Chapter 20: Making Love to the Reaper
Something was wrong.
When Cecil had asked me out on a date, I’d accepted it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Even the other three—Lumiere, Elise (Elie), and Clarice—hadn't breathed a single word of complaint.
And so, here I was on the day of the event, meeting Cecil in front of the academy gates.
"S-Sorry to keep you waiting..."
Her voice was uncharacteristically weak. She was likely feeling self-conscious about her appearance. Instead of her usual boyish attire, she stood before me in a strikingly feminine outfit.
"S-So, how do I look...? I, uh, put a lot of thought into it..."
"You’re absolutely gorgeous."
"...Huh?"
"You look stunning, Cecil."
"D-Do you really mean it...?"
"You're incredibly cute."
"E-Hehe. Oh, thank God..."
She was ridiculously cute.
I wasn’t just being polite. Looking at her now, she was legitimately, heart-stoppingly beautiful.
"I told you before, didn't I?" she started. "Because of how I grew up, I never really learned how to be 'girly.' Up until now, I thought I was fine with that. I didn't think it mattered."
Cecil’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson, but her gaze turned resolute. She made her declaration with a look of fierce determination.
"But if it’s for the sake of having you adore me... I’ll put in every ounce of effort I have."
Her outfit had changed to something delicate and lovely, yet her core remained as dignified as ever. The gap between those two sides of her was devastating. In this moment, there was no doubt about it—she looked every bit the heroine.
"S-Shall we go then?"
She tentatively reached out her right hand.
"Since it’s a d-date and all... I was hoping we could hold hands. Is that... okay?"
Who could say no to a beautiful girl looking up at them like that? Well, technically I was the kind of person who could say no, but in this situation, there was only one possible answer.
"E-Hehe. For now, I’m one step ahead of Elise."
"Ah, I guess you’re right."
I hadn't even held hands with Elise yet. Cecil smiled with a hint of pride at the thought that she had reached a milestone before the main heroine.
"I’m going to take a lot of your 'firsts' today. You’d better be ready, Alvart."
And with that, our date through the Royal Capital truly began.
"You really never know where life will take you," she mused. "Walking through the capital like this, holding someone’s hand..."
We wandered aimlessly, following our whims.
"Oh, Alvart! You’ve got a breadcrumb on your cheek."
Sometimes, we played out those cliché romantic tropes.
"Ah! M-My hat!"
Sometimes, we were beset by sudden mishaps.
"Hahaha! That outfit doesn’t suit you at all, Alvart!"
And sometimes, we simply laughed together.
It was such an utterly trivial way to spend time... and that was exactly why it felt like an irreplaceable piece of daily life.
"...Hey, Alvart."
As we strolled along a quiet path, Cecil’s cheeks were still faintly tinged with pink.
"You might not believe me, but... it was love at first sight. When I met you."
Before I could respond, she kept going.
"Do you remember? Back in the dungeon."
"Yeah, of course."
"That was when I knew for sure. I really do love you."
"...I didn't think we did anything back then that would lead to that kind of conclusion."
"Haha. It might seem that way to you. But... for me, it was the moment my image of who you are as a person became crystal clear."
Cecil described me as someone who was "truly kind."
"...I’m more aware of being a failure of a human being, honestly."
"Hehe. That’s exactly what I find so charming about you, Alvart."
I didn't get it. I really didn't understand the heart of a young woman. If I were in Cecil’s shoes, I wouldn't have fallen for someone like me. And yet... I couldn't sense a hint of a lie in the affection she showed.
Which meant Cecil truly, from the bottom of her heart...
"Hey, Alvart. Today... I want to stay there."
Before I knew it, the sun had set and the world had grown dark. Cecil was pointing at a local inn—the kind of establishment that served as a love hotel in this country.
"...Is that okay?"
She looked up at me again. Her cheeks were flushed. The sight was more than enough to stir a man's baser instincts.
That was precisely why I answered without a second thought.
"Yeah. Let's make some special memories together."
We walked toward the inn with slow, deliberate steps. Toward that lewd space designed for carnal pleasure.
............Something was wrong.
But I failed to realize the true nature of that dissonance.
"Hey, Alvart... let’s take a shower together."
I gave her a nod of affirmation. This, of course, meant we would have to face one another completely naked.
