saved, Isao, who had saved them, hadn't recovered and still remained unconscious.
This was the source of Aiz's sadness, and because of that, Lefiya couldn't do anything.
Should she get angry at him for making Aiz sad? Impossible.
After all, if Isao didn't do that, many would die due to the suicide bombings.
Lefiya also happened to see Isao, who was carried by Mia Grand while being healed by Airmid. His situation was so horrible that she couldn't say a single word. However, it was fortunate that she was there, or else Aiz would be in the worst mess.
At that moment, she was the one who took care of Aiz, but if possible, she wanted her to recover.
Nevertheless, the aftermath of this incident was horrible, as no one knew when Evilus would start another attack. Whether it was the guild, the Loki Familia, the Ganesha Familia, the Freya Familia, or even many other minor Familias, they were all searching for all the members of the Evilus.
Everyone was tense, and the past few days had always been suffocating for everyone.
After all, no one knew when the Evilus would start to attack once again.
While many might have complained, they didn't want their places to be bombed too, so they just let it go, but instead of getting better, the anxiety and fear caused the situation of the Orario to become worse, especially when they lost their eyes, Isao Iinuma.
With the information gained from Isao, many were easier, but when they lost him, it made them so lost.
Isao's role was more important than they had thought, as they couldn't confirm whether the Orario was really safe or not. After all, the Evilus could change their clothes into civilians, and they could even act like one, so how could they let those civilians act like nothing had happened?
So, during this time, for the past few days, no one was allowed to leave or enter the Orario.
Orario was in a state of isolation, and everyone worked hard to find any clues about the Evilus, but except for the fact that the Evilus might be hiding on Daedalus Street, they knew nothing. It felt like the Evilus were hiding, or they might be laughing at their incompetence.
Incompetence.
This was probably the way to describe their situation, especially when the actions of everyone affected by Isao hadn't regained consciousness.
During his stay at Orario, many were involved with him, and he had linked all of them, creating an unshakeable group that was involved in many places within the society, whether it was food, finance, or many other things.
When he was gone, not only her but also she was sure that many were at a loss for what to do.
If there was a reason why none of them crumbled, it was all due to Loki, who had talked with Hestia. The loss of all the business and links due to Hestia Familia might even cause destruction to the Orario, so even if Hestia wasn't in a position to move, Loki forced her to take the role as Hestia was the only one who knew about all of the keys business that was left by Isao.
While Lefiya wasn't sure what Loki was saying to Hestia, she was sure that it wasn't something good. Nevertheless, unlike Hestia, she knew that Aiz couldn't recover like that. Watching Aiz's sunken cheeks, she felt her heart torn, yet she knew that there was only one person who could help Aiz recover.
"Aiz-san, you should eat. You don't want to see him in such a haggard appearance, right? You should appear beautiful, or else... or else..." Lefiya felt heavy, but she said with snot and tears as if her beloved was stolen away, "He might be stolen by others."
Aiz glanced at Lefiya for a while, then took the food that was brought by Lefiya.
While it made Lefiya envious, she knew that the only way to make Aiz move was by using Isao as an excuse. Frankly, she idolized Aiz and even fell in love with her, yet for her to use the name of a pesky man who wasn't loyal to Aiz and made a move to various women to take care of Aiz made her helpless. However, as she said before, she could do nothing except do this since if she hadn't done it, Aiz's situation might have worsened.
"Let's get a bath too. Let's visit him."
"...okay."
Aiz had always wanted to stay by Isao's side all the time, but many tried to stop her, which made her vexed. Still, if there was a reason why she could go back and return, it was all because Riveria was by Isao's side.
Riveria told Aiz that she would take care of Isao, so Aiz should go back and rest while she could.
Yet, how could Aiz rest?
Frankly, Aiz wasn't the only one who was hit the most by this accident, as many were affected.
