Chapter 3 - To Entice An Innocent Man

At those words, there was silence in the bookstore for a moment.

“……Body?”

“……Body?”

Both Ariel and the woman’s voice rang out at the same time when they heard her companion’s answer. Thanks to the loud voice of the woman, Ariel’s muttering was fortunately buried and could not be heard by the two. Ariel covered her mouth with her hand and listened again.

How can her body stop someone from becoming a priest? Should she lie down in front of the door? Or did she have to hold on to him?

Ariel wasn’t the only one who couldn’t understand, as the woman, who shouted then, asked her friend.

“What do you need a body for?”

“Oh, you really don’t know? What are the conditions to be a priest to the goddess? It’s a pure body. But if you spend a night with the opposite sex before entering the temple…….”

“Ah!”

When the woman heard the answer, her eyes widened and her mouth closed. She finally understood what her friend told her to do.

“That, that means…… I’ll be with him…… You want me to spend the night with him?”

“Yes. It wasn’t that he was entirely uninterested in you either. Are you going to kiss him while standing next to the goddess? He’s a funny guy. Hey, I’ll help to create an opportunity for you to knock him down.”

Hearing this, the woman who was crying nodded as her friend clenched her fist with a determined face, as if they were embarking into an all-out war.

Then, the bookstore owner’s voice was heard from afar.

“What’s going on there?”

He seemed to be worried, wondering if there was a problem because the woman made a loud noise.

“Nothing, everything’s okay!”

Due to the owner’s voice, the two women must have realized that this place was not suitable for further conversation about this topic, so as soon as they were ready, they went back to the entrance with a book. Ariel couldn’t move for a long time even after the two women disappeared.

‘Oh, my God, there is a way.’

Just like they said. The body of a man who will return to the goddess should be a pure body that does not know the desires of the world. But what if he has a relationship with the opposite sex and becomes aware of desire? He’ll be out, really out.

‘All right, then right now……!’

Ariel, who was about to rise from her seat, realized a huge problem at that moment.

Ariel did received sex education when she became older. That’s why she knew what it meant to ‘be with a man’ a while ago. But the problem lied in the extent of Ariel’s knowledge. She knew nothing more than the very basic sex education book avaliable in the kingdom.

In her head, Ariel imagined herself knocking Arsion down. After a while, Ariel let out a long sigh.

When? Where? What? She couldn’t imagine what to do next.

‘No, more than that…….’

Ariel knew very well that she herself was not sexually enticing. Honestly, she was not the beauty of the century.

As soon as she was about to give up on these vain thoughts, Ariel noticed the book that was still in her hand. The book that secretly possessed the title <Things To Do At Night>.

Ariel opened the book with a reckless touch, wanting to see what it was about before putting it back in place. As soon as the book’s pages flew open, Ariel’s eyes widened and her mouth opened.

“Hah!”

Bang! With a thud, Ariel quickly slammed the book shut. Her eyes shook uncontrollably. Ariel couldn’t believe what she just saw.

“This, this is…….”

Pulling her senses together, Ariel went through the memories that lingered in her head. There was a painting on one of the book pages, and it was obviously depicting a man and a woman, both naked…….

Within moments, Ariel’s face turned red like a ripe apple. Ariel, who had been staring absent-mindedly for a long time, carefully turned the cover of the book again. There, the title <Things To Do at Night> caught her eye.

“No way…”

At first, it was just a title, so she didn’t think much about it. However, when she saw the picture inside and looked at the title again, the book seemed unusual. Ariel observed the inner cover. In there, was the headline of the book.

<For the first time you’re stepping into the night world – about the things that everyone is doing but no one is telling you.>

“……!”

‘If there is a destiny, is this what it is?’

Ariel, who looked over the book again, became certain. It was clear that this was a more outspoken sex education book that could be called the ‘Night’s Textbook of All Nights’.

Ariel quickly picked it up and headed to the entrance. As she approached the counter, Ariel was worried if her pounding heart could be heard. Did the shopkeeper know what this book was? It’s a used bookstore with tens of thousands of books asleep covered in dust. Perhaps the owner cannot remember all the books.

‘Will that really be the case?’

The cover of the book was unique, which was why she even took it from an area on the floor. Then, wouldn’t the bookstore owner remember it?

It was as if her mind was in a whirlwind as she approached the checkout counter. When she approached the counter, Ariel saw a written note placed on it.

