Chapter 21

Story 13. The one who killed the goddess (2)

Chapter 21

“Mmmm… Ahh… Mmmm… AHHH! Aaaa!”

My body shuttered as I ejaculated. So much came out of me, and I didn’t even know how to clean it all up. I was still dripping wet when Eriez kissed my back.

The messenger outside asked patiently, “Innocent One, are you still there? Are you unable to answer me right now?”

“N, no… O, of course, I will accept his highness’s invitation. I… I just need to get ready, so please let Prince Camille know. Phew…”

It was a good thing that the messenger was a patient man. I hoped my voice sounded normal. The messenger replied politely before leaving. His footsteps slowly disappeared.

When I felt safe, I turned around and punched Eriez on his chest.

“Ouch!”

“Dammit, Eri… You went too far! Just stop! How can you do this to me? We could have gotten into so much trouble…”

I was upset but not truly angry. Eriez probably knew this because when I got up to get dressed, he didn’t look sorry at all. He just laughed, “Oh, come on! Nothing happened! Haha… Hahaha…”

***

“I thought I should let you know, Juya, in case there is a misunderstanding.”

After a frugal meal, we were enjoying our tea when the prince said something odd to me.

“Pardon?”

“I… I am not doing this because I am in love with Hawaki.”

What was he talking about? This boy, who was spending so much of his time with that woman in her new quarters, was telling me he didn’t love her… What was going on here?

When I looked confused, Prince Camille continued, “… So even you thought that I had feelings for the Virtuous Priestess… But it’s not true. I… I was just thinking that I didn’t want her to be so sad anymore… But as we spent some time together, it seems that the lady wants something different from me. Something I cannot give…”

“Did you have an honest conversation with the priestess about this?”

If this was an issue between a man and a woman, then the prince should be talking to the Virtuous Priestess, not me. This was especially true since, although I was a few years older than him, I was an Innocent One. I wasn’t supposed to know anything about love and relationships. Prince Camille should understand better than ask for my advice.

He stammered, “Well… t-the thing is… Hawaki… she…. Umm…”

He looked awkward. There must have been something more to this than I could see. What was he going to tell me? He seemed hesitant to talk about whatever it was he wanted to discuss. I waited patiently, wanting a logical explanation.

Prince Camille continued, “I would love to talk to Hawaki. I agree that an open conversation is what we need right now, but… She… she doesn’t like to talk much…”

She didn’t like to talk? Hmm… Now that I thought back, I realized that I have never seen the Virtuous Priestess speak coherently. Also, when I found her naked with the prince, she didn’t seem embarrassed or shy at all. She didn’t say anything either.

All I heard was her moaning Prince Camille’s name a few times, and a lot of moaning.

Nothing else.

Was she just an eccentric woman?

Suddenly, the boy prince reached out to grab my hand and looked up at me like a puppy.

“Juya, I still haven’t changed my mind about wanting to help Hawaki and to save her, but I am losing my confidence… I am beginning to doubt if I can truly accomplish this… I mean, I remain by her side still because I cannot leave her alone like that, but…”

“So what is it that you are worried about? Is it because you can’t help yourself that even though you do not love this woman, your body still desires her? Your mind is telling you no, but your body is reacting to her…?”

“N-no! Not at all! I… I never took her! I have no desire to take her body!”

I must have guessed wrong because Prince Camille stood up and stared at me in outrage. When I didn’t say anything, he looked away and sat down again.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you just now, Juya.”

“It’s alright, your highness. I misspoke.”

“…”

He didn’t take her? Although I knew it was wrong, I couldn’t help but feel relieved. I took a sip of my tea, which was cold by now. The prince looked at me nervously before looking down again. I couldn’t even guess what he was thinking, and I wasn’t sure if he would ever get around to tell me. Therefore, I decided to start the conversation again carefully. “… If you don’t think you are not on the right path, your highness… For whatever reasons… Then would you consider telling the Goddess’ warrior about everything? If the Virtuous Priestess is putting you in an awkward position, then I am sure the Goddess’ warrior will provide a fair solution to this situation. Most likely, he will decide to return the priestess to the harem, where she belongs, and he will impregnate her so she could bring the Goddess back to our world…”

“N, no!”

The prince shook his head emphatically and continued, “If I tell him, he will not return the Virtuous Priestess to the harem. He also won’t take her to impregnate her… I may get reprimanded, but that won’t happen simply because I stole her. It will be because I got involved in his business.”

“What do you mean, your highness?”

It seemed Prince Camille knew his older brother better than I did because I partly agreed with him. I got the same feeling that Hakim Karid did not care if his younger brother slept with the Virtuous Priestess.

Just what is happening here?

“Juya, Hawaki despises my brother. She is afraid of him, in fact. She trembles in fear at the thought of his touch, and I… I believe that if you hate and fear someone that much, you should not be obligated to sleep with that person… And the strange thing is, it was my own brother who taught me this!”

“Pardon?”

The boy prince looked at me with his eyes full of tears, and I just couldn’t understand what he was talking about.

What was going on here? What was Prince Camille talking about?