On the other hand, Riveria, who was in charge of staying by Isao's side, held a book in her hand, reading it quietly as she gazed over him once again. His room was clean, and the ventilation was wide open. There was no strange smell. Instead, his room smelled good, but he was there, lying, unconscious.
Diant Cect had told everyone that Isao's body was okay and healthy, but the problem was on his mind as Isao used magic that brought a lot of loads to his brain. He would be alive, but no one was sure that Isao would wake up, which made them at a loss, wondering whether they would just watch him dying as they were unable to do anything.
Unlike before, when he was so naughty, she couldn't see him do all of the things that made her vexed, annoyed, yet helpless at the same time. While her feelings were mixed, especially due to how he often slept with many beautiful women and couldn't be loyal to a single woman, when she saw him like this, she felt her eyes wet.
Riveria closed her eyes for a while, trying to hold her tears, stopping them from coming out, then wiped away all that remained in her eyes as she had to remain composed no matter what the situation was.
Whether Eina or Aiz relied on her, Riveria was their mother's figure, so naturally, she had to be strong.
Staring at the young man, who had messed the hearts of many important people in her life, Riveria looked at him helplessly and tidied up his hair lightly. She was an elf and the queen, so she had never touched the skin of the opposite gender. Even Finn and Gareth, who she had spent so long with, had never touched her skin.
Yet, somehow, she touched this young man, who had seduced her niece and also the daughter-like existence for her.
She was helpless, but she also knew that Isao had not made a move on them.
If there was no fault, it would be them who fell for him.
As she caressed his hair, she thought about their previous conversation.
"I am an adventurer. I might die the next day, leaving her so suddenly, and I also have many troubles. Instead of letting her be troubled with many things due to me, you should tell her to leave me and tell her that I am a scumbag who plays with her feelings."
Yet, all of this happened.
Riveria felt her eyes wet once again as she stared at him.
Whenever they were alone, or when the one who took care of him left to take a break, she would do this, touching his hair, then slowly reaching his face, cautiously, afraid, embarrassed, yet also eager. Strange feelings, she thought.
Then, staring into his lips, the lips that took the lips of many.
Were they good?
Riveria wasn't sure, but her finger touched his lips, which felt slightly wet and warm yet soft and comfortable. She knew that this might be a little too much, but then, as no one was around, the touch made her body feel strange like it was tingled by a sweet feeling that she wanted to do more.
Yet, as a high-elf and the queen of the elf, was such an act allowed?
Riveria knew that none of them would allow it, and if she did, they would think that she was a slut, a woman who succumbed to the pleasure of the flesh, a dirty woman who only thought with her lower body.
In the beginning, she would think so like any others, yet somehow, watching the feelings of all the women with whom Isao was close and watching their despair when they saw him in this state, she wanted to know.
Love.
This feeling was strange, she thought.
Yet, to help Aiz and Eina, Riveria knew that she had to do it.
No, they were just an excuse, and frankly, she thought that she just wanted to do it, trying as she wondered how good a kiss was.
While her partner remained unconscious... no, it was because she knew that he was unconscious and wouldn't wake up that she dared to do this.
'I'm sorry.'
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Riveria moved closer, staring at his hips as her heart was beating so fast before slowly, hesitantly, yet eagerly kissed his lips. Soft, yet overwhelming. Even though what she did was only touch his lips by using hers, it made something below her stomach feel weird. Her body was hot, almost scorching.
Still, she wanted more, but her rationality, morality, and all the things that she had been taught told her that she couldn't do it.
Yet, like how she would escape the forest, her kingdom to show, to grow, to rebel, she continued this awkward kiss.
Only—
Like the sleeping beauty who woke up when she was kissed by the prince when Riveria kissed him for the second time, Isao opened his eyes and looked at her in silence.
"....." 2x
The two blinked their eyes, feeling confused, but then Riveria realized that even though she was the strongest magician in the world, her level of sexual knowledge was simply horrendous, especially when Isao started to put his tongue inside her.