<Customer audit discount period. Pay 1 silver for 3 books regardless of genre or year of publication. With the exception for books in the special section.>

“……!”

As soon as she saw the note, Ariel reached out to the bookshelf next to her and took out two books without even looking at the title. And she put <Things To Do at Night> between the books.

‘Perfect!’

If such an event was being held, the owner would only check the number of books, not look at the title. No matter what, he’ll only look at the front and back. So if she put <Things To Do at Night> in the middle, the owner wouldn’t know what book she’s really buying.

Ariel quickly pulled a silver out of her pocket. She had never been this nervous before, even as a child when she crawled to the kitchen to eat candy. Her head was blank and her heart was beating faster as she felt like she was performing the biggest mission of her life. The more she thought of this, the more she had to pretend to be relaxed and casual. But Ariel wasn’t sure if she could do that.

Arriving at the counter, Ariel felt like she was standing on the guillotine. The book owner looked at her indifferently.

“I-I’d like to buy these, p-please.”

She tried to speak naturally, but her lips couldn’t move properly. The owner’s eyes, which were on Ariel, shifted to the books she held out.

‘Please. Please just check the number of books and take the silver!’

However, contrary to Ariel’s expectations, the owner’s eyes widened.

“This….”

The owner’s eyes shook. Ariel bit her lips as she watched the expression on the owner’s face, which was usually blank.

I’m doomed.

Ariel immediately wished that the wooden floor under her feet would break. To the depths of the earth. And it would be even better if someone covered it with dirt.

At that moment, the owner opened his mouth.

“Reading a book for the correction of acquired stuttering…….”

“……?”

What, did she pick up a book like that? Ariel looked at the book she held out in bewilderment. Indeed, the title that the owner said was on top.

“……?”

“I feel sorry for the young miss.”

The owner looked at Ariel with regret. Ariel could tell by the look in his eyes. She stuttered a little while ago, and the owner misunderstood her.

“Cheer up, and I hope you get better.”

“Uh… Uh…”

While Ariel was embarrassed, the owner handed her a cloth bag containing the three books she selected. He then received Ariel’s 1 silver, returned some change, and said, “Please don’t feel pressured to come again, I’ll try to look for a better book.”

By the time Ariel came to her senses, she was standing in front of her house with a bag containing the change and books.

***

Click. Ariel, who confirmed that the door was tightly locked, sat in front of the desk. Then she placed the cloth bag into the bottom drawer and pulled out the books inside it, placing them on the desk.

“Cough! Cough!”

When she put a book that had been stuck in the used bookstore for a long time on the desk, she could see the dust floating out of it under the light of the lamp. Ariel, who brushed the dust away with her hands, gulped.

<Stuttering, you can fix it – Don’t lose hope!>

“No, it’s not…….”

As she put that book away, she caught sight of the book with a purple velvet cover.

<Things To Do at Night>

Gulp.

Ariel swallowed dry saliva and slowly flipped the cover of the book. As she passed a few pages, she saw a table of contents.

“Basic knowledge for ladies…… Things to be prepared in advance…… Let’s keep this, the basic manners for the night together…….”

These were good enough. But then, soon, there was a problem.

“Starting with caressing…… The basic idea of sexual intercourse.… Words for a more sensual conversation…….”

The unfamiliar painting she saw seemed to be the one in the ‘basic idea of sexual intercourse’ chapter. Ariel went past the table of contents and began to read the headlines again.

<I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m sure you’re in a situation where you need to know what to do at night.>

Yes, that’s right. This is exactly it. Ariel unconsciously nodded and continued reading.

<You either have no idea what doing it is like in bed (Oh, of course it’s often not on the bed.) or you only know the basics. Of course, you may have more knowledge and experience than that, but I want you to know that this book is made for people with very basic knowledge.>

Ariel realized that this book was perfectly suited for her. Wasn’t her level of knowledge just what this book was targeting?

Before she knew it, Ariel began to be so absorbed in the book that she could not even hear her mother’s call to eat dinner.

For Ariel now, this book was her only hope.

***

“Arsion’s back!”

Ten days after Arsion returned to the capital, he finally returned home. The people from the duke’s estate welcomed the little duke back after three years.

“It’s late at night, so let us say our greetings tomorrow.”

Arsion smiled and greeted the servants, remembering their faces, then headed to his quarters. Since his social debut, he had been living in the annex that’s a little distance away from the main house. Although he’d returned after three years, everything was the same as if he had left yesterday.