"Nn..."
In the shower room, the sound of splashing water echoed around us. Our skin was slick and wet as we naturally fell into an embrace.
"Nn... Hehe... You really are a boy, aren't you? So... rugged."
She stroked my back. Soon, Cecil’s fingertips began to carry a suggestive, lustful intent.
"Hey, Alvart. What do you think? Of my body?"
"It’s... it’s soft. Really soft."
"...Pfft. You really are a terrible liar."
"Huh?"
"It’s written all over your face. You’re thinking about how small my breasts are."
"...N-No, I wasn't—"
"Hahahaha! It’s fine, really. I’m not mad. It’s true that compared to Elise and the others, mine are pretty modest. But... you know..."
Cecil grabbed both of my hands.
"I’m actually pretty confident in my ass."
No sooner had the words left her lips than she guided my hands toward her buttocks. In that instant, my fingers moved almost by spinal reflex.
"Hyan♥"
Before I realized what I was doing, I was already kneading her flesh.
Squeeze♥ Squeeze♥ Squeeze♥
Cecil’s rear was voluminous, firm, and incredibly satisfying to handle. The sensation was practically diabolical; it was so good that it arguably stood on par with the massive breasts of the other girls around me.
"Nnn♥ H-Hehe...♥ It looks like... you really like it...♥"
Cecil couldn't hide her joy, even through her embarrassment. Perhaps it was that adorable reaction that triggered my male instincts so strongly.
I wanted to breed this beautiful girl. That raw desire was about to manifest in the most visceral way possible.
"Ah...♥ It’s... it’s too much...♥ Alvart...♥"
Alvart Zesphiria was an eroge protagonist. Therefore, the part of me currently pressing against her stomach was something a man could be truly proud of.
"I-I wonder if that’ll even fit..."
Still held in my arms, she shifted her hips, rubbing against me to gauge the size. The stimulation she provided was overwhelming.
"Hey, Alvart. Before we head to the bed... let’s have a little fun right here♥"
Her provocative, beautiful face was right in front of me. Her wet, seductive body was perfect in every way but her chest. In a situation like this, there was no way I could hold back.
For a while, the only sound in the shower room was the constant spray of water. But it wasn't just the water falling on our bodies.
Sometimes from our mouths. Sometimes from our fingertips. And sometimes... from her thighs and rear.
The lewd sounds of wet friction echoed incessantly.
"Nn...♥ Hehe...♥ I’ll make you feel... even better...♥"
She gave me a bewitching smile as she performed various acts to drive my pleasure higher. It was only a preparatory phase to confirm our love for one another—a scene that shouldn't have required any deep emotional reflection.
And yet.
If I were to truly accept her feelings and affirm them... shouldn't I be reacting differently?
When I thought about it that way... in a sense, I was betraying her heart.
"Sorry, Cecil. It's not that you're... bad at this, or anything."
"...It’s okay, Alvart. In fact, I prefer it this way. After all... it would be a problem if you didn't have anything left to pour inside me, right?"
Cecil looked like she was completely ready. So, to meet her expectations... we moved to the bedroom.
I climbed onto the bed.
"Hey, Alvart."
Flushed cheeks. Moist eyes. With a face full of yearning, Cecil made a sweet request.
"Kiss me... okay?"
I had no reason to refuse her temptation. I pushed Cecil down and lowered my lust-filled lips to hers.
"Nmh♥ Chu♥"
At first, it was a soft, pecking kiss. But it quickly grew in intensity.
"Ngh, lero♥ Mchu♥ Nnh... am♥ Eron♥"
It developed into a lewd, deep kiss, our tongues tangling together.
"Nbu♥ Chu♥ Nn... Hehe. You really can do anything, can't you, Alvart? For this to be your first kiss... nchu♥ The people who end up with you after this are definitely going to have their hands full, in more ways than one...♥"
She punctuated her words with lecherous kisses. The warm, soft sensation of her tongue. The sweet taste of her saliva. The hot breath I felt from so close.
All of it pushed my body to its limit, and then, finally...
"Hey, Alvart. I think it’s time... I want to make that special memory with you now."
Cecil whispered with a face completely consumed by heat.
"To carry the child of the man I love. Please... carve that joy into my body...♥"
I couldn't hold back. It was impossible. And more than that... there was no need to.