“Your Grace, if you need anything, please let me know.”

At that remark, Arsion recalled what he needed. First, he needed a warm bath to relieve his fatigue. And then…….

“It’s okay. I’m sorry for asking this in the late hour, but can you draw a bath? And then you can go back.”

“But you must be hungry, even if it’s a simple dish…….”

When a young servant, a little excited about the little duke’s return after a long time, tried to continue, wanting to say if he needed anything else, an old servant stopped him and bowed to Arsion.

“Very well, we’ll be back when you are ready. Have a good rest.”

The old servant left the room, holding the young servant’s arm and giving him a stern look as if to stop him from protesting.

“You don’t have to say anything more. Just do what you’re told.”

The young servant, who was about to grumble, nodded, noticing the tone of the old servant who spoke firmly.

***

Ariel sat by the window of her room and looked at the faraway annex. The annex, which had not been in use for the past three years, was lit up to let everyone know that the owner had returned.

‘Arsion is back.’

Late at night, a servant from the main house informed the duke of Arsion’s return to the ducal residence and of a message to have breakfast together tomorrow.

It was really Arsion who she saw as he was passing through residence. She can finally see him properly tomorrow morning. Excited, Ariel laid on the bed, but she couldn’t fall asleep, so she finally put a coat over her shoulders and looked out the window.

As time went by, the lights in the annex began to go out one by one. And it was when the lights in Arsion’s room went out.

The lamp flickered in Arsion’s room.

“……!”

Ariel raised herself in surprise at the light. Again, the lights blinked twice in his room.

“This….”

This was a signal the two had created a long time ago, with the knowledge that his residence could be seen from Ariel’s room. One long blink is a sign of good night, and two long blinks are a sign to come and play. But she hadn’t responded to this signal ever since her mother caught and scolded her for going to Arsion’s annex at night.

Ariel turned to the annex again. There, the lamp flickered twice as long, as if he was still waiting.

Ariel turned her head and gazed at the light, bewitched. On her desk, laid <Things To Do at Night>, which she had read thoroughly several times already.

After buying that book, Ariel read through it, even forgetting to eat. She read the book over and over again, wondering if she had ever studied so hard in her life.

A few days later, Ariel clenched her fist and thought.

‘I think I can do really well!’

Groundless confidence soared in Ariel’s heart. This book taught her a lot of things. If she did what this book told her to do, she would be able to seduce Arsion without any experience. No, it shouldn’t end in seduction.

‘What I want is…….’

Ariel recalled the picture in the book. Every time she opened the page, she had to take a deep breath and look at it. The naked man and woman were tangled…… down below…….

Ariel changed her clothes, cooling her flushed face with the back of her hand.

‘It’s going to be difficult today.’

The book said that each party’s heart and atmosphere were important. If she hurried too much, it would all go wrong.

‘Then, let’s just get started today.’

Ariel quietly got dressed, then approached the desk again and looked at the book. Her theory was perfect. Now, all that was left was to execute it.

***

Knock, knock.

Ariel adjusted her collar and knocked on the door of the annex. Soon the door opened.

“Riel, you’re here?”

“Sion, why are you the one…?”

Of course she thought other servants would open the door for him. Surprisingly, Arsion was dressed in comfy clothes.

“I sent them all back. I wanted to rest quietly. What are you doing? Come on in.”

“Oh, yeah….”

Ariel instinctively nodded and stepped into the annex, beckoned by Arsion’s relaxed voice as if they had met yesterday.

Click. For some reason, the sound of the door closing behind her seemed to ring loudly in her ears. When she entered and turned her head, she saw Arsion holding a lamp. Although this was not the first time she saw him, Ariel somehow felt nervous as if she was with a stranger.

“Riel, are you okay?”

“Huh? Uh-huh….”

Did he notice the tension?

There was a slightly worried look on his face as he asked her that question. It was that look on Arsion’s face that allowed Ariel to relax a little. It was because that gaze, which showed he was worried about her, was the same as before.

‘I sent them all back. I wanted to rest…’

And then he called her. Ariel placed a hand over her heart. Thump, thump. She could feel the beating of her heart.

Somehow, she felt both happy and bitter at the same time. It was good that he treated her differently from others. But unlike herself, where her heart fluttered when she was with him, Arsion seemed calm without any agitation, so she was disappointed.

Arsion had a wry smile as Ariel hesitated after entering the room.

“It feels the same as when we meet at the palace…… Am I that strange now?”

Somehow, Ariel waved her hand quickly at Arsion’s wounded expression.

“N-no, no! I-it’s just been a while. Besides, you’ve grown so tall…….”

“But, both my father and mother were also surprised. Well, we can’t just keep standing here, let’s go up.”

“Uh, uh-huh….”

She thought they would first talk in the living room. Instead, Arsion took the lead with a lamp in hand and naturally led the way up to his room on the second floor.

‘Is this how it works?’

She remembered the priests and the holy knights she saw in the temple. They avoided being alone with a person of the opposite sex as much as possible. Ariel didn’t want to be rude or anything but she thought he would try to avoid personal contact, and yet Arsion was acting like he didn’t know that.

‘Is it because Arsion was not an official holy knight yet?’

Before Ariel realized, the two were in Arsion’s bedroom. It had been his bedroom for a long time. Before he left, the two had often spent time here together. It was also a familiar and cozy space.

As soon as she walked into the room, Ariel felt as if she had returned to the old days. Although this room was for Arsion, it was decorated with a curtain of Ariel’s favorite color, Ariel’s favorite painting, and Ariel’s favorite carpet. When Arsion said he didn’t know how to decorate his place, Ariel recommended her favorite things.

Ariel looked around the room with dim eyes. Arsion was the only one who changed, whereas everything remained the same here.

And Arsion, who had changed, was about to leave this place.

‘I don’t want to let you go.’

As people had said, Arsion was not someone she would want to miss. Because he’s a good man she’d been lucky to get. She had spent most of her life with him ever since she first met him. For Ariel, such an Arsion leaving was like having a part of herself being taken away.

Arsion put the lamp on the table and sat on the sofa in the middle of the room. Then, he hesitated a little bit before opening his mouth.

“Um…… I want to talk to you about something. Since my late return from the palace…… No, I think I should start from the time I suddenly went to the temple.”

Finally, the moment had come.

At Arsion’s hesitation, Ariel clenched her fist fiercely. It was clear that Arsion was finally trying to tell her that he was going to be a holy knight. Feeling as if tears would flow again, Ariel opened her mouth before Arsion could continue.

“It’s okay. I’ve heard it all.”

“Oh….”

Arsion looked surprised, as if he didn’t expect Ariel to know. His expression again sent Ariel into tears. Not only did society turn upside down, but everyone knew – from the dukes’ retainers as well as the servants, still they thought she might not know yet.

Then Arsion asked her carefully.

“I decided on my own….. are you not angry?”

It didn’t seem like he was unaware of his mistake. Ariel breathed in as deep as she could and spoke in a serene voice.

“Of course I’m angry. But that’s all right. I can understand your decision.”

Ariel was fully aware that pretending to be nice was not easy. But she shouldn’t be angry here. What she needed to do now was to pretend to understand, pretend to accept.

However, the moment she saw Arsion smiling brightly at her reply that she understood, a corner of her heart throbbed without realizing it.

Ariel was in tears at the fact that Arsion was leaving and that she loved him so much.

She clenched her fist in determination. Her heart was hurting and yet he laughed?

‘If so.’

Ariel took a step closer to Arsion, thinking that she could do what she came to do without any remorse. Arsion continued in an excited voice, not noticing Ariel’s movement.

“I thought you’d understand. In fact, my father jumped up and down, saying it was nonsense, and at the palace, he raised his voice, asking what the Crown Princess was talking about. But it was something I decided a long time ago.”

Ariel knew the two were on her side. What the Duke of Hastings and the Crown Princess knew, only Arsion didn’t know.

“It’s going to be a bit rushed, but…….”

“Sion.”

Only then did Arsion look up as if he had come to his senses. Ariel said to such an Arsion.

“I came here today…… because I have something to teach you.”

If others heard this, they would wonder what it meant. The daughter of a vassal family teaching the little duke something.

But as a child, Ariel often yelled at Arsion, saying that she would teach him. Naturally, Ariel had nothing to teach Arsion, who was taking successor classes as the next duke, in academic knowledge. However, the story changed when she went out to the garden outside the mansion.

Ariel, who had wandered in the woods and fields since childhood, was invincible in the garden. Which trees were good to climb, which fruits could be eaten, how to catch animals, or how to dig flower beds, and so on. Each time, Arsion looked at Ariel with a respectful gaze as she shrugged.