I pulled away from her for a moment.
"I’m going in... You’re sure?"
"Yes♥ Come here, Alvart♥"
I positioned myself against her, ready for battle. This would surely reach her deepest parts... and we would create a memory neither of us would ever forget. For both me and Cecil, this was exactly what we wanted...
What we wanted?
Wait... what?
Was that really true?
If this was the "truth," then why... in this exact moment—
"Cecil. You—why are you crying?"
Tears were streaming down her face. One after another, they fell while her cheeks remained flushed.
In that state, she whispered under her breath.
"I knew it... I never should have done something so underhanded."
It wasn't an answer. But for me, those words were enough.
Yes... it was more than enough to finally realize what that "wrongness" had been.
"Cecil. You..."
Something was wrong. Where had that thought come from? In the end...
It was a distortion of my cognition. That was all it was.
"From the moment you invited me on the date... you were manipulating the minds of everyone, including me."
That was why no one had objected when she said she would have me all to herself. That was why I had completely forgotten the mission I had been tasked with.
"...Hey, Cecil."
As to why she had done such a thing... I had no evidence, no certainty. Only a vague, blurry guess. But as I considered it, I felt it was the truth.
I threw the question at her like a blade.
"Are you... one of Sierra’s subordinates?"
In the next instant, Cecil let out a dry, rattling chuckle. With a self-deprecating smile, she kept laughing for a long time before finally answering.
"...Yeah. That’s right, Alvart. I’m her tool. Her servant."
Immediately after speaking, Cecil moved while still pinned beneath me.
She kicked me squarely in the stomach.
"Ugh...!"
A brief shock, followed by a sensation of weightlessness. I went flying through the air, smashed through the wall, and was blown outside.
The streets were deserted. Not a soul was in sight. There were only two people standing in this place.
One who had used magic to manifest clothes and was now ready for battle.
Me and Cecil.
"《False Realm Magic》. It’s the exact same situation as that thing Lady Sierra did to you recently."
Cecil stood opposite me. She explained that this was a fictitious space created by magic. Which meant... we could kill each other without bothering anyone else.
"Hey, Alvart. If you care about everyone else, don't hold back, okay? Otherwise... you’re going to end up destroying everything around you."
"...Is that Sierra’s order?"
"Yeah. Well, to be precise, the target isn't you—it’s Lady Clarice. Lady Sierra said she wants to make her suffer even more."
I couldn't understand it, and I didn't want to. That woman was forcing Cecil to carry out such malice.
"Now, you have two choices, Alvart. Kill me and take down Lady Sierra. Or give up on everything and let me kill you."
"...I think there might be a third option."
"Haha, no way. There’s no such thing prepared for us."
As she spoke, she pulled back her clothes... showing me her lower abdomen. There, etched clearly into her skin, was a mark.
The proof of a 《Pact Magic》.
"I didn't just get this now, obviously. It’s been there for a long, long time. It’s a remnant from when she... completely ruined my life."
What had Sierra done to Cecil back then? What kind of hell had she gone through, and with what feelings had she continued to do things she hated? Cecil probably wouldn't tell me. Not if she intended to remain the villain.
Even so... I had to confirm one thing.
"Entering the academy... was that Sierra’s order too?"
"That’s right. Actually, I was supposed to help with the murders at the school. But since Linslet Freanain got involved, I couldn't do it alone, so I was just providing support."
"Which means you haven't actually stained your hands within the academy yet, right?"
"Yeah. But, Alvart, I—"
I didn't intend to let her finish that sentence.
"Suppose someone killed another person with a knife. Would you put the knife on trial? Would you blame the knife for the murder? ...Cecil, that’s exactly what you’ve been up until now. So..."
I looked her straight in the eye and let the words fly.
"What matters isn't who you’ve been. It’s who you’re going to be from now on."
She widened her eyes in shock for a fraction of a second... but immediately after, her entire body surged with killing intent.
"Listen to me, Alvart. I’m telling you right now."
In that heartbeat.
Her eyes narrowed sharply as she screamed out her inner turmoil.
"There is no! 'From now on'! For me anymore!"
Along with her shriek, the reaper of the original protagonist... became my very own death flag.
As if fulfilling her destiny, she bared her fangs at Alvart Zesphiria.
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