“You’re going to teach me……?”

“Do you…… know about the things to do at night?”

Ariel, who said so, quickly examined Arsion. It would be all over if he reacted a little bit and knew what it was.

“Things to do at night…… what’s that?

However, Arsion’s murmurings and expression showed that he was apparently unaware of what it was.

‘This is good!’

Ariel let out a shout in her heart. She knew how the priests and the holy knights of the temple treated the opposite sex impeccably. She had even been told that nothing sexual can be said. Even before leaving the duke’s residence, Arsion was pure like a white sheet of paper. But it was clear that he still knew nothing about it even after going somewhere like that.

Ariel looked at Arsion. His face, looking up at her, was filled with pure curiosity. His expression was the same as the one when they were children, when he looked at her trying to tell him another interesting thing.

Ariel reached out and cradled Arsion’s face with both hands. Arsion accepted Ariel’s gestures without a hint of surprise.

Before leaving, Arsion’s skin was softer than silk, but now, it’s slightly rougher and sunburnt. But Arsion was still beautiful. Ariel’s heart thumped at the sight of his face, which was so firm that she couldn’t find the lines of a boy anymore.

“Sion, close your eyes.”

“Why eyes?”

“Don’t ask me why. Do you… trust me?”

Ariel gave strength to her trembling hands as she responded with a line similar to a vixen trying to entice an innocent man.

What if Arsion finds what she is doing as strange? No, what if he gets mad at her for actually knowing a certain amount of things to do between the opposite sex and trying to corrupt him? All sorts of worries filled Ariel’s head.

But Ariel’s anxiety quickly disappeared. Arsion closed his eyes without any further questions. Ariel leaned down. In an instant, their faces became close enough to feel each other’s breaths. At the moment when Arsion’s face flinched slightly, Ariel ruthlessly covered Arsion’s lips with her own lips.

Warm, and a little wet, the soft flesh touched.

She wondered what Arsion’s lips, which she had seen for a long time, would feel like. It was a kiss. Didn’t they share it at birthday parties when they were young? However, Ariel’s mind lost all thoughts as soon as their lips touched.

Maybe it’s because of him. Suddenly, her legs became weak and she stumbled. Because Ariel was in a hurry to kiss Arsion, she lowered her body and collapsed into his arms. Surprised, Arsion hugged her tighter.

‘Huh…?’

Ariel could feel it vividly, the forearms embracing her. The strong thighs she was sitting on. Even the thick arms that hugged her. And a broad, hard chest that touched her back.

Arsion’s body scent wrapped around Ariel. A strong yet soft scent mixed with a refreshing soapy scent. Ariel felt dizzy at a scent so powerful that she couldn’t understand how she had never felt it before.

Then she realized. The fact that her lips were still attached to Arsion’s.

Should they stop now? It was when she was thinking so.

“Mmp…!”

Something penetrated between her lips. It quickly pushed into Ariel’s mouth, ferociously scouring her mouth ruthlessly.

“Mm-mmp!”

Startled, she tried to push her body back, but Arsion’s hand, which firmly grabbed the back of her head, stopped her from escaping. Ariel had no choice but to continue to be subjected to such devouring intrusions.

His tongue came in. Arsion’s tongue!

Ariel couldn’t really think of anything. That was why she could feel Arsion’s movement so vividly. His tongue, which had been entangled as if it wanted to pull her tongue out from its roots, coveted her mouth to the fullest extent and rubbed the soft mucous membrane inside as if it was craving more.

Ariel trembled unconsciously at the intense sensation. She felt saliva flowing through her lips, but she didn’t think it was dirty. Ariel clung to Arsion without realizing it. At that moment, she somehow felt like she heard a chuckle.

“Haaah…… Haaah….”

It was a long time before their tangled tongues parted and their joint lips fell off.

Ariel blinked slowly. Just now, she kissed Arsion. It’s not just a peck, but their tongues intertwined. Ariel became limp, forgetting what she was originally going to do.

Looking at Ariel like that, Arsion said with an innocent expression that had not changed a bit.

“Riel, is this what you do at night?”

The moment she agonized over what to answer, Arsion continued.

“I don’t know what it is, but it feels good. Are you going to teach me again tomorrow?”

Ariel nodded unconsciously at his words.